Some changes to this chapter. Keep in mind that Lavender and Parvati were moved purposefully.

(Some dialogue belongs to AVPS - I couldn't help myself.


Chapter Three: Hogwarts

At long last, it was September first. Susie got up especially early, making sure her trunk was packed, her owl – Hedwig – was fed, and putting on the new Muggle clothes she had purchased in a clothing store on Diagon alley. In her new outfit – even though it was only a pair of plain jeans and a pink shirt with a blue jumper, along with her school shoes – she felt like a new person, especially since she had gotten new glasses as well. She found them at the same shop – apparently they were spelled to fit whoever put them on perfectly, prescription and all, and Susie had never seen so clearly. The glasses were triangles with thin green wire frames, and she loved them.

After Susie had accidently let it slip to Hagrid that she slept in a cupboard, he had furiously demanded to Vernon and Petunia that they give her a room or expect their son to become a pig. Susie didn't know why both he and McGonagall wanted Dudley to be a pig so badly, but she wasn't complaining, especially now that she had a real room. Aunt Petunia had come into Dudley's second bedroom with large plastic buckets, stuffing all the old toys into it until the only thing left was a few broken things, a wardrobe, a bed, a thin bookshelf, and a desk. Susie, however, thought it was wonderful. She had searched through the linen closet and found pink sheets to put on the bed, mended her own ripped comforter clumsily with a needle and thread, found some extra pillows and old pictures lying around, and decorated the room until it looked like her own.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had agreed to drive her to King's Cross, and as it took an hour to get there, they had to leave at nine. Uncle Vernon loaded her trunk in the boot, complaining loudly that it was far too heavy, and soon they were heading for London, Susie in the back with Dudley, who looked terrified.

It seemed to take forever, but soon they were there. Uncle Vernon unloaded her trunk and put it on a trolley along with Hedwig, then they sped off, and Susie was alone.

She quickly pushed her cart through the station, and then stopped at a bench, sitting down and pulling out her ticket.

Platform nine-and-three-quarters.

Susie glanced back at it. That couldn't be right…who'd ever heard of platform 9 ¾? She didn't think any of the books she had purchased for background reading had mentioned this, not even Hogwarts, a History.

Sighing, she got up pushed her cart all the way to platform nine. Looking around, she saw nothing that said ¾…had it been a mistake?

She tapped a man who looked like he worked there on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where platform nine and three quarters is?" she asked, already guessing what the answer would be.

"Nine and three quarters? Think you're being funny, do you?" and he left.

Susie found another worker and asked if he knew where the train that left at 11 o'clock was. He replied that there was none, so she asked for the train to Hogwarts. He said there was no such thing. Sighing, Susie looked around hopelessly.

"The same every, packed with Muggles of course! Come on, platform nine and three quarters this way!" came a woman's voice from her right.

Muggles?

Susie looked around hopefully, and saw a large red-haired family, all pushing trolleys, one of which had an owl in a cage on top.

"Excuse me!" she called to the woman, but the youngest of the family – and apparently the only girl – turned around. "Oh, could you tell me how to get on the platform?" she asked the girl.

"Sure!" she smiled brightly, "All you do is walk through, like Fred's doing." She pointed to one of her brothers who was running at top speed towards the apparently solid brick wall. Just as Susie thought he would crash, he disappeared into the brick, closely followed by a boy who must have been his twin.

"Thanks!" Susie said brightly.

"My name's Ginny, by the way," said the girl, pushing back her bright red hair.

Susie avoided using her name carefully, saying instead, "Are you starting this year too?"

Ginny made a face, "No, but my brother Ron is." She pointed to a slightly taller boy with matching hair. "It's the first time everyone will be gone but me…" she continued, and Susie suddenly felt terrible for her. Ginny had obviously grown up in a house full of children (which Susie couldn't help but envy; she had always wanted siblings) and was used to being around them, but now for the first time in her life all of her brothers would be gone.

"Hey – how'd you like a pen pal?" she said brightly. "I could tell you what Hogwarts is like and stuff."

Ginny beamed happily, "Really?"

"Sure," said Susie.

Then Ginny's mother noticed Susie.

"Oh, hello dear," she said in a very motherly voice, "Are you starting this year as well?" Susie nodded. "Ronny here is new too." She ruffled the boy's hair, and he groaned and said something like "Don't call me Ronny, mum!"

Ginny and her mother went through the wall hand in hand, and then Susie and Ron were alone.

"Gotta wait a bit for them to get clear," Ron explained, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a blue package. "Ugh, I can't wait to get away from my stupid little sister. I mean, she's sweet and I love her and all, but mum and dad make me do everything with her. I feel like I've been holding her hand for half my life." He said, and Susie nodded her understanding. She imagined many siblings felt that way about each other. Ron waved his hand through the air, as if enjoying his newfound freedom. "Anyway, would you like a delicious Redvine?"

He held out a red candy from the package, and Susie gasped.

"Yeah! Thanks!" she said, and took it, taking a bite. She had rarely been able to sneak candy at the Dursleys "They're like my favourite candy in the whole world!"

"Oh my God, me too." Ron agreed, then suddenly they both froze.

The two children moved to face each other, and each moved their hands up – Ron's right, Susie's left. Then Susie's left, and Ron's right.

"Favourite Amy Mann song on three," Ron said, "One, two, three –"

"Redvines." They both said.

Favourite colour vines other than green," said Susie.

"Redvines." They both said.

"Favourite way to say red wines in a German accent?"

"Redvines." They both said, then, "OH MY GOD!"

At once both children jumped forward and hugged, still chewing on their Redvines, almost unable to believe what was happening.

"Where have you been all my life?" Ron asked as they broke apart.

"Oh, in a cupboard under some stairs." Susie explained.

"That's so cool." Ron stepped back with his trolley, and Susie did the same. "All right, well come on…friend. Lets go to Hogwarts." He said. "We just gotta go through that brick wall."

"That sounds kinda scary." Susie said nervously.

"Hey. It's okay." Ron said encouragingly. "We can do it together." He stuck out his hand. "Wanna hold hands?"

Susie looked at him for a second, then said, "I'd love that."

"On the count of three," Ron said. They started to count together.

"One, two…THREE!"

Pushing their trollies with one hand each, Ron and Susie ran through the wall.

It was chaos.

Hundreds of people in both wizard and Muggle clothing ran about, pushing trunks, carrying pets, and waving goodbye. A large scarlet steam engine dominated the room, with the words HOGWARTS EXPRESS written on the front in black letters.

"That was a big brick wall!" Ron said, and Susie nodded. She tried to get her bearings, but before she could make sense of things, an elderly woman grabbed her shoulder.

"Please, you have to help me. My granddaughter is still out there, I don't think she knows how to get in. It's only her first year…" the woman begged. "She'll be left behind!"

The woman was really hurting her arm, and Susie pulled away carefully, looking at Ron. "Er, well…"

"I can take your stuff and find a compartment," Ron offered, and Susie nodded gratefully.

"Sure, then, I'll go look for her!" she heard herself saying to the woman, "What…what does she look like?"

"She has long brown hair and she's wearing a red shirt. Her name is Fay." The woman answered.

Susie pushed her cart towards Ron, telling him and Hedwig she'd be back in a minute, and ran quickly back through the brick wall.

Once she was back in the Muggle world, Susie wondered what she had gotten herself into. She was in a train station packed with people, looking for a brown-haired needle in a haystack, not to mention her train would leave in fifteen minutes. She raced through the crowd, stopping every time she saw something brown or red. People were staring at her like she was insane, and she was glad Ron had offered to take her trunk. Finally, just when she was going to give up, she saw a girl a bit taller than herself with long brown hair and a red blouse. Susie ran over to her.

"Are…you…Fay?" she asked between gasps.

"Yes…" Said the girl, her expression confused.

"Your grandmother…asked me to find you…" she said, grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her back through the crowd. "Train…leaves…eight minutes!"

They ran through the crowd, weaving through the confused Muggles and jumping over suitcases. Still running flat-out, they made it to the barrier with four minutes to spare.

Fay grabbed a cage from her grandmother, who had help Ron load their trunks on the train for them. Ron's mum was nearby with Ginny, and was currently smothering Ron with kisses, but he broke apart just in time to clamber onto the train, both of them calling loud "I love you!" "I love you so much!"s back and forth. Susie thanked the woman for her help, who thanked her in turn for finding her granddaughter.

The two girls hurried onto the train after Ron just as steam started to pour out, standing at the window and waving goodbye. Susie saw Ginny in the crowd, laughing with tears in her eyes as she tried to keep up with the train. She waved to her, and Ginny smiled brightly. The train sped up, and Ginny and all the rest of the families disappeared from sight.

Susie turned to ask Fay if she wanted to sit with her and Ron, but she and Ron had both disappeared in different directions. Pulling Hedwig's cage more securely into her arms, Susie started through the train. It didn't take her long to find an empty compartment, and she was surprised to find that it was a large one. Four seats sat on each wall, and a small door that she assumed led to the bathroom. Susie sat down by the window, watching the countryside speed bye. She had never really noticed before how beautiful England was, partially due to the fact that she had only been out of the suburbs a handful of times, all those times to cities, but she new now that she would finally get to see what she had been missing and so much more…

An angry hoot brought her back to earth, and she looked down at Hedwig, "I can't let you out…we're on a packed train, and I don't want you to get away." The bird seemed to roll its eyes at her, as if to say What do you take me for, a pigeon?

"Fine." Susie conceded. "But you have to promise not to fly all over the place." Hedwig clicked her beak, which Susie took as a promise, and Susie opened the cage, letting the owl leap out onto her knee.

Susie was just considering going to look for Ron or Kellah when the compartment door slide opened.

It was Ron.

"Sorry – I had to run off and get Scabbers from my brother,"

"It's fine!" Susie said, motioning him to the seat across from her. "What's Scabbers?"

She was wondering if it was an illness, but was thankful when Ron pulled a limp rat out of his pocket as he sat down, and said, "He's was my brother's, and he's been in the family for about…a hundred years. In fact, I think my parents found him on Halloween back in nineteen eighty-one."

"Wow." Susie said, wondering why that date rung a bell to her. "That's an old rat."

Ron nodded, the said, "Sorry, but I didn't hear your name before…"

"Oh, right! I'm Susie Potter." She said. Ron's mouth fell open, and he stared at her wordlessly for a minute.

"Really?" he said, and Susie nodded. "So you have the…the…"

"The what?" she asked, confused. Then she realized, "Oh, the scar? Yeah," she pushed back her bangs and Ron grinned.

"Wicked."

Then the compartment door opened again, and Susie quickly dropped her bangs, smoothing them down.

It was a girl this time. She was light-skinned and had a long face framed by lengthy brown hair. It was Fay.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" she asked in a slightly shy voice, though she was grinning. Susie recognized a slight Scottish edge to her voice.

"Sure!" said Susie. Ron was still staring at her like he was star struck.

"Thanks," she said, settling in to the seat on the end of Ron's row. "I'm Fay Dunbar, by the way. I didn't have a chance to introduce myself before. What's your name?" she asked.

"Susie Potter." Susie said, having a feeling that this girl would not act like everyone else had. She was right, because Fay simply smiled, "Well, I bet this is all new for you, then!" both of them laughed, and Susie was glad that someone hadn't made a big deal out of her fame, even though it was rather fun.

"I'm Ron Weasley, by the way," said Ron. "Are –" but whatever Ron was planning to say was interrupted by the door opening for the third time, and there stood Kellah, along with another boy whom Susie didn't know.

"There you are, Susie!" cried Kellah, running over to hug her. "I thought you might have been left behind!"

The three of them sat down, and the boy – who was very large, with very dark skin and short black hair – said, "Hi, I'm Bem Smith." They all introduced themselves. As Susie opened her mouth to confess her own name, the compartment door burst open again, and a girl with very frizzy brown hair stood in the doorway with a slightly chubby boy who had dark brown hair and looked tearful.

"I'm sorry, but any of you see a toad? Neville lost his." Said the frizzy girl in a slightly bossy-sounding voice. They shook their heads. The boy started to tear up slightly.

"That's it then," he said dejectedly, "We've checked ever compartment."

"Sorry, Neville." Said the frizzy girl, patting his arm gently. "Maybe we just didn't spot him?"

"Do you guys want to sit with us?" asked Susie. Neville's face brightened, as did Hermione's, and Susie had the feeling that they, like her, were not used to having anything close to friends. She didn't think Ron was either; from what she surmised, he had almost spent all his time with just his brothers and sister, which wasn't the same.

"Really?" asked Neville incredulously. Everyone nodded.

"Thanks!" they both said together, grinning.

Just a few minutes later, two boys knocked on the door. One had short sandy hair and a thick Irish accent, while the other was dark-skinned, almost as tall as Ron, and had a long neck.

"Hi," began the Irish boy. "We – er, we just got kicked out of our compartment by some older kids, so would you mind if we joined you?"

Everyone immediately agreed – the more the merrier, right?

"I'm Seamus. Seamus Finnegan." The blond boy said.

"And I'm Dean Thomas." Said the other.

Yet again, everyone introduced themselves. Seamus excitedly shook Susie's hand, while Dean just smiled and nodded.

In true eleven-year-old form, the nine kids were soon friends – Hermione, Dean, and Neville had treated Susie normally, which she appreciated, and by the time the trolley arrived, Susie was happier than she'd even been. She quickly went out and bought nearly everything the candy-woman had and shared with her first ever friends. Ron threw his remaining Redvines into the mix as well.

Inevitably, the talk turned to houses.

"My whole family has been in Gryffindor," said Ron, blushing slightly, as Susie had learned he was prone to do. "So – I dunno, I guess I'll be there…"

"Well, I think all the houses are great, minus Slytherin of course," said Bem. "But I'd rather be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, myself."

"Me too," agreed Hermione, who seemed just the Ravenclaw type.

"What about you, Kellah?" Susie asked.

Kellah frowned, looking thoughtful. "I'd rather be in Gryffindor, I think, but honestly I just don't care as long as it doesn't say I'm not really a witch!" she said it in a slightly joking voice, and they all laughed, though there was no doubt they were thinking the same thing.

"Neville?" asked Fay. Neville jumped, then stuttered, "I guess…I'll probably be in Hufflepuff." He said sadly.

They started to ask him why, but then one of Ron's brothers – the curly haired, pompous looking one – opened the door.

"We'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon," he said, "You all had better change into your robes." Then he left.

They all took turns in the small bathroom, putting on the featureless uniforms of black and gray that were to be transfigured after they were sorted. Finally the train lurched to a stop, and they all got off together, leaving their animals and trunks to be delivered later.

"Firs' years over year! All firs' years, come this way!" cried a deep booming voice, and Susie recognized Hagrid, towering a good yard over even the oldest students as he waved to Susie and Kellah.

"C'mon!" she told the others, who were staring at Hagrid in awe, and they made their way over to him along with the forty or so other first years.

"Come on, then," said Hagrid, "We get ter go up there the special way." He winked at them, and led the way down a steep slope towards a large lake that looked inky black in the evening darkness.

"No more'n four ter a boat! Come on now!" Hagrid said, and they all scrambled into boats, Susie, Kellah, Neville, Ron into one, Hermione, Bem, Fay, and a girl with two long braids into the one beside it, and Seamus and Dean in a boat with two identical Indian girls. Hagrid had a boat all to himself.

The boats started forward of their own accord, and the kids were free to look around for a few minutes, then Hagrid said, "Look, there it is!" he pointed with one huge finger, and everyone looked.

It was Hogwarts. Large and beautiful with towers and twinkling lights and bridges…it was everything Susie could have dreamed for, and she almost wanted to cry.

"TREVOR!" screamed Neville, making several people jump. He scooped the frog out of the bottom of the boat and stuck him firmly in his robe pocket.


The entrance hall was huge, and the nine new friends – plus the girl with the two long braids from the boat earlier – huddled together, starting to feel nervous. McGonagall stood in the doorway, and she smiled slightly at Susie.

"Your attention," she called, though everyone was already quiet, "Thank you. Now, in a few minutes you will pass through these doors and be sorted into your houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. Triumphs will earn you point, and any rule-breaking will lose you points. The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She finished, and disappeared through a door to their right.

Everyone was fidgeting nervously, and Neville was turning steadily green.

"How do you think we'll be sorted, Susie?" asked Hermione nervously. "I read every book I found about Hogwarts, but none of them said."

Susie noticed that the others were looking at her as well, as if expected her to answer.

"Um, I don't know." She said, "Nothing I read said either, and Hagrid and Professor McGonagall didn't say anything to me about it…"

The ten children began talking amongst themselves about what it could be, while the others around them did likewise.

"Fred told me it's some kind of test." Ron said nervously. "He said they had to wrestle a mountain troll, but I don't think that's true…"

Neville gulped, but Hermione broke it, "Of course not, they wouldn't let a troll into the school –"

"So it's true then," a loud, drawling voice broke in. Susie turned and recognized the boy from Madam Malkin's walking towards them. "What they're saying on the train. Susan Potter has come to Hogwarts." He stepped up in front of Susie and the others, flanked by two large boys that looked about as bright as the mountain trolls Ron had just mentioned. "This is Crabbe and Goyle, and I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." He said in that same arrogant tone, and she heard Ron snort loudly behind her. Malfoy's eyes flashed, his sleeked-back blond hair glimmering in the candlelight as he turned to glare at Ron. "Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask yours…red hair, hand-me-down clothes, and a stupid complexion? You must be a Weasley." He turned back to Susie, who was starting to hate him more and more by the second. "You'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. I can help you there." He held out one pale hand.

Susie snorted dismissively, adjusting her triangular glasses calmly. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks. And it seems I have a good idea of where to start…"

He stared incredulously at her for a few seconds, as if unable to believe that someone would talk to him this way. After a moment, McGonagall came up behind him, tapping him firmly on the shoulder and watching him in a hawk-like manner until he was back in line with the others. Susie heard Seamus snicker behind her.

"Follow me." McGonagall said, and led the way through the doors.

The room was filled with hundreds and hundreds of students, and Susie was suddenly so nervous she was grateful for Hermione's whisper behind her as she said, "…It's enchanted to look like the night sky…" and Susie remembered that from Hogwarts, a History. She stared up at the ceiling in awe until they reached the front, wondering if she could do this to her own room at the Dursleys.

"When I call your names, you will step forward and I will place the sorting hat on your head." McGonagall announced. She consulted her list, then called, "Abbott, Hannah!" A very pink-faced girl with blond pig tails rushed forward, place the hat on her head, and sat down on the stool. After only a second, a rip near the brim of the hat opened and it shouted, "Hufflepuff!" Hannah jumped down happily and ran to join the cheering yellow and black table.

"Bones, Susan!" a girl with long black hair wore the hat next, and was also sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Boot, Terry!"

A very pale boy with long blond hair and glasses quickly placed the hat on his head and sat down. No sooner had he sat, than the hat yelled, "Ravenclaw!" and the blue and bronze table cheered happily as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" went to Ravenclaw, "Brown, Lavender!" was sorted into Hufflepuff after a few moments, then, "Bulstrode, Millicent!" went to Slytherin. "Corner, Michael!" was a very handsome boy who was sorted into Ravenclaw, as was, "Cornfoot, Stephen!". "Vincent, Crabbe!", Malfoy's friend, went to Slytherin, "Davis, Tracey!" went to Hufflepuff, and, "Entwhistle, Kevin!" joined her. "Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" went to Hufflepuff as well.

"Finnegan, Seamus!"

Seamus was biting his lip, and the others were too nervous to even wish him good luck. He sat on the stool and pulled on the hat. After half a minute, the hat shouted "Gryffindor!" and everyone cheered.

"Goldstein, Anthony!" went to Ravenclaw, and "Goyle, Gregory!", one of Malfoy's friends, went to Slytherin, along with a pretty girl named "Greengrass, Daphne!"

"Granger, Hermione!" she called, and Susie and the others managed to smile encouragingly at her as she walked forward. She sat down with the hat on, and after mere seconds it yelled, "Gryffindor!" and the scarlet-and-gold table erupted into cheers. Beaming, Hermione set the hat down and ran to join Seamus.

"Hopkins, Wayne!" went to Hufflepuff, "Jones, Megan!" joined him, and "Li, Su!" went to Ravenclaw.

"Longbottom, Neville!" Neville was trembling as he ascended the stairs and sat down, the hat dropping over his eyes as it had all the others. After almost a minute, the hat finally yelled, "Gryffindor!" and Neville smiled so brightly it looked painful, and he started to run towards the table with the hat still on, but thankfully Fay grabbed it and handed it to the McGonagall, who called, "Smith, Bem!" and Bem stepped forward, looking nervous. The hat put him almost immediately in Gryffindor as well.

"Macmillan, Ernie!" was a boy who looked very muscular for an eleven year old, and he was sorted into Hufflepuff while, "Malfoy, Draco!" went – surprisingly – to Slytherin before the hat even touched his hair. "McDougal, Morag!" went to Ravenclaw and "Nott, Theodore!" went to Slytherin.

"Dunbar, Fay!"

Fay was grinning as she took her seat, unlike the others who – besides Malfoy, who had simply looked smug – had all looked vaguely green. The hat considered for a moment, then yelled, "Gryffindor!"

Susie had a vague thought that all her friends who had been sorted so far were in Gryffindor.

"Parkinson, Pansy!"

"Slytherin!"

"Patil, Padma!" A pretty Indian girl with long black hair went up to the stool, and the hat proclaimed her, "Ravenclaw!"

"Patil, Parvati!" was a girl identical to the first down to the last hair, and when she sat on the stool, she became a Ravenclaw as well.

"Potter, Susan!" There was a hush throughout the hall, and Susie walked shakily to the stool, glad for the darkness when the hat was placed on her head.

Ah, the Potter girl. Said the hat in her ear. I was wondering when I'd get you…both of your parents were right here in the same spot, and both of them became Gryffindors. But what about you? A great mind, no doubt…a thirst to prove yourself…loyal, indeed, but where?

Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. Susie chanted in her head.

Not Slytherin, ah? But why not? You could be great there…it's all here, in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. No?

Please not Slytherin, Susie begged. I want to be with my friends, I've never had any before!

The hat paused for a moment, then. Well if you're sure…better be…

"Gryffindor!" the hat yelled, and Susie was so relieved she could have flown to the table where Fay, Hermione, Neville, and Bem were waiting for her, grinning, as everyone yelled louder than ever. Two of Ron's older brothers, the twins, were chanting, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

"Smith, Zacharias!" was sorted into Hufflepuff, and then it was, "Spinks, Kellah!" and Kellah nearly ran to the stool, grabbing the hat and jamming it on her head.

"Gryffindor!" it yelled, and Kellah ran over to sit by her friends, smiling brilliantly.

"Thomas, Dean!" became a Gryffindor as well, and Susie clapped as hard as she could, along with all the others, while Dean took a spot next to Seamus.

"Turpin, Lisa!" became a Ravenclaw, then "Tolipan, Alice!" the girl with the long braids from before, joined them in Gryffindor, sitting in between Fay and Susie.

"Weasley, Ron!"

Ron was bright red, gray, and green all at the same time as he pulled the hat over his flaming hair and matching ears, but his worry was for naught, because he became a Gryffindor as well, and ran over to sit by Bem and Neville. Lastly, "Zabini, Blaise!" became a Slytherin.

Then Dumbledore himself stood, and the room fell silent. He beamed at the students as he said, "Welcome to a new 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, and everyone clapped and cheered. Susie laughed a bit, as did Fay.

"Is he a bit…mad?" Susie asked Percy, Ron's prefect brother.

"Dumbledore? He's a genius! Brilliant! Best wizard of the age!" he answered. "But yes, he is a bit mad. Potatoes, Susie?"

Susie nearly let out a scream. The tables were suddenly filled with every conceivable item of food that could possibly exist. Stunned, Susie simply stared at it all, hearing Bem's quiet, "Wow". Ron got over his shock first, and began grabbing everything in sight. The others followed his lead.


"Percy, who's that man talking to Professor Quirrell?" asked Susie a few minutes later.

"That's Professor Snape," answered Percy. "He teaches potions, but everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrell's job for years."

Then Snape turned to look at Susie, and she felt a bolt of pain flash through the scar on her forehead. She clapped her hand to her head, wincing.

"What's wrong, Susie?" asked Kellah.

"Nothing," Susie assured her, and took a large bite of pees.

As soon as the last of the deserts had melted away, Dumbledore stood up again and made his announcements about the Forbidden Forest being forbidden, and the right-side of the third floor corridor being "off-limits to all who do not wish to die a most painful death". After these happy notes, the students were dismissed.

The two Gryffindor prefects, Percy Weasley and Niamh Snodgrass, led the sleepy first-years up to a seventh floor hallway. Susie was so tired she couldn't bring herself to pay attention to anything, instead following Bem's large feet and hoping he knew where to go.

In front of a large portrait of a very fat woman in a pink dress, Niamh said, "Caput Draconus." The fat woman nodded, smiling at the first years, and the picture swung open to reveal a short tunnel.

The Gryffindor common room was large and filled with couches, arm chairs, tables, and a roaring fire place.

"Professor McGonagall is our head of house, and she's also the Transfiguration Professor," Niamh began. "Through those doors over there lead to the dormitories. The boys' is on the left, and the girls' on the right. All of your things have already been brought down."

"The Great Hall starts serving breakfast at six," Percy said, "But most people don't go until seven or so. A bell will ring at nine – that's when the lessons start. You'll have two classes in the morning, with a short break in between them to get different books or use the loo. Then there's lunch, and another short break. After that, classes restart at one. There's either one or two more classes after that – it depends on the day. Then we have dinner, and everyone goes to their common rooms for the night."

"Well, I think that's about all you guys need to know." Niamh said, clapping her hands together briskly, "Remember that the password is Caput Draconis; you can't get in without it."

Finally, Susie, Hermione, Fay, Alice, and Kellah said goodnight to Neville, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Bem, then climbed their staircase.

There were five four-poster beds draped in scarlet hangings arranged against the walls in the circular room. Susie realized that they must be in a tower, and then remembered that she had read that in Hogwarts, a History. The girls settled in, changing into their scarlet and gold pyjamas and brushing their teeth. Susie liked Alice just as much as the others, and they all chatted comfortably while they prepared for bed. Soon everyone was saying goodnight and pulling the curtains closed around their beds.

Susie lay down on her soft bed with a smile. She couldn't wait for her first day at Hogwarts.