Introduction to the character

My name is Audrey Sterling and I'm about to start another year at Hogwarts. I can already smell the vibrant green grass and the dusty books. I can already feel the wind dance around me and hear the screeching owls. Hogwarts is where I belong, it is my home.

I could feel the glee bubble out of me as I greeted my friends on the Hogwarts' Express. We sat and chatted away about our summers.

My friends are Hufflepuffs just like me. I'm the black sheep in the family, the odd one. For my dad's whole side of the family have been in Ravenclaw and they are very proud about being one. They have miles of books and have highly skilled work that requires their abundant knowledge. Which is great, I guess. I love book too, don't get me wrong but I love the simpler side of life. Just let life take its course and not fret about making thousands of schedules for every possibility. I take after my mother in that way. She's a muggle. My grandparents on my father's side blame her for me being in Hufflepuff. That it was her fault for ruining the tradition. This puts a strain on their marriage. I know my father truly loved my mother once. But now he dislikes her. What's the reason for these you ask? It's a long story but I'll make it brief. My mother became depress because of my grandparents' constant ridicule and that my father never stood up for her. My mother tried to deal with her depression and my father began to distance himself away. They are still married but they live on different sides of the house and barely speak to each other. It's dysfunctional and I hate it. I feel like this is how it has always been and that the happier times long ago are pleasant dreams.

That's enough about my sad family life. For I like to think of the positives. I have great friends that I love like sisters. Their names are Jessica and Ann. We can talk endlessly. A couple of times we stayed up all night talking and we always seem to be doing random things when we should be studying. For instance, we wanted to see who could do a hand stand for the longest. After about an hour, we declared Ann the winner.

We had loads of fun everyday with our randomness. We had a bunch of inside jokes and drew funny looking pictures to make the others laugh. During these good times, I would forget all about my worries and only concentrate on the present.

But, I guess all things most slowly dwindle down to nothing. Last year my friends came down with a dreadful disease. Don't freak out, they aren't going to die. This disease is the common boy crazy disease. Yes, it is a disease. At least to me. Or maybe my friends are the host to this disease and so they are unaffected by it. While I am and everytime I see them drooling over some stupid jerk face guy I want to vomit! Don't think that I hate them because they have boyfriends because I don't. I'm just tired of their melancholy attitudes when their stupid jerk face boyfriends hurt them by being stupid or a jerk face or both. I'm not sure why I have this attitude towards guys. I think some guys are super cute or hot. But that's their shiny veneer. Under that veneer is where their inner stupid jerk face lives. I guess I just see myself being an independent woman who had no need for a man or possibly a cat lady. I'm not sure yet.

Though, I'm the one who has never had a boyfriend, Jessica and Ann always come to me for advice. Not to toot my own horn or anything but I do give some good advice. I just like helping others and making them feel better. Plus, I'm a good listener. Go me!

I think it's a good time to go change my clothes for the boy crazy disease is starting to come on.

I went to the bathroom, changed my clothes, and started to walk aimlessly. No point going back to the compartment where Jessica and Ann are drooling over some guy named Rick, at least that what I think his name is.

I heard laughing and someone cussing I think I should check this out.

I walked past two more compartments till I saw James Potter and Sirius Black, the most wanted guys at Hogwarts. I think Jessica and Ann would give their right hands to be with them for a day. I don't see why because they are both arrogant jerk faces.

The reason for their laughter was a certain Slytherin that they love to make fun of. They must be bullying him again. It made me sad that Potter and Black would treat anyone so disrespectfully. I wish I had more courage to stand up for the Slytherin whose name is Snape.

I hurry by the compartment and looked the other way, pretending that I don't see the cruelty. I hurry back to my compartment where I know the boy crazy disease lurks but I rather be here than around Potter and Black.

The rest of the ride seemed to go by slowly for I was bored to death. Jessica, Ann, and I never have any girl time for there is always a guy present.

Finally the train pulled in. 7th year of Hogwarts has officially started!

I leapt out of my seat and hurried to the carriages. Next stop, the Great Hall!

I love the sorting of the first years. To see their terrified faces as the sorting hat is placed on their heads and to see their sigh of relief when they are sorted into their correct house.

The welcome ceremony went by quickly. And the next thing I know we are being herded back to our respected houses. I went down the steps of the basement and recited the password to enter the Hufflepuff common room.

Even though I didn't do anything today, expect take a train to Hogwarts, I was tired. So, I headed to the girls dormitory and changed into my pjs.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was wide awake and couldn't go to sleep. My whole life was running through my head. Images of my family, and friends rolled through my mind. Memories of good and bad times, mostly the bad I lingered on. Like what's going to happen between my parents? Or my favorite, why do my friends ignore me? Is it me? Did I do something to deserve it? Do they not like me anymore? Should I try to make new friends and forget my other friends every existed?

I open and shut my eyes to rid myself of these thoughts. I thought they were over until I have a replay of Potter and Black making fun of Severus Snape. I feel awful I didn't do anything. My stomach cringed.

I sat up fast to try to jerk the thoughts out. I grab one of my comfort books and start to read. Reading helps me forget. I wish I could forget a lot or just not care as much as I do.

I hope you liked the introduction to the story. I started this story nearly 2 years ago. I wrote this part and the next chapter but then I stopped because I became depressed (crazy stuff happened that year). Now I want to finish it! I hope you guys will like it.

I will be added fun facts about stuff like What's the meaning of the title? And why I did certain things, along with other random facts. Enjoy and review :D