Forbidden Corridor
By Sydella Shields
BETA Read by: Black Angel
Chapter One: The Return
It was exactly eleven am on September the first, and the students both new and old were setting off on their journey to a new year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were aboard a bright red train called the Hogwarts Express, and in one of its compartments sat two fifth-year girls from Gryffindor house, known for its students' courage and bravery. The girl on the left was twirling her long hair around her finger, as she stared blankly out of the window.
"Angelica, it's true, he is coming back," said her friend Fiona.
"I-I know, it's just... I don't know what I'll say or if he knows who I am anymore," Angelica replied moving her gaze back to her friend.
Fiona sighed deeply. "You were his prized student! He couldn't forget you," she said reassuringly.
Of course she was right. Angelica Morrissey had fallen in love at first sight with her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the very young, timid Professor Quirinus Quirrell. Just the thought of him made her cheeks go deep red. But then after her third year he went on leave to study around the world. Although Angelica had never confessed her love to him, they did have a closer bond than just student and professor, and he subtly defended her when many of her schoolmates developed the habit of ridiculing her, or worse, ignoring her entirely. They even kept up correspondence during part of his time away, though his letters stopped coming many months ago.
Just then, a tall, skinny boy with long blond hair (also a fifth-year in Gryffindor), came in the compartment.
"What's wrong, Angie?" Jonathan asked, concerned.
"Ah, I - nothing. I've just been thinking too much."
A jolly old woman pulled up to the door with a rattling cart full of sweets, but not just ordinary sweets, wizarding ones. For a moment a smile flickered across Angelica's face and she walked over to the lady before she could ask what they would like. "Um, two Pumpkin Pasties and four Chocolate Frogs," she said, handing over her payment. "Do you guys want anything?"
Jonathan and Fiona shook their heads with a slight snicker.
"Thank you," Angelica told the woman before returning to her seat. "The chocolate should make me feel better. I read about that remedy somewhere," she mumbled and started to eat
When they got to Hogwarts they spotted many familiar faces and many new ones too. They traveled from the station to the school in musty, old, carriages - four students to one carriage, so their friend Alicia Spinnet, who was the reserve Chaser on their house Quidditch team, joined them.
"Have you seen him yet?" she asked excitedly.
"Who?" Fiona wondered cautiously.
"Harry Potter."
"Oh that's right, I almost forgot he's coming to school this year too," said Angelica, dazed.
"Who did you think I was talking about?"
"Um…No one, really," Angelica lied.
Several minutes later they had arrived in the majestic Great Hall where the traditional sorting ceremony and great feast take place. Each year the new students put on the Sorting Hat, an old wizard hat and it tells them one by one what house (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin) they would fit best in. There were four long tables for the students, one for each house, and one additional table for the teachers. As the students took their places Angelica felt her body grow cold as she spotted Professor Quirrell, seated next to the Potions master and Head of Slytherin Professor Snape.
At that moment Quirrell's eyes met hers and they almost seemed to go right through her.
"Hullo Angie, how was your summer?" asked her friend Oliver Wood, a handsome fifth year and Captain of their Quidditch team.
"What?" snapped Angelica, very distracted.
"Your summer? Are you alright?" he questioned, concerned.
"Sure, fine." But really all she could think of was Quirrell and how different he seemed.
After the sorting ceremony all the Gryffindors were very happy, as the famous Harry Potter, who had somehow as a baby destroyed the Dark Lord Voldemort's powers, had been selected to join their house. Unfortunately his parents had been murdered and he was left with a strange lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Now almost everyone wanted to meet him and be his friend!
Once the feast was finished everyone went back to their respective towers where some went straight to the dormitories and slept, but most of the older students stayed in the commons room, talking, playing Wizard's Chess or exploding snap.
Oliver, Alicia, Angelica, Jonathan, and Fiona were seated around the fireplace, talking about the day's events and the summer. "Did you see Professor Quirrell's turban?" Alicia asked curiously. Everyone nodded.
"I wonder why he started to wear it?" Oliver brought up.
"Well, it goes with his robes," Angelica started without thinking. Then she paused and turned a brilliant shade of magenta. "Oh," she said bashfully, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Percy Weasley, the prefect suddenly butted in, watching them like a hawk in his blue and white striped pajamas.
"Really Percy, we're the same age and suddenly you're acting like you're our mother! Calm down a bit," Fiona said.
He looked like he was contemplating taking points away from his own house or trying to come up with something to say as a comeback. Instead he silently marched upstairs to bed and when he was gone there was a burst of laughter.