Chapter 3: Arrival At Hogwarts
Crescent, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got off the train.
"What about our luggage?" Crescent asked, confused. They couldn't drag their stuff around all night.
"It gets taken to the dorm rooms," replied Harry.
"But I don't know what House I'm going to be in. What'll they do with all my stuff---leave it in the hallway?"
"You'll be sorted into one of the Houses tonight before the feast," Hermione said.
"Hope you're in Gryffindor!" said Ron. "That's the House we're in."
"Cross your fingers and toes that I get put in Gryffindor," replied Crescent.
A moment later, a stern-looking woman with her hair pulled into a bun walked towards them.
"Ms. Greyson?" she called. "Come with me." Crescent followed her into a large room, where there were five other students, all wearing the exact same thing that she wore. "I must go take the first years to the Great Hall. Wait here for a few moments, all of you." Then she left the room.
Crescent gazed around the room in wonder. All of the paintings were moving.
"You're muggle-born, aren't you?"
Crescent turned to stare at the guy standing a few feet behind her. He was sneering.
"Yeah. And your point would be?"
The guy walked over to her.
"Only that you don't belong here. Purebloods only." He smirked at her, and Crescent sighed.
Then she gave him the finger.
He gaped at her, but didn't say anything, because at that moment, the lady from earlier returned.
"Come with me, all of you," she said. They followed her out of the room, and a few minutes later, they reached a huge room with hundreds of students in there. They all wore school uniforms and black pointed hats. The lady led them up to the front of the room, where there was an old hat on a wooden seat.
An old man wearing long purple robes made of velvet, with a matching hat, stood up.
"Students of Hogwarts, I am pleased to announce that we have some new additions to our student body this year. Please welcome Christina, George, Bartholomew, Donald, Serena, and Crescent, who have come all the way from America." Everyone in the room applauded. "Now, Professor McGonagall, if you would kindly call the students to be Sorted?"
Professor McGonagall nodded, and pulled a scroll out.
"Addison, Christina!"
A girl with short blond hair walked up to the seat, and McGonagall put the hat on her head.
"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.
"Balton, George!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Garrison, Bartholomew!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Kerr, Donald!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Finally, it was Crescent's turn. She swallowed hard, and walked up to the seat. But the hat hadn't even touched her head when it screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Crescent grinned hugely as the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting erupted into cheers. She jumped down from the seat and ran over to the table.
"Yes! I knew you'd be a Gryffindor!" Ron yelled.
A moment later, "Taylor, Serena!" became a Ravenclaw, and Professor McGonagall put the scroll away. Then she carried the seat and the Sorting Hat away.
The old man stood up again.
"I must remind all first years, as well as the transfer students, that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits. Now, let the feast begin!"
Crescent's jaw dropped as platters of food appeared in front of them, and she eagerly dug in. A little while later, the food disappeared from the tables, and was almost instantly replaced by various desserts that looked and smelled absolutely delicious.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, the desserts disappeared, and all the students stood up. The Gryffindors headed upstairs.
"The boys dorm is that way, and the girls dorm is that way," said a boy a year older than Crescent. "Your belongings have already been taken to your dorms. Lights out, everyone."
When she got up to the girls dorm, Crescent pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, climbed under the covers of her bed, and fell asleep almost instantly.
* * *
The next day, Crescent ran down to the dungeons where Potions was being taught.
"Oh, I don't wanna be late, I don't wanna be late!" she muttered. Suddenly, her foot landed on a wet spot on the stone steps, and she fell down the steps. "Ow, ow, ow!" She got to her feet, grabbed her bag, and sped off towards the Potions classroom.
She reached the room a moment later, and saw that the lessons had already begun. Crescent walked into the classroom, and everyone looked up at her, including Professor Snape. --Just my luck; he *would* have to be one of my teachers-- she thought unhappily.
"You're late, Ms. Greyson," Snape said coldly.
"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, but it's kind of hard to be on time when you fall down a flight of steps," Crescent apologized.
She sat down next to Harry, who muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "I can't believe Snape didn't take any points from Gryffindor. He *never* misses a chance to take points from Gryffindor."
"Potter, five points from Gryffindor for talking during class," Snape said.
"You spoke too soon," whispered Crescent.
A few minutes later, Snape had told them all how to properly make a sleeping potion, and they crowded around their cauldrons. Crescent made certain that she had all her ingrediants, and then she set to work on her potion.
Snape walked around the classroom, a sneer on his face. He hurled criticism at the Gryffindors, and heaped praise upon the Slytherins. He passed by Crescent's cauldron, and saw that she was busy adding the ingrediants to her potion. As he watched her delicately remove the powdered newt scales from their vial, Snape was shocked when he saw how expertly she was making the sleeping potion. She handled each ingrediant with extreme caution and respect, which was rare among students.
"Ms. Greyson!" Snape snapped, judging to see how she would react to being snuck up on from behind. The rest of the class nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden interruption.
Not Crescent. She merely stopped what she was doing, and looked up at him.
"Yes, Professor Snape?" she asked calmly.
"Have you ever made a potion before?" Snape asked, his voice quiet and deadly.
"No, I haven't, Professor Snape," Crescent replied truthfully.
To everyone's shock, Professor Snape gave her the faintest of smiles, which he usually reserved for Slytherins only.
"Your potion would prove otherwise. You're doing excellant, Ms. Greyson. Ten points to Gryffindor." Everyone gaped at both Professor Snape and Crescent.
A short while later, the bell rang, and everyone left the Potions classroom.
"I can't believe it!" said Harry incredulously as he, Ron, Hermione, and Crescent left the Potions classroom together. "Snape *never* gives points to Gryffindor!"
"Not only that, but he never tells a Gryffindor that he or she has done excellant," Ron added excitedly. "You deserve an award, or a medal, or something, Crescent!"
"You did really well, Crescent," said Hermione happily. "I've never seen anyone make a sleeping potion that well---"
"Except for you," mumbled Ron. Hermione and Crescent both turned on him.
"Shut up, Ron," they said in unison. Crescent pulled out her schedule to see what her next class was.
"Care of Magical Creatures? Sounds totally bizarre." She grinned at the others. "I think I'm gonna like that class."
When they arrived there, Crescent saw a huge man with a wild mane of hair and a beard.
" 'Ello!" he called, waving at them.
"Hello, Hagrid," called Harry. "This is Crescent Greyson."
"One of th' transfer students, aren't yeh?" asked Hagrid curiously. "Name's Rubeus Hagrid. I'm th' teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, as well as bein' Keeper of Keys and Grounds here. The four of yeh are a bit early, but that's all right."
"What kind of creature did you bring today, Hagrid?" asked Ron curiously, and Crescent saw that he was a bit nervous-sounding. Hagrid just smiled.
"Yeh'll find out what I've planned when the rest of the class gets here," replied Hagrid.
A few minutes later, the rest of the class arrived, and Crescent scowled when she saw that half the class was made up of Slytherins.
A moment later, Hagrid stood in front of the class, grinning broadly.
"Oh, wonderful," someone muttered behind Crescent. She turned around and saw that it was Draco Malfoy. "Wonder what sort of monster that great oaf's gotten hold of this time?"
Crescent scowled. --What an asshole.--
"I thought we'd have an unusual lesson today," said Hagrid, and Crescent immediately caught a whiff of terror coming from nearly the entire class, with the exception of herself, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Each of yeh'll choose a creature and study it. Yeh can pick whatever creature yeh want, 's long as it's not an illegal creature."
"What? We aren't going to be studying manticores this year?" asked Malfoy sarcastically. "Or are you afraid that you'll get sacked?"
The rest of the Slytherins laughed, while the Gryffindors looked enraged. Crescent's eyes narrowed angrily.
POW! Malfoy staggered backwards under the force of the blow, and then fell, landing on his butt. Crescent hadn't dealt him a ladylike slap of disapproval; she'd hit him with every ounce of strength she possessed, plus some she didn't even know she had. The rest of the Slytherins stopped laughing immediately, and stared at her in shock. Crescent stood over him, a furious look on her face.
"Have you got anything else to say, Malfoy?" she spat. Malfoy looked up at her, and shook his head, glaring up at her. "Then apologize to Hagrid."
"No." Crescent cocked her fist. "All right, all right! I'm sorry, Hagrid!"
"Thank you." To everyone's surprise, Crescent pulled Malfoy to his feet, and he glowered at her before heading back over to the Slytherins.
The rest of the lesson passed uneventfully, with the rest of the Gryffindors congratulating her, and the Slytherins shooting her hate-filled glances. Even Hagrid came up to congratulate her. Crescent looked over at Draco, and saw that he was whispering with several other Slytherins. When he saw her looking at him, he glared at her hatefully, and made a slashing motion across his throat with his finger.
Crescent glared back at him. She understood fully what that slashing motion meant.
The lines had been drawn.
This was war.
to be continued...
* * *
A/N: As always, please R&R. Flamers will be pelted with dungbombs, and then get their sorry arses kicked to Middle Earth. See ya!
Crescent, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got off the train.
"What about our luggage?" Crescent asked, confused. They couldn't drag their stuff around all night.
"It gets taken to the dorm rooms," replied Harry.
"But I don't know what House I'm going to be in. What'll they do with all my stuff---leave it in the hallway?"
"You'll be sorted into one of the Houses tonight before the feast," Hermione said.
"Hope you're in Gryffindor!" said Ron. "That's the House we're in."
"Cross your fingers and toes that I get put in Gryffindor," replied Crescent.
A moment later, a stern-looking woman with her hair pulled into a bun walked towards them.
"Ms. Greyson?" she called. "Come with me." Crescent followed her into a large room, where there were five other students, all wearing the exact same thing that she wore. "I must go take the first years to the Great Hall. Wait here for a few moments, all of you." Then she left the room.
Crescent gazed around the room in wonder. All of the paintings were moving.
"You're muggle-born, aren't you?"
Crescent turned to stare at the guy standing a few feet behind her. He was sneering.
"Yeah. And your point would be?"
The guy walked over to her.
"Only that you don't belong here. Purebloods only." He smirked at her, and Crescent sighed.
Then she gave him the finger.
He gaped at her, but didn't say anything, because at that moment, the lady from earlier returned.
"Come with me, all of you," she said. They followed her out of the room, and a few minutes later, they reached a huge room with hundreds of students in there. They all wore school uniforms and black pointed hats. The lady led them up to the front of the room, where there was an old hat on a wooden seat.
An old man wearing long purple robes made of velvet, with a matching hat, stood up.
"Students of Hogwarts, I am pleased to announce that we have some new additions to our student body this year. Please welcome Christina, George, Bartholomew, Donald, Serena, and Crescent, who have come all the way from America." Everyone in the room applauded. "Now, Professor McGonagall, if you would kindly call the students to be Sorted?"
Professor McGonagall nodded, and pulled a scroll out.
"Addison, Christina!"
A girl with short blond hair walked up to the seat, and McGonagall put the hat on her head.
"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.
"Balton, George!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Garrison, Bartholomew!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Kerr, Donald!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Finally, it was Crescent's turn. She swallowed hard, and walked up to the seat. But the hat hadn't even touched her head when it screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Crescent grinned hugely as the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting erupted into cheers. She jumped down from the seat and ran over to the table.
"Yes! I knew you'd be a Gryffindor!" Ron yelled.
A moment later, "Taylor, Serena!" became a Ravenclaw, and Professor McGonagall put the scroll away. Then she carried the seat and the Sorting Hat away.
The old man stood up again.
"I must remind all first years, as well as the transfer students, that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits. Now, let the feast begin!"
Crescent's jaw dropped as platters of food appeared in front of them, and she eagerly dug in. A little while later, the food disappeared from the tables, and was almost instantly replaced by various desserts that looked and smelled absolutely delicious.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, the desserts disappeared, and all the students stood up. The Gryffindors headed upstairs.
"The boys dorm is that way, and the girls dorm is that way," said a boy a year older than Crescent. "Your belongings have already been taken to your dorms. Lights out, everyone."
When she got up to the girls dorm, Crescent pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, climbed under the covers of her bed, and fell asleep almost instantly.
* * *
The next day, Crescent ran down to the dungeons where Potions was being taught.
"Oh, I don't wanna be late, I don't wanna be late!" she muttered. Suddenly, her foot landed on a wet spot on the stone steps, and she fell down the steps. "Ow, ow, ow!" She got to her feet, grabbed her bag, and sped off towards the Potions classroom.
She reached the room a moment later, and saw that the lessons had already begun. Crescent walked into the classroom, and everyone looked up at her, including Professor Snape. --Just my luck; he *would* have to be one of my teachers-- she thought unhappily.
"You're late, Ms. Greyson," Snape said coldly.
"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, but it's kind of hard to be on time when you fall down a flight of steps," Crescent apologized.
She sat down next to Harry, who muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "I can't believe Snape didn't take any points from Gryffindor. He *never* misses a chance to take points from Gryffindor."
"Potter, five points from Gryffindor for talking during class," Snape said.
"You spoke too soon," whispered Crescent.
A few minutes later, Snape had told them all how to properly make a sleeping potion, and they crowded around their cauldrons. Crescent made certain that she had all her ingrediants, and then she set to work on her potion.
Snape walked around the classroom, a sneer on his face. He hurled criticism at the Gryffindors, and heaped praise upon the Slytherins. He passed by Crescent's cauldron, and saw that she was busy adding the ingrediants to her potion. As he watched her delicately remove the powdered newt scales from their vial, Snape was shocked when he saw how expertly she was making the sleeping potion. She handled each ingrediant with extreme caution and respect, which was rare among students.
"Ms. Greyson!" Snape snapped, judging to see how she would react to being snuck up on from behind. The rest of the class nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden interruption.
Not Crescent. She merely stopped what she was doing, and looked up at him.
"Yes, Professor Snape?" she asked calmly.
"Have you ever made a potion before?" Snape asked, his voice quiet and deadly.
"No, I haven't, Professor Snape," Crescent replied truthfully.
To everyone's shock, Professor Snape gave her the faintest of smiles, which he usually reserved for Slytherins only.
"Your potion would prove otherwise. You're doing excellant, Ms. Greyson. Ten points to Gryffindor." Everyone gaped at both Professor Snape and Crescent.
A short while later, the bell rang, and everyone left the Potions classroom.
"I can't believe it!" said Harry incredulously as he, Ron, Hermione, and Crescent left the Potions classroom together. "Snape *never* gives points to Gryffindor!"
"Not only that, but he never tells a Gryffindor that he or she has done excellant," Ron added excitedly. "You deserve an award, or a medal, or something, Crescent!"
"You did really well, Crescent," said Hermione happily. "I've never seen anyone make a sleeping potion that well---"
"Except for you," mumbled Ron. Hermione and Crescent both turned on him.
"Shut up, Ron," they said in unison. Crescent pulled out her schedule to see what her next class was.
"Care of Magical Creatures? Sounds totally bizarre." She grinned at the others. "I think I'm gonna like that class."
When they arrived there, Crescent saw a huge man with a wild mane of hair and a beard.
" 'Ello!" he called, waving at them.
"Hello, Hagrid," called Harry. "This is Crescent Greyson."
"One of th' transfer students, aren't yeh?" asked Hagrid curiously. "Name's Rubeus Hagrid. I'm th' teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, as well as bein' Keeper of Keys and Grounds here. The four of yeh are a bit early, but that's all right."
"What kind of creature did you bring today, Hagrid?" asked Ron curiously, and Crescent saw that he was a bit nervous-sounding. Hagrid just smiled.
"Yeh'll find out what I've planned when the rest of the class gets here," replied Hagrid.
A few minutes later, the rest of the class arrived, and Crescent scowled when she saw that half the class was made up of Slytherins.
A moment later, Hagrid stood in front of the class, grinning broadly.
"Oh, wonderful," someone muttered behind Crescent. She turned around and saw that it was Draco Malfoy. "Wonder what sort of monster that great oaf's gotten hold of this time?"
Crescent scowled. --What an asshole.--
"I thought we'd have an unusual lesson today," said Hagrid, and Crescent immediately caught a whiff of terror coming from nearly the entire class, with the exception of herself, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Each of yeh'll choose a creature and study it. Yeh can pick whatever creature yeh want, 's long as it's not an illegal creature."
"What? We aren't going to be studying manticores this year?" asked Malfoy sarcastically. "Or are you afraid that you'll get sacked?"
The rest of the Slytherins laughed, while the Gryffindors looked enraged. Crescent's eyes narrowed angrily.
POW! Malfoy staggered backwards under the force of the blow, and then fell, landing on his butt. Crescent hadn't dealt him a ladylike slap of disapproval; she'd hit him with every ounce of strength she possessed, plus some she didn't even know she had. The rest of the Slytherins stopped laughing immediately, and stared at her in shock. Crescent stood over him, a furious look on her face.
"Have you got anything else to say, Malfoy?" she spat. Malfoy looked up at her, and shook his head, glaring up at her. "Then apologize to Hagrid."
"No." Crescent cocked her fist. "All right, all right! I'm sorry, Hagrid!"
"Thank you." To everyone's surprise, Crescent pulled Malfoy to his feet, and he glowered at her before heading back over to the Slytherins.
The rest of the lesson passed uneventfully, with the rest of the Gryffindors congratulating her, and the Slytherins shooting her hate-filled glances. Even Hagrid came up to congratulate her. Crescent looked over at Draco, and saw that he was whispering with several other Slytherins. When he saw her looking at him, he glared at her hatefully, and made a slashing motion across his throat with his finger.
Crescent glared back at him. She understood fully what that slashing motion meant.
The lines had been drawn.
This was war.
to be continued...
* * *
A/N: As always, please R&R. Flamers will be pelted with dungbombs, and then get their sorry arses kicked to Middle Earth. See ya!