Lucie Laughlin
Getting Her Letter:
"Lucie, there's a letter for you here. Strange one, kind of old." My mother shouted from downstairs with her thick Glasgow accent. I was busy brushing my thick black wavy hair, which I was always complimented for. I always replied by telling them that it was evil and tried to strangle it in my sleep. It was evil, my hair, it never conformed to what I wanted it to do.
"A letter? For me?" I said as I trotted down the stairs with my half brushed hair. I picked up my toast and bit into it.
"Here, look at it? Old looking right?" She handed it to me; it was on parchment, with a seal right in the middle. I never got letters, mainly because I didn't really have any friends. "Open it!" She prodded me in the arm.
"Okay!" I delicately opened the letter, because it seemed too pretty to rip apart.
"What does it say?"
"I don't know, mum. I haven't opened it the whole way yet." I looked at her; she sunk into her impatient slump.
"Then by all means, open it the whole way!"
"Fine! Here I go!" I took out the letter to see an emblem on the top with four animals, a lion, a snake, a badger, and an eagle. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Mum, I think I've been pranked." I set the letter down on the counter and walked back upstairs.
"Lucie, there's something I didn't bother to mention. That letter was delivered by an owl…through our kitchen window." She said to me.
"Further proof, then, mum. Further proof that I have been properly pranked." I waved my hand and started back up the stairs.
"Luce, I really think you ought to read the rest of this." She walked up the stairs to me and put it in my hand. I sighed and slumped into my room and onto my bed, the unfolded letter sitting in my palm. My eyes drifted onto the text."
Dear Lucie Laughlin,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes(black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragonhide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Aldabert Waffling
A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magial Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beast And Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces; A Guide To Self Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
"Mum, do you know where your big old trunk is? I really need to meet the mastermind behind this prank."
At Kings Cross:
"I haven't the slightest idea how to find Platform 9¾. I guess this is where the journey to find out who the prankster was ends." My mum said as she loosened her unnecessary scarf.
"9¾? Its right there, the metal ticket box dividing Platforms Nine and Ten." I turned around to see a family of redheads in strange garb, plus one awkwardly dressed, bespectacled, dark haired boy. The woman who told me where the Platform was a short wide woman, with a motherly face. "Just walk right through, watch my sons do it. Fred, George!" She shouted, two identical ginger boys pushed their trolleys into the box.
"Stop, what are you-" Before I could finish, they were already gone, strait through the box.
"Ron, show these two how it's done." She elbowed the youngest boy there. He walked over to me with the other messy, dark haired boy. And next thing I knew, I was on Platform 9¾.
On the Train:
"My names Lucie, its good to meet you Hermione. Your name is really pretty." I shook the young frizzy haired girls hand and smiled. She had just upstaged Ron and shown us a real spell, which was dazzling. It was good to meet another intellectual like myself. "You know, us smart girls gotta stick together." I raised my eyebrow at her and she smiled, I knew we were going to be friends.
"Yes well, it's not hard to find a smart girl, now is it?" She whispered.
"Yeah, but it sure is hard to find a smart boy." I whispered back. We laughed and high-fived, Harry and Ron not knowing why we were even laughing.
Getting Sorted:
"You've got the creativity and wit of a Ravenclaw, the kindness and tolerance of a Hufflepuff, the nerve and courage of a Gryffindor, and the determination and cunning of a Slytherin. But which house do you belong in?" The hat atop my head was whispering in my ear, I was about to be sorted into a house, a house that I would be spending the next seven years of my life with, "Mmm…a hard choice. But I'm not just any old hat. Wait…what's this?" He gasped, which made my head feel weird. "I see now. I know where you belong." He paused, the whole hall sat waiting. "Slytherin!" He shouted, one table filled with green clad students clapped and hooted as I got off the stool, I turned to look at the hat, who had a concerned look upon its leathered face. I hesitantly walked over to the table and sat down. As I did, my black tie turned to an emerald green with sheen of silver running through it. The boy next to me had a sly look on his face, I recognized him from when we were outside the hall, when I saw him having a conversation with Harry and Ron.
"Hello, I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." He smiled at me and held out his hand. "You are?"
"Lucie Laughlin." I responded as I shook his hand. Across the table, a shorthaired pale girl glared at me. "Hi." I waved to her. "I'm Lucie."
"I know, you just told Draco. I'm Pansy Parkinson" She said at me with a sharp tone.
"Pansy, there's no need to be rude." Draco muttered at her. Two stalky boys sitting next to Draco started to pound their fists in anticipation of the food about to be served. But there were still plenty of students that had to be sorted, including Hermione, Harry, and Ron. I sat and watched as Ron was sorted into Gryffindor, which I figured would happen, seeing as his whole family had been. I really wanted Hermione to be in Slytherin, because we had already befriended each other, but alas, she was put into Gryffindor as well. Last but not least, Harry. He sat upon that stool for what seemed to be hours, the hat would say something and he would whisper back to it. Soon enough though, he was sorted into Gryffindor. And I was alone with little miss sharp tongue, the impatient not understandable boys, and Draco Malfoy.
"Harry Potter, that prat was bound to be sorted into Gryffindork." Draco said, everyone laughed at his joke.
"You're not very nice are you?" I asked him. His face turned from sly to embarrassed in seconds. But he collected himself and turned his sly back on just in time to say.
"Suppose not, but I'll be nice to you." He smiled again and I heard Pansy groan from the other side of the table again. He was an annoying one, but I would have to make do with him for now.
Little did I know I was going to be his best friend. Not part of his posse, not some swooning girl, but his only real friend.