Author's Note, PLEASE, PLEASE, READ. In this story, I portray the Slytherins as disliking/hating Anna because she is Muggle born. In the end though, there turns out to be another reason and she becomes friends with many of her housemates! Slytherin gets a bad name in many fanfictions, and I just want you to know that's not what's going to happen here. In the end, anyway.

Chapter One

Anna Blake shifted slowly from her very comfortable spot under her rather warm covers with the notion that something was wrong, and she really should fix the situation immediately. She sat up, long black hair in tangles around her head, and then proceeded to stare at the owl that was outside her window.

It was a small little thing, with big, rather adorable eyes, and its feathers reminded Anna of her parent's tabby cat, Rowan: random stripes of brown and ginger placed haphazardly around its body.

The poor thing was trying to get into her bedroom. Anna slid out of bed and opened her window; the owl flew in and took a perch on one of her bedposts.

She sat down on her bed and looked at the owl while pulling her hair into a sloppy ponytail. "I wonder where you came from. And why you're out so late, or rather, early. Aren't owls nocturnal? It's already past sunrise. If it wasn't a Saturday, or summer for that matter, I'd be at school already."

The owl tilted its head. Anna felt inclined to continue talking to it.

"Today's my birthday. I'm eleven now."

The owl hopped onto her bed, and it was then that she noticed the two letters attached to his (her?) legs. "Letters? Are those for me, or my parents?"

The owl nodded. Didn't really give her an answer, Anna thought, but she felt it would be okay to read the letters. Anna unwrapped them, and her eyes proceeded to widen past that of normality.

Anna Blake
Second smallest bedroom
7 Olive Lane
London, UK, 26519

Dear Miss Blake,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September first. We expect your owl no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress

Uniform:

1: three sets of plain work robes (Black)
2: One plain pointed hat (Black) for day wear
3: One pair of protective gloves (Dragon hide or similar)
4: One winter cloak (Black, silver fastenings)
Please note that pupil's clothes should carry name tags

Course Books
all students should have the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagspot
Magical Theroy
by Alford Wiffling
A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration
by Enrick Swich
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phillida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Digger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection
by Quentin Tremble

Other Equipment:

1 Wand
1 Cauldron (Pewter, standard size two)
1 Set of Glass or Crystal Phials
1 Telescope
1 set of Brass Scales

Students may also bring an owl or a toad or a cat
Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed to have their own broomsticks

Any students without sufficient funds to purchase school supplies may consult with my representative at Gringots Bank, ask for The Weasly fund for Deserving Students.

"So, does this mean I'm a Wizard, then? Or rather, a Witch?"

The owl nodded. (It was exceedingly adorable)

"That rather does explain some things." Ever since she could remember, unexplainable and downright strange things seemed to happen around her. Lost things could always be found by her, people she disliked ended up with terrible luck, and she always had a sense for when interesting, dangerous, and downright weird things were going to happen. Not to mention the occasional flying object or rectified hairstyle. Anna had gotten quite good at spinning stories to explain all of the weirdness in her life.

Anna put down the letter addressed to her and looked over the other one.

Mr. and Ms. Blake
7 Olive Lane
London, UK, 26519

Dear Mr. and Ms. Blake,

We are pleased to inform you that your child has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your Child is a Wizard or Witch. Enclosed below are guides on how to proceed. It includes how to change muggle (normal human) money into wizard standard currency, one hundred and one things to know about the wizarding world, and notable places such as where to buy school supplies, and where to find the train to Hogwarts.

Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmaster

"That will certainly help them along. Me too, I presume." Anna looked at the small owl, who seemed content to sit quietly on her bed. "My family doesn't have an owl, and if my parents agree to let me go to Hogwarts, can you deliver the letter of acceptance? I'll pay you once- no, if- I get wizard money"

The owl seemed to consider this, and then nodded.

"Alright then! We should go wake up my parents. You might want to ride on my shoulder, Prim is reasonable most of the time, for a cat anyway, but she's never met an owl before, and Rowan will most certainly cause trouble."

Anna descended the stairs to the kitchen, with two strange letters, an owl on her shoulder, and the notion that things were going to be very, very different from this point on.

(She was right)

The Leaky Cauldron was like no other place Anna had been before, and she was rather sorry she was only getting such a rushed look at everything because her parents were dragging her along at an alarming rate. Anna had never been in a pub or even around the mere scent of alcohol, because her parents were worrywarts. While it did make her cringe a bit to admit it, she had lied to her parents on occasion about where she had been, and where she was going. It did make her feel a smidge terrible, but it was the only way to get anything done.

"Hurry along, Anna," Her mother said. "We don't want to be late."

"For what?"

Her father smiled. "For your school shopping, silly girl."

Anna frowned. "That doesn't really make any sense. You don't make appointments to go shopping. You just go."

"It's right on the schedule, dear." Her mother pulled out the small day planner she always had with her and pointed at some words.

Anna rolled her eyes. Her parents were dealing with the abnormal in the way they always did, by trying to place everything into nice little organized boxes, and scheduling everything down to the last minute.

Then the brick wall in front of her folded away and Anna decided to place all her worries and unhappiness aside, because she needed all the brainpower she had to look at everything there was in Diagon Ally. People, Wizards, and Witches, were everywhere, and magic was everywhere too. Things levitated, changed shape, and above her flew people on brooms. People on brooms, FLYING. There were shops of all sizes, selling things of all sizes Anna had never seen before. Brooms, potions, tricks, posters with people that moved, bits of animal she rather didn't want to see, and, to her utmost delight,

"Wands!"

Anna pressed her face against the window of Olivanders, only to be dragged back by her parents.

"Anna, dear, we have to go to Gringots, remember? We need wizard money first."

"Yeah, yeah." Anna could really care less about that, what she wanted was a wand. She let her parents lead her down the street, craning her neck, trying to see everything she possibly could in the limited time she had.

Gringots, despite being a magical bank run by goblins, was rather uninteresting in Anna's opinion. It was still a bank. It was quite fast changing currency, and the goblins gave her parents another handbook. What Anna really wanted was to was some magic.

Olivanders was amazing. It was somewhat dark and musty, but it reminded Anna of the library in her school, her old school, that is. There were boxes upon boxes, each slightly different but all clearly contained one thing: a wand. Her parents hung back while Anna slowly moved deeper into the shop.

"Ow!"

Anna looked at the girl she had bumped into. She had surprisingly red, bushy hair, brown eyes, and a slightly oversized jacket with more pockets than Anna had ever seen. The girl was standing next to a boy with messy black hair, hazel eyes, and a small, neigh-invisible scar hidden mostly under his glasses. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, I'm sorry-"

"You were trying to take everything in?" The girl grinned. It was a good smile for her. "I know the feeling. I'm Rose Weasly. This is my cousin, Albus."

Anna stuck out her hand to Rose. "Anna Blake. Hi."

Albus waved and grinned at her. He seemed rather shy.

With a whoosh of air and several falling boxes, an old man who presumably was Olivander thrust a wand into a startled Albus' hand and then pulled it out just as fast, but not before something exploded. Muttering under his breath, more wands were placed into his hand, and each created more disastrous effects than the last, until one seemed to click. Anna could feel it in the air, and see it when colors flowed out of his wand.

"Ah, ten inches, ebony wood, and a Dragon Heartstring core, quite sturdy. Good for spells of all kinds."

Then the whole process started again, with Rose at the focus. Two people who Anna believed were Albus' parents enveloped him in hugs and love. Anna turned to her parents, who were looking like they were on the edge of being hysterical. A pang of jealousy shot through her. Anna dismissed it.

Fireworks sprung from Rose's wand, and Anna grinned along with her. "Mm, Apple and Phoenix feather, eleven and a half inches, surprisingly swishy. Good luck. You! Come closer!"

Anna stepped forward, ignoring the sounds of muffled distress from her parents. She could hear her them being consoled by someone, but it was like she was a thousand miles away. Anna needed to focus on other things right now. Wands were pushed into her hands, and strange feelings that she couldn't quite place traveled up her arm, changing with each wand. Finally, a wand entered her hand that just felt right, and green spirals wove all around her. She laughed, eyes alight with joy.

"Unicorn hair, pine wood, nine and a half inches. Very loyal, for a wand."

The three children walked back out onto the street, enthusing about their wands, Hogwarts, and anything else that came to mind.

"How did he know which wands would…fit, is the word, I suppose." Anna looked at Rose and Albus intently.

"That's rather simple, actually." Anna turned to see a man that resembled Albus with a lightning scar on his forehead. "He didn't. The wand chooses the wizard."

It didn't really explain everything, but it was a better answer than 'just because, Anna.'

"So you're a muggleborn, then? My mum's muggleborn."

Anna turned to Rose. "Yeah, I think that's the term."

"Those are your parents?" Albus asked. Anna looked at the pair, who were currently sitting on a bench being reassured that everything would be just fine by Rose and Albus's mothers. At least she thought they were their parents, one could never really tell.

"Yeah. They aren't good with the 'strange and unusual part of living."

"That must be difficult. Got any school supplies yet?"

"No."

"Neither do we! Let's get them together!"

Anna smiled. "Okay. Yes. That sounds nice."

Hours later, Anna left Diagon Ally with school supplies, two shaken parents, and the notion that her new friends were going to become very, very important to her.

(She was, as you can guess, right)