Miriam Waters was doing her summer homework when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Miri said loudly.
Her father opened the door, "Miriam, I've got a surprise for you!" he said excitedly.
"Yeah? What is it?" Miri asked.
"I've been accepted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" he said, almost shouting.
"Really? That's awesome! But- what about me? You're just going to let me live alone for the whole year?" Miri asked, a bit worriedly.
"No. Since I'm teaching, you get a free admittance! Isn't that great?"
Miri cheered, "That's awesome! When does term start?"
"September first. You'll be in seventh year. We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your required stuff."
"Cool! This is so neat! Thanks, dad!" she said, hugging her father extremely tightly.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
They arrived at Diagon Alley early the next morning. Mr. Waters gave Miri some money and she raced ahead while he went to buy her books and such. Miri was going to get an animal to take with her to school. They would meet up later for ice cream.
Miri entered the rather musty store tentatively. "You're here for and animal, Miss?" an old looking man asked.
"Yes, I am. What sort of things do you have here?"
"Well, we have the usual, cats, rats, and toads, and Missy down there's got a litter of puppies, but Hogwarts is the only school that will allow those..."
"I'm going to Hogwarts! Where are they?"
The old man led her to a back room where a small West Highland White Terrier was trying to keep six little puppies under control. The man squatted down and picked two of them up. "These two are the most troublesome. That one there," he held up the one in his left hand, "Is very over protective. You probably don't want her at school."
The little puppy ran up to Miri as soon as the man put her down. Miri picked her up and held her up to her face. The puppy barked and licked her nose. Miri laughed, "But I want her!" she protested to the man's remarks.
He sighed, "Ok, that's 18 galleons and 4 knuts."
Miri whistled, "Ouch, that's a lot," but paid him anyway.
"Well, she is a purebred West Highland White Terrier," He gave her a leash and a kennel for 8 galleons more, and Miri strolled out happily, her excited puppy sniffing everything, and everyone, until Miri put on her leash and new collar.
She met her father in front of the ice cream parlor. He admired the puppy. "What's her name?" he asked.
Miri smacked her forhead, "I didn't even think about it!" she exclaimed. She looked into the little puppy's face, "What to call you... I know, I'll call you Pickle!" Pickle barked agreement.
"...Pickle? Why Pickle???" her father asked.
"I don't know, but I like the sound of it. And Pickle does too, don't ya girl?" Pickle barked happily.
They bought two neopolitan cones, and were enjoying them in front of the shop when-
"Hey! Fred, watch it!" a redheaded boy had just pushed someone who looked completely identical to him, and they were now falling towards Miri.
Miri calmly sidestepped, causing the boy to collide into the window of the shop. She and her father each stifled a giggle, exchanging glances.
The boy got up slowy. "Sorry bout that. Fred here pushed me and-" he paused, looking at Miri, seeming to be at a loss for words.
Miri kept staring at him steadily, expecting him to say something more. But he was silent, with his mouth open, as if he had just seen an amazing sight, like an elephant, or something. His eyes were all bugged out, and he had gone a shade of red. Pickle cocked her head and barked.
The boy's apparent twin came up and dragged him off, the boy still staring. Miri laughed and fed the rest of her cone to Pickle, as it was melting anyway.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"What's up with you, George?" Fred and George's best friend Lee Jordan asked as they met up in Flourish and Blotts, "You look like you've just seen a monster!"
"Acually, it was this hot girl we saw at the ice cream parlor," Fred said with a laugh.
"Oh, George has finally met his match, eh?" Lee Jordan said, laughing also. George went several shades of red.
"Nu-uh," he protested, "I just-"
"Completely fell for her!" Fred interrupted, bursting out laughing again.
"Well, I'd like to see the lucky lady!" Lee said with a devious grin.
"Lucky? More like cursed!" Fred exclaimed.
"Remember, you look just like him, Fred," Lee teased.
"Oh yeah. I forgot..." Fred said.
Lee and George laughed. George suddenly did a double take and stared out the window. His face didn't go all weird this time, but he was watching a certain girl.
"Looks like you've got your chance, Lee, there she is! The one with the shoulder length brown hair and the dog," Fred said, pointing at her.
Lee whistled, "Well, if you can manage to get her, George, I'll be impressed. Guys'll be flocking around her the next time we have a dance."
"That's the problem..." George said, not taking his eyes off her.
"Well, maybe she's rude and snobby and you'll start to hate her." Fred said.
"Or... not," Lee said, looking at George with slight worry in his eyes.
"He's fallen hard," Fred murmured.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"Come on, Pickle!" Miri called as she and her father hopped into the car. Miri was packed for school, and they were going to King's Cross. They would be going early on the teacher's train, since her father was the new DADA professor. And, Miri was going to be sorted.
Pickle jumped into the car and Miri shut the door. Her father sped down the road, it was too early to have many cars, and they were at King's Cross Station in less than five minutes. Miri put on Pickle's leash and walked her to the platform. She and her father casually slipped through the barrier, loaded their luggage, and borded the train.
There were only three other teachers on the train. They introduced themselves as professors Snape, Flitwick, and Sinistra. The rest, Miri was informed, all lived either in Hogsmede or in the school itself.
They arrived at Hogwarts after what seemed like ages to Miri. They entered the school and were greeted by a friendly looking wizard and a very stern looking woman. They introuduced themselves as Professor McGonogall and the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.
Professor McGonogall led her into a room with a stool and a hat. She instructed her to put on the hat and it will tell her what house she's in. Miri complied. As soon as the hat touched he head she heard a little voice talking to her. "Hmmm, yes... good mind, you could be in Ravenclaw.... but you should be a GRYFFINDOR!"
Miri took off the hat and handed it back to Professor McGonogall, who put it away. Pickle barked. Miri picked her up, and Professor McGonogall led her to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. "Toadstools!" she said crisply. The fat lady nodded and the portrait swung open. Professor McGonogall nodded to Miri, who stepped inside. The Professor's face disspeared as the portrait/door swung shut again.
Miri stepped into the room and set Pickle down. The puppy scurried around the room ecstatically, sniffing everything.
She eventually found her bedroom, as it said 'Sixth Year' and her stuff had already been put there. She unpacked to pass the time, knowing that this room would be a lot busier that afternoon, when everyone else came.
*Here Ends Chapter 1*
Her father opened the door, "Miriam, I've got a surprise for you!" he said excitedly.
"Yeah? What is it?" Miri asked.
"I've been accepted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" he said, almost shouting.
"Really? That's awesome! But- what about me? You're just going to let me live alone for the whole year?" Miri asked, a bit worriedly.
"No. Since I'm teaching, you get a free admittance! Isn't that great?"
Miri cheered, "That's awesome! When does term start?"
"September first. You'll be in seventh year. We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your required stuff."
"Cool! This is so neat! Thanks, dad!" she said, hugging her father extremely tightly.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
They arrived at Diagon Alley early the next morning. Mr. Waters gave Miri some money and she raced ahead while he went to buy her books and such. Miri was going to get an animal to take with her to school. They would meet up later for ice cream.
Miri entered the rather musty store tentatively. "You're here for and animal, Miss?" an old looking man asked.
"Yes, I am. What sort of things do you have here?"
"Well, we have the usual, cats, rats, and toads, and Missy down there's got a litter of puppies, but Hogwarts is the only school that will allow those..."
"I'm going to Hogwarts! Where are they?"
The old man led her to a back room where a small West Highland White Terrier was trying to keep six little puppies under control. The man squatted down and picked two of them up. "These two are the most troublesome. That one there," he held up the one in his left hand, "Is very over protective. You probably don't want her at school."
The little puppy ran up to Miri as soon as the man put her down. Miri picked her up and held her up to her face. The puppy barked and licked her nose. Miri laughed, "But I want her!" she protested to the man's remarks.
He sighed, "Ok, that's 18 galleons and 4 knuts."
Miri whistled, "Ouch, that's a lot," but paid him anyway.
"Well, she is a purebred West Highland White Terrier," He gave her a leash and a kennel for 8 galleons more, and Miri strolled out happily, her excited puppy sniffing everything, and everyone, until Miri put on her leash and new collar.
She met her father in front of the ice cream parlor. He admired the puppy. "What's her name?" he asked.
Miri smacked her forhead, "I didn't even think about it!" she exclaimed. She looked into the little puppy's face, "What to call you... I know, I'll call you Pickle!" Pickle barked agreement.
"...Pickle? Why Pickle???" her father asked.
"I don't know, but I like the sound of it. And Pickle does too, don't ya girl?" Pickle barked happily.
They bought two neopolitan cones, and were enjoying them in front of the shop when-
"Hey! Fred, watch it!" a redheaded boy had just pushed someone who looked completely identical to him, and they were now falling towards Miri.
Miri calmly sidestepped, causing the boy to collide into the window of the shop. She and her father each stifled a giggle, exchanging glances.
The boy got up slowy. "Sorry bout that. Fred here pushed me and-" he paused, looking at Miri, seeming to be at a loss for words.
Miri kept staring at him steadily, expecting him to say something more. But he was silent, with his mouth open, as if he had just seen an amazing sight, like an elephant, or something. His eyes were all bugged out, and he had gone a shade of red. Pickle cocked her head and barked.
The boy's apparent twin came up and dragged him off, the boy still staring. Miri laughed and fed the rest of her cone to Pickle, as it was melting anyway.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"What's up with you, George?" Fred and George's best friend Lee Jordan asked as they met up in Flourish and Blotts, "You look like you've just seen a monster!"
"Acually, it was this hot girl we saw at the ice cream parlor," Fred said with a laugh.
"Oh, George has finally met his match, eh?" Lee Jordan said, laughing also. George went several shades of red.
"Nu-uh," he protested, "I just-"
"Completely fell for her!" Fred interrupted, bursting out laughing again.
"Well, I'd like to see the lucky lady!" Lee said with a devious grin.
"Lucky? More like cursed!" Fred exclaimed.
"Remember, you look just like him, Fred," Lee teased.
"Oh yeah. I forgot..." Fred said.
Lee and George laughed. George suddenly did a double take and stared out the window. His face didn't go all weird this time, but he was watching a certain girl.
"Looks like you've got your chance, Lee, there she is! The one with the shoulder length brown hair and the dog," Fred said, pointing at her.
Lee whistled, "Well, if you can manage to get her, George, I'll be impressed. Guys'll be flocking around her the next time we have a dance."
"That's the problem..." George said, not taking his eyes off her.
"Well, maybe she's rude and snobby and you'll start to hate her." Fred said.
"Or... not," Lee said, looking at George with slight worry in his eyes.
"He's fallen hard," Fred murmured.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"Come on, Pickle!" Miri called as she and her father hopped into the car. Miri was packed for school, and they were going to King's Cross. They would be going early on the teacher's train, since her father was the new DADA professor. And, Miri was going to be sorted.
Pickle jumped into the car and Miri shut the door. Her father sped down the road, it was too early to have many cars, and they were at King's Cross Station in less than five minutes. Miri put on Pickle's leash and walked her to the platform. She and her father casually slipped through the barrier, loaded their luggage, and borded the train.
There were only three other teachers on the train. They introduced themselves as professors Snape, Flitwick, and Sinistra. The rest, Miri was informed, all lived either in Hogsmede or in the school itself.
They arrived at Hogwarts after what seemed like ages to Miri. They entered the school and were greeted by a friendly looking wizard and a very stern looking woman. They introuduced themselves as Professor McGonogall and the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.
Professor McGonogall led her into a room with a stool and a hat. She instructed her to put on the hat and it will tell her what house she's in. Miri complied. As soon as the hat touched he head she heard a little voice talking to her. "Hmmm, yes... good mind, you could be in Ravenclaw.... but you should be a GRYFFINDOR!"
Miri took off the hat and handed it back to Professor McGonogall, who put it away. Pickle barked. Miri picked her up, and Professor McGonogall led her to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. "Toadstools!" she said crisply. The fat lady nodded and the portrait swung open. Professor McGonogall nodded to Miri, who stepped inside. The Professor's face disspeared as the portrait/door swung shut again.
Miri stepped into the room and set Pickle down. The puppy scurried around the room ecstatically, sniffing everything.
She eventually found her bedroom, as it said 'Sixth Year' and her stuff had already been put there. She unpacked to pass the time, knowing that this room would be a lot busier that afternoon, when everyone else came.
*Here Ends Chapter 1*
