Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
I thanked the man who helped me get my trunk onto the train. Then dragged it through the corridor thanking the spirits I hadn't changed into my school uniform yet. I'd probably die from the heat compared to shorts and an oversized t-shirt declaring my love for reading. I began walking down the corridor looking for an empty compartment when I heard shouting.
Looking back the way I'd just come I saw four guys facing my direction who had their wands pointed at another person on the ground, whose trunk and bag had been thrown aside. 'Cowards' I thought when I saw them all simultaneous send spells toward the poor boy.
"Protego," I said flicking my wand creating a shield that the spells bounced off back at their casters. Sadly the 3 of the 4 ducked just in time. The bullied boy on the ground looked around surprised. I walked forward glaring at the four.
"Pathetic," I spat angrily, "you can't even face someone in a fair fight."
The one at the front who looked to be the leader stepped forward.
I looked at him, his crow's nest of hair defied gravity. He and his posse looked like your typical bullies, well, typical, except for the fact they had magic. My eyes fell on one boy who hadn't managed to avoid his own spell and held back a laugh, all his hair had fallen off making him look… well ...odd.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" He said pissed off.
"Lady Macbeth, at your service," I said smirking. Then before he could say another word he was stuck to the ceiling with blond hair and a round red nose topped off with green skin. Across his forehead was the word COWARD 'Let them try to get that off' I thought smugly. I turned to the other three but they seemed frozen to the spot. I decided to ignore them, well other than turning them blue.
I turned to the boy on the ground and held out a hand to help him up, a smile on my face. He stared at my clothes then glared at me,
"I don't need your help, mudblood."
Ooookaay. I don't know what that means but something tells me it wasn't very flattering. My eyes narrowed and my smile fell. What the hell? I just helped him out and this is what I get to show for it?
"I. Was looking for a 'thanks'," I said then gave him the same treatment as the other boy but across his forehead was the word JERK and walked off. Leaving a bunch of confused idiots behind.
I waited in the room just off, The Big Hall? I think that's what they called it… The midgets had already gone through to be sorted. I didn't see why I had to come in alone. I really, really didn't want to walk in there alone.
I sighed it had been ages since the old prude had left with the midgets telling me to wait until she came back. I had half a mind to take a peek in The Big Hall when the old prude finally showed up and said shortly,
"You may come through now." and turned and walked back out the door. I followed close behind, swallowing a gasp when I saw The Big Hall. It was massive, the name was an extreme understatement. The Massive Hall or The Great Hall would be more accurate. Whispers drew my attention to the masses of students packed into the hall. I wondered vaguely what Mr. Dumbledore had told them?
I looked up wondering if the ancient castle had light bulbs, and saw the... sky… full of candles?! My eyes widened, then I remembered 'Hogwarts A History'. But suffice to say I was impressed. The woman led me to a stool, telling me to sit on it. I gingerly sat down, wondering if it would bite me or something. The woman hadn't explained how the sorting worked. I felt something on my head, it fell just past my eyes hiding the curious students from me. Just when I started to relax a voice in my head made me jump.
'This is an interesting mind, indeed.' I wondered if I was meant to reply then wondered if it'd be able to hear me.
'Oh, don't worry, I can hear you just fine dear.' I took a moment to gather myself before asking/thinking,
'Uh… how are you going to sort me, err, sir.'
'Nonsense none of that sir tosh call me, Hat.'
'Err right…'
'I'm just here to take a look in your mind and see where you'd best fit in.' I didn't say anything.
'You have a nice mind a blend of all the house I must say but where to put you? Well I must say you're a pure Slytherin but you'd probably be an outcast as you're no Pureblood. Definitely not Ravenclaw, you have a thirst for knowledge but starting school late will definitely be a setback. Hufflepuff? No, you wouldn't fit in, so that leaves…' He shouted the last word to the school.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
'Thanks, Hat.' I said… er, thought, before taking it off and giving it to the old prude. I stood slowly stalling so I could figure out what do next then looked to the old prude who subtly jerked her head to the clapping table. Unconsciously I scanned the table for familiar faces before mentally kicking myself, of course, there wouldn't be any familiar faces. I walked to the table and sat in the first empty space I could find.
A few people stared at me curiously,then turned away in favor of their friends. A red haired girl opposite me held out her hand,
"Hello I'm Lily Evans, I'm a third year, welcome to Gryffindor." I shook her hand,
"Sierra Nada, third year as well," I replied. She smiled at me and opened her mouth to say something else but stopped when someone at the teacher's table stood. I stared at the old man who'd just stood up was that Mr. Dumbledore? Or had the old prune been talking about someone else?
"That's Dumbledore, he's the greatest wizard since Merlin, he's our Headmaster," Lily whispered to me. I nodded suspicions confirmed even as my eyes widened at the thought of Merlin being real.
"Welcome," he said. "to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Durin! Harpies! Roaches! Smaug! Thank you."
I leaned forward towards Evans and asked,
"Is he a bit… mad?" Evans' eyes widened staring at me as if she couldn't believe that someone could ask such a question.
"MAD!" She screeched quite a few people turned to look at her, "He's the greatest wizard ever! How could you even say, hell, even think, that!" then she continued in a much calmer voice,
"But yes, I suppose you could say he's a bit mad." I stared at her bewildered. When she turned away to talk to someone who I presume was her friend, I slid a couple of seats to the left further away from the weird bi-polar girl the better. I hadn't taken my eyes off her and so I jumped slightly when I bumped into someone.
"Sorry," I mumbled and moved away slightly. The boy turned to me he had shoulder length blond shaggy hair with deep blue eyes. Blondie, I unconsciously named.
"No harm done," He smiled at me. I smiled slightly back then unable to hold it in any longer, I asked,
"Uh… is she slightly, uh, you know?" I tapped my head. Blondie turned leaned forward slightly to see where I was looking.
"Who Evans? Nah, she's probably just a little jumpy since her love sick puppy still hasn't turned up." His friends laughed. The Nerdy looking one across from me said seeing my confused face,
"Potter's taken a liking to her ever since first year, follows her around all the time, asking her out around a dozen times each day, I'd say he'd probably be better off trying to ask out a pot plant." I smiled remembering Dallyn and Cas. Cas hadn't had much luck either.
"How rude of us," the Blondie sitting next to me said, "I never introduced myself properly, my name's Frank Longbottom and these guys," he jerked his head as a substitute for pointing, "-are my idiot friends."
The Nerdy looking one spoke first.
"Yale Davis," Nerdy said.
"Will Tennant," A maroon haired guy next to Nerdy said, then nodded his head at the guy beside Blondi- Longbottom,
"And dark and mysterious over there is Jack Avery." I nodded at all of them then said,
"Sierra Nada."
"So we heard," Longbottom said smiling.
"Hey Nada, mind passing the potatoes?" Derman asked. Confusion quickly turned to astonishment when I saw the table full of food. I must've zoned out for awhile because Longbottom nudged me bringing me back to Earth.
"Sorry, I just haven't seen this much food since… well, I've never seen this much food." I blushing as I passed the potatoes to Tennent.
"What year are you? Dumbledore only said you were new." Davis said curiously. I wondered a bit about what Dumbledore had told them but didn't really care enough to ask,
"Third year," I said, not looking at him but the food on the table.
The rest of the meal passed by uneventfully I talked a bit with nerds and blondi- err… Davis and Longbottom. After dinner, Dumbledore stood up and said,
"Now let us all sing the school song. Now everyone, pick your favorite tune and sing along. Professor Flitwick if you please" Sierra noted that quite a few teachers' faces hardened slightly and a short stubby man got up on a stool and held his wand at the ready.
Dumbledore waved his wand and muttered slightly then music was heard and words formed themselves out of the ribbon streaming from Dumbledore's wand.
"Hogwarts Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts. Teach us something please." I tried to follow with the words but everyone was sing in a different tune and different pitches.
After the horror ended Dumbledore spoke again,
"There are times when words are to be spoken but that isn't now. Off you trot, warm beds are waiting for you." A pompous looking girl and a bored boy stood up from the Gryffindor table and shouted,
"First years!" loudly so as to be heard over the masses over people talked get and bumping into others.
I decided it would be best to following despite not being a first year.
"Well, see you around," I told Longbottom and his friends. They give me a small wave of farewell except for Longbottom who decided to tag along.
"What about your friends?" I asked, curious.
"Nah, Jacky's in Slytherin and Will and Yale are in Hufflepuff." I nodded understanding.
"So how come you joined Hogwarts so late? All Dumbledore told us was that we had an extra student this year." I mentally thanked Dumbledore for not saying much more, then replied.
"Well, I don't really know but as far as Slughorn told me since I lived on the road a lot my acceptance letter couldn't really hone in on me properly and a bunch of other big words I didn't care to really listen to." Longbottom laughed, then asked.
"What do you mean you lived on the road?"
"Well me and my… family. " I winced at the partial lie, "We usually drove around a lot just stopping at motels for a few night?" Longbottom's eyebrows scrunched up confused,
"What do you mean you… drove? And what are motels?" Suffice to say the rest of the journey to Gryffindor common rooms was spent explain cars and motels, which inevitably lead to more questions.
The next morning was awful. I tended to go to sleep late, really late, meaning I woke up late. I probably wouldn't have woken up when I did until the brown haired girl, Alice or something shook me awake.
"Ugh… 5 more minutes Cas…" I buried my face in my pillow. I heard someone giggle over me. Wait, giggle? Since when did Cas giggle? I pushed myself up and blinked as a white blob with a brown blob around it slowly came back to focus.
"Sorry to wake you Nada but you should probably get dressed and come down to breakfast, we're gonna get our timetables today so…"
"Oh, right." I quickly clambered out of bed.
"Oh, by the way, Longbottom's waiting for you downstairs." I stopped and turned to her.
"Really?" I asked confused.
"Yep." with that she left the room presumably to get breakfast. I looked at my watch. 7:46?! Ugh. What kind of awful place made you get up this early. I screwed showering since Longbottom was apparently waiting downstairs, washed my face, changed my clothes, a touch of spray and I was out the door.
"Took your time Nada," Longbottom said grinning. I rolled my eyes.
"I was sleeping till 5 minutes ago and you didn't have to wait for me."
"Of course, I did! You'd be completely lost otherwise." 'Touche' I said mentally. We walked in silence for a bit before I said,
"Please tell me we don't have to wake up this early every day." I looked at him hoping for a negative.
Longbottom sniggered at my question,
"Well, there's always the weekends." I groaned while Longbottom just laughed at my obvious misery.
"And here I thought a magic school would be fun." Longbottom rolled his eyes.
"It is, waking up early doesn't render every other great thing about the school, void."
"Oh yeah, name one thing that makes up for the loss of my precious sleep."
"Quidditch for one," He said enthusiastically. I glared at him.
"Making up words isn't getting you anywhere," I said, annoyed. He stared at me horrified.
"What?" I asked warily.
By the time we reached the big hall I was fairly sure my ear was about to fall off but I was also very sure witches and wizards were mental. Broomsticks, honestly. I shook my head.
As soon as we entered the big hall Longbottom dragged me to a yellow and black table next to the red and gold table we'd sat at yesterday.
"Umm… shouldn't we be sitting at our house table." Longbottom shook his head.
"Nah, most people just choose to do that cause all their friends are in the same house." I frowned,
"Why?"
"Well, partly because no one really knew any other kids till we came to Hogwarts so all our friends end up being made from the same house, I mean sure some of the purebloods hang out but I never really liked any of the stuck up prats. Well, except for Jack but even he has his pompous moments. I'm trying train him out of it." I giggled at his choice of words.
"How'd you end up friends with Davis and Tenant then?" I asked curiously.
"Well, funny story actually. First year, I stayed in school in the Christmas holida-" He began his story with a huge grin on his face when he was cut off by the woman from yesterday who looked like she could do with a long holiday.
"Mr. Longbottom, would it be too much to ask, for you to at the very least, sit at your own table long enough so I can hand out your timetables with having to go all the way around?"
"Sorry professor, I forgot," Longbottom said charming smile on his face.
"I'm sure you did and you managed to snag the new student as well." I pretended not to notice the entire conversation and instead focused on a loose piece of thread.
"Miss Nada." I looked up at the old woman. She held out a piece of paper which I accepted.
"I see you choose Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. You should be fine in Runes and Divination as they begin in third year. But Care of Magical Creatures, as you weren't here the previous two years, might be a bit difficult," my face fell, I'd really been looking forward to that subject.
"-but," she continued, "-you seem like a capable young woman so I suppose I can see how you cope with a few lessons," I grinned.
"Thanks, Professor."
"I hope you studied up on your other subjects as well, Nada." Then she turned to Longbottom and proceeded to discuss his subjects with him. Then finally she left after giving Longbottom a warning from, Professor Slugthorn? that he'd be kicked out of potions before he could blink if he put one toe out of line. We sat down across from Davis, Avery, and Tennant. I nodded at them and sat down.
Longbottom immediately began telling about the horrors of having to wait for hours for me to come downstairs. I rolled my eye and added my own 2 pence to the conversation occasionally.
I looked at the odd group as they laughed about something. I kinda felt like I was intruding. I shook myself 'I'll either make friends, or I won't' I told myself. 'It doesn't matter either way.' I snorted quietly to myself at the obvious lie.
I looked up and my eyes feel on a couple kissing. A few seats away 4 girls were giggling together and gossiping, a table way two guys were punching each other softly laughing. I felt something pull on a vein directly attached to my heart. I looked down at it frowning, what a peculiar feeling.
I thought about how my old friends were doing. I wondered if Dallyn finally agreed to go out with Cas, maybe Sammy would go crazy at the obvious tension and shut those two in a cupboard. I never thought of them as friends really, more of people I trusted not to kill me when I was sleeping. Which was rather necessary as, at times, I tended to be too broke to afford a room anywhere and Bobby who the guys often stayed with, was always happy to make some room. Which, I smiled sadly, was quite often.
Suddenly feeling the need to be alone, and perhaps risk a letter?... I said a hurried goodbye grabbing my timetable and left. In my hurry, I accidently bumped into the bi-polar girl from yesterday.
"Sorry," I mumbled. She turned around then grinned at the sight of me.
"I was looking for you, thought you might need some help getting around and all. I was worried when I didn't see at the Gryffindor table. But anyway can I see your timetable we might have the same classes. Well obviously seeing as we're in the same house, you're in all my core classes but-"
"Sorry to interrupt, but I really need to go to the toilet, I'll catch up with you later." I waved goodbye and walked quickly before she could offer to show me the way to the bathrooms.
I quickly left the hall and made it to the end of the corridor, before realising I had no idea how to get anywhere. I took a few tentative steps forward hoping I'd suddenly remember how to get back to the common rooms before sighing. I'd quickly discovered that long ago that I had absolutely no sense of direction.
"Hey, Nada!" I turned around I searched the crowds for the caller when I realised they were much closer than I thought. In front of me, Davis and Tennent panted.
"Merlin, we're so unfit," Davis said gasping for breath. Tennent straightened up and scoffed,
"Hmpf, speak for yourself I was the best football player in my whole school before magic turned me into a Garfield look alike." I laughed a little already beginning to forget my homesickness.
"You didn't have to run," I told them still laughing.
"Well, we can't let you get lost on you the first day of school. Besides, we're in the same class. But firstly," Davis said turning to Tennent,
"What in Merlin's name is a Garfield."
Tennent and I stared at Davis in disbelief. Davis just looked at the both of us confused.
"What is a Garfield?!" Tennent repeated disgusted.
"Oh, you poor baby," I said, shocked at his ignorance. Tennent grabbed Davis by the shoulders and shook him.
"He is only the most amazing, hilarious, cat to ever have existed." Tennent practically screamed. I put a hand on Davis' shoulder and said in a soft voice,
"You poor, poor thing. What have the wizards done to you?" Tennent suddenly grabbed me and Davis in a tight hug.
"Let me share the love of Garfield that you have so awfully been denied." Davis was frozen with confusion and just as I was about to croak out my human need for air, Avery's voice, filled with more confusion than even Davis's, said,
"What in the name of Merlin's beard…" Tennent slowly unravelled his arms and I took a step back and breathed in the much-needed air.
Tennent dramatically wiped away a tear. And I turned to look at Davis pitifully.
"Well?" Longbottom prompted. I took a deep breath seeing as how Tennent was to wrapped up in his silent performance of sorrow to answer.
Slowly I lifted my arm up and pointed to Davis who still looked bewildered, then turned to looked at Longbottom and Avery.
"He doesn't know Garfield," I said softly.
Tennent whimpered. Avery wisely kept his own ignorance quiet.
"What's a Garfield?" Longbottom said. Avery and Davis hung their heads ashamed at their friend's stupidity. Didn't he realise what would happen next? Tennent and I looked at each other. Then suddenly I leapt forward and began making soothing noises and patting his head while simultaneously Tennent to a deep breath.
So that's the first chapter. Review would be nice. *wink* *wink*