Hufflepuff Concerto

Because not all Hufflepuffs are boring. Set in the year of the Tri-Wizard Cup. Hannah Korvil, a young mage, is forced to go to a wizarding school against her will. Enter Dennis Creevy... let's sit back and see what happens, shall we?

NOTE: Everything you recognize from Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. The Traygle's should they appear (which they eventually will), are Kris Daniels' (Dhrelva). Everything else, like the Korvils, are mine.



Chapter One: The Letter

Hannah unfastened her tiara, a simple silver thread with a little grey star in the middle. It had so many points it looked more like a snowflake to Hannah. Or it would have, had she bothered looking at it. Instead, she tore it from what hair was left clinging to it and, unsatified with the meager destruction of a few red strands, threw the tiara at her dresser. That it hit the letter sitting on top of it was not entirely accidental.

It was her invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had come by owl post just before dinner. The family had discussed it in complete silence. She had gone through Holyoke Pre-Elemental school; Her father was the HeadMaster of Holyoke Academy for Mages. She was going to Holyoke. This should have been a very simple decision. But then her brothers kept looking at her oddly, and as the meal dragged on she began to suspect that her parents may have other plans for her future. She wondered what they were saying in their private, or not so private, telepathic "lets exclude their only daughter" world. It wasn't right for them to be discussing this without her. It was her life, not theirs.

But none of them deigned to let her in on their conversation. Not even her older brother, Phil, and he usually did. But then, her parents were looking at him, so he must be the one talking. Hannah sighed and pushed her vegetables around on her plate.

"We think you should go," her mother broke the silence first.

She put down her glass with a thunk and gaped at her. That was not what she wanted to hear. Phil was scowling at his green beans. Her other brother had the indecency to look quite cheerful.

"We think you should go to Hogwarts," her mother repeated, the crescent moon on her tiara gleaming in the chandelier light. It made her look like an evil step mother from the fairy tales she'd read growing up. Right at the moment, though, she wasn't sure she wasn't.

"But . . . it's a wizarding school. I'm not a witch," she glanced around the table at them. Did they think that because she couldn't read their thoughts that she wasn't a mage, too? She fought back the urge to leave. It wasn't like her parents to explain themselves to her. They usually left that to Phil.

But her parents had already decided and no amount of talking could sway them. In the end, she had stormed up to her room and slammed the door behind her. If only she had been a mind mage too, then she would have had a chance of convincing them. But then again, if she were a mind mage they wouldn't have even considered sending her to Hogwarts. She was sure of that.

No matter how she replayed the evenings events, she didn't see any way she could have presented her case better on such short notice. In the end, it had been useless to argue with them. The incriminating letter was still there.

That could change easily enough. If they wouldn't even consider her side, then maybe she would just destroy the opportunity. No letter, no choice. That would show them.

She considered. She could just rip it up and throw it out. It would be simple and effective. But it lacked style. She was a mage. She would dispose of the letter wanting her to be a Wizard ironically. Concentrating on the center of the letter, she rubbed the letter's particles together, swirling faster and faster. She smiled as the sealing wax started to melt. Finally, the letter burst into flame.

"Hannah!" her mother sprung through the door, a glass of water in hand. Leaping over a stray laundry basket, she pushed Hannah out of the way and poured the water overthe flames. The dresser was a little scorched, but other than that everything seemed okay. Except that her mom was scowling at her. Hannah swallowed. Perhaps, on second thought, this had not been one of her better ideas. At least the letter was gone.

"Just what did you think you were doing, young lady?" the mom voice, complete with the mom phrase and the mom look. Hannah looked at her feet. "You could have burnt the house down."

She didn't need to say, "I know," but she did anyway.

"You promised you wouldn't do this anymore," she held her glare for another moment, just long enough for Hannah to remember something else about promises.

"I promised!" she exclaimed, stepping back, away from her mom so she didn't look so very tall, "You promised you'd stay out of my head!" There was no way her mom could have made it here this quickly with water if she had been keeping all of her promises.

Tap, tap! Mother and daughter turned toward the window. A brown barn owl hooted back at them. Hannah shot her mom a glare before crossing the room. A wave of hot air wafted in as she opened the window. A letter soared into her hands and the owl flew off again, presumably to the kitchen where one of the house elves would see it got fed.

Hannah glanced after it, then looked at the letter. It was from Hogwarts. The same one.

"I'll take that," the letter jumped out of her hand and into her mother's.

"I'm staying at Holyoke's."

"We only want what's best for you, Hannah," her mother replied soothingly. What wasn't there to like about Hogwarts, after all? She would learn to use a wand. It was important to have a fall back and there was only so much you could do with particles anyway. Sure, you could move some stuff around with practice, and make fires... but really, how useful was that? A wand would be a very practical tool. Her mother was right about this. Why was she being so stubborn? It would be nice, anyway, to go somewhere where everyone spoke out loud.

"Now, dear," her mom said when Hannah's realization was over, "Could you please put your clothes away?"

Hannah nodded belatedly, watching her step over the laundry basket and gently close the door. Her footsteps faded down the hall, and Hannah was alone again. She closed the window.

She did it again! Hannah realized suddenly. She launched herself at the door, pulling it open with such force she all but knocked herself over, "Stay out of my head!" she screamed and slammed it shut again. It bounced back open, so she kicked it closed.

One part of her "realization" was right, anyway. It would be nice to go somewhere where people didn't mess with your mind no matter how good their intentions. She didn't put her clothes away.