Outside of Hogwarts
"Firs' years, right this way!" Hagrid shouted over the dull roar of chattering being emitted from the students. As Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai got off of the train, Hagrid again shouted, "Firs' years, follow me!"
Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai looked at each other. In the letters they had gotten with their supplies on it, they said to go with the first years into the castle. Shrugging, they walked over to the crowd of first years gathered in front of a rather large man with a long, shaggy mane of hair, a wild, tangled bear, and warm, crinkled beetle black eyes.
Hagrid looked at them for a minute, befuddled. "Wait a minute. Yer not firs' years, are yeh?"
Galleria shook her head, speaking up for her sisters and herself. "No, we aren't, but we were told by a Professor McGonogall to enter the school with the first years."
"Now why would Profess--oy! That's right!" His face lit up with recognition. "Yeh must be Galleria, Lanai, and Parrish." He pointed to each girl in turn, and recieved a nod and a smile from Galleria and Parrish, but barely a nod in return from Lanai. She already appeared to have a disliking for Hagrid. Looking a bit miffed, Hagrid returned his attention back to the other first years. "Right, as I was sayin', follow me this way."
Galleria noticed Lanai studying Hagrid intently. Muttering something about giants being allowed on school grounds, Lanai reluctantly followed the group of kids that were already heading down the long, narrow path. After a few minutes, they turned around a bend and were now standing on the edge of a great black lake. But what had captured everyone's attention was a vast castle perched on top of a high mountainside with many turrets and towers.
"Damn," breathed Galleria, staring a the castle.
"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called.
Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai ended up sharing a boat with a small girl who had flaming red hair(which reminded Galleria strongly of Ron's) and icy blue eyes. She was clearly excited about finally being old enough to attend Hogwarts.
"It's one of the best school's of magic around, you know," she said happily.
"So we've heard," Lanai muttered.
The girl, who they learned had an annoying habit to chat non-stop, looked at them as though they had materialized out of nowhere. "You three ought to be in with the other years, oughtn't you?"
Lanai shook her head, clearly annoyed with the girl's sudden interest in their correct whereabouts. "We were instructed by Professor McGonogall to come with the first years."
The girl's eyes widened, impressed. "Ooooh, so you're in Gryffindor, then?"
Lanai looked like she wanted to hex the girl simply for annoying her. Parrish cleared her throat, ready to make peace. "No, we're new here as well." At this, the girl opened her mouth to speak again, but Parrish headed off her inevitable question. "No, we are not first years; we're exchange students. From America."
That seemed to strike the girl as odd; for she didn't say anything. What striked her as even odder, however, was Parrish's name. "Where did your Mum and Dad come up with the idea for your name? It's so odd. We don't have many Parrish's around here." Clearly unnaware of the look on Parrish's face, she continued. "My parents," here she lifted herself up proudly, as is there was some great importance in what she was about to say, "named me after a nymph in Greek mythology."
She looked around the boat, apparently pleased with her revelation. She had neglected to mention, however, what her name actually was. She looked as though she was expecting them to "oooh!" and "aaah!" over the history of her name.
Galleria allowed herself a mild "mmm...." and managed to say, "fascinating," loudly enough so that the girl heard her.
The girl smiled, obviously pleased with herself, and went back to chatting animatedly with no one in particular until the boats reached the other side of the lake. When it bumped against the shore, Lanai jumped out of the boat quickly, clearly not being able to be rid of the girl. She was closely followed by Galleria and Parrish.
The first years and other newcomers followed Hagrid up to the great oak door. Hagrid looked at them all for a second, apparently trying to see if they were all there, and knocked.
The door swung open at once. It was almost as if this tall, black-haired lady who stood there, had been waiting for them by the door. Hagrid and the woman exchanged a few words, of which Galleria couldn't hear because she was in the very back of the crowd of first years. Whatever had been said had gained them access to the school, because the black-haired lady opened the door wide to allow the students into the school.
The students filed in and followed the lady, whom everyone presumed to be Professor McGonogal, across the stone floor. They could all hear the sound of hundreds of voices emitting from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonogall ushered the first years into a small, empty room off of the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," began Professor McGonogall.
The Great Hall
Ron sat on one side of Harry, while Nearly Headless Nick sat on the other. Harry and Hermione were busy discussing Hagrid's mission for Dumbledore that he had gone on over the summer holiday's. ("What d'you reckon it was?" Harry asked. Hermione inclined her head thoughtfully.) But Ron wasn't joining in on the conversation, nor was he listening. He was too busy craning his neck around and above student's heads to see if he could see Galleria.
She was nowhere to be seen.
At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was doing the exact same thing as Ron. Although, he was making is much less obvious, as opposed to Ron, who was attracting stares from members of the Gryffindor table.
Nearly every head in the Great Hall turned when Professor McGonogall came marching in, a line of first years trotting behind her. What most people seemed to notice most, however, was that there were three girls who were clearly not in the first year walking behind the line of first years, up through the Great Hall towards the Sorting Hat.
Murmurs arose amoung the students. It was clear that many people were wondering what the girls were doing amoung the first years.
"Who are they? Have you seen them before?" Lavender Brown asked Pavarati Patil.
"No..." Came the response from Pavarati.
"They're exchange students," piped in Mayalyn Roman a few seats away from Pavarati and Lavender, "from America."
That seemed to shut everyone at the Gryffindor table up; they all returned their attention to the sorting. The Sorting Hat had already finished it's song and was now busy placing, "Wilkes, Lorelei," into Slytherin.
Galleria stood beside her sisters nervously. She looked around at the other first years, relieved when she saw that nearly everybody was just as nervous or more so than she was.
"Dreddarria, Echo!"
The small red-headed girl with whom Galleria and her sisters had shared a boat with scuttled forward and placed the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table on the far left exploded in cheers, as Echo was the first new Gryffindor.
"Gregory, Melina!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right cheered loudly as Melina sat down at their table.
At long last it was the three Summers girl's turn to be sorted.
"Summers, Galleria!"
Galleria took a deep breath, sat on the stool, and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. For a long while, at least it seemed like it to Galleria, the Sorting Hat was quiet. Then-
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat, and a relieved-looking Galleria hurried over to the Gryffindor table amid cheers and claps.
"Summers, Parrish!"
With the same nervous look Galleria had on her face just a minute before, Parrish sat down on the stool and placed the hat on her head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" it shouted.
Galleria sat at the Gryffindor table inbetween a boy who had introduced himself as Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger. Her eyes lingered on her sister, who was now happily making her way over to the Hufflepuff table, and thought, How could we have gotten put into seperate houses? When Lanai's name was called, a glimmer of hope reappeared in Galleria's head. Even if it was Lanai, at least she wouldn't be alone in a house full of people she barely knew.
Lanai appeared, not nervous at all like Galleria and Parrish had been, but calm and confident, almost arrogant. She sat down, and after but a second on her head-
"SLYTHERIN!"
That does it, Galleria thought. I'm going to talk to that Professor McGonogall and see exactly what would happen if I wanted to switch houses.
She thought as much, and said so to Hermione Granger. Confused, Hermione asked, "Why would you want to switch houses? I don't think they'll let you do that."
"Because," Galleria said loftily. "I want to be with one of my sisters."
Ron stared at Galleria, a perplexed look on his face. "Whatever you do," he said to her, "don't ask to be moved into Slytherin."
Galleria nodded. As she gazed over at the Slytherin table, and then over at the Hufflepuff table, she somehow knew she could take Ron's word on that bit of advice.
"Firs' years, right this way!" Hagrid shouted over the dull roar of chattering being emitted from the students. As Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai got off of the train, Hagrid again shouted, "Firs' years, follow me!"
Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai looked at each other. In the letters they had gotten with their supplies on it, they said to go with the first years into the castle. Shrugging, they walked over to the crowd of first years gathered in front of a rather large man with a long, shaggy mane of hair, a wild, tangled bear, and warm, crinkled beetle black eyes.
Hagrid looked at them for a minute, befuddled. "Wait a minute. Yer not firs' years, are yeh?"
Galleria shook her head, speaking up for her sisters and herself. "No, we aren't, but we were told by a Professor McGonogall to enter the school with the first years."
"Now why would Profess--oy! That's right!" His face lit up with recognition. "Yeh must be Galleria, Lanai, and Parrish." He pointed to each girl in turn, and recieved a nod and a smile from Galleria and Parrish, but barely a nod in return from Lanai. She already appeared to have a disliking for Hagrid. Looking a bit miffed, Hagrid returned his attention back to the other first years. "Right, as I was sayin', follow me this way."
Galleria noticed Lanai studying Hagrid intently. Muttering something about giants being allowed on school grounds, Lanai reluctantly followed the group of kids that were already heading down the long, narrow path. After a few minutes, they turned around a bend and were now standing on the edge of a great black lake. But what had captured everyone's attention was a vast castle perched on top of a high mountainside with many turrets and towers.
"Damn," breathed Galleria, staring a the castle.
"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called.
Galleria, Parrish, and Lanai ended up sharing a boat with a small girl who had flaming red hair(which reminded Galleria strongly of Ron's) and icy blue eyes. She was clearly excited about finally being old enough to attend Hogwarts.
"It's one of the best school's of magic around, you know," she said happily.
"So we've heard," Lanai muttered.
The girl, who they learned had an annoying habit to chat non-stop, looked at them as though they had materialized out of nowhere. "You three ought to be in with the other years, oughtn't you?"
Lanai shook her head, clearly annoyed with the girl's sudden interest in their correct whereabouts. "We were instructed by Professor McGonogall to come with the first years."
The girl's eyes widened, impressed. "Ooooh, so you're in Gryffindor, then?"
Lanai looked like she wanted to hex the girl simply for annoying her. Parrish cleared her throat, ready to make peace. "No, we're new here as well." At this, the girl opened her mouth to speak again, but Parrish headed off her inevitable question. "No, we are not first years; we're exchange students. From America."
That seemed to strike the girl as odd; for she didn't say anything. What striked her as even odder, however, was Parrish's name. "Where did your Mum and Dad come up with the idea for your name? It's so odd. We don't have many Parrish's around here." Clearly unnaware of the look on Parrish's face, she continued. "My parents," here she lifted herself up proudly, as is there was some great importance in what she was about to say, "named me after a nymph in Greek mythology."
She looked around the boat, apparently pleased with her revelation. She had neglected to mention, however, what her name actually was. She looked as though she was expecting them to "oooh!" and "aaah!" over the history of her name.
Galleria allowed herself a mild "mmm...." and managed to say, "fascinating," loudly enough so that the girl heard her.
The girl smiled, obviously pleased with herself, and went back to chatting animatedly with no one in particular until the boats reached the other side of the lake. When it bumped against the shore, Lanai jumped out of the boat quickly, clearly not being able to be rid of the girl. She was closely followed by Galleria and Parrish.
The first years and other newcomers followed Hagrid up to the great oak door. Hagrid looked at them all for a second, apparently trying to see if they were all there, and knocked.
The door swung open at once. It was almost as if this tall, black-haired lady who stood there, had been waiting for them by the door. Hagrid and the woman exchanged a few words, of which Galleria couldn't hear because she was in the very back of the crowd of first years. Whatever had been said had gained them access to the school, because the black-haired lady opened the door wide to allow the students into the school.
The students filed in and followed the lady, whom everyone presumed to be Professor McGonogal, across the stone floor. They could all hear the sound of hundreds of voices emitting from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonogall ushered the first years into a small, empty room off of the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," began Professor McGonogall.
The Great Hall
Ron sat on one side of Harry, while Nearly Headless Nick sat on the other. Harry and Hermione were busy discussing Hagrid's mission for Dumbledore that he had gone on over the summer holiday's. ("What d'you reckon it was?" Harry asked. Hermione inclined her head thoughtfully.) But Ron wasn't joining in on the conversation, nor was he listening. He was too busy craning his neck around and above student's heads to see if he could see Galleria.
She was nowhere to be seen.
At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was doing the exact same thing as Ron. Although, he was making is much less obvious, as opposed to Ron, who was attracting stares from members of the Gryffindor table.
Nearly every head in the Great Hall turned when Professor McGonogall came marching in, a line of first years trotting behind her. What most people seemed to notice most, however, was that there were three girls who were clearly not in the first year walking behind the line of first years, up through the Great Hall towards the Sorting Hat.
Murmurs arose amoung the students. It was clear that many people were wondering what the girls were doing amoung the first years.
"Who are they? Have you seen them before?" Lavender Brown asked Pavarati Patil.
"No..." Came the response from Pavarati.
"They're exchange students," piped in Mayalyn Roman a few seats away from Pavarati and Lavender, "from America."
That seemed to shut everyone at the Gryffindor table up; they all returned their attention to the sorting. The Sorting Hat had already finished it's song and was now busy placing, "Wilkes, Lorelei," into Slytherin.
Galleria stood beside her sisters nervously. She looked around at the other first years, relieved when she saw that nearly everybody was just as nervous or more so than she was.
"Dreddarria, Echo!"
The small red-headed girl with whom Galleria and her sisters had shared a boat with scuttled forward and placed the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table on the far left exploded in cheers, as Echo was the first new Gryffindor.
"Gregory, Melina!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right cheered loudly as Melina sat down at their table.
At long last it was the three Summers girl's turn to be sorted.
"Summers, Galleria!"
Galleria took a deep breath, sat on the stool, and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. For a long while, at least it seemed like it to Galleria, the Sorting Hat was quiet. Then-
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat, and a relieved-looking Galleria hurried over to the Gryffindor table amid cheers and claps.
"Summers, Parrish!"
With the same nervous look Galleria had on her face just a minute before, Parrish sat down on the stool and placed the hat on her head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" it shouted.
Galleria sat at the Gryffindor table inbetween a boy who had introduced himself as Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger. Her eyes lingered on her sister, who was now happily making her way over to the Hufflepuff table, and thought, How could we have gotten put into seperate houses? When Lanai's name was called, a glimmer of hope reappeared in Galleria's head. Even if it was Lanai, at least she wouldn't be alone in a house full of people she barely knew.
Lanai appeared, not nervous at all like Galleria and Parrish had been, but calm and confident, almost arrogant. She sat down, and after but a second on her head-
"SLYTHERIN!"
That does it, Galleria thought. I'm going to talk to that Professor McGonogall and see exactly what would happen if I wanted to switch houses.
She thought as much, and said so to Hermione Granger. Confused, Hermione asked, "Why would you want to switch houses? I don't think they'll let you do that."
"Because," Galleria said loftily. "I want to be with one of my sisters."
Ron stared at Galleria, a perplexed look on his face. "Whatever you do," he said to her, "don't ask to be moved into Slytherin."
Galleria nodded. As she gazed over at the Slytherin table, and then over at the Hufflepuff table, she somehow knew she could take Ron's word on that bit of advice.