English Pearl
Ch. 1: White.
[A/N: I originally posted this story in the fall of 2003. Having taken it down, reworked it and reconsidered my plot I am ready to repost it with a new title (only slightly altered from England to English), second chapter and whole new focus. This is a story about an American Transfer Student. My character, Deniera, is a personal creation based off a friend who passed away. She will be steadily fleshed out through Harry's 7th year. OotP Spoiler Warning.]
Hogwarts. England's most prestigious magic school lay under the dark clouds of a rising evil and impending war. Dumbledore spends a better portion of his time trying to gain allies from Durmstang and Beauxbatons, the Americans left to the wayside under the assumption that this war would require their awakening like the last.
An American girl, her father an emissary of the U.S Department of Magical Management, packs her bags from the Embassy for this school year. She would have been a junior in Groom Lake Academy. Black tendrils dangling around her face, framing glittery hazel eyes are what provide the shell of the American Dreamer. Tan complexion gives away her parents heritage originally in Nevada, but its lightness in recent days suggest her long summer in London itself.
The summer was drawing to a close as both parents agreed to take days off to help their daughter prepare for a new school year ahead. Her only frustration being with the severe lack of summer and focus on school still placed throughout what she had. They began a hazardous journey through London finding the Leaky Cauldron in less than an hour. Slipping through, they arrived at the wall, pulling a parchment informing them of the proper tapping mechanism. Stepping in, Deniera led her parents' strait to the broom shop where she began pricing and mentally exchanging currency in her mind while her parents went to fetch books.
"The Nimbus XE, top of the line and latest model of the series. Slytherin will have one of those new on its Quiddich team." a sneering voice from behind her.
"That's good to hear, I myself am interested in one as well." She replied, looking at the silver haired boy with mild distaste.
"I am Draco, Draco Malfoy, you would do well to join the Slytherin house and avoid certain, unrepeatable names." He hissed, glaring at the large group of redheads approaching. "But back to the broom, it has the best alignment and speed and can even beat out the Cleansweep 12."
"Cleansweep 12, Nimbus XE. Both are brooms and brooms are only as good as their handlers. "She replies, moving into the store in an attempt to get away from him.
He follows his interest in the girl obviously piqued.
"I know the fellow; I could get you a discount." He replied with an air of arrogance.
"If I wanted a discount, I would return to Taiwan. Nimbus made... cleansweep made... all made in Taiwan." She said with a chuckle as she dropped enough gold for two brooms.
"You have two brooms. A gift for someone?" Draco asked, looking far too hopeful, obviously missing having his father around to buy him stuff.
"No shit Sherlock." She replied, rolling her eyes at him walking towards the door.
"Brother, cousin, father, sister" his voice rose slightly, "boyfriend?" as he trailed her like a lost puppy.
"Perhaps..." She said as she stopped dead of a glaring pug faced female.
"DRAKIE!" Pansy exclaimed, glaring at Deniera.
"Obviously we found your significant other. He has been searching for you for hours. Good day." She told him running away from a yelp as Pansy began squeezing the life out of him in public.
Deniera went towards the mass of redhead she had seen earlier, brooms tossed over shoulder. "Weasley's Weezies."
Stepping in, the first step almost killed her. The sign of 'Watch that first step, it's a doozy,' made her chuckle as she begun to browse the wares. The plates of various candies and plastic fake wands tempted her, but she knew better to try any herself.
"That wand you're eyeing makes a sparkler come out, simple yet tasteful." A redheaded girl stepped up beside her.
"I'd like it; I miss Fourth of July back home so it would be nice for some fun here. "
"Your new, I'm Ginny, the youngest Weasley helping out here in the shop. My brothers are in the back arguing with Mum regarding going back for another year at Hogwarts. If you follow me we can go find the colors you want. We just have to move quietly." Ginny told her with a smile of innocence.
Walking back, Mrs. Weasley was moaning about how few Owls both boys had picked up and how they could go so much farther in the ministry and with NEWTs. Ron was sitting on the side with Hermione, flicking at a few pieces of her fluffy hair and the twins were looking rather downcast.
"Mum, give us one real good reason. We love our joke shop. Why go back?" George asked, looking to Fred.
"Yea, why should we go back?" Fred added, looking to his mother as Ginny and Deniera appeared in the doorway.
Ginny went over to the bins while Molly searching for an answer, caught sight of Deniera.
"Why dear, do help an old lady out, what reason could I possibly give to a pair of stubborn sons?" Molly asked, looking at her in agitated frustration.
Deniera stopped all movement like a deer in the headlights. She sought around her mind then replied cool and controlled manner. "Quiddich..."
"What?" The pair looked at her, both in shock of her pretty appearance and quickly gaining notice of the two brooms she held that already had Ron drooling much to Hermione's annoyance.
"If your house wins the Quiddich Cup, I'll buy you the top of the line brooms of the year. To improve your chances, one of you can use my broom and perhaps the other if I am placed in your house."
"What is the catch?" Fred asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Teach me to play Quiddich. We play quadpot and snitagon at my other schools so I don't fully understand the nuances of Quiddich. I have only seen two matches, those on the Wizalite when I was in Taiwan." She said with a flush of embarrassment.
"You lived in Taiwan? You don't look Asian." George replied, adding to the inquisition.
"I'm not. I am Native American; my parents attended the Academy in the South West and were commissioned as Army Magicians under the Department of State. They traveled everywhere and had me in Salem. I lived in France, Taiwan and Australia. I recently attended their old academy while they assisted in attending my grandmother who passed away at Christmas. They took the posts here and now I am attending Hogwarts." Her words were like a recantation she had said a hundred times before.
"You do have a name don't you?" Fred asked, ingesting every last bit of information possible.
"How silly of me, my parents would frown upon my etiquette. I am Deniera Liira Talos which means the storms daughter of knowledge and unicorns." Deniera replied with a flushed whisper at the end.
"Daughter of Knowledge and Unicorns, she sounds like a Ravenclaw." Ron said from the back.
"I was an Eagle clansman in the last Academy, which I was told is much like the Gryffindor House." She said with a deepening blush. "We are pride and courage to boot. The only thing that differentiated us from the Viper Clan was our honor to good above all else."
"Alright, we will go back. But if it is as bad as it was last year we leave and never return." Fred replied in resignation.
"If you want to learn Quiddich, come by the Burrow. We are just off the beaten trail" George said with a smile.
Ch. 1: White.
[A/N: I originally posted this story in the fall of 2003. Having taken it down, reworked it and reconsidered my plot I am ready to repost it with a new title (only slightly altered from England to English), second chapter and whole new focus. This is a story about an American Transfer Student. My character, Deniera, is a personal creation based off a friend who passed away. She will be steadily fleshed out through Harry's 7th year. OotP Spoiler Warning.]
Hogwarts. England's most prestigious magic school lay under the dark clouds of a rising evil and impending war. Dumbledore spends a better portion of his time trying to gain allies from Durmstang and Beauxbatons, the Americans left to the wayside under the assumption that this war would require their awakening like the last.
An American girl, her father an emissary of the U.S Department of Magical Management, packs her bags from the Embassy for this school year. She would have been a junior in Groom Lake Academy. Black tendrils dangling around her face, framing glittery hazel eyes are what provide the shell of the American Dreamer. Tan complexion gives away her parents heritage originally in Nevada, but its lightness in recent days suggest her long summer in London itself.
The summer was drawing to a close as both parents agreed to take days off to help their daughter prepare for a new school year ahead. Her only frustration being with the severe lack of summer and focus on school still placed throughout what she had. They began a hazardous journey through London finding the Leaky Cauldron in less than an hour. Slipping through, they arrived at the wall, pulling a parchment informing them of the proper tapping mechanism. Stepping in, Deniera led her parents' strait to the broom shop where she began pricing and mentally exchanging currency in her mind while her parents went to fetch books.
"The Nimbus XE, top of the line and latest model of the series. Slytherin will have one of those new on its Quiddich team." a sneering voice from behind her.
"That's good to hear, I myself am interested in one as well." She replied, looking at the silver haired boy with mild distaste.
"I am Draco, Draco Malfoy, you would do well to join the Slytherin house and avoid certain, unrepeatable names." He hissed, glaring at the large group of redheads approaching. "But back to the broom, it has the best alignment and speed and can even beat out the Cleansweep 12."
"Cleansweep 12, Nimbus XE. Both are brooms and brooms are only as good as their handlers. "She replies, moving into the store in an attempt to get away from him.
He follows his interest in the girl obviously piqued.
"I know the fellow; I could get you a discount." He replied with an air of arrogance.
"If I wanted a discount, I would return to Taiwan. Nimbus made... cleansweep made... all made in Taiwan." She said with a chuckle as she dropped enough gold for two brooms.
"You have two brooms. A gift for someone?" Draco asked, looking far too hopeful, obviously missing having his father around to buy him stuff.
"No shit Sherlock." She replied, rolling her eyes at him walking towards the door.
"Brother, cousin, father, sister" his voice rose slightly, "boyfriend?" as he trailed her like a lost puppy.
"Perhaps..." She said as she stopped dead of a glaring pug faced female.
"DRAKIE!" Pansy exclaimed, glaring at Deniera.
"Obviously we found your significant other. He has been searching for you for hours. Good day." She told him running away from a yelp as Pansy began squeezing the life out of him in public.
Deniera went towards the mass of redhead she had seen earlier, brooms tossed over shoulder. "Weasley's Weezies."
Stepping in, the first step almost killed her. The sign of 'Watch that first step, it's a doozy,' made her chuckle as she begun to browse the wares. The plates of various candies and plastic fake wands tempted her, but she knew better to try any herself.
"That wand you're eyeing makes a sparkler come out, simple yet tasteful." A redheaded girl stepped up beside her.
"I'd like it; I miss Fourth of July back home so it would be nice for some fun here. "
"Your new, I'm Ginny, the youngest Weasley helping out here in the shop. My brothers are in the back arguing with Mum regarding going back for another year at Hogwarts. If you follow me we can go find the colors you want. We just have to move quietly." Ginny told her with a smile of innocence.
Walking back, Mrs. Weasley was moaning about how few Owls both boys had picked up and how they could go so much farther in the ministry and with NEWTs. Ron was sitting on the side with Hermione, flicking at a few pieces of her fluffy hair and the twins were looking rather downcast.
"Mum, give us one real good reason. We love our joke shop. Why go back?" George asked, looking to Fred.
"Yea, why should we go back?" Fred added, looking to his mother as Ginny and Deniera appeared in the doorway.
Ginny went over to the bins while Molly searching for an answer, caught sight of Deniera.
"Why dear, do help an old lady out, what reason could I possibly give to a pair of stubborn sons?" Molly asked, looking at her in agitated frustration.
Deniera stopped all movement like a deer in the headlights. She sought around her mind then replied cool and controlled manner. "Quiddich..."
"What?" The pair looked at her, both in shock of her pretty appearance and quickly gaining notice of the two brooms she held that already had Ron drooling much to Hermione's annoyance.
"If your house wins the Quiddich Cup, I'll buy you the top of the line brooms of the year. To improve your chances, one of you can use my broom and perhaps the other if I am placed in your house."
"What is the catch?" Fred asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Teach me to play Quiddich. We play quadpot and snitagon at my other schools so I don't fully understand the nuances of Quiddich. I have only seen two matches, those on the Wizalite when I was in Taiwan." She said with a flush of embarrassment.
"You lived in Taiwan? You don't look Asian." George replied, adding to the inquisition.
"I'm not. I am Native American; my parents attended the Academy in the South West and were commissioned as Army Magicians under the Department of State. They traveled everywhere and had me in Salem. I lived in France, Taiwan and Australia. I recently attended their old academy while they assisted in attending my grandmother who passed away at Christmas. They took the posts here and now I am attending Hogwarts." Her words were like a recantation she had said a hundred times before.
"You do have a name don't you?" Fred asked, ingesting every last bit of information possible.
"How silly of me, my parents would frown upon my etiquette. I am Deniera Liira Talos which means the storms daughter of knowledge and unicorns." Deniera replied with a flushed whisper at the end.
"Daughter of Knowledge and Unicorns, she sounds like a Ravenclaw." Ron said from the back.
"I was an Eagle clansman in the last Academy, which I was told is much like the Gryffindor House." She said with a deepening blush. "We are pride and courage to boot. The only thing that differentiated us from the Viper Clan was our honor to good above all else."
"Alright, we will go back. But if it is as bad as it was last year we leave and never return." Fred replied in resignation.
"If you want to learn Quiddich, come by the Burrow. We are just off the beaten trail" George said with a smile.