Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this, but I do not own any of the characters you actually recognize. I wish.
As the crimson sun began to set behind the yellow-green hills of rural England, a train rumbled closer and closer to its destination. Its new passengers trembled with excitement more after each passing tree, eager to view their new second home- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The soon-to-be witches and wizards were headed to one of the finest magic schools in the eastern hemisphere, leaving their comfortable homes from around Europe- save one. One girl, seated in a car near the front of the train and reading a book in the fading light, was not from Europe at all; but from America, the first American student to attend Hogwarts.
Ashley Baron stretched out in her empty seat and yawned, the book dangling from her outstretched hand. So far she had decided the trip to her new school was quite boring; no-one dared talk to her, except for maybe the lady pushing the snack trolley. Sighing, she opened up the book to the right page and started to read once more. A bang suddenly echoed into the car, followed by voices. Three boys came into sight- the first, short and thin with greasy blond hair, was flanked by two brutes, with thick foreheads and blank stares.
"My father wanted me to attend Durmstrang, but of course my mother objected- she thought it was too far away. As for me, I-" The shorter boy stopped as his eyes landed on Ashley, laughing softly at something in her book- a strange look came over his face.
"Crabbe and Goyle- go get me something from the trolley. Anything." He ordered, sounding slightly flustered. The two others stammered a reply and crashed into each other on their way back out of the car.
Ashley slowly set the book down, not sure of what this boy wanted. She nodded cautiously when he asked if he could sit there. He settled down in the seat across from her and paused.
"Erm...I'm Draco Malfoy." He quickly extended his hand
"Ashley Baron. Nice to meet you." They shook awkwardly. As she dropped his hand, Ashley met his gaze. His clear blue eyes captured her for a moment, until his voice broke the trance. She shook her head.
"Sorry, what did you say?" She asked.
"Your accent. It's American, isn't it?" He remarked. Ashley nodded.
"I'm from around Baltimore. That's in Maryland. Sort of down by Ellicott City, that's…what are you laughing at me for?" Draco was laughing softly, making his eyes sparkle.
"No, it's nothing; just…you do realize I have no idea where you're talking about?" He grinned. Ashley couldn't help but smile.
"Sorry. I just haven't been out of the country much, that's all. Barely out of my state, even." She replied. Draco watched her smile slowly fade, and felt the urge to say something to make her laugh again, to see that smile one more time.
"Draco, we couldn't find the trolley." Crabbe abruptly stumbled back into the car, Goyle following close behind.
"Um, that's all right, I'm not hungry anymore, but…"A shrill whistle pierced the air, signaling the trolley's arrival at Hogwarts. Draco stood up quickly as the train came to a chugging stop.
"I have to go, but- I'll see you before we enter the Great Hall, right?" He called out at the door of the train.
"Yeah. I'll try to find you!" Ashley leaned out of her compartment for a last glance before he left the car in front of his two goons.
The first-years fidgeted and chattered excitedly in front of a looming, golden door leading into the Great Hall as a tired-looking witch standing in front the door tried to attract their attention.
"First-years! First-years!" Her surprisingly stern voice quieted them instantly. She nodded in approval.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall, teacher of Transfiguration at this school. You are about to be sorted into the four Houses of Hogwarts- Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Draco grinned and nudged Crabbe as he heard Slytherin. Professor McGonagall continued on, but Ashley was no longer listening- she had caught sight of Draco on the other side of the hall. McGonagall then disappeared into the Great Hall to prepare for them, and Draco started moving away from the wall- but towards another first year with mussed black hair, standing with a tall, freckled redhead closer to the door.
"It's true, isn't it? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He said loudly. Ashley stepped back in surprise. Harry Potter? The boy who lived?
Draco had stepped in front of the brown-haired boy.
"You're going to need the right friends to get through this school." Draco sneered, glancing contemptuously at the red-haired boy. "I can help you there." He outstretched his hand. Harry paused a moment.
"I think I can choose my own friends, thanks." He answered. Draco's face hardened, as though he wasn't used to rejection. His blue eyes flashed with an unusual glare that Ashley couldn't quite name. At that moment, the Hall door creaked open. Professor McGonagall frowned suspiciously at Draco, then announced, "We're ready."
Ashley shuffled behind the others towards the Great Hall, taken aback by what just happened.
What is going on? What came over him? That wasn't normal- his eyes were- I don't know- possessed? She shook her head inwardly. Her thoughts were interrupted by a burst of song coming from an old, wide-brimmed hat squatting on a stool in the front of the Hall. It began to sing in an off-key tune about the four Houses and their founders. McGonagall stood up to explain it was the Sorting Hat.
ok, so since you all hopefully know what the sorting hat is, I won't go into detail here
"Malfoy, Draco." His name was finally called. He stepped up the Sorting Hat confidently- before the Hat was all the way on his head, it screamed the House.
"SLYTHERIN!" Draco grinned in triumph; the Slytherin table erupted with applause.
Ashley glanced over at the other Slytherins- they didn't seem like a particularly friendly group, filled with scowls and evil sneers.
"Baron, Ashley." Ashley settled on the stool as the Hat was dropped on her head. There was a calculating pause. Ashley saw Draco in her mind- the Hat seemed to see the picture and recoiled as if realizing something. With a barely noticeable touch of sadness in its voice, the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Draco's face fell. Oh no.
Ashley seated herself on the end of the Gryffindor table amid cheers and applause, not daring to cast a glance at Draco. The Sorting Hat finished the rest of the first-years, ending with a boy named Zabini in Slytherin, and let an old, intricately wrinkled wizard step up to a candle-lit podium.
"Professor Dumbledore." A girl with bushy brown hair whispered informatively behind Ashley. She turned around.
"Who?" The other girl rolled her eyes.
"Professor Albus Dumbledore- he's the headmaster here. He's supposed to be very wise." The girl held her hand out. "Hermione Granger. And you are?" Ashley shook her hand.
"Ashley Baron." Hermione frowned.
"Are you…American?" She asked curiously.
"Yeah." Already tired of the question, she turned back to Professor Dumbledore.
"I have only a few words to say to you all. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! That is all." With an amused smile, he reclined again at the wide table, now magically filling with stuffing, turkey, and other vast assortments of foods.
Ashley dug in to the feast with gusto, never seeing so much food in her life. After three servings of everything in her reach, she turned around briefly to find Draco. To her surprise, he was searching for her also- he quickly mouthed a phrase.
Meet me outside. He gestured towards the doors. Ashley gave a quick nod and turned around.
"Do you know where the bathrooms are?" She asked Hermione. She shrugged. An older redhead spoke up.
"Out those doors to the left, three doors down." He instructed.
"Ashley!" Draco called over as Ashley turned the corner. He grinned as she came up, not noticing the furious look on her face
"Got in Slytherin. Great House, my dad said. I should be proud to have gotten in." His grin faded. "But- you got in Gryffindor." Ashley quickly lost her angry train of thought.
"Wait, what? Is that a bad thing?" Draco shook his head.
"Ashley, Slytherin and Gryffindor are enemies. They have been for years. If we're seen together, then- well, I'm not so sure if we actually want to find out what would happen to us." He explained.
"So I'm supposed to hate you?" She exclaimed. Draco nodded wearily.
"Guess so." He leaned against the wall, Ashley standing next to him.
"The boy you were talking to back there- he was Harry Potter, wasn't he?" Draco just nodded.
"Why were you being so mean to him?" Ashley inquired accusingly.
"I wasn't- I mean, well- I don't know." Draco spluttered. Ashley glared at him.
"What do you mean you don't know? Are you always so cruel like that?" She interrogated.
"No, I'm not! I mean- I was, but…" He trailed off, finding no answer.
"You were? What are you talking about?" Ashley echoed, confused. Draco threw up his hands.
"I can't explain it! Before I saw you, I've been mean to people as long as I can remember! But when I saw you, I didn't want to be mean at all, I felt like I could be the nicest person in the world- but that was confusing. And when I left you, the evil thoughts came back! And now, I don't feel that anymore!" He exclaimed, flustered. "I have no idea what's going on!" Ashley looked into his eyes- he was telling the truth; they seemed confused and slightly panicked.
"Well, whatever it is, it isn't normal. Do you know anyone who knows a lot about…curses?" Ashley inquired.
Author's Note: I'm sorry I can't think of many synonyms for "asked", but please just bear with me…
Draco shrugged. "That girl you were sitting next to seems like a know-it-all. Ask her." Ashley nodded.
"Hermione. Her name's Hermione." She explained. "I'll ask her."
"Wait, why about curses?" Draco called as she started back towards the Hall. She turned around for a brief second.
"Something like this doesn't just happen randomly."