Candice sighed with exhaustion. She was tired. She knew the ministry
wizards thought she had run out of power. She smiled at the thought. And
leave herself completely vulnerable to them? Not likely. She had a little
left, enough for a simple shield spell. They would not stun her again. She
knew the security on her was tight at the moment. She probably wouldn't
have a chance to escape. She would be on the watch for one all the same,
and began to prepare her entrance. She knew she would be taken out of the
train separately, and she would look nice for these freaks, even if she
weren't staying for long. Opening her trunk, she pulled out her hairbrush
and began combing out her long jet-black sheet of hair. Pulling it into a
half ponytail, she now surveyed her wardrobe. What she was wearing now was
her pajamas. She was not walking anywhere in public in her pajamas. What
she would not wear was the black robes the school required. It was still
fairly warm outside, but it might be chilly in the school, or building, or
whatever they had. She decided she needed something that would show up
against the black of all the others' robes. She finally decided on a
spaghetti-strap tank top, and a tight-fitting pair of capris, both a
brilliant shade of orange. She closed her trunk, and rested a little until
the ministry wizards came to her.
The door began to move. Candice watched the door slide open, hoping her strength would hold out long enough for the ministry wizards to stop trying to stun her. She was right when she guessed they would stun her, the minute the door opened. Two shouts of 'Stupefy!' were heard. Candice almost winced as she felt the impact of the two spells on her shields. Yes! She thought, she was still conscious. The two wizards from MoM stared at her. Then motioned for her to walk out. She did. They began to march at her side, in silence, toward a carriage. She could see this carriage was pulled by magic, she could feel the tingle of it as she got inside. She was angry with herself for using most of her magic in shaking the train, if she had it now she might be able to escape. Now she only had enough to defend herself if the MoM wizards attacked. They didn't. It seemed as long as she posed no threat, they didn't stun her. A good thing to keep in mind, that. She couldn't have escaped; the MoM wizards kept too close a watch on her. The carriage stopped after a ten-minute ride, coming across the front lawn of a. Candice's mouth dropped open. There, right in front of her eyes, was the most wonderful castle she had ever seen. It was beautiful, in a grand, museum-like way. Built of stone, the castle was obviously filled to the brim with magic, and was so large she couldn't see the end. The castle faced the west, and she could see a large, silvery lake to her right. To the north lay a forest, filled with what seemed like rogue magic. Another handy thing to remember. The castle was filled with many old-fashioned windows, large, full-length, impressive ones. There was the Hogwarts mascot above two huge oak doors, steadily drawing nearer. And lastly, if she strained her eyes, she could make out four magnificent towers rising above the fifth floor. These almost reached the clouds, and Candice had to crane her neck up to see them in the growing dusk. The grounds around the castle were magnificent and well cared for, and a hut next to the forest boasted a finely planted garden. The ministry wizards escorted her to the oak doors, where they formally knocked. The voice answered, and quickly beckoned them inside. Candice curiously looked at the voice. She hadn't actually seen the woman since the first video she had received, three years ago. She was a small, smart looking woman, with a very thin mouth. The MoM wizards followed her in, and continued to trail behind Candice as she followed the voice into a large room full of smaller children, who looked about 11. The voice cast a disapproving glance at Candice's outfit, and opened two more doors on the other end of the room, saying,
"You will now go through these doors and be sorted into your houses. While here at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. Triumphs will earn your house points, and rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will win the house championship. I hope each of you will be a great addition to whichever house you are chosen for." Candice almost snorted. No way would she be an addition to any house at this freak school. She sighed, and made a face. Right now, what choice did she have? At her back were the MoM wizards, and at her front, the open doors.
So Candice sighed, and buried her pride. Giving the MoM wizard's wands a glance, she went through the open doors, and found herself in a giant room, with a ceiling that looked like the sky. She tried very hard not to act impressed. Before her were four long tables, each crammed with boys and girls in black robes. Behind Candice lay the teacher's table, where a long row of teachers sat and reviewed the students. The man in the silver robes and the long silver beard must be Albus Dumbledore. Candice caught her breath. She had read all about him. A shiver crept down her spine. The seat next to him was empty. Candice assumed that was where the headmistress would sit, meaning the voice was headmistress. Professor McGonagall. Before Candice stood a stool, on which Professor McGonagall placed an old, beat up looking Halloween hat. Candice couldn't help searching the room for an escape route, although she knew there would be none. Instead her eyes fell on a familiar face. Harry Potter. Candice met her cousin eye to eye, then turned her attention back to the crowd. Candice wasn't nervous. She had been in front of people many times, in her dance performances. The very thought brought a lump to Candice's throat, and a tear to her eye. She concentrated very hard on not breaking out in tears, on keeping her face poker. She only vaguely heard the hat begin to sing, and say something about Hufflepuffs being hard workers, Slytherins being ambitious, Ravenclaws being smart, and Gryffindors being brave. Everything seemed very distant and Candice sunk even lower in her misery. She almost collapsed with exhaustion and depression. And still Professor McGonagall talked on. . .
Harry stared. He couldn't stop staring at the new girl. Everyone stared at her, but they didn't see what Harry saw. She was quite pretty, with a long sheet of jet-black hair, very white skin and dark green eyes. But that wasn't the reason he was staring at her. Nor was it the fact that she was wearing very flattering clothes of bright orange. It wasn't even the fact that she was taller than all of the other first years in the line. It was that she looked remarkably like himself. The same hair color, though hers was shiny and waved a little. The same small and skinny build, except her body was tightly attuned to grace. Her back was perfectly straight, and her would-be knobby knees straightened by years of training, her feet slightly turned out. She even had his green eyes, except hers were darker. Suddenly, she looked at him, eye to eye, green to jade. Her eyes did not make the familiar flick up to his forehead. Instead they flashed with recognition, before returning to their unreadable state. Something hit Harry in that moment. He had seen her before. He had met her before. He knew her. He didn't even notice the Sorting Hat's song; he was still staring at the girl. Professor McGonagall began to call out names from her list. Harry was jerked out of his trance when the Sorting Hat called out particularly loudly HUFFLEPUFF! When sorting Karen Aaron. He now stared determinedly at the sorting hat, only stealing a quick glance at the girl every time Professor McGonagall shouted a new name. Harry began to get impatient. The Sorting continued slower than ever, through E, then F, then I, and on and on and on. Harry started to fidget, and he gave up trying to stare at the Sorting Hat and continued to stare at the girl, who seemed very, well, almost sad. She had on a complete poker face. While other first years had nervous or confident looks, she had a completely unreadable look on her face. There was no light in the eyes that promised a sparkle, no smile in her lips, no pride in her stance. She looked like an empty soul, like someone who had been deprived of everything important to them. It was then that Harry noticed two others staring at the girl. Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape. Professor Dumbledore wore the look that meant he was thinking hard, and generally concerned. But what really surprised Harry was the look on Snape's face. It was one he had never seen before. Worry. Snape was worried about this girl, and his glance would have been almost paternal, if his hair had not been quite so greasy, and his nose not quite so hooked. Harry suddenly became aware that Professor McGonagall had stopped speaking. Professor Dumbledore was now clearing his throat. With the old twinkle in his eye, he began to speak.
"As many of you have probably noticed, we have a new fourth year this year. This is not just any fourth year, this is the first mind magician Hogwarts has seen in 50 years. Please treat her with politeness, and welcome this rare form of witch to Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore concluded, and resumed his seat. That had to be her. She was a mind magician. Sure enough, Professor McGonagall's next words were,
"Potter, Candice!" and the girl in orange stepped forward.
The door began to move. Candice watched the door slide open, hoping her strength would hold out long enough for the ministry wizards to stop trying to stun her. She was right when she guessed they would stun her, the minute the door opened. Two shouts of 'Stupefy!' were heard. Candice almost winced as she felt the impact of the two spells on her shields. Yes! She thought, she was still conscious. The two wizards from MoM stared at her. Then motioned for her to walk out. She did. They began to march at her side, in silence, toward a carriage. She could see this carriage was pulled by magic, she could feel the tingle of it as she got inside. She was angry with herself for using most of her magic in shaking the train, if she had it now she might be able to escape. Now she only had enough to defend herself if the MoM wizards attacked. They didn't. It seemed as long as she posed no threat, they didn't stun her. A good thing to keep in mind, that. She couldn't have escaped; the MoM wizards kept too close a watch on her. The carriage stopped after a ten-minute ride, coming across the front lawn of a. Candice's mouth dropped open. There, right in front of her eyes, was the most wonderful castle she had ever seen. It was beautiful, in a grand, museum-like way. Built of stone, the castle was obviously filled to the brim with magic, and was so large she couldn't see the end. The castle faced the west, and she could see a large, silvery lake to her right. To the north lay a forest, filled with what seemed like rogue magic. Another handy thing to remember. The castle was filled with many old-fashioned windows, large, full-length, impressive ones. There was the Hogwarts mascot above two huge oak doors, steadily drawing nearer. And lastly, if she strained her eyes, she could make out four magnificent towers rising above the fifth floor. These almost reached the clouds, and Candice had to crane her neck up to see them in the growing dusk. The grounds around the castle were magnificent and well cared for, and a hut next to the forest boasted a finely planted garden. The ministry wizards escorted her to the oak doors, where they formally knocked. The voice answered, and quickly beckoned them inside. Candice curiously looked at the voice. She hadn't actually seen the woman since the first video she had received, three years ago. She was a small, smart looking woman, with a very thin mouth. The MoM wizards followed her in, and continued to trail behind Candice as she followed the voice into a large room full of smaller children, who looked about 11. The voice cast a disapproving glance at Candice's outfit, and opened two more doors on the other end of the room, saying,
"You will now go through these doors and be sorted into your houses. While here at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. Triumphs will earn your house points, and rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will win the house championship. I hope each of you will be a great addition to whichever house you are chosen for." Candice almost snorted. No way would she be an addition to any house at this freak school. She sighed, and made a face. Right now, what choice did she have? At her back were the MoM wizards, and at her front, the open doors.
So Candice sighed, and buried her pride. Giving the MoM wizard's wands a glance, she went through the open doors, and found herself in a giant room, with a ceiling that looked like the sky. She tried very hard not to act impressed. Before her were four long tables, each crammed with boys and girls in black robes. Behind Candice lay the teacher's table, where a long row of teachers sat and reviewed the students. The man in the silver robes and the long silver beard must be Albus Dumbledore. Candice caught her breath. She had read all about him. A shiver crept down her spine. The seat next to him was empty. Candice assumed that was where the headmistress would sit, meaning the voice was headmistress. Professor McGonagall. Before Candice stood a stool, on which Professor McGonagall placed an old, beat up looking Halloween hat. Candice couldn't help searching the room for an escape route, although she knew there would be none. Instead her eyes fell on a familiar face. Harry Potter. Candice met her cousin eye to eye, then turned her attention back to the crowd. Candice wasn't nervous. She had been in front of people many times, in her dance performances. The very thought brought a lump to Candice's throat, and a tear to her eye. She concentrated very hard on not breaking out in tears, on keeping her face poker. She only vaguely heard the hat begin to sing, and say something about Hufflepuffs being hard workers, Slytherins being ambitious, Ravenclaws being smart, and Gryffindors being brave. Everything seemed very distant and Candice sunk even lower in her misery. She almost collapsed with exhaustion and depression. And still Professor McGonagall talked on. . .
Harry stared. He couldn't stop staring at the new girl. Everyone stared at her, but they didn't see what Harry saw. She was quite pretty, with a long sheet of jet-black hair, very white skin and dark green eyes. But that wasn't the reason he was staring at her. Nor was it the fact that she was wearing very flattering clothes of bright orange. It wasn't even the fact that she was taller than all of the other first years in the line. It was that she looked remarkably like himself. The same hair color, though hers was shiny and waved a little. The same small and skinny build, except her body was tightly attuned to grace. Her back was perfectly straight, and her would-be knobby knees straightened by years of training, her feet slightly turned out. She even had his green eyes, except hers were darker. Suddenly, she looked at him, eye to eye, green to jade. Her eyes did not make the familiar flick up to his forehead. Instead they flashed with recognition, before returning to their unreadable state. Something hit Harry in that moment. He had seen her before. He had met her before. He knew her. He didn't even notice the Sorting Hat's song; he was still staring at the girl. Professor McGonagall began to call out names from her list. Harry was jerked out of his trance when the Sorting Hat called out particularly loudly HUFFLEPUFF! When sorting Karen Aaron. He now stared determinedly at the sorting hat, only stealing a quick glance at the girl every time Professor McGonagall shouted a new name. Harry began to get impatient. The Sorting continued slower than ever, through E, then F, then I, and on and on and on. Harry started to fidget, and he gave up trying to stare at the Sorting Hat and continued to stare at the girl, who seemed very, well, almost sad. She had on a complete poker face. While other first years had nervous or confident looks, she had a completely unreadable look on her face. There was no light in the eyes that promised a sparkle, no smile in her lips, no pride in her stance. She looked like an empty soul, like someone who had been deprived of everything important to them. It was then that Harry noticed two others staring at the girl. Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape. Professor Dumbledore wore the look that meant he was thinking hard, and generally concerned. But what really surprised Harry was the look on Snape's face. It was one he had never seen before. Worry. Snape was worried about this girl, and his glance would have been almost paternal, if his hair had not been quite so greasy, and his nose not quite so hooked. Harry suddenly became aware that Professor McGonagall had stopped speaking. Professor Dumbledore was now clearing his throat. With the old twinkle in his eye, he began to speak.
"As many of you have probably noticed, we have a new fourth year this year. This is not just any fourth year, this is the first mind magician Hogwarts has seen in 50 years. Please treat her with politeness, and welcome this rare form of witch to Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore concluded, and resumed his seat. That had to be her. She was a mind magician. Sure enough, Professor McGonagall's next words were,
"Potter, Candice!" and the girl in orange stepped forward.
