Disclaimer - I don't own any of the Harry Potter Characters or settings. All credit goes to J.K and Warner Brothers. I only take credit for the plot and any OC's present in this story.
Here's the first official chapter of Monster? I'm A Hero. I hope you like it and review! Please forgive any mistakes as i have no beta.
Thoughts – thoughts/talking in the mind.
Chapter 1- Complications
London, King's Cross / Hogwarts, Scotland – September 1st 1944
She had hoped the hustle and bustle of King's Cross station would have quietened as she stepped onto platform 9 and ³⁄₄, but if anything, the chaos had increased. The screeching of the owls; the screaming, crying, chattering of the families and students alike and finally, the smoke and absurdly loud horn of the gleaming red Hogwarts Express. This place was already giving her a headache and she had only been on the platform for 5 minutes. She had gotten used to the quiet and calm of country life, and didn't find the disorder and confusion of the city pleasant at all. Sighing and taking a swig of her specially brewed headache potion, she wriggled and shimmied her way through the throng of people until she reached the Express. Groaning internally, she jumped onto the train and proceeded to try and pull her trunk onto the train with her. Trying and failing she was momentarily stunned when her trunk was lifted and placed next to her. Looking up she was faced with an older boy with crazy black hair.
"Thought you could do with some help" the boy said winking. Feeling the heat rush to her face, she dropped her gaze submissively. She tugged on her ratty and old robes subconsciously; she was sure she looked like a dirty street urchin next to this boy who was obviously wearing expensive robes.
"Thank you" she mumbled, shuffling her feet awkwardly.
"Does a beauty like you have a name?" he said, flashing a bright grin at her.
"It's Anastasia, but I go by Ana" she replied after a long second, tucking a strand of curly black hair behind her ear covering up her subtle movement to try and calm the mane that she was forced to call hair.
"It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Ana, my name's James" he said, giving a mocking bow causing her to giggle. Just as she was about to reply, a lanky black haired, grey eyed youth bounded up to them, clapping James hard on the back.
"Oi, there you are. Come on, we still might have enough time to piss off Peter's mum before the train leaves" the grey eyed youth said grinning.
"I was just helping Ana with her trunk, Sirius" James explained, laughing slightly. Sirius turned and looked her up and down, finally noticing she was there. Ana could feel her blush deepen as his eyes hovered on certain assets.
"I haven't seen you around here before" he said frowning, once again looking her up and down.
"I'm new" Ana replied softly, glancing away from him quickly.
"Oh" was all he said before turning back to James, obviously dismissing her. He had made it quite clear with his actions that she wasn't his type and that nor should she be James'. "Come on James, the train's gonna leave soon" he insisted before dragging James back onto the platform and into the crowd. Ana stared after them for a couple of minutes; feeling oddly humiliated and embarrassed. Slumping forward slightly, she turned to find an empty compartment.
Ana found a compartment easily enough; she had managed to hike her trunk up onto the rail above and take out her sketchpad before settling down in her seat and watching the families on the platform. She had long ago learned not to yearn for the family she had always wanted, it brought her nothing but pain and punishment. The train gave its warning whistle and slowly began to pull away from the platform. Ana turned to her sketchbook when the door to her compartment burst open, causing her to jump. Two boys tumbled into the compartment, coming to an abrupt halt when they spotted her. One of them was a lanky ginger with more freckles than one would dare to count and the other was a slightly chubby brown haired boy. These two were shortly joined by a bushy haired girl. She stepped past them, frowning when she saw the room was occupied.
"Do you mind if we join you, everywhere else is full?" the girl said when it became clear none of the boys were going to ask. A bit startled, Ana gestured for them to sit down. "This is Neville" she said pointing to the brown haired boy, "Ron" gesturing to the ginger "and I'm Hermione" she finished.
"Ana" she replied quietly to the unspoken question, subtly leaning away from Ron who had plonked himself down a little too close to her.
"You're new" Ron stated bluntly, making Ana flinch. She hated being the new one and the attention that came with it.
"Ron!" Hermione admonished, clearly embarrassed by his behaviour.
"What?" he said, before turning round to stare at her once again.
"Erm...yeah I'm new. I transferred from my old school" Ana said, tilting her head down slightly. She hoped her hair would provide enough of a shield against his unabashed staring.
"Ooh, what school?" Hermione said eagerly, leaning forward in her seat.
"Just a small private school in Belgium, I'm sure you've never heard of it" Ana replied wide eyed. She was slightly repulsed by Hermione's eagerness. She was a private person by nature and Hermione seemed like the type to pry.
"Belgium!" Ron cried out. "You don't sound like you're from Belgium"
"Oh and I suppose you've met loads of people from Belgium" Hermione snapped, eyebrows rising.
"Well no, but still" Ron exclaimed, turning his gaze back to Ana, awaiting an explanation.
"I've been living here with my Uncle over summer, so I guess my accent's faded a little" she replied meekly.
"Why are you here, going to Hogwarts then?"
"Ron!" Hermione nearly shouted, appalled at his bluntness and rudeness.
"What?" Ron replied, annoyance colouring his voice, "It's just a question."
"I can't go back to my old school" Ana said frowning. She didn't want to be reminded of the reason why she was being forced to turn to Hogwarts instead.
"Why?" Hermione pushed, oblivious or choosing to ignore Ana's obvious discomfort.
"I'd rather not say if you don't mind" she said, turning away from the group and looking out the window.
"Oh come on, it can't be that bad" Ron insisted, "Did you set the school on fire or something? Cause that would be so cool!"
"No it wouldn't! That's so dangerous, not to mention irresponsible and stupid" Hermione exploded, indignation coating her words.
"Oh shut up Hermione! You always have to be such a goody-goody don't you" Ron nearly shouted back.
"I'm not a goody-"
"My parents were killed in the muggle war, so I can't go back. There's no one to go back to" Ana stated, cutting through their bickering and leaving a cold silence behind. Their arguing was aggravating her headache and she knew they wouldn't stop until she said something. Both Hermione and Ron slumped back in their seats red faced. The silence hung heavy and tense between the four of them. Ana returned to staring out the window and clutched her sketchpad close to her chest. They don't care. They don't understand what it's like to be me, to see the things I've seen she thought angrily.
"You have the strangest eyes I've ever seen" Neville suddenly blurted out, speaking for the first time. Judging by the redness of his round face and the sheen of sweat that suddenly appeared on his brow, he hadn't meant to voice that thought. Ana refused to even look at him, let alone respond to what he said. She hated how noticeable her eyes were; her pale green orbs were different and different usually freaked people out. Not to mention that if they were a dull brown it would make it harder for Him to find her. She would be able to blend in so much easier. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Ana cracked open her pad and immersed herself in drawing anything she saw. She heard the others start to talk again after a few more awkward minutes but chose to keep out of the conversation. They ignored her and she ignored them.
Ana stepped off the train and followed the crowd of students towards the carriages. She wasn't best pleased about having to leave her trunk behind, but she was unable to shrink it and bring it with her; not with Hermione's hawk like eyes watching her every movement. Finally catching sight of the carriages, Ana felt her mouth tighten into a thin line. What kind of school allows their students to be transported around by creatures that are deemed omens of death she thought incredulously; ignoring the black beasts. She didn't want to bring any more attention upon herself. Managing to grab a carriage with a group of second years, Ana settled into her seat preparing for the second most important performance of her life.
Climbing the stairs to Hogwarts' entrance hall, Ana's attention was quickly caught by someone calling her name.
"Miss Harrow? Miss Harrow!"
Turning round, Ana was confronted by a tall woman with greying hair that was pulled back into the most severe bun she had ever seen.
"Yes" she replied cautiously. This woman reminded her of an un-mated dragon i.e. fierce, sad and lonely; knowing she was nearing the end of her time and having nothing to show for it.
"My name is Professor McGonagall. I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and I will be your Transfiguration professor for the duration of your stay here. Headmaster Dumbledore has informed me that he thought best you be sorted after the first years" she said, upper lip tight across her face. "Now if you could just wait in here" she said, practically pushing Ana into the antechamber next to the Great Hall. "I will fetch you when it's your turn" and with that she turned and left, closing the door sharply behind her.
Feeling like she had been snowballed by this woman, Ana turned to the wall she knew the antechamber and Great Hall shared and pressed her hands against it. She felt a tingle of magic run over her hands as she patiently watched part of the wall's colour slowly fade until it was crystal clear, like a window. This way she would be able to watch what was going on inside the hall but they wouldn't be able to see her.
The first thing she noticed was the long tables that housed the students. She knew what each of them were; Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Her aim was to get into Ravenclaw; there she would be left alone to fade into the background of school life. Ana didn't want anyone to notice she was here, not until her plan was ready to be executed. The second thing she noticed was the jovial white haired man sat upon his throne watching the sorting of the first years. Albus Dumbledore. The smile on his face turned her stomach. She took a deep breath to steady herself, she put some of the blame of what happened to her at his feet; after all, he had helped to create Him. The third thing she noticed was the man beside Dumbledore. He had deep dark black hair and the most piercing navy blue eyes she had ever seen. She felt her magic reach out to him, so much so that she found herself pressed up against the wall in an attempt to get closer. Pressure began to build in the back of head, hinting to her that this man would soon become important. Shaking off the feeling rigorously, she frowned once again. This could complicate things she thought worriedly. He was stunningly handsome but she could afford no mistakes or distractions. She had a purpose on this Earth and she would accomplish it, no matter what. Sacrifices must be made. My happiness is insignificant.
Dumbledore stood once the sorting had finished and gestured to McGonagall. Seeing this as her queue, Ana pulled her hands away from the wall, watching it instantly turn back to normal.
"Right Miss Harrow, if you could come this way please?" McGonagall said whilst opening the door to the antechamber. She took one glance at Ana before spinning on her heel and leaving. Ana scurried after the professor, feeling the pressure of hundreds of eyes on her as she entered the hall.
"As some of you can see, we have a new student. A transfer in fact! Miss Harrow joins us in the sixth year of her magical education from her home in Belgium. I do hope all of you will make her feel welcomed in Hogwarts for the duration of her stay" Dumbledore said to the student body. Turning his twinkling eyes onto her, he gestured for her to climb onto the stool. Gulping nervously Ana kept her head bowed, barely able to keep her eyes off the mysterious individual next to the Headmaster. His magic was affecting her far more than she was comfortable with. It was deliciously and surprisingly dark. Next to the horrendous brightness and acidity of Dumbledore's magic, it felt like an oasis in a desert. Making her way over to the stool, she stumbled over her dirty trainers, falling to her knees with a dull thud. Sniggering and chuckling rippled through the hall as the students delighted in her humiliation. Standing once again on shaky legs, Ana practically ran over to the stool and sat, ignoring the throbbing pain in her shins. She wrapped her aura tighter around her body and waited for the sorting hat to be placed on her head.
"Right, what do we have here then?" a male voice said. Ana immediately stiffened; if there was one thing she hated it was having her privacy invaded, and her mind was the most private place she had. She tightened her occlumency shields so the hat only had access to her surface thoughts and nothing else.
"Put me in Ravenclaw" she thought back, hoping that would be the end of it.
"Now see here child, I need to get a good look before I can sort you. Lower your shields please" the Hat replied.
"No" Ana replied fiercely, "and don't call me child."
"I can't sort you without-"
"Put me in Ravenclaw" Ana interrupted, there was no way in hell she was letting him into her head. He was most likely tied to the Headmaster and Merlin knows what the Hat would tell him if he saw her memories.
"If you don't let me inside, I'll be forced to get Lady Hogwarts involved." Stubbornly silent, Ana's first indication that the Hat was making good on its threat was the increasing pressure in her head. Ignoring it, thinking it was one of her headaches she strengthened her shields. Once the pressure began to increase, she felt herself slump forward on the stool. She was vaguely aware of the whispering going on around her, but right now she was more focused on keeping this gigantic presence out of head. Feeling the blood start to trickle out her noise, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep the Lady out for much longer. With a strangled gasp she dropped her shield, only keeping it up around her deepest and darkest secrets. Feeling the Hat rummaging around in her head, the sense of violation nearly caused her to throw up. She hadn't felt this violated since that night.
With the Hat's retreat, she snapped her defences back into position and quickly cleared the blood from her face wandlessly. She could only hope that her wild black hair kept everyone from seeing her bloody nose. Before she could do much more than that, she heard the Hat shout out "SLYTHERIN!"
"What are you doing?" she shouted in her head, "I said put me in Ravenclaw"
"Over my torn and tattered body. If I had my way you would be out of here faster than you could say Godric Gryffindor. You're a Monster. But since I don't have that power and my hands are tied when it comes to revealing student's thoughts, the Slytherin's will have to deal with the likes of you" the Hat whispered back menacingly.
"I'm no monster. I'm a Hero" she chanted back, before the Hat was removed.
It was then that she finally took notice of the weighty silence in the Great Hall. It seemed like everyone was staring at her, all of them with their faces twisted into varying degrees of anger and hatred. Three quarters of the hall because she was a Slytherin and the other quarter because she was a muggleborn. She moved silently along the Slytherin table, hoping someone would open a space for her. No one did. All she was meet with was fury filled eyes and disgusted faces. The whispers of "disgusting little mudblood" and "disgrace to the House of Slytherin" told her all she needed to know. She eventually found a space at the end of the table near the door. A space she knew signified her new place at the bottom of the Slytherin food chain.
Ana could barely make out Dumbledore's words due to the pounding headache caused by the Hat, but the appearance of food on the table made it quite clear what he said. Taking another swig of the bottle in her robes she moved to get some food.
"Now things are complicated" she thought.
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