Erin couldn't breathe. Harry had just been welcomed to the Gryffindor table, and now "Serenity, Cassandra" was putting the sorting hat onto her head. Erin's eyes darted to tables before her. In a few moments she would know where she was supposed to fit in. She really had no idea where the hat would place her. Her father had been in Gryffindor, her mother in Ravenclaw. She knew that Slytherin was out of the question, but Hufflepuff certainly was not.
"Gryffindor!" the sorting hat bellowed, and Cassandra smilingly took her place at the table.
"Stephens, Erin!" came McGonagall's voice, making Erin blush.
Erin took a deep breath and approached the stool. She sat down and placed the hat on her head. It was large, and it covered her eyes. She was glad that she did not have to see the rest of the school watching her.
"Hmmm..." she was surprised to hear a small voice in her ear. "Another tough decision... You certainly have the intellect that sets those in Ravenclaw apart from the rest, and you certainly have talent, but where to put you? Ah, character, and courage... oh my, you've got great courage."
Erin couldn't believe her ears. Courage? The hat was making a mistake...
"Mistake?" it chuckled softly; "Not I. Your courage is only one of the reasons I am going to put you in—GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat shouted the last word to the whole hall, and Erin blushed as she stood, and handed the hat to "Sterling, Sebastian".
She turned calmly and walked towards the Gryffindor table where she could see Harry, Ron, Cassandra, and the others cheering for her. She smiled broadly, and took one of the last empty seats, between two older students she did not recognize.
Her mum would be so proud. And somehow, in some small way, she knew her dad was proud too. It was because of his courage that he had died—defending the very character that Gryffindor's were known for. Perhaps it was his courage and character, living inside her, that the sorting hat had seen.
Chapter 32: Sebastian Stirling'I hate this!' Sebastian thought to himself as he looked around and noticed he was among the last ones to be sorted. He noticed as a girl named Erin Stephens had just been sorted into Gryffindor...Gryffindor, that was Alondra's house now. He turned and looked toward the cheering Gryffindor's as they welcomed another member to their group. Sebastian noticed Alondra cheering and beaming at her new friends; her pretty caramel eyes had a little gleam in them too. He frowned. Gryffindor looked like a welcoming bunch...maybe, if only maybe he'd get placed there, he'd be immensely happy.
"Stirling, Sebastian!"
Sebastian flinched and looked to Professor McGonagall waiting for him to come forth. Sebastian swallowed the lump in his throat and put on his "arrogant face" as he made his way to the stool, he sat proudly and the hat was placed on his head. He instantly looked towards the Slytherin table and saw Draco Malfoy snickering, he narrowed his eyes at the blonde boy and listened closely to the hat.
"Stirling...ah, yes...I have been waiting for you...I remember when your mother and father were sorted...your father was sneaky, arrogant, and a tad malicious...yes, Slytherin was perfect for him...you have a lot of his qualities...except for the malice, no you have a kind heart...cold, but kind...like your mother...yes, she was in Ravenclaw...an odd pairing indeed, your parents...but you are a Stirling and Stirling's have been and always will be in...SLYTHERIN!" the hat called loudly. The Slytherin table erupted in cheers and Sebastian felt a ping in his heart...he was a Slytherin? Professor McGonagall lifted the hat off his head and he angrily made his way to the Slytherin table, his eyes almost black in anger.
Draco Malfoy welcomed him proudly, and shooed some girl away from him, so that Sebastian could sit. Sebastian unconsciously shook hands with his now, "family". He felt nauseous and instantly looked to the Gryffindor table and his eyes met Alondra's and he almost screamed. Alondra was looking at him, heartbrokenly...tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks hastily and he noticed the older blonde girl next to her drape an arm around her and an older brown haired boy do the same. Sebastian frowned deeply...they were comforting her, over the obvious frustration of learning where he had been placed. Sebastian then abruptly narrowed his eyes angrily at her and turned away to look at the last boy to be sorted. He didn't hate Alondra...he could never hate her, she was his best friend...but he did envy her now more than ever...she was in a place full of kind and caring friends...and he...he was alone again, surrounded by arrogant and pompous kids.
"Some things never change," he said to himself bitterly and heard as Professor McGonagall called the last name on the list...
"Smith, Daniel!"
Chapter 33: Daniel SmithDaniel watched as Blaise Zablini was called up and sorted into Slytherin. Now it was only him. A thousand eyes were on him. But the pause was short, Professor McGonagall was undoubtedly as hungry as anyone.
"Smith, Daniel," the deputy headmistress said.
Daniel strode forward, trying lo look unafraid and succeeding (it was a necessary skill where he came from), but petrified within. He knew himself to have a bit of a mean streak, and was afraid that he might wind up in Slytherin. Or worse, no house at all, that he would be unceremoniously shipped back to Morning Sun.
He had to climb up the stool because of his small size, but he sat up straight and defiant, his heart pounding in his chest, as the hat descended on his head.
A little laugh sounded within his head. "Worried about being in Slytherin? Silly child, he'd have had kittens if I tried to place a muggle-born like you in his house. And you're far too principled anyway. Your assets are loyalty and courage. Hmmmm. . . ." (A strange feeling as the hat probed deeper into his mind) "You hope to follow your new friends, that is understandable. You'd only make a middling Ravenclaw, but you would make a fine Hufflepuff."
Then Hufflepuff, Daniel thought, knowing that the hat could hear his thoughts.
"Don't be too hasty, lad. You would have an easy road in Hufflepuff, indeed you would. But I foresee true greatness for you elsewhere. It will be a long and often harsh road, and I cannot force you to take it. You have been blessed with free will. So choose your destiny now, and choose wisely."
Daniel barely hesitated before making his choice, and the hat roared,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Daniel made his way down to the Gryffindor table, feeling a strange mixture of relief and apprehension at what the hat had told him. He squeezed himself in between two other new first-years. "Excuse me."
"Of course," said one. "I'm Cassandra, in case you didn't know."
"And I'm Seamus Finnegan," said the other.
"Ron Weasley," said the redhead he had noticed.
"Harry Potter," said the dark-haired and green-eyed boy next to him.
"I'm Hermione Granger," said a girl with bushy hair and a slightly bossy manner. "I'm sorry, are you a boy or a girl? With that hair, it's hard to tell."
Several other Gryffindor's rolled their eyes at her rudeness, but Daniel had heard it all before. "I assure you I am entirely male," he said.
Dumbledore stood. "I have a few words to say: Nitwit." (Something else Daniel didn't quite hear) "Oddment. Tweak."
And at that moment, an unimaginable cornucopia of food appeared on the table. With great delight, the new Hogwarts students joined their housemates in digging in.
Chapter 34 Cassandra SerenityCassandra watched as the remaining students where sorted into their houses until only one remained, Daniel Smith. Cass thought this was a bit odd because he hadn't been sorted in order like the rest of them. She made a mental note to ask him about it once she had eaten.
Daniel soon became one of her fellow Gryffindor's and everyone cheered to welcome him to the table. He slipped in in-between her and Harry and got comfortable. She said hello and introduced herself quickly as Professor Dumbledore was about to speak.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
"Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Cassandra thought he was funny, but that was what she had come to expect from the things her grandmum had said about him.
Before her eyes a might feast appeared, filling each plate with wonderful smelling food. Cassandra noticed several boys jump in, nearly head first, when the food appeared. Daniel being right beside her was one of them as was Ron who was across the table and down a bit.
Cassandra filled her plate without hesitation, noting that if she didn't some of the boys here might have eaten it all before she had a chance to get any. All the food was good and it reminded her of the way Rosie, her family's house elf, cooked. Each item was tastier than the last and when dessert appeared, after having eaten so much already, Cassandra couldn't help, but try a little more to see how it tasted.
Everyone seemed to be having their full with small conversations going on in-between bites. Suddenly a ghost appeared out of table and startled a few of the students, Cassandra being one of them. He introduced himself as Sir Nicholas de Minsy-Porpington, the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. Ron was excited and exclaimed that he knew all about him, calling him Nearly Headless Nick. Sir Nicholas however, did not seem to like this name at all and asked to be referred to as Sir Nicholas. After, of course, showing the students why he had earned the nickname, Nearly Headless Nick.
Cassandra listened as people began to share their life stories, finding it so interesting to be surrounded to by many people all at once. This had to be the largest number of people Cassandra had ever seen in her life, not only together all at once, but in all of her life.
Seamus, a very Irish looking boy with sandy colored hair, told everyone about his family, his dad was a muggle and his mother was a witch. He went on to tell a story about how his dad found out his mother was a witch. It made everyone chuckle a bit and Cassandra smiled along.
Neville, a round faced boy with kind eyes, spoke up next. His gran, Cassandra assumed this meant his grandmother, has raised him it seemed and for a while the family had feared he might have turned out as a squib. The story he told about how they found out he wasn't made everyone laugh out loud.
Cassandra that both Harry and Daniel didn't seem to want to talk about their families as that when it came time for them to share they tried to look away and never really answered. However, Cassandra didn't have that problem and when everyone looked to her she smiled brightly.
"I was raised by my grandmum and my mother out in the country. I don't really know much about muggles though, I don't even know if I've ever seen one before." A lot of the table seemed to find this really funny as they all broke into laughter. Cassandra noticed even Daniel and Harry, who had been very quiet so far, where laughing at her somewhat. Trying to be good natured Cassandra gave a shy and embarrassed smile while looking down at her nearly empty plate.
Chapter 35: Daniel SmithDaniel had wondered if he would have an appetite after eating so well on the train, and his nervousness, but he needn't have worried. He managed second helpings of everything he liked. The food at Morning Sun had been so bad, he had sometimes had to hold his nose to eat it. No such ill luck here. He ate until his stomach bulged and his eyes were drooping and his face was covered with grease.
The conversation at the table turned to origins. Seamus told the story of being half and half, and how his father had not found out that his mother was a witch until after they married. "Bit of a nasty shock for him," he finished, eliciting laughter.
The stories continued; eventually, Seamus turned to Daniel. "What about you? You sound like an American; did you spend time there?"
"Yeah," Daniel said. "Los Angeles."
"Hollywood?"
Daniel laughed at that. "No. South Central. About as far from Hollywood as you can get."
"So did your parents just decide to move here?" Ron put in.
"No," Daniel said.
"So how'd you end up here?"
Daniel shrugged. "I got a letter, same as the rest of you. But no one can figure why, since I've never set foot in Britain."
He was also aware that no one really even knew how Dumbledore had been aware of his existence. California was a magic-dead zone, and the only way a junior wizard living there could be discovered was if his or her powers manifested themselves despite that. And even then, the US had three schools of its own.
"Is that why you were sorted last?" Cassandra queried. Daniel nodded; Cassandra pressed on. "Bet your parents were pretty amazed."
"Uh, pass the pork chops, please," Daniel said. "And the gravy." He began serving himself up with mashed potatoes.
Dean Thomas spoke up. "Uh, Daniel. Are your parent's muggles? Or are they magical and just didn't know it."
Daniel pretended not to hear. "Does anyone else want any of this gravy?" he asked.
The Gryffindor's got the point, and the discussion turned to Parvati Patil, another new arrival. Her twin sister was starting with her, but had been sorted into Ravenclaw.
Harry, the dark-haired boy with the scar, exchanged glances with Daniel, who realized that he too had fallen silent when the subject of parents came up. Being American, he didn't know what the big deal about Harry was. From the way Harry reacted to his fame, it appeared that he would have liked it if everyone felt as Daniel did.
At length, dinner vanished and dessert materialized. Daniel felt deprived because his already-stuffed belly only had room for three of the ten or so different desserts. He resolved next year to go a little easier on the main course so that he would have more room.
The long day had quite stupefied him, so it was with weary legs that he stood and helped sing a nonsensical song about Hogwarts and scabby knees and brains rotting. And then they were dismissed for the night. They made their way up sixteen staircases, some of which were moving, finally reaching a portrait of a hugely fat woman. The boy leading them, the oldest redhead (he was a prefect, his younger brother had explained), said, "Capud Draconis." The portrait swung slowly open, admitting them all to their new home.
Chapter 36: Magenta ColdrenThe portrait hole swung open and Magenta was led into a large, spacious room with scarlet walls and lots of furniture. On both sides were spiral staircases, to where they led, Magenta didn't know. She was delighted, this was obviously to be her new home, and she already liked it.
"Welcome to Gryffindor, this is the common room. Up those are the dormitories, the boys on the left, the boys on the right." said a tall redhead that Magenta guessed was probably the prefect.
"Cool..." she muttered to herself. She was a bit tired, btu she still didn't feel like going to bed. She looked around, trying to spot a friendly face. She saw Alondra, talking with Erin, and Cassandra was talking with Harry and Ron. She decided not to bug anyone and sat down on a couch near the fire. She stared into a it for a long moment.
FLASH BACK
Magenta sat next to a tree, one of the few remaining near the Moor Castle, looking around. The last of the intruders had been cleared out hours ago, but she had just awoken. It was early morning, and yet it stilled seemed like night. There were still small fires everywhere and smoke screened the already clouded sky. It started as a light sprinkling, but Magenta did notice at all when it turned into a downpour.
The rain was dense, so she didn't see the barn owl flying towards her until it was there. She looked up at it, the dirt on her face streaked with tears. Attached to the owl's leg was an envelope made of a heavy paper, almost like parchment. She untied it and looked at the address.
Ms. M. Coldren
The Tree
Former Moor Castle Academy Campus
North Carolina, USA
Magenta opened it and looked at the letter inside.
Dear Ms. Coldren...
Magenta was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Alondra, looking a bit worried.
"Magenta, are you okay? You look like your on the verge of tears..." she said. Magenta wiped her eyes hastily and managed smile. She shook herself.
"Oh, I'm fine, really, I guess I'm just a bit... uh... homesick." she said. Alondra looked doubting, but just sat down. Erin and most of the others had already gone to bed. Alondra and Magenta began to talk about Quidditch. In Crooked Street there had been an indoor arena for it (it was enchanted to look like a normal sized building on the outside, but was actually quite large inside). Magenta was actually a very good at flying, but she hadn't all summer. They talked for a bit, but Magenta began to feel very sleepy. They walked up to the girl's dormitory together. Changed into her Pyjamas and Magenta collapsed on her bed. She was asleep within minutes. Perhaps Hogwarts was as good as Moor Castle. Perhaps.
Chapter 37: Alondra Bracho
The portrait hole swung open and Alondra was led into a large, spacious room with scarlet walls and golden colored furniture. On both sides were spiral staircases, leading to the dormitories as Katie and Oliver had mentioned. She half-smiled and blew a breath at her bangs.
"Welcome to Gryffindor, this is the common room. Up those stair cases are the dormitories, the boys on the left, the girls on the right," said a tall red haired boy, whom the twins had mentioned was their older brother, Percy. He was a "prefect"...some authority position, they had explained. Alondra sighed, when Erin whispered something funny about Percy's posture and tone, Alondra giggled slightly and Erin grinned. Alondra looked around at her tired fellow Gryffindor's...as soon as Percy had left, they all scattered about upstairs to their rooms. Alondra waved goodnight to Erin, Cassandra and Hermione. She stayed behind to clear her head about the events that had taken place earlier. But before she began to sulk, she noticed Magenta sitting by the fire...crying? She rushed over to her and gently tapped her awake from the trance she appeared to be in.
"Magenta, are you all right? You looked like you were on the verge of tears," Alondra pointed out softly. Concern evident in her caramel eyes. Magenta blinked slowly and hastily wiped away any remnants of tears from her slightly pale face. She smiled sweetly to Alondra.
"Oh, I'm fine, really, I guess I'm just a bit... uh... homesick." Magenta said, hesitantly. Alondra eyed her not too sure in her response, but didn't press on to not upset her. Alondra then found herself grinning.
"What?" Magenta asked curiously. Alondra giggled.
"You're going to think I'm mad..." Alondra replied, Magenta quirked a delicate eyebrow questioningly. Alondra sighed.
"Ok...well, you know that brown haired boy sitting next to me at dinner tonight?" Alondra reminded, and Magenta giggled.
"The handsome one?" she suggested mischievously. Alondra laughed loudly and Magenta blushed a little crimson red, but laughed as well.
"Yes...that one, well, he introduced me to the most fascinating of all subjects in Hogwarts...or so he says..."Alondra continued to say.
"What subject is that?" Magenta asked.
"Quidditch!" Alondra exclaimed, and Magenta beamed.
"I love Quidditch! Oh, I love to fly and play...do you know how to play, Allie?" Magenta inquired happily, Alondra smiled and shook her head. And so the two young girls dived into a conversation that revolved all around the subject. Alondra was thankful to be able to get Magenta's mind off of whatever had made her so sad before...and she was thankful for Magenta talking to her and making a new friend...also, to try and forget about the best friend she had just lost...
"Well," Magenta said lightly a little later, she rubbed her eyes and got to her feet stretching out.
"I think I'm going to head on off to bed...I'm awfully tired...are you going up as well?" Magenta said, Alondra did feel tired and her eyes were droopy but she shook her head.
"No...I'm not too tired yet, but go ahead...get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow morning...our first day of classes!" Alondra said giddily, Magenta sleepily smiled and nodded.
"Ok, good-night Alondra," she called and began climbing the stairs to her dormitory.
"Good -night, Magenta," Alondra said and breathed in deep as she looked to her hands. She was alone in the common room now, the soft glow of the fire getting dimmer. Alondra wrapped her arms around herself and walked over to the large window over-looking the gardens and fields of the school. She took a seat on the windowsill and rested her forehead against the cold glass.
"Harmony..." she whispered and then she looked out, just staring at the scenery of the night for a long while before she noticed she had started to cry, and her cheeks were wet and her nose was runny. She reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a tissue. As she dabbed her eyes and blew her nose, she realized just how much pain she was in. She was too home sick. She missed her mum's late night "arroz con leche", her dad's "late night reading light", her brother Jason's "late night talks on the phone" and even...her little brother Ethan's cries at night. And adding to this now, was her loss of Sebastian's friendship...she had seen the way he looked to her when Oliver and Katie were comforting her when she was upset of his sorting decision...he looked as if he hated her. Another sob escaped her and she frustratingly got to her feet and quickly made her way up the stairs to her dormitory. She tried to control her gasps for breath while crying as she got dressed for bed and then tucked in and slowly calmed herself down.
"It's ok Alondra...everything will be ok...tomorrow is another day...besides, the sorting hat said Gryffindor's represent courage...so courageous I will be, no more crying for me! Or at least I'll try..." she told herself soothingly and as a last tear fell down her flushed cheek, she was unaware of the rattling of thunder outside as it began to rain for the night.
Chapter 38: Daniel SmithDaniel staggered up the spiral staircase, wondering all the while if his bag would be delivered on time. He had not seen any support staff at the school. He was half expecting to be told by Percy the prefect that they would need to head downstairs to get their things. Normally, he was brimming with energy, but the long day and excitement had utterly sapped him.
He also hoped that he wouldn't catch pneumonia in the night. All he had to sleep in were a pair of ratty shorts and a sleeveless shirt, and there was no central heating that he could see.
The room that they were led into was circular, with six equidistantly placed canopy beds. Five of them had trunks at the foot; the sixth had Daniel's olive-green duffel bag. Their other uniforms were folded up and placed on their beds. They were the same clothes, Daniel could tell by the laundry mark, but the colours had been altered: the ties turned from basic black to red and gold, and the grey sweater vests were now marked with bands of the same colour. And their robes were marked with the official Gryffindor crest, proclaiming them to be members of Godric's house.
Daniel noticed that there were a few extra things in his pile, and a note lay atop it. He picked it up and read it:
Dear Mr. Smith,
Welcome to Gryffindor. One of our efficient staff members informed me that your luggage seemed to be lacking a number of basic necessities. Given your circumstances, this is hardly surprising. We have furnished some items; we hope you will find them suitable. Also, I must regretfully inform you that we have confiscated the slab of steel pipe that you had stashed in your bag. Hogwarts students are not permitted to carry concealed weapons.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Daniel sighed. He could hardly disagree with the rule in question, but he felt more secure with a means of self-defence handy. Well, he supposed the nightstand itself could be used...
Additional writing appeared on the paper:
Be advised that if you use the furniture to damage your fellow students, you will not only risk detention, suspension, or expulsion/obliviation, but you will also be required to pay for new furniture.
Yeek, thought Daniel.
To get his mind from this turn of events, he went though the pile of items on his bed. His badly worn toothbrush had been replaced, as had his very holey underwear. And he had been provided with red and gold striped pyjamas. Which, when he tried them on, fit perfectly.
He hurriedly got ready for bed; they lay back under the covers. Despite the chilly room, the bed itself was warm; obviously a very warm object had been tucked within the blankets. Around him, he was dimly aware of Harry buttoning up his pyjamas, Neville putting his toad in its box, Seamus unrolling and pinning up his Quidditch posters.
He thought about the things that had changed in his life, since the night that letter had been dropped on his chest. For the first time in over three years, he had a belly full of good food. He was wearing nice clothes, and lying in a bed that he wouldn't have to fight to keep. And clearly, the use of violence to oppress others was not going to be tolerated, not by him or by those larger than him. Feeling secure was something very new to him, but he hoped to get used to it.
Outside, a light rain began to fall, and it would get heavier as the night wore on. But Daniel was not aware of it: he was already fast asleep.
Chapter 39: Cassandra SerenityAfter having followed the other first years up into the Gryffindor Tower Cassandra listened to the red head prefect talk about the staircases and other things dealing with Gryffindor. When he had finished she found herself in a brief conversation with Ron and Harry.
Ron was full of life and Cassandra could tell that she liked this boy already. Just hearing him talk about his large family made Cassandra's eyes grow wide with delight. How wonderful it must be to have such a large family with so many brothers and even a sister too she thought to herself. Cassandra had never had a large family and the idea of one was amazing to her.
Harry was a bit quieter than his friend. He would often look down at the ground when talking, as if looking someone in the eye might cause some untold wrong. Other than his quiet disposition he was a sweet boy though, who seemed to look at the magical world with a young child's eyes. He had pounded both Ron and Cassandra for information about the magical world, Hogwarts, and anything else he could think of until all three of them were about to fall asleep where they stood.
Each of them said their good nights before heading up to bed. Just before leaving Cassandra looked around and saw a few of her new friends where still awake. Magenta was sitting on a couch near the fire, but Cassandra could only tell it was her from the colour of her hair because her face was hidden by the back of the couch. Moving towards her was Alondra and she looked very much awake still. Cassandra waved good night to both of her roommates and headed up the stone staircase to her new home.
When she entered the room some of the other girls were either already in bed or finishing getting ready for it. Looking around for her trunk Cassandra noticed it sitting in front of one of the many four-poster beds that decorated the room. A bright smile lit her face as she noticed that her bed was near one of the two windows in the room. That would mean that she would be able to keep the window open some nights and feel the breeze on her skin. Cassandra loved the open air and to be able to feel it would bring her much joy in this home away from home.
Digging through her trunk she pulled out one of her nightgowns and put it on quickly. The light cotton nightdress fluttered over her skin like butterflies over flowers. This was her favourite nightgown, soft purple with a bit of lace around the bottom. Pulling back the covers Cassandra slipped into the warm bed and shut the curtains around her. She felt completely exhausted and knew that sleep would take her soon. Before finally drifting off to slumber-land Cassandra pulled on a long silver cord, which was wrapped around her neck. Kissing the whitish-silvery colored stone that dangled from its end, she closed her eyes and settled in for what she hoped would be a good night's sleep.
Chapter 40: Magenta ColdrenMagenta awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar bed, it was a moment before she remembered the previous days events.
She heaved herself groggily out of bed. She pulled a throw blanket from her trunk out, the one that used to sit at the end of her bed at home. She wrapped it around herself and sat down on the windowsill and stared out at the Hogwarts grounds.
It was barely dawn, and everything outside was peaceful and serene in the early mornings half-light. The lake was still, and the Forbidden Forest was dark and almost ominous. Magenta hoped that she'd get a chance to visit there one day, despite the warning form her fellow students and the teachers.
Now was the time to try to soak in the past forty-eight hours and all that happened within it. It seemed so strange to be here. Just last December she had been at Moor Castle, sitting by the tree. She remembered the owl perfectly, and the letter, and most of all the feeling of hope within in her as she read the words. Being at Hogwarts was like picking up a loose end in her life, a loose end she thought she preferred to leave alone. But now, she had made friends. It was different and yet strangely like Moor Castle. Everything that had seemed so warped and distorted in her life was back to almost normal. But, what is normal anyways she thought.
As the sun began to creep over the horizon, she decided it was time to start getting ready for her first day of classes.
Magenta walked down into the common room, through the portrait hole and down to the Great Hall. It was early, but there was already food on the four house tables. At the Staff table in the front of the hall, there were only two teachers, one, a greasy haired professor with an unnatural pallor to his skin. Magenta had heard someone call him Professor Snape at dinner the night before. Next to him was a small, fidgety and nervous-looking man wearing a large, purple turban. They were talking very quietly.
As Magenta entered, she noticed that she wasn't the only student to be getting an early start. At the end of the Slytherin table was the blonde boy she'd met at platform nine and three quarters. He was sitting across from two apish boys, who were laughing stupidly, apparently at a joke their blonde friend was telling. Magenta headed to her table, trying very hard to be quiet. She was in a fairly good mood and she didn't want to spoil it.
Unfortunately, she was noticed. She had barely sat down when she heard a drawl from across the room.
"Well, if it isn't the pink haired circus act. Tell me, did you ever manage to get you luggage onto the train?" he asked sarcastically. Magenta took a deep breathe, turned to him, smiled, and said in a too-sweet voice,
"Yes, I did actually, thanks for asking." and turned back to her table. There was pause before Magenta heard foot steps behind her.
"You're Magenta, aren't you? Magenta Coldren, ah, yes, I've heard of you parents. Mud-bloods, both of them. Smart, but still Mud-bloods. I believe your father was American, wasn't he? An American Mud-blood, so you're a half-blood even in muggle terms. You're just like them, I'll bet. A brainy half-blood. I'm guessing they didn't like you much, anyways, your name is just so strange..." he was interrupted by the sound of china breaking. Magenta had stood and whirled around to face him, knocking her plate off the table as she did.
She was so angry, she could feel her face burning as she clenched her firsts and glared at him. She was about to say something when she realized that the other students were fling into the Great Hall, as were the teachers.
"Magenta, what's going on?" asked Cassandra as she reached the two. The blonde boy smirked and sauntered off. "Magenta?" asked Cassandra again. Magenta turned to her redheaded friend, gave her a solemn look, and sat down, saying nothing. Cassandra took a seat next to Magenta.
"He's not very polite, is he?" asked someone. Magenta turned a bit to see a small, scrawny boy with long brown hair heading towards them.
"Well, that's an understatement." said Magenta. The boy sat down next to Harry, who was sitting across from Magenta.
"Oh, Magenta, this is Daniel Smith, Daniel, this is Magenta." said Cassandra. Magenta nodded.
Breakfast continued pleasantly after that. Like Alondra and Magenta, Daniel lived in the U.S.A., although in a different part. He said he had lived in Los Angeles, a place Magenta had heard of many times.
Then, breakfast was over. Magenta stood, straightened out her uniform (which she had altered a bit, she wore pants instead of a skirt), and headed for her first class of the day: History of Magic.
