A few notes before we begin:
1. Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, do you really think I would be writing fan fiction? I think not. All characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling, except for Kerri and Ashley, who came out of my own twisted mind.
2. This is my first HP fic, so be nice in the reviews, please. If you don't, I might just have to sic Oliver on you and he'll wallop you with his broomstick. And hands off, you gutterminds! He's mine!
3. Uh, there are a few things in here like the ages and years of some of the characters that don't fully go with the real Potterverse, so, just letting you know I messed around with that a little.
4. It's midterm time and my mind isn't really functioning, so if the entire thing doesn't make sense, I apologize in advance. It's not my fault the educational system sucks.
5. I would like to dedicate this story to be good friend Kerri, who is a huge Ron freak, and the main character in this story because of it. You can check her out if you go to my profile and find the link because I'm too lazy too put it here. Luv ya Ker!
The first day of the new term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had arrived sooner than some students would have liked, later for others. This particular year would be the first of seven for the new incoming first-year class and excitement levels were running high. No one knew exactly what to expect as they were ushered into the school, a massive castle, undetectable by the normal Muggle. Even those students who had siblings pass through the same initiation process they were about to, nervous chatter filled the hall. Then they were escorted into the Great Hall, where they were met with sights of a mystically enchanted ceiling, bewitched to look like the night sky, and four long tables occupied by their future House-mates.
A teacher, who had introduced herself as Professor Minerva McGonagall, produced a tattered old black hat for the Head table and explained that it would determine what House, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, they would spend their time at Hogwarts in. An excited hush fell over the Hall as the first name was called and a frightened looking blond haired girl whose curls almost hid her tiny face scuttled tentatively over to the three-legged stool next to Professor McGonagall. The hat was placed on her head, and, after a moment of decision making, proclaimed she would be placed in Ravenclaw. Everyone clapped and cheered, especially the second table from the left, where she promptly headed. The next name was called and so on and so forth until reaching the hero of our story.
"Bailey, Karolyn!" A brown haired girl glanced around the mass of students, as if making sure of something. When no one went up, it dawned on her.
"Oh, hey, that's me!" She exclaimed cheerfully, sending a sly wink in the direction of a certain red-headed freckled boy she had been checking out during the ceremony. Kerri skipped, yes, skipped to the stool and plopped down, waiting expectantly for the hat to be placed on her head. While she waited for it to vocalize its decision of where to place her, she turned her gaze to the Gryffindor table. After a quick moment of searching, Kerri managed to pinpoint a familiar face, a childhood friend from back home, Ashley Whitworth. Kerri tried in vain to catch her friend's attention, but Ashley had chosen that precise moment to lean across the table to whisper something to a particularly good looking Scottish boy. Kerri figured that was the boyfriend she kept hearing so much about but never had any substantial proof he existed. Kerri remembered Ashley had mentioned his name a few times in the most recent letter she had written, but couldn't for the life of her remember what it was. Oh well. She could ask her later, given she was placed in the same House. Ever since Ashley had been admitted to Hogwarts the previous year, everything she told Kerri said she wanted to be placed in Gryffindor. The hat seemed to heed her plea and pronounced for everyone to hear:
"GRYFFINDOR!" The cheering recommenced, and Kerri could hear Ashley's jubilant whooping over all the rest. Smiling, she toddled off to the table, where she took a vacated seat next to her friend, who embraced her excitedly.
"OMG, it is soooo great you got into Gryffindor!" Ashley gushed in a very uncharacteristic manner for her, "I told you it's the best and now we're here together! This SO rocks! By the way, you remember the guys who I'm constantly gushing over in all my letters that on one back home seems to believe is real?" Kerri nodded, attempting to process all the information that was being fired at her in rapid succession.
"Uh huh"
"Good. Well, this is him. Oliver, Kerri. Kerri, Oliver" she leaned in conspiratorially. "He's the captain of the Quidditch team. And my GOD does he look hot on a broomstick!" The last part was hissed in Kerri's ear, the way girls often do when the object in question is hovering nearby.
"Quidditch...I remember you telling me something about that..."
"Like maybe how it's the best sport in the wizarding and Muggle worlds?" Kerri shrugged.
"Could be. Hey, aren't you on the team too? Reserve something or another?" Ashley nodded.
"Yup. Reserve Keeper, Chaser, Beater, Seeker. I do it all."
"O...k..."
"Yeah. Essentially, if someone's sick or on academic probationy type thing, I fill in for them"
"And manage the team in general" Oliver spoke for the first time through a rather thick but very hot Scottish accent.
"Right. That too."
"And may I say, Ashley, you do a positively corking job with that." A set of red headed twins with a surplus of freckles smattered about their faces popped up on Ashley's other, unoccupied side. Kerri immediately had a sneaking suspicion that they were related to the boy she had been eyeing earlier.
"Yes, Ashley, especially when you forget to remove that Banging Curse you put on the Bludgers last week before setting 'em on us innocents" Ashley and Oliver scoffed.
" 'Innocents'? Exactly who are you trying to kid with that statement?" The twins smirked identical grins.
"Why, nobody, of course"
"Uh huh. Anyways, Kerri, this is Fred and George Weasley. Freaks, my friend Kerri. Got that? My friend. As in off limits. You got that?"
"Yes Ashley" they chorused, knowing perfectly well they hadn't heard a word of what she said. "Hang on, did she just say Potter?"
"As in Harry? Yeah, why?"
"Wait, what's going on? I think I might have missed something very key in this conversation"
"McGonagall. She just called Harry Potter to be Sorted."
"No way..." A hushed silence fell over the Great Hall for the second time that night as the Sorting Hat debated its options. After what seemed like an eternity, it proclaimed the young boy's fate.
"GRYFFINDOR!" A huge cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table and the twins started a round of cheering following the lines of "We got Potter, we got Potter!" A small boy made his way shakily over to where the cheering was originated. After a round of greeting and congratulations, the din had died down enough for them to hear the next name to be Sorted.
"Weasley, Ronald!" The boy Kerri and been attracted to made his way nervously to the stool.
"Hey," Ashley commented, jabbing her elbow into Fred's side. "Isn't that your brother?" Kerri turned excitedly to observe Fred's nod of yes. She waited with bated breath until...
"GRYFFINDOR!" The twins cheered loudly as their brother came over to the table, sitting down next to Harry. Another red headed boy came over to engage the miniature group in intelligent conversation.
"Hey Percy. How's it goin'?"
"Hello Ashley. If by that you mean how is my goal of Ministry domination progressing, then very well, thank you."
"O...k..." Ashley turned to Kerri who was otherwise occupied with the youngest Weasley brother. "And THAT would be the one you want to avoid"
"Uh huh. Hey, what do you know about that total piece of eye candy over there?" Ashley followed her gaze.
"Who, Ron? He's the youngest guy Weasley and, uh, his entire family's been in Gryffindor, and that includes his parents, five older brothers, and chances are his younger sister Ginny as well. And...uh...I think that's just about it. Except that he better not turn out like those two." She jerked her head to indicate the twins, who were currently in the process of exploding a couple of Fillibuster's No-Heat Wet Start fireworks in a goblet of pumpkin juice that had magically appeared once the Sorting had concluded. Everyone dug in to a delicious feast to a gorgeous fireworks display sparkling overhead. Kerri, however, was doing something she never had before and spent less time concentrating on the food, and more on the boy.
Chapter 1 End