For most of the first years at Hogwarts, the biggest worry they had was which house they would be sorted into. Aidan had an additional worry. Once she was sorted- and she was a she no matter what body she'd been born with- she'd have the problem of where her dorm would be. Her parents had always supported her, but they'd warned her that there was no way a boy could enter a girl's dorm at Hogwarts.
"But I'm not a boy," Aidan had reminded them. Why should that even have needed saying? She was who she was. Her mother had hugged her.
"I know, sweetheart. The magic might not recognize that though."
Her dad had kissed her forehead and told her "The important thing is you know who you are. Don't worry about what anything or anyone else says. The stairs though- I remember trying to sneak up them to see your mother. The magic just wouldn't allow it. Maybe- maybe you should just be home schooled."
"No!" she'd told him firmly. "I don't want to be different. I'm me, just like anyone else is. And- the stairs will know that."
So she waited with the other first years to be sorted at the start of the year feast. Finally her name was called, and the hat was placed on her head.
Hmm, you're going to be hard to place. An intelligent one. Ravenclaw? Could be cunning if you needed to be. Not a Slytherin though. There's loyalty there to your family, and a longing to make friends. You'd be a hard worker too. Hufflepuff maybe? You're patient enough. Courage though. Now that is what truly helps shape who you are. "Gryffindor!"
The rest of it was heard by only her, but the whole school heard the last word. The other Gryffindors cheered. Aidan went to join the others, but unlike most of her classmates who were excited to join new friends, Aidan looked nervously at them. She didn't feel brave at the moment. She knew how some of them treated even muggle borns. How would someone like her be treated? If she was forced into the boy's dormitory, that would be a nightmare. Would the other girls treat her like a boy? She'd wanted to come to Hogwarts like any other student, but now that she had to actually belong with a group-
"Hey, Aidan, over here!" another first year girl called. "There's an empty seat beside me."
Aidan took it, and smiled in relief.
"I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name," Aidan told her.
"I'm Raya," the other girl answered. Before they could start talking, one boy called out.
"Trying to snag a boyfriend, Raya?"
"That would mean I'd have to be talking to a boy," Raya said calmly.
"Can't you see-"
"I see another first year girl. Now get out of it unless you want to be on the receiving end of a bat bogey hex!" She looked back at Aidan. "Don't mind Boris. He'll pick a fight over anything."
Aidan tried ignoring him, and started chatting with Raya again. She knew what she looked like though. She had let her hair grow long, and was dressed in a girl's clothes. Her scarf hid her Adam's apple. That didn't change what the ones like Boris saw. But not everyone was like him.
The two girls found it easy to talk to each other. They talked about their families and homes, and as they ate they talked about their favorite foods. Talk turned to class schedules, and they were excited to learn they had most of their classes together.
"I'm not a very good student," Raya said, grimacing at the schedule. "I'm a better athlete. If I wasn't a first year I'd be spending all my time on the Quidditch pitch."
Aidan laughed.
"And I'm not very good at sports. I'll help you with your homework if you'll help me learn to fly without breaking my neck."
"Sounds like a fair trade to me," Raya agreed.
By the time the feast was over, the girls were sure they'd be best friends. Everything was going well until they were told it was time to go to their dorms. The Precept who lead them showed them where the girls and boys would separate, but stared blankly at Aidan. Raya went up a few stairs, and looked back at Aidan.
"Come on, Aidan. Girls this way."
Aidan swallowed and took a step. This was the big moment, even more important to her than her sorting. If this didn't work, she'd be forced to be with the boys. They wouldn't accept her wearing a skirt. She could all too easily imagine them telling her to dress like a boy or stop pretending to be a girl. No one would see her as a girl if she couldn't climb these steps.
She went up two more stairs. She was beside her friend. They climbed the stairs together, and when they reached the top Aidan looked back down. The stairs had never even started to turn into a slide!
"I did it!" Aidan gasped.
"Of course you did," Raya told her with a smile. "This is the girl's dorm, where you belong."
Aidan knew who she was. Even the enchanted stairs knew. There would always be the ones like Boris, she supposed, who would try telling her she wasn't a real girl or didn't know who she was. She wasn't confused. And she wasn't a boy. Now she finally had proof.