Alana awoke that morning, very tired and practically starving. She
noticed a window was right near her bed, the sunlight shining across a
large field. The only shadows were cast by gigantic poles high up in the
air. It was then that Alana bubbled with excitement, they played quidditch
here. Alana herself was a fantastic seeker, and she had a great broom, an
original, handcrafted Sun Beam 600. But Alana refrained from telling anyone
who gave it to her. Or even why she had transferred here from her old
school. She just had problems there, that was all. She came to Hogwarts,
one of the best schools in the whole of Northern Europe, for a fresh start.
But second starts, she discovered, were very hard to make.
"I'm starved!" Grunted Ron as he walked towards the Grand Hall with Harry and Hermione.
"You should be! You were staring at-" Ron covered Hermione's mouth with his hand instantly.
"The seat where the new professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts would be," he finished. "Yeah. That's right, Herm. I should've eaten, yes, but oh well. Can't do anything now, can I?"
"Sooor!" Hermione said, as Ron noticed his hand was still cupped over her face. He removed as Hermione gasped for air and repeated what she said, "Sure!" She made a 'Humph!' sort of noise and hurried off with out them.
"Wonder what's up with her." Harry yawned. The Great Hall's ceiling was a beautiful, clear sky. Yet outside, it was somewhat cool, rather than hot. "Ah, perfect weather for Quidditch!"
"Yeah, that's sure right. Did you hear about the new seeker and captain yet?"
"No, actually." Harry replied. "I'll ask Madame Hooch later." The two boys found Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. They greeted them and sat down.
"Look over at the new professor!" Dean exclaimed, pointing next to Dumbledore, whom was talking to a young looking lady. She had blonde hair, and rather bright grey eyes.
"Aw! It's a girl, now Defense Against the Dark Arts will be like it was with Gilderoy. Except all of our creature will be pink." Ron laughed with Dean.
"Sure!" Parvati Patil overheard and gave Ron a nastly glance.
"Wonder where she was last night, eh?" Seamus said. Harry did wonder where she was the night before. There was a seat for her. Perhaps she had just been in late?
"I don't know, Seamus." Harry interjected as Dumbledore stood up, the hall suddenly went into a hush.
"Welcome, welcome! First day at Hogwarts of lessons. Now, being late would be tragic, but I must indeed give one more announcement." Dumbledore let the lady next to him stand. "This is Miss Wood. She will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts. Some of you may know her at Oliver Wood's older sister!" The girl grinned, she looked nothing like her brother other than the fact she was tall. The hall clapped for her and Dumbledore continued, "Welcome, Miss Wood. Now, tuck in, then!"
Alana saw her plate fill with food and she began talking to Martha. Pansy was sitting near them, giggling about something. She was very annoying, always giggling. Alana remembered hearing her last night chortling with another girl about something. "I wonder what I'll have first. I hope it's Quidditch lessons." Alana confided in Martha, whom was eating away. It made her a good listener, which Alana found nice about the big boned people in Slytherin. There was enough for one to be your friend, and you could talk to them about murdering someone, and they would be too concentrated on eating to know what you're going on about.
"Yeah, yeah..." Martha grabbed for some more toast.
"Too bad we won't be in the same class, I have to be with that weird Pansy Parkinson in class. Just thinking about what an ass she is can get annoying." Alana felt so free in Slytherin. She almost liked it then she wondered what Gryffindor was like. Soon, Alana decided to go back to the common room early to find her things. She asked Martha to come, but Martha declined and so Alana went off alone.
The halls in the dungeon echoed endlessly as Alana stepped through them. She heard some one wailing and raced pass a corner to see what happened and suddenly stopped herself. She backed up and heard an adult speaking. Alana froze to the spot she was in. "What the hell did you do to yourself?" It was Professor Snape, Alana realized.
"I don't know!" the younger voice cried, "Something came over me and I went to the kitchens, then- then I suddenly felt myself growing!" Alana took a peak and her eyes widened in fear, the boy who she had told off the night before was enormous. He had a fat, flabby face, he was so fat that he was bigger than Snape. Snape, though, had no inch of fear on his face, only anger. Alana moved backwards and ran quietly another way to the common room.
Harry and Ron were going over their schedule, looking for their first class. "Let's see," Ron said, "first we have Charms with Hufflepuff, then ooh, Divination with, erm, Hufflepuff." Harry grinned, he had always despised Divination, but it somehow always turned out too hilarious too miss. "Then, ugh, double Potions with Ravenclaw then lunch."
"And," Harry continued, "Yes! Study Hall, Free Period, then double Quidditch."
"Sorry, though."
Harry frowned, "Why?"
"Smashing as it may seem now, not so much when you find out Double Quidditch is with Slytherin." Harry grimaced even more as he flopped his head down on his shoulder as if to say, 'Oh no!'. Then the two boys headed to Charms. But it was at that time that Alana happened to go over the schedule with exact happiness.
"First, I have double Potions, then Arithmancy, then Muggle Studies, then lunch. Not so bad, I guess. Then study hall, free period, and Wow! Double Quidditch! With GRYFFINDOR! Today has to be the best day in the universe!" Alana did a spin as she headed off to Potions.
Alana happily took a seat near the back corner of the class. A ravenclaw came and sat next to her. "Hi." she said, "You look new."
"Yeah." Alana said.
"My name is Padma." the girl said excitedly.
"I'm Alana." Alana replied.
"Well, hopefully you'll get through Potions. Snape is a horror to talk to, much more to learn from."
"Don't scare me!" Alana laughed. And Padma shrugged as the doors flew shut. An icy voice came from a corner of the class.
"Well. Slytherin and Ravenclaw." It was Snape. "Today," He said, "I expect you to remember your Charms lessons as well as Potions, because you'll be learning something very important. I expect you to remember that this is not a class of which you may fool around. I expect you to remember Potions is an art!" He scowled.
A ravenclaw three rows in front of Alana whispered to a friend, "He expects us to remember a lot of things doesn't he?" Then he and his friend had a mild laugh, but not mild enough that Snape didn't hear.
"What are you two laughing about?" They straightened up. "Think Potions is not so useful, do you? Think it's stupid, maybe? Then you can take your 'stupid' books and take your selves to Mr. Filch! I'm sure he has a lovely idea of detention for you during this class! Or will you choose to shut up, I wonder?"
"Sorry, sir." The two boys said in unison.
"Good, now." The class went something like that for ten more minutes, and then Snape told everyone to put on their dragon hide gloves and turn to page 131 in their books. Snape told everyone that they'd be using a simple fire charm to help mix their potions. And Alana then read silently through her book and turned to Padma.
"Where is the ingrediants?"
"There's refills under the desk for the kits. Don't worry, everyone forgets the first day to refill their kit." She smiled. Alana thanked her and looked for the correct ingrediants. Then she started following instructions, Padma was getting on quite well. "Almost done, need any help?" She asked.
"No, I'm just about done too." Alana said, feeling a bit angry that anyone thought she needed help. She could do the whole thing on her own.
"Alrighty then." Padma raised her hand and Snape came up to her. "Should we wait to use the fire charm, or go on ahead?"
"You seem to have finished quickly. Think you might've missed a step?" Padma seemed to go cold and quickly remarked.
"Maybe, I- I can check." Then Alana's voice rose.
"Inflamora!" The the potion made a gurgling noise and turned bright red. Snape gawped.
"I suppose, you have done it right then." He growled, "Ravenclaw, are you?"
"No, Slytherin." Alana answered.
Snape grinned, he had some one in his house that could actually do his class correctly. "20 Points to Slytherin." Slytherin students overheard and clapped. Alana caught Draco Malfoy's face. He was clapping, and smiling. Not knowing who had gotten those points.
Alana really talked with Padma all through the day, she had every class except study hall and Quidditch with her. Alana still bubbled with happiness as the Slytherins flooded onto the Quidditch field. Madame Hooch was there and instructed them to find their broom, and if they didn't have one to go use one of the school's. All of the broom were on benches. Alana noted how most of them looked quite dull, but their brand said it all: lots of them were simply Comets or Cleansweeps. But Nimbus 2001s were sitting all in a row next to her Sun Beam 600. Her broom was bright, golden brown. It shined and boasted good polishing. Alana found her Quidditch gloves laying next to it. They were golden colored, matching her broom. They had indeed cost a lot. But Alana didn't mind, she just loved to fly.
By now the Gryffindors had filtered on to the field and had their brooms on the opposite side of the Slytherins. Alana caught site of a lovely broom no had picked up yet. She was almost excited until she realized it was a Firebolt. A black wood, well polished broom. But Sun Beams were much more accurate and even faster. In fact mutiple Quidditch teams competing for the the Quidditch World Cup used them. But they were most expensive, even for the international teams. It took just the right person for one, but Alana found hers very suitable to herself and loved it all the same. She put her gloves on, as most of the Slytherins were doing and they all headed to line up in front of Madame Hooch.
"This year," She said as all of the students lined up, "we will work on competing skills." Alana felt herself get even happier. "I just hope some people," this remark was clearly directed at Neville Longbottom, "haven't forgotten to mount their brooms." Slytherin laughed, knowing what she meant as the Gryffindors groaned at their clumsy house member. "I will gather you into teams which you will have for the rest of this term. Then you will play against other teams on the opposite house. Stay straight!" Madame Hooch circled a group of Slytherins, dividing them up. The students near Alana stared at her Sun Beam 600. One of them even asked her a question.
"Is that really a, a Sun Beam 600?"
"Yeah." Alana replied. Then the students awed. Madame Hooch finally came up to Alana.
"New, are you? Then what was Quidditch like at your old school?"
"We were divided up into two sections, Gold and Blue, and different years. Then five people were chosen at a practice to be on the section's Head Quidditch Team. I was seeker."
"And you have a Sun Beam, good brand these are. Well follow me." Hooch found four other people, not so great was that one of them was Draco Malfoy. "Goyle, you are keeper. Crabbe, beater. Ratcliffe, beater. Turner, you'll be a chaser and so will you Moran. And I think you'd be better off as a chaser as well, Malfoy." Malfoy gasped and Alana hear him mutter something like, 'I'll tell my father...'. "And Alana, I want to see your seeker skills, if I think you'd fair better off as chaser, I'll switch you and Malfoy." Alana looked at her team. The only girl was 'Turner' as Hooch called her. She was tall with long arms. She had black hair and piercing brown eyes.
"ALRIGHT THEN! FIRST MATCH, YOU THERE!" Alana saw Madame Hooch point to her team then to another Gryffindor one. Harry, Hermione and Ron were in it. 'Great, I have to go against the very people who were nice to me.' Alana thought. 'I'll, sadly, have to beat them to a pulp.'
Alana saw her team start to kick off the ground, into the air. And she followed, zipping out to where the seeker's usual position.
a/n= yes, see that lovely little button at the left bottom corner of your screen? submit review, you say? yes, please! R & R!!! Thanks!
"I'm starved!" Grunted Ron as he walked towards the Grand Hall with Harry and Hermione.
"You should be! You were staring at-" Ron covered Hermione's mouth with his hand instantly.
"The seat where the new professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts would be," he finished. "Yeah. That's right, Herm. I should've eaten, yes, but oh well. Can't do anything now, can I?"
"Sooor!" Hermione said, as Ron noticed his hand was still cupped over her face. He removed as Hermione gasped for air and repeated what she said, "Sure!" She made a 'Humph!' sort of noise and hurried off with out them.
"Wonder what's up with her." Harry yawned. The Great Hall's ceiling was a beautiful, clear sky. Yet outside, it was somewhat cool, rather than hot. "Ah, perfect weather for Quidditch!"
"Yeah, that's sure right. Did you hear about the new seeker and captain yet?"
"No, actually." Harry replied. "I'll ask Madame Hooch later." The two boys found Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. They greeted them and sat down.
"Look over at the new professor!" Dean exclaimed, pointing next to Dumbledore, whom was talking to a young looking lady. She had blonde hair, and rather bright grey eyes.
"Aw! It's a girl, now Defense Against the Dark Arts will be like it was with Gilderoy. Except all of our creature will be pink." Ron laughed with Dean.
"Sure!" Parvati Patil overheard and gave Ron a nastly glance.
"Wonder where she was last night, eh?" Seamus said. Harry did wonder where she was the night before. There was a seat for her. Perhaps she had just been in late?
"I don't know, Seamus." Harry interjected as Dumbledore stood up, the hall suddenly went into a hush.
"Welcome, welcome! First day at Hogwarts of lessons. Now, being late would be tragic, but I must indeed give one more announcement." Dumbledore let the lady next to him stand. "This is Miss Wood. She will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts. Some of you may know her at Oliver Wood's older sister!" The girl grinned, she looked nothing like her brother other than the fact she was tall. The hall clapped for her and Dumbledore continued, "Welcome, Miss Wood. Now, tuck in, then!"
Alana saw her plate fill with food and she began talking to Martha. Pansy was sitting near them, giggling about something. She was very annoying, always giggling. Alana remembered hearing her last night chortling with another girl about something. "I wonder what I'll have first. I hope it's Quidditch lessons." Alana confided in Martha, whom was eating away. It made her a good listener, which Alana found nice about the big boned people in Slytherin. There was enough for one to be your friend, and you could talk to them about murdering someone, and they would be too concentrated on eating to know what you're going on about.
"Yeah, yeah..." Martha grabbed for some more toast.
"Too bad we won't be in the same class, I have to be with that weird Pansy Parkinson in class. Just thinking about what an ass she is can get annoying." Alana felt so free in Slytherin. She almost liked it then she wondered what Gryffindor was like. Soon, Alana decided to go back to the common room early to find her things. She asked Martha to come, but Martha declined and so Alana went off alone.
The halls in the dungeon echoed endlessly as Alana stepped through them. She heard some one wailing and raced pass a corner to see what happened and suddenly stopped herself. She backed up and heard an adult speaking. Alana froze to the spot she was in. "What the hell did you do to yourself?" It was Professor Snape, Alana realized.
"I don't know!" the younger voice cried, "Something came over me and I went to the kitchens, then- then I suddenly felt myself growing!" Alana took a peak and her eyes widened in fear, the boy who she had told off the night before was enormous. He had a fat, flabby face, he was so fat that he was bigger than Snape. Snape, though, had no inch of fear on his face, only anger. Alana moved backwards and ran quietly another way to the common room.
Harry and Ron were going over their schedule, looking for their first class. "Let's see," Ron said, "first we have Charms with Hufflepuff, then ooh, Divination with, erm, Hufflepuff." Harry grinned, he had always despised Divination, but it somehow always turned out too hilarious too miss. "Then, ugh, double Potions with Ravenclaw then lunch."
"And," Harry continued, "Yes! Study Hall, Free Period, then double Quidditch."
"Sorry, though."
Harry frowned, "Why?"
"Smashing as it may seem now, not so much when you find out Double Quidditch is with Slytherin." Harry grimaced even more as he flopped his head down on his shoulder as if to say, 'Oh no!'. Then the two boys headed to Charms. But it was at that time that Alana happened to go over the schedule with exact happiness.
"First, I have double Potions, then Arithmancy, then Muggle Studies, then lunch. Not so bad, I guess. Then study hall, free period, and Wow! Double Quidditch! With GRYFFINDOR! Today has to be the best day in the universe!" Alana did a spin as she headed off to Potions.
Alana happily took a seat near the back corner of the class. A ravenclaw came and sat next to her. "Hi." she said, "You look new."
"Yeah." Alana said.
"My name is Padma." the girl said excitedly.
"I'm Alana." Alana replied.
"Well, hopefully you'll get through Potions. Snape is a horror to talk to, much more to learn from."
"Don't scare me!" Alana laughed. And Padma shrugged as the doors flew shut. An icy voice came from a corner of the class.
"Well. Slytherin and Ravenclaw." It was Snape. "Today," He said, "I expect you to remember your Charms lessons as well as Potions, because you'll be learning something very important. I expect you to remember that this is not a class of which you may fool around. I expect you to remember Potions is an art!" He scowled.
A ravenclaw three rows in front of Alana whispered to a friend, "He expects us to remember a lot of things doesn't he?" Then he and his friend had a mild laugh, but not mild enough that Snape didn't hear.
"What are you two laughing about?" They straightened up. "Think Potions is not so useful, do you? Think it's stupid, maybe? Then you can take your 'stupid' books and take your selves to Mr. Filch! I'm sure he has a lovely idea of detention for you during this class! Or will you choose to shut up, I wonder?"
"Sorry, sir." The two boys said in unison.
"Good, now." The class went something like that for ten more minutes, and then Snape told everyone to put on their dragon hide gloves and turn to page 131 in their books. Snape told everyone that they'd be using a simple fire charm to help mix their potions. And Alana then read silently through her book and turned to Padma.
"Where is the ingrediants?"
"There's refills under the desk for the kits. Don't worry, everyone forgets the first day to refill their kit." She smiled. Alana thanked her and looked for the correct ingrediants. Then she started following instructions, Padma was getting on quite well. "Almost done, need any help?" She asked.
"No, I'm just about done too." Alana said, feeling a bit angry that anyone thought she needed help. She could do the whole thing on her own.
"Alrighty then." Padma raised her hand and Snape came up to her. "Should we wait to use the fire charm, or go on ahead?"
"You seem to have finished quickly. Think you might've missed a step?" Padma seemed to go cold and quickly remarked.
"Maybe, I- I can check." Then Alana's voice rose.
"Inflamora!" The the potion made a gurgling noise and turned bright red. Snape gawped.
"I suppose, you have done it right then." He growled, "Ravenclaw, are you?"
"No, Slytherin." Alana answered.
Snape grinned, he had some one in his house that could actually do his class correctly. "20 Points to Slytherin." Slytherin students overheard and clapped. Alana caught Draco Malfoy's face. He was clapping, and smiling. Not knowing who had gotten those points.
Alana really talked with Padma all through the day, she had every class except study hall and Quidditch with her. Alana still bubbled with happiness as the Slytherins flooded onto the Quidditch field. Madame Hooch was there and instructed them to find their broom, and if they didn't have one to go use one of the school's. All of the broom were on benches. Alana noted how most of them looked quite dull, but their brand said it all: lots of them were simply Comets or Cleansweeps. But Nimbus 2001s were sitting all in a row next to her Sun Beam 600. Her broom was bright, golden brown. It shined and boasted good polishing. Alana found her Quidditch gloves laying next to it. They were golden colored, matching her broom. They had indeed cost a lot. But Alana didn't mind, she just loved to fly.
By now the Gryffindors had filtered on to the field and had their brooms on the opposite side of the Slytherins. Alana caught site of a lovely broom no had picked up yet. She was almost excited until she realized it was a Firebolt. A black wood, well polished broom. But Sun Beams were much more accurate and even faster. In fact mutiple Quidditch teams competing for the the Quidditch World Cup used them. But they were most expensive, even for the international teams. It took just the right person for one, but Alana found hers very suitable to herself and loved it all the same. She put her gloves on, as most of the Slytherins were doing and they all headed to line up in front of Madame Hooch.
"This year," She said as all of the students lined up, "we will work on competing skills." Alana felt herself get even happier. "I just hope some people," this remark was clearly directed at Neville Longbottom, "haven't forgotten to mount their brooms." Slytherin laughed, knowing what she meant as the Gryffindors groaned at their clumsy house member. "I will gather you into teams which you will have for the rest of this term. Then you will play against other teams on the opposite house. Stay straight!" Madame Hooch circled a group of Slytherins, dividing them up. The students near Alana stared at her Sun Beam 600. One of them even asked her a question.
"Is that really a, a Sun Beam 600?"
"Yeah." Alana replied. Then the students awed. Madame Hooch finally came up to Alana.
"New, are you? Then what was Quidditch like at your old school?"
"We were divided up into two sections, Gold and Blue, and different years. Then five people were chosen at a practice to be on the section's Head Quidditch Team. I was seeker."
"And you have a Sun Beam, good brand these are. Well follow me." Hooch found four other people, not so great was that one of them was Draco Malfoy. "Goyle, you are keeper. Crabbe, beater. Ratcliffe, beater. Turner, you'll be a chaser and so will you Moran. And I think you'd be better off as a chaser as well, Malfoy." Malfoy gasped and Alana hear him mutter something like, 'I'll tell my father...'. "And Alana, I want to see your seeker skills, if I think you'd fair better off as chaser, I'll switch you and Malfoy." Alana looked at her team. The only girl was 'Turner' as Hooch called her. She was tall with long arms. She had black hair and piercing brown eyes.
"ALRIGHT THEN! FIRST MATCH, YOU THERE!" Alana saw Madame Hooch point to her team then to another Gryffindor one. Harry, Hermione and Ron were in it. 'Great, I have to go against the very people who were nice to me.' Alana thought. 'I'll, sadly, have to beat them to a pulp.'
Alana saw her team start to kick off the ground, into the air. And she followed, zipping out to where the seeker's usual position.
a/n= yes, see that lovely little button at the left bottom corner of your screen? submit review, you say? yes, please! R & R!!! Thanks!