This story will be a long, multi-chaptered fic. It will most likely be slow going for a little while until the story picks up, but please bear with me. I'm posting this story because it's been rattling around in my brain for weeks now and this is the beginning of it. Regardless of if I get followers on this story or not, I thank anyone who takes the time to read it. Please read and review if you feel like it; I'll post regardless and hope to have semi-regular posts. FYI this is a time travel fic, but the first part will be majority cannon with some minor changes to the plot to assist in my own character's development.
I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. The only thing I own is my own characters and my own ideas/subplots that are not cannon. Any further warnings will be posted in their respective chapters.
Platform 9 ¾ was bustling with the young witches and wizards departing for Hogwarts and their families. One such child was eleven year old Silver Sullivan. Her sandy blond hair was tied into braids that swayed with each step as she headed towards the middle of the train. Once aboard, she searched for an empty compartment and settled down with a book. Making herself comfortable, she barely noticed the entrance of her other occupants until she heard a drawling voice bragging about his father. Glancing up, she saw a boy with a pointed face and pale blond hair flanked by two of the meanest looking boys she'd ever seen. Rolling her eyes, she went back to her book and the boys paid her no notice once a girl with a squashed nose like a pug started fawning over the blonde boy.
"I think it's absurd that Hogwarts even allows Mudbloods into the school. They're all so stupid," the blond boy drawled. It appeared he just noticed the other girl in the compartment when he says, "What do you think, bookworm? Should Muggleborns be allowed to attend Hogwarts?" Without missing a beat, Silver replied, "Doesn't matter what I think. The headmasters have determined who attends Hogwarts for centuries and that's not likely to change anytime soon."
"Ha! I bet you're a Muggle born aren't you? Or half-blood at least since I've never seen you before and we purebloods all know each other. I'm Draco Malfoy. That's Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy. And you are..?"
Placing her book aside and looking him in the eyes, Silver replied, "Silver . Am I correct in guessing you will be in Slytherin?"
"Of course. Father says it's the best house. Ravenclaw's acceptable but can you imagine being sorted in Gryfindor or Hufflepuff? That'd be awful." His companions all nodded their agreement with Pansy crooning that he's so smart.
Silver stared at him a moment, then replied, "And do you always follow the opinions of your father? As far as I knew, all houses are respectable to be sorted into. I suppose everyone has their own opinions." Shrugging, she went back to her book, effectively dismissing them. "What's that you're reading? Probably some Muggle filth based on your attitude of things," Draco replied, snatching the book out of her hands. Silver leapt at him to attempt to grab it back but Goyle blocked her. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? You're reading a school book on the train? Ha! You must be such a goody-two shoes, Sullivan. I bet you can't even do simple spells yet. Father has let me practice a few, to get me ahead of my peers." Draco threw the book back at her, which she caught while glaring at him.
"You shouldn't take what isn't yours, Malfoy. Bug off and let me read. I heard Harry Potter is somewhere on the train. Why don't you taunt him if you're bored?" Silver snappily replied, going back to her book with a huff. A couple minutes later, the boys left in search of Harry, while Pansy left to meet with her other friends, leaving Silver alone in the compartment once more. She used the time to change into her robes. Not long after, a nervous looking boy knocked on her compartment asking if she'd seen a toad. When she shook her head no, the boy sadly moved on. The sweet trolley came by as well, but she hadn't gotten anything.
The boys returned, with Malfoy constantly chattering about how much he knows about Hogwarts and the magic world. Silver listened but pretended to ignore him so that he didn't get a boost in his ego from having someone other than the two brutes that were his friends listening to him. Shortly after, they arrived at the Hogsmeade station. They heard a voice calling "Fir' years! Fir' years over here!" Malfoy muttered something about the groundskeeper being a big unintelligent oaf. Silver ignored him and headed towards the boats, grateful when she ended up on a boat separate from him. Instead, there was the nervous-looking boy from the train, a black boy, and boy with a thick Irish accent. The black boy and the Irish boy were talking animatedly to each other, clearly becoming fast friends. They introduced themselves as Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, respectably. The third boy was Neville Longbottom. "Did you ever find your toad, Neville?" Silver asked. "No, I hadn't. Gran's going to be furious with me if she finds out I lost him," Neville relied, seeming a bit scared of the outcome. "I find that lost things tend to find themselves as soon as you stop looking," Silver replied with a grin. Neville shyly grinned back. They all became awestruck as the castle came into view. Once they landed, they were greeted by a stern looking witch who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. Midway through her speech, a toad appeared near her feet. Neville launched forward, calling out, "Trevor!" and captured the toad in his hands. Professor McGonagall looked down at him sternly as he nervously backed away.
Once her speech was completed, she led them to a room to wait while the other students settled. Leading the first years into the Great Hall, they all clustered in front of a stool with a ragged hat sitting upon it. He sung his song, and the students began to be sorted, starting with "Abbot, Hannah," who was sorted into Hufflepuff. Draco, as Silver predicted, was immediately sorted into Slytherin. Seamus was sorted into Gryffindor, as well as a bushy haired girl named Hermione. Neville was sorted into Gryffindor, much to his surprise based on his face. He ran off with the hat for a moment until he rushed back and handed it back to Professor McGonagall. Harry Potter was called, and the anticipation could be felt throughout the hall. After a bit of time, he was sorted into Gryffindor. Finally, Silver was called. As she approached, she thought she saw a flicker of shock grace Professor McGonagall's eyes, but it passed so quickly Silver dismissed it. As the hat was placed upon her head, she awaited in anticipation until she heard a soft voice in her ear. Hmm where to place you? Quick witted, plenty of courage, loyalty nearly to a fault. I see you're a hard worker and you have quite a bit of deviousness in you, though you do well to hide it out of fear. You would do well in any house, I think. I have sorted many children over the centuries, but I've only had one other that has been this equal. The hat paused in his musing. Silver just let it, figuring it knew best. Several minutes passed as it thought, and Silver could tell the Hall was getting a bit restless waiting for her sorting. Finally, the hat spoke to her again, nearly making her jump as she was lost in her own thoughts. You would do well in any house, but I think it will benefit you most to be in "SLYTHERIN!" Silver accepted the hat's choice and calmly placed the hat onto the stool. She caught sight of Draco's surprise before he hid it behind a smirk. She was accepted to the table with relatively happy applause.
Once the feast was over and Headmaster Dumbledore said his parting words, each house separated to go to their respective dorms. As they were walking to the dungeons, Draco said to Silver, "I'm surprised you're in Slytherin, miss goody-two shoes. I never would have thought someone with such neutral opinions on blood status could ever be a Slytherin. You better not make our house look bad."
"The only one who will make our house look bad is you, Malfoy, if you don't learn how to shut your trap when you make assumptions about someone. I don't need a pompous git telling me where I should have been placed, especially if he's judging me based on one encounter on the train," Silver replied coolly. She then tuned out whatever he said in retort, focusing on the near-labyrinth like path of the dungeons leading to the entrance of their common room.
The password, which was "Salazar," was spoken by the prefect who was leading them, and the wall opened into the common room. The room was adorned in dark but comfy looking couches and deep green drapes hung across the enchanted windows that showed the inside of the lake. The prefect led them to their rooms, boys on the right, and girls on the left. Silver followed Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy, Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass to their room. Each of their trunks had been placed at the end of their canopied beds. Each of them got ready for bed, with Pansy, Daphne, and Tracey chattering to each other about who they saw at the feast they thought were cute. Millicent and Silver ignored them and pulled their curtains closed. Silver heard Millicent fall asleep nearly right away, with her deep breathing bordering snoring. Soon after, the other girls went to sleep as well. Silver stayed up for a little while longer, writing in her journal about the day's events until she, too, fell asleep.
