Chapter 1
When Hermione Jean Granger, eleven years old girl who was unknown to the world of magic and wizardry received her Hogwarts letter which informed her that she was a witch and that she was accepted into school where children like her studied, she was happy.
More than happy. She was delighted. She wasn't freak! There were others like her! There were others that could make their books fly and crush that elegant looking vase their mother bought day before.
And when September First came around, she suddenly felt nervous. What would she do if she did something wrong or said something she wasn't supposed to?
She confessed her concerns to her father, looking all nervous and troubled. Her father, Jonathan Granger, a short man of age twenty nine who often than not carried an old cane with him whenever he went, smiled as kneeled down on his knees and gently patted her head, completely messing her already messy hair. He told her, "Hermione. You shouldn't worry. Whatever happens, just be yourself. And if people dislike you just because you were being you, you should not bother yourself with them. It'll only be complete waste of time."
Somehow the words her father uttered to her calmly and gently had quite positive effect. She no longer felt nervous and troubled. Instead, she felt somewhat confident. And it was all thanks to her father.
Her father may not be magical being. He may not be a wizard who was accepted into Hogwarts, but he indeed had a magic that none had.
He always said the right words at the right time. Hermione always thought that itself was a magic.
Hermione kissed and hugged both her parents farewell and bided them goodbye as she hopped inside train. Before the train's door closed, she caught a glimpse of her mother crying hopelessly and her father hugging her tightly as he uttered sweet words to her ear. They were crying and hugging, but Hermione noticed that both of them were smiling. Because they knew that this boarding school was what she wanted. Plus, they were never that good in denying her wishes. So, they couldn't deny her request when she came with her Hogwarts Acceptance Letter about a year ago.
Wiping her fresh tears away with handkerchief, she turned away and went in search of compartment she could sit in. She walked, dragging her heavy luggage that was filled with all important stuff as she opened one compartment door and another.
Hermione sighed. There were almost no doors that she had not opened left. Lazily, not hopping for anything, she opened the door that led into compartment slowly. When it was opened, she realized that there was only a girl about her age sitting there eating a frog that was chocolate as she read dusty looking book. It was weird. But, when she thought about it nothing was normal when it came to her life. She was ought to get used to it already.
The girl made no movement of acknowledging her. So, gathering all the courage she had and pushing all the shyness away, she asked, "Hello. Can I sit here? All others compartments are full."
The girl looked up and dark blue met chocolate brown. The girl smiled gently, "Sure. I was getting bored anyway being alone in this compartment." She told her as she put the book she was reading down beside her. "Come sit down!"
Hermione did as she was told. She sat down on opposite side of the girl. The girl, as she had yet to know her name, was beautiful. She had long platinum hair and beautiful dark blue eyes. She wore an old looking sliver robe that was so long that it almost looked like a dress. The girl smiled as she held her hand to shake Hermione's, "I'm Greengrass, Daphne Greengrass. It's nice to meet you."
Hermione accepted the gesture without hesitance. "Pleasure. I'm Hermione Granger."
"What house do you think you'll be sorted into?" Daphne suddenly asked, after few minutes of utter silence, her eyes sparking with interest as she lazily turned the page of newspaper she wasn't really reading.
"I was hoping for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw." She replied honestly as Daphne's face fall in disappointment upon hearing her reply.
"Shame. I was kind of hoping we could be in same house."
"Daphne, I can you call you that right? What house are you thinking you'll be sorted into?"
"Slytherin. All my family members are. It's kind of tradition in some pureblood families." Daphne informed her and smiled brightly, "And, yes, you can call me that. After all, we're kind of friends now, aren't we?"
Hermione knew about Slytherin. It was a house that valued its cunningness and ambition. But, it was also a house that never accepted Muggle-Borns. So, there was no way she was going to get in Slytherin.
She felt disappointed. But, it couldn't be helped. She just hoped that even after they get to Hogwarts, they would still be friends.
After all, to become friends, one doesn't have to be in same house, right?
OoOoOoOoOo
The train has almost come to end. And Hermione couldn't help but feel little disappointed. After all, this short train ride with her new friend was fun.
After they one by one hopped off the train, she smiled at Daphne and they followed a giant man called Hagrid whose beard was so long that it could probably win in competition of long beard men that they run once in a while every few years.
As they reached a lake which looked almost black because of dark, Hagrid yelled, "No more'n four to a boat!" as he pointed to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Hermione and Daphne were followed into their boat by two girls Hermione didn't recognize. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid once again as the boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
When the boats reached Hogwarts, everyone, one by one climbed out of their boats. Hermione along with Daphne and two girls whose names she learned were Pansy and Lavender hopped off their boat and waited for Hagrid to give a call.
Pansy scowled, crossing her arms together, "I don't know why I have to be guided by half-giant! It's humiliating!"
Daphne rolled her eyes, "Stop being such a drama queen, Parkinson. What do you against him?"
"Like you will understand. You're just blood traitor that's tainting Greengrass name!" Pansy hissed angrily. "Ugh! I don't even know why I'm wasting my precious time with you all! Blood traitor, blood traitor and bushy head? I'm going! Cygnus, wait!" she called as she hurriedly ran after a boy who looked older than Hermione by one or two.
Cygnus turned his head to look at Pansy and smirked as Pansy clung to his arm looking all sappy and happy as they proceeded to walk towards the castle.
"Such a brat." Lavender complained.
Daphne sighed, "That's my brother."
Hermione squeezed her hand gently and gave her gentle smile as she asked, "Shall we follow them?"
Daphne only nodded her head. And thus, Hermione, Daphne and Lavender followed after the crowd. They walked and stopped few mutes after in front of large front door.
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The oak door swung open at once and not so tall, gray haired woman stood there. She wore black robes that hung her figure perfectly. She did not smile. She stayed indifferent. "Are they first years, Hagrid?"
"Ye, Professor McGonagall." Replied the giant.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Hermione carefully looked at each room and wall, as she followed after Daphne, whose back was facing her. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She stopped for a moment, "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
"How do you think they sort us into houses?" Daphne asked, as she stroked her hair nervously. "Do you think we have to do the spell?"
"Oh, no! I don't know that much spells!"
"Me neither!"
"Do you think that they'll expel us?"
Hermione's question was left unanswered when Professor McGonagall came and called, "Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." She ordered then,"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."
One by one, they followed her, and walked into Great hall that was filled with students, teachers and ghosts. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.
Hermione whispered to Daphne, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
Daphne nodded, clearly amazed. The magic inside Hogwarts was amazing, indeed.
Hermione carefully watched as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Hermione and Daphne both sighed in relief upon hearing that they just have to put the old dusty hat on their heads.
"What a relief." Daphne said.
"Yeah." Hermione agreed as Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
" Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too.
"Brown, Lavender!" Professor McGonagall read from the scroll and Lavender, the girl from earlier, stumbled out of line and put on the hat and sat down.
"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "Clever, definitely clever. Yet, brave too. What house should I put you?"
"Gryffindor, if I can't become Slytherin." Hermione thought.
"Why Slytherin?
"My friend's there."
"Then - GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. And Hermione happily ran to Gryffindor table where she was welcomed with embrace.
"Greengrass, Daphne!" was sorted into Slytherin. Hermione was happy that her friend was sorted into her dream house, yet sad that they weren't sorted into same house.
"Longbottom, Neville!"
It shouted Gryffindor after few long seconds.
"Malfoy, Draconis!"
A boy, who was shorter than she, ran to stool and put the hat down on his head. It shouted Slytherin after few minutes. Malfoy, Draconis had lighter platinum hair than Daphne's, Hermione noticed.
"Nott, Theodore!" was sorted into Slytherin just like "Parkinson, Pansy!"
As Parkinson sat down beside Malfoy, and clung to him instead, Cygnus clearly unhappy scowled. Malfoy pushed her aside and went to sit next to Daphne.
"Potter, Harry!" was called.
Hermione gaped. She didn't know that THE HARRY POTTER was here. Though, Hermione realized that it doesn't really make much difference. After all, he was eleven years old, just like them.
He was sorted into, "GRYFFINDOR!"
At last, "Weasley, Ronald!" was called and was sorted into Gryffindor.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
And thus, Hermione Granger's first began. Hermione didn't realize then, that it was beginning of a tale that would be told for many generations.