A Frosty Finish

Chapter 1: An American at Hogwarts

A/N: This was written for my good friend, who is one of the most obsessed HP fanatics I have ever seen (as are many of my comrades). The character Elizabeth Frost is based of her. Warning: there is a lot of totally zany, off the wall things that Elizabeth does or says do to the fact that she is a lot like my friend. This really isn't a typical Mary Sue story though so do fret.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character Elizabeth Frost who, in all technicalities really owns herself.

*****************************Prologue**********************************

Harry, Ron and Hermione's final year at Hogwarts had arrived. The fantastic trio (as the Daily Prophet had titled them) had grown to be quite the celebrities. At the end of their sixth year at Hogwarts, the three had helped to capture Lord Voldemort. It was a time of rejoice for the wizarding world as word quickly spread that brave Harry Potter and his friends had helped catch Voldemort (who had been administered the Dementor's Kiss straight away.) After clearing Sirius' name, Harry was able to move in with him. Now that it was all coming to an end there seemed to be a sort of gloominess to everything the three engaged themselves with. That is until they arrived back at school.

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The train ride on the Hogwarts Express had been a particularly long one. Harry, Ron and Hermione had found themselves an uninhabited car to ride in. They did not appreciate the fame that had been forced on them at the end of the prior year. The beginning of the trip was filled with the many delicacies one could by off the snack cart (Harry, as usual, had purchased the entire cart.) As the sky began to turn black, clouds could be seen rolling in. Rain was not an uncommon factor for the arrival at Hogwarts but it did make the enchanted carriage ride an interesting one. One really had to feel sorry for the first years, who had to brave a trip across the lake.

When the train finally began to slow, rain had been running down the windows for sometime. The three passengers began to collect their things. Ron had fallen asleep, and was now wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth. Hermione and Harry were smiling, trying to hold back their laughter. They had been watching their salivating friend for some time and had taken great pleasure in teasing him.

When the train had come to a complete stop the three hurried off the train and made a run for the carriage. The rain was frigid cold and felt like thousands of tiny pellets were being fired in every direction. The students had all tightly wrapped themselves in their cloaks. Harry, Ron and Hermione ran past the terrified first years who were timidly climbing into the boats. When they had reached the carts, Ron mauled over someone. He had hit them, knocking them to the ground, and then tripped over them.

"OUCH!" Ron was now lying on top of the cloaked figure. Harry bent over and helped his friend up, out of the mud. Ron then turned and grabbed onto the stranger's arms. He lifted them with great ease and realized that she was a girl.

"You should watch where you're going next time, graceful." The girl was drenched from head to toe and covered in mud.

"I am so sorry." Ron replied, apologetically.

"Well, do you think there is any chance I could get you to let go of my arm."

Ron looked over at his hand, which was still gripped firmly around her tricep and let go, blushing.

"If you'd like, you could share a carriage with us." Hermione interjected.

"Thanks, but I'd hate to get pushed in the mud again." The girl smiled and strolled away.

"Who was that?" Harry asked.

"I haven't the slightest idea but I didn't like her one bit. She seemed remarkably sour to me." Hermione had always been quick with first impressions. Ron just stood in a sort of stunned silence.

"Well, we best go find a carriage." Harry said finally. Most of the students had already exited the train and filed into carriages. The three were able to find themselves an empty carriage in the very front of the line. The ride up the hill towards the castle was a grueling one. The road was extremely muddy and the carriages kept getting stuck.

Once inside the castle, the students headed straight for the Great Hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their seats at the Gryfindor table.

"I hope the began the bloody sorting ceremony soon. I am famished." Ron had always allowed his stomach to dictate everything. Hermione and Harry had always found it to be fairly entertaining.

After the hat had finished it's song, Professor McGonnagal stood at the staff table and after explaining the procedure. One by one the drenched first years gingerly approached the stool where the hat was placed on top of their dripping hair. It called out the name of one of the four houses and applause erupted from the table at which the students of that house were located.

They had finally reached the final name. Mildred Zeafler had been placed in Hufflepuff. Now it was time for the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore to make his speech.

"Welcome all to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For those of who do not know me I am Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster here. Just one quick announcement: The Forbidden Forest is closed to all students. Now I have one more thing to explain," Ron had a look of let down in his hunger filled eyes. "This year we will be welcoming another student here. Her name is Elizabeth Frost. She has come to us from America. Elizabeth will you please come out here." The girl from the station walked down the center of the Great Hall still covered in mud. Dumbledore began to speak as a few Slytherins laughed and pointed. "Elizabeth will be a seventh year this term. Now you all are probably most curious as to her being here. Elizabeth was,"

"Home-schooled." The girl called out towards Dumbledore.

"Ah, Yes! Home-schooled. However, she has decided to finish her education here at Hogwarts. So Elizabeth, if you would please have a seat on the stool so you can be sorted."

The girl approached the stool and sat down. She placed the tattered, old hat on her head. It said a few things to her very softly and she giggled. It then straightened up and called out, "Gryfindor." There was a weak applause from the Gryfindor table. Everyone seemed to be a little confused and stunned by the girls being there. She walked over to the Gryfindor table, a bit red in the face. No one seemed to want her near them. Harry took pity on her and waved her over to them. Ron became very red in the face. As she sat down in between the two boys she thanked Harry graciously. Then she realized Ron on the other side of her.

"Oh, it's you." Ron just blushed. Hermione, who was on the other side of the table glared at her. The girl looked startled. Harry quickly broke the tension,

"So, anyway, I guess it would be nice if we all introduced ourselves. My name is Harry, Harry Potter."

"Oh, you must be Lily's son." Harry looked at her a bit surprised. She was one of the first people who hadn't reacted to his name with the typical "the Harry Potter?"

"A, yes."

"My mother was best friends with Lily when they were in school. Loved her like a sister she tells me."

"That's wonderful. Any way, This is Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasly."

"It's nice to meet y'all. I'm Elizabeth but I guess you kind of already knew that." The food had now appeared on the platters and Ron was plopping gracious helpings onto his plate. As Harry and Hermione began to fill their plates as well, Harry noticed a disturbed look on Elizabeth's face.

"Is something the matter?"

"I, a, have just never seen anything like this. What is this stuff." Harry couldn't help but laugh. He had never met an American before but he assumed their eating habit s must be greatly different. Elizabeth pointed to all dishes she didn't recognize and he explained them to her. After a few minutes she was finally able to dish herself up a plate of food. Ron was already on his second helping of food (which flew everywhere as he spoke.)

"So, what 'rings you to 'ogwarts?" Ron had a large mouthful of food and when he finished talking he proceeded to wash it down with pumpkin juice.

"Come again?"

"He said, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Hermione explained in a tone of superiority.

" Oh, well, my mom went here and after she graduated she met my dad who was American. He refused to move to England and live in some wizarding town so the moved to America. I received my letter from Hogwarts but my dad thought I was to young to go overseas. Well, anyway, my mother was extremely pissed so she wrote to Dumbledore asking if I could participate in some sort of home-schooling thing in America. You know, there is no magic school in America. So, Dumbledore agreed as long as I would come my seventh year to take the N.E.W.T.S. I am so happy to be here though because I really like Europe much better then America. I mean I have been getting information about happenings over here since I was a little girl and I always wanted to be a part of this world. So, yeah." Harry, Ron and Hermione were forced into stunned silence. None of them had ever heard a person answer a question with such detail at such a speed. Elizabeth began eating again. She was defiantly a unique individual.