A/N: This is my first ever Harry Potter fanfic which I have written. I really hope you like it!

-RS

A small smile played across my lips as my older brother sat across from me and thumbed open the sandy coloured envelope. Jake snapped off the maroon wax stamp before it scattered across the table, settling just beside my arm and glistening from the sunlight slipping in from an open blind. I traced an index finger across the body of Slytherin's snake and lightly tapped the wing of the eagle. Jake cleared his throat and flashed me a grin, a quick wink and started to chant, "Leah's gonna go to Hogwarts with me."

My hand snapped out and nearly tore the thick pages out of his hand. I read them. Then reread them. Mum came in to peer at them over my shoulder and flicked her wand at the kitchen cupboards. A stack of musky smelling books levitated over to us and landed on the table with a small tap. "I knew you'd get in so myself and Jake went out to get most of your things since we know you hate shopping. The only thing we need to get you tomorrow is a wand.. Oh, yes yes, we need to get you a pet too." My mother was reminded by a sleek shadow hopping into the kitchen through the window and settling itself on Jake's left shoulder. Dolly purred at Jake's slow touches underneath her chin and arched her neck to give him a better angle. In my eyes, the cat didn't seem like it had changed at all since it was a kitten (it definitely hadn't grown much, hence how it was able to fit so neatly onto Jake's shoulder).

My tongue started tapping against my top lips as I thought about having a Dolly. That was the decision which worried me the most back then. I guess, looking back now, I should have been worrying more about what house I was going to be sorted into seeming as that was what was going to decide how I'd live for the next seven years. "D'you think Dolly would get along with an owl?" Dolly looked at me with her deep black eyes and (I know it's impossible but shut up) some sense of sorrow. My mother and brother let out cries of laughter at my innocence.

"You're honestly worrying about that!" It wasn't a question, per se.

"Why shouldn't I? I-I'm worrying about everything but... But at the same time I'm really excited."


It seemed the next months were just a blur of preparation and, well... Nerves! Even when the last week August rolled around one lazy Monday, I still didn't feel like I was ready to go there, to live like a Witch and to live there. We (just me and Jake, mum was too busy food shopping) had planned to go and pick out my wand- or rather for my wand to pick out me. As soon as we turnedthe corner of Diagon Alley the noise hit me square in the chest like a bullet and all the nerves which had been building up like a steel wall inside me slowly faded away. Why had I been so afraid? It was only school. And the Wizarding World was ever so exciting. Jake placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me towards Ollivander's, explaining why he wasn't coming with me, "I need to pick up some fifth year books. Come into Florish's when your ready. Good luck in there L!" He smiled his crooked little smile and strode over to the book store, leaving me to almost be swallowed up by the crowd but instead I was forced to back up against a shop door. Then, suddenly, the door creaked open and I fell back into something which was a lot softer and warmer.

"Watch yourself there!" I spun round quickly, propped up now by soft hands, and was met by a crooked smile which matched my brother's. He was a second year, I could tell by his youthful face which had matured slightly more than my own. My instincts quickly took over from my awe though and I took a step back, only to bang my head on the now shut door of the shop. The boy caught my arm quickly before I smacked my head against the floor too. My instincts once again took over and I rolled my eyes at my own clumsiness.

"I swear that I'm not usually like that." I giggled and he laughed too, with his crooked smile. A hand which looked more like my own size tugged on the hem of the second year's shirt and coughed slightly. "Oh sorry," I stepped out of the way of the door and, for the first time in that shop, I looked into the boys' eyes and they both looked back. The older one smiled and wished me the best of luck in Hogwarts. Then the younger one paused at the door, gave me a quick look and simply said, "Slytherin, hm?"

The door clattered shut before I could even answer and then a different kind of Wizard met my eyes. He was old, frail and I reckoned that, if I had one, my grandfather would probably have a face like that. I fidgeted with my fingers as he looked at me, eyebrows raised and eyes twinkling in the candle-lit room. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know the way to Ollivander's? I seem to have accidentally... Fallen into your shop."

The old man raised his arms high into the air and beckoned to the shelves all around him. While following his gestures I noticed the boxes piled high, both old and new. "Why, my child... You're in exactly the right place, no accident about it." I could feel my own eyes lighting up and my stomach fluttered with butterflies.

I must have spent at least an hour trying out all the different wands and, it seemed, also talking to Ollivander. He was an interested Wizard with more than the odd story to tell. The next box he pulled out from a shelf wasn't dusty at all, it was almost brand new, probably never opened.

The man sighed and spoke in his whispery voice, croaking even, "Hmm... 17 inches, hawthorn with dragon heartstring. Light but inflexible." I placed it lightly in my hand and rolled my fingers over it three times before swishing it around my head like had done with the past ten or so wands. It was like the room glowed, like actually glowed. Ollivander seemed to have a relieved look on his face when I had finished doing this and I flashed a grin at him as I placed it back into the box and pushed the bag of galleons towards him. I gave him a nod in thanks, my long raven hair flicked forward as I did this and shuffled out of the shop. The street was already starting to get quieter and I stepped out into the crowd. I dodged a few of the people and skipped onto the other end of the street just outside Florish and Blotts. I noticed the sign in the window, just an hour until closing time. Jake had been in there for a long time, surely he would have finished and come to get her by then.

The door easily creaked open as I splayed my hands out on the wood and pushed it open. Despite the store nearly closing, there were still quite a few customers in there and I had to search around for another ten minutes until I found him, leaning against a bookcase with a pile of books clutched to his chest. I ducked behind a bookcase nearest to be and peered out, just able to hear his voice to a small apricot haired girl in his year. "Come oooooooooon, Scarlett! As much as I love hanging out with you, I really need to get home with my sister."

Scarlett picked up another book and gave it a quick flick through before answering in a voice which sounded like it had just come from a siren's mouth. "I'll just be a second. And, did I just hear you give me a compliment? Oh how out of character you have been today."

I nearly jumped as I felt somebody's breath on my neck and a hand on my shoulder. That hand had been on me three times that day. "Who we spying on?" The second year boy smiled (again) and I smiled back, missing what Jake had said back to the girl. I turned around to face him in his grip and shook away the question with my head.

"Just my brother... He's such a Ravenclaw," I rolled my eyes and he laughed, "You never told me your name."

"Terin. Slytherin." He stuck out the hand which had been placed on my arm and I reluctantly shook it. He was in Slytherin? But-But how...

I heard the voice of Terin's brother from behind him, "Slytherin, hm?"

A/N: Hopefully the next chapter will be a little longer as in the next one I plan to include Leah's first day in Hogwarts and, of course, her sorting!

-RS