Authors note: just got into the mood to write all of a sudden, and for the first chapter I was going to write all the way up to when they got sorted but decided to leave that out of the first chapter I wrote all the up to that point, and I accidentally deleted it, because I was gonna save it in Google docs or something. so I'm a little bit irritated that I forgot to do that but oh well. Besides I think I like this better anyways. also I don't know how many chapters I'm gonna do for each year.
I don't know how I got inside of the castle, or even getting off of the train really. Actually, I can't really remember much after I walked away from that blond boy. It was some sort of a blur for the rest of the train ride. Then I got off the train and all I know is that anxiety washed over me, well that and my noisy thoughts. I remember feeling my stomach toss and turn and I felt like I was going to be sick, and I don't know why. I had kept all of my horrors to a minimum all throughout the ride to the Hogsmeade station.
Then I faintly remember hearing a man who looked intimidating with his giant like features yell for first years. Though he didn't say it normally. he forgot the t in first. But that's about all I remembered. That's when my thoughts of fears, and paranoia consumed me.
And all of a sudden, I'm here; with a bunch of other eleven year olds standing in a small crowded room waiting in front of a big wooden door. When all of a sudden these transparent ghosts started flying into the room from the big stained glass windows. It took all I had not to let out a screech, but my eyes did grow in size. Though some other kids did scream. The ghosts were muttering about something. Peeves. What in gods name was a Peeves? Was it a ghost like them? Was he an evil one? Was he like Casper and the sweetest thing you'd ever meet? Though with a name like Peeves I highly doubt that was the case.
"Move along now." McGonagall's voice demanded, pulling me out of my thoughts.
All of us followed her out of the room and across the hall through large double doors, showing the great hall. The first thing I noticed is that there were four large tables with people who sat along them. For each of the houses. I bit my lip, and moved my eyes away from all of the witches and wizards, but to the ceiling instead. It was like there wasn't a ceiling at all. The night sky shown, with stars portrayed all over. It was comforting in a way. It made me feel less jammed packed with everybody.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky. I read about it in Hogwarts A History" I heard Hermione whisper so somebody close by.
I nodded slightly, even though she wasn't talking to me. It was amazing I had to admit. Really did look like the real thing. I looked down again before my neck got a cramp at staring for so long, and I saw that Professor McGonagall had placed a stool on a platform, in front of everybody. There was an old looking witches hat. Honestly it looked worn out, like it had seen better days.
I furrowed my eyebrows. Why was there a hat on a stool? My eyes must have been playing tricks on me, because I swear I thought I saw it move. But that's impossible right? A piece of clothing couldn't move. It was an object, with no life to it. I saw something again. It ripped open, like a mouth, and it began to sing a tune.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can't 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,"
I gulped. If that was true? Could this old tore up hat see everything in my head? My deepest thoughts, and my memories? I wouldn't for as long as I lived, want to have somebody or something see the things that swam in my head, it wouldn't be right, wouldn't be fair to them.
"So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where Dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set the Gryffindors apart."
Well I guess I wasn't gonna be in that house, I'm not brave or daring. The song had went on, explaining each of the houses, and I can honestly say I didn't fit in to any of them. I wasn't wise or wanting to learn like Ravenclaw, I didn't even wanna be here. I wasn't patient or loyal like Hufflepuff. and I wasn't cunning like Slytherin. Why I got that damned letter? I don't know, but I'm here for ten minutes and I can already tell I wont belong. I'm an intruder, and all of this is in my blood.
When the song ended the whole hall busted into applause.
"So we've got to try on the hat!" I heard Ron whisper to Harry.
"I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." He continued.
I let out a giggle, Fred seemed like a blast.
"Oh come on he was just winding you up, he wanted to make you nervous, no harm in that." I said to Ron.
Ron crosses his arms over his chest.
"He's always winding me up Fred and George both." He complained.
I nodded, not knowing what to say, I couldn't relate, so I turned to look at the front and saw Professor McGonagall holding a fairly long piece of parchment.
"When I call your name, you'll put on the hat and sit on the stool." She explained.
"Abbott, Hannah."
A girl with blonde pigtails came out of line looking nervous as ever. She walked over to the stool and placed the hat on her head, and sat down.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat screamed out to everybody to hear.
One of the tables, who sported canary yellow, broke into applauses, and cheers. The girl, Hannah, smiles, and took the hat off, before making her way to her new house mates. That's how it went, McGonagall would yell out a name in alphabetical order and the hat would yell out their house. Hermione had been placed into Gryffindor, and it, she looked pleased with it. Neville who had been also placed there didn't seemed to look as if he was happy about it. Scared was more like it. Poor guy.
"Malfoy, Draco."
The boy with the beautiful eyes and striking platinum hair walked out of line, and made his way to the stool. So that's what his name was. Draco Malfoy. It suited him. Beautiful, for one. It was Strong and powerful ; just like the rest of him and his demeanor. The hat wasn't even placed on his head before the hat had yelled out Slytherin. Draco, had smirked and made his way over to the table. I watched him go, his head held high as he swaggered over to his fellow housemates. When he sat down my eyes lingered on him a moment more before I averted them back up to the front.
A few other names had been called before Harry was put on the spot. He, along with almost every other first year looked nervous as ever. I mean I couldn't really blame him, or the rest of them for that matter. A house that you're sorted into defines you for the rest of the time you're in here and possibly even after you leave this place.
I heard murmers and whispers as Harry walked up, all taking bout the boy who lived. I felt for the kid, he seemed shy, like he didn't wanna be full of attention and here he was, a million miles from home and people just look at him with wide eyes full of curiosity and wonder. Harry sat there for a few moments longer then most before it was finally said and done.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat screamed out.
I watched as the whole table of Gryffindors got up like they won the lottery and started screaming and cheering. Two boys, twins, with red hair started yelling.
"We've got potter! We got Potter!" I bit my lip, Fred and George Weasley I guessed.
"Rosewood, Abigail." My name was called.
Suddenly, the noise was long gone, and just like Harry, I had whispers going on about me. Why? I have not a clue. I wasn't famous like Harry, I didn't do any good to the wizard community. My last name was one to remember though and it wasn't for something heroic or evil either. Tragic was more like it. I took a deep breath and kept my head held high as I made my way to the platform. I took a seat on the stool, and placed the hat on top of my head, staring at the wall, not daring to make any eye contact with anybody, but I sure felt their eyes on me.
"Hmm, Rosewood." I heard the hat's voice in my ear.
"You're complex, you would do very well in every single one of these houses, you would do great things in all of them." It spoke.
Please, I'd crash and burn in each and every one of them. I have none of those traits.
"So you say, but that's not true in the slightest. You have come to the place where your life was turned all about, and yet you're still here standing, that's you're bravery. You would do anything to protect the ones you love and make them happy. There is your loyalty. Though you think you're not wise or eager to learn. You are, you just don't know it yet. When need be, you lead others who can not." The hat spoke.
I bit my lip, not having a single thought in my mind.
"So you see, Abigail Rosewood, you show traits in all of these houses, in one way or another. But, but one house will suit you perfectly well." It said.
then he yelled out a house name. one that I was sure I'd never fit into, one that my mother was put into years before me.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Once again the Gryffindor table exploded in cheers. I smiled slightly and took the hat off, placing it on to the stool once I got up, and made my way over to my table. I faintly heard Fred and George Weasley yell out "We got Rosewood too!"
I sat down next to Hermione and watched as the rest of the first years were sorted. In the end, Ron had been put in Gryffindor as well, and a feast had started.
Food had magically appeared on to the tables, and people began to dig in. and in the jist of my putting a piece of chicken on my plate I felt eyes draw into me. I looked up and seen the familiar pair of gray orbs I haven't been able to stop thinking about. They stared into me, like they were looking at my soul, full of curiosity. I looked back into those eyes, feelings a heat rise to my face slightly. And then in a second, they were gone.
The feast was long over, and the quick tour of castle had come and gone. Now here I was, laying in a bed I'd call mine for the next year, just staring at the top of my canopy bed, wide awake. My mind racing with thoughts, not being able to calm down in the slightest. I listened as the other girls in the dorm slept soundly, with slight breathing, and an occasional snore. But yet here I was, not being able to shut my eyes. I was home sick. The castle was something that's for sure. Full of ghosts, and talking portraits, and even moving stair cases. But as extravagant as it was, it wasn't home. I didn't feel comfortable here. And even if by some chance I could, it still wouldn't be the same.
I wanted to be in my bed at night, and looking at my blue walls when I woke up. I wanted to hear the shuffle of mum's feet as she walked around the house getting ready for work. I wanted to hear her voice wish me a good morning, as I poured my cereal.
I sighed, and threw off the blankets before sitting up and sliding out of bed carefully. I tip toed past each and every single bed, trying to be quiet as possible, before I left the room completely. Shutting the door behind me, I made my way down the steps into the common room. Out of all the things I saw in the castle, this was the most welcoming. It had a warm setting to it. I walked over to an arm chair right in front of a fire place that was lit up, and sat down, I grabbed a blanket that laid on the back of it, and put the blanket on and closed my eyes, inhaling the strong scent of burning fire wood.
"Couldn't sleep either?" A voice asked.
I opened my eyes, and seen a small silhouette coming from the stairs.
"Nope." Was all I said.
The silhouette came closer, giving a shape of a boy. He got closer, until the light of the fire shown who that said boy was. Harry Potter. He sat on a chair right beside mine.
"Different from home?" I asked, as he got settled in the chair.
He had a grin on his face, as he nodded.
"Oh yeah, very different, I like it." Harry said.
I smiled slightly at his enthusiasm.
"What about you, you like it here?" He asked.
I bit my lip, as I looked down at my lap, while my fingers fiddled with the blanket.
"Like you said, it's different. Something to get used to that's for sure." I mumbled, glancing up at the boy who lived with wonder in his green orbs.
He didn't say anything to that, just nodded.
"So how's the fame Boy Who Lived?" I asked with a smile on my face.
"It's weird. I'm used to people not knowing who I am and now they look at me like I saved the world or something." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.
I let out a laugh.
"You kinda did Harry." I said in between my giggles.
I saw a slight blush appear on his cheeks. No need to be embarrassed, I mean he was a baby after all, he possibly couldn't have remembered anything.
Harry changed the subject after that, and the two of us began to talk just about everything. School before this, about uprooting the muggle world to come to Hogwarts. Though I didn't go into detail about it that much. Just said how I was nervous. Because I was. I am.
The two of us talked until the late hours into the early hours of the morning before we wished each other goodnight and went our separate ways into our respected dorms. And I can honestly say, this boy seemed like a sweet, sarcastic kid, I didn't see him as a hero to be close with. I saw him as an outsider like me. Coming to a whole new dimension that neither of us had a clue about. Well I mean I could have, but I chose not too.
The first day of classes had come too fast for my liking. Instead of just lounging around the common room like I have been for the past two days, now I actually had to navigate my way around and find these classes, and the magic would begin. Which wasn't too bad, so far anyways. I had made it to my first class which was transfiguration before class started. Which was much better then how Harry and Ron turned out. They had barged into the class breathing heavy, five minutes into class. The professor, McGonagall could turn into a cat, and she was there in that form when they walked in. When she turned into her normal shape she had given the two a short lecture, something about a watch. Man I felt bad for those two. First day, and they had made a bad impression with just being late. Hopefully that could change for them.
Now I was heading to potions. Very stereotypical if you ask me. A witch and her cauldron brewing up some potion. I giggled to myself, as I walked down the hall, finally stopping at the door that had the number on it with what my timetable told me. I opened the door and walked in. The first thing I noticed was that it was dark, and eerie, like it was meant to be here in the dungeon. A shiver went up my spine as I took in the view.
"Excuse me." Somebody said, as they pushed past me.
"Sorry." I mumbled.
I walked in the room and most of the tables were filled up, I looked over and saw that a spot right next to the girl Hermione was open, so I went over there and sat down.
"Hi." I said, with a small smile.
Her brown eyes lit up, and a sparkle had shown in them.
"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."
A small laugh escaped my lips.
"I know, we met on the train." I said.
She frowned slightly for a second, then replaced it quickly.
"It's okay, Abigail Rosewood." I introduced myself.
Before she could say anything back, the door was burst open and a man wearing al black came in looking like he was about to murder us all. I gulped, as my heart started beating quicker and quicker.
"There will be no foolish wand waving, or silly incantations in this class." He demanded, as he made his way up to the front. His voice was deep and had a drawl to it.
I leaned forward and looked closer at him. Black clothes and greasy black hair that matched his eye color. He also had a hooked nose. My eyes opened wider, realizing that this was the exact same man who was talking to my mother at the train station the other day. My heart beat began to slow down, as I realized he couldn't be a threat if my mum was speaking to him like she knew him.
He began to talk again,
"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle signs and the exact art of potion making. but for those select few who posses the predisposition I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and snare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame and brew glory and even put a stopped in death." The man said as he looked at a head full of platinum blond hair.
I leaned forward, stretching out my neck and seen Draco Malfoy sitting there with a smile on his lips and a look of wonder and an eager to learn in his beautiful grey eyes. The man then looked over to Harry, who was sitting on the other side of Hermione, writing down things with a quill. I took this time to glance at my timetable. Right next to potions there was the professor's name. Snape. Professor Snape. It went along with his whole appearance. Dark and eerie.
"And maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in position so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention." Snape said, giving Harry a dirty look.
Hermione nudged him with her elbow making Harry look up at the professor.
"Ah, Mr. Potter... Our new celebrity." Snape's voice drawled, singling Harry out.
I bit my lip, as I watched the ordeal go about.
"Tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of apsidal to an infusion of wormwood." He demanded.
Hermione's hand went straight up, and I nudged her with my arm . She gave me a quick look as to ask what. I rolled my eyes and glanced at harry before giving her a look. She didn't answer me.
"You don't know let's try again. Where Mr. Potter would you look if I asked you to find me a beasle?" Snape asked.
Hermione's hand went up again, waving it back and forth, begging to be called on by the teacher.
"I don't know sir." Harry said.
I balled my fists up and bit my lip harder, bidding myself not to say anything.
"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolf bane?' Snape asked
I looked over at Hermione.
"Put your hand down." I said through gritted teeth, with her still not listening to me.
" I don't know sir." Harry said again.
"Cleary... fame isn't everything, is it Mr. Potter."
I looked down at my fists and seen that they were pure white. I let go of my lip with my teeth, there was no right for this man to single out Harry, and if nobody wasn't gonna stand up for him then I was.
"That's real nice, singling one kid out for taking notes, while you basically fawn over another." I said, making my self loud and clear for the whole class to hear.
I heard a few gasps as I watched the man in all black, look even more angry.
"That's no way to speak to an adult Miss Rosewood. 10 points from Gryffindor."
I scoffed, and gave Snape the dirtiest look I could muster up.
"Well you know what, that's no way to speak to a student Professor Snape. You're practically belittling him. Are you a teacher or are you a child?" I said.
All around me I could hear whispers, and I could feel every set of eyes staring at me and Snape.
He looked so mad, like smoke was about to blow out of his ears, and his skin didn't look ghost white anymore. It was tinted with red.
"50 points from Gryffindor and detention, get out of my class." He snarled, and pointed at the door.
I chuckled and put my things in my bag, and walked out of the class not daring to look at anybody in the eye and just looked straight forward as I made my way out of the class and into the hall. Once the door was just about all of the way shut again I could Snape's voice going on about I there was anybody else who would like to be disrespectful they can leave now.
I walked down the hall passing a few students here and there who I'm guessing didn't have a class. I guess I pretty much ruined the whole don't get into any trouble rule with mum, and it was the first day at that. I'm gonna be expecting that howler coming along by the end of the week. Plus the whole first impression thing flew right out the window.
Nice. Good going Abs. I sighed, and walked to the stairs. Might as well hang out in the common room while I wait for class to end.
"That was Bloody amazing Abby!" Ron yelled when he came into the common room.
I looked up from the picture I was doodling and seen he had a toothy grin on his freckled face.
"Uh, thanks Ron..." I said, with furrowed brows.
"Yeah thanks for what you did in potions Abby." Harry said.
"No problem." I replied.
"It was iconic, his face was so red! I don't think anybody has ever went against that man!"
"Well I for one, think it was foolish. You got yourself a detention, and on the first day at that." Hermione cut in, as she sat down with her pile full of books in her hands.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it was stupid and it wrong. But, I'm not gonna let a grown man belittle a student like that. It wasn't right." I defended myself.
And if my mum asked I would tell her the exact same thing. it wasn't right and shouldn't be done.
"Anyways, I gotta go owl a letter to my mum, it's better I tell her what happened before the school does." I said, standing up and took my notebook and pen, leaving the three in the room. As I walked out of the Gryffindor's common room I could hear the lady in the painting singing some god awful opera. I shuddered and made my way down from the Gryffindor tower, managing to not get lost for the first time today with those pesky moving stair cases.
As I walked past corridor after corridor, passing fellow students I kept close watch around my surroundings. Looking from left to right, and not going anywhere near the walls, making sure nobody could pull me to an empty hall.
I bit my lip and held the notebook close to my chest, as I neared the owlery.
"Rosebud." I heard a voice say.
I kept walking, not sure that the voice was directed towards me.
"Rosebud! Are you deaf?" The voice asked in a menacing tone.
I stopped walking and turned to where the voice was coming from, and I saw Draco Malfoy, with a smirk on his face. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"I guess you aren't incompetent of hearing." He said in a slightly snobbish tone.
"It's Rosewood." I spoke.
"Nice going in potions Rosebud. Now Slytherin in the lead." He said with a menacing laugh.
He just overlooked the fact that I corrected him, and just went on his way to taunt me.
"It's only the first day of classes Draco. You shouldn't go around bragging this early on in the term." I said, shifting and putting all my weight on one foot.
I saw a flash of something in his eyes. Confused. It was there, and then it was gone. I guess he was confused about why I didn't retort back at him in a rude way.
"Is that all you wanted to say or can I go to the owlery now?" I asked him.
"Yeah go on I'm don't socializing with a blood traitor." He said with his pale nose stuck up in the air.
A flash of anger boiled through me. I narrowed my eyes at him, dropped my things and quickly grabbed ahold of his Slytherin robes.
"What did you call me!?" I demanded as I pulled his face close to mine glaring at him.
"I-uh- I" He sputtered out, scared.
"Don't you ever let me hear you call me or my family that again. Do you understand?!" I said, through gritted teeth, looking into his eyes with my blue ones.
He nodded fast, not saying a word. I let go of his robes and he high tailed his way away from me. What ever feelings I had for that boy were gone in a flash. I Picked up my things and as soon as I looked up I saw Professor McGonagall staring at me with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, looked quite agitated.
Great.