"Welcome, children and parents of Trolberg, to the official Hogwarts orientation meeting. On behalf of Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic, it is my pleasure to welcome you."

The audience applauded politely. The heavy oak tables in the library's grand meeting room had been moved aside. There were about fifty people in attendance, the children leaning forward in their seats looking beyond thrilled, the parents looking rather shell-shocked-Hilda's mother Johanna among them. Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, stood at a podium, having spent a few minutes adjusting the microphone. She was a prim, no-nonsense older woman in a set of green robes and the obligatory pointed hat. Her face, stern and initially imposing, warmed as she gave the audience a smile. Hilda liked her immediately.

"You are all here because in accordance with the Treaty of Scapa Flow you are eligible to attend our hallowed institution. For nearly two millennia Hogwarts has educated and nurtured some of the greatest witches and wizards of Great Britain, and we are immensely pleased to welcome you to our family.

"Now, I am sure that many of you have questions, so after a short break we will divide everyone into groups, and you will meet with a member of our faculty for a question-answer time."

Hilda met up with Frida and David at the snack table. "Can you believe this?" she said, beaming. "I have so many questions to ask."

Hilda's mother joined the three. "So do I. I must admit, this is rather overwhelming."

"Miss Dahl?" They turned as Ms. McGonagall approached the group. "You, Miss Aiken, Mr. Andersen, and your parents are to meet with Professor Snape in conference room three."

"Professor Snape?" Hilda said, frowning. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Rest assured, Miss Dahl, Severus is one of our most respected professors," McGonagall said. "Though he can be rather gruff."

"Don't judge people before you get to know them, Hilda," her mother said, nudging her. "Remember the lindworm? She wasn't so bad."

McGonagall blinked. "Did you say Lindworm?"

"I don't like him," Hilda whispered.

Her mother couldn't help but nod. "He is rather menacing."

"How does he make his robes flutter like that?" David asked.

"Greetings," the man said, his voice a hushed monotone. "My name is Professor Severus Snape, and I am the school potions master, as well as the Slytherin Head of House. If you have questions I would be happy to answer them," he said, looking anything but please. "Bare in mind, any frivolous questions will not be considered. Hogwarts is a fine institution, and we do not suffer troublemakers."

"I bet he makes them suffer," Hilda whispered. David shivered.

Frida's mother was the first to raise his hand. "What is the school's curriculum like?"

"An excellent question," Snape conceded. "Starting in Year One, students are taught Potions, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Charms, History of Magic, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Beginning in your third year, students may choose from several elective courses. These include Divination, the 'study' of the future-" Snape didn't roll his eyes, but Hilda supposed that if he did, they'd roll back into his head. "-Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, and Study of Ancient Runes. I am told that in Trolheim you use the Norse-Runish alphabet?" A few nods from the audience. "Very good, that will give you an advantage. Flying lessons are also offered to First Years."

"Flying!" Hilda sat up. "Like on broomsticks?"

Snape fixed his gaze on the girl. "Yes, on broomsticks. Miss-?"

"Hilda Dahl."

"Miss Dahl, I must ask you raise your hand if you have a question and do not speak out of turn."

Hilda's mother raised her hand. "You mentioned you were the Head of House for…Slytherin? What exactly does that mean?"

"Ah, yes, the house system. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, new students are sorted into one of three houses. House placement is usually determined by the student's personality, although there have been unusual circumstances. For the brave and… impulsive, there is Gryffindor; for the loyal and hardworking (and attention-seeking), Hufflepuff; for the studious, Ravenclaw; and, for the cunning and ambitious, Slytherin. Once sorted, students will spend the next seven years studying, boarding, and socializing with their assigned house. As the Headmaster would say, consider it a second family. The houses also compete each year for the House Cup, which is assigned based on good work or actions." Snape's lip curled into a faint smile. "Slytherin has won the cup five out of the last six years."

"What about the sixth year?" Hilda asked.

"You hand, Miss Dahl," Snape's smile faded. "That was… an unusual year."

"How will we purchase the necessary supplies mentioned in the letter?" a parent asked.

"Starting next weekend, the Ministry of Magic will be operating Portkeys-those are devices used to apparate, no, 'teleport' large groups over long distances. They will depart from the Library here and will take you to Diagon Alley, London's magical district. You will need to exchange your currency for magical coins at Gringotts Bank; opening an account this is also advisable."

Hilda's mother raised her hand again. "How safe is Hogwarts?"

Snape shifted in his chair. "There are some common injuries, I will not lie: potion mishaps, quidditch accidents-that is a sport played on broomsticks, please do not interrupt, Miss Dahl, or I shall start taking house points before you even enter school grounds. Our infirmary can handle the majority of these injuries quite competently. Any more serious cases are transported to St. Mungo's Hospital in London."

"Has anyone ever died at Hogwarts?" Hilda asked.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ten points from…whichever house you are sorted into, Miss Dahl. I do think you'll fit in quite well with Gryffindor. There have been several deaths at Hogwarts, as is usually the case for a school of our age. There has not been a student fatality in almost fifty years. Rest assured, Hogwarts is perhaps the safest place in Magical Britain."

"But there was a death at Hogwarts this year," Frida said, raising her hand. "My parents got a subscription to the Daily Prophet, and they said a teacher was killed."

Snape sighed. "Yes, a most unfortunate event. Last year a thief broke into the school and attempted to steal an item in the Headmaster's safekeeping. Our Defense professor, Mr. Quirrell, was killed in the attack, in which the thief died and a student-our resident celebrity, Harry Potter-was injured. It was a mistake on the Headmaster's part; we have since strengthened security, and the item has been removed from school property."

"Who is Harry Potter?"

Snape's jaw tightened. "Ten points, Miss Dahl. Mr. Potter is a child who as a baby had the poor fortune to lose his parents to a dark wizard, and the 'good' fortune to survive an attack from the dark wizard that in all regards should have killed him. Due to the events surrounding his survival, in which the dark lord was killed, he is held in high regard by many in the Wizarding World. They call him," this time Snape couldn't resist rolling his eyes, "the Boy-Who-Lived. He entered Hogwarts last school year, and since then he has been quite the focus of attention."

"What's this about a dark lord?" Hilda's mother asked, looking concerned.

Snape closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His hand crossed his chest, rubbing a spot on his forearm. "His name—and I will only say it once—was Voldemort…"

"What a creepy man," Hilda muttered. "I hope the other professors aren't as strict as him."

Hilda and her mother had left the library and were walking home. It had stopped raining, and the cobbles of the streets shone in the moonlight. Johanna, who had been quiet since the end of the orientation, gave a sigh. "Hilda, I'm worried about this school."

"Is it about the murder? Snape said there was no need to worry. Besides, I've been in danger before. Remember the trolls? The giants? Jellybean?"

Johanna couldn't help but smile. "You do well in a fix, I'll admit that. It's just my duty as your mum to worry."

They'd reached the stone bridge over the canal. They stopped in the middle, looking out over the water. Johanna smiled. "Your grandfather was a wizard."

Hilda looked up at her mother, surprised. "You never told me that."

"He studied magical creatures. He built the house out in the mountains to watch the Woffs during their migration." She looked up to the moon. "He vanished when I was about your age. We never learned what happened to him. He just walked out of the house and never came back."

"...I'm sorry."

"You remind me a lot of granddad. He was adventurous, always pushing the limits, always looking at the world through a special lens. Magic is wonderful, but it can be dangerous. You know that more than anyone else after the tide mice. I worry that one day you'll go off on one of your adventures and not come home."

"That'll never happen, mum." Hilda put her hand over her mother's. "I'll be fine. I'll have Frida and David; they've always got my back."

Johanna chuckled. "I know, Hilda." She leaned down and wrapped her daughter in a hug. "I can't stop you from going to Hogwarts-it's too special an opportunity to pass up. I envy you, really. Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise."

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Please be sure to leave a review.