"Camilla!" The older woman's face was now on the verge of turning a very unflattering shade of scarlet. Her index finger shook as she pointed it at the accused; me. I laughed nonchalantly as the brandy bottle fell through my fingertips. My mother screamed with rage as she brought her foot down upon the glass container, shattering it into pieces while the liquid seeped through the cracks in the floor. "That's it! This is absolutely the last straw, Camilla. Camilla? Are you listening?"
Distractedly, I gazed at the spinning silver metal. It spun in circles on its brown string before my eyes, holding my attention. My mother huffed beside me obviously disappointed in my lack of self-discipline or care towards life. Father, instead of worrying about me, had decided it was better for everyone for my mother to be in a better mood.
"I can't take this anymore, Camilla! Salem is obviously not helping you in the slightest. I should have known to trust the rumors when I heard that all girl academies were nothing but trouble. You leave me no choice, Camilla, but to send you to Hogwarts. Their headmaster is Albus Dumbledore and I know of the many things he has conquered. I hope that he will help you change." Mother rubbed the mascara from under her eyes with the sleeve. She winced. Her eyes were red, puffy, and no doubt raw from all the times she tried to rid of any evidence that she had been crying.
The carriage slowed to a stop; the wheels groaned in protest. I stared outside the window seeing a fairly large lake spanning out in the distance. Tentacles rose and fell from the surface as the bubbles did. My parents took the chance to jump from the carriage and make their way towards the castle.
"Come on, Camilla." Father ordered me, calmly. "It's time to go see Dumbledore."
"Alright, alright I'm coming." I lowered myself to the gravel beneath. However, once I looked up a whistle slipped through my lips. Hogwarts was no doubt twice the size of Salem's and just as beautiful. "Wow, I think I'm going to like it here."
"Don't get used to it!" I rolled my eyes. "You are here under strict orders that you not have the slightest bit of fun. This means that any activities unrelated to school; cancelled. You may not try-out for the school Quidditch team." At this, I opened my mouth to protest. "–And don't make me have any reason to send in a howler. If you step out of line more than three times, you're out and heading straight for Kaban!"
"That's totally not fair! Only terrible kids like Lucille Perkins get sent to Kaban!" I shouted.
Kaban was the equivalent to an American military school. Kaban came from the name Azkaban where the most wanted prisoners went: created as a disciplinary school for disturbed teenagers and gave the Ministry of Magic a record of who to keep an eye on when they grew older.
"Lucille is neither your, nor my business. Now if you would kindly follow your father and I up to the castle, it would be greatly appreciated. Come along now." Mother turned on her high-heeled clad feet and began trudging her way up to my new school. Seeing no other option, I did as well.
As I passed a thestral, I stroked my fingers along its bony body. It was neither soft nor hard, but more of a prickly feel; The texture of hair full of gel. It was not pleasing to my fingertips but the beauty of the thestrals was so darkly captivating. I imagined myself gliding across the sky while perched on the animal's back.
My hair blew gently in the breeze. I took in a deep breath of fresh air while taking in my surroundings. The thestral beside me huffed loudly as it beckoned me to continue petting its rough skin. I walked along the body of the horse-like animal and caressed the muzzle. The thestral rubbed its head against my arm fondly.
Sighing, I realized that I could no longer waste any more time. I was going to have to be up there eventually. My parents were waiting for me on the inside of the castle right by the entrance along with another man who donned in a long dark blue cloak patterned with moons and stars all along the cloth. His long white hair fell all the way down his front and back, stopping mid-waist; on top of his hair sat a pointed hat printed in the same fashion as his cloak. His crystal blue eyes gazed at me from beneath his half-moon spectacles.
"Camilla Lee Rayne, welcome to my school, Hogwarts." The old man's eyes crinkled when he smiled kindly at me. "My name is Albus Dumbledore and I'll be filling you and your parents about the events and traditions going on around Hogwarts."
"Oh she won't need to know about those. She will not be attending them." I groaned quietly to myself. Dumbledore caught my eye and I saw the shadow of a wink grace his face. I smiled back at him knowing that he would probably let me do as I feel.
"But just in case you may let her do as she pleases with good behavior I shall explain them to you. Now, obviously in the student's fifth year of school they take their O.W.L.s, which will prepare them for life ahead of them as well as taking classes they wish to take in order to pursue a certain career. Fizzing Whizbee." The statue in front of Dumbledore sprang to life as soon as the last sentence came from his mouth. My mother let out a sound of surprise but, never the less, followed Dumbledore up the spiraling, stone staircase. "Now I assume Camilla has all the items that were required. We sent them to you in a letter."
"Oh yes, yes! She has everything needed, but we left them in the carriage… We'll need to go back and get them." My father started to turn around but Dumbledore stopped him by saying, "There will be no need. Our house elves will take care of that. They love helping out; a downright pleasure to have around."
Instead of listening to the conversation going on in the room, I looked out the window where something caught my eye. More thestral drawn carriages were arriving up at the school. It seemed that the carriage could last forever until finally about the 50th one stopped at the mouth of the school. All the students were stopped at the entrance and it seemed as if she were giving instructions. Three boys were pushing their way towards the front of the crowd, challenging anyone who got in their way. I smiled; these were my kind of people.
"Are you ready now, Camilla?" Dumbledore held out his hand for me to take. I nodded and slipped my tanned hand into his.
He brought me in front of my parents were my mother was weeping silently. She held out her harms and hugged me tightly, "I'm going to miss you sweetheart. I only hope you can change your ways." She then let her arms fall to her sides while my father kissed my forehead and began to comfort my mother.
I bid them goodbye and then I was on my way to what Dumbledore had called the Great Hall. He explained that once I was there I would have to be sorted with the first years: common tradition for new students to Hogwarts. So I stood there, in line with kids a foot shorter than me. All their little eyes stared at my face and their little mouths hung open no doubt at my obvious difference. And then one by one they all started to leave.
The hat in which placed the children in their houses had explained the traits of each house. Gryffindor was for the brave. Ravenclaw was for the intelligent. Slytherin was for the cunning. Hufflepuff for the loyal, or where they placed the kids who did not fit anywhere else.
So far, the hat had called each house two or three times until finally, who I had learned to be Professor McGonagall, called me forward, "Rayne, Camilla."
I had expected the kids to whisper about my difference so I marched right up to the stool, sneering slightly. "Ah, Camilla Rayne, here on a disciplinary plan. Now where to put you…"
I impatiently hit my fingers on the bottom of my chair. Glancing around the room every chair was attentive with the exception of one boy at one table. It was undoubtedly the blonde boy I had seen from Dumbledore's office. He was obviously making snide comments to the people around him. When he finished they all laughed in silence trying not to make a sound. I glared at them.
"Heh, it seems that I know exactly where I'm going to put you…."