Wherever You Will Go


Harry turned the letter over again and ran his hand over the bright scarlet wax seal. He couldn't believe it ... his life had changed drastically in the past few days that he still needed time to absorb the information. He was destined to be a wizard, he was going to spend one full school term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry instead of at 4 Privet Drive, and ... and he had finally learned the truth about his parents. Learning his mum and dad had died trying to fight against Dark Magic had shed a whole new light on them, Harry wanted to learn more about the world he had been shielded from for eleven years. He wanted to learn more about his world.
Harry took larger steps, realizing that he had gotten behind Hagrid on their way to buy his school supplies. He looked eagerly around the bustling streets of London. He was almost too excited to handle. Harry only hoped that it wasn't a wonderful dream, and that he wouldn't be awakened by Dudley thundering down the stairs at the mere sniff of frying ham and then having his cupboard door banged on by a rather knobby Smeltings stick.
Harry opened the envelope's flap and took out his supplies list. He was so engrossed in the strange books and herbs he had to buy that he didn't notice the girl standing directly in front of him.
He slammed in to the girl, knocking her completely to the ground. A large piece of cream-colored parchment flew to the ground several feet beside her. Harry's cheeks burned a bright red as he bent down to help her up, Hagrid sniggering beside him.
"Oh, I'm so, so sorry. I really am." Harry pulled her up and she brushed off her clothes.
"It's fine. It was my fault just as much as yours.... Me standing here stupidly." She picked up the parchment from the ground, and Harry noticed that it was addressed in the same emerald green ink that Harry's letter was. He even caught a glimpse of a bright red seal on the back.
"I see yer goin' ter Hogwarts, also." Hagrid completed Harry's train of thought. Hargrid's whiskery face broke out into a smile.
"Oh, yes, I am. It's going to be my first year there." Harry's mind bustled with questions. He hadn't considered that Hogwarts might be an international school, for the girl spoke with a rather strong American accent.
The girl stuck out her hand in Hagrid's direction. "I'm Gwyneth Healy." Hagrid shoke it firmly, Gwyneth's whole arm shaking.
"Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. Nice ter meet ye." Gwyneth smiled and turned to Harry. She shook Harry's hand, and he noticed how soft and warm it was. Someone of his own age hadn't been this kind to him in years, due to the threats of Dudley's gang. it was rather nice...
Harry noticed that he hadn't said who he was yet, and that she still had a grasp on his hand. "I'm, er, Harry Potter."
"Okay, this is going to make me sound incredibly dumb, but do you by chance know where to find our school supplies? I moved to London last month and I have yet to see a magic shop." She half smiled, as almost as if Harry and Hagrid were going to laugh at her.
"O' course! Me an' Harry were just headin' o'er ter Diagon Alley. Ya want ter come?" Gwen's smile grew wide, and she stepped beside Harry. They made small talk as they tried to keep up with Hagrid. They nearly missed it when Hagrid stopped at a rather shabby pub.
Shrugging, Gwen and Harry entered, following closely behind Hagrid. Pubs were new territory for both of them, and they felt slightly uncomfortable.
The pub became deathly silent when the inhabitants looked slowly towards them. Suddenly, gasps and hurried whispers were heard, and a small crowd drew around Harry.
"It's him! Oh, it's you, I've been waiting so long..."
"Nice, to meet you. I owe you a million thanks..."
"Bless you! Oh! Bless you! It's Harry Potter! Everyone, look! It's Harry Potter!"
Gwen looked terribly confused, as did Harry. Hagrid stood there, his hand clamped on Harry's shoulder, as almost as if someone would steal him away if he didn't keep him in arm's reach. Harry wondered if he were really that famous. He thought Hagrid had been exaggerating when he told Harry the story...
As they slowly made their way through The Leaky Cauldron, Hagrid led them through a back door, into a small courtyard. Hagrid stood there counting bricks, and Harry saw that Gwen was still pondering why the inhabitants of the pub were so mesmerized by him.
Suddenly, Hagrid tapped a brick, and the wall started opening. It went slowly and surely at first, then spread wide enough for the three of them to enter.
"Oh! Thank you so much! See you at school!" With that, Gwen trodded off towards Olivander's Wand Shop.
Time passed slowly for Harry. After Hagrid had taken him shopping, Harry had reluctantly returned to the Dursley household, longing for it to be September 1.
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Harry watched solemnly as another person walked up to the sorting hat and nervously put it on. Harry's breath caught in his throat as they worked down the list... Ron whispered things in his ear about the different houses.
"There wasn't a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin..." Harry grimaced. Probably, considering the luck he'd been dealt out, the stupid hat would put him in Slytherin. He dreaded sitting on that stool.
"Healy, Gwyneth." Professor McGonagall called out clearly, and the same girl he and Hagrid had helped to find Diagon Alley slowly walked up to chair. Her throat constricted with a gulp as McGonagall slipped the hat on, covering her warm brown eyes.
"Ah, yes... Ms. Healy. You've got the brains to be in Ravenclaw, yes, yes. You're loyal like a Hufflepuff, but too many secrets, I see. Can't put you there, no, can't do that. Maybe you should follow the others and go into Slytherin... it'd be the most conservative thing to do. Ah, but your heart knows the light. It isn't like the others. You belong somewhere else, I see ... you're in GRYFFINDOR!" A sigh escaped Gwen's lips as the hat left her head ... she had gotten into the house she'd wanted to.
Her brow furrowed, though, as her fellow Gryffindors sat down when the next student was called up. 'What does it mean by follow the others? The boy before me was a Ravenclaw. No one else in my family is magical, I'm muggle-born.' She shrugged the thoughts out of her head and contently watched the rest of the students.
Harry Potter had gotten the most applause out of everyone, the two twin red haired boys next to her actually standing up and chanting "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!" when he was sorted into her house. She had no clue why everyone knew of him, no clue why he was famous. She thought that maybe she should've read some before she came, but then thought about the reason why she didn't. It wasn't... permitted, shall we say. But, no one knew that. No one could know.
She looked up, only one last person stood in front of the stool. "Weasley, Ronald." The professor called out steadily. Ron's ears went red, and he shakily sat on the stool. Gwen realized that he must be related to the noisy twins behind him, who were whispering excitedly. "GO RON!" The one closest to her stood up, turning Ron even redder, as he sat down. After a few moment's silence, the hat screamed: "GRYFFINDOR!" Ron's family cheered, including a tall boy with a silver badge on his robes, his twin brothers and Harry Potter, also.
Ron sat down, smiling brightly. A very old wizard named Dumbledore gave an interesting speech and then food filled the plates in front of them.
Harry heard a boy named Seamus Finnigan talking about his mum and dad. Soon, everyone told their stories about their parents and how they got excepted to Hogwarts.
A girl with bushy brown hair and a know-it-all air about her said proudly, "I'm muggle-born. My parents are so proud to have a witch in the family... They said I'd excel, since I did in regular school. I already know all the school books by heart."
Ron snorted.
Harry looked across the table towards Ron's brothers. He noticed that Gwen was sitting by them, picking at the food on her plate nervously. Harry decided that she might have felt left out, and asked, "Gwen, what's your family like?" Harry smiled.
"I'm muggle-born, also. Uh, my mom left me and my dad when I was one. No reason, apparently, I guess she wasn't the motherly type. My dad and I move around a lot, we've never stayed in one place for more than a year. I'm just hoping that he'll let me stay in Hogwarts for the full seven." Gwen forced a smile, and looked towards Ron. He frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry about your mum. That must be hard." He said, taking a huge bite out of a chicken leg. For such a gangly boy, he sure had a large appetite.
"You get used to it. I never knew her anyway. I was too young..." She looked down again, and took a small bite of potatoes.
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Gwen fell into her bed sleepily. She longed to play the guitar that rested in the trunk at the end of her bed, but decided against it, for the noise would be too loud. She didn't want to wake up the other members of her dorm. She wanted to sing, to write poetry, to express the feelings that brewed inside of her. Those were the only outlets she had. Thinking up some lyrics, she nodded off to sleep.
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Harry and Ron had trouble finding Potions the day after. Finally finding it, they ran into the classroom, glad that the class had yet to start. A sneering blond boy that Ron and Harry had the displeasure of meeting their first day, was standing next to a sitting Gwen.
"You stupid mudblood, you don't belong here." Malfoy spat, hunching over Gwen's desk. "I don't like mudbloods, especially American ones." Harry, immeadiately deciding he hated Draco Malfoy with an overwhelming passion, walked swiftly over, Ron in tow, his mouth still gaping for hearing Malfoy call Gwen a mudblood.
"Oh, Malfoy, back off." Harry said, stepping in between Draco and the desk at which Gwen sat.
"This is none of your business, Potter." Draco spit his name out as if it left a sour taste in his mouth. "I can't believe you'd stick up for a mudblood. You're worse than I thought you'd be." Draco shut up and sat quickly at his own desk as Snape entered the room.
Gwyneth leaned over and whispered a hurried thank you. Nobody had ever cared about her enough to stick up for her. She was beginning to think that this school would be the best she'd ever attended, minus one sneering blonde pig.