Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at writing a Harry Potter fan fiction, so please bear with me. It'll be a bit choppy at first.
Also, I do not own any aspects of the Harry Potter series. I only own the plot of this fan fiction and the character of Juno Moreau.
Prologue - The Danger Ahead
"Where is it? Where is the broach?"
"Like I'd tell you! What do you need it for, anyway?"
"Enough! I will not be back sassed by muggle filth!"
The metallic taste of blood filled Juno's mouth as she was flung across the long, dark room by a very hard slap across the face. If her hands hadn't been bound together by silvery ropes, she would have reached for her wand to defend herself. As it was, they had taken that important item from her, which left her with little chance of defending herself. She was attempting to move herself into a standing position, when a hand closed around her dark hair and pulled her up forcefully. She cursed and whimpered quietly, feeling as though her head was about to split in two as the cold blade of a knife was pressed gently, teasingly against her throat.
"I will ask you one more time. Where is the broach?"
Juno was about to spit out another remark of sarcasm, when emerald flames erupted in the fireplace, and half a dozen or so witches and wizards stumbled out, gaining composure quickly and training their wands on the hooded figure that pressed the blade to Juno's throat. The person merely laughed, as if one of them had told a humorous joke. Snapping his fingers, eleven black clouds of smoke erupted inside the room. When the smoke disappeared, hooded figures remained. Without wasting a second, they flicked their wands in the direction of the group, binding the hands of each person in similar fashion to Juno's, before taking them roughly by the arms and dragging them to either side of the room.
"Now, you have a choice, my dear. Either tell us where the broach is, or watch your friends die."
Chapter One - Another World
"All aboard the Hogwarts Express! We will depart in five minutes!"
The hub of families standing on Platform 9 3/4 said their final good-byes quickly and dispersed as students of varying ages - mostly younger ones - ran onto the train eagerly. There was a fair amount of babble and chatter with a mixture of accents, but two would manage to stick out the most to anyone lending a prying ear to the various conversation. A girl of about sixteen years of age, slender and standing at an average height, tucked a loose strand of chocolate colored hair behind her ear as she looked up to a woman who looked just like the former, but with a slightly more harsh and ragged appearance. The older woman managed a half-smile as she looked back to the girl.
"You'd better get going," she spoke in an accident that clearly indicated she was from the States. "They don't have multiple trains to Hogwarts like they have multiple buses to Edenbrook."
The girl nodded, but she looked pale and nervous. "I'm scared, Mom. What if I don't fit in? I mean, they have four houses. What if mine hates me?"
The conductor called out a final warning, and the mother of the girl hugged her quickly. "You'll be fine. And hey, if they do, it's not like you'll be around them for the next to years."
"Mom!"
"Get on the train." The woman chuckled and winked jokingly at her daughter's protest, giving her a gentle shove towards the scarlet steam engine. "And don't forget to send me an owl once you're settled in!"
The girl had made it on the train, but she still looked out to her mother and nodded as the train began to move. Within a minute, she had lost sight of her mother. Sighing heavily, the girl grabbed ahold of her trunk and began walking down the corridor, looking left and right for an empty compartment. She was far from lucky, however - it seemed that every compartment was full, crowding with people that were talking, laughing, or playing exploding snap. She was getting more and more discouraged, when she finally came across one that was completely vacant, except for one passenger - a tall and lanky boy with unruly dark hair and spectacles, who looked to be the same age as her. Considering her options, the girl opened the door and stuck her head in.
"This seat taken?" she asked, pointing to the empty seat across from him. He looked up, blinking his green eyes, before shaking his head.
"No, er.. go ahead."
The girl muttered "thanks", before dragging her trunk in and dropping the end on the floor, making a soft thud. She then sat herself down across from the boy, crossing her legs.
"I'm Juno, by the way. Juno Moreau." Hey, I might as well introduce myself, she thought, offering her hand and hoping he'd shake it - otherwise, she'd look like an ass.
Thankfully, the boy did take it. "I'm..." he trailed off, debating on what he was going to say, before making up his mind. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you, Harry." Juno spoke, managing a smile before letting go of his fingers and rubbing her own hands together.
Harry blinked, trying to determine if she was joking. When she didn't say anything, he just nodded. "Yeah, you too." he managed, before raising his eyebrows slightly. "I've never seen you around the castle before... what house are you in?"
"Don't have one yet," Juno spoke, pulling a box of candy and an odd, multi-colored cube from her bag. She opened the top of the box and held it out to Harry. "Sour Patch Kid?"
"Sure," Harry spoke, though he was still a little confused. "What do you mean you don't know? Anyone above first year has a house."
Juno popped a red piece of candy in her mouth, twisting and turning the cube. "I'm new. A transfer student. From America."
Harry raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Oh. Well, that makes much more sense." He didn't understand why he didn't put two and two together before - she didn't have an accent and she seemed completely oblivious to who he was, which was a refreshing change of pace from the normal reaction of people wildly shaking his hand or asking for a picture with him.
The rest of the train ride consisted of Harry and Juno sharing light conversation, most in which Harry listened to Juno talk about America, the way their wizarding school was set up, and so on and so forth. When he asked why she decided to transfer, however, she had changed the subject by rubbing her eyes, yawning, and declaring she would take a nap before arrival at Hogwarts.
That had been a little over an hour ago, and since then, the sky had darkened considerably and the countryside was melting into the village of Hogsmeade as the train slowed to a stop. Harry poked Juno's shoulder a bit, until she rubbed her eyes and sat up.
"Time to get off. You should probably put on your robe," he added, leaving the compartment to give her a bit of privacy. After a couple of minutes, Juno emerged in a robe similar to those that the first years wore, aside from the fact that it was about five times as big. She couldn't spot Harry anywhere, and when she got off the train, she was told she would file into a boat with the first years. She didn't like kids that much, but Juno managed to distract herself by looking at the water of the lake, and later at the castle when they arrived. When she made contact with solid ground again, she couldn't help but find it completely real now that Hogwarts was going to be her new home.
She didn't have time to think about that as she was ushered into the entrance hall of the castle with the other first years, where they were lectured by a stern-looking professor about some basic rules and that they were to behave during the sorting ceremony. Juno stayed in the back, feeling a bit annoyed by all the stares she was getting from the first years, before following them into The Great Hall, where, to her immense dread, there were a good seven hundred other people.
Standing on the end of a long line, she waited nervously. Brown eyes sweeping the room, they came in contact with a familiar pair of emerald green ones. The owner gave her a reassuring smile, before turning and saying something to the bushy and brown-haired girl next to him. Name after name was called, until -
"Moreau, Juno!"
Juno hadn't realized how shaky her legs were, until she began walking up to the stool, where the hat was. She sat down, and slowly placed the hat on her head, when it began to speak in her mind.
Ah, a sixth year? Well, this is certainly a change. And an American! I can see that you do hold a decent amount of knowledge, but certainly not enough initiative to be in Ravenclaw. You do have a considerable amount of ambition, a willingness to do whatever it takes to reach your goals... but, there is an underlying need to follow your gut and give into your impulses. You are also fairly stubborn... Where to put you?
'Will you just make up your mind already? This is weird.'
Oh, impatient and an attitude? I know just where to put you...
CLIFFHANGER! Yeah, I know, I suck. Want to know where Juno's put and what happens next? Stay tuned! Oh, you should leave me a review, too. Let me know what I should change and what I'm doing well!