Chapter Two – New Friends
Professor McGonagall strode the length of her office and took the seat behind her desk, "Take a seat Miss. Bolts, we have much to discuss." Jessica took a seat in one of the rich red armchairs that sat in front of the desk. "Before we begin you need to be sorted into one of the four school houses. We will use the Sorting Hat to sort you into your destined house." McGonagall stood up and collected an old wizard's hat from one of the shelves behind her desk. "If you would place this on your head please Miss Bolts." Professor McGonagall handed the old hat to Jessica, who placed it on her head as instructed. The Sorting Hat was so big that it covered Jessica's eyes as she sat it on her head. For a few moments nothing happened, and then a voice sounded in her ears. "Hello, what do we have here…a very bright mind, yes there's no shortage of intelligence. But there's something else here… ah yes… there is the desire for adventure… I've seen this before and I know just where to put you… GRYFFINDOR!" this last word the hat shouted out loud. Jessica pulled off the hat to see Professor McGonagall smiling broadly. "Excellent, you have been sorted into Gryffindor, my house, I am very happy to have you in my house. Ok now that you have been sorted it's time we started discussing the subjects that you have chosen to study and also the rules of Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall took the hat from Jessica and returned it to the shelf behind her desk. She then sat down and took a piece of parchment from the top draw and studied it. "Mrs. McAdams has sent me the list of subjects that you have chosen to continue to study for your NEWTS, and also the results that you achieved in your OWLS exams. I must say, your results are amazing your received Outstandings in all of your subjects. Well there is no point telling you what subjects you can continue here at Hogwarts, with these results you can continue with all of them, there is no problem, here is your new timetable." Professor McGonagall tapped a blank piece of parchment with her wand.
"Thank you Professor," said Jessica taking her new timetable from the professors outstretched hand.
"So now that your timetable is out of the way, I need to inform you of the strict rules that must be followed if you wish to stay at this school. The Dark Forrest that is found in the school grounds is forbidden to all students unless accompanied by a teacher, there is a curfew of 10 o'clock to all sixth year students; any student found wande4ring the corridors after this time will be given detention or worse depending on the situations. Other rules you will learn from your fellow students. Do you understand these that I have told you?" Professor McGonagall gave Jessica a piercing look. "Yes I understand them Professor." Jessica said quickly. A clock on Professor McGonagall's desk chimed 10. "Good gracious, is that the time already? Have you had your dinner?" said McGonagall.
"Yes, I ate on the train ride over." Jessica replied.
"Good, then I will take you up to the Gryffindor Common Room which is to be your home while you are at Hogwarts," standing up Professor McGonagall said "Follow me Miss Bolts." Jessica did as she was told and followed Professor McGonagall up several flights of stairs. They didn't meet or see anyone as they made their way up to the Common room. They didn't stop until they reached a portrait of a fat lady; it was here that Professor McGonagall stopped Jessica. Wondering what was happening, Jessica looked around for a door which led to the common room, but she didn't see one. McGonagall turned to Jessica "we are now outside the entrance to the Gryffindor Common room. The password to enter is Butterbeer." At these words the portrait of the fat lady swung forward to reveal an entrance hole, which Jessica saw led into a large room which at that present time was filled with students, all of whom were wearing black school robes with a red and gold tie. These were the students of Gryffindor house. Jessica realised how nervous she had suddenly become. Some of the students had looked up from their homework and other activities that they had been doing to look at Professor McGonagall and the strange girl that accompanied her. Standing just inside the portrait hole McGonagall cleared her throat, "Eh hem… can I have your attention please." The entire student body looked up at them. "We have a new student at our school, and was this evening sorted into Gryffindor house. Jessica Bolts has transferred to Hogwarts from Macarthur's School of Sorcery. I want you to make Miss Bolts welcome now that she is in our house. That is all." The students continued with their studies, "Miss. Granger, can I have a word please."
A girl with bushy brown hair rose from her armchair near the fireplace and walked towards them. "Miss Granger, this is Jessica Bolts, she, like yourself is in her sixth year of study. I would like you to help her get used to the comings and goings of this school, and make sure that she knows where her classes are, most of which you are also studying."
"Of course Professor McGonagall, I will take good care of her."
"First I think you should take Miss Bolts up to the dormitories so she can get settled in."
Hermione took Jessica by the hand and said "Follow me Jessica; I will help you organise your things."
Hermione lead Jessica through the crowed common room and up the stairs that were on their left. "Our dormitory is the sixth door" said Hermione as they climbed the spiral staircase. "Your things should already be up here." they reached the sixth door up and Hermione pushed it open to reveal a room containing five four-posted beds. "Yes there are your things if I'm not mistaken." She pointed to one of the four-posted beds which was across the room next to one of the many windows in the room, Jessica's trunk was at the foot of it and her owl, Isabella was sitting on top of her cage. "Yes that is my trunk and owl."
"You should send her to the Owlery so she can have a good rest after the journey."
"Ok," Jessica lifted Isabella off the cage, walked over to the window and flung it open. "Isabella, go to the Owlery." Isabella spread her wings and flew off out of the window. Jessica turned to Hermione and said "where should I unpack my things?"
Hermione pointed to a wardrobe that was on her left. "That wardrobe is free, so you can put your belongings in that. Oh, your new school robes are already in here."
"Ok." with a long sweeping movement of her wand, Jessica's trunk, flew open and the belongings flew out and into the wardrobe, after folding themselves. "Wow, you did that without saying the incantation. That is incredible; we haven't even started learning that yet."
"Really, we started last year." Said Jessica in amazement.
"Well now that you are all settled in, let's go back down to the common room and I will introduce you to my friends."
"That sounds good." Said Jessica, pocketing her wand.
When they returned to the common room many of the students had gone to bed. Hermione led Jessica over to the group of armchairs where she had been sitting before helping Jessica. In the two closest to the fire sat two boys. The first, a red-headed boy with a face covered in freckles was leaning over a book labelled "One Hundred Magical Herbs and Fungi". The other boy had jet black hair and wore glasses; he was looking through what looked like to be his Potions book. They both looked up as Hermione and Jessica drew close.
"Finally Hermione, we thought you had disappeared on us." Said the red headed boy.
"Professor McGonagall wanted me to help Jessica to settle into the dormitory." Said Hermione is a matter-of-fact voice,
"Oh, you must be Jessica? Ron had only just noticed Jessica standing behind Hermione. Jessica stepped forward "Yes I am Jessica, and you are?"
"RonWeasley, nice to meet you." Said Ron as he reached out to shake Jessica's hand.
"The same with you I'm sure."
The other boy stood up, Jessica noticed how green his eyes were. "Hi I'm Harry Potter." Jessica's mouth dropped. "Oh my God, Harry…Potter, as in THE Harry Potter." Harry laughed, Jessica saw his white teeth, all straight and shinny. "Yes I am THE Harry Potter. So you transferred here from another school?"
Hermione motioned Jessica forward and they both took a seat in the empty armchairs.
"Yes, I was attending Macarthur's School of Sorcery when I received Albus Dumbledore's letter."
"Dumbledore sent you a letter… why?" said Ron looking amazed.
"Well my Headmistress sent the results of my OWLS to Dumbledore because she was amazed at them, and she told me that I needed to go to a school that would challenge me."
"What did u get for your OWLS?" asked Hermione looked stunned and happy.
"I received Outstandings for all my subjects." said Jessica
"Wow Hermione, she got one more then you. I never thought I would meet anyone that could beat academically." Said Ron smirking at Hermione, who blushed and looked into the fire, avoiding their eyes.
"So is there a Quidditch team here at Hogwarts?" Jessica said, sensing the tension and quickly changing the subject. Harry looked at Jessica, in amazement. He had never met a girl who was smart and was also into Quidditch.
"Yeah we have four house teams. You are in fact talking to the captain of the Gryffindor team." Said Harry flashing the red and gold badge that was pinned to his robes.
"Wow, you're the captain? So have you already had tryouts yet?"
"No you're in luck. I have scheduled the Gryffindor tryouts for next weekend. What position do u play?"
"Chaser, although I also play Seeker."
"That's great, although the Seeker position has already been filled by yours truly." He said grinning.
"That's alright; my favourite position is Chaser anyways."
"That's good news, we need a chaser. I hope to see you at the try-outs"
"Hey Jessica can I see your timetable for a minute… I want to see if you are in any of our classes."
"Oh it's up in the dormitory. Hang on a second." Jessica raised her wand, gave it a swirl and seconds later the piece of parchment that Professor McGonagall had given her flew into her hand.
"Wow that is impressive, even Hermione can't do non-verbal incantations yet." Jessica handed her timetable to Ron, who looked it over.
"You have Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and History of Magic with Harry, Hermione and I. You also have Ancient Runes and Arithmancy with Hermione."
"Oh that is great, now at least I won't get lost going to lessons." Said Jessica smiling
"Hahaha that is true." Said Harry, his smile took up most of his face and made his bright green eyes twinkle.
"Wow look at the time," Said Ron looking at his watch, "It's past midnight. I'm heading up to bed; this homework can wait till tomorrow."
"I think we should all get to bed, being Jessica's first day and all." Said Hermione rising from her armchair.
"Yes, I am getting a bit t…t…tired." Said Jessica trying and failing to stifle a yawn as she too stood up.
"Well goodnight, see you in the morning." Said Harry and Ron as they made their way across the room and reached the stairs that led up to the boys' dormitory and disappeared up them.
Hermione and Jessica walked to the other side of the room and climbed the same stairs that they had climbed earlier.
When they reached their dormitory Jessica went to her bed and changed into her pyjamas.
"Goodnight Jessica." Said Hermione as she climbed into her four-posted bed. "Goodnight Hermione, thank you for helping me get settled in tonight."
"That is fine, see you in the morning." Hermione pulled the curtains of her four-poster bed and Jessica could hear her lie down and fall asleep. Jessica sat on her bed and looked at her bedside table, on it stood a photo of her and her friends from her old school, it was taken on the day they received their OWL results. In the photo, everyone was moving around and they were all laughing and joking around together. Jessica took the ring that she always wore on her index finger and laid it next to the photograph. She crawled under the bed clothes and fluffed up the pillow. With a wave of her wand the curtains slid closed. She put her wand on the bedside table, laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes.