"JUST DO YOUR BEST, WE'LL DO THE REST, AND LEARN UNTIL OUR BRAINS ALL ROT!"
howled Fred and George. The rest of them - Erin, Harry, Ginny, Hermione,
and Ron - all completely lost it. Erin was actually rolling on the floor,
laughing so hard she couldn't breathe, when an elderly witch poked her head
in the compartment door.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked sweetly.
There was a general scramble out of the compartment. Erin, however, declined, content to simply sit watching the scenery roll by.
They were all crammed into one compartment of the Hogwarts Express, on their way to - Erin's heart skipped a beat - Hogwarts. It had taken many owls to her parents to persuade them that she was truly a witch and that she needed to go to Hogwarts, but in the end she had succeeded. She was finally going to the place Harry spoke so longingly of, the place where people dueled with wands, staircases "changed", and pictures moved and spoke. Of course, this was all presuming she wasn't dreaming.
Erin gave the smallest shudder as she thought of her other dream - the dream with the man and the unicorn. It hadn't been scary, really, but it had been to life-like to be easily dismissed. And she had seen the man in other dreams, too - never actually taking part in the dreams, but standing in a corner, or galloping on the unicorn just past her line of vision. She was really beginning to get a little nervous.
"Chocolate Frog?" Harry offered.
"Don't mind if I do," said Erin with a grin, taking the proffered box. Her hand touched Harry's for a second, and she looked away, blushing slightly. And, of course, there were her feelings about Harry to sort out.
"What do I need to know about Hogwarts?" she asked her friends, eager to think about something else.
"We-ell, there's two people you really need to avoid - Snape and Filch," said Ron as he stuffed a Pumpkin Pasty into his mouth. "Filch is the caretaker, and he hates students. Mostly 'cause he's a Squib, which means - "
"I know," said Erin. "But who's Snape?"
"He's the Potions Master and the head of Slytherin House," said Hermione, snapping one of her school books shut and packing it back into her bag. "He really hates Harry."
"Actually, he hates all the Gryffindors," corrected Fred.
"And the Ravenclaws," added Ginny.
"And the Hufflepuffs," said George with a grin.
"Don't you remember?" Harry asked Erin. "I told you about him."
"Oh, right. Sorry," she said, "I forgot."
"But you really want to stay out of his way, Erin," Hermione continued. "He'll give you detention faster than you can blink - unless you're in his house, of course."
"And there's no way you're getting into Slytherin," said George with a grin. "Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, of Hufflepuff, yeah, but Slytherin? No way."
"What happens if I get in another house?" asked Erin worriedly.
"Don't worry, Erin," said Ron comfortingly. "We'll see you during lessons and stuff. It'll work out."
"We'd better change into our robes," said Hermione, pulling hers over her head.
"Excuse me," asked a round-faced boy, poking his head in the compartment door, "has anyone seen a toad?"
"Sorry, Neville," said Hermione. "Not in here."
"Okay," said Neville sadly. He moved on down the corridor.
"Yeah," said Harry, "we're back at Hogwarts."
"Over 'ere! Firs' years over 'ere! All righ' there, Harry?"
"Yes, thank you, Hagrid," Harry replied.
Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Erin remembered. Hey, that should be a tongue twister, she thought. Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Hagrid gave -
"This is Erin, Hagrid," said Harry, putting one hand on Erin's shoulder. She could feel the warmth of it right through her robes. "She's going to be a fifth year, but this is her first year at Hogwarts. Are you going to take her in the boats?"
"Sure will," Hagrid said. His black eyes twinkled as he looked down at Erin. He frowned suddenly. "Yeh look familiar. 'Ave I seen yeh 'ere before?"
Erin shook her head.
Hagrid shrugged. "Mebbe yeh look like yeh're Mum or Dad, then."
"They didn't go here," said Erin. "They're Muggles." Erin changed the subject. "What do you mean by 'the boats'?"
Hagrid winked. "Yeh'll see soon enough. Firs' years over 'ere!"
Severus tapped his fingers against the tabletop nervously. You're being an idiot, he told himself in disgust. Afraid of a fifteen-year old child. Nervous about meeting her. Pull yourself together.
Dumbledore looked down the table, his silvery eyes glinting in amusement. Severus looked away, embarrassed, and deliberately made his face cold and expressionless. Bad enough the Headmaster knew how nervous he was. If the students saw it, there would never be order in his classroom again.
"Wow," was what Erin said.
"Neat, huh?" squeaked a first year on her left. They were alone in a rocking boat that was steering itself toward the castle.
It was huge, and brightly lit, and - well, magical looking. Just looking at it gave Erin a delightful shiver down her back. Her heart beat faster.
"My brother, last year, he fell in the lake," prattled the first year. "The squid pushed him out again!" The first year looked down at the water enviously. "Wish I could fall in, too," he moaned.
A smile quirked its way up Erin's mouth. "Yeah," she said with a grin. "Well, why don't we?"
The Sorting Hat had been placed next to the stool, and Severus had found something else to worry about. What if Erin was placed in Gryffindor? He'd never be able to look her in the face. And she'd be - Severus' stomach churned - with Potter and his miserable friends. Not a pleasant prospect.
By the heartstring in my wand, thought Severus, what have I gotten in to?
"One, two, three!" squeaked Henry Creevey. He and Erin jumped into the water, leaving the rocking boat empty.
It was freezing cold, but Erin was feeling to wild to care. She and Henry swam quickly up to the surface and tread water.
"Well," said Henry. "Where's the squid?"
"Dunno," said Erin, suddenly feeling a little queasy at the thought of some unknown, possibly dangerous creature lurking beneath them. "Say - race you to the castle!"
Severus had run out of curses to use and instead was mentally smashing potion bottles against the walls of his classroom. Now the green one. Now the purple one.
Professor McGonagall looked nervously at him and whispered to Dumbledore, "Albus, I don't think Severus is feeling very well. He doesn't seem to know what's going on."
Dumbledore patted Professor McGonagall on the shoulder. "Don't worry," he said soothingly. "He'll be fine as soon as the first years come in."
Now the yellow one, thought Severus. Now the clear one.
"Wha' did yeh think yeh were doin'!" growled Hagrid. Erin just grinned. She and Henry had swum all the way across the lake and had made it to the castle, only to be discovered by a very worried Hagrid. The other first years were already in the Great Hall.
"I oughta - well -" he said, looking down at Erin, who was still grinning. Bless her, thought Hagrid, she's so happy to be here she hardly knows what she's doing. "Yeh'd better hurry up, they'll be sortin' yeh soon," he said, relenting.
"Thanks, Hagrid!" squeaked Henry. He and Erin started up the stairs to the Great Hall, still dripping wet. "Hah!" crowed Henry as they approached the door. "Beat that, Dennis!"
Erin laughed.
Blast it all, thought Severus, where is she?
Of course, considering he didn't have any idea what Erin looked like, he couldn't be sure that she wasn't in there amongst the other students. But Severus didn't even feel a glimpse of recognition as he scanned their faces intently. Surely she'd look at least a little like her parents. Absently, he noticed that Harry and his friends also seemed rather worried. Fear stabbed through Severus. Where was she?
Henry and Erin pushed open the door and walked into the Great Hall. Standing there, in the midst of the golden plates and the neat - and dry - students, she and Henry felt a little out of place. Erin looked up at the staff's table.
Severus heard the door open and glanced up. He saw one boy and one girl enter. The girl looked towards him.
Their eyes met.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked sweetly.
There was a general scramble out of the compartment. Erin, however, declined, content to simply sit watching the scenery roll by.
They were all crammed into one compartment of the Hogwarts Express, on their way to - Erin's heart skipped a beat - Hogwarts. It had taken many owls to her parents to persuade them that she was truly a witch and that she needed to go to Hogwarts, but in the end she had succeeded. She was finally going to the place Harry spoke so longingly of, the place where people dueled with wands, staircases "changed", and pictures moved and spoke. Of course, this was all presuming she wasn't dreaming.
Erin gave the smallest shudder as she thought of her other dream - the dream with the man and the unicorn. It hadn't been scary, really, but it had been to life-like to be easily dismissed. And she had seen the man in other dreams, too - never actually taking part in the dreams, but standing in a corner, or galloping on the unicorn just past her line of vision. She was really beginning to get a little nervous.
"Chocolate Frog?" Harry offered.
"Don't mind if I do," said Erin with a grin, taking the proffered box. Her hand touched Harry's for a second, and she looked away, blushing slightly. And, of course, there were her feelings about Harry to sort out.
"What do I need to know about Hogwarts?" she asked her friends, eager to think about something else.
"We-ell, there's two people you really need to avoid - Snape and Filch," said Ron as he stuffed a Pumpkin Pasty into his mouth. "Filch is the caretaker, and he hates students. Mostly 'cause he's a Squib, which means - "
"I know," said Erin. "But who's Snape?"
"He's the Potions Master and the head of Slytherin House," said Hermione, snapping one of her school books shut and packing it back into her bag. "He really hates Harry."
"Actually, he hates all the Gryffindors," corrected Fred.
"And the Ravenclaws," added Ginny.
"And the Hufflepuffs," said George with a grin.
"Don't you remember?" Harry asked Erin. "I told you about him."
"Oh, right. Sorry," she said, "I forgot."
"But you really want to stay out of his way, Erin," Hermione continued. "He'll give you detention faster than you can blink - unless you're in his house, of course."
"And there's no way you're getting into Slytherin," said George with a grin. "Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, of Hufflepuff, yeah, but Slytherin? No way."
"What happens if I get in another house?" asked Erin worriedly.
"Don't worry, Erin," said Ron comfortingly. "We'll see you during lessons and stuff. It'll work out."
"We'd better change into our robes," said Hermione, pulling hers over her head.
"Excuse me," asked a round-faced boy, poking his head in the compartment door, "has anyone seen a toad?"
"Sorry, Neville," said Hermione. "Not in here."
"Okay," said Neville sadly. He moved on down the corridor.
"Yeah," said Harry, "we're back at Hogwarts."
"Over 'ere! Firs' years over 'ere! All righ' there, Harry?"
"Yes, thank you, Hagrid," Harry replied.
Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Erin remembered. Hey, that should be a tongue twister, she thought. Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Hagrid gave Harry Hedwig, Hagrid gave -
"This is Erin, Hagrid," said Harry, putting one hand on Erin's shoulder. She could feel the warmth of it right through her robes. "She's going to be a fifth year, but this is her first year at Hogwarts. Are you going to take her in the boats?"
"Sure will," Hagrid said. His black eyes twinkled as he looked down at Erin. He frowned suddenly. "Yeh look familiar. 'Ave I seen yeh 'ere before?"
Erin shook her head.
Hagrid shrugged. "Mebbe yeh look like yeh're Mum or Dad, then."
"They didn't go here," said Erin. "They're Muggles." Erin changed the subject. "What do you mean by 'the boats'?"
Hagrid winked. "Yeh'll see soon enough. Firs' years over 'ere!"
Severus tapped his fingers against the tabletop nervously. You're being an idiot, he told himself in disgust. Afraid of a fifteen-year old child. Nervous about meeting her. Pull yourself together.
Dumbledore looked down the table, his silvery eyes glinting in amusement. Severus looked away, embarrassed, and deliberately made his face cold and expressionless. Bad enough the Headmaster knew how nervous he was. If the students saw it, there would never be order in his classroom again.
"Wow," was what Erin said.
"Neat, huh?" squeaked a first year on her left. They were alone in a rocking boat that was steering itself toward the castle.
It was huge, and brightly lit, and - well, magical looking. Just looking at it gave Erin a delightful shiver down her back. Her heart beat faster.
"My brother, last year, he fell in the lake," prattled the first year. "The squid pushed him out again!" The first year looked down at the water enviously. "Wish I could fall in, too," he moaned.
A smile quirked its way up Erin's mouth. "Yeah," she said with a grin. "Well, why don't we?"
The Sorting Hat had been placed next to the stool, and Severus had found something else to worry about. What if Erin was placed in Gryffindor? He'd never be able to look her in the face. And she'd be - Severus' stomach churned - with Potter and his miserable friends. Not a pleasant prospect.
By the heartstring in my wand, thought Severus, what have I gotten in to?
"One, two, three!" squeaked Henry Creevey. He and Erin jumped into the water, leaving the rocking boat empty.
It was freezing cold, but Erin was feeling to wild to care. She and Henry swam quickly up to the surface and tread water.
"Well," said Henry. "Where's the squid?"
"Dunno," said Erin, suddenly feeling a little queasy at the thought of some unknown, possibly dangerous creature lurking beneath them. "Say - race you to the castle!"
Severus had run out of curses to use and instead was mentally smashing potion bottles against the walls of his classroom. Now the green one. Now the purple one.
Professor McGonagall looked nervously at him and whispered to Dumbledore, "Albus, I don't think Severus is feeling very well. He doesn't seem to know what's going on."
Dumbledore patted Professor McGonagall on the shoulder. "Don't worry," he said soothingly. "He'll be fine as soon as the first years come in."
Now the yellow one, thought Severus. Now the clear one.
"Wha' did yeh think yeh were doin'!" growled Hagrid. Erin just grinned. She and Henry had swum all the way across the lake and had made it to the castle, only to be discovered by a very worried Hagrid. The other first years were already in the Great Hall.
"I oughta - well -" he said, looking down at Erin, who was still grinning. Bless her, thought Hagrid, she's so happy to be here she hardly knows what she's doing. "Yeh'd better hurry up, they'll be sortin' yeh soon," he said, relenting.
"Thanks, Hagrid!" squeaked Henry. He and Erin started up the stairs to the Great Hall, still dripping wet. "Hah!" crowed Henry as they approached the door. "Beat that, Dennis!"
Erin laughed.
Blast it all, thought Severus, where is she?
Of course, considering he didn't have any idea what Erin looked like, he couldn't be sure that she wasn't in there amongst the other students. But Severus didn't even feel a glimpse of recognition as he scanned their faces intently. Surely she'd look at least a little like her parents. Absently, he noticed that Harry and his friends also seemed rather worried. Fear stabbed through Severus. Where was she?
Henry and Erin pushed open the door and walked into the Great Hall. Standing there, in the midst of the golden plates and the neat - and dry - students, she and Henry felt a little out of place. Erin looked up at the staff's table.
Severus heard the door open and glanced up. He saw one boy and one girl enter. The girl looked towards him.
Their eyes met.