The castle looks much larger than Andria could have ever imagined. She felt like she really was in the middle of a fairy tale. So much about her life lately seemed to have come straight out of a Disney movie.
It all started with that first letter from Hermione. First of all, it had come via owl. That was weird. Who sent owls anymore? It had been a while since she heard from Hermione. She knew that her boarding school didn't allow cell phones, but usually she would have sent her mail by now. Through the regular mail, not via owl. That was a new one.
Anyway, the owl came and it said something about trouble at school and something about her best friend had some important stuff going on. It was all kind of a jamble, and it kind of worried Andria. It honestly sounded like Hermione was losing her mind.
Not long after that, Andria felt like she was losing her mind. She could have sworn that she saw someone disappear right in front of her eyes. And the weird thing was, it didn't freak her out. For a split second, it seemed perfetly normal. Almost like a distant memory she had forgotten. But then of course it freaked her out.
She ran home to her parents, and that's when the worst happened. She could still remember it clearly, like it was yesterday.
She ran in the front room and saw her parents with stricken looks on their faces, talking in hushed voices. "Mom, Dad? What's wrong?"
Their faces snapped up instantly, and their looks became worried. "Andria… There's something we have to tell you, love." Nothing good could ever start with that sentence. "You know that your mother and I love you very much Andria." Her father began, "But I'm afraid that we haven't been completely honest with you. Andria… well, you're adopted."
Andria slowly sank into the nearest chair. Adopted? "No, but, there are pictures of me. When I was a baby. And, I have grandpa's eyes! Right?" Andria had never met her grandfather, but that's what she had been told.
For her entire life Andria had been complimented on her black as coal hair, and green eyes. They were traits that she had inherited – or thought she had inherited – from her grandparents. The best of both worlds her mother sometimes said. Her mom crossed the room and sat on the arm of her chair. "Andria darling, this changes nothing. You are still my daughter. We still love you very much. But, it's come time to tell you where you really came from. The life you were supposed to be living."
They went on to tell her that her parents were murdered, and they were chosen to hide her, to keep her safe. To make matters worse, turns out she had a brother out there somewhere this whole time. A twin, at that.
He had also been in hiding, only he had been given to family. When asked why she hadn't been sent to family with him her parents replied that it was too dangerous to hide them together.
Hiding, that was the frightening part. The story still seemed a bit made up, like a horror film she used to watch with Hermione late on Friday nights. Andria and her parents had been in hiding from Lord Voldemort, or as she was apparently supposed to call him, He Who Must Not Be Named.
Apparently, he had caught word that she was alive somewhere and was out to get her. Something about didn't like lose ends. Her parents went into amazing detail, half of which was lost on the stunned Andria.
To put matters simply, hiding wasn't good enough and now she would have to learn how to defend herself. Wonderful.
So here she found herself, walking up towards this castle right out of her dreams, looking in the shadows surrounding her, wondering if her real life boogie man was going to jump out at her. Thinking that, Andria picked up her pace.
She was told by a rather large, and gruff man that she was supposed to wait for Dumble-something to announce her arrival, and then she would be sorted. Whatever that meant. Although she heard the large man say something about a door under his voice. Again, whatever that meant.
The door in front of her slid open a crack, and she took that as her invitation. Walking into the castle it was even more of a fairytale. Upon entering, she found herself in a rather large hall, what she imagined would be called a corridor in her new magical land.
On her left were a set of huge doors, and they were also opened a crack. She didn't have the courage to look in just yet, but she could hear a voice making its way to her.
"And so, we have a new student to introduce to our school. She has been living life as a muggle, unaware that there was more to the world. Please students, help me in welcoming, Ms. Andria Wilson. Formerly known to this world as a Ms. Andria Potter."
Taking a deep breath, Andria pulled the door open the rest of the way, and plunged into her new life.