A/N - Thank you for opening this story. It means the world to me :) I don't own anything about the Harry Potter universe except for any original characters. Apologies in advance if canon characters are drastically OOC. I'm still planning the whole series so updates may be slow. This is also a first and unedited draft so I would appreciate no mean comments. Constructive criticism is fine but just don't be mean. Reviews and/or subscriptions are greatly appreciated. Thanks again and hope you all enjoy the story! :)
Mr. and Mrs. Lin walked across King's Cross Station, passing the sign for Platform #5. An eleven year old girl trudged shortly behind them, pushing a cart of luggage. Her brown almond-shaped eyes wandered around, looking for Platform #9. Her parents had told her all about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and how they had both met in the same House. In all honesty, hearing about her parents' love stories had started to get old after she had heard it for the third time, but she never felt like saying anything about it. She hadn't been surprised when she had received her Hogwarts letter. Since both of her parents were wizards, they just expected her to be one too.
"Hurry along, Jade. The train will depart soon," her mother said, ushering her to push the cart faster.
Jade rested her gaze on her mother. "You had us ready to leave fifteen minutes early. We'll make it," Jade replied.
Her mother laughed. "Sorry, dear. I'm just excited for your first day." They just passed Platform #8. "Remember to owl us how everything goes." Mrs. Lin turned to her husband. "She's going to make an excellent Ravenclaw."
Jade gave a small sigh. Mum's more excited about my first day than I am. Maybe me going through the same experience she did is getting to her. Jade then found herself furrowing her eyebrows. "How do you know for sure I'll be in Ravenclaw? I haven't even been sorted yet."
Her mother gave a small laugh as they finally stopped at Platform #9. "Don't be silly, dear. Everyone from my family was a Ravenclaw, and so was everyone from your father's family. It's in your blood."
Jade shrugged, but didn't say anything more. Her father said, "Position your cart in front of the pole over there, Jade."
Jade did as she was told, and together she and her family ran through the pole. They magically appeared on the other side, Jade's gaze resting on the sign for Platform #9 3/4. She couldn't help but smile slightly when she saw the amount of wizards bustling to get on the train. She pushed her voluminous black hair away from her shoulders as she saw a red-haired family further down the walkway.
Her parents helped her get everything she needed onto the train. A few moments later, the train gave a warning whistle. Jade turned to her parents.
Her father gave her a warm hug. "I love you, Jade."
"I love you too," Jade replied.
As soon as her father let go, Jade's mother embraced her in a tight hug. Jade gasped as her mother swayed her slightly. "Remember to write, dear."
"I will," Jade said. "It's not like I'll be gone forever. I'll be back for Christmas."
Her mother finally let go as she smiled. "You'll get to see your cousin, Cho."
Jade nodded. "Right. Cho."
Cho Chang was her maternal cousin and a year younger than her. Their parents seemed to think that she and Cho actually looked forward to seeing each other. It wasn't that she hated Cho, but they just didn't share anything in common. Cho was very outgoing and sociable while Jade... wasn't. There was also that one time when Cho had gotten her into trouble when Jade was nine. Ironically, it was during another Christmas party. The Christmas party rotated between Jade's home and Cho's home. That year, it had been at Cho's house. They had been hanging out in the same room, and Cho accidentally knocked down an expensive vase. When the parents rushed in, Cho had probably been so worried about getting into trouble, since she claimed that Jade broke it. Jade had been a quiet girl when she was nine, and even at that age she didn't really care much. If the vase was that valuable, magic could just be used to repair it. Of course, Cho being her cute and 'innocent' self, all the parents believed her.
Jade snapped out of her thoughts when the Hogwarts train gave one last warning whistle.
"You best get going, dear." Her mother gestured her towards the train.
Jade nodded, giving one last hug to both of her parents before turning to board the train. Before she disappeared through the door, she turned and gave one last wave.
Jade walked through the aisle, passing by a few compartment doors. She saw red-headed twins in one compartment laughing loudly with a few other people. She recognized them from that red-headed family earlier, but kept walking to search for another compartment.
She finally found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She slid the door open and took a seat. She turned and gazed out the window. The train hadn't moved yet, so she saw her parents outside trying to find her. Her father eventually pointed to her window, and they both gave enthusiastic waves. Jade waved back, giving a slight smile as the train finally began to move.
Jade finally settled back down as the train chugged away. She closed her eyes to take a nap when she heard the door compartment slide open again a few minutes later. She snapped her eyes open when she heard loud, rowdy voices, clearly annoyed that people couldn't see she was trying to sleep. When she shot an icy glare towards the intruders, they immediately fell silent and turned back.
No one bothered her for the rest of the train ride, which was how she liked it.
"Diggory, Cedric."
A brown haired boy with light skin stepped forward. He looked a little anxious but excited at the same time. He appeared to be the type of person that would be hardworking when it came to studies, but also athletic. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat shouted.
The Hufflepuff table erupted in cheers. Cedric smiled and made his way to join his new Housemates.
"Gibbons, Caitlin." Professor McGonagall called after a few other names.
To Jade's right, she watched a girl meekly mutter an apology as she pushed her way to the front. Caitlin seemed slightly petite, almost as short as Jade, but it mainly seemed to be because she looked nervous and uncomfortable, causing her to shrink into herself a bit. Her dirty blonde hair was tied in a neat high ponytail, the ends of it curling slightly to rest at the back of her neck.
Caitlin proceeded to climb the stairs, but she suddenly stumbled. She softly laughed at herself in her clumsiness. It was a little cute, hearing someone who had previously seemed anxious laugh. Professor McGonagall waited patiently as Caitlin slowly walked to the stool.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat repeated after a few seconds.
The Hufflepuff table cheered once more. Caitlin's lips morphed into a small smile as she slowly made her way over there, proceeding to sit with Cedric.
After more names, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Johnson, Angelina."
A girl with topaz colored skin came forward. Her brown hair was also tied in a ponytail, but it wasn't high like Caitlin's. The way she jogged up to the stool made her look a little athletic.
A few moments after the Sorting Hat was placed on her head, the Sorting Hat cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"
This time, the table on the far left bellowed loudly. Angelina proudly made her way to the Gryffindor table. Soon after, a boy named Lee Jordan was also sorted into Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall continued to work her way through the new student list. The Sorting Hat didn't spend that long to sort them into Houses, as though it was its bread and butter. It intrigued Jade, that the Sorting Hat would be able to see within herself and sort her into the House it deemed her fit. Her heart started to race a little faster as Professor McGonagall made her way through the rest of the J's and K's.
"Lin, Jade." Professor McGonagall's voice finally called, looking amongst the crowd of new students.
Jade pushed her way to the front, not bothering to apologize to anyone standing in her way. She made her way up to the stool and took a seat as Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on Jade's head.
Jade expected the Sorting Hat to shout something, but it was silent for a good while. She nearly jumped when she finally heard the Sorting Hat's voice.
"Very difficult. You possess a great deal of knowledge like the young Ravenclaw students, but you also possess a great deal of ambition, a trait prized in Slytherins." The Sorting Hat mused in her ear.
Slytherin? Jade thought back. Her parents didn't mention too much about Slytherin House. If they did, it was to comment on how the majority of Dark Wizards out there, including You-Know-Who, came from Slytherin. Slytherin House didn't have the best reputation in the slightest. She took a glance at the table. They honestly didn't look like a bad lot. Perhaps her parents were exaggerating. Besides, just because most of the Dark Wizards came from Slytherin didn't mean that everyone from Slytherin would end up as a Dark Wizard.
"Yes. Not a bad mind, I must say. The Ravenclaws would be lucky to have you. But again, there's still that determination and resourcefulness to consider." The Sorting Hat quietly replied.
"I wonder what's taking so long?" Jade heard someone nearby say quietly.
Jade ignored them. Which House do you believe suits me more?
"You would do well in both." The Sorting Hat said. "Your Ravenclaw and Slytherin traits are closely even. However, your Slytherin traits are slightly... stronger."
They are? Jade mentally responded, also a little curious.
"It's not that much of a difference, but yes. However, you would not go wrong with either House." When Jade didn't respond at first, the Sorting Hat mused. "I must say. I sorted all of your family members. They were Ravenclaw through and through. They didn't take long to sort. You? I haven't had to take this amount of time in many years." Jade closed her eyes as the Sorting Hat finally said, "I offer you the choice. Once you choose, there's no going back. Ravenclaw, or Slytherin?"
Jade furrowed her eyebrows. She was honestly surprised that the Sorting Hat was giving her a choice. She trusted its judgment when it said that she was slightly more Slytherin than Ravenclaw, but she wondered why it didn't just sort her into Slytherin if that was the case. She then remembered what the Sorting Hat said. It had sorted all of her family members into Ravenclaw. Perhaps it was hesitant to break the chain unless that was what she wanted.
"Hurry up!" Jade heard another student that would be in her year call.
She also heard the headmaster's voice from behind her. "A Hatstall, Minerva," he said to Professor McGonagall in an amused tone.
Once again, she ignored them. This was her time to decide. Anything concerning the others wasn't relevant to her. She sighed. She could choose Ravenclaw. It was where her parents expected her to end up. But... there was a part of her that told her not to. If she did, it would probably be because that was where all her family members had been sorted, and not because that was where she truly belonged. She snapped her eyes open.
She wasn't a follower. She never has been, nor she ever will be. She wouldn't have minded being sorted into Ravenclaw if it was the other way around; if she was slightly more Ravenclaw than Slytherin, but she wasn't. Choosing Ravenclaw just because her whole family were Ravenclaws would be like lying to herself about who she was.
I belong in Slytherin, Jade finally thought back.
The Sorting Hat chuckled quietly in her ear. "You continue to surprise me. I thought you would choose your family house."
I will be different from my family. She thought, setting her resolute gaze at the Slytherin table. And I will prove to them that I can do just as well in Slytherin.
The Sorting Hat laughed in her ear. "Your Slytherin traits are finally showing." Jade gave a small scoff as the Sorting Hat yelled "SLYTHERIN!"
Professor McGonagall finally lifted the Sorting Hat from her head as Jade hoisted herself off the stool. The Slytherin table roared with cheers. As she approached the table, they scooted down to make room for her.
Jade watched as Professor McGonagall continued to sort the other students in her year. Shortly after her, a girl named Laverna McGonagall was called up. There were a lot of whispers as the Sorting Hat was placed on her long brown hair, seeing that her last name was the same as Professor McGonagall's. Aside from all the whispers, however, no one explicitly addressed it.
"Granddaughter?" Jade heard an older Slytherin at her table mutter in question.
"I heard McGonagall never had children, must be a grandniece or something." Someone else replied.
Jade snapped her attention back to the front as the Sorting Hat yelled. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Laverna exchanged a bright smile with Professor McGonagall before proceeding to sit with Angelina Johnson.
After more names, another girl caught Jade's attention. Preethi Patil walked up to the stool, her black hair tied in a neat braid. The lights from Great Hall seemed to hit Preethi's light brown skin in all the right ways. Jade could feel an wistful air around her, as though she had a lot of thoughts hiding behind her calm exterior. She seemed to exude presence, but not in the same way that Laverna had.
"RAVENCLAW!" The Sorting Hat shouted.
As Preethi stood to walk towards the Ravenclaw table, she gave a small nod to herself, as though her sorting had followed her expectations.
Professor McGonagall kept reading off names. Another boy named Adrian Pucey was sorted into Slytherin. Alicia Spinnet, a girl she saw sitting with Angelina Johnson and the red-haired twins on the train was sorted into Gryffindor. Cassius Warrington was also sorted into Slytherin.
"Weasley, Fred."
One of the red-headed twins came forward eagerly. Freckles danced across his face and he also had a goofy grin as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head.
Then, something unexpected happened. The Sorting Hat cried, "YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE NOT THE FIRST SET OF TWINS WHO TRIED TO FOOL ME, GEORGE WEASLEY."
The whole Hall erupted in laughter. Even the headmaster looked slightly amused. The boy that Jade thought was Fred, who was apparently George, got up and ran back to his twin, sniggering.
Professor McGonagall blinked, then said again in a stern voice. "Weasley, Fred."
It wasn't long before both Fred and George were sorted into Gryffindor. After the last of the students were sorted, Headmaster Dumbledore declared for a feast. Food magically appeared on the table. Jade was awed, but immediately reached for the juicy pieces of meat before they were gone.
She then heard someone next to her ask, "What took your sorting so long? The Sorting Hat seemed to fly through most of the others."
Jade turned to see a Slytherin boy looking at her curiously. She recognized him as a boy who was sorted before Cedric Diggory, but his name slipped her mind. She cleared her throat before responding, "It was trying to decide whether to put me in Ravenclaw or Slytherin, so it asked me which one I wanted."
"It asked you?" The boy looked surprised, perhaps even impressed. "That's cool. The Sorting Hat immediately knew where to place me." He picked up his glass of water to get a drink.
Jade shrugged, giving a small smirk. "I guess you weren't interesting enough."
The boy nearly spit out his water at Jade's remark. He gave another look at her as he set his glass down. He also shrugged and said, "I wouldn't want to be interesting."
"Oh really, and here I thought you did." Jade teased.
The boy let out a sarcastic laugh. "Nah, I'd rather not stand out too much." He then said, "Lin, was it?"
Jade nodded, slightly surprised that the boy seemed to remember her name amidst everyone. "Jade is fine."
"Jade," he tested. "A stone that's green, the same color as Slytherin House. Fitting, I think." He offered his hand. "Adonis Carrow."
Jade raised an eyebrow slightly, but still took his hand without fear and gave it a good shake. Her parents had mentioned the Carrow family too, and how they supported You-Know-Who in the recent war.
"Carrow?" she found herself asking. Her tone wasn't patronizing, but mainly just intrigued.
"Yeah... hence why I said I'd rather not stand out too much, but failing miserably." Adonis sheepishly withdrew his hand and rubbed the back of his head, as though ashamed. His dark brown hair was starting to become slightly ruffled. "You seriously didn't hear all those whispers when my name was called?"
Jade shook her head. "I probably was too distracted by all the decorations." She gestured her hand dramatically at the floating candles to make her point.
Adonis gave an awkward nod. "By the look on your face earlier, I can tell you've heard about everything my father has done." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "The other Slytherins I've met so far don't seem to care that much, but you seem like someone who comes from a non-Slytherin family."
Jade stabbed another piece of meat onto her fork. She scrutinized him. Though her family has told her how evil You-Know-Who's followers were, Adonis didn't look evil. He was just an eleven year old kid, just like her. He looked like he wanted his school life and personal life at home to be separate, but his last name definitely wouldn't help him with that.
"Don't feel ashamed. You didn't choose your family." Jade remarked casually. "Besides, you're the one who's going to be my friend, not your father."
Adonis's jaw dropped open slightly in surprise, not expecting her to say that. Jade had to hold back a laugh at how ridiculous he looked with his gray eyes wide and mouth agape. After Adonis finally stabled himself, he gave a sly grin. "Well then, friend. Don't blame me if people from the other Houses avoid you like the plague when I'm around you, then."
Jade gave a light scoff, knowing that the other Houses would probably avoid her anyway since she was a Slytherin. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she returned to eating the delicious food. It was just as good as her parents' cooking.
Speaking of her parents, she was genuinely curious how they would react when she would tell them that she was sorted into Slytherin House, or that she befriended a Carrow. She would expect lectures of how Slytherin House and the Carrow family were evil, but in all honesty Jade was actually satisfied with how everything turned out. If they were bothered by the outcome, they would just have to get over it. She felt that she could make her own decisions. If they turned out to cost her, then she would deal with it when the time came. Her parents wouldn't be here at Hogwarts anyway to help her even if she didn't know what to do.
Not wanting to think about her parents for the rest of the day, Jade gazed upward to look at the magical starlight ceiling and floating candles. Giving a small smile, she knew it was going to be an interesting seven years.