Chapter 2

"Alice?" Alice sighed at the sound of her mother's voice and walked back to where she came. The blond haired girl felt the heavy envelope with the letter in her hand, wondering again what she was supposed to do. As she was about to walk into the kitchen however, Alice stilled. Would her parents believe her? Her father was likely to politely listen and nod his head patiently, but her mother would likely dismiss it as rubbish. She wasn't a physics professor at Cambridge for anything. Alice was about to continue forward when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"I'll get it," she stated as her mother prepared to move to open the door. Alice wondered what kind of person would knock on the door this early in the morning as she pulled the door open. Alice had expected someone that she knew, perhaps the librarian across the street giving her a book for her birthday. A tall woman wearing dark green robes – about a shade lighter than what the strange man in her dream wore – that came down to her feet. A pointed hat the same color of her robe lied on her head, and Alice could only see a few strands of her brown hair. Her eyes were illuminated by her half-moon glasses. I wonder if this is how Mum looks when she is giving a bad grade, Alice thought as she observed the woman's slightly stern expression.

"My name is Professor McGonagall, and the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The woman's voice was sharp and yielded no room for comment. "Are you Miss Alice Kirkland?" she asked more slowly.

"Y-yes," Alice whispered. She recognized the name of the person speaking to her, and continued to stare in disbelief and confusion. Suddenly she was aware of how rude she must have been and stated quietly, "Hullo, madam."

A brief but warm smile suddenly broke into Professor McGonagall's face. "You are very polite for a Muggle-born, Miss Kirkland."

"A what?" Before Professor McGonagall could respond, Alice felt her father's hand tightly against her shoulder.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Alice flinched at the sound of her mother's tone of voice. She only cursed when she was angry or agitated, and she could see her father look at Professor McGonagall in distrust. The deputy headmistress – if that is who she was – didn't respond to their reactions and instead spoke to Alice.

"You received a letter this morning on the seventh of July stating that you are to be enrolled in school starting this term on the first of September." Alice glanced at the envelop she had in her hand, and was surprised to find the woman appear pensive. "You are a very strange case, Miss Kirkland. Normally when witches and wizards are born, including muggle-borns as well, are registered in a document and their names are scripted on the document until the day the die." Her gaze now shifted to Alice's mother and father. "Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland, your daughter was not listed in the registry. I was very surprised to find a letter from Gringotts stating that Miss Kirkland was not yet given a letter despite a huge sum of money waiting for her in one of the banks. Therefore, she is to be enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is a witch."

Alice's parents stared in stunned silence as Professor McGonagall fell silent. Alice continued to stare curiously at the professor, her emerald eyes widening with every word.

"Are you a witch too?" Professor McGonagall appeared surprised by Alice's question, as if she expected a different one.

"I am. Most Muggle-borns usually ask if this is truly real before asking if I can perform magic."

"What is a Muggle-born?" Alice asked. "And…if this is truly real, how can you perform magic?"

"A Muggle-born is a witch or a wizard who is born to two non-magical parents. There are many Muggle-borns in the wizarding world, and most of them reside in the magical world after their schooling is complete."

Alice frowned. So…I'm a Muggle-born, like she said. But why would they want to live in a world of magic far away from their family? Their parents must miss them.

Before Alice could speak however, her mother interrupted the conversation hotly.

"How do we know if this is true and this not a lie?" Her hazel eyes narrowed at the sight of the witch. "What proof do you have that magic is real?"

"Very well." Before anyone could react, the witch in dark emerald robes pointed something thin and long in the direction of the television across from them. It transformed into a small white rabbit.

"Oh my…" Alice's mother whispered. Her daughter stared at the tiny white rabbit. Its fur looked fluffy and soft to the touch. Doe-like black eyes stared nervously in the human's direction. Alice turned and spoke to Professor McGonagall in amazement.

"Can you truly do that?"

"That and more," the witch replied briskly. "You will also be able do to similar actions if you go to Hogwarts during the seven years you are there."

"How long is Alice going to be at this…school?" Alice's father spoke, and Professor McGonagall shortly nodded to him.

"Miss Kirkland will be gone from September first to the beginning of the winter holidays, if she wishes. There is a train at King's Cross Station that will arrive in Muggle London, and you will able to find her there. Then there is a summer break, starting in June and ending until the next year begins, which will be on September first." Alice's mother and father were slowly nodding. However, Professor McGonagall's expression slightly shifted when she saw the disappointed look across Alice's face.

"Does that mean I cannot go to my school anymore?" The expression Professor McGonagall showed her told her the answer. "Ms. Engle told us last year that we were going to learn about the War of the Roses." Professor McGonagall had an unreadable expression on her face, thinking she had never hear such a statement from any Muggle-born during her time teaching at Hogwarts. The witch didn't know exactly why she had decided to come to the Muggle countryside and explain magic and the world awaiting this young girl. This was her first time taking up such a strange matter. However, perhaps it had nothing to do with the child's inquisitive nature, but her name. Professor McGonagall remembered the name Kirkland from somewhere, but could not remember. A great wizard, perhaps?

"You are a very strange witch, Miss Kirkland," was all she stated.

"You are a very strange witch, Miss Kirkland." The words echoed in her mind as Alice now pushed her cart onto the King's Cross station. The sentence had been stated twice. Once by Professor McGonagall and the other by the wandmaker known as Ollivander. Alice slightly dug into her pocket to finger her wand, which was purchased the same day as her birthday now almost two months ago. Alice had been stunned by the sights of this new world when she and her parents went to Diagon Alley. It almost appeared as if she was in the past. People wearing robes as long as they were and old stores with dust covering the shelves.

The shopping was easy to do, as many of the witches and wizards were very kind and helpful. Alice had scowled when the one of the witches selling school robes had slightly laughed, as Alice had gotten the smallest robes should could find. I'm already small enough, she thought as she continued to observe to steam come out of the red train. These robs will probably swallow me. Alice had said goodbye to her parents, hugging them before she ran in between the platforms between nine and ten. She had paled when Professor McGonagall had told them how she was going to enter the train, but the witch assured her that it was safe. Alice now thought of the professor now, remembering her goodbye. She had simply said good luck to her, but there something in her eyes when Alice had smiled when the professor told her that she was teaching at Hogwarts.

Alice thought back to her wand. It had taken her a long time to find one, longer than most, Ollivander had said with a shake to his head. Something surged inside Alice when she was given her wand. There was warmth around her limbs, almost too hot and the feel of salt around her tongue. Ollivander had stared at her wand and stated it was very strange. "My family has been making wands from the very beginning, Miss Kirkland. I have seen such a wand as this – thirteen and one third inches, holly with a golden brown color with a phoenix feather as its core – except for a time long past. This is the very same wand as a wand my ancestor made, when Hogwarts was first built a millennia ago." Ollivander had replied with a quiet no when Alice asked when if he remembered the name of the person who had the wand.

"I do not, Miss Kirkland. However, I expect great things from you. It does not often happen that two wands are brothers." Alice sighed again and briefly looked back at the station. She wouldn't see her parents again until December. That's a long time away, Alice thought as she started boarding the train. I hope they'll be okay without me. Alice had not yet found a compartment yet. The young witches and wizards were already in groups of twos or fours, and Alice had yet to meet anyone who would welcome her. She was almost at the end of the train now. Although Alice could see at least one figure sitting in the compartment across from where she stood, she did not enjoy the prospect of going back and looking back at the full compartments.

"May I sit here?" Her voice was high and uncertain as she stared into the two seats. They were both occupied, with two dark brown haired girls sitting in the seats. One was staring at the window, apparently uninterested in Alice's question. The other didn't look at her but waved her hand forward. Alice observed them carefully. Both had dark brown hair and gray eyes. The one staring at the sky was wearing her Hogwarts uniform, the green and silver of her tie appearing to shine in light sun. She appeared to be older than the young witch Alice was sitting across from. She was wearing plain robes of dark red. As Alice continued to look at them, the taller girl suddenly asked,

"What's your name, kid?"

Alice looked surprised at the question, almost expecting the train ride to be silent, but she felt the other girl looked at her curiously.

"Alice Kirkland." The blond haired girl paused. "What's yours?"

The girl suddenly turned and this time Alice could see her face. A thin pace with sharp cheekbones and a small nose. The other girl looked close enough to her to be her younger sister. "Arya Eymr of Slytherin House." Seeing Alice's blank look, she continued. "This is my younger sister Evangeline Eymr. She expects to be sorted into Slytherin House as well."

"Sorted?" Alice repeated duly. Sudden Arya's face broke into a smirk.

"Good. That means you haven't heard the bullshit yet." Alice started. "Listen, kid." The witch named Arya looked straight into her eyes. "I know you're a Muggle-born, so don't you dare lie to me. There are four houses that every first year has to go through. There's Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, Gryfindor, and Slytherin."

"So that's what the animals stood for?" Alice blurted. For a moment there was silence. Then, Arya began to laugh. It sounded as if it came deep from her chest, and soon Evangeline was laughing as well. Alice shyly glanced away, a blush ordaining her cheeks.

"Yes. The animals," Arya stated with a small chuckle. "The houses are divided and a first year is sorted into the house he or she would be suited best. For example, the Ravenclaw is for the smart and those who desire knowledge. The Huffelpuff is for the kind and the diligent, and Gryfindor is for the brave and heroes," she stated slightly sarcastically. Alice looked at her in surprise, wondering now why both girls were frowning.

"What traits does Slytherin have?"

Alice waited. There wasn't an answer for a moment.

"The Slytherin is for the cunning and the dark," Arya steadily stated. She wouldn't look at Alice. "Most of us are considered negatively because of the legacy of our house." Her voice quieted. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and most of his followers were in Slytherin." At Alice's blank expression, the young witch rolled her eyes and laughed. "You don't know anything, do you?" The dark-haired girl didn't wait for a reply. "Because of the two wizarding wars in the past, Slytherin has been dominated by prejudice and darkness. Malfoy and his bloody croons aren't helping." Arya pointed a finger at Alice. "I'm telling this to you because my little sister knows it. Slytherin…it used to be a noble house. It had greatness, and I believe it still does. Before, many people wanted to get into Slytherin house. It was Merlin's House, the advisor of the great king and one of the most amazing wizards.

"But…because of the nonsense of blood purity and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Slytherin has been thought by most people as House where everyone who goes there is evil and will come to nothing but that goddam wizard's dog!" Arya punched the seat harshly, deep anger emerging from her voice. Alice watched her with wide eyes and the younger Evangeline watched as well. "It's part of the fault of that git Malfoy and his cronies that this happens in this time. I planned to change that, but nothing has come of it."

Alice almost wanted to embrace her Arya was shaking so hard. So…that's Slytherin. It saddened Alice that the actions of the few dictated the fate of their successors. As Arya calmed down, the older girl started to explain who this He-Must-Not-Be-Named was and of the war that occurred less than ten years ago. She told her about Harry Potter, the boy in her year who defeated the wizard who tried to kill him when he was an infant. "He may be somewhat prejudiced…but he's a good wizard," Arya had acknowledged with grudging respect. It was a couple of hours after Alice had first boarded the train. Alice stared at the two sisters in amazement, watching the two converse quietly as she observed them. Arya was more like fire, the blond-hair noted. In the very brief time she had known her, Alice noted that the fifth year had a quick temper and a sharp tongue. But she was patient. Evangeline didn't say very much, but she observed the conversation with her gray eyes and her voice was cool. She was also kind in her own way, allowing Alice to sit with both of them despite the possibility that they might have preferred to be alone.

"I hope I'm in Slytherin," Alice suddenly said. Arya looked up in shock and was narrowed her eyes at Alice.

"You would die in there, kid." Alice frowned, not liking at all that she was not called by her name by Arya. "Slytherin is a place for the cunning and the ambitious. And," she added as she looked straight into Alice's eyes, "You don't look like a person who can do bad things."

Alice thought. "Does that mean you can do bad things, Arya?" the blond haired girl asked quietly. The older witch didn't answer.