Chapter 1-the letter that never came
I paced my room as I waited for the post to arrive.
"Vitani, I'm coming in" came the harsh voice of my sister Vira.
"Has it come yet?" I asked eagerly.
"No, but Father and our guest want to talk to you." Vira said as she left the room and I followed her. I walked down the stairs and there was a cloaked person and my Father.
"Ahh, Vitani, I brought you a gift." said the hooded woman.
"Thank you."I replied as I took the envelope from her. It was a yellowish envelope addressed in emerald green to Ms. V. Riddle, the third bedroom, 23 Grim Corner, Otteray. I opened it and pulled out the letter.
"Well go on, read it. It won't bite."
Startled, I began to silently
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
Of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, 1st class, grand sorc. chf. Warlock, supreme
Mugwump, inter confed. of wizards)
Dear Ms. Riddle,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find
enclosed a list of supplies of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
"That's great!" I exclaimed.
"Here, Happy Birthday." Our guest tossed me 37 galleons in an oddly decorated pouch.
"But its not till Halloween?"
"It's from the Lord; I've already sent the owl, so I best be going now. "She got up and disappeared.
"Cool."
"We leave tomorrow"
It was Sept 1st and Vira, Armon, and I had to go to Platform 9 1/3 by ourselves because our Father had gotten an urgent job request. As we passed through the platform I lost sight of my brother and sister. All of a sudden a red haired boy crashed into me! "Oww…I'm sorry" the boy said as he helped me up. "My name's –"
I cut him off by saying, "Uh, I have to go…" and running off before he could react. I got on the train as it was about to leave. I opened a compartment door and saw to of the dude that crashed into me earlier and another boy I didn't pay much attention to because I immediately closed the door to continue my search for an empty compartment.
"Hey! Wait! You can-oh-never mind." I heard on the boys yell but I kept on walking.
When I finally got comfy in an empty compartment, the door opened and three recognizable boys came in. "Your Malloy's' kid?"I asked the blonde.
"Draco, Crabbe, Goyle. Can we crash?" the blonde asked.
"Sure."
A while after it got dark the door opened and the non-twin from before came in. "How you Firsties like the train?" he asked.
"What?" Draco asked rudely.
"Hey Girlie, names Lee, that dude who ran into earlier," he paused to insure I was listening, so I nodded. "he wants to know your name."
"She will not give her name out to a complete stranger just because they asked!" Draco barked angrily as he jumped up.
"Oh. I didn't know. Well, see you around." I smiled as he turned to leave. immediately Draco started up a conversation.
"What house do you think you'll be in?"
"I don't know, but it has to be Slytherin" he agreed as a bush-brown haired girl with rather large front teeth opened the door and said
"The train is almost here" just as she finished the train slowed to a halt.
"Thanks" I said as Draco Crabbe, Goyle and I got up and left the train, only to hear a large booming voice telling the first years to follow him. We got in these four person boats and set off to a huge castle everyone called Hogwarts.
"Are you scared, Vitani?"Draco asked.
"I don't like boats." I replied.
"Don't worry I'll protect you!" he said, trying to sound brave.
We had finally reached the castle and the 'Professor McGonagall' was waiting for us. She took us to this room and told us to stay put until she returned. Then Draco turned went off somewhere and started talking about Harry Potter.
"Is it true?" I asked Goyle. He grunted in response. "Have a cookie."I said handing both Crabbe and Goyle a chocolate chip cookie.
Professor McGonagall returned saying, "Now form a line and follow me."
I nervously got behind Crabbe and we left the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the great hall.
I never imagined that it would've been lit by 1,000s of floating candles! I nervously twitched as all faces looked upon us, the first years. Professor McGonagall placed a four legged stool in front of us and placed a pointed wizard hat. I noticed the dirty and patched hat twitch before it began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty
But don't judge on what you see
I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me
You can keep your bowlers black
Your top hats sleek and tall
For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat
And I can cap them all
There's nothing hidden in your head
The sorting hat can't see
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be
You might be long in Gryffindor
Where dwell the brave at heart
Their daring nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
If you have a ready mind
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make real friends
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends
So put me on! don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a thinking cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as it finished its song. It bowed at the four tables and went still again. I became a little less nervous but still scared that I wouldn't be in Slytherin.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment and with the words, "When I call your name, u will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she paused then began to read the names:
"Abbott, Hannah"
"Hufflepuff"
"Bones, Susan"
"Hufflepuff"
"Boot, Terry"
"Ravenclaw"
"Brown, Lavender" was the first Gryffindor and I noticed the red haired twins cat-calling."Bulstrode, Millicent" was a Slytherin and I saw my siblings cheering loudly. Then it was "Cusick, Khrystina" was Hufflepuff and "Freak, Danger", "Granger, Hermione" and "Longbottom, Neville" were Gryffindor. "Ichihara, Natasha" was Hufflepuff. The hat barely touched Draco's head when it screamed out Slytherin. He ran over to join Crabbe and Goyle.
"Potter, Harry"
"The one who lived?" I mumbled to myself. He was chosen for Gryffindor and it was the loudest cheer yet. Then finally it was my turn. I slowly placed the sorting hat on and I heard a whisper,
"Ah! Another Riddle, I would put you with the rest, but it won't do you any good, so…" he paused then yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
I got up and walked over to the cheering table and sat down. I glanced over at Vera who had this look of great disgust. The Weasley kid was placed in my house and he sat next to Harry Potter.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet, beaming at all his students, arms opened wide. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words, and here they are: Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak! Thank you" he sat back down as everybody clapped and cheered. In front of me were dishes piled with food.
I reached forward for the ketchup and some fries as I noticed the two people next to got up and left. I reached for some sausages but someone behind me took the whole plate! I turned to look at the sausage thief and it was the red-haired boy from the train.
"Yo, the names Fred." The sausage stealer said as he sat in the empty seat next to me.
"I'm George" said his twin brother as he sat in the other empty seat.
""Um…hello," I began to say.
"We know who you are Vitani-"
"Your Vera and Armon's sister." Fred and George said as they started eating the sausages."Oh ya, you wanted these!?" Fred declared, but as I began to reach for them he pulled the plate away laughing.
"tricked you!" George laughed as I looked down at the ground.
"Fred, George leave her alone" Ron said angrily to the twins.
"Ooo, looks like ickle Ronnie has an ickle crush on Ms. Vitani!" the twins Laughed as they had said the same thing. I looked up and saw Ron's face become red.
"Waaa!! I don't even know her!!"he said as he shoved a steak into his mouth.
When our dinner disappeared our desserts appeared.
"Oh rice pudding!" George said as he shoved is hand into the pudding bowl. "Want some?" he asked placing his hand in my face.
I nodded no
"What was that?" Fred asked, he two had pudding on his hand.
"No thank you" I replied shyly.
"Why not?" George asked, but before I could answer, they had started rubbing the pudding all over my face!
At last the desserts too disappeared and the Headmaster got to his feet again and the hall fell silent. "Ahem-just a few more words now that we r fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a of our older students would do well to remember that as well." I noticed Dumbledore's' eyes flash in the direction of the twins and I. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between class in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term, anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." He pauses "and finally, I must tell you that this year the 3rd floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." Only a few laughed. "and before we go to bed let us sing our school song!" he made a long golden ribbon fly out of his wand. It had words on it. "Everyone pick your favorite tune and off we go!" and the school followed in the school song. I didn't sing at all and was given dirty looks by the twins. People finished at different times and only the twins
were left singing in a slow funeral march. When they finished Dumbledore clapped the loudest. "Ah music," wiping his eyes, "a magic beyond all we do here, and now, bedtime off you trot!"
We the Gryffindor first years followed a Prefect; I think his name was Percy, through the chattering crowds, out of the great hall and up the marble staircase. I was really tiered but still noticed that Percy led us through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We all climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging our feet; we finally came to a halt. I noticed a bundle of walking sticks floating in midair start throwing themselves at Percy.
"Peeves" Percy whispered to us. "a poltergeist" he raised his voice "Peeves show yourself!" no one answered. "do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron" there was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and wide mouth appeared.
"Ooooh!" he said with an evil crackle "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" he swooped down and we all ducked.
"Go away Peeves! Or the Barn will hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished as Percy began to say, "You might to watch out for Peeves, the Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him. He won't even listen to us prefects! Here we are"
At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" she said
"Caput Draconis" Percy replied and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. We all scrambled in and found ourselves in the Gryffindor common room, A cozy round room full of squashy armchairs. Percy directed us, the girls through on door to our dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of the spiral staircase-we were obviously in one of the towers-we found our beds at last. Our trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, we pulled on our pajamas (or jammies as Vira likes to call them) and fell into bed. I was out cold.