Chapter One
He stepped through the stonewall between platforms nine and ten, and after a split second of darkness, he re-emerged on the other side. Before him, the Hogwarts Express billowed black smoke into the air. Before he had time to so much as turn around, he was almost knocked over by what seemed at first glance like a pair of red tipped bullets. "Hello George, hey there Fred!" he said a smile dawning on his face as he looked at his beaters. "Have a good hols?"
"BRILLIANT!"
"WE WENT TO EGYPT TO SEE BILL!'
"We tried to lock Perce into a pyramid but mum caught us!"
Oliver grinned as he tried to understand the tirade of words directed at him. When he could finally get a word in, he asked, "where's the rest of the team?" almost as if responding to some sort of silent command, Oliver saw Katie, Angelina and Alicia bearing down on them large smiles lighting their faces.
"Where's Harry?" he asked. "Oh, he's with Ron and Hermione somewhere around here," replied George with a nonchalant shrug. "C'mon guys, we'd better get on to the train, we've got three minutes left," said Alicia. As they were boarding the train, Oliver saw Harry being hoarded onto the train by the twins' mother. He thought he saw a glimpse of long brown hair, but dismissed it. "There aren't any girls with long brown hair in Harry's grade, are there?" he thought to himself.
No sooner had he boarded the train than it set off with a jolt and slowly began to gather speed until the station was but a mere speck in the distance. He followed the rest into a compartment only to find Lee Jordan there already. Angelina sat down next to lee and the twins exchanged glances and then burst into laughter. Oliver looked at Angelina and Lee and then frowned. "Great, just great! That's all I need, my chaser's in love!" thought Oliver to himself. Even he knew that George was seeing Alicia and Fred, Katie. "What's the big deal with this relationship thing anyway?" muttered Oliver in an undertone. But he couldn't dismiss the niggling doubt that maybe he was missing something, maybe there was something to love after all!
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As he walked up the wide staircase that led to the vast great Hall, he felt like he was coming home. The great hall looked as splendid as ever, with candles floating in the air above the tables and the ceiling reflecting the sky outside with stars twinkling like little pinpricks against a deep black background. He sat down at the long Gryffindor table and turned to Alicia who was sitting next to him. "Ready for another year of Quidditch?" asked Oliver. "Ready for it? I can't wait!!"squealed Alicia.
Before Oliver could respond, a line of first years were led into the Hall for the sorting. But the girl right at the front of the line was no first year by any stretch of the imagination. As she walked past the Gryffindor table towards the teacher's table at the other end of the hall, her long brown hair swishing as she walked, Oliver was aware of all the boys turning around to get a better look at her. "That's the new girl who was with us in the train," whispered Harry. "Her name's Alison and she's a transfer from South Africa. She's in her sixth year."
After all the first years collected in front of the teacher's table, and the Sorting Hat was set on the stool, Professor Dumbledore stood up. Looking around the hall through his crescent moon glasses, he began to talk. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Firstly, I would like to remind all the first years that the Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds. It wouldn't hurt for some of the older students to remember this as well! Secondly, we have a transfer student from South Africa and I have no doubt that you will all do your best to make her feel at home. Let the sorting begin." And with that he sat down. Professor McGonagall unrolled a piece of parchment and called out the first name. "Adams, Alison" the tall willowy brunette walked onto the platform and sat down on the stool. The last thing she saw before the Sorting Hat was dropped over her head was a lot of heads craning their necks to look at her. She gave a slight start as a voice began to speak in her ear. "How very like your father! Courage, great mental strength and my, my, even the same fiery temper. I have no doubt what to do with you. You could only be in GRYFFINDOR!" Although she didn't show it, she was very relieved. She didn't want to be put in Hufflepuff, and certainly not in Slytherin. On the outside however, her face remained an impassive mask as she walked towards the Gryffindor table.
After the sorting, the girl on her right introduced herself as Alicia Spinnet and then proceeded to introduce the rest of the people sitting at the table. In the next half hour, while she ate what was possibly the most splendid meal in her life, she was introduced to Angelina, Katie, Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lee and Oliver. It didn't take Alison long to figure out that Fred, George and Lee were the pranksters and quite a handful at times. She also realized that the three girls (not including Hermione) were the best of friends and Chasers on the Quidditch team. Harry, Ron and Hermione were another obvious group. The only one she couldn't really figure out was Oliver. He wasn't bad looking. In fact, with his short brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, he was rather attractive. But he didn't seem to have a girlfriend, or even a really good friend. He sort of mingled with everyone, but seemed a little quiet, almost withdrawn!
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