Chapter 4

First Impressions

I woke up early on the first of September. I was so excited. I couldn't wait to finally see what Hogwarts was like and try doing my first bit of magic. Lupin used it so casually around the cottage that it made me feel almost silly doing all the same things I did when I was at the orphanage. When I would normally press the button on the kettle, Lupin would merely give it a tap with his wand and it would start boiling; I would go to fold my clothes but with a quick flick from Lupin's wand, they folded themselves neatly into my draws; even just getting the post was redundant as an owl would bring it in through the kitchen window. You could do so much with magic that I looked forward to being able to make a teacup dance or something like that, not explode a light bulb or set a pair of curtains on fire.

I was dressed and down in the kitchen before even Lupin was up. I helped myself to breakfast the Muggle way while I waited for him. My trunk was all ready and sitting in the hallway with my pet owl sitting in his cage beside it. I'd decided to name him Gizmo, a nod to my Muggle origins as I had always enjoyed looking at what wizards would consider strange gadgets they had in the Muggle world. Lying beside me on the table was my Hogwarts letter and checklist, and my ticket for the Hogwarts Express. I read it as I ate my cereal.

'Platform Nine and Three-Quarters,' I read aloud. 'London to Hogwarts.'

'You're up early,' said Lupin. He entered the kitchen, starting the kettle to make himself some coffee.

'I couldn't sleep,' I said. 'I'm too excited. And nervous.'

'That's quite normal,' said Lupin. 'I remember my first day. I was so nervous your grandfather had to practically drag me to the station.'

I chuckled, taking another mouthful of cereal.

'So do you have everything ready?'

'Gizmo's in his cage and I've given him some Owl Treats for the journey.' I listed the things off on my fingers. 'I've packed the last of my clothes and my wash stuff. I'm pretty sure I've got everything.'

'Got your wand?' asked Lupin.

I grinned and nodded. From my pocket I drew out my wand, holding it up for Lupin to see. Brand new and polished, I once again admired the carved hazel leaves in its length before putting it safely back in my pocket.

'Good, the last thing you want to do is arrive at Hogwarts without it.'

Lupin and I finished breakfast. An owl arrived with a letter for Lupin, which he read in silence as he drank his coffee. When I was done with my bowl Lupin flicked his wand so it and his own flew over to the sink and started being cleaned by the scrubbing brush. I went and fetched my jacket while Lupin got his travelling cloak from the cupboard. He was waiting for me in the living room when I returned. He had my trunk in his hand and Gizmo's cage beside him. We were going to be Apparating to the station in London and so Lupin wanted to make sure we got there in plenty of time. The train he told me left at eleven o'clock sharp and he didn't want me to be late.

Taking Gizmo's cage in one hand, I took Lupin's in my other and we Disapparated with a crack.

Seconds later we reappeared in an alleyway between a couple of shops. It took me a moment to regain my composure; I still wasn't used to Apparating and I hated the strange sensation of feeling like I was being squeezed through a pipe that I always got from it. Lupin stuck his head out of the opening of the alleyway to check no one had seen us before signalling me to follow. We had appeared just across the road from King's Cross Station where I was to get the train to Hogwarts from. With the all clear, Lupin took the handle of my trunk again and we crossed the road and walked into the station.

The station was packed with Muggles rushing around to get their trains to work. The clock read half past ten. Despite being up early, we still had only made it to the station with half an hour to spare. Lupin grabbed a trolley and placed my trunk on it, putting Gizmo's cage on top. I followed as he pushed my trolley through the crowds and towards Platforms Nine and Ten. I looked around nervously. Surely someone would notice us carrying an owl through the station. I soon found, however, that the Muggles took absolutely no notice of us. The only people who did must have been fellow wizards and witches; people dressed in robes with children and trunks were all heading in the same direction as we were, occasionally nodding at us as we passed each other. I looked ahead to see where they were going.

One by one the families were disappearing into a wall about halfway up the platform. I looked round again. None of the Muggles saw this. They just continued on with their day completely oblivious to the fact this was happening right under their noses. Even the Muggle conductor who was stood right next to where the wizards were disappearing into the wall took no notice.

'How can none of the Muggles see all this?' I asked.

'Because Muggles don't see anything,' said Lupin. 'They don't believe in magic so whenever they see something that isn't normal they automatically choose to ignore it.'

Lupin stopped at the end of Platform Nine and Ten.

'Right, I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you here, Jenna,' Lupin told me. 'The letter I got this morning was asking me to come and meet with someone I've been writing to about my condition. He says he might have an answer for us so I need to go meet him and see what he has to say.'

'OK,' I said, nodding.

'The barrier to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is just up ahead.' Lupin pointed to where I'd seen the people vanish into the wall. 'You've got your ticket so all you need to do is walk through the wall and you'll be on the Platform. Someone should be there to check your ticket and load your trunk and Gizmo on to the train.'

I nodded again.

'I'll write home with Gizmo when I know what House I'm put in,' I said. I'd read that Hogwarts students got put into Houses and I'd promised Lupin I'd let him know where I was placed.

'All right, just don't be too disappointed if you don't get the House you want.'

Lupin bent down and gave me a hug.

'You have fun, Jenna,' he said, holding me tightly. I hugged him back. I was going to miss him. 'Make sure you do your homework and try not to get into trouble with the teachers. And try to make some friends. The friends you make at Hogwarts could possibly be the best people you'll ever know.'

'OK, Lupin.'

'Remember I'll miss you and I love you.'

'I love you too.'

With one last hug, Lupin let me go. He waved goodbye then headed back the way we came to leave the station. I waved back, an odd feeling in my chest. It had felt strange to have someone tell me they love me and to say it back. Nonetheless, it was still a nice feeling to have.

I pushed my trolley up the platform towards the barrier. It was then I began to feel nervous. The barrier to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters looked pretty solid. What if my trolley didn't go through it and merely hit against the stone? Ahead of me I caught a glimpse of a plump red-haired woman and her equally flame-haired daughter as they disappeared through the barrier. Quickly I followed, not wanting to miss the train or mess up getting on to the platform. I pushed my trolley as fast as I could, taking a deep breath as I approached the wall. I ran straight at it without stopping. I expected to feel my trolley connect with the stone but nothing happened. When I looked around I saw I was no longer standing on a platform filled with Muggles. Instead I found myself staring at a large scarlet steam engine, the words Hogwarts Express emblazoned on its side. Behind me I saw the brick wall was no longer there and had been replaced by a pair of wrought iron gates that already wizards were exiting through having dropped off their children.

I started up the platform. There were several carriages already full of students ready for their journey to school. The platform itself had families gathered all the way down it. Mothers were hugging their children while fathers were laughing at their wives teary displays. I saw the red-haired woman and her daughter again. They were saying goodbye to three boys who all had red hair as well. I guess they were her sons, judging by how she seemed to be telling them off for something already. I continued down the platform until I saw one of the guards. He took my trunk from me and loaded it on to the train, telling me I needed to get on board soon as it was due to leave. I nodded and did so. I headed back down the train to a somewhat emptier carriage. In the distance I heard a whistle blow, signalling the train was about to leave.

I made my way down the corridor with my trunk, sliding past the students filling them to say goodbye to their parents as the train pulled out of the station. Through the window the platform began to slip by as the train started to move. Two of the red-haired boys, twins I guessed by the looks of them, walked past me in the opposite direction. They glanced at me as I walked by and I heard them mutter "First-year". I felt my cheeks grow warm and I hurried on. I looked in the compartments one by one to find an empty one to sit in or some other students my age that I could join but all seemed to be full.

'Are you really Harry Potter?' I heard a voice say. It came from a compartment just ahead of me whose door was still open. 'Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes.'

Harry Potter. That was the name of this famous Boy Who Lived. Curious, I approached the compartment and peered in through its window. Inside I saw the youngest of the red-haired boys I'd seen earlier. He was dressed in clothes similar to mine with a hand-knitted jumper and he had a black smudge of dirt on his nose beneath his red fringe. He was staring at his companion whom I assumed was going to be this celebrity the wizarding world appeared to be obsessed with. I looked over at the other seat. A sudden wave of excitement went through me. There, sat in his cousin's old clothes and his hair as messy as always, was Harry!

'Of all the people I thought I'd meet at Hogwarts,' I said, entering the compartment, 'you were the last person I thought I'd see.'

'Jenna!' gasped Harry. 'What are you doing here?'

'Same thing as you I guess,' I said, grinning.

Beside us, the redhead was staring at me, stunned by my casual greeting to my old friend.

'You know him?' he breathed. 'I mean, like, personally?'

'Why are you so amazed by that?' I asked.

'What are you, a Muggle-born?' said the redhead. I frowned; not Muggle-born but yes, raised by Muggles at least. 'This is Harry Potter! He's the one who defeated You-Know-Who!'

'You-Know-Who?' I repeated. 'Hang on, d'you mean Voldemort?' I asked. The boy flinched.

'Don't say his name!' he hissed.

I looked between Harry and the other boy. Slowly I began to realise what was going on.

'Your surname's Potter,' I said to Harry. 'You're the one who defeated the Dark Lord my Uncle told me about?' Harry nodded. 'How come you didn't tell me?'

'I didn't know,' said Harry. 'I only found out on my eleventh birthday a few weeks ago. I didn't even know I was a wizard.'

I honestly didn't know what to think at that moment. Harry, the boy I'd known since I was eight years old, was this "Boy Who Lived" who I'd heard about, the one who'd defeated the Dark Lord who wizards everywhere had feared. A wave of sadness for my friend rushed over me. His parents, they hadn't died in a car crash like Harry had told me. The Dark Lord had killed them before attempting to kill Harry too. And Harry hadn't known. He was famous and for something he probably couldn't even remember it. Not to me though. He was still just Harry to me, regardless of this new information I'd learnt about him. He was still just Harry.

'So you know who You-Know-Who is and yet you didn't know he was Harry Potter?' the boy asked, directing his question more at me than Harry. 'Even Muggle-borns know who Harry Potter is. Those who know they have magic.'

'I knew about Harry Potter,' I replied, annoyed a bit by the boy's attitude. 'I just didn't know my friend was him. I grew up with Muggles just like he did. I didn't even know I had magic until I got my letter.'

'You didn't know you were a witch either?' Harry asked me.

'No.' I shook my head. 'I had no idea that I was a witch, nor that I came from a whole family of wizards. It wasn't until my Uncle found me at the orphanage that I learnt what I was and that my Mum had been killed. As for my Dad, he's missing. No one knows where he is.'

'Wow, Jenna,' said Harry, 'I'm sorry to hear about your mum. But at least your uncle found you. At least you've still got some family left.'

I nodded.

'But what about you?' I then asked. 'Learning your parents were murdered, that's horrible, and that you stopped this Dark wizard when he tried to kill you too. I mean, that's just insane.'

'I know,' said Harry. 'I'm some famous wizard everyone knows and yet I don't know anything about the wizarding world or what happened other than what I've been told.'

Beside us the redhead boy was watching as Harry and I talked to each other like the two friends we were. I saw in the corner of my eye he was staring at us, his mouth hanging opened ever so slightly. Harry noticed too. He laughed at the boy's expression. A red flush began in his cheeks, almost matching the colour of his hair.

'Sorry, Ron,' said Harry, 'Jenna and I haven't seen each other for ages. We've known each other since we were eight. We went to school together.'

Ron didn't seem to know how to respond to the idea of someone knowing Harry personally and merely nodded. Something, however, still seemed to be pressing on Ron's mind.

'And have you really got – you know …'

For some reason Ron pointed at Harry's forehead. Harry nodded and lifted his fringe, revealing the lightning bolt scar. Ron's eyes widened.

'So that's where You-Know-Who –?'

'Yes,' said Harry, 'but I can't remember it.'

'Nothing?' asked Ron eagerly.

'Well – I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.'

'Wow,' he breathed. He remained staring at Harry for a good few minutes before realising what he was doing and looking quickly out of the window.

'So that's why you got that scar?' I asked. Harry nodded.

'It's apparently where the curse touched me,' said Harry. He rubbed his forehead. 'That's what I've been told at least.'

A curse that kills people, I thought to myself. I felt a shiver go down my spine. Harry had said he'd seen a green light too, just like I had when those Dementors were near me a few weeks ago. Maybe whatever curse that had killed his parents was the same one that had killed my Mum. It was a horrible thought, the idea that wizards had the power to kill someone with a single spell.

Beside us Ron was still staring fixedly out of the window. Harry nodded his head towards him then asked Ron about his family. It sounded like Ron came from one of the old wizarding families Lupin had told me were pure-bloods, where magic had been in their families for generations. Ron had five older brothers, a fact that he seemed quite despondent about. I wasn't sure why at first but he explained having all those siblings go through Hogwarts meant he felt like he had a lot to live up to. That sounded fair enough, I suppose. He too had been on the receiving end of his older brothers' hand-me-downs.

'I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat.' From his pocket he pulled out a fat grey rat. It was fast asleep, curled up in a small furry ball. It did look quite pathetic to be honest. 'His name's Scabbers and he's useless,' Ron said, 'he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my Dad for being made a Prefect, but they couldn't aff– I mean, I got Scabbers instead.'

Ron's ears went pink. I too felt a small wave of embarrassment. Lupin didn't have much gold either and yet I had loads left to me from my parents. I knew exactly what Ron had meant to say. I kind of felt sorry for him, despite the initial irritation I had felt upon meeting him. Harry must've felt this too. He'd never had anything but his cousin's old stuff as well.

'It's OK, Ron,' said Harry, seeing this. 'When I lived with the Dursleys, all I ever got were my cousin Dudley's old clothes,' he tugged at the shirt he was wearing, 'and his broken toys. I only ever got second-hand stuff from him.' Ron seemed to perk up at this. 'I never had anything of my own or any money and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort –'

Ron gasped.

'What?' asked Harry.

'You said You-Know-Who's name!' said Ron. He sounded both shocked and awed at the same time.

'So?' said Harry, confused. 'Jenna said it earlier. Why is it so bad to say his name?'

'Because,' said Ron, as if it was obvious. 'No one ever says his name! Everyone's too afraid to do so. I would have thought – I mean, you of all people –'

'I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name,' said Harry. 'I just never knew you shouldn't.'

I didn't know that either. Clearly there were still a lot of things I didn't know about the wizarding world despite having tried to read and learn as much as I could from Lupin about it. Harry probably knew even less than I did and considering we were both from wizarding families, that was pretty poor indeed. Ron assured us though that we wouldn't be the only ones. Many wizards and witches came from Muggle families so there were bound to be others in the same position.

'They learn quick enough,' Ron said. 'Even some who grew up in wizarding families aren't the best when they start Hogwarts. My brother Percy still can't ride a broom that well. He would never join us when we played Quidditch at home so he was pretty useless on a broom when he started there.'

By now London had completely disappeared as the Hogwarts Express travelled deep into the countryside. Outside the window row upon row of fields and farmland passed us by as the train sped through it, a blur of green in the distance. At about half past twelve a short dimpled woman slid back the door of our compartment to ask if we wanted anything from the lunch trolley she was pushing. Harry leapt to his feet while Ron appeared to shrink into his. I had a packed lunch Lupin had made for me so I wasn't in need of anything, plus I had the sweets he'd bought me from Diagon Alley so I decided against buying anything for now. I wanted to save my money in case I needed anything later on. A few minutes later Harry returned, his arms full of various sweets and cakes. Ron stared longingly at the lot when he tipped it on to the seat next to him.

'Hungry, are you?' he asked.

'Starving,' said Harry, taking a large bite from a pumpkin pasty.

From his bag Ron had pulled out a rather lumpy package containing the sandwiches his mum had made him. He wrinkled his nose when he saw it was corned beef, saying his mum always forgot he didn't like it. Upon Harry's insistence Ron helped himself to some of Harry's food, gratefully tucking into a pasty as well. His sandwiches lay forgotten on the empty seat. Harry even offered me some of his sweets despite having my lunch Lupin had given me. Still, I wasn't one to pass up a cauldron cake. A lot of the sweets seemed to confuse Harry, asking Ron about the Chocolate Frogs he'd brought. Ron explained to him that inside the packets were collectible cards with a famous witch or wizard on them. Harry opened one of the Frogs and picked up the card.

'So this is Dumbledore!' Harry gasped, staring at the card.

I looked at the card over his shoulder. Sure enough, I saw the same twinkling blue eyes that I saw a month ago at the orphanage and the same kind smile. Harry turned the card over to read the back.

Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern
times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for
his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindlewald in 1945,
for his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's
blood and for his work on alchemy with his partner,
Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys
chamber music and tenpin bowling.

When Harry turned the card back over, Dumbledore was gone.

Forgetting about the Frogs themselves, Harry opened several more packets building up his own collection of cards. When they were gone he and Ron tucked into a box of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, a sweet that I personally didn't like. They meant it when they said every flavour, and the first time I tried them I got one flavoured like what I imagined a dirty sock would taste. I had stayed away from them since.

A little while later there was a knock on our compartment. A small round-faced boy about our age opened the door, peering inside our compartment like he was looking for something. He seemed quite upset.

'Sorry,' he said, 'but you haven't seen a toad at all?' Harry, Ron and I shook our heads. 'I've lost him,' wailed the boy. 'He keeps getting away from me!'

'He'll turn up,' said Harry.

'Yeah,' said the boy dully. 'Well, if you see him …' and he disappeared up the corridor.

'Don't know why he's so bothered,' muttered Ron. 'If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk.' He poked the snoozing rat in his lap. 'He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look …'

Ron stood on his seat and reached up into his trunk. From it he pulled out a very battered-looking wand. My empathy with Ron increased when I saw it. It looked like one last spell could break it. You could just see a flick of white sticking out its tip.

'Unicorn hair's nearly poking out,' he muttered. 'Anyway –'

Ron had just raised his wand when our compartment door opened a second time and the boy from earlier entered, this time alongside a bushy-haired girl already dressed in her Hogwarts robes. She looked round the compartment with a certain air about her that gave me the impression she was a bit stuck up.

'Has anyone seen a toad?' she said. I could tell by her tone she was losing her patience with the boy. She also had rather large front teeth. 'Neville's lost one.'

'We've already told him we haven't seen it,' said Ron.

The girl wasn't listening though. She was looking at Ron's wand.

'Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then.'

She sat on the empty seat beside me opposite Ron.

'Er – all right.'

Ron cleared his throat.

'Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.'

He waved his wand. It gave a feeble spark but nothing happened. Scabbers remained asleep in his lap. The girl smiled.

'Are you sure that's a real spell?' she said. 'Well, it's not very good, is it?' Harry, Ron and I shared a look. Who was she to judge someone's magic when we were all first-years? 'I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way,' she then added, as if it were an afterthought, 'who are you?'

I blinked when she'd finished. She'd said this all so fast I didn't realise at first she had addressed her question at me. I just stared at her and said, 'Pardon?'

'What's your name?' she repeated.

'I'm Jenna,' I said, 'Jenna Black.' It was weird having a surname.

'Have you tried any magic?'

'Er, not really,' I said. 'I had a look but I haven't tried anything yet.'

'Well go on,' said Hermione. 'Try one now.'

I felt slightly on the spot at Hermione's insistence that I tried a spell, especially after Ron's embarrassment. My eyes darted around the compartment for something to do a spell on. I noticed the tape that was holding Harry's glasses together was still there. Maybe I could fix them or something? I think I remember reading a spell that fixed broken objects. Taking a breath, I took out my wand and pointed it at Harry's glasses. He jumped slightly.

'Reparo,' I said. The sellotape that was around Harry's glasses came ripping off and vanished in a puff of smoke. I jumped, not having expected the spell to work. Harry took off his glasses and examined them. The break was gone.

'Not bad,' said Hermione. She didn't sound that impressed though. She then turned to Harry and Ron, asking, 'So you are?'

'I'm Ron Weasley,' Ron muttered.

'Harry Potter,' said Harry.

'Are you really?' said Hermione. 'I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.'

'Am I?' asked Harry.

'Goodness, didn't you know?' said Hermione as if it was obvious. 'I'd have found out everything I could if it was me. 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 hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad … Anyway we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon.'

And with that, Hermione left, taking the toadless Neville with her.

'Whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it,' said Ron.

Silently I agreed.

The subject of the Houses at Hogwarts seemed to be an important one, particularly among the first-year students. From what I had read up about Hogwarts, there had been four founders of the school, each with a school House named after them: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. All of Ron's brothers and his parents had been Gryffindors, just like my Mum and Lupin had been too. Each House seemed to have a certain set of characteristics in the students it took that, when I read about them, I felt none seemed to match me. I didn't feel brave like a Gryffindor; I wasn't smart like a Ravenclaw; nor did I see myself as loyal like a Hufflepuff. I'd never been in situations where those qualities had shone in me. The only one I seemed to match was Slytherin because of the amount of trouble I used to get into. Slytherin was known for its students becoming interested in Dark Arts though. The idea of being placed in Slytherin made me shiver.

The conversation diverted when Harry asked Ron what his brothers who had finished Hogwarts did, and Ron remembered an article in the Daily Prophet about a break in at Gringotts. Someone had tried to steal something from one of the high security vaults apparently. It was such big news because the person managed to get away despite the fact nothing was taken. It had people worried though, thinking that You-Know-Who was possibly behind it. Ron immediately changed the subject again to the more enjoyable topic of Quidditch. Ron was just getting into detail of describing the game to Harry and me when our compartment door opened a third time.

I looked up to see who it was this time, thinking Hermione and the toadless Neville were back again. It wasn't them. Instead a pale looking boy with a pointed face entered our compartment with two more rather large and thick-looking boys beside him. He had a shock of white hair that was slicked back off his face while the other two were dark-haired in the style of buzzcuts. It made them look almost like the pale boy's bodyguards. Harry seemed to recognise the pale one. I watched him closely as his grey eyes examined us. Something about him looked familiar to me too but I couldn't place what it was about him that gave me that feeling.

'Is it true?' he asked, looking at us. 'They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?' he asked, directing the question at Harry.

'Yes,' replied Harry shortly. He was eyeing the pale boy's friends.

'Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,' said the pale boy carelessly. He pointed at each one in turn. 'And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.'

Malfoy … I thought to myself. Where do I know that name? I had a feeling I'd heard it before somewhere. Was it in a book? On the wizard radio network perhaps? Why did I know that name?

Ron let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a snigger. Malfoy glared at him.

'Think my name's funny, do you?' he sneered. 'No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford.'

Ron flushed. I frowned. This Malfoy boy seemed deeply unpleasant. He turned back to Harry.

'You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort.' His eyes shot towards Ron. 'I can help you there.'

Malfoy held out his hand. Harry didn't take it.

'I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,' said Harry coolly. I smiled when I noticed the pink tinge start in Malfoy's pale cheeks.

'I'd be careful if I were you, Potter,' he said slowly. 'Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and it'll rub off on you.'

Harry and Ron both got to their feet. Ron's face was as red as his hair. I remained where I was, concerned a fight might start between them but not knowing what to do. Normally I wouldn't have shied away when someone had insulted me but this was a fight where magic could get involved. I had a feeling wizards didn't fight the same way Muggles did. Harry told Malfoy to leave but he refused, saying they'd run out of food. One of the large boys, Goyle, went to reach for one of our Chocolate Frogs beside Ron but leapt back before he'd so much as touched one. Scabbers had woken up and bitten Goyle's finger; Goyle howled in pain and tried to shake him off, Scabbers swinging round and round until – smack! Scabbers let go and went flying into the window, landing with a soft thump on the floor. The three boys then disappeared, only to once again be replaced by the arrival of Hermione Granger.

'What has been going on?' she asked, looking at the mess in our compartment and the unconscious rat in Ron's hand, hanging by his tail.

'I think he's been knocked out,' said Ron. He took a closer look at Scabbers. 'No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep.' Sure enough, the rat was once again asleep, its eyes shut and body still. 'You've met Malfoy before?' he then asked Harry.

'Yeah, in Diagon Alley,' said Harry. 'He was in Madam Malkin's when I got my robes and was as obnoxious there as he was just then.'

'I've heard of his family,' said Ron darkly. 'They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark side. Can we help you with something?'

Hermione was still in the compartment.

'You'd better hurry up and put your robes on,' she said bossily, 'I've just been up to the front to ask the driver and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!'

'Scabbers has been fighting, not us,' said Ron indignantly. 'Would you mind leaving us while we change?'

'All right – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,' huffed Hermione. 'You can come and change in my compartment if you want, Jenna,' she then said to me, 'instead of changing with these boys.'

'I'm OK, thanks,' I replied.

'Fine,' said Hermione. 'And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?'

Ron glared at her as she left.

Darkness had almost completely fallen by the time the train started to slow. Looking out the window the countryside had now been replaced by forests and in the distanced loomed tall mountains. The sky was now a deep purple, the sun setting just behind the trees. Seeing as we were almost there, Harry, Ron and I reached into our trunks and pulled out our uniforms. We changed with our backs to each other, stripping off our home clothes and replacing them with our robes. As we weren't in our Houses yet, our plain work robes and black ties were all we had to wear over our white shirts and grey trousers, a skirt in my case. I pulled them on, leaving the top button of my shirt undone, as I wasn't used to how constricting it felt, and pulled on my long grey socks as far as I could in an effort to make my skirt seem longer. I was not a fan of the pleated knee-length skirt one bit.

The train pulled into a dark station. With a voice telling us to leave our trunks on the train, Harry, Ron and I left our compartment and joined the queue of students in the corridor as they got off the train. The station we'd arrived at was small compared to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, with only one platform, a single building built along its length. There were lamps hanging above us to illuminate our way. The older students were already walking towards the end of the platform to travel up to the school. Not knowing whether to follow or not the three of us remained where we were until a voice came shouting over the crowd.

'Firs'-years! Firs'-years this way!'

A lantern came swinging above the students' heads. I looked round to see the man carrying it was much larger than anyone I'd seen before. The crowd parted either side of him as his large frame stomped down the platform to where we stood with the other scared looking first-years. His face was almost completely obscured by the wild black mass of hair he had, both on his head and as his beard. I could just see a pair of black eyes glinting in the light through it. He waved a massive hand as he summoned the first-years to him.

'Firs'-years!' he called again. 'Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry?'

Harry beamed when the man spoke to him. I assumed this must have been Hagrid, the man whom Harry had told us about on the train.

'C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!'

Hagrid led us off the platform but then away from where the older students were getting into carriages to go up to the school. We followed as he led us down a steep, narrow dirt track towards a bank where a dozen or so little boats were moored on the black water. None of us spoke. In the silence you could just hear the odd sniff coming from Neville. It was then we got our first glimpse of Hogwarts and a rush of awe broke the silence. On top of a large mountain in the distance stood a castle, its towers reaching high into the sky and its windows glowing with a warm light. Hagrid gathered us by the lake and instructed us to get into the boats four at a time. Neville got into the one I shared with Harry and Ron; across from us I saw Hermione get into one with three other girls. I could see her talking incessantly at them about something.

'Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid. He was sat in a boat all to himself due to his large frame. 'Right then – FORWARD!'

With a wave of what looked suspiciously like a pink umbrella, the boats pushed off from the bank and sailed across the lake towards the castle.

I watched as we glided across the glassy lake, the ripples disturbing the still water as we travelled through it. I looked up as we approached the castle, the building and its battlements getting bigger the closer we got. It towered over us, a massive structure built deep into the rock of the mountain. I could see in the distance a long staircase lit by lamps all along it travelling down the side of the mountain connecting the castle to a small building with a mini turret on its roof. Hagrid called for us to duck as we passed under a curtain of ivy hanging just before it, and we entered the building one boat at a time. Once our boat had stopped, Harry, Ron and I climbed out on to the floor of the Boathouse we were in.

'Oy, you there!' called Hagrid to Neville beside us. He'd been checking the boats to make sure everyone could get out. 'Is this your toad?'

'Trevor!' cried Neville happily. He held out his hands and took the dark green toad from Hagrid.

'Right, this way!' Hagrid called.

We exited the Boathouse through a door in its back wall. With Hagrid in the lead we climbed the vast staircase up the side of the mountain towards the castle. It seemed to take forever to get to the top. It made me glad I had spent many years running away from boys at the orphanage who tried to chase me. It meant I was fit enough to manage the climb. Others I saw began to huff from exhaustion about halfway up. The stairs zigged and zagged their way up the mountain, travelling in one direction then in another. When we reached the top we walked through a courtyard over to a large building before us. At the top of a small flight of steps was a pair of large oak doors.

'Everyone here? You there, still got your toad?'

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. Slowly the swung open, revealing another smaller chamber and a second pair of large doors I assumed led to the main hall straight ahead of us. We walked into the building. The Entrance Hall was massive. The ceiling stood at least fifty feet above us and you could fit at least three times the number of students inside it. To our right was a large Marble Staircase leading to several more staircases from what I could see. In front of the second set of doors stood a rather strict-looking woman whose black hair was tied up in the same tight bun as it was the first day I met her. She was even wearing the same tartan, emerald-green robes and stern expression. Professor McGonagall watched as we gathered in front of her, the large oak doors closing behind us. She thanked Hagrid and led us into a small chamber just off to the left of the one we were currently standing in. The second one was much smaller and we had to crowd in to all fit.

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' said Professor McGonagall briskly. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory and spend free time in your House common room.

'The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.

'The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.'

Her eyes fell upon the smudge on Ron's nose and the hood of Neville's cloak that was caught on his ear that he hadn't noticed. Beside me Harry was using his hand to flatten his hair. Nervously I gathered my hair into my hand and tied a hair-band from my pocket around it. Even with it now in a ponytail at the back of my head, its length still reached far down my back.

'I shall return when we are ready for you.'

With a stern look, Professor McGonagall left the chamber.

My mind was buzzing. I was both excited but also nervous. The thought of the Sorting worried me. I recalled Lupin telling me how children tended to get Sorted into the same House as their parents and families. While I knew that my Mum and Lupin had been in Gryffindor, and my grandfather had been in Ravenclaw, I had no idea where my father and his family had been placed. And what was the Sorting anyway? What did we have to do to find out what House we were to be in? I was drawn from my thoughts though when a series of screams and gasps grabbed my attention. I looked round to see what all the fuss was about. Without realising we were here a group of at least twenty ghosts flew through the back wall and into the chamber, deep in their own conversations.

'I say, what are you all doing here?'

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us all standing here. The ghost he was talking to, a rather rounded friar, looked at us then realised we were the new students. They were shooed away when Professor McGonagall returned. One by one they floated away back through the walls. She instructed us to form a line then took us back through the Entrance Hall. The second pair of doors opened in front of us and Professor McGonagall led us into the Great Hall.

Even in my wildest dreams I don't think I could have imagined just quite what the Great Hall would look like. The room was illuminated by thousands of candles floating in the air above us, and the torches burning brightly in their brackets along the walls going down the length of the Hall. Four long tables stretched along the floor where the rest of the students were already sat, a handful of empty seats at the far end ready for the new students. Every place was set with glittering golden plates and goblets with silver knives and forks. Dotted in amongst the students were the ghosts from earlier, glowing almost pearly silver in the light. At the far end of the Hall I saw there was another long table that all the teachers were sat at. In the centre, sitting in a throne-like chair, was Professor Dumbledore who was watching us with a warm smile on his face. As we walked down the central aisle towards the platform with the staff table, hundreds of faces watched us closely. I could see some straining to see over their friends to catch a glimpse of Harry who was just ahead of me. Harry meanwhile was staring at the ceiling that was as black as the night sky outside and dotted with tiny stars.

'It's bewitched,' came Hermione's voice just behind me, 'to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.'

Bookworm, I thought silently.

Professor McGonagall climbed the two steps on to the platform, indicating for us to gather in front of her with the scroll she had in her hand. She walked off briefly to the side then returned carrying a four-legged stool upon which she placed a very old looking wizard's hat. It was patched and frayed from what looked like years of use, and there was a large rip just above its brim. What little noise that had been in the Hall fell silent as the students were now all watching this hat. I frowned, wondering what was going to happen. After a moments stillness, the tip of the hat twitched and the rip opened wide like a mouth as the hat began to sing.

'Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!'

The Hat bowed when it finished its song and a round of applause went throughout the Hall. Its tip flopped forward and once again it was silent. I thought about what it had sang. All we had to do was try it on and it would be able to tell us what House we should be in. Well that didn't seem too bad, I guess. Professor McGonagall, who had been standing next to the Hat, unrolled her scroll and cleared her throat.

'When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool to be Sorted,' she said. 'Abbott, Hannah!'

I tensed when I realised that we were being called alphabetically. My name was Black, which meant unless there were other students whose name began with an "A" or anything before the first two letters of my surname, I'd be next. The small girl with blonde pigtails sat on the stool and the Hat was placed on her head, falling over her eyes. A moment later –

'HUFFLEPUFF!' the Hat shouted.

The table to our far left clapped and cheered. The blonde girl pulled off the Hat and ran over to take a seat next to one of her new Housemates.

'Black, Jennifer!'

I winced a bit at my full name. Harry and Ron glanced over their shoulders at me. I swallowed then made my way through the group to the front. I walked up to the stool and sat down on it. Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on my head. Again it fell over my eyes just like it had done with the previous girl. It remained still for a moment then all of a sudden I felt it jerk alive on my head.

'Well, well, who do we have here?' said a voice. It was the Hat. Its voice was loud as if it was speaking to everyone in the Hall but at the same time it felt like it was speaking only to me. 'A strong mind and a brave spirit but a very contradicting family history. Yes, I remember your father. He was hard to place as well. Would have done well in Slytherin like the rest of his family but he was determined not to be placed there like the rest of them.'

My father was almost in Slytherin? I thought, not realising the Hat could hear me. I felt my stomach sink. Dark wizards came from Slytherin. If my entire family from my father's side had been placed in that House, did that mean they were all supporters of Dark magic?

'Oh yes, for generations the Blacks have been Sorted into that House,' the Hat told me, 'but he was so determined not to be like them that I chose to place him elsewhere. He did well though in his House, so even I can be wrong sometimes. As for you, you have the same determination, the same desire as him … so where to put you?' mused the Hat in my head. 'A hidden talent, indeed, and the potential for great magic. But which House is best to show that?'

I closed my eyes, despite already not being able to see anything but the brim of the Hat. I tensed, dreading it saying Slytherin.

'GRYFFINDOR!'

I felt the Hat be pulled off my head and I opened my eyes, the bright lights of the Hall dazzling me momentarily. A sense of relief swept over me. I wasn't in Slytherin. I then noticed the cheers and applause that was coming from the table to the left of where I had been previously with the group of first-years. It felt weird to have people you didn't even know cheer for you when you hadn't actually done anything. I could instantly see three red-haired boys sitting together, the twins from the train both cheering loudly. I assumed they were Ron's brothers, the twins being Fred and George and the other one being Percy. Getting off the stool, I hurried over to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat next to one of the Weasley twins. I smiled at Harry and Ron encouragingly as I passed. The Weasley twins grinned at me as I took a seat next to them, one of them patting me on the back enthusiastically.

One by one the students were Sorted into their Houses. I sat and watched as they would sit with the Hat on their head while it deliberated then shout out the House they were to be in. I clapped as Bones went to Hufflepuff and Boot and Brocklehurst joined Ravenclaw, waiting with anticipation to find out if Harry and Ron were going to join me in Gryffindor. A girl named Lavender Brown joined me next in Gryffindor while Millicent Bulstrode became the first new student in Slytherin. Only the Slytherins seemed to cheer for her while the other three Houses clapped out of necessity rather than joy. It was weird, as if there was an unspoken animosity already present between the Houses. One of two boys who had been with Malfoy on the train, Vincent Crabbe, soon joined Slytherin too along with a girl named Davis, Tracey.

'Granger, Hermione!'

I sat up in my seat when I heard Hermione's name be called. I was curious as to where she'd be placed. If I were to bet on it, I would have guessed she'd be placed in Ravenclaw alongside Entwhistle, Kevin who had just been Sorted, judging by how much she seemed to show off what she already knew about the school and magic. She did seem quite intelligent. Before her though, Finch-Fletchley joined Hufflepuff, Goldstein became part of Ravenclaw, and Malfoy's other friend Gregory Goyle joined Slytherin. Hermione practically ran to the stool, jamming the Hat on her head so that her bushy hair was sticking out from under the brim. For nearly four minutes the Hat sat silently on her head as I presumed it was talking to her as it had done with me.

'Blimey,' whispered one of the Weasley twins beside me. 'She could be a Hatstall. That rarely ever happens!'

Not a moment later though, the Hat called out, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

Hermione once again pulled the hat off before Professor McGonagall could do so herself and ran over to the Gryffindor table where I was sat with Lavender Brown and the first Gryffindor boy, Seamus Finnigan. She was beside herself with joy as she sat down, a large grin on her face exposing her front teeth. I smiled hesitantly in congratulations when she looked towards me. I wasn't looking forward to sharing a House with her.

After Greengrass joined Slytherin, Hopkins and Jones went to Hufflepuff, and Li was put in Ravenclaw, the toad-losing boy Neville Longbottom was called to be Sorted. I cringed as he stumbled up the steps, a laugh going round the students as he fell over. Like Hermione, the Hat took a long time before it decided where to put Neville, in the end shouting out 'GRYFFINDOR' much to what looked like Neville's relief. He was so eager to get off the stool that he ran off still wearing the hat and had to sheepishly jog back to return it to Professor McGonagall. He took his seat at the Gryffindor table opposite me. His ears were bright red and he kept his eyes down until the next name, 'MacDougal, Morag!' had been called.

With Ernest Macmillan going to Hufflepuff along with Roger Malone and Elizabeth Moon, and Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson and (unsurprisingly) Malfoy all joining Slytherin, the House tables were slowly filling up. A pair of identical twins, Padma and Parvati Patil, were separated with Padma joining the Ravenclaw table while Parvati and another girl called Sally-Anne Perks joined the Gryffindor one. There were now seven of us in total. Wondering who would be next, I perked up when I heard Harry's name be called.

'Potter, Harry!'

A sudden whisper went round the entire Hall. Once again students began straining to see what this Harry Potter looked like. The ones at the back of the Hall were even standing up, trying to get a glimpse of him. Harry stepped forward from the diminished group of students left to be Sorted. He sat on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on his head. I watched nervously. Harry seemed to grip the edges of the stool as the Hat decided where to put him.

After a couple of minutes, it shouted, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

The loudest applause of the night rang through the Great Hall. He stumbled shakily as he walked over to where I was sitting. The whole table was cheering wildly; the Fred and George were joyously shouting, 'We got Potter! We got Potter!' while Percy vigorously shook his hand when Harry went to take a seat. Harry slid into the seat between Parvati Patil and myself. We shared a smile, Harry looking thoroughly relieved about being put in Gryffindor with me. He shivered though when the ghost with the ruff from before patted him on the shoulder.

Ron was one of the last to be Sorted after Oliver Rivers (Hufflepuff), Sophie Roper (Hufflepuff as well), Penelope Runcorn (Slytherin), Dean Thomas (Gryffindor) and Lisa Turpin (Ravenclaw). Instead of the red he had been on the train, he was now looking decidedly pale and green. I bit my lip as Harry and I waited for him to be placed. We needn't have worried though as seconds later Ron was joining us and his brothers when the Hat shouted out, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

'Well done, Ron, excellent,' said Percy final student, Blaise Zabini, was Sorted into Slytherin, and with that Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. A hush then fell over the Great Hall once again. Professor Dumbledore had stood up from his seat. He smiled at all the students before him with his arms open wide in greeting.

'Welcome!' he said. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

'Thank you!'

Professor Dumbledore sat back down. Around us all the older students were clapping and cheering. Harry, Ron and I looked at each other in confusion. That was a bit odd for an opening speech, wasn't it? When Harry asked Percy about it, Percy replied simply that he was the best wizard in the world, but definitely a bit mad. I didn't know if that was reassuring or not. I didn't have time to dwell on it though. Piles of food had just appeared from nowhere on the previously empty platters that had been on the table. I had never seen so much food in my life than what was in front of me now. When Professor McGonagall had said it was a banquet, she wasn't wrong. There was so much to choose from: roasts of all kinds including lamb and beef, pork chops and sausages, dishes full of peas and carrots and potatoes, plates of Yorkshire puddings, and jugs of gravy and pumpkin juice. Unsure what to have I helped myself to my favourite things, tucking into the roast chicken I had chosen. It was better than anything I had ever tasted before. Harry too was helping himself to as much as he wanted while Ron was already stuffing his face with the roast potatoes.

Beside us was the ghost who had put his arm round Harry earlier. He stared longingly at the food. When asked if he was able to eat, the ghost sniffed and said he hadn't eaten for almost four hundred years. I guess anyone would look longingly at food if they hadn't eaten for that long. He then introduced himself as Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington and told us that he was the ghost of Gryffindor.

'I know who you are!' said Ron suddenly. His mouth was full of chicken. 'My brothers told me about you – you're Nearly Headless Nick!'

'I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy –' he said stiffly, only to be interrupted by Seamus Finnigan.

'Nearly Headless?' he asked. He was Irish by the sounds of his accent. 'How can you be nearly headless?'

'Like this,' replied Nick, visibly irritated. And he took hold of his left ear and pulled. His entire head separated from his neck and fell limply on to his shoulder, still attached by the smallest bit of pale flesh. I cringed at the sight. So that's what happened when a beheading goes wrong. Clearly pleased by our reactions, Nick flipped his head back on to his neck and changed the conversation.

When everyone had finished their first courses, whatever was left on the platters and dishes vanished to be replaced with mountains of desserts. I assumed the plates had all been cleaned magically as they didn't change. I eyed up the towers of profiteroles and bowls full of trifle, deciding instead to settle on a large slice of chocolate cake. Cake had always been my favourite treat at the orphanage and because we didn't get it that often, I always tried to make whatever cake I did get last as long as possible. I had the feeling I didn't need to worry about that here and so happily ate my slice until my bowl was empty. By now the first-year students were happily conversing with each other. It appeared that all first-years seemed to have the same topic in mind: our families.

'I'm half and half,' explained Seamus. He swallowed the spoonful of apple pie he was eating. 'My dad's a Muggle. Mam didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.' We laughed.

'What about you, Neville?' asked Ron.

'Well, my Gran brought me up and she's a witch,' said Neville, 'but the family thought I was all Muggle for ages. My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned – but nothing happened until I was eight. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by my ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.'

I sat and listened to the conversations with a strange curiosity. Everyone came from such different backgrounds but while most of the Gryffindors all seemed to be at least half-bloods, Neville sounded like he came from another one of those old pure-blood families, like Ron did. It made me think. Neville hadn't done anything magical until he was eight years old and yet he had some of the strongest ties to magic, while I had caused several things to happen with magic without realising it and I had more Muggle origins than wizard ones. But according to what the Sorting Hat had told me, my father's family had been in Slytherin for generations. From Slytherins reputation I assumed that meant they had to be of almost pure-blood status to be continually placed in that House. If that was indeed the case, then surely that would make me closer to a pure-blood witch than a half-blood, wouldn't it? I know my Mum and Uncle were half-bloods, my grandmother being a Muggle. If so then I was from a long line of wizards and yet I barely knew anything about the world I was from. I felt embarrassed. What if I couldn't live up to that? Maybe I'd be as bad at magic as Neville seemed to be despite my blood status.

Once again the desserts vanished when the students were finished. At the far end of the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet once more to address the students. Silence fell in the Hall.

'Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

'First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.'

Despite being sat quite far away from him, I could have sworn Professor Dumbledore's eyes were looking at someone directly behind me. I turned round to see Fred and George grinning at each other.

'I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

'Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interest in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

'And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'

Beside me Harry laughed. He was one of few who did. I didn't. Being told somewhere was out of bounds because you might die if you went there didn't sound like anything to laugh about.

'It's odd,' said Percy, frowning, 'because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us Prefects, at least.'

Professor Dumbledore ended dinner by getting the students to sing the school song. With a flick of his wand, a long golden ribbon flew above where the teachers sat. It twisted itself into the words of the song. There was no tune to it though and so we each had to pick one to sing it too. It wasn't actually that pleasant to hear, all the different voices and notes clashing together, although hearing Fred and George sing it to the funeral march was quite amusing.

With the song finished, we were dismissed.

Taking charge, Percy called to all us first-years to follow him. Full of food I got up and joined Harry and Ron to follow him out of the Great Hall. Ahead of us the older students were all climbing the Marble Staircase to go to their separate common rooms. When we reached the top of the Marble Staircase I saw in front of me countless more. I gaped at how high up they went. Staircase upon staircase reached up to the floors above us, the walls of the tower we were in lined with portraits, all of which were moving. Every so often I saw one of the staircases close itself off then swing itself round to meet another platform on another floor. With a warning from Percy that the staircases liked to change at will, he led us up the stairs all the way to the seventh floor. We walked down the seventh floor corridor at a slowed pace, all of us tired and full from the feast. Even I was starting to feel sleepy. That's why I bumped into Ron having not realised Percy had stopped us.

A bundle of walking sticks were floating above our heads all by themselves. I frowned. I thought it couldn't be a ghost because they were visible beings so what was controlling them? When Percy stepped forwards they started to swat at him, smacking him on the shoulder and the back of the leg.

'Peeves,' he whispered to us. 'A poltergeist. Peeves – show yourself!' he then called.

A strange squeaking sound came out of nowhere, like the sound of a balloon loosing all its air. With a threat from Percy to get the Bloody Baron, from nowhere appeared a squat little man with an extremely wide grin on his lips. He clutched the walking sticks in his arms while he sat there cross-legged in mid-air. We ducked as he cackled and swooped low over our heads. Next he stuck out his tongue and vanished. The walking sticks dropped right on Neville's head. In the distance we could hear the suits of armour rattle in the direction he had disappeared in.

We turned right and walked down a second corridor. At the very end hung a solitary portrait on an otherwise blank wall. In it was painted a very fat woman wearing the most garish pink dress I had ever seen. Made of what looked like silk, it was as large as the lady who wore it with layers of crinkled material in the skirt and an overly tight corset emphasising her already ample chest, the sleeves puffy and frilled at the ends as well. She greeted us warmly, noting that we must be the new first-years before asking for the password.

'Caput Draconis,' said Percy and she swung open.

A small archway was revealed and we walked inside. The Gryffindor Common Room was a large circular room filled with comfy looking armchairs and sofas. All of these as well as the curtains were made of red material to match the House colours. To the right of the entrance was a fireplace that already had a small fire burning in its grate, one of the sofas positioned just in front of it. Opposite the entrance were the staircases that led up to the dormitories, a notice board just to the left of them where already some signs had been pinned to it. The Tower looked warm and inviting, a good thing too considering this would be where we'd be living for the following year. I had a feeling that things weren't going to be all that bad after all when I knew I had a place like this to come back to each night. Percy pointed out the staircase that led up to the girls' dormitory then took the boys up their one. I said goodnight to Harry and Ron then joined the other four girls as we went upstairs.

A short way up the spiral staircase was a door with the words 'first-years' written on it. Parvati pushed open the door. Our dormitory was another smaller circular room with five four-poster beds going around the outside with a stove in the middle of the room for warmth. Each of our trunks were at the ends of the beds that were going to be ours. I found mine at the foot of the second bed to the left. To my dismay, Hermione's bed was next to mine. While Parvati, Lavender and Sally-Anne all started talking, I opened my trunk and rummaged through it. I found what I was looking for, a photo I had brought from home. I placed the framed picture of my Mum and Dad on the table beside my bed. I smiled at it, fingering the frame lightly as I watched them hug.

'Are those your parents?' I heard Hermione ask. I glanced back over my shoulder at her.

'Er, yeah,' I said.

'They must have been so proud the day you got your letter,' continued Hermione. She was already unpacking her things and putting her clothes in her chest of drawers. 'My parents were so happy the day I got mine. They couldn't believe it when they found out I was a witch but it certainly explained to them how I kept managing to get the biscuit tin out of the top cupboard when I was younger.'

I only half listened to Hermione as she started talking about what lessons we could have the next day. A part of me knew she was probably right; they would be proud of me, Mum if she knew and Dad, wherever he was. I continued to look at the photo for a moment longer before turning to get out of my robes and into my pyjamas. I got into my bed and lay down, staring up at the canopy above me. I smiled. Here I was at Hogwarts, ready to start to learn about magic and the world I was always meant to be a part of. I already had Ron as a new friend, and Harry was back by my side again which was more than I could have hoped for. The best part of it though was the thought that when the holidays came and the school year finished, I wouldn't be going back to The Refuge but going back to my home with Lupin.

The original chapter has now been split into two, which the second part of philosopher's stone might also be too, as i've gone into greater detail and hopefully more opinions and display's of Jenna's character.