OK, people. I'm sorry for some of the mistakes I've made in the first two
chapters, as in spelling Dumbledore without an e. It's a simple mistake,
but I will try very hard to remember to keep that in mind, but no
guarantees, for I have the WORST memory. But anyway, Lemon Drop requested
this chapter as well as Kat. By the way, Oliver is MINE! Lolol. jk. Well,
here you are!
Minutes of happy silence ticked by. Erin found herself quite comfortable on a broom with this mysterious lad. It was like E.T. or something.
"So," he said as they flew peacefully over the moors. "What's your name?"
"Erin."
"Very pretty. Do you know anything aboot the wizarding world?" His Scottish accent kicked in.
"No. I don't know about my parents or anything.
"Oh dear. You have a lot to catch up on. I can't say aboot your parents, but I do know quite a lot aboot our world. What do you want to know?" She set her chin on his shoulder and thought.
"Hogwarts. I'm quite curious about it."
"Ah. Hogwarts is quite an amazing place. There are four houses: Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." He seemed to grimace at the latter, but due to the fact that they were invisible, Erin couldn't tell. "I was in Gryffindor. I've since graduated. Slytherin is infamous for their bad wizards. They don't care for Muggle-borns in fact, many wish them dead."
"Muggle-borns?"
"A Muggle is a non-magic person. Muggle-borns are witches or wizards who's parents have no magic blood in them."
"Oh. What kind of classes are there, then?"
"There's plenty to learn at school. Muggle studies, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Quidditch."
"Quidditch?"
Oliver gasped. "You don't know aboot Quidditch? Well. of course you don't. It's a wizard sport with fourteen players on broomsticks and four balls. The first is the Snitch, originally the Golden Snidget bird. More on that in Quidditch Through the Ages." and the young fellow began the long explanation of the game, rules, players, etceteras. Not a bit of it was boring to Erin. She became immersed in his words.
When he had run out of things to say, she smiled. "That might be interesting."
"Aye. that's an understatement."
"How am I to catch up with fifth years?"
"You'll be talking to Dumbledore aboot that. I can't say."
"And Dumbledore is.?"
The boy gave a low whistle. "Wow. You are a bit behind. Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts. Best one that the school has ever had. Amazing man, he is."
Erin gazed at the ground below her. Good thing she wasn't afraid of heights. Any second now, she thought. I'll wake up in my own little bed with Mother screeching in my ear to go and feed the horses.
"Will I need any books?" she asked.
"Yes. Of course, you'll have to take a trip to Hogsmede or Diagon Ally."
"Diagonally?"
"Well. sort of. It's Diagon. Ally."
"Strange."
"Indeed. You'll have to get a cauldron, books, a wand, maybe a pet. Owls are the best, mind you. Very useful for carrying your letters."
"I haven't any money. How do I buy school supplies without money?"
"Uh. Dumbledore will have to tell you that." She laughed a bit at his uncertainty. Why had she so quickly trusted him? She didn't know him the slightest bit. It was all so dream-like. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep against the mysterious chap's shoulder.
"Erin, Erin, wake up!" There it was. The dreaded call. Times to roll her so called "sorry ass" out of bed and go feed the horses. Mother must have a cold, Erin thought. Her voice has never been this gentle. She opened her eyes slowly.
"Hogwarts." Erin gasped. It hadn't been a dream after all! She couldn't believe it! She looked below her. A tremendous castle towered by the bank of a lake that shimmered in the lights that shone from the spires. Snow was quietly falling from the sky above. This was too perfect.
They flew down and landed gracefully on the lawn. Feeling shaky, Erin slid off the broom and the other rider took the cloak from their shoulders. "Welcome to Hogwarts." And he offered her his elbow in a gentlemanly gesture. She accepted and they strode towards the doors. Before they got there, they had swung open and an elderly witch stood in the door. Her face turned into a crinkly smile.
"Professor, I found her. Erin, this is Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher."
"Oh. Er. Nice to meet you."
"It's my pleasure," McGonagall assured and she opened the door wider. "Everyone leaves tomorrow for home except, of course, those who decided to stay." Erin smiled weakly. She now realized how nervous she was. They followed the professor down a grand hall in which stood coats of armor that.. moved!
"Ah!" Erin yelped. McGonagall turned.
"It's just the armor, Erin," the boy whispered in her ear. She laughed at the incident. They continued on to two doors that stood open to reveal four tables lined with students. Erin came closer to the young man. As they entered, McGonagall said over her shoulder, "This is the Great Hall." All students went silent and turned.
There was a head table in front of the four house tables. An ancient man stood. He had a great silver bushy beard and half-moon spectacles. His dark purple robes swirled about his ankles. "May I have your attention please. I would like to welcome a newcomer to our castle. It is not a painting or another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher or even one of our beloved ghosts. (Ron leaned over to Harry. "Since when was Moaning Myrtle "beloved"?) He motioned her forward. She gathered her courage and sent herself forward at the elbow of her rescuer. "This is Erin Abernathy and this feast is in her honor. Probably to her displeasure," he winked at her. "She will have to be sorted as all of have, unfortunately by herself." She felt her eyes widen.
"No need to be frightened," he said to her as a stool and a very ragged witch's hat was brought out.
McGonagall sat the stool on the stone floor and set the hat atop it. "You will sit on the stool and I will place the Sorting hat on you head. It will out you into the house that will best suit you." Seeing her resistance, Oliver gently pushed her forward. Erin perched herself on the stool and the Sorting hat was lowered over her eyes.
"Hmmm.." Said a voice in her ear. "Latecomer I see. Well, you have courage that's quite obvious. A good student. And most honest. Ah. yes. GRYFFINDOR!!!" Erin pulled it off and set it back on the stool as the table to her left exploded in cheers. She couldn't help the grin that broke over her face. This was too perfect. The bearded man was clapping happily and McGonagall was taking the stool and Sorting hat away.
"It's good to see you again, Professor Dumbledore," the older boy said to the old wizard when everything had calmed. Erin turned away and headed toward her new house table.
She sat before three other Gryffindors her age. One boy with flaming red hair and beside him a girl who was quite pretty with bushy brown hair. Beside her was another boy with jet-black hair and glasses that didn't hide his bright green eyes. There was an unusual lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
The first boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Ron Weasley, house Prefect." Erin shook it thankfully. Friends, she thought. Something she had never had.
The girl smiled. "I'm Hermione Granger."
"The whiz kid."
"Shut up, Ron! Okay, I admit, I'm a little into learning, but there has not been a single time in which it didn't help them." She glanced daringly at Ron. "I'll be glad to help you with anything." Erin was so surprised that everyone liked her here.
The last boy was finally up to bat. "Harry, Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you," Erin said. Everyone turned to stare and Harry Potter looked like he was about to hug her.
Minutes of happy silence ticked by. Erin found herself quite comfortable on a broom with this mysterious lad. It was like E.T. or something.
"So," he said as they flew peacefully over the moors. "What's your name?"
"Erin."
"Very pretty. Do you know anything aboot the wizarding world?" His Scottish accent kicked in.
"No. I don't know about my parents or anything.
"Oh dear. You have a lot to catch up on. I can't say aboot your parents, but I do know quite a lot aboot our world. What do you want to know?" She set her chin on his shoulder and thought.
"Hogwarts. I'm quite curious about it."
"Ah. Hogwarts is quite an amazing place. There are four houses: Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." He seemed to grimace at the latter, but due to the fact that they were invisible, Erin couldn't tell. "I was in Gryffindor. I've since graduated. Slytherin is infamous for their bad wizards. They don't care for Muggle-borns in fact, many wish them dead."
"Muggle-borns?"
"A Muggle is a non-magic person. Muggle-borns are witches or wizards who's parents have no magic blood in them."
"Oh. What kind of classes are there, then?"
"There's plenty to learn at school. Muggle studies, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Quidditch."
"Quidditch?"
Oliver gasped. "You don't know aboot Quidditch? Well. of course you don't. It's a wizard sport with fourteen players on broomsticks and four balls. The first is the Snitch, originally the Golden Snidget bird. More on that in Quidditch Through the Ages." and the young fellow began the long explanation of the game, rules, players, etceteras. Not a bit of it was boring to Erin. She became immersed in his words.
When he had run out of things to say, she smiled. "That might be interesting."
"Aye. that's an understatement."
"How am I to catch up with fifth years?"
"You'll be talking to Dumbledore aboot that. I can't say."
"And Dumbledore is.?"
The boy gave a low whistle. "Wow. You are a bit behind. Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts. Best one that the school has ever had. Amazing man, he is."
Erin gazed at the ground below her. Good thing she wasn't afraid of heights. Any second now, she thought. I'll wake up in my own little bed with Mother screeching in my ear to go and feed the horses.
"Will I need any books?" she asked.
"Yes. Of course, you'll have to take a trip to Hogsmede or Diagon Ally."
"Diagonally?"
"Well. sort of. It's Diagon. Ally."
"Strange."
"Indeed. You'll have to get a cauldron, books, a wand, maybe a pet. Owls are the best, mind you. Very useful for carrying your letters."
"I haven't any money. How do I buy school supplies without money?"
"Uh. Dumbledore will have to tell you that." She laughed a bit at his uncertainty. Why had she so quickly trusted him? She didn't know him the slightest bit. It was all so dream-like. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep against the mysterious chap's shoulder.
"Erin, Erin, wake up!" There it was. The dreaded call. Times to roll her so called "sorry ass" out of bed and go feed the horses. Mother must have a cold, Erin thought. Her voice has never been this gentle. She opened her eyes slowly.
"Hogwarts." Erin gasped. It hadn't been a dream after all! She couldn't believe it! She looked below her. A tremendous castle towered by the bank of a lake that shimmered in the lights that shone from the spires. Snow was quietly falling from the sky above. This was too perfect.
They flew down and landed gracefully on the lawn. Feeling shaky, Erin slid off the broom and the other rider took the cloak from their shoulders. "Welcome to Hogwarts." And he offered her his elbow in a gentlemanly gesture. She accepted and they strode towards the doors. Before they got there, they had swung open and an elderly witch stood in the door. Her face turned into a crinkly smile.
"Professor, I found her. Erin, this is Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher."
"Oh. Er. Nice to meet you."
"It's my pleasure," McGonagall assured and she opened the door wider. "Everyone leaves tomorrow for home except, of course, those who decided to stay." Erin smiled weakly. She now realized how nervous she was. They followed the professor down a grand hall in which stood coats of armor that.. moved!
"Ah!" Erin yelped. McGonagall turned.
"It's just the armor, Erin," the boy whispered in her ear. She laughed at the incident. They continued on to two doors that stood open to reveal four tables lined with students. Erin came closer to the young man. As they entered, McGonagall said over her shoulder, "This is the Great Hall." All students went silent and turned.
There was a head table in front of the four house tables. An ancient man stood. He had a great silver bushy beard and half-moon spectacles. His dark purple robes swirled about his ankles. "May I have your attention please. I would like to welcome a newcomer to our castle. It is not a painting or another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher or even one of our beloved ghosts. (Ron leaned over to Harry. "Since when was Moaning Myrtle "beloved"?) He motioned her forward. She gathered her courage and sent herself forward at the elbow of her rescuer. "This is Erin Abernathy and this feast is in her honor. Probably to her displeasure," he winked at her. "She will have to be sorted as all of have, unfortunately by herself." She felt her eyes widen.
"No need to be frightened," he said to her as a stool and a very ragged witch's hat was brought out.
McGonagall sat the stool on the stone floor and set the hat atop it. "You will sit on the stool and I will place the Sorting hat on you head. It will out you into the house that will best suit you." Seeing her resistance, Oliver gently pushed her forward. Erin perched herself on the stool and the Sorting hat was lowered over her eyes.
"Hmmm.." Said a voice in her ear. "Latecomer I see. Well, you have courage that's quite obvious. A good student. And most honest. Ah. yes. GRYFFINDOR!!!" Erin pulled it off and set it back on the stool as the table to her left exploded in cheers. She couldn't help the grin that broke over her face. This was too perfect. The bearded man was clapping happily and McGonagall was taking the stool and Sorting hat away.
"It's good to see you again, Professor Dumbledore," the older boy said to the old wizard when everything had calmed. Erin turned away and headed toward her new house table.
She sat before three other Gryffindors her age. One boy with flaming red hair and beside him a girl who was quite pretty with bushy brown hair. Beside her was another boy with jet-black hair and glasses that didn't hide his bright green eyes. There was an unusual lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
The first boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Ron Weasley, house Prefect." Erin shook it thankfully. Friends, she thought. Something she had never had.
The girl smiled. "I'm Hermione Granger."
"The whiz kid."
"Shut up, Ron! Okay, I admit, I'm a little into learning, but there has not been a single time in which it didn't help them." She glanced daringly at Ron. "I'll be glad to help you with anything." Erin was so surprised that everyone liked her here.
The last boy was finally up to bat. "Harry, Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you," Erin said. Everyone turned to stare and Harry Potter looked like he was about to hug her.