My Name is Hillary

Chapter 4:

He (at least Hillary assumed it was a he) swooped towards them and gripped the shoulders of a small blonde girl at the end of the table. Picking her up it flew several times around the hall before dumping her at a table and returning for the next girl. This went on for a while in no particular order, and the remaining girls were looking quite scared before it came to Hillary. It picked her up and a feathery sensation filled her. 'Of course there was nothing to worry about, it would all be fine' and then a powerful voice sounded in her ears. There are great things in store for you Ms. Potter; you will follow in your father's footsteps. 'Which one?' Hillary thought loudly. That is for you to decide, your path will be hard either way but this is the best place for you. And he dropped her at a table and whispered to her: There is no need to repeat this conversation to anyone, but find your parents' past to follow your future Ms. Potter. She wanted to ask the bird what it meant but it had flown off before she got a chance. And then there were people around her congratulating her and welcoming her to CF, but the bird's message ran through her head over and over.

It was a while before she realized that Quinn was rapping her on the head. "Earth to Hillary, earth to Hillary." Hillary's head shot up and she looked around. "Good you're awake. Come on they're showing us to the dormitories." Hillary sighed. She would have to wait and write to her dad in the morning.

They walked for a while and arrived at a portrait of a young girl. She looked about 10, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a blue plaid knee-length skirt, knee socks and a white button up shirt, and she looked severely bored. Then she looked down at them and spoke. Hillary jumped.

"Hello, password please." Her voice was sweet and little girl like. The prefect who was with them smiled at her.

"Hello Tiffany. The password's The-Boy-Who-Lived." Tiffany nodded and the portrait swung open. The first years headed up the stairs till they came to a door marked First Years. Quinn pushed it open and they were met by a swimming pool with four little boats in front of them. At the end of the room Hillary could see four beds on platforms. Their trunks were at the foot of the beds, and the platforms were big there was almost no chance of drowning in your sleep.

"I think the people who built this must have had a bad sense of humor." A voice muttered from behind them. Hillary spun around and was faced with a short chubby girl with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. She was smiling and stuck out her hand. "Hi I'm Rebecca, but you can call me Becca," she said cheerfully.

"Hi I'm Hillary and this is Quinn." Becca smiled at them.

"I'm going to bed but I'll see you in the morning." She said, climbing into one of the boats and paddling towards one of the beds. Hillary and Quinn followed suit.

The next morning, when Hillary woke up, she was a little bit scared before remembering where she was. She had just started breakfast when Quinn, who was obviously not a morning person, sat down next to her.

"I Hate mornings." She said, grabbing a piece of toast. "It's a really simple schedule. Look, we have Madam South till lunch and then we have Madams North, East and West in the afternoon. Boring. We don't start real classes like potions and charms and History till after Christmas." Hillary just smiled. She liked mornings.

"I'll meet you in Madam South's class, OK?"

"Sure, but why?"

"Dad's really overprotective. He wanted me to owl him to say I got here safe."

"That sucks. I live with just my Mom and she isn't nearly that protective."

"Daddy's not either, it's just Dad." Quinn looked at her like she was crazy.

"How many parents do you have?"

"Two. Why?"

"It seemed like you had more than that for a moment." Hillary just shrugged and went off to ask an older student how to send owls, leaving Quinn to mull over her new friend's parents.

Madam South was not in her classroom when Hillary got there. She went and sat with Quinn, just as the bell sounded and Madam South came strolling confidently through the door.

"Welcome first years to your very first class. In CF our talent is transfiguration. Mainly that of one's own body." She looked at Becca. "Rebecca, is it?"

"Becca if you please, Madam." Becca said shyly. She didn't seem to be very confident around adults.

"Very well, Becca. What is your favorite animal?"

"A koala, Madam." Without so much as a pop, a little koala was sitting where their professor had been. And then, just as suddenly, she was back.

"I can teach you to be any animal you want to be." There was a collective gasp from the class. Madam South smiled. "I can see you are excited. But we start with the basics; under your chair you should find a book. Please open to page 3, if you do not have a book please raise your hand." She looked expectantly at the class and they all rushed to get their books out. "If you would please read the first page silently to yourself." The class bent over their books and the room went silent. Hillary, who had always been a fast reader, finished quickly and looked up. Madam South's eyes were roaming the classroom.

When everyone had looked up at her she began to talk again. "Can anyone tell me the main idea for this page?"

It went on like that for the entire class. Read a page. Main idea. Read another page. Main idea again. By the time lunch rolled around Hillary's back ached, her eyes wouldn't focus, and her hair had fallen out of the ponytail she had put it in that morning. Lunch was delicious and fun.

They headed for Madam North's classroom next. This class wasn't nearly as long as their previous one and as they entered a room full of swords and shields they were almost sad. That changed with the teacher.

"Welcome class." She said, bouncing in to the classroom. She was tall and skinny with dreadlocks and was wearing a red sundress with purple leggings underneath. She was barefoot. "Welcome to fencing." The class perked up as she pulled a sword down. As she stated a few passes their smiles faltered. She was horrible. As the period wore on they discovered that she wasn't a good teacher either. Tired and with their arms throbbing the class left her class and headed to the study hall run by the Madams East and West. (They didn't have class with these teachers for a while).

Hillary's days fell into routine and were quite boring. By the time a few weeks before Christmas she was ready for a change. And it came. In the form of Quinn's aunt:

"Hillary. Hill." Hillary blinked up at her friend. She had fallen asleep in the common room again. "Every year my aunt does a big Christmas celebration, and I just got a letter. I'm supposed to invite a friend and her family. Do you want to come?" She said this very fast. Hillary blinked at her again and nodded.

"But I have to ask my dad, OK?"

"Of course. Oh, I can't wait to meet your sisters." And she went bouncing back out the portrait hole.

A/N: This was is not a planned story just to warn you. This chapter and the next few were never going to happen except it popped in to my head when I was folding the laundry. Madam South is fashioned after my friend. As she is made out to be a relatively dumb person in this chapter I wanted to assure you that my friend is very nice, though she would not make a good teacher.

Evilgiggle: Justice Jane is not a play on words or anything. I have a friend named Justice and that's after her.

Made-in-china: well then it's a good thing I'm not your friend isn't it.

Tora88: thank you for the help. I hope my spelling's better in this chapter.

Thanks to the rest of my reviewers too. It's simply wonderful to check my e-mail and have a review or two. Thanks to Kathryn Black, Evilgiggle, made-in-china, and Tora88

Twa

Xandria Nirvana