Ara's Adventure in Hogwarts

A Harry Potter fanfic by Daedream

Summary:

Ara thinks she is going crazy. When she learns that her ability to talk to animals is a gift and not just a side effect of madness, she is taken off via a portal and a rather annoying owl to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where her world is completely transformed. But now, away from the peaceful lull of the quiet forest in Wales, Great Britain, that Ara had come to think of as "hers," Ara feels lost and unsure of herself. Will she ever truly find herself again? Well, keep reading to find out!

Disclaimer:

I do not own Harry Potter, Dumbledore, or any other original Harry Potter characters. I do own Nightbeak and Ara. You cannot have them without my permission, and if you do ask for them you can only use Nightbeak. Thanks. Also note that I may have changed some things that happen in the series. Why? Because in my opinion, Harry Potter six is awful! They all die! (Good story though.) Please e-mail me (e-mail address is at the bottom.) If you agree with me or think otherwise. I hope this Harry Potter fanfic will be like none other.

Ara was sleeping peacefully in the branches of a tree, her small bag of belongings beside her. She had cropped red blond hair, slanted hazel green eyes, freckle-covered cheeks, and peculiarly pointed ears. She wore a black t-shirt, black pants with a chain around the waist, and thin boots. On her neck was a necklace with a pendant of a howling black wolf that she had found in the woods.

Ever since she had lost her parents in a peculiar accident (to this day, she did not know what it was,) the forest had been her home, her sanctuary. She had taught herself the uses of every plant and the name of every animal.

As soon as she had heard of her parent's tragic death, she had packed some things that were special to her and ran away, into the forest. She didn't want some orphanage taking her in. There she had stayed, foraging for food and trying to keep alive. The government had demolished her house and stolen everything inside it. The only things Ara had left of her parents were what she had packed: two photographs of her mom and dad, a sketchbook, some books to read, some food (that was long gone now) and some emergency items: a flashlight and some batteries, all long dead.

Sometimes Ara thought she was going insane. The trees and animals seemed to whisper to her, tell her stories…Sometimes she would talk back. She had been living in the forest so long that she had seemed to become part of it: Her clothes were faded and streaked with dirt and leaves and the human smell around her had almost faded. The animals of the forest accepted her as she was, for that was the way of the forest. She never did any harm, and they usually avoided her indifferently. But sometimes they would talk to her. The subjects they talked about fascinated Ara. Every now and then, a passing badger would complain about how hard it was to maintain his large family, a wandering snake would whisper happily about the food he had just eaten, a mouse would discuss politics. Ara listened to them all.

The predatory animals, like the marten and the wolf, the stoat and the weasel, would never listen or talk to her. They simply went their way, occasionally pausing to sniff the air in disgust before padding away. Some animals did not notice her at first, and landed unwarily close to her before they realized she was even there. This was why she was not at all surprised when the owl landed next to her. It fluttered down onto a nearby branch, a letter tied to its leg, watching her intently. After a brief staring contest, which the owl won, Ara hesitatingly reached out a hand to take the letter. The owl made no move to stop her, nor did it fly away or hoot warningly. She quickly reached out and untied the letter. Curiously, the owl lifted its leg for her to do so. Ara frowned. It must be a messenger owl. She thought to herself. She read the address on the envelope. It was written in flowing script, in ink.

Ara Aronin.

A tree

Somewhere in the forest.

Wales, Great Britain

The return address read:

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Somewhere in the Wizarding world.

Ara frowned. How did the letter know where she was? Setting that aside, she tore the letter open, dying to know what was inside. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Ara,

We are please to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

On the back, the envelope was sealed with a large waxen "H," with a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding it.

This couldn't be real. She grinned hesitatingly. "You're kidding, right?" She asked the owl, hoping it would answer, hoping that all of this was not just a dream or a prank. To her shock and surprise, the owl shook its head. "Not kidding, for sure." It cooed quietly, like an owl would. Ara gasped. A…talking owl? "What is your name, then?" she asked, just to make sure. If this really were a prank, then surely the owl would not know its name. The owl seemed to smile. "I have not a name. The wizards name us. To each other, we are simply the Owls." Ara raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "What is your…wizard's name, then?" the owl preened itself. "My name is Nightbeak, or so they call me." Nightbeak shook its head absentmindedly. "If you wish to enroll in this school, please follow me." With that, it took off. Ara tossed the unopened letter into her bag, jumped down from the tree, and raced after the owl. "Not like I have anything else to do," she muttered to herself as the Nightbeak led her through the trees.

Ara stopped, her hands on her knees, panting for breath. "Please," she gasped to the owl. "Please stop…I need to rest." Nightbeak clacked her beak. "We will be late," she warned, but she perched on a branch nevertheless and preened herself. Ara sat down and panted heavily for a few seconds. "How much farther?" Nightbeak preened herself a little more before speaking. "…We will get there soon. May we go now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Nightbeak flew away. Ara got to her feet and reluctantly stumbled after her.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a clearing with a stone statue of a wizard raising his wand. Ara had to stop again. "Please tell me we will be there soon…" she muttered to the owl. Nightbeak circled a few times. "We are here." "…?" Nightbeak circled around the statue a few more times before perching on the tip of the wand. After a moment, a glowing circle lit up around the statue. "Quickly," Nightbeak cooed. "Step into the circle and repeat after me; 'patefacio, obvius, obviam, expositus, directus, aperio!'" Ara stepped into the circle and shivered slightly. A slight breeze had picked up and the hairs on the back of her neck were rising. "What do all those words mean?" she asked. Nightbeak cooed impatiently. "Don't ask, just say it! Quickly, before the portal closes!" Ara took a deep breath and recited: "patefacio, obvius, obviam, expositus, directus, aperio!"

The circle of light around them exploded with brightness until it filled Ara's vision. She shut her eyes quickly. When she opened them, she was in a world entirely different from her own.

Well, that's the end of the first chapter. I hope you liked it.

Yeah, I know this is slightly Mary Sue-ish…I am working on it. Any tips? Please e-mail me at Don't worry, I check my e-mail regularly.

Oh and by the way, just thought I'd tell you, I am Nyghtvision's little sister. The author of The Ivory Files and other good fanfics. Just ask her.

Also, please check out oOforeverobsessedOo. She is my friend and her older sister and they are both very good fanfic writers.