I get up and stand in the forming line with the other fifth years. I
see Harry, so I double back so I can be near him. I overhear him, the tall
redheaded boy, and the Granger girl talking. "Harry, really, I don't think
you should send him an owl, you heard him, he gets the paper too, he'll
know what's going on…" "Hermione, shut up! Let him do whatever he wants.
It's his decision, right, Harry?" "Yeah, well, I do think Hermione's got a
point… I mean, why should I bother him and risk him getting caught just
because-" He stops talking as he sees me staring at him. "Can I do
something for you?" he asks me.
"Um, uh, you're Harry Potter, right?" I ask foolishly.
"I am," he replies.
"Uh, I'm Jewel," I say, extending my hand.
"Hello, Jewel." He shakes my hand. "You're in Slytherin, right? Wait, what am
I saying, we have Potions and Care of Magical Creatures together. Which means we're also in the same year…" He trails off. I notice the redheaded boy sizing me up. Though I am tall, he is still nearly half of a foot taller than me. I notice the line moving. We all move up.
"You weren't here last year," the Granger girl says.
"I am aware of that," I reply coldly.
"So, why not?"
"Because I lived in America last year."
"Oh. So, why'd you move to England?"
"Because my parents wanted to move. Something pulled us to move to England.
I'm not precisely sure why, though." I do know, but I don't feel like getting into it with someone who I don't know very well.
"I'm Ron," the redheaded boy blurts out.
"Oh. Pleased to meet you, Ron," I say, holding out my hand. He looks at it for a
few moments, then realizes why it's out. He goes to shake it, but I've already
pulled it back in. "So, are all of you from wizarding families?"
"I am, and so is Ron. But I was brought up in the muggle world." He seems
surprised that I don't know this about him.
"I am a-a-I don't know if I want to say it in front of a Slytherin," the Granger girl starts.
"Just say it Granger. Tell her you're a mudblood," Draco drawls as he strolls towards us, Crabbe and Goyle flanking his sides.
"You shouldn't say things like that about people that you don't know," I state, staring at him. I can tell Harry and Ron were going to yell at him, so I had to get in first. I also feel like yelling at Draco right now. I know my eyes are turning red, but it's something I'll just have to deal with right now. "Just because you're stupid and she's not doesn't give you the authority to call her evil names or boss her around or anything." I turn around after giving him a hard, cold stare. He retreats as I say, "He is such a jerk. I don't know who he thinks he is."
"The lord of the universe?" Ron suggests. We all laugh. The Granger girl looks like she's never had anybody except for Harry or Ron, especially not a Slytherin. She even almost has tears in her eyes.
"Wow, that was really nice of you," is all she seems to be able to say.
"Definitely," Harry agrees. I know that I have him hooked.
By this time, it's time for our wand checks. Ron goes first. A little more than a minute later, he is walking down the other side of the High Table platform. Next is the Granger girl.
"Why'd you stand up for Hermione?" Harry asks.
"Because. I felt it was right. I don't like people making fun at others no matter how they were born or raised, or by what they look like. I was like Hermione when I was in fourth grade and under, always the underdog. But then, in fifth grade-" I have to stop talking because it is Harry's turn for his wand to be checked.
About a minute later, I am standing up by the High Table, in front of Mr. Ollivander.
"I didn't sell this wand," he states, puzzled.
"I know. I got it in America."
"Well then, you're going to have to help me out a bit then, aren't you!" he replies, regaining his friendly composure.
"Alright," I say. I close my eyes. "Nine and a half inches, oak wood, single hair from a unicorn's mane."
"Okay, then! Now, to test it," he says. He points it straight upward, and a shower of green and silver sparkles come out. He swings it from his left to his right and a green and silver ropelike thing comes out. Then, he points it down towards the floor. What I see can't be really happening. A tiny unicorn comes out of my wand and starts parading around. Mr. Ollivander picks it up and gives it to me. "This is an exact replica of the unicorn that gave its hair for your wand, except, well, smaller," he tells me. "You may have it, to keep and to cherish. You can feed it, if you want to keep it alive, with leftover food from your meals. If you don't feed it, it will turn into plastic. Your wand, well, that's in perfect working order. You're free to go."
I walk down the stairs and see that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were waiting for me. We are all going to the same class, so we decide to walk together.
"I hate potions," Ron says.
"So do I," Harry agrees. "I swear, Snape is out to get me."
"Don't worry, even though I don't like potions, Snape doesn't seem to mind, just because I'm in Slytherin. It actually kind of sucks. I always get good marks in that class. He shows way too much favoritism."
"Definitely," Hermione chimes in.
We walk into the room and I sit next to Harry. The bell rings and Snape comes in. When he sees us sitting together, he yells, "Harry! Don't sit with her! Gryffindors aren't allowed to sit with Slytherins! Twenty points off from Gryffindor!"
"Since when was that a rule?" he asks coldly.
"Since forever. I didn't think I'd have to tell you because a Slytherin has never tried to sit with a Gryffindor before, all in good reason."
"Fine. But, what would happen if I chose to continue sitting with her?"
"You would get detention for a week."
"Mmm-hmm… But that's all that would happen? No more points off?"
"No, I guess not…"
"Then I think I'll continue sitting with her."
"Um, uh, you're Harry Potter, right?" I ask foolishly.
"I am," he replies.
"Uh, I'm Jewel," I say, extending my hand.
"Hello, Jewel." He shakes my hand. "You're in Slytherin, right? Wait, what am
I saying, we have Potions and Care of Magical Creatures together. Which means we're also in the same year…" He trails off. I notice the redheaded boy sizing me up. Though I am tall, he is still nearly half of a foot taller than me. I notice the line moving. We all move up.
"You weren't here last year," the Granger girl says.
"I am aware of that," I reply coldly.
"So, why not?"
"Because I lived in America last year."
"Oh. So, why'd you move to England?"
"Because my parents wanted to move. Something pulled us to move to England.
I'm not precisely sure why, though." I do know, but I don't feel like getting into it with someone who I don't know very well.
"I'm Ron," the redheaded boy blurts out.
"Oh. Pleased to meet you, Ron," I say, holding out my hand. He looks at it for a
few moments, then realizes why it's out. He goes to shake it, but I've already
pulled it back in. "So, are all of you from wizarding families?"
"I am, and so is Ron. But I was brought up in the muggle world." He seems
surprised that I don't know this about him.
"I am a-a-I don't know if I want to say it in front of a Slytherin," the Granger girl starts.
"Just say it Granger. Tell her you're a mudblood," Draco drawls as he strolls towards us, Crabbe and Goyle flanking his sides.
"You shouldn't say things like that about people that you don't know," I state, staring at him. I can tell Harry and Ron were going to yell at him, so I had to get in first. I also feel like yelling at Draco right now. I know my eyes are turning red, but it's something I'll just have to deal with right now. "Just because you're stupid and she's not doesn't give you the authority to call her evil names or boss her around or anything." I turn around after giving him a hard, cold stare. He retreats as I say, "He is such a jerk. I don't know who he thinks he is."
"The lord of the universe?" Ron suggests. We all laugh. The Granger girl looks like she's never had anybody except for Harry or Ron, especially not a Slytherin. She even almost has tears in her eyes.
"Wow, that was really nice of you," is all she seems to be able to say.
"Definitely," Harry agrees. I know that I have him hooked.
By this time, it's time for our wand checks. Ron goes first. A little more than a minute later, he is walking down the other side of the High Table platform. Next is the Granger girl.
"Why'd you stand up for Hermione?" Harry asks.
"Because. I felt it was right. I don't like people making fun at others no matter how they were born or raised, or by what they look like. I was like Hermione when I was in fourth grade and under, always the underdog. But then, in fifth grade-" I have to stop talking because it is Harry's turn for his wand to be checked.
About a minute later, I am standing up by the High Table, in front of Mr. Ollivander.
"I didn't sell this wand," he states, puzzled.
"I know. I got it in America."
"Well then, you're going to have to help me out a bit then, aren't you!" he replies, regaining his friendly composure.
"Alright," I say. I close my eyes. "Nine and a half inches, oak wood, single hair from a unicorn's mane."
"Okay, then! Now, to test it," he says. He points it straight upward, and a shower of green and silver sparkles come out. He swings it from his left to his right and a green and silver ropelike thing comes out. Then, he points it down towards the floor. What I see can't be really happening. A tiny unicorn comes out of my wand and starts parading around. Mr. Ollivander picks it up and gives it to me. "This is an exact replica of the unicorn that gave its hair for your wand, except, well, smaller," he tells me. "You may have it, to keep and to cherish. You can feed it, if you want to keep it alive, with leftover food from your meals. If you don't feed it, it will turn into plastic. Your wand, well, that's in perfect working order. You're free to go."
I walk down the stairs and see that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were waiting for me. We are all going to the same class, so we decide to walk together.
"I hate potions," Ron says.
"So do I," Harry agrees. "I swear, Snape is out to get me."
"Don't worry, even though I don't like potions, Snape doesn't seem to mind, just because I'm in Slytherin. It actually kind of sucks. I always get good marks in that class. He shows way too much favoritism."
"Definitely," Hermione chimes in.
We walk into the room and I sit next to Harry. The bell rings and Snape comes in. When he sees us sitting together, he yells, "Harry! Don't sit with her! Gryffindors aren't allowed to sit with Slytherins! Twenty points off from Gryffindor!"
"Since when was that a rule?" he asks coldly.
"Since forever. I didn't think I'd have to tell you because a Slytherin has never tried to sit with a Gryffindor before, all in good reason."
"Fine. But, what would happen if I chose to continue sitting with her?"
"You would get detention for a week."
"Mmm-hmm… But that's all that would happen? No more points off?"
"No, I guess not…"
"Then I think I'll continue sitting with her."