CHAPTER 3 - Mezzanotte

"Ella! We have to go!"

"No!"

"Come on! I'll miss curfew, I'm completely…completely…Sirius!"

"Yes I kno-" but I was interrupted.

"No, not serious, Sirius! What are you doing here!" Confused I followed her as she rushed away to greet a tall, good-looking boy. They said a few things and then she pointed to me and I felt myself blush all the way to the tips of my ears. He was really, truly, extremely good-looking. He smiled at me and I tried to smile back but was captivated by his features. With beautiful eyes and shoulder length black hair, this boy was like no other that I had met. He was wearing robes but I could still tell he was tall and muscular.

"Hello" he grinned, approaching me, "Hey! Hi! Oi! Lily, does she talk"

"Hi." I said before she could reply. I didn't want her to reply.

"You do!" he laughed and held out his hand, "Sirius Black and you are Ella?"

"Yes. And you like to laugh"

Sirius agreed with me and stated that he had to, "Go down Knockturn alley"

Lily protested, "But Sirius, that's incredibly stupid and dangerous! Why?"

"Personal reasons." And with a nod to me he took off.

"Oh that boy." Lily fumed, "He'll get himself killed! At least he doesn't do that during school. No, I'm lying aren't I? Yes, he does almost get himself killed in school. Oh he's so incredibly stupid!"

"But he is awfully nice looking." I pointed out.

"I suppose so. Let's go."

I looked down as my list one more time and my eye caught on the part that said I was allowed to have an owl. I turned to Lily who was still trying to make me leave. "No! I'd like an owl."

"Fine" she pointed to a shop on the corner "5 minutes please."

"Alright."

I happily skipped into the shop and stopped. All around be were toads, cats, owls, and rats. It was an amazing sight.

I walked over to examine the owls. Finally, I chose a black one with yellow eyes that were flecked with green. He had a long black beak and black claws. Like the night sky.

"I'll name you Mezzanotte." I told him, "That's midnight in Italian." I had been studying Italian and was glad I could stop now. It was insanely hard to learn. "Is that okay?" I questioned. The response made me jump. Mezzanotte hooted but inside my head I heard Yes, I do like it.

"Ella! Oh! Hurry up! I totally forgot you need a wand! We've only got seven minutes!" Lily burst into the store making people stare. With a blush she muttered, "Sorry" and I walked over to her.

"Woah. He's a creepy looking thing…" Lily stated, getting a glare from me. We walked out of the store. "What's his name"

"Mezzanotte" I replied.

"It suits him. Midnight. I like it."

"Good for you."

"Let's get your wand…"

I followed Lily quickly past many shops and we stopped outside a store that had a sign on which, Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C was painted in gold letters.

"That's old" I remarked.

We walked inside and the smell of old wood filled my nostrils. An old man stepped out of the shadows.

"Welcome. ," he said softly, "I am Mr. Ollivander. You will be needing a wand I suppose ?"

I nodded, having lost my voice.

"Let's try this one shall we?" he handed me a silver wand and said, "12 inches. Birch, with a unicorn tail hair as the core. Wave it around."

I did. Sparks flew out and danced around the room in a colourful parade and Mr. Ollivander clapped his hands and informed me that this was the one, and that I was lucky that wand chose me because only 3 of these were ever made.

"Why?"

"Because they were made illegally – they're not illegal to use though, not at all."

"We must go!" interrupted Lily.

As we travelled home I marvelled at my luck of wand and owl in my head, and wondered if other people could talk to their owls, but that would have to wait.

The next week passed fast. I informed my friends that I was going to a private school but decided to keep the magic part secret. I warned Jessie not to tell anybody and she agreed, knowing how important this was to me.

All too soon Lily was on my doorstep again and calmly told my parent a lie as to why I must have an owl. With that my bags were collected, good-byes were said, and we were in a taxi on the way to Kings Cross station.

"Nervous?" Lily wanted to know.

I let out a small giggle, "I little…I suppose, after all I'm going to be sorted with the eleven year olds…how do you get sorted anyway?"

"That's for you to find out – but don't worry, you don't have to do anything…"

"Where's your stuff?"

"A friend is bringing it to the station."

"What house are you in? Sirius? What house do you think I'll be in? What's your friend name? Do you think she'll like me? Do you think Dumbledore will like me? Do you think anyone will like me? Will I be good at magic? What if there was a mistake? What if they send me home? What if my mum finds out? How-"

"Calm down. Everything will be fine. I promise. Sirius, his friends, my friends, and I are in Gryffindor. I have no clue what house you will be in and my friend's name is Kaylee Haydehm. There wasn't a mistake, and I forget your other questions. Don't worry. Oh, and your tutor – Tom Zenth – is in Slytherin."

"How many houses are there again? And what are they called?" I can't help it, when I am nervous the questions just keep coming.

"Okay, there are four houses. Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. The main traits by which you are sorted are if you are cunning, just and true, Intelligent, and brave…basically. Now, can we stop with the questions?"

"Who were the founders of Hogwarts?"

"There were four founders. Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and Rowena Ravenclaw. I really don't want to answer anymore questions. You should read Hogwarts, a History, and that will answer any other questions. It's a textbook by the way."

"I don't like how much older than me you seem." I know it sounds a little bit Yoda, but it's better grammar.

"Yeah well…I know more in the area than you. You'll catch up soon. Tom is brilliant, but a little scary if I may say so.

"I have another question," I informed, then continued without waiting for a reply, "Why were you chosen for this?"

"I was working with a team of people to make sure you could come to school."

I had no idea. Amazed that there was a team of people for me made be quite pleased, "Who's on the team?" I questioned.

"Me, naturally, Professor Dumbledore, Kaylee, and two Gryffindor's are named Remus Lupin and James Potter. They are Sirius's best mates."

"Was James the one you were talking through your wa-" I glanced at the driver, "The…portable phone to?"

Lily grinned, "Yes," then muttered what sounded like, "The bloody twit." She blushed and paid the driver as we came to a halt, "Let's go. The train leaves in 10 minutes. Oh my!" Quickly, we piled my luggage onto a trolley and ran to platform 9.

"Okay," Lily hurried to tell me, "Walk straight at that pillar," she pointed to the pillar between platforms nine and ten, "With me. Don't hesitate. Don't be scared and you'll go right through. I've done this four times and it's always worked for me."

"Okay." I was nervous. What if I hit the pillar? What if I missed the train and couldn't get through? Without even realizing I was doing it, I ran right through and breathed a sigh of relief and we got to the other side. That sigh caught in my throat as I saw the gleaming red engine in front of me. The doors were closing.

"Hurry up!" Lily shouted over the noise.

We dragged my luggage to a compartment in which Sirius and five other people were sitting.

"Hey, Ella." Sirius greeted.

"Hello." I said as I helped Lily put my stuff above the seats.

"Hi Evans." A tall boy with messy hair and glasses looked at Lily, who ignored him and introduced me.

"Everyone, this is Ella Desmel."

"Ella, you know Sirius, and this is James," she indicated to the boy with glasses, "This is Peter and Remus." The two boys said hello. Remus looked tired and had longish hair, but Peter looked jumpy and short. Lily also introduced me to Kaylee, who had blonde hair down to her waist, and a girl named Shelly Raven who had blackish brown hair, wore glasses, and had her hair in pigtails. Everyone was nice to me and I really appreciated that.

Once we were all comfortable with each other there were no awkward silences. Everyone talking about there summer and whatnot. Everything was fine until…

I was sitting next to James for the ride and across from me was Peter. Strange how I was the new one and was the farthest from Lily. Lily was chatting with Sirius and Shelly, and Peter was talking to Kaylee. James didn't know I was listening and I heard him speak to Remus in a low voice, "Sirius went down Knockturn alley."

"What? Why?"

"We haven't told Peter yet but at least me and Sirius…we're gonna try to become animagi so we can accompany you on full moons."

"Shh! Nobody here knows…about…that."

"I know. We'll ask Peter and-"

"I don't think you should!" Remus cut in. "It's illegal and dangerous."

At that precise moment the train screeched to a halt and Mezzanotte's cage fell on my head. Everyone flew everywhere and my owl made it worse by screeching and screeching.

"What was that?" Sirius helped Shelly up rubbing his head. "Ouch"

"Does this usually happen?" I asked and got the reply from Peter, "No. What's wrong?"

All eyes turned to Lily who shrugged and sat down. James got up, opened the compartment door and yelled, "Aah!" making everyone wonder what was out there. He came back in, slammed the door and sat down shuddering.

"What is it?"

"What happened"

"What's out there?"

James took a shaky breath. I noticed Sirius with his head in his hands – laughing – but no one else did.

"It's a- a- oh so foul!" James gasped.

"What?"

"A s-s-spider! THIS BIG!" he held up his thumb and forefinger about 1/4 of an inch away from each other and cracked up laughing. He and Sirius slapped hands, I grinned, and Lily huffed. The train began to move again.

"I'm sure we'll find out what that was at school," Lily said, "Which reminds me…we'd better change. We'll be there very soon."

The train came to a stop and as we opened the door to the hallway I heard the babble of Hogwarts students. Nerves had gotten hold of me and my stomach was doing flips.

"You have to go with the first years for now." Lily said, "We'll see you in the Great Hall."

"Bye" I muttered, and grabbed Mezzanotte's cage. If our luggage would be magiced to our dormitories I at least wanted Mezzanotte with me.

"Firs' years, firs' years, over here!"

I walked over to a large man who looked down at me and said, "Yer not a firs' year."

"But I'm new." I said. I tend to be frank with strangers.

"Oh yea'" A look of realization dawned on his face, "Yer Ella."

"Yes."

"Well, I'm Hagrid. I'm the Hogwarts gamekeeper. Pleased ter meet yer. Firs' years!"

I followed Hagrid at the front of the mass of first years as we walked away from the other students. He said I could ride in the same boat as him and I agreed but said I would not part from my owl.

When we reached the school a small gasp came from my mouth. Towering above me was a castle. No book could describe the brilliance of it. It glowed like a star on a dark night.

A woman greeted us at the front door and led us to a chamber. We were left there for a minute and I talked with Mezzanotte in my head.

I'm nervous. I thought

So am I.

Why? Why should he be scared?

I'm afraid you'll drop me.

I didn't know owls had a sense of humour.

We have and know everything.

The women who greeted us, Professor McGonagall came in and took me outside the room.

"You are Ella Desmel I am sure?"

"Yes I am." I replied trying not to look scared.

"You will be sorted after everyone. Professor Dumbledore will tell you when to come in. Don't worry."

I told Mezzanotte to fly to the owlry. And he did so. I heard children's names be sorted all the way from Abrua to Xenad.

"And now," I figured this must be Dumbledore because he sounded like the man that Lily was talking to. He said what must be said about me and then, "Ella Desmel."

The doors swung wide and even though everyone was murmering and some were clapping, all I could hear was my heart hammering. I stepped into the great hall and the doors swung shut behind me.