Chapter 2 A Wand, A Trip, and A Sorting
A warm, white fire of power swept up my arm and through my body, leaving me with a strange tingling sensation all over. I could feel someone's eyes on me, and I looked up seeing Mr. Ollivander who I had completely forgotten was there in my astonishment. He murmured something to himself and walked over to his register, took out a book from a small drawer opened it looked at something, gasped and hurried away leaving his book forgotten, lying open on the counter. I looked down at the wand in my hand then at the book wondering if I could see what it was that had Mr. Ollivander so worried before he came back. Just as I had thought it I heard Mr. Ollivander's shuffling steps hurrying back towards me. I quickly back away from the counter that I had been inching towards, just as Mr. Ollivander came back into view looking like his normal self. (If you call a crazy guy with pure white hair sticking up every which way normal...) he stepped be hind the counter, closed the book and stuck it into the drawer, glaring at me suspiciously then wincing in pain as he shut his finger in the drawer. I smothered my mouth to keep from laughing as he went back to glaring at me. "It's 16 Galleons, 10 Sickles, and 14 Knuts for the wand, missy" he growled almost menacingly.
This took me aback as even though I thought of Mr. Ollivander as a little strange I didn't think he could be mean. While I was wallowing in my thoughts and Mr. Ollivander had left to go someplace in the back of his shop, someone knocked at the window outside. Jerked out of my thoughts by the sound I turned around to see Professor Snape outside the window with an odd look on his face. He beckoned for me to get my butt outside now with side gestures of his hands that also proclaimed that he'd hex me if I didn't do what he said, now. My eyes wide at the thought of what this learned potions teacher could do I hurried outside. With a small swish of his cloak he produced a cage, with a pure white owl with black wing tips, and turquoise eyes, inside hooting dolefully at me. I gasped in surprise then looked at Snape one eyebrow raised in inquiry at what he was doing, as I didn't think Snape could be THIS nice. In reply to my inquiring look he said, "Dumbledore said we were to get something for each of our "charges" and I figured you'd like this." He mumbled the last part so I could barely understand him. With his robes twirling around him, he swept away, me jogging to keep up and dragging the cart he had brought to help with my stuff behind me.
When I got home, my parents were waiting for me happy that I was now a witch but sad that I would be leaving. I had to reassure them that I would owl every week, if I could. By the time, we had finished talking it was late, and we needed to get some sleep. Over the next few weeks I used my time to read the Harry Potter books as a review and my schoolbooks, though I knew I probably couldn't beat Hermione in the knowledge department. Finally September 1st came, I woke up bright and early that morning went downstairs and tried to have some breakfast although I was too nervous to eat. Finally, as arranged, Snape came to pick me up to bring me to the station, I kissed my loving parents good-bye, and disappeared into the fireplace with a pop.
The walk to the station for the Leaky Cauldron where we had come through seemed to take longer then I had thought it would, more then likely due to my nerves. Snape bustled ahead of me, taking long strides while I puffed along behind him dragging my cart, the ticket to get me onto the train clutched tightly in my hand. The owl that I had named Fallen Angel or Angel for short was in her cage fluttering around, nervous of all the noises. At last Snape stopped in am archway and faced the opposite wall. He waited impatiently for me to stop gasping for breath before saying in a low voice, so no muggles around us could hear, "this is it, that's that barrier for you to get onto Platform 93/4. All you have to do is face it and run at it and you'll pass right through." I nodded my understanding even though I already knew what it was that I was supposed to do. Still I glanced nervously at the barrier. It looked pretty solid looking to me." Uh, heh, heh, are you sure that's it?" Snape just glared at me in response.
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves I turned my cart towards the barrier and started to slowly jog towards it, speeding up as I went. Just before I knew I was going to crash I closed my eyes. To my surprise I never crashed. I finally opened my eyes to find my self at Platform 93/4. Parents and children of all ages bustled around me, some saying goodbye others getting on the train. More carts and people were gathered around a compartment near the caboose of the train, their luggage slowly filling it. Walking slowly I made my way towards it, looking around me completely absorbed in everything I saw. I was so absorbed I didn't hear my name being called until I felt a tap on my shoulder as I reached the baggage compartment. I whipped around startled. A head with blonde hair and grey eyes came into my field of vision. Draco stood in front of me, grinning. "Hey! I was wondering when you'd get here!' I smiled gratefully, as I had been wondering if I would see anyone I knew here. Just as I opened my mouth to speak an annoyed female voice spoke from behind Draco. "Drakkie! Oh My God! I've been looking everywhere for you! I can't believe you walked off like that!" Draco gave a grimace and rolled his eyes as he turned to the girl behind him who started to glare at me when she saw whom "Drakkie" had been talking to. "Pansy," Draco started and I immediately looked at the girl in mad astonishment. This was the girl that was always sucking up to Draco? I snorted in disgust as the girl turned her tiny eyes and pug-like face back to Draco. "Pansy, this is Chelsea, that girl I was telling you about." Draco was saying, "And uh, if you couldn't use that tiny brain of yours to figure it out, we, you and me, are over, and me and Chelsea, are together."
At the last word I gasped and Draco reached for my hand. Pansy, however, burst into tears, turned on her heel and ran down the train to a compartment door that was still open. Before she climbed in however she looked back at us with disgust her piggy face red from her crying. Draco looked at me and smiled, his fingers warm in mine. I smiled back just as the warning bell to get on the train rang. Both of us jumped and Draco started running, pulling me behind him. We reached the doors of a compartment, jumped in and collapsed on the seats just as the train started pulling away from the station. The good news was that no one was in the compartment so no one missed our hysterical laughing fit at almost missing the train. When we finally collected ourselves, Draco stood up wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes and said, "Well, I need to go to the front of the train that's where the prefects are supposed to meet. I'll be back soon." Draco smiled slightly and leaned down placing a soft kiss on my lips. I watched him in astonishment as he walked out the compartment door and disappeared into the corridor. I got up, closed the compartment door and took a seat at the window, staring at the scenery outside.
I must have fallen asleep as I opened my eyes a while later to find a warm albeit scratchy blanket around me and a girl's face, with its green eyes and reddish colored hair looking down at me questioningly. I blinked slowly not quite comprehending who it was above me. Suddenly I knew who it was.
"Ashley! Oh my goodness! What are you doing here?"
A billion other questions welled up inside my mouth as I jumped up to hug her tightly. Ashley laughed as she hugged me back and sat down on the compartment across from me. Ashley had been my best friend for several years but I only saw her in the summer though, because she had always said she had to visit some relatives in England or she was traveling some place. I was shocked to find out that it was actually that she attended Hogwarts. She told me her all about it as the train rattled by more and more countryside, the daylight becoming darker as time passed. She'd been going to Hogwarts for 5 years now and this would be her sixth year there. She was also in Gryffindor, with Harry, Ron Hermione and everyone else I had read about. Though, sadly, she had never gotten the chance to actually meet any of them (she HAD seen them from afar but she never been paired with any of them in classes), she also had the Harry Potter books which was surprising to me cause I figured she would have told everyone about it, but she told me, she was under strict instructions from Dumbledore not to say anything. The teachers, she said, were the same, although Snape seemed to have gotten worse over the summer. We talked for 2 hours straight, her filling me in on everything, even though I knew most of it I still couldn't make myself believe that this world was actually real.
Long after I had expected him to be back, Draco walked back in and sat next to me. He finally noticed Ashley sitting across from me and narrowed his eyes at her as she did the same. Turning to me he whispered to me "How can you be friends with this Gryffindork?" I glared at him not expecting to actually have him insult me.
"I've been friends with her for several years, ok?!" I whispered back louder then I had intended. The compartment door opened again to reveal two huge guys who I took to be Crabbe and Goyle. One of them grunted. Crabbe I guess, and Draco sighed seemingly annoyed.
"Fine." he muttered before turning back to me and leaning in to kiss my cheek, but I pushed him away and he glared at Ashley and me before huffing and stalking out of the compartment. When the door slammed behind him Ashley whirled around to looks at me her face red because she was so angry.
"You're WITH him?!" She yelled loudly. I avoided her eyes and continued to stare at the compartment door a red flush creeping toward my cheeks.
"Chelsea!! How could you?! He's an evil person! For all we know he could be using you as he may just be a Death Eater!"
When she spit these words out I came back to attention my eyes almost worried. "You really think he could?"
Ashley just looked at me exasperatedly. I ducked my head embarrassed that I hadn't been thinking clearly enough. The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was uneventful, as Draco didn't come back. Ashley however did get over her temper at me and apologized and we played odd games on the way there. Games I had read but never played, like Exploding Snap. Sadly for Ashley she was the one who singed her eyebrows rather then me as I was changing into my school robes. Finally the train pulled up to the station and I walked out of the compartment and onto the Platform in Hogsmeade. A thought when through my head in my stupor. "I finally made it."
Kids and teenagers were pushing through the crowds to both the swinging lantern and voice yelling, "Firs' years! Firs' years! This way please!" or to the carriages that I knew waited for them beyond the wrought iron archway at the side of the platform. Someone poked me in the small of my back and I turned around to find Ashley and some girls behind her all lugging their cages or holding their animals in their arms. Ashley nodded wordlessly to the carriages and we walked through the crowd of people to an empty carriage in which we crammed ourselves into. Outside you could see the shadow of Hagrid and a group of first year. I was hoping that I could meet Hagrid at some point in my year. Once everyone was settled into the carriage Ashley turned to me and introduced everyone.
On one side there were Bella, Lizzy and Maeve and on the other was Courtney, Ashley and I. Bella was 16, with long, dark brown hair that reached to just below her shoulders and green eyes. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a blue shirt that had a monkey on the front and on the back was the backside of the monkey. Bella was a student from Florence, Italy who had transferred to Hogwarts three years ago. She, Ashley, and Lizzy were all Gryffindors while Courtney was in Ravenclaw along with Maeve. Lizzy was 16 with hazel colored eyes and long dark brown hair that was in a messy bun. She was wearing a white button down shirt and khaki pants. Lizzy was the funniest of the 5 girls every few minutes she would crack a joke that would have us laughing our heads off.
Maeve was the quietest but at times she would get quite hyper, with hair that was long in the front but spiked in the back that was a very unusual style but fit Maeve perfectly. Her hair was streaked in colors of black and pink. Her brown eyes were lined in black eyeliner and she was wearing athletic, baggy pants, that were black and a black shirt with "Witch" written across the front in silver glitter. Around her neck was a fairy on a chain with blue wings that glittered every time the sun hit them. Courtney was just like me and we became instant friends. She had reddish brown hair that was in a short ponytail and was wearing a blue flowered shirt with no sleeves that had a V-neck and a jean skirt and on her wrist was a cotton athletic band but it had flames of fire on it that moved.
The carriages finally pulled up to the castle and all of us practically tumbled out of the carriage breathless with laughter at a story Courtney had just told us about one of her friends that had had a mouse crawl up his pants and come out of his fly!! (This actually happened to my friend Dru, he'll kill me for putting it in the story...but, oh, well! lol) We walked up the steps to the great castle doors where we were herded into the Great Hall, but before I could follow my friends I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to face Professor McGonagall.
"Chelsea, come, you are to wait with the other exchange students until the sorting of the first year's sorting is finished then you and the others will be sorted."
"Oh, um, o.k." I waved good-bye to my friends and followed McGonagall to a group of about 11 boys or girls who were looking almost pale. For a second I wondered why then I realized the fact that we were going to be sorted in front of many, many people. I didn't do that great in front of crowds..."Oh, God..." I thought to my self. "Ok, Chels, you can do this, it'll only take a few minutes you go in, sit down, and that's it." I finally calmed my breathing down a little but not much, and my heart was still beating faster then normal. The time in which the first years were sorted to the time when the doors to the great hall opened seemed to take an eternity but finally it came. The group of us walked to the front of the staff table where Professor McGonagall waited with a small roll of parchment in her hand and a rather old looking hat sitting next to her on a stool. I took a deep breath to try and steady myself but it didn't help that much. Finally McGonagall opened her mouth and took a breath.
"Chelsea Drown." I looked up startled because I had been hoping that I wouldn't be the first one up there. I sighed and walked forward to the stool, my legs shaking. I sat down and faced the Hall tables, which was the last thing I saw (well after I saw Courtney, Ashley and Lizzy all waving franticly at me) before the hat slid over my eyes.
"Ah yes, of course, from America are you?" said the hat into my ear.
"Well let's see then...I see you have courage, yes you do, it's deep but it's there... loyalty...kindness...I guess it's not to Slytherin, eh? Hmmm...you are a bookworm I can see...well then shall it be Ravenclaw or Gryffindor...You want what? All right then, it's Gryffindor!" the hat yelled out the last word.
I got up off the wooden stool and handed the hat back to Professor McGonagall and walked with shaking legs towards the table with the loudest cheers. Ashley and the others were yelling and whistling. I managed to sneak a glace toward the Slytherin table where Draco sat with an unreadable expression on his face, but when he saw me looking at him he flashed a grim smile and a shrug as though to say, "It was the hat's choice to put you there, sorry." Bella ran over to me took me by my arm to where she and the other 6th years were sitting. I took my seat next to Lizzy and a tall red head that was facing in the opposite direction. I took the time while everyone was quieting down and getting ready to cheer on the next person, to look around the table for a girl with long, frizzy brown hair but there was no one. As I went to turn back in the direction of the staff table I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around. Standing behind me was the girl I had been looking for, Hermione Granger.
"Excuse me, Chelsea?"
"Yes?" I replied astonished she was talking to me.
She smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but you're sitting in my seat."
"Oh- I'm sorry." I said and moved down so she could sit next to me. She took her seat and turned to me and said, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger." She held put her hand for me to shake it and I took it and said, Yeah, I kn-" I stopped; thankful I had caught my self in time and said, "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," she replied, but was cut off from what she was going to say by another loud cheer from the students around us as another American student came to join the table, a tall boy with blonde hair and brown eyes that I'd thought was quite cute, that I had met outside the Great Hall earlier. I believe he had said his name was Benjamin but I couldn't be sure. I finally managed to stop gawking at him and turned back to Hermione who was giggling.
"What are you laughing about?" I asked her. When she managed to stop giggling she said to me, a smile still on her face,
"Chelsea, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine."
She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "I think one of them has a bit of a crush on you." My stomach flipped over when I realized who the two people she was talking about were. Hermione turned to the two people on her other side and said,
"Guys...Harry, stop being an idiot! Guys, this is Chelsea."
Hermione leaned back so I could see the two boys next to her. Ron was there, tall and freckled. Next to him sat Harry whose hair was unruly and his eyes, which were cautious but twinkling, were framed in black glasses. A blush was rising up Harry's face as he eyes met mine and immediately we both looked away blushing. "Chelsea, this is Ron and Harry." I heard Hermione say from far away as I concentrated on not staring at Harry. Ron nodded at me and Harry, who was staring at his lap, mumbled a faint hello. Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry's still red face and straightened up as her eyes fell on the staff table. Dumbledore had stood up and was waiting for quiet. As I started to turn to the front I could feel Harry's eyes on me so I quickly glanced up and gave him a smile, my stomach flipping. He smiled back and blushed but his eyes remained on me. I had the feeling we would have kept staring at each other if Hermione hadn't jabbed me in the arm to make me face forward. Dumbledore's voice echoed around the Hall.
"Welcome, welcome, old and new. I can see that all of you are hungry so I will hold the speech making until later. Enjoy!"
An appreciative cheer went up from the students as the tables filled with food. I reached for the nearest bowl of mashed potatoes and glanced at Hermione. She was staring in what seemed to be horror at Ron who had already started on a second helping of chicken wings. As I turned back to my plate, a laughing smile on my face, I met a pair of startling green eyes and saw Harry smiling at me and shaking his head at Ron's hunger for food.
30 minutes later when the Hal was beginning to fill again with the sound of chatter and Ron had eaten his fill; Dumbledore stood again and looked around "Well, now that we've all finish our marvelous feast I suppose it's time for speech making." He said his eyes twinkling, "Quidditch tryouts are to be held at the end of October, and a specific date for each house will be posted on you Common Room bulletin boards by your team captains. In December we will have a Christmas Ball for everyone and there will be a date for that too on your bulletin boards. Also, the reason that there will be a dance for everyone is because the Head Boy and Girl have proposed to having a dance party for third years and up, of all houses. The date will be set to be soon in around a week; wit will be announced in a few days. Now, I have something very special to announce, as you know we have been having trouble finding someone to fill the space of Defense against the Dark Arts position, but recently, we had someone agree for the post. I am now honored to present your defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...."
The room went still and there was a collective gulp from the Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw table in particular who wished as hard as possible that the new teacher wasn't Snape. All eyes in the room were on Dumbledore as he inhaled to say the name of the person.
"Your new teacher is Professor Remus Lupin!"
There were loud yet stunned cheers from the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. As eyes turned to where the Defense teacher would be sitting the applause died down as the seat was empty.
"As you can see professor Lupin wasn't able to join our lovely feats tonight as the full moon is shining brightly tonight. But before I let you go I must say a few more things."
A soft groan escaped some student's mouths and a low titter of laughter went through the room as Professor Dumbledore continued.
"As older students should know by now, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone including first through seventh years. Teachers, even now I would bade extreme caution if you were to enter the Forest."
Dumbledore's voice turned serious as he said, "I also must caution you all that if you were to somehow disobey my orders and go into the Forest, you may not come out alive. There are some creatures in there that have very little respect for humans."
My mind flashed to the centaurs and Firenze and whether or not he was teaching. I tuned my mind back to Dumbledore's speech.
"I also must say that, our world here at Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world is in grave danger from the Dark Lord Voldemort. Those of you who are new, I hope that your classmates will explain everything you need to know."
His blue eyes passed over our table and rested on me. With the tiniest of nods he let me know that I was not allowed to say anything that I knew of the wizarding world for the shock it would cause would be catastrophic.
His eyes swept back over the tables as he continued.
"In order for us to be protected from Voldemort, we already are for this school is protected by old magic and many, many spells. Those of you who have reason to doubt this, I understand for the threat of Voldemort is great, but, to those who know him," at this his eyes rested on someone behind me and I knew he was looking at Harry as were several other pairs of eyes in the room. I resisted the urge to do the same as Dumbledore went on, "You know he has a greatest fear, that fear is something he detests and doesn't understand for he was never given it. Love. The simple emotion of love is something he hates. This school was created out of love and is still here because of those that love this school and the love that I know resides within it even within those whom are enemies." His eyes swept to the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. "With these last parting words I bid you good-night."
A slightly stunned silence greeted the end of his speech as people weren't quite expecting it so abruptly. Then there was a clatter of benched and chatter of students around me as students stood up and started to mill towards the door to get to bed. I stood confused for a moment before I located Ashley and Bella waving at me. I slowly made my way through the large throng of students to where they were standing.
"Follow us, we'll go through the secret passageways to the Common Room so we don't have to try and make our way through all these people." Ashley said and started off towards a side door that no one really seemed to notice. I was led at a very fast pace through secret passageways and sliding walls and doors. At one point we even made our way through a very long, cramped stone passage way that was only lit with flaming candles. Finally we found our selves going up one last set of steps before we stood in front of a portrait of a woman in a long pink dress and graying hair pulled into an elegant bun. Even when I realized it was the Fat Lady I still managed to jump when she asked, "Password?"
Ashley sent me a quick smile at my surprise before saying, "Fairy wings." I groaned inwardly. Neville Longbottom and I had a similar problem, we both forgot things regularly. For me it was usually little things like passwords for a game or a book I was recommended to read. Sadly it became a problem if I forgot about a homework assignment or an essay for a class. I was jerked out of my reverie by the portrait swinging open and the chiming of a grandfather clock striking 10 o'clock. I yawned widely as Ashley grabbed my hand and hoisted me into the Common Room I had forever longed to see. It was a circular room with red chairs by a crackling fire and red and gold decorations littered through out the room in support of Gryffindor House. I stared around in muted fascination as my brain was too tired to really think about too much at that point. My brain was jolted slightly awake again by the portrait door swinging open and a voice saying, "Honestly Ron, did you have to say that to Harry? He's a little fragile even now." Hermione's face came into view as Ron shot back, "Harry isn't fragile." A slight pause before, "are you fragile, Harry?" "Ron!" said Harry's voice before Harry himself came into view and he saw who was standing watching the three of them bicker.
When Hermione had seen who was there, she had marched right over and started talking to me, leaving Ron to roll his eyes and shake his head. I introduced Ashley and Bella to Hermione but my eyes wanted to look at Harry. When I finally gave in I saw Harry and Ron talking animatedly a sandy-haired boy I later realized was Seamus Finnegan a boy I knew resided with Harry in his dorm. Tearing my eyes away from Harry I turned back to the others to hear them saying their good nights to Hermione. When it was my turned I said, "Thanks Hermione for helping me tonight."
"It was no problem," she said warmly, "besides I think someone may have benefited from meeting The Boy Who Lived, er, I mean Harry."
I blushed as she giggled at the look on my face and said, "Good night," before I slowly followed Ashley and Bella to the stairs. At the foot of the stairs I paused and looked behind me to see Ron and Harry looking at me. I waved a quick "good night" without meeting Harry's eyes before I quickly ran up the steps to where Ashley and Bella were waiting for me. Opening the door the ushered me in and I got my first glimpse of the room I knew was to be mine for the next 2 years. The beds were covered in red velvet comforters and white linen sheets with the pillowcase having the Gryffindor crest on it. The window seat that I immediately claimed as mine was covered in red velvet as well with gold, fluffy pillows lining the sides. A small door leads to a bathroom with a bath large enough to be a large children's pool.
By the right of each bed was a large armoire for us to hang our clothes (because, as Hermione "helpfully" told me at dinner earlier that evening, the Hogwarts founders thought that girls would have more clothes then boys) After my tired brain managed to take everything in I changed into my pajama's, (a white shirt with a blue star in the middle and blue pants with white stars dotted everywhere) collapse onto my bed (the one closest to the bathroom as it would take me at least 15 minutes to get up in the morning, I joked to the other girls, so I'd have to rush and there couldn't be any seconds lost in the distance between where my bed was and where the bathroom was.) pull the covers over me and fall into