"I just—I don't know. What if they don't like me Tyler? It's the last year and I'm going to stick out." My voice quivered as I peeked into the great hall, twirling a long piece of brown hair around my finger, a bad habit I've had my whole life. My luck over the past year seemed nonexistent, when the death eaters destroyed the small town my family had been living in, my parents thought I would be safer at Hogwarts under the sharp eye of Professor Dumbledore. I didn't even get to say good bye to any of my friends at Salem Academy, nobody could know where I was going. But now as I'm waiting to be sorted I wonder if it's even worth it, the fear I'm feeling doesn't seem like a fare trade off.
Tyler gripped my shaking hand, "It will be alright Sarah, if anybody gives you any trouble I'll take care of them." He twisted his wand between his fingers, white teeth flashing against his dark skin. "I have to get back in there, and I'm sure McGonagall will be out to get you in just a few, so calm down. And remember Gryffindor!" He squeezed my hand again, pulling me into a tight hug before he snuck into the great hall, leaving me alone with my nerves.
"Sarah Green? Ah yes there you are." McGonagall stared down the bridge of her nose at me, her glasses slipping slightly. Her forest green robs twirling gently around her legs, her stern look softening at my obvious fright. "Don't worry, this is the easiest thing you will have to do all year." Her hard British accent made me smile, I would have to get used to that sound surrounding me.
I followed the click of her heal on the cobblestone, to terrified to look up at the crowd. Reaching the head table I realized Dumbledore had been introducing me as a new student, smiling slightly I kept my eyes trained at my feet. Wishing he would talk faster didn't seem to be helping my case. His words filtered through my mind, was I really worth warranting a ten minute speech, I don't think so anyway.
"Psst Sarah." Tyler's attempt at being secretive wasn't working out that well, gaining weird looks from those surrounding him. Giving me two thumbs up and an encouraging smile did seem to make some of the butterflies disappear. I sat on the most uncomfortable stool imaginable, probably made that way to stir up the nerves even more. A ratty old hat was placed on my head, I closed my eyes hoping the room would go away in the darkness.
"Hello young lady, there was much excitement in the head masters office when we learned that you would be coming to our hallowed halls." Was this hat really talking to me, that's a new one. "I take it you know about our four houses?" Am I supposed to answer back? This doesn't make much sense. "I am in your mind just think it and I can hear it." Well in that case, I know I want to be in Gryffindor. "Yes I see that, you have a very good friend in that house, but perhaps one of the other houses would be better suited. I see you are very intelligent. Much more geared for Ravenclaw. But what is this here—you have a secret holding up inside you. Oh my how deliciously dark this secret is, maybe you should go to the Slytherin house, it would help you along your way." Listen mister hat, I do not want to go into any house besides Gryffindor. I appreciate the fact that you are looking out for my 'best interest' but that house is the one I will fit in the best. And I'll have you know I can stuff and sew you shut without anyone figuring out what happened and why you suddenly became the castles favorite chew toy. "My my, you certainly know what you want. Well then it appears to be—GRYFFINDOR!" The hats voice rang around the hall as the table nearest me irrupted in applause.
Sighing heavily I walked over to sit in-between Tyler and a terrified looking first year. He engulfed my curved frame into a bone crushing hug, "I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" Screaming to be heard over the hoard of boys and a few girls that wanted to shake my hand; these people seemed overly nice, it's not like they know me, or why I had to be transferred here. Dropping my eyes I watched the food instantly appear, I prodded at a few things trying to find something that looked slightly edible. "Come on Sarah it's not that bad, I know its not your American fast food, but here try this," He shoveled a big piece of something onto my plate. It looked black and had some sort of slime oozing from the pastry crust, "Its steak and kidney pie! Its great!"
My face fell as it twisted into a disgusted grimace, "k—kidney? You gave me something with a kidney in it!?" Braking into a hard laugh he hugged me tight again.
"Its not a real kidney, its kidney beans. Come on it does taste good just give it a try." Turning back to his own highly pilled plate he put a fork in my hand, nudging me towards my own.
Taking a small bit on the end of my fork I studied it bringing it close to my face, smelling it it didn't seem that bad, but before I could put it in my mouth someone squeezed in beside me and the first year.
"Hello there, my name is George, George Weasley and that ugly mug over there is my twin Fred." Extending his hand to me to shake it I inched closer to Tyler, I don't like my personal space being invaded, and this rather tall man was doing just that. "You can shake my hand, I don't bite, unless you like that sort of thing." His smile reached his chocolate eyes an attempt to trap me I'm sure.
Slowly I took his hand shaking it, "Hi, I'm Sarah Green." My voice shook more than I wanted it too. His smile widened looking me up and down, great another one of them.
"Your accent is adorable." His words made me flush a deep red as I pulled away from him.
"George why is it you think you get to talk to all the pretty girls first." His twin had come up behind me without my notice. I gripped Tyler's leg searching desperately for a way out. "I have to admit though, well done." He flashed a smile at me too thinking that it would soften the insult he had just thrown my way.
"Wow, you two are clever aren't you, thinking that calling her cute would get you anywhere with her. On her first day to, bravo, that's not taking advantage of her what-so-ever now is it Weasley's." Tyler had finally taken a breather from his food. The two red heads didn't even falter.
"Sorry mate didn't realize you had a claim on her." Fred jokingly backed away with his hands up.
"Excuse me, what the hell makes it okay for you to think that you can talk about me like I am a piece of property." My hazel eyes flashed as anger rose inside me. "And if you think that your cheesy ass pick up lines are going to work on me you can back off now. It may work on you English type but I like to think that I have a brain and can think for myself thank you so very much." Tyler put his arm around me to stop himself from falling off the long wooden bench he was laughing so hard at how fast Fred really did back away.
"Yeah, sorry about him." George ran his hand along the back of his neck, ruffling his shoulder length red hair. "He never has mastered the proper way to talk to a stunning girl such as yourself." The apologetic look didn't last to long as I turned on him.
"And I see you haven't either, I suppose you think it's a complement using your golden tongue to find as many ways as possible to call me attractive, well did it ever occur to you that I might not be as vain as the girls you are used to dealing with? Did it?" Looking trapped he stood up from the bench. "You can come onto me when you get to know me better and can actually tell me something enlightening rather than just attempting to get into my pants with pretty words." Turning back to my food I heard his retreating footsteps and let out a breath of relief.
"I love you Sarah." Tyler jokingly added pushing me slightly. "See you can take care of yourself. Look at you getting all uppity at them." Smiling at him like it was something I did every day, he turned back to finish his food, my appetite on the other hand had disappeared all together, my momentary bravery had zapped everything else from my body.
Tracing my finger along the grains of wood I waited until the desserts had shown up and then vanished. Looking up at the floating candles I didn't notice when the room started to empty, Tyler pulled gently at my standard black robes. Attempting to get me to follow him, but doing that would mean passing by the twins that had stared at me through the rest of dinner whispering to each other. Every once in a while the one called George would smile down the table at me.
"Uhm, can't we just wait a while?" I slid my eyes over to the two red heads but he was two preoccupied telling the first years to get in line.
"What? Sorry I can't, Since I'm a prefect, and head boy," Giving a cocky little smile as he paused expecting me to understand what he was talking about. "I have to take these guys up to the dorms, and I'm almost positive that includes you."
"You know what as much fun as that sounds, really, Dumbledore gave me a tour over the summer break, and since I stick out enough as is I don't think walking around with a bunch of kids that come up to my waist, no offense guys, wont really help my case!" The first years surround us laugh as Tyler indignantly lead them away.
Sitting there shaking my head at him I realized my mistake. I assumed that the two would have left if I waited them out. I was dead wrong. They were still in their seats staring me down. Although Fred looked like he was getting bored. George stood up to approach me again when a girl with milk chocolate skin and deep black hair approached them. I saw my chance for freedom and took it, running past the two confused and calling out my name, as the girl looked a little pissed to be being ignored. Smiling at my small victory I took the marble stairs two at a time, my hand gliding on top of the smooth hand rail.
Reaching the portrait of the woman in the pink dress a lot sooner than I figured I would I tried desperately to remember the password, I could hear the two boys climbing the stairs quickly behind me. The woman looked down smiling at me waiting to open up.
"Uhmm—I know this, CAPPIT DRACONA!" The second the words left my lips she swung forward allowing me the entrance I need to escape. The common room was covered in red and gold, the overstuffed arm chairs looked inviting but that was something I didn't have the luxury of trying at this point in time. It was to warm for a fire but the fire place was blacked by years of use. A soft rain hit against the few windows blocking out the star light. The looks of interest didn't bother me as much this time because I could escape them quicker. I spotted the stairs on the opposite side of the room just in time, the portrait hole behind me opened as I was running towards it.
The faces blurred as I sped past them, obviously confused as to what was wrong with the new girl. Opening a wooden door a saw rows of them beyond it, which one had Dumbledore said I was supposed to go to? It has to be the one at the top, it only makes sense. I ran up the stairs longing for my sanctuary. Ripping the door open I saw my stuff next to a large four poster bed, covered in the same reds and gold's as the room below. Taking refuge on my bed I pulled the hangings closed, maybe nobody would realize I was here and I could stay locked away all year.
Just as my master plan was taking form I heard the wooden door creak open girls voices wafting into my ears. I pulled the pillow from behind me onto my lap, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around the whole bundle.
"Well I heard that she killed a bunch of people and they kicked her out of her last school." A high pitched slightly sweetened voice stated.
"I heard that she's cursed and anybody who gets close to her dies." That voice sounds familure but I couldn't place where from.
"Oh you two are terrible, did you think maybe her family just moved here and she needed a new school?" I liked that voice, if only what she was saying would be true. "You guys just want to spread gossip and if you start that kind of stuff again this year then you will never pass your O.W.L.'s." It seemed like they were right at the edge of her bed now.
"Wait a second whose things are these?" It was the first girl again, I could hear her bend over and rummage through my things, guess its time for me to come out of hiding, that didn't last to long.
Coughing to allow them time to pretend they hadn't been talking about me. "Hello there, sorry to invade your dorm, guess we can call it pay back for that whole revolutionary war thing." Letting out a small laugh I realized they had never learned muggle history like we had to at Salem. "Right…well hi there, my name is Sarah Green. I'm the new transfer student." Extending my hand the girl that hand said nice things took it, steering me back to my bed. That's when I realized who the second voice had been. The girl in the Great Hall who had attempted to get George's attention. This year was shaping up to be just wonderful.