A/N: Yay, new story! I'll try to update regularly, seeing as updates with older stories didn't happen much. I promise I won't let that happen this time!
~Oakley Rey
Emma Olivia Wilde was a simple teenager. Though her father held a very high position in the Ministry, she didn't enjoy flaunting her money. She kept to the small things in life; her photos, books, and music. She had large green eyes, and light brown hair, that had a slight wave to it. She was small for a sixteen year old, but didn't really mind all too much. She wasn't really much to look at, in her perspective, though boys seemed to like her all the same.
"Emma!"
Emma closed her book, keeping her finger in her spot, and bounded down to the stairs to her father.
"Yes, Daddy?"
Although she was sixteen, she still referred to her father in the childish way of her younger years. Her father never protested.
"Next week, you know what that is, don't you?"
Emma nodded with a small smile. "I'm going to Hogwarts."
"Precisely. Which is why I'm giving you the key to our vault at Gringotts, then you can shop for all of your things in Diagon Alley."
Emma's eyes lit up. "Oh, really? Oh, thank you Daddy!" She reached up, hugging her father around the neck, accidentally smacking him with the book in her hand.
Her father chuckled, handing her the key. She grinned, pocketing the key and setting her book on the edge of her father's armchair, then taking a pinch of Floo Powder from the mantle and throwing it onto the empty hearth. As the flames turned green, she stepped in, shouting "Diagon Alley!" in a clear voice.
Stepping into the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, Emma smiled. She had been here a few times before, when her father traveled on Ministry jobs. Emma had been home-schooled all her life by her mother, and then her nanny when her mother passed. The other year, her father had finally decided his little girl needed to explore and experience the world. To put it lightly, Emma was excited.
She pulled a small list from her back pocket, scanning the few items on it.
Well, this won't take long at all. She though to herself, heading towards the looming building in the center of Diagon Alley. Gringotts.
Walking into Gringotts, she looked around in awe. She had only been in here once, when she was young, and the place was marvelous.
She glanced over at the tellers and shuddered. The goblins scared her. The looks on their faces were quite severe. She searched for a kind face, when she ran across an actual human. The young man looked kind enough, with shockingly red hair, and was quite tall.
Emma took the opportunity, and walked over to his station, going up on her toes so she could see him properly. "Erm, excuse me."
The young man smiled at her. "Yes, hello! Welcome to Gringotts. How may I help you?"
"I need to get into my vault... Vault 518." She said shyly, sliding her key towards the man.
"Well, yes of course! Right this way Miss...?"
"I'm Emma Wilde." she said, following in the tall man's wake.
He turned, smiling. "Miss Wilde, it's nice to meet you."
"Call me Emma."
"Emma it is." he said with a slight laugh, leading her to a mine car. He held out his hand, and she looked confused.
"I'm helping you into the cart, Emma." he said kindly.
She blushed, taking his hand and stepping into the cart.
"Not been here before?"
"Once; I was young."
He nodded in understanding.
"Oh, I'm Bill, by the way. Bill Weasley."
She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Bill."
The continued a small conversation down to her vault, and that was how she found out he had gone to Hogwarts, and had three brothers and a sister at Hogwarts at the moment, and perhaps she would become friends with one of them.
"I'd like that, since I'm going into this knowing no one." She said softly.
"You'll be fine. Just don't cross paths with the wrong people." he said comfortingly.
She nodded, getting her needed money from the vault as he waited outside the door patiently.
"Are you all set?"
"I believe so." she said.
Outside, she headed straight for Flourish and Blotts, to get her required materials, along with some books for pleasure, though she had quite enough at home.
The bell rang merrily as she entered, and she immediately began browsing for her books. Luckily, the schoolbooks were located near the front, so she found her books quite easily. (Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6, Advanced Potion-Making, Confronting the Faceless, Guide to Advanced Transfiguration)
From there, she moved onto books for mere pleasure. She found a few titles that interested her, and ended up choosing two. (Long Live and We Both Know)
After paying for her books, she wandered back outside, checking her list again. She needed Owl Treats for her owl, Ivory. The money for those were mere knuts, then she moved to Amanuensis Quills to get needed quills, ink and parchment.
Her shopping took a mere hour and half, and satisfied with her purchases, she headed home.
A week later
Emma boarded the Hogwarts express nervously. She wasn't sure where to sit, because it seemed most compartments were full, or people were with all their friends. Emma didn't want to intrude.
She walked down the aisle slowly, peeking into compartments occasionally. She was about to give up when she heard a shout.
"Oi! Lee! Watch it!" She turned to her right, confused. Peeking in the compartment, she saw three boys, apparently struggling with something. Two had bright red hair that reminded her of Bill, the teller she met at Gringotts. The third was a black boy with dreadlocks, who the two gingers seemed to be arguing with.
"Eh, George, I think we've got an audience." the redhead farthest from the door spoke, elbowing the other redhead, who sat closer to where Emma was standing.
Emma blushed. "S-Sorry..."
"Tis alright, love." the boy who spoke earlier said with a smile.
Emma grabbed her luggage, ready to move along when the black boy spoke up.
"Ey! Are you new? I haven't seen you around before."
Emma looked up, half startled. "Er... yes."
The three boys exchanged a wordless conversation, then the boy closest to the door pulled the door open a tad more.
"Join us! We always have room for more."
Emma smiled gratefully, squeezing into the compartment and the black boy took her luggage, hefting it above their heads on a rack.
"Thanks." she said softly, taking a place on the opposite seat.
"I'm Fred, and this is George." the redhead closest to the window spoke.
"And I'm Lee." said the dark boy with a smile.
Emma smiled shyly. "I'm Emma. And... are you related to Bill Weasley, by any chance?"
Fred and George grinned. "Yes, he's our brother! How do you know Bill?"
Emma went on to tell them how she met Bill, talking animatedly.
"Well, that's cool. I hope you get sorted into Gryffindor. You seem like you belong there."
Emma blushed, pulling out her book, placing it in her lap. "My dad thinks I'll be put in Ravenclaw, because of how much I read."
Lee shrugged. "The Sorting Hat places you where it sees fit, though it takes your opinion with its decision also."
Emma raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Really?"
All three boys nodded. "Hogwarts is extremely accepting, and if you do, by any chance, get put in Gryffindor, you know three people right off the bat."
Emma smiled. "Thanks, guys."
Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Emma boarded a carriage with the twins and Lee. Professor McGonagall, who she learned was Gryffindor's Head of House along with the Transfiguration teacher, was waiting in the hall for her, and ushered her in the line with the first years, apologizing all the while that it had to be done this way.
Emma was slightly nervous, and fidgeted with her braids as she waited. The first years seemed as nervous, if not more nervous than she was, and some were staring at her in awe.
After what seemed eternity, but was only a mere ten minutes, they were all ushered into the Great Hall, where Emma was taken aback by the decorations and vastness of the place. Hogwarts was amazing, to put it simply.
Professor McGonagall went through all the first years, and all the while, Emma was becoming more nervous. She clapped along with the rest of the staff and students as Wespurt, Caitlin was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Finally, Professor McGonagall motioned her forward and an old man with a pointed hat and long white beard took to the podium.
"Students, I welcome you to Hogwarts. I hope the years ahead will inspire us all, and we all have joy and harmony among ourselves. Now, before we eat, we have one more student to be sorted. Miss Wilde has come to us late, but of course, Hogwarts is ecstatic to accommodate her. If you please, Professor." The man looked down at the pair, a twinkle in his half-moon spectacles.
McGonagall motioned for Emma to take a seat on the stool and lowered a tattered brown hat onto her head.
Ah, what do we have here? Emma jumped slightly in surprise. This is not a first year, though by your nerves, my dear, you seem one. Just relax. Emma let out a slow breath, relaxing her neck and shoulders. Hmm, bravery, yes. Oh ho, you are quite the smart one... And there is loyalism within you, and you are non-judgmental. There's Hufflepuff. But then there's the point of strong leadership skills in you. Hmm, decisions, decisions. Then there's that ambition.
"Got to be... Slytherin!" The hat roared.
Emma hopped down from the stool, removing the hat and handing it Professor McGonagall.
She saw Fred, George and Lee's astonished faces as she headed to the Slytherin table.
This was going to make for an interesting year.