Chapter 1: New Beginnings

The icy corridors of Malfoy Manor had now a slight warmth to them. Lonely as it may be, it was just Draco and his mother left as Lucius had been sent to Azkaban, Draco couldn't help but feel the slightest relief. He was a changed man after all. Though the arrogance may have still stayed.

The war had ended and the pile of rubble that was once Hogwarts has yet again opened their doors to all previous seventh years. Potter and his friends were on their little hunt and the school was over run with death eaters so the education provided wasn't very valid.

The seventh years would be 'repeating' what was supposed to their last year, but now into a new program which the ministry has called eighth year. The school would be a bit more packed but nothing a few extension charms couldn't help. After all the school was basically rebuilt from the ground up.

Not all would be the same, following the jinx that had been put on the position, Defense Against the Dark Arts would no longer be a class if there was to be no one to teach it. The times of the Dark Arts was no more, all the previous Death Eaters had been killed or were currently rotting in prison. At least he still had potions to look forward to even though his favourite professor was no more.

The train ride the following morning was a quiet one, not the awkward kind but instead it was basked in comfort oddly. Though the noise from the first years' compartment was barely audible.

Transferring from The Redinhave House of Magic (located on the vast mountain sides of Canada) to Hogwarts in seventh year wasn't one of the best decisions she's made.

Elise felt that if she wanted to become an auror, Hogwarts would have to be the best place for that. As Transfiguration wasn't provided in her old school, there was no way she could become one without having to move to a school that offered the course. She had never done it before and it would be quite a challenge to get nothing under Exceeds Expectations on her NEWTS.

The silent was soothing, a compartment all to herself and her fingers laced in an enticing installment of Sherlock Holmes, she was sure the time would fly right by.

The HeadMaster had told her about the sorting ceremony that would take place with the first years and as she wouldn't want to do it front of the whole school at her age she was invited to McGonagall's office to put on a singing hat.

A singing hat?

Well what more can you expect from a school for wizardry and witchcraft?

The train was turning it's final curve and the castle soon came to view.

An enormous sun nestled crimson amongst the tree-tops, and the forest below had a black and forbidding face.

The Forbidden Forest.

Of course she had to do some research, she was in a new country afterall.

"I am Penelope Clearwater, and you must be Elise Onyx"

The voice of a tall blonde girl caused Elise to stop reading and turn her head abruptly

"Yes that would be me" she replied with a sense of hesitation

"Come with, I'll be escorting you to the HeadMaster's office" A waft of superiority in her voice

Elise rushed to pack her books back into her trunk only to be cut off by Penelope

"No need, those will be taken to your appropriate dormitory"

Elise followed behind like a lost puppy when Penelope came to an abrupt stop causing her to crash right in her back

"You're not from around her are you"

she turned around so that she was eye level with Elise

"Are you from America? Strange, Hogwarts only accepts students from parts of Europe"

"Well technically I am from Canada, but under circumstances I am a permanent resident of Ireland, and I got my letter this summer"

"Hmmm"

Uninterested she trudged back towards the castle