Chapter Two: The Ginger Haired Girl and the Train
September 1st, 1992
"Is anyone sitting there?" Arathyn looked up as the partition door to the small train car opened and revealed a girl. She was a very peculiar girl, her clothes were aged and everything about her was plain except for her bright red hair and freckles. Arathyn looked around the empty coach, wishing nothing more than to reply it was full; sadly, besides her barn owl Riley, there was no one there to justify her claim.
"No." she replied. The young girl took that as an invitation and entered the compartment only to sit down across from her. The girl smiled nervously and after a few minutes of awkward silence spoke.
"Hullo, I'm Ginny by the way." The young girl stuck out a small pale hand from her worn robes. Arathyn looked at the girl with a strange look on her face, and eventually outstretched her hand to return the greeting.
"I'm Arathyn." She replied and watched as Ginny's face seemed to brighten up in surprise.
"You're from America?"
"Yeah." Arathyn replied plainly, and continued to watch the strange girl. Whenever Arathyn and her family met other wizards they always seemed to cringe away, that's why the only friends Arathyn had while growing up were either her cousins or brother.
"What are you doing all the way out here, don't they have wizarding schools in America?" Ginny asked.
Arathyn was beginning to think this girl was a bit off, everyone knew that the Ipswich family's had been forbidden from attending schools in America. She figured it would be best not to tell her, "My family wanted me to go to Hogwarts."
Ginny made an inaudible 'oh' and continued on happily, "See, my whole family has attended Hogwarts, in fact four of my older brothers are there, I'm the last to go in the family. How about you? Got any siblings at Hogwarts?"
"My older brother." Thankfully Ginny didn't ask any more questions about her family after that. Instead she asked about America and other random things that popped into her head. They talked about music, clothes, food and one another's native accents. Ginny was very curious about the West which she had only heard about in stories.
Ginny had taken a liking to Arathyn, although she didn't say much Arathyn was very attentive and curious by nature. A few times Ginny even managed to earn a genuine smile from the quiet girl. The two talked about many things and Arathyn began to slowly open up about herself. It turned out the two girls had a lot in common they both had old-fashioned names (Ginevra and Arathyn), liked chocolate a little too much and wanted to perfect their magical skills.
Despite Arathyn's lack of social skills the two girls were getting along just fine, Ginny even told her all about the type of sweets that were worth eating when the tea trolley came around. After they stuffed themselves and Arathyn had gained her first collectible wizard's card (Merlin), the two had begun to admire Arathyn's bird.
"I've never had my own owl. My family only shares one owl, Errol, and he's about as useful as a newborn. How did you come across him?" Ginny asked while absentmindedly stroking the good-natured bird's downy soft feathers.
"My father gave him to me as a birthday present."
The partition opened to reveal another girl with thick bushy hair and strangely large front teeth, unlike the two of them, she was already dressed in her black school robes.
"Oh, hello Ginny! We'll be arriving at Hogwarts in ten minutes, I'd advise you both to get dressed." Said the strange girl.
"Thanks Hermione. Oh, this is Arathyn another first year, Arathyn this is Hermione, she's a friend of my brother's."
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, a second year Gryffindor." Without any hesitation Hermione outstretched her hand and grabbed Arathyn's. Arathyn nodded awkwardly and gave a small uncomfortable smile, so far all of these British wizards and witches weren't so bad, but that was because she had yet to give them her surname. Still gripping her hand, Hermione turned to Ginny and asked,
"Have you seen Ron and Harry? I've searched the train, but they aren't here." Ginny shrugged and then prepared to change into her large, overly worn black robes and Arathyn followed likewise.
When they finished changing, the two girls got up and Arathyn reached for Riley's cage until Ginny stopped her.
"Don't worry, my brothers told me that all of our luggage gets taken to our room when we arrive." Arathyn nodded silently before reluctantly leaving the bird behind.
Ginny and Arathyn followed a large man with the rest of the first years to a small fleet of boats, some boy stepped on the back of Ginny's robes nearly causing her to fall into the black waters, Arathyn shot the boy a look, and followed Ginny into the boat.
The castle was bigger than anything Arathyn had ever seen, the grounds seemed to be endless and at the very edge, a forest as thick as darkness loomed over the grounds. As they entered the great doors that lead to the legendary innards of the school Arathyn tried not to let her amazement become too evident on her face.
"First years come along now!" A severe looking, black haired witch in deep maroon robes and a large pointy hat appeared in front of the group. She wore glasses and a very serious expression on her face that reminded Arathyn of her grandfather.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I am Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House. Now, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses; there are four houses Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. Now, seeing as we are a bit behind schedule I would like all of you to line up, single file, and follow me into the Great Hall."
Each nervous student did as they were told, sliding into a long train of black robes, and as the large doors opened to reveal a brightly lit hall a few gasps could be heard. There were four long tables filled with students from each of the houses and the professors sat at a table in the front, the ceiling had been bewitched to look like the night sky and candles floated in midair. As they walked in between the tables Arathyn puffed out her chest and lifted her head in hopes of shaking any nervousness in her. The person in front of her stopped walking and Arathyn followed in suit, the bustling hall began to quiet and Professor McGonagall brought out a rather dirty old hat and set it down on a small stool. Suddenly a tear in the hat's brim opened as if it were a mouth, and the hat began to sing. It was a very peculiar song about the history and traits of the school's houses, but while some of the other first years seemed to have enjoyed it, it only served to eat at Arathyn's patience. When the song ended Professor McGonagall returned with a large scroll and began to address the group of nervous first years.
"Now, when I call your name you will come up here and sit, I will place the Sorting Hat upon your head and then afterwards you will join your respective houses." Murmurs went through the group and then silence cloaked the hall.
"Dylan Andersen." A small boy stepped out of the line, took a seat down on the small stool and waited nervously for the hat to be placed upon his head. It took less than thirty seconds before the hat wailed, "Ravenclaw!" A table at the far end broke out into cheers and applause, and Dylan went to join his new housemates. The hat continued on shouting and the thunderous uproars of students continued.
Emilia Cortes went to Hufflepuff, and the boy after her, a small impish boy by the name of Colin Creevey went to Gryffindor.
McGonagall finally finished with the H's and proceeded with the I's much to Arathyn's distress.
Herrick Ian became a Slytherin and Kol Ikin followed after Herrick towards the Slytherin table. Dahlia Ingram was sorted into Hufflepuff and Satomi Inoue trickled off to join the Ravenclaws.
"Arathyn Ipswich." As her name was called an unholy silence filled the halls, and then the whispers followed. She knew this would come, as soon as her last name was revealed people would begin to talk, they would trade ridiculous tales back and forth about her and her family. Undeterred she walked towards the stool, trying to remember everything her family had told her before she left for London:
"Don't be scared and stand tall."
"Be proud of your family's name."
"Show them what it means to be an Ipswich."
Professor McGonagall shifted slightly as Arathyn sat down upon the stool and just like the students before her, she felt the brim of the Sorting hat touch down upon her head. A raspy voice began to whisper whether it was in her head or her ear was the question.
"Another Ipswich? The fourth to set foot in these halls, this will be interesting. I see you have your family's pride and cunning nature too. A Slytherin? Not enough social skills to be a Hufflepuff, but maybe that's what you need to flourish. Ooh, very brave perhaps a Gryffindor in the making? There's that prodigious mind as well, as to be expected of an Ipswich. You would outshine most other Ravenclaws. Now, where do I put a young prodigy like yourself?"
Arathyn cared little for where she ended up in, all she wanted was to find Witchr, and so wherever he was she would follow.
"There is a bright fire within you, a fire made of courage, determination, intelligence, and loyalty that can only be nurtured if I place you in...GRYFFINDOR!" The hall remained silent. There was no clapping or cheering to be heard anywhere, just hushed whispers.
Then a slow clap came from behind, Arathyn turned to see a wizened, old wizard in a pointed hat and silvery robes looking down at her. He had twinkling blue eyes and a long crooked nose, and as he began to clap others followed hesitantly until finally the entire hall had joined him. Although it was not as loud as any of the other students that came before, it did make Arathyn stare in wonder at the strange wizard. Slowly Arathyn made her way towards the Gryffindor table and took a seat on a bench, it wasn't surprising when those around her tried to move away.
Arathyn watched as Ginny was also sorted into Gryffindor, some other boys with the same red hair and freckles (probably her brothers) stood and cheered loudly as she made her way towards them. Arathyn knew this would come, after Ginny found out who she really was Arathyn would go back to being alone in silence. To her surprise Ginny sat down right beside her, judging by the looks from the other Gryffindors and her siblings it wasn't a decision they condoned.
When Ginny heard Arathyn's last name she recognized it immediately, her father had told her all about the Ipswich family and their role in the Salem Witch trials of America. The things she had heard about them made the Malfoy family look saintly. That mattered little to Ginny because she had spoken to Arathyn, even if it wasn't for very long, and she knew Arathyn wasn't like those evil wizards she'd heard about in the stories. Arathyn may be a bit introverted and shy, but if she was truly evil she wouldn't have been placed in Gryffindor.
Shortly after some announcements from the teachers the feast began, and the once empty glittering tableware had suddenly become piled with food! Ginny faithfully explained to the young American witch what each of the dishes were and even convinced Arathyn to try some Shepherd's pie which she likened to Chicken Pot Pie. After they had finished with dinner the plates were wiped clean and filled with new tantalizing desserts of all kinds. Ginny had some custard tart and strawberries while Arathyn stuck to her simple dish of mint ice cream. Eventually the plates and food disappeared altogether and the students were ushered off to bed.
The two girls along with the rest of the first years were to follow their prefects to the dormitories and that's just what they did. As the two girls walked through the corridors Arathyn watched the moving pictures from the corner of her eyes, the suits of armor that seemed to move and the ghostly apparitions that spoke to the prefects every now and again. As the girls walked in step with the two uniform lines of other fellow Gryffindor first years Arathyn felt some of them try and subtly drift away from her until the only ones who remained were the oblivious Muggle borns. Percy, Ginny's older brother, gave directions and pointed out some bathrooms and other classrooms as they passed by. Suddenly, Ginny stopped to stare at the door that Percy said led to the girl's toilets, but it went unnoticed by the others.
