Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine, not mine!
A/N: Wow! Another chapter already! I'm on a roll people! (Enjoy it while it lasts.)
"Wake up!"
Hallie groaned as she felt another jab into her side. A high-pitched voice followed, dragging her from a pleasant sleep.
"Harry Potter needs to be waking up!"
Hallie rolled over tiredly, her eyes blinking open. She looked upward, taking in the sight of a frazzled house elf at her side. Seeing its charge was finally up, the tiny house elf placed down a steaming tray of food on the bedside table, before disappearing with a pop.
The girl sat up wearily, already mourning the end of one of the best nights of sleep she'd ever had. Lying on an actual bed made a real difference. It was too bad her vacation was over, though. That's right; it was finally September 1st, and time for 'Harry Potter' to make an appearance. It was only 7 A.M., and the students weren't to arrive until nightfall. However, in a another brilliant show of manipulation, the headmaster had suggested Hallie ride the train with all the other students. He claimed it was the only way to keep from attracting unwanted attention. Hallie thought that was kind of pointless after the scene in Diagon Alley. The wizarding world was already buzzing with news about the first sighting of the Boy-Who-Lived.
Sliding out from under the covers, Hallie stretched. Reaching up, she adjusted the invisible chain around her throat that had gotten twisted in her sleep. She sat back down on the bed with a small thump, and Sable gave an irritate yawn from her pillow before getting comfortable again. As Hallie gratefully took up a cup of coffee, she glared at the tiny furball, "You are so lucky."
After eating breakfast, which was such a lovely change from the table scraps at the Dursleys', Hallie decided to take a quick shower before putting on her school uniform.
Washing was certainly... different than it used to be. For one thing, her body no longer looked like her own, thanks to the glamour. For another, it was rather strange to wash her hair without being able to feel it; it was at least a foot shorter. Afterwards, she left the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her chest, regardless of her gender switch, and started digging through her trunk for her new clothes.
Hallie stared into the vanity in her the bedroom, finishing up the last touches of her uniform. It consisted of black robes, a stiff white shirt, and black pants, rather than the skirt she should have worn.
'Wouldn't do for the Boy-Who-Lived to be caught in that,' she giggled at the thought.
Poking out her tongue in concentration, Hallie tightened her blank tie (It would gain color once she was sorted). She had never known putting on a tie could be so difficult. Hadn't wizards ever heard of a clip-on?
At last, she looked up, satisfied that there was nothing left to do. Then she saw her head, or more specifically, her hair. The short, ebony locks stuck out in every direction, bearing a strong resemblance to a victim of electrocution.
Eyeing the spiky mess in disgust, Hallie blurted out, "I look like a bloody hedgehog!"
The mirror tittered sympathetically, causing Hallie to jump back in shock. Calming down, Hallie rolled her eyes and walked away from the magical vanity.
'I hate when they do that...'
Hallie wandered around her rooms, searching for any items she may have left lying about. She didn't want to forget something important, and have to run down there on the first day of classes to retrieve it. She nodded in satisfaction when she realized all her possessions were taken care of. Tucking away the last of her textbooks, Hallie shut her trunk. Or at least, she tried to. Hallie finally resorted to sitting on it as she snapped the latch shut.
The only thing left was her wand, which Hallie had deliberately left unpacked. She figured it would make more sense to carry it on her. What use was her magic if she had to go digging through a trunk to use it?
The slim piece of wood rested innocently on a table, taunting her with its mere presence. Hallie still recalled the words of Mr. Ollivander a few days ago... To think, she had a wand related to the very monster that had murdered her parents. Did she really want to carry that around? But then Hallie remembered the other thing Ollivander had said.
'The wand chooses the wizard.'
Okay, technically, she was a witch pretending to be a wizard... but if it was true that the wand knew exactly who it belonged to, then didn't that mean she was meant to have it? No matter that it shared a core with Voldemort's wand, it had still picked her as its owner. The one who had defeated the dark lord, given the brother of the tool he had used during his reign of terror. Maybe it was destiny...
Hallie snorted, 'Destiny? Okay, now I know I'm losing it. No more caffeine for me... I really need to get going anyway. Don't want to miss the stupid train.'
Silently chiding herself, Hallie grabbed her wand, sliding it up the sleeve of her robes for safe-keeping. She then grabbed one end of her trunk and began dragging the heavy luggage toward the door to her rooms.
A tinkling sound behind her alerted Hallie to the approach of her cat. She smirked slightly. She had known it was a good idea to get him that collar. Sable had seemed a little disgruntled when it was first placed on, especially since he couldn't remove it no matter how hard he struggled. Since then, he had not once been successful in sneaking up on her.
The black cat hurried to catch up with Hallie, bounding onto her shoulder in one leap. It was fast becoming his favorite place to be whenever Hallie had to go somewhere. Smiling as he purred, she reached the back of the portrait closing off her rooms.
Just as the frame swung open, Hallie took a deep breath and released it. She stepped into the hall with a look of determination.
"Okay, let's do this."
Hallie pushed her trolley through King's Cross station, keeping her eyes open for the platform. The place was crowded with Muggles, and she worried she would miss it. After all, she was supposed to be looking for a wall.
Dumbledore had explained it all to Hallie once she reached his office. He had given her directions to find the hidden platform as she would be going alone. The reason for this being that Hagrid would have certainly called attention, and the rest of the staff was too busy preparing for the welcome feast. Then the headmaster had tapped an old teacup and said, 'Portus.' He called his creation a 'Portkey,' and the second Hallie touched it, she found herself spinning through the air, her hand glued to the cup, only to come crashing down in the empty parking lot outside the train station in London. It was a good thing the lot had been vacant when she arrived. Hallie must have been a sight to see, sprawled on the pavement, and trying to remove her trunk from where it was pinning her legs, while her cat was hissing up a storm from inside his carrier.
Now Hallie was searching for Platform 9 3/4. Apparently, she was to locate platforms nine and ten, then walk through the wall in between them. When Dumbledore explained that part, Hallie had given him an doubtful look. He wanted her to run into a brick wall? Right...Then again, she figured she couldn't complain after already experiencing travel by fireplace, and now delicate china. That cup was still lying in pieces outside. Hallie hoped Dumbledore wasn't expecting it back.
'There it is!' Hallie realized, spotting the barrier. It didn't look out of the ordinary, but she supposed that was the point. 'Now I just have to go through it...'
Hallie faced the brick wall nervously, lining up her trolley, and preparing her stance. She glanced around to make sure none of the muggles were watching. Seeing the coast was clear, she pushed forward. She set off at a jog at first, and then gained speed as the wall came closer. Only seconds before impact, Hallie closed her eyes.
'I'm going to crash!'
Luckily, that didn't happen, as when Hallie was brave enough to open her eyes again, she found herself still running, but about to hit several people in robes instead. Swerving out of the way, Hallie halted her trolley, panting slightly from the effort. That thing was heavy! Sable meowed in annoyance from where his carrier was tied on top of her trunk.
Sighing in relief, Hallie decided to look around. She found herself slightly awed by the enchanted platform. It was full of wizards and wizards, plus what looked like a few Muggle parents, all seeing their children off. She felt a brief pang of jealousy as she watched a red-headed woman smothering her son. He was blushing furiously and trying to escape her clutches while his twin brothers snickered at his expense. A couple other kids were gathered around them, all bearing a familial resemblance. Hallie tried not to stare as she made her way toward the train.
The Hogwarts Express was an old-fashioned steam engine, although Hallie was sure it ran on more magic than coal. The huge locomotive was a rich scarlet color. Dozens of clear windows faced the platform and showed the students inside, meeting up with their friends, or waving to their parents. Walking further down the train, Hallie searched for an empty compartment, not comfortable intruding on anyone.
She finally spotted one near the end and climbed inside. However, once she was standing in the compartment, she wondered how she was going to get her trunk in as well. Crouching down, she grabbed the handle and tugged. Big mistake. She had barely heaved before the weight of the trunk pulled her right back down. Glaring at the two foot distance between the floor of the train and the ground, Hallie jumped out. This time, she tried to lift her trunk on its side and push up. It was working slightly until the strain on her arms increased, forcing her to drop the trunk before it fell on her.
"Need any help, mate?"
Hallie startled, completely forgetting that she was barely holding up the heavy trunk. It was only the quick actions of a boy a few years older than her, with bright red hair and freckles, that kept her from becoming the 'Boy-Who-Lived-Only-To-Be-Flattened.'
Smiling gratefully at him, she turned around and found his exact double staring at her with a mischievous grin. It was the two twins she'd seen.
"Like I was saying-" the boy asked.
"Need any help?" his copy finished.
Hallie shrugged sheepishly and gestured to her stuff, "Yeah, I'd appreciated it."
Hallie leaned back in her seat after releasing Sable. The cat shot out of his cage once he was free, only to take a place on one of the empty seats in the compartment. Meanwhile, Hallie stared out the window, waiting for the train to depart.
The twins had helped her carry her trunk inside, as well as putting it up in the luggage rack. They then carried on a rather stilted conversation with her, each one finishing the other's sentences. They had introduced themselves as Fred and George, although Hallie was hard-pressed to remember which twin was which. She gave them her name with some trepidation. To the twins' credit they only gaped at her forehead for a minute before shaking themselves out of a stupor. They shook hands with her, promising to talk again, and then hopped back out onto the platform.
Hallie could still spot them among the scattered people outside. It was hard to miss the cluster of red. She watched as Fred and George said good-bye to their mother, laughing at the disgruntled look on her face. Hallie couldn't hear exactly what was said, although she did catch the words 'toilet' and 'blown up.' Maybe she would ask later.
A tall boy with horn-rimmed glasses puffed out his chest before walking to the train. The boy Hallie's age ran off as well, looking relieved to get going. The twins soon followed, leaving just the woman and a little girl. The girl was waving tearily, and tried to chase the train as it began moving. As they picked up speed, the Hogwarts Express turned a corner and the platform disappeared from sight.
Hallie yawned, leaning against the window. Without realizing it, her eyes slipped shut and she drifted off to sleep.
It was the low sound of the compartment door sliding open that woke Hallie a short while later.
"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" The boy Hallie recognized from the platform pointed to the adjacent seat with uncertainty. He smiled a little nervously, "Everywhere else is full."
Rubbing her eyes, Hallie shrugged and nodded, "Sure, it's fine."
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Hallie watched the countryside pass by outside. She felt the sensation of eyes boring into her and looked up. Her gaze met that of the boy, and he blinked before looking away embarrassedly. A moment later, he was at it again.
Getting a bit frustrated, Hallie looked up and asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Are you really Harry Potter?" the boy blurted out.
"Oh, him- I mean, yeah, that's me," Hallie laughed a bit to cover her slip up.
He didn't seem to notice, and continued with a trace of awe, "Wicked! So, do really have..." he pointed toward her forehead, "the scar?"
"Unfortunately," Hallie muttered, lifting up her bangs.
The boy exclaimed again, but seemed to notice her discomfort. Shaking himself, he said, "Sorry, I'm Ron Weasley." He held out his hand in greeting.
Hallie took it, smiling with humor, "Nice to meet you, Ron, though I suppose I don't have to introduce myself."
Ron chuckled, then said, "You know, you're not what I was expecting. I didn't actually believe Fred and George when they said they'd met Harry Potter. Thought they were having another go at me."
"They're your brothers, right?"
"Yeah." Ron scowled a bit, "Just two of them, though. I'm the youngest in our family, 'cept for my sister, Ginny."
"How many brothers and sisters do have?" Hallie asked curiously.
"Well," Ron seemed to be thinking about it, "There's Bill, the oldest, then Charlie. They both graduated Hogwarts already. Then there's Percy, and you've already met the twins. There's me, and lastly, Ginny. She'll be starting school next year."
"Wow, you're lucky to have so many siblings," Hallie said, but Ron seemed to disagree.
"Lucky?" He snorted. "Try living with five older brothers. I'm always getting their hand-me-downs, and no matter what I do, I'll never be able to make a name for myself, because they've already done it. Bill was Head Boy, Charlie a fantastic Seeker, Percy's a new Prefect, and the twins are super popular pranksters. My whole family's been in Gryffindor, and I can only hope I make it there, too." At the end of his rant, Ron seemed to realize just how much he had said to a perfect stranger, and stopped talking.
"At least you have a family that cares about you," Hallie pointed out softly. Ron finally looked up and frowned. "I've lived my aunt and uncle all my life, and they can't stand me and my-" Hallie held up her hands and made quoting motions "-'freakishness.'" She laughed at that, "Of course, now I actually know I have magic, so I suppose they were right.
"And you want to talk about living up to something," Hallie huffed, "I've only just learned that all this is real, and I've already got a whole bunch of people bowing and scraping every time they see the bloody mark on my forehead-" Hallie cut herself off, and gave Ron an apologetic look, "Er, no offense."
"None taken," Ron said. He watched her for a moment before smiling brightly, "Well, then, I guess we'll both have to make something of ourselves."
Hallie smiled back. It seemed she had found her first real friend in the wizarding world. "I guess so."
Draco pushed past another student in the corridor, sneering as the sandy-haired boy tried to protest. Draco's two friends, although 'lackeys' was perhaps a better term, followed him. Crabbe and Goyle lumbered after mindlessly, not speaking or even questioning their destination, only taking orders as their parents had taught them to.
It had been a hasty decision on Draco's part to leave the compartment and wander the train, but he had seen Pansy Parkinson on the platform, and was taking no chances. She could be easily avoided if he kept moving.
He had arrived at the platform at exactly ten minutes before the train was scheduled to leave. As his father had said, 'A Malfoy is always on time, never too early, and certainly not late.' As soon as their chauffer had dropped them off, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy led their son through the barrier, and sent him off with a very proper and public farewell. His mother had told him to study hard, and she would see him at Christmas. His father had told Draco to make the proper alliances, and stay out of trouble. Neither had mentioned a thing about having fun that year, a typical trait of his parents. He sometimes found himself wishing they would treat him more like a son than an heir, but then he would chastise himself for having such weak thoughts. He was a proud pureblood with no need to be coddled!
Scowling at himself, Draco continued to move past the other compartments, only sparing a glance at some. He wondered how many of his parents' acquaintances had sent their children to Hogwarts. Some were of the same mind as Lucius that Durmstrang would be a better choice.
Passing by an open compartment full of third year Hufflepuffs, Draco caught a snatch of conversation.
"That's right, he's here-"
"Harry Potter?"
"Did you see him?"
"-scrawny thing-"
"-black hair, green eyes-"
"-saw him get in the back-"
Draco's blue-gray eyes lit up with interest, but he forced himself not to linger. So, Potter was here? Then this was the perfect opportunity for Draco to meet the boy. After all, Potter would need someone to introduce him to the wizarding world. If the rumors were true, then the boy grew up with Muggles,of all things. Draco shuddered in disgust. Hopefully, the boy wouldn't be a completely lost cause.
His thoughts were interrupted when a dumpy-looking witch intercepted him, pushing a cart full of magical sweets.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked in one of those typically grandmother voices.
Draco's lip curled and he quickly bypassed her. Crabbe and Goyle, however, only spared their leader a single look before diving into the witch's cart. When it came to food, nothing could stand in the way of their stomachs, not even Draco Malfoy.
Sighing hopelessly, the blonde continued on his own, knowing the other two would catch up as soon as they'd eaten themselves sick. He didn't see the point of consuming so much sugar. It would only rot your teeth. Anyway, the young Malfoy hadn't been allowed any candy since an incident on his seventh birthday, involving his Great Aunt Wendolyn, and a pack of Fizzing Whizbees. Draco had taken a quick liking to the treats, eating enough to leave him as hyper as a house elf on Butterbeer. It was an absolute embarrassment for his father, and Draco had been severely punished.
The sound of soft laughter further down the train piqued Draco's curiosity. He continued on until he found the source. Inside, a pair of first years were sorting through a dangerous amount of candy, stopping to examine certain objects. They must have been Muggleborns to get so excited. Draco was ready to move on in disinterest, when he caught sight of a small boy with atrocious hair and clothes that looked at least three sizes too large for him.
The boy was opening a small, pentagonal-shaped box and peering inside warily. He jumped back into his seat when a Chocolate Frog bounded out of the package. His friend started cracking up at the look on the boy's face.
"What the bloody hell was that?" the scruffy boy exclaimed.
"It was just a Chocolate Frog, Harry! You're supposed to take a bite out of them," the other boy demonstrated by taking a large chunk out his own frog as its legs kicked in feeble protest.
"Ron, that's disgusting..."
Draco's eyes widened. That must be Potter! It would explain why he was so clueless. But who was that other kid? Judging by the state of his robes, Draco could already tell he wasn't anyone worth notice. However, he was infringing on Draco's plans. No, this would not do at all.
Without so much as knocking, Draco shoved open the sliding door, and stepped inside, a superior smirk on his face. Schooling himself, he leaned coolly against the door, arms crossed, and spoke in a drawl he had often heard his father use.
"They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. So, it's you, isn't it?"
The dark-haired boy looked up in surprise when Draco spoke, and for a moment, he seemed to freeze. Looking into the boy's startling emerald eyes, Draco watched as a trace of annoyance trickled into his expression. The glare directed towards him seemed familiar... But that couldn't be possible. Shaking it off as nonsense, Draco continued.
Hallie was having a marvelous time talking with Ron. He'd told her all about his family, going on to describe what his older brothers did for a living. Charlie worked with dragons in Romania, and Bill got to visit cursed tombs in Egypt. She just couldn't believe some of the things that existed in the wizarding world.
Ron also introduced her to his pet rat, Scabbers. He said it used to belong to his brother, Percy, and was bloody useless. Hallie had to agree seeing as Scabbers hadn't done much the entire ride except sleep. She had in turn mentioned her cat, who had slipped off at some point and had yet to return. Hallie also told him about her owl, Hedwig, who was already up at the school. She wasn't sure if students were allowed to have more than one pet, but she doubted Ron would say anything.
At one point, a witch with a cart of sweets had stopped by. Ron had seemed to deflate as he shyly pulled out a packet of slightly squashed sandwiches instead. Recognizing the problem immediately, Hallie made a quick decision. She had plenty of money herself, and what better way to spend it than with a friend? Pulling out a handful of galleons and sickles, Hallie told the witch that they would take the lot.
Ron had tried to decline on Hallie's offer to share until she shoved a handful of the foreign treats in his lap and asked for one of his mum's sandwiches as a trade. He didn't feel quite as awkward afterwards, although Hallie didn't bother to mention that she detested corned beef just as much as he did.
They were having a brilliant time daring each other to try the Bertie Botts, when Hallie lost hold of her Chocolate Frog. Listening to Ron's teasing, Hallie had been caught off guard when the compartment door slid open, and a boy she remembered all too well stepped in. If it weren't for the fact that no one knew she was actually a girl, Hallie would think that Draco Malfoy was stalking her. She just had the worst luck sometimes.
Trying to hold back her anger, Hallie answered his query in a tight voice, "Yeah, that's me."
The blonde nodded and stepped forward with his hand outstretched, but Hallie didn't take it. "My name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
A snort from Ron drew his attention off Hallie for the moment. Malfoy dropped his hand and glared at the other boy. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are." He sneered looking him over, "Red hair, freckles, and a hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley."
Ron stood up abruptly, ears flaming red, and fists clenched at his sides. Malfoy didn't seem the least bit troubled, and ignored the boy, speaking to Hallie instead.
"Eventually, you'll learn that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to be seen consorting with blood traitors, after all. The Weasleys are an absolute disgrace to pureblood society. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." Holding out his hand once more, he said, "I can help you there."
Hallie looked between Malfoy and Ron. The blonde was simply standing with a look of anticipation on his face. Ron was still the color of his hair, but as the silence stretched, his spirits seemed to fall. It was obvious the boy didn't believe he had a chance with the famous Harry Potter.
Taking one last glance at Ron, Hallie stepped forward, her expression blank. She held up her own hand as though to take Malfoy's when she pretended to hesitate, then dropped it.
"You know," she said with a thoughtful air, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself. Thanks anyway for the offer, Malfoy."
Malfoy stiffened in obvious shock before he scowled darkly. His cheeks were tinged a light pink with embarrassment, and his eyes iced over. "Have it your way, Potter," he spat. "But I'd be careful if I were you. Unless you're a bit more polite, you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either."
"Is that a threat, Malfoy?" Hallie asked in a steady voice, but the paleness of her face belied her feelings. She walked another step forward, getting up in his face. Malfoy moved backward, almost unconsciously, keeping his distance as Hallie came closer.
When she had pushed him back into the corridor, Hallie stopped, her quiet voice sounding loud and clear. "I'll have you know, that I don't take well to threats. You should remember that, Malfoy..."
Suddenly, she dropped her dangerous front, and smiled, "Alright then, see you at school!" With that, she slammed the door to the compartment in Draco Malfoy's stunned face, turning the lock as well. Hallie walked back to her seat as though nothing had happened, and turned to her gaping friend.
"Now, where were we?" she asked, picking up the card that had fallen from her Chocolate Frog box. She glanced at it, then turned to look at Ron, before doing a double take. "Whoa! Did that picture just move?"
"Okay, now let me see if I have this right..." Hallie paused to take another lick of her Sugar Quill. "So, Gryffindor is for the brave, Hufflepuffs are total pushovers, Ravenclaws are bookworms, and Slytherins are basically evil incarnate?"
"Thash righ'," Ron nodded with his mouth full of pumpkin pasty. Swallowing he elaborated on the last one, "Every witch or wizard to come out of Slytherin went dark. They say, even You-Know-Who was in that house!"
"Voldemort?" Hallie gasped.
Ron choked, "Don't say his name!"
"Er, sorry." Hallie frowned, wondering if everyone was that skittish of the Dark Lord's name. She was also worried about the revelation that Voldemort had been at Hogwarts once. It made sense if she thought about it, but now she was positive that Slytherin was the last place she wanted to be. Thinking back to the wand hidden up her sleeve, Hallie knew she didn't need another reason to compare herself to him.
Ron spoke a bit more about the houses, specifically Gryffindor. He'd mentioned that his entire family went there. He was hoping to be sent there as well, although he figured Hufflepuff was a possibility, and one he was not looking forward to.
"Fred and George would never let me live it down!"
The thought of going into Gryffindor with Ron wasn't so bad. He was of the opinion that the Boy-Who-Lived could go nowhere else. Hallie didn't think the others Houses sounded too bad. Ravenclaw may be for the more studious, but she could probably fit right in if she applied herself. Ron seemed dubious, but Hallie thought his views might be a little skewed. Not everything was as black and white as all that. In the same sense, not all eleven-year-olds could be divided by just four traits.
"Hey, Ron?" Hallie asked, just realizing something.
"Yeah?"
"How exactly do they sort us?"
Ron gulped, looking uncharacteristically wary. "Well, Fred and George told me you have fight a troll..."
Hallie laughed, causing Ron to give her a disgruntled look. "What's so funny? We've got to take on a fully grown mountain when we get to school, and we don't even know any magic yet!"
"Ron, I think your brothers were just trying to get you riled up again. Really, a troll? I doubt even Dumbledore could expect us to do something that dangerous. How would we beat it, with a Levitation Charm? Tell you what Ron, I'll distract it, and you can aim."
Ron joined in with Hallie's amusement that time. He had to admit that it did sound a little farfetched.
"I guess you're right, Harry. How would that help sort us anyway?"
"Well," Hallie said in a serious tone, "I suppose if you beat the troll, you go into Gryffindor. Knock it out, and you're a shoe in for Ravenclaw. Stab it in the back, and Slytherin would be the perfect place for you. And if you lose and get knocked unconscious instead, I'm sure the teachers will place you in Hufflepuff once you wake up-"
Hallie couldn't complete her diatribe for both she and Ron were bent over in stitches that time.
"Excuse me?"
Hallie nearly fell out of her seat at the thought that Draco Malfoy could be back. The idea was quickly dispelled, though, for he would never be that polite. Instead, a girl with frizzy brown hair and honey-colored eyes was standing in the doorway, impatiently tapping her foot.
Turning her nose up at the hysterical boys, the girl asked, "Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."
"N-no," Ron managed to say, "We haven't seen any stupid toads."
The girl made a confirming sound and rolled her eyes at his lack of manners. As she glanced around the messy compartment cluttered with food wrappers, her gaze fell on Hallie. Catching sight of the lightning bolt scar under untidy black hair, the girl gasped.
"You're Harry Potter!"
Without invitation, the girl cleared off an empty seat and sat down, folding her skirt underneath her. "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger. I was ever so pleased when I got my Hogwarts letter. Nobody in my family has ever had any magic. I'm just so eager to get started. I've already learned all our course books by heart, and I picked up a few others for a bit of light reading. I've read all about you, you know. You're in Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
She said all this very fast, not even pausing for breath. Hallie just stared at her wide-eyed and slightly dazed.
"Um, really? Huh, I didn't know that." It was another sign of just how famous the Boy-Who-Lived was if he was in several books. Hallie really should take the time to read about herself, or Harry Potter, anyway.
"Goodness, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," Hermione said.
Hallie held back from telling the girl exactly why she was so oblivious. It wasn't like she'd had any time to look up that sort of stuff. She was a little preoccupied after agreeing to be a boy for an undetermined length of time.
"Do either of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor. It sounds by far the best. I heard Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, either. Anyway, I'd better go look for Neville's toad. You should really clean up, I expect we'll be arriving soon."
With that, Hermione Granger stood up, brushing herself off and walked out of the compartment, leaving two gaping students staring after her. Once she was gone, Ron exclaimed, "Whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it!"
Hermione was correct in saying that the train ride would end soon. A mere ten minutes later, the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station. A cool voice rang throughout the compartments, telling students to exit the train, and leave their belongings to be brought up to the castle later. Hallie was grateful as she had no desire to try dragging her trunk all the way up the grounds.
She and Ron stepped onto the platform, caught in a wave of excited students. Hallie had panicked for a moment when she realized Sable was still missing. However, when Hagrid was directing the first years to climb into the waiting boats, he held up the disgruntled cat. Hallie ran forward to take him at the same time that a pudgy boy with brown hair yelled out the name 'Trevor' in obvious relief. Apparently, Sable had been busy, for there was a large green toad hanging docilely from his mouth.
After handing Neville his toad, she and Ron had chosen a boat, joined unfortunately, by the boy and Hermione Granger. Ron's unhappy moans were soon drowned out, though, as the eager students caught their first sight of Hogwarts. Hallie had already seen it during her stay, but never had she gotten a true glimpse of the exterior, especially not at night. The castle loomed over the lake and surrounding forest, its windows twinkling like stars in the dark.
Beside Hallie, Ron whispered, "It's amazing..."
Looking up at what would be her new home, Hallie had to agree. "Yeah, it is."
Hallie glanced around nervously as the first years filed into the Great Hall. Hundreds of eyes stared back at them as McGonagall made her way towards a patched hat on a stool. Hallie squirmed uncomfortably, tugging at the necklace hidden under her black school robes. She knew Dumbledore's charm would not fail, but she couldn't help but be on edge. Up until now, it had been fairly easy to keep up appearances as the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. The question now, was how would she hold up under the constant attention of her peers?
The frayed hat began singing some off-key song about the four founders, but Hallie barely noticed, only making sure to clap with the others when it was done. Behind her, she heard Ron sigh in relief and mutter something about doing his brothers bodily harm. As McGonagall unrolled a long sheet of parchment and began calling names, Hallie had only one thought,
'What have I gotten myself into?'
"Abbott, Hannah."
The list went on, while Hallie struggled not to yell at the woman to hurry up. The Sorting Hat took its time, pausing to consider some students, such as Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom. Others were in the spotlight for less than a second. Draco Malfoy, Hallie curbed the sneer forming on her face, was declared a Slytherin almost immediately. The urge to roll her eyes couldn't be helped. He happened to notice as he walked past the line of fidgeting students. His arrogant smirk slipped for a moment as he glared openly at Hallie, or rather, Harry Potter. Eyes flicking toward McGonagall for safety reasons, Hallie turned back and gave him a cheeky wave.
'I wonder if it's just a coincidence that I piss him off in more than one identity?' Hallie wondered absently, 'Nah, he's just a git.'
Several names, and many exasperated sighs later, it was Hallie's turn.
"Potter, Harry."
'Right, that's me…'
It wasn't as hard as she thought to make that agonizing walk towards the stool… with the entire student body watching her every move… and whispering… and pointing… Hallie grit her teeth as she sat down. Okay, it was really annoying. But at least she'd gotten away from those damned twinkling eyes! The headmaster had been watching her suffer the entire time, seeming to take great amusement from it.
'Barmy old codger…' she thought.
"I couldn't agree more."
Hallie yelped as a scratchy voice answered, causing a few snickers to go around the hall.
Blushing underneath the oversized hat, she grumbled, 'Thanks a lot. Just hurry up and sort me.'
"Impatient, aren't we?" The hat chuckled in her ears. It was kind of creepy. Hallie just growled in answer.
"Alright, no need to get snippy… Let's see… Hmm, plenty of courage, and not a bad mind either… Oh, and a thirst to prove yourself… So where shall I put you?"
'Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin! Put me in Hufflepuff if you have to!' she thought desperately, remembering Ron's advice on the houses. Hufflepuff wasn't the most dignified place to be, kind of pitiful actually… But anything was better than in the same House as Malfoy!
"Are you sure? You could be great, you know, and Slytherin would help you on your way to greatness… It's all here, in your head…"
'No way! They already think I'm a boy, I don't need them thinking I'm the next Dark Lord, too! Please, get out of my head, and just sort me already!'
"Hmph! Fine, well, if you're sure about Slytherin…?"
'YES!' Hallie felt the hat wince at her mental scream.
"Hmm… In that case, it had better be… GRYFFINDOR!"
The last word was shouted, and as McGonagall pulled off the hat, Hallie couldn't hear her own happy laugh over the tumultuous applause coming from the Gryffindor table. She grinned at the whistles and catcalls coming from the Weasley twins as they cheered, 'We got Potter! We got Potter!' Dumbledore beamed at her from the head table, his twinkle on full blast. Hagrid clapped loudly, and even McGonagall wore a discrete smile. As Hallie sat down to hearty thumps on the back, she told herself, 'Maybe this won't be so bad after all…'
The feast finally ended, and Percy Weasley led the sleepy students up to the Gryffindor Tower. The trip itself was far too long in Hallie's opinion, but it did give her time to think.
After her own sorting, she had watched the rest of the first years get sorted. Poor Ron had been near the very end of the line. By the time his name was called, his face was a nice shade of green with his freckles standing out sharply. He needn't have worried, though. The Sorting Hat took barely a minute before placing him in Gryffindor. The red-head had collapsed in a seat next to Hallie, and all his previous fears vanished once the food appeared.
Even after the mountain of candy the two had consumed, Ron was able to finish off third helpings, as well as dessert. Growing up on as little as she could scrounge up, Hallie was lucky to finish one plate full of the magnificent feast. It was persistence more than anything else that got her through to the chocolate pudding.
Once the tables had cleared, Dumbledore stood up to give his own announcements. He had mentioned that the forest was forbidden to all students, and his blue eyes drifted towards the Weasley twins there. Neither looked very affected by the warning. He had also said something about Quidditch trials, and a reminder from the caretaker about using magic in the halls. It was Dumbledore's parting words that caused the most reaction from the student body. He said that the third-floor corridor would be out of bounds that year to any who did not wish to die a very painful death. His solemn tone had spoken of his seriousness, although a few students did try to laugh. They were quick to shut up. Hallie had quietly snorted to herself, while thinking of the Headmaster's earlier insistence that the corridor was under maintenance.
'So much for that...'
At last, Percy called a halt to their procession. Craning her head to see over some girls in front of her, Hallie was able to see a large portrait as the top of the staircase. It was another moving painting, this one of an obese woman in a lurid pink gown. The gold plating on the frame proclaimed her 'The Fat Lady.'
'How original.'
"Caput Draconis." The prefect spoke the password, and the painting swung forward to admit them. They climbed through the hole and into a large room decorated in red and gold. Percy finally directed the first years up two separate sets of stairs.
"C'mon, mate."
Hallie followed her new friend up the left staircase, her feet dragging as she covered up another yawn. She wanted nothing more than to fall into bed at that moment, exhausted from the day's events. She wasn't really focusing on her surroundings as Ron pushed open a door and dragged her inside. Three other boys were already stumbling towards their beds, their trunks already set out at the foot of each. Hallie found the one labeled 'H.J.P.' nearest the window and flopped down on the four-poster, still fully dressed. Her fuzzy mind barely registered that Sable must have been dropped off by a house elf at some point. He watched her from his perch on the windowsill, as though waiting for something.
"G'night, Harry," Ron said, pulling shut the curtains on his bed. He had already changed into his pajamas while Hallie was simply drifting.
Nodding with her eyes still shut, Hallie stretched out on her red comforter, burrowing into the blankets. The room quieted down as the other boys settled down for the night. All was silent, and Hallie's breathing slowed, herself just seconds away from dreamland.
Suddenly, one of her eyes cracked open, the emerald lighting up as it caught the light of the moon outside. Her other eye followed suit, both staring off at the far wall. Ever so slowly, the pupils dilated, becoming two tiny pinpricks. Gasping, Hallie shot upward. Now wide awake, she stared around the dormitory in horror. She was in the boys' dormitory! Somehow, sleeping arrangements had completely slipped her mind...
'I'm going to kill Dumbledore.'
Sable watched his companion come to the realization. Finally, he curled up on one of her pillows, purring contently.
Hallie turned at the sound, and watched as the cat peeked open one golden eye. If she didn't know better, she would think he was laughing at her.
REEEEEEVVVVIIIIIEEEEWWW! PLEASE!
This chapter is huge! It came out to more than 7,000 words! I hope you guys liked it. I'll let you know what's coming up:
The next chapter is going to be a summary of the year from Hallie. Then I might do one from Draco's pov. I'm keeping this year the same as the book for the most part, so I can get started on the sequel, which will be much more interesting. The last chapter is going to be the fight with Quirrell and the end of first year, along with a surprise. Just keep in mind, things are going to start getting interesting...