The Corridor Of Forbidden
Chapter 1: The New Girl
It was yet another September first and all of the children with their pointed hats and black robes were headed for Hogwarts School of Witch craft and wizardry on the Hogwarts Express. This was Harry's, Ron's, and Hermione's fourth year at Hogwarts.
As the train pulled onto the platform everyone couldn't help but smile, especially Harry. He was so happy to be back, he couldn't stand the Dursleys for one more day.
Harry's thoughts were broken only by Ron's comment. " Hey, maybe Snape quit?!" he said with a smile on his face. "I wish" Hermione said as she got onto the stage couch, which was obviously drawn by magic sense there was no horse. It was a bumpy ride up to the castle but Harry didn't mind he was just glad to be home.
As they walked through the great hall Harry couldn't resist looking at the enchanted ceiling which was showing a beautiful clear starry night.
Professor McGonagall walked out with a chair and a grubby old wizards hat, the sorting hat. It wasn't until that moment that Harry saw the first years. They looked so scared and helpless, then Harry remembered his own sorting, he must have looked just as scared.
Once the sorting had begun Harry's eyes wondered over to Dumbledor, head master of the school, Harry looked at Dumbeldor and smiled then he noticed someone standing next to him. A girl in Hogwarts robes but Harry didn't remember ever seeing her before. She had wavy medium brown hair, very fair skin, big brown eyes, and light pink lips. He turned to Ron who was sitting on his right. "Who is that?" he whispered "I don't know" Ron replied " must be new, she looks about our age"
How come she's not taking part in the sorting?" Harry asked 'I don't know Harry, but I hope she gets into Gryffindor." Hey Hermione!" said Harry " yes" she s replied turning to face Harry "I think Ron fancies the new girl" he said half smiling half chuckling. " You know Harry I think you're right" she said casually.
She was about to say something else when Dumbledore signaled for silence. Everyone turned to face him. "Well it's the beginning of a new school year, I trust you all had a good holiday. Now before I begin with my regular announcements I'd like you to meet this lovely young lady standing next to me. Her name is Elizabeth Hallowell, I discovered her while I was on my trip to America, New York to be precise. She has much magic inside her. We regularly don't accept students in their fourth year but for her we have made an exception. The Minister of Magic and I both feel she has great potential. She will be in Gryffindor, I trust you will all make her feel at home." Dumbledore said looking in the direction of Ron, Hermione, and Harry, but only for a split second. "And now on with the feast, remember the Head Boy, the Head Girl and the Prefects have the new passwords" Dumbeldore added as he sat down.
Elizabeth walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down in the empty seat next to Ron. Harry noticed that Ron's ears were starting to get red. "Hello" Hermione said extending her right arm "I'm Hermione" "very pleased to meet you Hermione" Elizabeth said while shaking Hermione's hand. "Yeah hi I'm Harry," he said with a smile. " I'm Ron," he said almost in a whisper. "I'm very please to meet you both" she said with a smile. Harry couldn't help but notice that she has a flawless English accent. He was about to ask her when the rest of the guys from Gyffindor came over, all wanting to shake hands with Elizabeth. Fred and George's ears turned the same color as Ron's when she smiled at them.
"Hi! We're basically the school pranksters" said Fred. "Me and Fred that is" added George "If you ever need a toilet seat or a dung bomb you just come to us, alright?" they said together. "Um alright I'll keep that in mind" Elizabeth said with a puzzled/amused look on her face.
Soon the food disappeared off the golden dishes and people started to head back to their common rooms. They fallowed a prefect back to the portrait of the Fat Lady where they were told the new password, diggery doo.
Only a few people stayed in the common room. Everyone was rather tired and very full so they went strait up to their dormitories. Harry barely had enough energy to change his clothes and get into bed.
The next morning the three friends met in the common room, along with Elizabeth. The conversation this morning was mainly focused on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. " Is it true that the job's cursed?" asked Elizabeth " you know, it very well may be" Hermione answered quickly " and that's precisely why I hope Snape gets the job!" Ron said with a smile. Hermione and Harry looked at Ron with a surprised expression on their faces. "I mean " Ron continued ' that way he'd have the curse fall on him and he would never come back to Hogwarts. Make our lives a hell of a lot easier." Harry smiled he was happy that Ron was back to being his old self again. Although he still went red in the ears every time Elizabeth looked at him.
"Oh my look at the time!" Hermione exclaimed " yes we really should be off if we want to eat breakfast today" Elizabeth added with a smile. Everyone agreed and they all headed out towards the great hall.
" I hope the new teacher is a girl" Hermione said breaking the silence. "mmm yes me to" Elizabeth added. " You know what I just realized?" Elizabeth asked" what?" said Ron " I've just realized that all the teachers are new, well for me anyways" "oh yeah. I forgot that this is only your second day at Hogwarts" Harry said, " It feels like I've been here ages" Liz said with a smile.
They were now in the great hall and sitting down. Elizabeth noticed that the seating arrangement had changed; Ron and Hermione had switched seats. Everything was rather quiet until the morning mail arrived. Elizabeth was quite surprised; the noise startled her so much she almost jumped out of her chair. "What the heck is that?" she asked. " Oh that, that's just the morning mail" Hermione said while opening her own letter." Owls are kind of like the mail me of the wizarding world, " she added," oh I see" Liz said. She looked up and saw her won owl, Oz, flying in carrying a letter for her. When the owl dropped the letter it missed her cereal by about half centimeter. "It's from my mum and dad" she announced. Liz read the letter to herself, which said:
Dear Liz,
How are you darling/ it's been only two days and already your father and I miss you. How is everyone treating you? Have you made any friends yet? Try and stay out of trouble, well at least don't go looking for it. Write back soon, although this owl post thing might take some getting used to I hear it is quite efficient. Dad sends his love and hopes that you are doing well.
Love,
Mum and Dad
P.S.
We've enclosed a moving photo of us that we took at diagon alley.
Elizabeth read the letter, smiled, and put in her bag deciding that she would write back later in the day. Then she noticed that Ron had gotten a letter to." It's from my Mum," he said looking strait at Liz. " What did she say?" Harry asked " oh she told me not to get into any trouble this year and to be nice to the new girl" he replied. Elizabeth smiled and wondered to herself exactly for how long would she be known as "the new girl" " oh yeah you guys can call me Liz, all my friends back home did" she suddenly announced.
" Ok Liz" Ron said and went red in the ears again. Liz smiled at him and the red spread from his ears onto his forehead. Then suddenly Liz's attention switched over from Ron to the Slytherin table. " Hey Hermione you know that pasty kid over there" she pointed at Malfoy " he's been staring at you all morning" Liz remarked " probably just planning our demise" Harry said
" So I take it you guys aren't exactly friends" she said " got that right!" Harry exclaimed.
" That, is Draco Malfoy" Hermione explained " he's horrid, a very mean and evil person if you ask me." "Got that right" Harry and Ron added, " He's from a old wizard family" Hermione continued, " If you're not a Slytherin then he'll hate you, as with all Slytherins" " if you ask me he's a mini Snape" Ron added with a smile. Everyone at the Gryffindor table laughed. Liz smiled but still wasn't comfortable with the thought of anyone not liking her even, if he was evil.
People started taking out their schedules. Elizabeth looked down at her own, " I've got herbology first" she announced " us too" Hermione said. The four compared schedules. Elizabeth noticed that she had least one of the other three in every one of her classes, Thank God she thought to herself.
The four friends got up from the table and started off to the green houses, where Herbology lessons where held. Ron and Elizabeth sat together at one table and Harry and Hermione sat at the table next to them.
Just as everyone sat down Professor Sprout walked in, a short chubby woman. She was carrying a large pot of what looked like an Aloe Vera plant.
"Good morning Class" she said and smiled. Today we will be working with this plant," she pointed to the plant, which she had brought in with her and then continued to talk. " Now muggles commonly mistake this plant, they think that it is the Aloe Vera plant. Yes I admit that they look similar, this is the cousin of the Aloe Vera plant, Platonos Renglder" " wow that's a long name, " Liz whispered to Ron. Professor Sprout talked on. Harry thought that the class would never end. It seemed like hours before the bell rang. "If I never hear another word about Platonos Reginalder again it'll be to soon" Ron said as they walked back to the castle " I agree" the other three said in unison. " Oh no" said Harry, 'what?" Hermione asked "we've got potions with Snape next"
" Wonder what he'll take points off for this year" said Hermione " yeah I wonder" Ron said in a slightly sarcastic voice.