Summary: Mikayla Wood, daughter to Quidditch Keeper Oliver Wood, bonds with the younger Potter boy over Quidditch, classes, and mutual friends. Mikayla won't risk her friendship for feelings she thinks are one-sided, and Al doesn't know how to tell her. Can he figure it out before she falls for someone else?
"Albus? Albus!" James Potter's voice cut through his younger brother's internal turmoil.
Albus Severus Potter looked up into his elder brother's blue eyes, their mothers eyes. "What, James?"
"Were you listening at all, Al?" their red-headed, curly haired cousin Rose asked.
Albus had the grace to look at least a little sorry. "Er—no, sorry. Come again?"
"I was just saying," Rose started, sounding very much like her mother. "That you shouldn't be so worried."
"But what if it puts me in Slytherin?" Albus asked quietly, sounding very small despite his being tall for his age.
"Al," James addressed him. For the first time, his brother saw how much Albus was worried about this, and for the first time, his brother gave Albus a serious answer. "You're a Potter and a Weasley. There's no way you can't be in Gryffindor."
James knew as well as his bookworm cousin, Rose, did that family heritage didn't always guarantee him a spot in any particular house, but for the time being, it put Albus' mind at ease.
Across the hall and some compartments down, Mikayla Wood sat with her long time best friend, Julianne Spinnet and another fellow first year they had met a few hours prior as the train took off.
Reed Tyler was a relatively small boy, with short auburn colored hair and eyes that looked like caramel when the sun shined on them through the window of the Hogwarts Express. He seemed like a nice boy, but the most prevalent trait Mikayla took note of was gratefulness. Reed was muggleborn, and couldn't have been happier to have befriended two first years that could help him get through at least this part of their journey through Hogwarts without making a fool of himself.
"I'm sorry," Reed said. When he heard his voice, Mikayla couldn't help picturing a mouse with the same squeaky tones. "Say it one more time."
"Okay so there's Hufflepuff—" Julianne told him once again, laughing a little at his inability to remember.
"Hufflepuff," repeated Reed.
"Ravenclaw—"
"Ravenclaw."
"Slytherin—"
"Slytherin."
"And Gryffindor."
"Gryffindor."
"As for me, I'm hoping for Gryffindor," Julianne explained, stroking the calico cat on her lap. "Like my dad and Harry Potter."
Reed nodded his head eagerly. "I'm muggleborn and even I know who he is."
"You know," Mikayla said thoughtfully, tearing her gaze away from the window. "My dad once mentioned that he was Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team Harry's first year, the first year he played Seeker for Gryffindor."
"Really?" Julianne asked. "How come you never told me?"
"Jules, I must have told you," Mikayla laughed.
Just then, a whistle blew and they could feel the train slowing down.
"Potter's sons are supposed to be at Hogwarts, you know," Julianne told them as they stood up and made to move out of the compartment. "The younger should be a first year as well."
"Firs' years! Firs' years, this way!" a booming voice came from somewhere down the platform as the exited the train.
Mikayla located a giant looking bearded man that was calling for first years. She towed Reed and Julianne behind her, using the man's lantern like a beacon for ships coming in to shore in the dark night.
As the first years gathered around the giant, some of the students at the front called him Hagrid. She herself was rather scared of his height, but from his looks and what her parents had told her, Hagrid was a very amicable, caring person.
Mikayla's breath hitched in her throat when she caught her first glance at Hogwarts. It seemed enormous, even from her far distance as she traveled along the little dirt path towards the shore. It spoke of grandeur and majesty, but the first word to come to her mind was 'home.'
This castle had served as home to many before her, including her parents and many relatives before that, for the majority of their adolescence, and she knew it would be home to many after her. But it would be her home for the next seven years.
The scraggly first years reached the small boats, and they clambered into them, four to a boat. Mikayla sat in the front with Julianne, and a boy who introduced himself as Brandon Thomas sat quietly in back with Reed.
The ride was short, and when they reached the large oak doors and were standing on the massive stone steps, Hagrid introduced them to a professor who looked a few years younger than her parents.
"Olrigh' then, this 'ere is Professor Longbottom. He'll take it from 'ere." And with those parting words and a backwards glance, the gameskeeper went through Hogwarts' front doors.
"Welcome, students," Longbottom smiled at them, folding his hands and rocking forward on the balls of his feet. "Now, we're about to begin the start of year feast, but before that you will be sorted in your houses. The houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your family. You will eat at your house tables, sleep in your house dorms, and go to classes with your housemates. Now please follow me," he finished, leading them into an empty classroom off the entrance hall. "Wait here quietly, and I'll come back when we're ready for you."
When he left, small murmurs broke out between the students.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" Julianne asked her animatedly.
"I don't know. I'd like to be in Gryffindor like my dad," she said. "What about you, Reed?"
"Er—yeah, sure…" Reed muttered, scratching the back of his neck.
"You can't remember them can you?" Mikayla asked amusedly.
Reed sighed, delaying his answer. "No…"
"Hi!" a pretty blond girl greeted, holding out her hand. "I'm Sarah Corner. What's your name?"
"I'm Mikayla Wood," she responded, shaking the enthusiastic girl's hand.
"Julianne Spinnet," the petite girl introduced herself.
They were all waiting for Reed to respond, but his cheeks had flushed a nice pink color, and he couldn't seem to look higher than the stone floor.
"This is Reed Tyler," Mikayla finally said for the embarrassed boy.
"Nice to meet you. My brother's a second year Hufflepuff, so I expect that's where I'll be as well. What about you?"
But before either of the girls had a chance to respond—for it seemed Reed had lost the ability to talk in the Sarah's presence—Professor Longbottom stuck his head back in the classroom.
"Students!" he called, gathering their attention in a heartbeat. "We are ready for you. Form a line and follow me."
Mikayla fell into step behind Sarah and staring at the back of her blond hair made her wonder about her own sandy colored locks.
"I didn't think I would be this nervous," Julianne whispered from behind her as they stepped into the Great Hall.
Mikayla stared upwards at the enchanted ceiling as she murmured a distracted sounding reply. "Me too." Her gaze was drawn elsewhere: around the four long tables, at the colourful tapestry, and the friendly looking teachers at the head table.
Her head snapped to the front of the room as singing started, but Mikayla soon realized that it was the Sorting Hat singing about the houses. When it was finished, Professor Longbottom spared no pleasantries before calling out the first name.
"Boot, Talia."
A small girl with shiny black hair stumbled out of line and took a few shaky steps before finding her footing and stepping up to the stool.
The hat took a few moments on her head before calling out, "RAVENCLAW!"
The blue-clad table erupt in cheers and Talia made her way over, beaming.
It moved on Sarah Corner who strode confidently from the line and the look of surprise on her face was evident when the hat declared that she, too, was in Ravenclaw, and not with her brother in Hufflepuff.
The list finally came to a name Mikayla knew.
"Malfoy, Scorpius."
The Malfoys followed closely under Voldemort nearly twenty years ago. This boy's own father, Draco, had been in Harry Potter's year at Hogwarts and, like most bad wizards before him, was a Slytherin.
A lanky boy with white blond hair stepped out of the untidy line and up to the stool.
The Great Hall seemed to be holding their breath in anticipation of the first Slytherin to be called out.
"GRYFFINDOR!" it finally declared.
Mikayla's eyes went wide. How could Scorpius, a Malfoy, be put into Gryffindor?
She however, did not have a time to ponder this because yet another notable name was called out.
"Potter, Albus."
The second boy in line crossed the short distance to the stool, his head of dark hair hung down.
The hat took a few moments of deliberation.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers rang through the hall and the Potter boy beamed, walking towards his new house table.
It carried on and Julianne looked ecstatic when the hat told her she was in Gryffindor. Reed was put in Hufflepuff, and after Rose Weasley was put in Gryffindor, her name was called.
"Wood, Mikayla."
She took a breath and stepped out of the dwindling line and sat on the ancient looking stool.
"Ah yes, a brilliant mind…" the hat said, it's voice echoing around her head in undertones only meant for her. "But such a brave heart, such courage. You will do well in either house, but your loyalty…better be…GRYFFINDOR!" It roared the last part for the school to hear, and Mikayla heard her new house cheering for her, congratulating her once she finally reached the table and moved to sit across from Julianne in the next open seat, beside Rose Weasley.
"Hi, I'm Rose," she greeted, her blue eyes twinkling. "These are my cousins, James and Albus."
"I'm Mikayla."
The Feast was amazing. The Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, made a speech welcoming them all, and then it had begun. It was magnificent food, the kind that she only got to taste when her family house elves cooked for special occasions.
She made polite conversation with her fellow housemates before the food cleared itself away and the head boy led them up to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Girls is up and to the left, boys the same to your right," the Head Boy told them.
Mikayla hurried up the stairs like the Head Boy told them with Julianne and Rose in tow. They found their trunks and all their belongings already there and at the foot of their respective beds.
Julianne promptly fell onto her bed. "I'm tired," she complained. "But we can't go to bed yet."
"Of course not, Jules," Mikayla laughed. "So tell us about yourself, Rose."
Rose sat cross-legged on her bed, taking in the room. "Well, I have a younger brother, Hugo, my birthday is January fifteenth, and my favorite color is blue," she smiled. "Your turn."
" I was born on March eighteenth, my little brother's name is Jonah, my favorite color is green, and my dad used to play Keeper for Puddlemere United," she said, sitting back on the plush bed and playing with the curtains.
"Alright, my turn, my turn," Julianne said, sitting up in her bed. "I was born on June second, my little sister Karina will be at Hogwarts in two years, and my favorite color is pink."
Soon enough, the girls were laughing, and Mikayla really liked Rose. She was a quiet girl, but a strong personality. She was obviously intelligent but had a relentless sense of humor. Mikayla could tell she was going to like having Rose as a roommate and as a friend.
"Oh, hi," a pretty brunette said as she entered the dormitory. "I'm Rachel, Rachel Finnigan."
"Hi, I'm Julianne. I guess you're our roommate?"
"Yeah," Rachel smiled.
Mikayla gracefully stepped off her bed, greeting Rachel. "I'm Mikayla Wood. We were just getting to know each other a little bit."
"Well, first off," Rachel started with a grin. "I'm a twin. Ryan is in Gryffindor, as well, my birthday is December twelfth—I expect presents—and my favorite color is purple." walked over to her bed, sitting down on the red and gold sheets.
By the time Rose persisted that it was time to go to sleep so that it wouldn't, as she put it, "interfere with their studies" the following day, the girls were laughing uncontrollably.
Mikayla woke up the next morning to Julianne poking her in the side.
"Mick, Mick, get up!" she continued.
"Go away, Jules," she groaned in response, gripping her pillow tighter.
"But it's our first day at Hogwarts, Mikayla!" Rachel chimed from somewhere in the room.
"I don't care, let me sleep." Despite her words and her longing for sleep, Mikayla knew she couldn't go back to sleep now.
Breakfast was almost as good as dinner the previous night, and the girls couldn't fathom eating more by the time Professor Longbottom, Head of Gryffindor House, handed out their time tables.
"We've got double potions first with Ravenclaw," Julianne noted as she looked at the parchment.
"At least it's not with the Slytherins," commented Rachel, pulling her bag over her shoulder as they stood from the table. "I hear they're a nasty bunch."
"But Rache, Dad said everything's changed since the war," Ryan, her twin, reminded her from across the table. Ryan had joined his sister for breakfast shortly after they had sat down and introduced himself to Mikayla and Julianne as the older, better looking twin. "Scorpius is great. Nothing like you'd think coming from a family like his."
"Really?" Rose asked, not from disbelief, but merely curiosity. "My dad's always said to stay away from the Malfoys."
"Well, Rose," Rachel said. "We both know neither of our dads had a pleasant time with Scorpius' father in school."
"But that doesn't mean he's still the same person," Ryan added.
They grew quiet after that, pushing open the doors to the Potions classroom.
Professor Twill greeted them, showing them their seats. He was an older man, his once-black hair now thinning and a little gray.
"And Miss-?"
"Wood," Mikayla supplied.
"Ah, yes. Ms. Wood, you'll be over here, next to Mr. Zabini."
Aside from a Malfoy being sorted into Gryffindor, Zabini was the most surprising sorting. Samuel Zabini came from a notably Slytherin family, and it came as a shock to most that he was sorted into Ravenclaw.
His skin was almost as dark as his black hair and his brown eyes seemed to twinkle with warmth.
"Hi," he greeted as Mikayla set her stuff down and took her seat. "I'm Sam."
"Mikayla," she smiled back politely.
Sam seemed a nice enough guy, and she didn't think she would mind having him as a Potions partner for the rest of the term, but more than anything, she was relieved that he was capable of brewing a potion. His hands were steady and skilled, albeit inexperienced, and he was probably more adept than Mikayla was.
"What class does Gryffindor have next?" Sam asked as they exited the dungeons.
Mikayla looked at her time table again. This was the class she had been looking forward to the most. "Flying Lessons."
"Oh, Ravenclaw has Transfiguration." Mikayla couldn't help but notice the tone of disappointment in his voice.
And despite her earlier hesitancies about the boy, the feeling was mutual. "Oh, okay, well, I'll see you around, Sam."
They parted ways and Mikayla made her way down towards the lush green lawns with the other Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years.
Although her father's professional Quidditch career ended before she was born, Oliver Wood still loved the sport. From a very young age, he bought his daughter toy brooms that wouldn't fly more than a few inches off the ground, and Mikayla was skillfully riding a full sized broom by the time she was nine.
She smiled to herself as she caught up with Julianne and Ryan.
"..brooms just scare me," she caught the last Julianne's sentence as she talked to Ryan. "People aren't meant to be off the ground."
Julianne's father was also a very talented Quidditch player and, as Mikayla heard it, was very valuable to the Ravenclaw team whilst being at Hogwarts. However, Julianne feared the sport almost as much Mikayla loved it. And it wasn't for lack of encouragement on her father's part. Mikayla had often seen Mr. Spinnet offering to give Julianne lessons or to let her borrow one of the family brooms to go riding with Karina, Julianne's little sister, and himself.
And on top of everything, Karina's love of the sport rivaled Mikayla's own.
Julianne's fear could only be explained as an anomaly that couldn't be changed as much as it could have been prevented.
Needless to say, Julianne was not looking forward to this particular lesson.
"Jules, honestly. Wizards have been playing Quidditch for ages," Mikayla chuckled, amused at her friends obvious discomfort at the topic.
"Yes, and how many of those Quidditch players have ended up with major injuries?"
Ryan laughed at the girls while Mikayla tried to come up with an answer. "Well, that's not the point," she finally managed.
"That's exactly my point," concluded Julianne.
"Alright, fine," Mikayla laughed. "How about you, Ryan? Do you like Quidditch?"
"Oh, yeah," he replied, his Irish accent as prevalent as always. "I love it. Me favorite team's the Chudley Cannons."
"I love the Cannons," Mikayla gushed. "Dad played for Puddlemere United, though, so they're of course a family favorite."
They had just reached the Quidditch Pitch and Mikayla couldn't help but smile. So many of her fondest memories had been on the Quidditch Pitch at her home with her father and younger brother.
"Oh good, more girls," Rose said as she and her cousin Albus approached them. "Please tell me you don't condone this dangerous sport."
"See, Mikayla?" Julianne said loudly, pointing at Rose. "Normal people don't like to put their lives on the line just to toss a ball around."
"It's more than tossing a ball around, Rosie," Albus interjected.
Mikayla instantly liked this Albus boy.
8