The Hogwarts Express let out a loud whistle, steam rising from the wheels as it squealed to a stop at Hogsmeade Station.
"We're here," Draco commented.
"Obviously," Alli laughed.
Draco stood up and held his hand out to her. Alli laced her fingers with his and rose. they stepped out of the train. Draco shoved past a few first years to get to the carriages. Alli dropped his hand as she looked up at Hogwarts Castle for the first time, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Whoa," she whispered. She looked over her shoulder at Draco and grinned. Draco raised his eyebrows. "Come on!" Alli squealed taking his hand and pulling him through the crowd.
"Firs' years!" a giant bearded man called. He waved his hand. "Firs' years over this way!" The group of tiny first years walked around confused. The large man waved his hand again. "Over by the boats now!"
Alli followed Draco over to the long line of carriages. She climbed up into the next carriage and sat down on the leather seat. Draco sat down beside her. Three other boys joined them before the carriage took off pulling them through the gates. One of the boys was very plump with hardly any neck that reminded Alli vaguely of Harry's uncle. The second boy was huge and very muscular. The last boy was tall and thin.
"Good summer?" the tall one asked Draco.
"Yeah," Draco muttered looking away from the boy's face.
"And, I don't believe I've seen you before," the tall boy said to Alli.
"I'm Allison," said Alli, "Alli... Potter."
"Potter?" the plump one spoke up, "Like Harry Potter?"
"Yeah," said Alli, "we're cousins."
Alli tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. The boys stared at her blankly.
"Are you planning on telling me who you are?" Alli said finally, raising her eyebrows.
"Oh right, yes. I'm Crabbe," the plump boy said. "And this is Goyle." He gestured to the muscular boy. Alli raised her eyebrows.
"Last names," Draco told her under his breath before Alli said anything.
"Why does everyone call each other by their last names here?" Alli thought aloud. "Like, that's so weird. Why don't you just call everyone by their first names?"
No one answered; not even Draco.
"I'm Blaise Zabini," the tall boy told her.
"So, should I call you Blaise or Zabini, then?" Alli said jokingly.
The carriage stopped as they neared the doors to the Hogwarts castle. Blaise didn't answer so Alli just nodded her head once.
She stepped down from the carriage and turned to Draco.
"Hey, I'll see you later. There's something I need to take care of," Alli told him. She turned to the rest of the group. "It was, um, nice to meet y'all, I guess." The boys continued to awkwardly stare at her. "Okay. Well, bye."
As soon as she turned away from them, she rolled her eyes. When she entered the castle, she spied Professor McGonagall standing by a large staircase near the entryway.
"Miss Potter, I see you've made it here in one piece," McGonagall said as Alli met her by the staircase.
"Yes, Professor," Alli replied.
"Ah, Allison," said an ancient, but wise-sounding voice from behind her. Alli recognized him immediately and smiled.
"Hey, Professor Dumbledore. It's nice to see you again," Alli greeted him.
"Yes, welcome, welcome. I assume your trip was satisfactory?" Dumbledore asked. Alli thought back to Draco and nodded her head.
"Very," Alli answered.
"Wonderful. I have a feeling, Allison, that you may get some attention while you are here," Dumbledore explained, "Some wanted and some unwanted."
He looked down at her through his half-moon spectacles.
""Nevertheless, you will be sorted tonight and you will attend class tomorrow. Whether or not you feel the need to explain your past is up to you, not I, or anyone else. But I warn you, do keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I brought you here to keep you safe, under my watch. As you know, Lord Voldemort is getting stronger by the minute. I have no knowledge of what Lord Voldemort knows, but if you see anything, I want you to report it to me immediately."
"I understand, Professor," Alli said.
"Is there something you wish to tell me, Allison?" Dumbledore asked her.
His sparkling blue eyes seemed to pierce right through her. Alli thought back to the nightmare that she and Harry had shared, but decided that now was not the time.
"No, sir," Alli lied, "nothing."
"Very well," Dumbledore said calmly. "Professor McGonagall, if you would show Allison to where the rest of the first years are and have her sorted then I will begin the welcoming announcements.
Professor McGonagall nodded. Alli followed her to the top of the staircase where a group of 11-year-old kids was chatting with one another loudly. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and the first years fell silent.
"Welcome to Hogwarts,"she said, "I am Professor McGonagall, your headmistress. Now, before we begin the welcoming feast, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
Alli felt herself smile at the sound of Slytherin House. Professor McGonagall turned to Alli and said, "You will follow the first years into the Great Hall when I return. You will be sorted just the same and directed to your house table."
"What? Why?" Alli blurted out, wondering why she had to do the same as the younger kids in front of the whole school.
"You must be sorted into the correct house," McGonagall stated.
"Yeah, but I don't-"
"I will return momentarily," McGonagall announced, cutting Alli off. Alli scowled. McGonagall left and Alli was stuck with the first years. Alli crossed her arms over her chest, standing on the platform above the rest of the students.
"Who are you?" a young first-year boy asked Alli suddenly. Alli looked down at him.
"Allison," Alli said, "Potter," she added.
"Potter?" the boy answered in shock.
"That's what I said."
"Are you, I mean, related to—" a first-year girl began to ask.
"Yep," Alli said.
"Wicked," another boy exclaimed.
"But, how?" the girl asked. "I thought Harry Potter had no family."
"So, you're new here?" another first year piped up.
"Well, obviously," said Alli.
"But, you're so old."
"Okay," Alli replied. "What's your point?"
"You're supposed to start Hogwarts when you turn eleven though," the first boy told her.
"Well, they made an exception. I'm transferring," Alli said plainly. She was starting to get a little annoyed with all the questions.
"Is that why you have that funny accent?" the first girl asked.
Alli narrowed her eyes but before she could retort the first boy spoke.
"That's an American accent, stupid," the boy said to the girl.
"We're ready for you now," came Professor McGonagall's voice. She had returned. The first years and Alli followed McGonagall down the stairs and through the doors to the Great Hall.
The returning students were assembled at four long tables on the main floor. The professors were seated at another long table at the front. Alli glanced up at the ceiling and her eyes widened. It was as if there was no ceiling there at all; just the dark sky sprinkled with flickering stars. Alli was already impressed. This school was nothing like that one she had attended before. It was ancient, yet so much more majestic and magical than she imagined. McGongall led the group to the front where a ratty, old witch's hat with a rip in the brim, sat on a wooden stool.
"Now, when I call your name," McGonagall started, "I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house."
"Allen, Ashley," Professor McGonagall called. A young witch with brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles came forward and sat down on the stool. McGonagall placed the dirty hat on her head. Alli wrinkled her nose in disgust. Then, a few moments later, the rip in the brim moved into the shape of a mouth, and the hat called out, "Ravenclaw!"
Alli felt her heart beat faster. She didn't normally get nervous about standing in front of crowds so it caught her off-guard. Alli could feel the students' stares boring into her back. Earlier, she had been looking forward to this moment, but now she was just anxious to get it over with so she could sit down with Draco.
"Brunswick, Edward."
"Hufflepuff!"
"Cochran, Matthew."
"Gryffindor!"
A few more names were called until Alli finally heard:
"Potter, Allison."
Alli took a deep breath as she walked forward. she could hear the students erupt in whispering voices.
"Allison Potter? Like Harry Potter?"
"She looks nothing like him, though."
"She's too old to be a first year, isn't she?"
Alli walked carefully up the two stairs to the platform and sat uncomfortably on the tiny stool. It rocked back and forth but Alli managed to keep her balance. McGonagall touched the hat to Alli's head.
"A Potter?" the hat exclaimed in her ear, "Mmm, very well. This one is different. I see great power in you. You're brave and loyal. Oh, yes loyal. You're determined, yet creativity and curiosity overwhelms your mind. But, there is more, a hidden darkness. Yes, I think I know... SLYTHERIN!"
The Great Hall erupted into confused whispers and bewildered expressions.
"Slytherin?!" they whispered.
"But if she's related to Harry-"
"That doesn't make any sense!"
Alli smiled and ignored the whispers. She caught Draco's eye from across the hall who had a smirk playing on his lips. She stepped down from the platform and went over to the Slytherin table to sit beside him.
"That was annoying," said Alli, trying to keep a smile from forming as she looked at Draco.
Someone behind Alli cleared their throat. Alli turned around. A girl with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes stood there with her arms folded across her chest.
"You're in my seat, bitch," the girl snapped.
"Leave it alone, Pansy," Draco told her. "This is Pansy Parkinson, Alli."
"Oh, hi," Alli smiled. "I had no idea this was your seat. Cause you know it totally has your name on it. I should just move," Alli said sarcastically. She smiled up at Pansy. Pansy glared at her.
"Pansy, you can sit across from me," Draco told her calmly.
"Humph," Pansy snorted. She turned on her heel and walked around the table.
"Does she always walk with her nose in the air?" Alli observed.
Pansy sat down across from Draco. She grabbed his hands that were folded on the table and laced them with her own fingers.
"So, Draco, how was the rest of your summer? You seemed a little shaken up before you left," Pansy told him.
Alli narrowed her eyebrows.
"Seriously?" Alli said, angrily to Draco. Draco ignored her.
"I had some…business to attend to," Draco said distantly. He looked away.
"Well, I missed you. Why didn't you answer any of my letters?"
"I was busy," Draco said coldly.
"So busy that you couldn't send me a reply?"
"Forget it, Pansy," Draco said glancing at Alli.
"Well, how about you make it up to me then, hmm?" Pansy asked. Draco shot his eyes back to Pansy.
Pansy leaned over and whispered in Draco's ear. Unfortunately, Alli managed to catch the drift of what she said.
"Tonight at one A.M. in the common room and we'll renew a little of that summer fun," Pansy whispered.
Draco smirked. Alli felt her heart drop into her stomach. Pansy smiled, happy to have Draco back on her side.
"Are you fucking kidding me, right now?" Alli growled at Draco. Draco pulled his hands out of Pansy's grasp. Alli rolled her eyes.
After a quick dinner, Alli followed the Slytherin crowd to the common room deep in the castle's dungeons. Draco managed to disappear so Alli hung back from the rest, waiting for him. She leaned against the wall near the dungeon steps and crossed her arms over her chest until Draco came strolling towards her.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Alli snapped, grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him in front of her. "What the fuck?"
"What?" Draco said innocently
"You sit here and make out with me on the whole train ride here and then just turn on me to go have sex with some other girl?" Alli asked.
"Let me explain," Draco said.
"Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe I should just stay away from you," Alli said shaking her head.
"Alli, listen, don't…" Alli had begun to walk away, but Draco grabbed her arm and twisted her around to face him.
"Pansy was a summer fling, okay? It had already faded by the time I met you, I promise."
"Then why'd you agree to her for tonight, huh?"
"I…" Draco started, but then he realized he had no way to cover it and he stayed silent.
"Just what I thought," Alli said. She brushed past him and continued down the stairs to the brick entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Draco leaned against the cold stone wall and sighed, angrily.
"Dray-Dray, what's wrong?" Pansy asked coming up to him. Draco looked at her and rolled his eyes.
"Nothing," he muttered.
"So, about tonight I was thinking we could—" Pansy started.
"I don't know right now, okay," Draco said cutting her off. Pansy sighed.
"Draco!" she whined. "What's wrong? Come on, you can tell me! You tell me everything."
"I do not tell you everything, Pansy. If you knew everything about me then you would know by now that it's over between us if you call what we had over summer anything at all," Draco said coldly. Pansy's smile dropped. Draco started to walk away and then she spoke up again.
"Well… then would it help to tell you that –" Pansy began.
"Stop it, Pansy. Nothing you say right now is going to make me want you back."
"What about something I do?" Pansy muttered. She unbuttoned the first button on her shirt revealing more cleavage than was necessary. Draco was silent. He glanced behind him. The corridor was unoccupied.
"I'm all ready for you, Malfoy," Pansy whispered getting her face close to his. She kissed his lips seductively. Draco pushed her away.
"Stop trying to resist, Draco. I know you want to." She kissed him again. "Let's leave. Somewhere where we can be alone," Pansy whispered.
"Pansy..." Draco said, still trying to push her away but Pansy was persistent.
"Mr. Malfoy," called a deep voice from down the hall. Professor Snape's cloak swished around his legs as he approached. "Mr. Malfoy!" Snape called again. He trudged over to them and pulled Pansy away.
"15 points from Slytherin for not answering me when I called you and 30 points for disorderly sexual conduct," Snape growled. He looked at Pansy, "for both of you," Snape growled. "Mr. Malfoy this is your 1st warning this year. Let's keep it that way and not follow the same steps as you did last year."
Draco shot Pansy an angry glare, pushed her out of the way, and went to the common room.
Draco looked for Alli, but she was nowhere in sight. He sighed and went to his dormitory.
Alli knocked on the sixth-year girls' dormitory door and opened it. The dormitory was empty except for an average-looking girl with straight light-brown hair, plain blue eyes, and freckles on the bridge of her nose. She looked about a head taller than Alli, which wasn't unusual since Alli was shorter than the average sixteen-year-old. The girl was in the process of hanging up clothes in the bureau beside her bed. She looked over her shoulder when Alli entered the room.
"Hello," the girl said in a heavy, London accent.
"Hey," Alli replied. She spied her own trunk and belongings at the bed to the left side of the door.
"I'm Ashley Moore," said the girl.
"Hey, I'm Alli." She sat down on the edge of her new bed and sighed.
"You're the new girl, right? The transfer from America?"
"Yeah," Alli replied.
"I noticed your accent," said Ashley. Alli didn't know how to respond so she stayed silent. "What part of America are you from?"
"North Alabama," Alli answered, "It's in the Southern part of the United States."
"I've only been to America once. I went to New York City," Ashley told her.
"Cool," Alli said after a second, when she realized Ashley was done talking. Ashley turned back around and continued hanging up her clothes.
Alli opened her truck and quickly changed into her t-shirt and sweatpants combo. Then, she crawled into bed and slammed her head onto her pillow. Alli thought back to what happened at dinner with Draco. Before going to the common room, she had heard Pansy's voice around the corner. She watched just long enough to see Pansy press her lips to Draco's in the corridor. Alli shook her head angrily. 'I'm so stupid,' Alli thought. 'Why do I care? It's not like he promised me anything, anyway.' Alli closed her eyes and tried her best to think about something else, anything else. Eventually, the long day got to her, and Alli fell asleep.