Lara

Have you ever seen a beaver? It uses its large tail to work on a dam until winter, or at least till the dome is done. It works on and on, relentlessly. Even if the wood falls apart, a flood destroys the dome, or animals push it down. It doesn't cry in sadness of all of the wasted time it had spent on it. It continues its work. Slowly, rebuilding the broken home, but it gets done by winter.

A girl slowly woke; she ripped off her covers and did not open her eyes. The cold winter morning slowly covered her body and she shivered. She had been so warm underneath her covers. She opened her eyes. She stared out to the window, which was now open. The mirror, which was connected to the dresser, was covered in fog. She wiped it down with her night dress.

Mary's eyes were gorgeous purple, she had beautiful blue hair. It looked like a large wave that moved along the sandy beaches. She wore a pink nightdress, one that faintly reminded her of the movie The Nutcracker. Her smooth skin looked like a baby's', newborn and soft.

She looked at her reflection for a minute. She disliked the way she looked. Of course, she had a lot of boys following her around so, she reflected dully, she must not be ugly. Her hands slowly went for a brush and began to move it down her hair almost absentmindedly. The wave-like hair made little ripples. Many wondered if it was her actual hair color. She never replied, but merely let them figure out that there was no hair-care product out in the world that could possibly make her hair that blue and beautiful.

Slowly changing out of her nightgown, she pulled out some blue jeans and a red tank top. She put them on. Then she slowly moved out of her room. She walked down the hall and then her brother opened the door to the room that she had been keeping a wide berth. His dark red eyes looked like blood that he had stolen from the innocent people he had as victims. His hair was grey even at the age of 7. Even though near the year of manhood, he was quite the age of a five year old.

She jumped up, surprised by the innocent face that she saw. He normally bugged his sister. And he was horrible at lying. Anyone who had met him before would know that he would be cooking up a dark scheme. No one would be able to tell what he was doing, however. He walked past her; his tired eyes were not able to comprehend the person in front of them.

He walked into the bathroom and slammed the door as if he was angry. Mary closed her eyes; her dream began to disappear from her mind. She saw a handsome wizard. Normally she would have been dreaming of new clothes, new furniture, or something her girlfriends had talked about. She had been suspicious of her own mind lately. She had been dreaming about two kids in particular.

One was a boy, a boy who normally traveled around in a pack of four people. He had dirty black hair. It was shocking how beautiful his eyes were. He was a man of many talents; he disappeared like an invisible spy; he could ride a flying broom stick; and he was able to swoon unprepared pretty girls (Mary included).

Another was a young girl; she also went around with the boy. Her emerald eyes were very bright. She had long brown hair. Mary thought to herself that when she had a child that he or she would gain her eye color. They were her most extinguishable characteristic. She also had hung around with many different people, mostly girls.

Mary walked down stairs, her eyes following what looked like a hallway, but it seemed to become longer, and even less like the one she saw before. Her hallway became more and more like a corridor, and she saw many doors, more then what she normally saw. About three or four doors, three for the family and one for the bathroom. She blinked, which she had been refraining from doing because she hoped that she would see more of this illusion.

Everything went back to normal. No torches or suits of armor, just very ugly wallpaper. Mary walked down stairs, apparently spacing out. She was tripped. She fell headfirst into a stair. She was pushed though what seemed like a door… not a stair… and she was now in a…

It was a very dark room. Or… was it a room. It felt more like an ocean. It was so dark. The silence was deafening. Mary felt around, swimming in complete darkness. She felt a rumble go though the water. Then it felt like a plug was pulled and she was being thrown back into her body.

She moved around, trying to swim. She heard a distant shout, it sounded like a boy was shouting at her. He was shouting, but she couldn't hear him. "What? Wait!" She yelled.

She opened her eyes, and she found herself staring into the eyes of an old man, well, he looked like a Sage.

"Are you okay young lady?" He asked. He sounded calm, as if he usually saw girls on the floor. He wore a black robe, and he had deep blue eyes.

"Who are you? Where am I? What are you doing?" She said, standing up suddenly, and then baking up into a corridor wall.

"I" said the old man, "am Professor Dumbledore. You are at Hogwarts and I was walking down the hall to go attend the beginning of the year feast so that I might be early to be there before the other students. I found you on the floor and was concerned."

Mary tried to take in what he was saying. Hogwarts? Feast? She stared into his blue eyes entranced by them. She was still staring into his eyes as he pulled out his wand and he conjured a trunk out of thin air. He opened it and pulled out a stick, it was beautiful.

"Mahogany, inside it is a phoenix tail, 5 inches. Say 'Metoritous' and give it a wave." Dumbledore said.

She took the wand that was outstretched in Dumbledore's hand and waved it and muttered Metoritous. A few sparks shot from the wand and she baked away in fright. Dumbledore smiled in kindness.

"So you are a wizard. Meaning that you yourself have not yet been sorted, am I right?" Mary nodded confusedly.

"Well we better get you there. Here I will put this up in the common room; you seem to have, no doubt, not bought anything for your upcoming classes here." Dumbledore waved his wand and the trunk that he had conjured before disappeared as she walked along with Dumbledore.

They arrived at the Great Hall a short time later. It seemed that she had not noticed that they had been walking with all the she was trying to still have her mind grasp. Dumbledore looked at her and smiled; he pulled out his wand and said a few words pointing it at Mary.

"Wait what are you-" She started as she saw a flash of his wand and then looked down at her with a smile. She was wearing robes and her jeans and tanktop were taken off and she now had a much more comfortable t-shirt and pants. Her hair also had become black and silky.

She smiled, pleased at the transformation. Dumbledore began to speak again.

"What is your name Miss-?"

"I'm Mary, Mary Theca."

"Well, I believe you will have to drop your name and become my daughter. Don't worry; I just think it would go better with your life here at Hogwarts. And if someone happens to be after you, you can stay hidden. You look like a… Lara… yes, Lara Elara Dumbledore."

Mary smiled; she nodded and took her new name of Lara. She liked this old man. He did act sort of fatherly to her. And it seemed like he gave her enough presents for the years of her life that he had missed. Her smile faltered for a moment. Her parents divorced when she was a child. Her father had left her; course Lara hated her father, leaving her alone with out a Dad.

Lara looked around and Dumbledore and Lara were not alone anymore, teachers and kids were flowing into the Great Hall. Dumbledore said something and she listened intently.

"Lara, go with those people there! The kids with the stern looking teacher, yes, that's them." Lara walked over, nervously. And fell in with the crowd of kids, she didn't look back as they were taken to a small room.

"Now kids. I am Professor McGonagall; I am the Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor. We are about to sort you into the houses you will be in for the rest of the school year. These are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw…" She paused with a dark significant look crossing her face like shadow," or Syltherian." Lara heard an unapproving cough from a ruff looking boy… a handsome looking boy… She thought.

"Now come with me, we must get you into the Great Hall." They followed the Professor again, all looking frightened at being asked to think about what house they would prefer, some were from muggle families and most didn't have a clue at what these houses were. The Professor opened a bronze door.

Great voices were heard, kids were all talking sitting with empty plates. Lara thought to herself quietly, she was nervous, was she going to go in front of all these people? Would she have to do anything?

The witch had put out a stool and placed on top an old Hat. It was a shabby hat that looked like it was very old and as if it were going to fall apart at any moment. It began to sing, Lara moved back in fright.

I am a small little hat,

But place me on you head to see me reach into your thinking cap.

You'll face dangers in your quest

For knowledge even though you're at your best.

For you must see that though the years of old,

I've sorted many bold.

I've been right so many times,

They bore me all to bits.

Take, for instance, Old Godric Gryffindor!

For he was not much to look at.

He became a great wizard; brave and true,

And for those like him join him in his brew.

Louisa Ravenclaw was a very pretty witch,

So smart as any other witch.

So as she took those of smart and wit,

Those who belong in Ravenclaw will be in it.

Salthezar Syltherian was greedy and looked out for number one,

He looked out for no one.

In his attempt to gain the school, he took only those of pure blood.

Helga Hufflepuff who was kind,

Took the rest so they would learn from her mind.

So me put atop your head!

Don't make me make a hiss,

I've always been right,

I never miss.

So go and join whom ye see fit.

And there would be only aguish.

He stood motionless. And the Hall erupted in cheers, claps, and whistles. Lara joined in but was silenced obediently under the eye of the strict teacher. She pulled out a scroll after saying, "You will put on the Hat and be sorted into your houses."

"Henry, Patrick!" The hat called out Syltherian and he rushed off to the loud applause of the farthest table.

"Plevely, Andrew!" "Hufflepuff" the hat called.

"Evens, Lily!" She was put in Gryffindor, but not after Lara had stared at her. She was the girl in her dreams…

"Black, Sirius." "Gryffindor." The handsome boy see had seen before in the closet place she had taken them.

"Black, Regulous." "Syltherian."

They moved on quite a bit until only a few people were left. Lara saw the boy from her dreams get called up. Potter, James. Then it was her turn. She was still dazed at the thought of the people in her dreams were right in front of her. The teacher paused at her name; she was staring at the parchment and then to Dumbledore who was in a seat in the middle of the whole table. She guessed that he was the Headmaster. The teacher continued and said.

"Dumbledore, Lara."

Everyone went deadly quiet as she slowly walked up to the hat, feeling all the eyes of the kids and teachers upon her. She felt like it was a long road to the hat. It was the loudest silence she had ever heard and it was pushing on her ears. She finally sat on the three-legged stool and saw all the kids looking at her, as if they were on tender hooks. The hat touched her head and obscured her vision. The hat began to talk in her head.

"You're not his daughter. But you were brought here… yes. Not for no reason, you have a purpose. You have to accomplish it before you leave, if you ever leave… Okay… I can't be sure though. In Gryffindor? In Syltherian? Or maybe Ravenclaw? Or Hufflepuff? Hmmm…" She hoped that no one, but her, was hearing this, she didn't like the whole truth be told to the full Great Hall and be looked at, stared at, or just picked on.

The hat was ripped of her head as she heard 'Gryffindor'; loudly from the Hat. Did they hear what I heard? She thought applause was moving around the Great Hall like ripples in the water and she hurried to her seat where the rest of the other Gryffindor's were. Dumbledore clapped too, even though he was supposed to be convincing… he did seem like a father. Lara felt moved by her 'father'. She smiled at him, a very kind and beautiful smile. Dumbledore looked if possible… even happier.

After Patty, Kerry was put into Hufflepuff; Lara had seen Dumbledore stand to his feet, his eyes sweeping the hall. His hands, reaching out to the students, opened like an eagle posed to fly. His voice rang though the hall, he seemed to have grabbed and earned the respect of the students. He spoke to the whole school after the instant silence.

"Welcome new students, and to our old students, welcome back. I would like to say only a few words, for your stomachs must be quite hungry. So here they are. Enjoy." He sat down and the kids began to stare at their plates. Lara did too; staring at an empty plate was quite boring. Oh… what she would do for a tender chicken leg. She blinked and then looked down at her plate again.

There was a chicken leg on her plate! She looked around; several people had roast beef and chips, fish, and all other dishes she's never seen! And after everyone had something on their plates… the whole table filled with food. Lara dug in, mashpotatoes, fries, hamburgers, and chicken legs galore.

Everything went on smoothly. Lara sometimes caught herself staring at James Potter or Lily Evens, both of them seem to notice after the fact that Lara had turned away. Lara was really interested in her dream people. She knew that things were going to happen to James. But Lara didn't look at ether of them as much as she did Sirius Black. She noticed all his handsome features.

His dark hair and his warm innocent eyes… his bark-like laugh, and everything else about him. She couldn't believe herself… she was in love. At the age of 11 she was in love… She sighed and then turned quickly to her warm food as Sirius looked around to see her. She blushed and he smiled. He began to talk to James and this chubby kid next to him. Lara scowled. She didn't like the chubby boy.

She couldn't get off her feeling that something about him was bad… an omen. Or maybe it was the scared look he had. Lara didn't have much need to talk to or hang around weak people. Those who looked for protection and for a rock to hide under disgusted her. She was just reflecting how nice it would be to have some vanilla pudding with strawberries when they appeared… right in front of her eyes.

The night went by as Dumbledore gave his speech and Lara was more then happy to go to bed when he had suggested that they go sleep for their morning classes. Lara almost fell of her seat. Tomorrow!? It was summer for her! He sat down and began to speak to Dumbledore; Lara stood with the other students and followed a very bossy person called a Prefect.

If she ever became one, she would not be a total airhead as this guy turned out to be. Hungry with power, dying to use his knowledge to make those he was talking to feel like idiots under his pressure. Lara thought that it would be great to make his pants rip in two and laugh at him, but alas she was an underage witch, and a complete novice at magic.

She was amazed by the moving paintings. Most of them just looked like experts with master peaces. But, it was magic, the paintings moved around as if they knew something she didn't. We, the small group of first years, walked up to a large painting of a fat woman. She asked for the password into the room.

"Newfound" The prefect said. She opened the door, swinging open to reveal a room that was bigger then a house. A roaring fire, warm chairs and sofas, tables to do your homework, and a staircase that obviously led to the dormitories. Lara slowly went to the first door up the staircase, passing the boy's dormitory and then falling to sleep immediately.