WHO AM I?
Chapter 1
"Platform 9....Platform 10....where the hell is Platform 9 3/4?!" Deana huffed. Deana Windstrom, a 17 year old American girl stood staring at the platform signs. She stood about 5' 9" with medium length orange hair. Her bright green eyes were hidden behind a pair of slim glasses that continually slid down the bridge of her nose. She sighed softly and looked around for someone to help her. As she was turning back to the platforms, a boy about her age ran past her and straight through the wall between the platform signs!
"Actually, that makes perfect sense." she said to herself. She gathered up her belongings and stared at the wall. "Here goes nothing..." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, running at the wall, bracing herself for impact. But instead of running head on into the wall like she thought, she went through the wall into what looked like another train station. Looking up, Deana saw a sign that said 'Platform 9 3/4'.
"About time!" She breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the train, nearly getting trampled as someone ran into her.
"Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Deana took the hand offered and rose from the ground.
"It's ok, I wasn't paying attention either." she said, picking up her trunk and dusting herself off.
"Well, we're even then." The boy laughed. He ran one of his hands through his messy brown hair and held out his other. "The name's Seamus. Seamus Finnagan. I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new here?"
Deana smiled and shook his hand. "Yes, I'm a transfer student from the 'Salem Institute of Witchcraft. My name's Deana Windstrom."
"Salem....that's in America, right?"
"Yeah. Every other year, our school participates in an exchange program with a witch and wizarding school overseas. One student from the two schools are to spend one school year in place of the other. Sort of like a representative of their country at the school. The student with the highest grade in the graduating class is chosen. This year it was me." Deana answered.
"Sounds like fun. Well, we better get on the train before it leaves without us! You're more than welcome to join my friends and I." He smiled, helping her onto the train.
"I'll take you up on that offer." She giggles and picked up her belongings as Seamus led her to a compartment with four people already occupying it.
"Hey, everyone. This is Deana. She's new here. Came all the way from America, she did." He went around the room and introduced everyone. "This is Hermione Granger," he motioned to a girl with curly brown hair with her nose buried in a book, "Ron Weasley," a boy with bright red hair and freckles, "Neville Longbottom," a timid-looking boy with brown hair and slightly on the chubby side, "and Harry Potter," a boy with messy black hair, round glasses, and eyes almost the same color as her own. On his forehead was a lightning bolt shaped scar partially hidden by his hair.
Deana smiled. "It's nice to meet all of you. And its an honor to meet you, Harry. I've heard so much about you." Harry raised an eyebrow.
"That's it? No screaming, no begging for an autograph, no asking millions of questions?" Ron asked. "You apparently haven't heard much about him." Deana laughed.
"No, I know all about Harry's feats and his endeavors against the Dark Lord. I just figured he was getting tired of rabid fan girls trying to take his shoe or something, or screaming about how lucky they are to be next to the 'Great Harry Potter'." she smiled. Harry looked like he could have kissed her right then and there.
"So what brings you to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, putting her book down. Deana took a seat next to Neville and smiled.
"Well, like I told Seamus, I'm a transfer student from the 'Salem Institute of Witchcraft'. Every other year, our school participates in an exchange program with a school overseas. This year I was chosen. I'm glad I'm getting a chance to learn about the cultures of other countries."
"I'll bet you'll get put into Gryffindor." Ron said. Deana looked at him quizically.
"Gryffindor? What's that?"
"Hogwarts is split into four houses," Hermione began, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each has its own head of house. Professor McGonogall is the head of Gryffindor, Sprout is the head of Hufflepuff, Flitwick of Ravenclaw, and Professor Snape is the head of Slytherin."
"There are a lot of different classes you can take at Hogwarts as well. Transfigurations, Charms, Herbology, Potions, and HIstory of Magic are just a few of them." Harry added. Everyone chatted with one another and after a while Deana left the compartment to find the trolley.
"I should have eaten before I left." She laughed and walked out. She was wandering down the corridor and turned the corner, running into someone.
"Sorry about that, I --"
"Watch where you're going." a voice snarled.
Deana looked up at the person and glared. It was a boy around her age with silvery-blonde hair and peircing grey eyes.
"What did you say to me?" She demanded.
"I said, watch where you're going." The boy repeated. He looked her over and scoffed. "Nice outfit. Don't recall seeing you around before. Who are you?"
"My name is Deana Windstrom. I'm a transfer student from the Salem Institute of Witchcraft. And who might you be?"
"I am Draco Malfoy, of the prestigous Malfoy family. And I don't associate with the lower class!" he scoffed again.
"Lower class!" Deana huffed. "I'll have you know that my family is one of the wealthiest and most well-known families in America! I am far from lower class!"
"An American? Wait till father hears about this. Dumbledore will be fired for sure. First he allows mudbloods and half-bloods, and now letting Americans in!" he smirked.
Deana glared at him, too stunned to speak. She just turned on her heels and walked away from him and back to the compartment. "The nerve of him....who does he think he is....talking to me like that....I'll have his head!" she mumbled as she flopped down next to Neville again. Everyone looked over at her.
"Er...problem?" Harry asked, passing her a chocolate frog.
"Some guy named Draco Malfoy. He's so unbeleivably rude! He has no respect for anyone or anything whatsoever!" she replied. "I've barely just met him and I can't stand him already!"
"That's Malfoy for you." Ron said, "Always trying to get people in trouble. Thinks he's king of the world or something."
"Just ignore him. He's bound to get tired of it if you don't let it get to you." Hermione added. They talked the rest of the train ride and changed into their school robes when they got close. As they got off the train, Deana heard a loud, gruff voice from behind her.
" 'Arry! Ron! 'Ermione! 'Ow are ya? 'Ave a good summer?"
Deana spun around to find herself looking at the biggest man she had ever seen! She stared up at him, her mouth forming a gaping O.
"Well, 'ello there! An' 'oo might you be?" the man asked. Deana opened her mouth to speak, but was unable.
"This is Deana. She's new this year. Visiting from America. Deana, this is Hagrid." Harry said. The man held out his hand.
"Reubus 'Agrid, at your service. Gamekeeper and Professor o' Care o' Magical Creatures at 'Ogwarts School o' Witchcraft an' Wizardry. But yeh can jest call me 'Agrid, like e'eryone else." Deana shook his hand and smiled.
"It's nice to meet you." she replied, "I'm looking foward to meeting new people and learning new things this year." Hagrid chuckled.
"Well then, yeh've come to the right place. Lot o' surprises 'ere at 'Ogwarts, lot o' surprises indeed." he picked up the lantern he was carrying. "Well, we better get goin'. I know yeh ain't a firs' year, but yeh still need ter be sorted inteh yer house."
Deana nodded and followed Hagrid to the lake, which had at least two dozen boats floating around the dock.
"So how does the sorting work Hagrid?" Deana asked as she climbed into a boat, seating herself next to the giant man. The first years around them all nodded, wanting to know.
"Well, yeh see, yeh get sorted inteh yer diff'rent houses by askin' the Sortin' 'At."
"Sorting Hat?"
"Yes. The 'at is place on yer head an' it looks deep inter yer heart to determine which house would be best fer yeh."
"Can a hat really do all of that?" a boy asked. Hagrid laughed.
"Yeh'll see when we get there. Jes' be patient." he smiled and continued rowing, the humoungus and extravagent castle looming above them on the hill. When they docked on the other side of the lake, they were greeted by a woman with small round spectacles and a tall witches' hat. She quickly gathered all the students outside a giant pair of golden doors.
"Now then. My name is Professor McGonogall. All of you are new to Hogwarts. Whether you be first years," her eyes came to rest on Deana momentarily. "Or not. Once you pass through these doors, the next seven years of your life will mostly be here." She opened the doors and revealed a magnificently decorated room.
"So this is the Great Hall..." a girl next to her said in awe. The room had four long tables filled with students, one for each house. At the head of the room was another table, and seated around it were the teachers. In the center seat at the table sat a tall bearded man with small half-frame glasses, a man Deana could only assume to be the Headmaster: Professor Albus Dumbledore.