Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Everything belongs
to J.K.R and WB and whoever is involved with the editing + publishing +
distributing of the books.
Pairings: Harry/Ginny, Draco/Hermione, Ron/OC
Rating: R (for future)
Setting: Story starts summer before 6th year.
I know now that the fifth book is out, a lot of the facts or events in the story are not true anymore. But just look at it as a semi-Alternate Universe ok?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A girl came through the double doors leading to the Great Hall and students immediately craned their necks to get a good view of the new student. Vera Pettigrew could feel all the eyes on her and she hope she won't trip and make a fool of herself. That'll be a fantastic way to start the first day at Hogwarts. She could almost imagine the only way people will ever know her by: "the girl who tripped over herself in front of the whole school". But to her immense relief, she was nearing the teacher's table with no mishaps.
Resisting the urge to raise her hand and start chewing on her fingernails, a habit she had been trying very hard to get rid of, Vera finally reached the long table at the front of the Great Hall and managed a weak smile at Professor Dumbledore. She wondered if it came out as a grimace instead. Then she turned around to face the students. Professor McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat and fitted it on her head. She had seen what the Sorting Hat does from the corridor outside the Great Hall and she was very nervous. She had never been in a school after all. The hat fell over her eyes and she found herself staring into the inside of the hat. Nothing happened.
{Is there something wrong with me…? Why is nothing happening…?????!} she thought, starting to panic.
"Relax, dear girl, don't get yourself all worked up. Its not good for the heart you know." A voice said into her ear.
She knew the hat would talk, but didn't know it would talk directly to her! She had jumped a little but managed to keep the yelp of surprise from coming out of her mouth.
{Errm…so…which House will I be in..? Oii..this is so weird, I am talking to a hat…}
"Well you've already heard the description of the Houses, what do you think?"
{I don't know, it's my first time in a school. A private tutor has taught me since I was eleven.}
"Your last name is Pettigrew?"
{Yes…}
"You had relatives that went here, yes?"
{Yes.}
"I particularly remember a Peter Pettigrew. Timid little thing really. Actually, one really can't call him 'little'…for obvious reasons." The Hat chuckled.
"Quite stubborn though, had insisted against my suggestion- more like advice really,-about which House he belonged to. "
{He was my uncle. My dad was his half-brother. Uncle Peter died before I was born, so I never met him unless you count pictures.}
"Well enough with the chit-chat. We must go on to the business of sorting. I apologize for deterring from the important task at hand."
Vera nodded.
"You lived a sheltered life. Hadn't had many friends I see. Well I guess that's perfectly normal, since you were home schooled. There's a great amount of curiosity within you. Not much of a temper in you is there? Hmm…fiercely loyal to the people you care about. Not really up for mischief…That's good, there's enough in this school to worry about…The truth is important to you…honesty holds much value in you I see…Yes…I know exactly which House will be good for you. You'll make plenty of friends, no worries about that. How do you feel about the Hufflepuff House?"
{Well…I don't know really…what will happen if I don't like the House I am in?} Vera thought frantically.
"No worries. It's not as if you are only restricted to making friends within your own House. You'll do fine."
{Oh. Well…you seem like you know what you are talking about…I'll have faith in your decision.}
"Okay then…for you it shall be…-"
~ ~ ~ ~
Harry narrowed his eyes at the girl seated on the stool at the front of the Great Hall.
"Maybe it's a coincidence…" Ron said, trying to make Harry relax.
"Yea and maybe Snape will come up to you and give you top marks in Potions." Harry replied. Ron sighed. "Yea I know, too much to hope for."
"Come on guys, you haven't even saw the girl up close yet and you are judging her by her last name?" Hermione said, exasperated.
Ginny kept silent, she didn't really feel like this was a conversation she can join. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had told her about the confrontation they had with Peter Pettigrew with Sirius Black and Professor Lupin, but the only person she's actually acquainted with was Professor Lupin. Trying to push the feeling of being left out to the back of her mind, Ginny reminded herself that she was one year younger, so of course she wasn't even informed on all the adventures until a few months ago. If she hadn't stumbled in on a conversation she wasn't suppose to hear between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she would still be in the dark. Well…there was one particular "adventure" she wished she wasn't part of but was. Shuddering, she pushed that thought away too. She really didn't want to think about it.
"I bet she's going to be in Slytherin." Ron said.
Harry nodded slowly.
"Hush, don't you want to hear which House she's going to be in?" Hermione said, index finger held to her lips.
A minute later, the Sorting Hat yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!!"
Ron and Harry's jaws dropped open in surprise.
"There must have been a mistake- she's probably tricked the hat somehow!" Ron said incredulously.
Ginny shook her head. Her brother is so quick to judge others. But still…she looked over to see Vera sitting down at the end of the Hufflepuff table shyly. {I'm only a year older than her. It won't be difficult to be friends with her and see what kind of person she really is.}
Hermione noticed Ginny was staring hard in Vera Pettigrew's direction. "A knut for your thoughts?"
"Well…don't tell my brother and Harry, but I want to try to be friends with her. You know, just to find out…" Ginny drifted off. She was waiting for Hermione to start telling her why she shouldn't do this but to her surprise Hermione nodded in agreement.
"I would like to do that too, it has crossed my mind, but I think you'll have an easier time making friends with her since you are closer in age. Just keep me up to date, ok?"
"Ok. Remember. Not a word-"
"To Ron and Harry. I know." Hermione smiled.
Hearing their names, Harry and Ron looked up puzzled.
"What about me and Ron?" Harry asked.
"Oh nothing. We were just talking about how…err…" Ginny glanced at Hermione.
"How you two HAVE to be at our weddings." Hermione blurted out.
Harry and Ron stared at the girls. "Have you gone mad? You two were talking about wedd-"
"Yes well, this is called girl talk. Plus, you were the ones who asked." Ginny said, her eyes challenging either boy to disagree.
"Oh. Girl talk." Ron cleared his throat and gave Harry a look that meant 'I'll never figure out how a girl's mind works'.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
To those who don't know what a Mary Sue is, I am happy to be the one to inform you. The term "Mary Sue" describes an original character in a fanfic who is TOO perfect. Often Mary Sues have fantastic powers, are sexually desirable to everyone, they have no faults and are usually very beautiful and enchanting. These are usually heroines who step in without warning into a story, make one or more of the established characters fall madly in love with him/her all of the sudden and then proceed to save the day in truly remarkable and dramatic ways that leave the established characters gaping in admiration and amazement. The already established characters that the original author has created (in this case, J.K. Rowling), fades into the background and the original character/Mary Sue dominates the entire story from her appearance to the very last chapter. One sentence that sums it all up? Mary Sues are not believable characters.
If a writer decides to create an original character, I guess the important thing is that this character needs to give off the feel of a real person, with real faults, has limitations to what she/he can do, has his/her own little quirks, and defeats.
But this is not true of EVERY original character, and that's
what I'm determined to do. I would
appreciate it if readers tell me when I am straying off into Mary Sue land with
Vera Pettigrew.
And…I know, I know…zero action between Hermione and Draco, and same goes for Harry and Ginny so far... I hope the readers don't mind the slow progress. Makes it more real…doesn't it? And I am aware that my chapters are agonizingly short, compared to many of the great stories out there, but I seem to be able to write faster that way.
I want to thank everyone for the encouraging reviews. Till next chapter.
starwandmagical
