Floating on Drift Wood; Prologue
Disclaimer – I do not own the rights to Draco Malfoy or any of his comrades. The original Harry Potter plot and characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The Salem Witch Institute is also believed to belong to Rowling. However if I find another source I will let you know. Information on the Salem Witch Trials has been found on many sites around the internet, mainly The Discovery Channel's article on The Salem Witch Trials. However, I am delighted to proclaim the Siucra Moore, and this twist of plot does belong to me!
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In the 17th Century, witches and those accused of witchcraft were "burned at the stake". Representatives gathered from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island to preside over these executions. Five of the representatives were muggles, or non-magical-foke. However, William James Phips, Order of Merlin Second Class, and Headmaster of "The Salem Witch Institute" represented Rhode Island. William or Professor Phips as he will hence forth be mentioned as in a formal matter could sense the magical auras of the true witches that were to be prosecuted. Casting spells and other such magic on the guilty to transport them to his school, while giving the illusion that they were burning. Today, this method is known as flooing, (a concept of transportation using floo powder). The innocent, he could not help in the same way but did his best to prove their worth. Over one-hundred people were convicted in the 1600s, though the towns' jail was filled with alleged practitioners. These convictions ended however in the late 1690's.
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While William Phips was the Headmaster, he could not run the school on his own. So, with a little research Phips enlisted the help of three known witches; Tituba, a slave; Sarah Good, a homeless beggar; and Sarah Osborne, a sickly old woman who married her servant (who, with the help of skillful magic, was able to live to a healthy age of 106). Together, the four of them taught any and every pupil that walked through there doors. Most were true witches and wizards, others had traces of magical lineage but the essence was not strong enough to work a wand. They were however able to say spells and do small amounts of magic.
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The magic school, "The Salem Witch Institute" was located on a decollate island off the coast of Rhode Island. Along with the school, the island hosted a community for witches and wizards alike. Officials from England were sent for to help protect the island from muggles. This island was deemed unplottable and did not even show up on the wizarding maps. Draich Island was a phenomenon among witches; many Americans immigrated there for their safety, many hiding out from muggle authorities. For over 200 years this civilization stood strong, keeping out muggles and welcomed with open arms any creature, human or otherwise that could prove they had magical capabilities.
However Hurricane Sloan wiped out the island and its inhabitants. Many were killed. The survivors' floo'd to England. America may have changed, but most of its people still did not like magic, the idea of it yes, but the actuality… not so much. William James Phips, with miraculous luck was still alive at the age of 183. Not unusual for wizards, but natural disasters can wipe out the toughest of them all. William and the six witches left on the island headed to England and the Ministry of Magic there as soon as they knew they were the only ones left. Siucra, the only one of American citizenship in her family was merely fifteen years old when this disaster struck.
Siucra Moore was an auburn haired grey eyed young girl with a knack for getting herself into trouble and magic only added kindling to the flames. Standing at 5'3'' she was shorter then most her own age, but looking up to people did not intimated her; actually, her height only increased the fierceness she gave off to those who crossed her. Put a wand in her hand she could be dangerous, without a wand she was near harmless (but that rarely happened.) After loosing everything, her fortune, her friends, family, school, home, anything and everything she held dear; Siucra has to travel to England and attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to finished the three years she had pending before she could get her witches license.