Chapter 1 – Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts

It was dark by the time the train arrived at Hogsmeade Station. I slowly traipsed my way out behind the group of students I'd been sitting with; two girls named Hannah and Susan, and a shy quiet boy named Neville.
"Alright, first years – this way please" a very large man called out, Hagrid, I assumed from what my father had mentioned. "Come on, first years' don't be shy. Come on now, hurry up" he continued, calling us all forward. We followed Hagrid to the boats and made our way to Hogwarts. I had been there before once or twice when my father hadn't been able to come home for the holidays to see me and my Aunt Gigi. I knew the school was huge and I had gotten lost a lot in the small time I'd been there. But my father had always found me, usually curled up in a corner with my stuffed bunny that was aptly named Bunny. But now I was officially a student, and I was so nervous as to which house I would be sorted into. Would I be a Slytherin? A Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff? I had spoken to my father when I received my letter, asking what he hoped I would be, and his answer was simple; whichever house would help me be the best witch I could be.

The first-year students continued through the halls and up the stairs until we reached Professor McGonagall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts" she greeted us. "Now in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now while you are here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup" she explained.
"Trevor" Neville shouted as he spotted his toad and ran forward, picking it up from the steps near the Professor's feet. "Sorry" he apologised sheepishly and stepped back to re-join the rest of us.
"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily" Professor McGonagall advised before turning on her heel and leaving us to wait.
"It's true then, what they're saying on the train" a boy asked. I turned to see a blonde boy with his hair slicked back, flanked by two other boys. "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. This is Crabbe and Goyle" he said. Hushed whispers went through the group as the blonde boy stepped toward Harry. "and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" he introduced himself. The red=haired boy snickered, earning a glare from Draco. "You think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask for yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe, you must be a Weasley" he snapped at the Weasley boy before turning his attention back to Harry. "You'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there" Draco said to Harry, extending his hand. Harry didn't take it though.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thanks" Harry replied. Professor McGonagall returned and tapped Malfoy's shoulder, and he stepped back to re-join the class.
"We're ready for you now, follow me" she told us.

We were led inside the great hall, straight up to the front where the sorting hat was resting on a stool.
"Will you wait along here please" the Professor instructed. "Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words" she finished before we the headmaster stood.
"I have a few start-of-term notices I would like to announce; the first-year's please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden for all students. Also, our caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone that does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you" Professor Dumbledore stated and sat back down.
"Now when I call your name, you will come forth , I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses" Professor McGonagall explained before she began calling students forth. I looked to the line of Professors and saw my father who met my eye and gave me a small nod of encouragement. I watched as Neville was sorted to Gryffindor, Draco to Slytherin, Susan and Hannah to Hufflepuff and then my name was called.
"Hope Murphy" Professor McGonagall called. My breath hitched in my throat and I had to remind myself to breathe before my legs began to work. I sat down and felt the sorting hat rest on my head.
"Hmmm, very interesting" the hat began speaking to me. "Loyal and brave, fair but daring. To choose Gryffindor or Hufflepuff?" the hat continued. I looked to Susan and Hannah who were seated at Hufflepuff and then to Neville who was comfortably sat in Gryffindor. Either way I would have a friend. "Hufflepuff" that hat finally decided. I waited for the hat to be removed from my head before I stood and made my way to Hannah and Susan and sat down.

After the feast all first-year Hufflepuffs were led to the Hufflepuff basement. It was more beautiful than I expected, I mean – for a basement. The light shone through the windows creating a warm glow on the couches.
"Come on Hope, lets choose beds close to each other" Hannah said as she grabbed my hand and then nodded for Susan to follow us. We chose beds close to the window and talked for a while about which classes we were most excited for, what we were hoping to learn and the story of the infamous Harry Potter. After a while I got up and told the girls I wanted to explore the castle. I wandered through the hallways as I did when I was younger and soon bumped into the arrogant blond boy from earlier, Draco Malfoy, and his two friends.
"What do we have here? A half-blood Badger" he taunted, making his friends laugh. I stepped back and took a breath; I didn't want to be caught fighting on my first day.
"I don't want any trouble" I told him, moving to step around him but he blocked my path.
"I didn't say you could go anywhere, did I Badger" he asked.
"Malfoy, enough" I jumped and turned around to see Professor Snape walking towards us. Malfoy smirked at me.
"We were just talking, weren't we little Badger" Draco asked me, his friends nodding behind him.
"Hope, return to your common room at once" Snape instructed me without taking his eyes off Draco. I nodded and turned back towards the Hufflepuff Dungeon.
"See you around Hope" Malfoy called after me. I heard a *thunk* quickly after and turned to see Draco rubbing the back of his head with Snape directly in front of him.

When I arrived back at the common room, Hannah and Susan were sitting with Justin, Megan and Ernie – some of our other first-year classmates. I sat down between Ernie and Hannah and they smiled at me before continuing their discussion on which classes were going to be the most exciting. I began to tune them out as I thought about my mother and how she would have felt about me starting my magical studies. Would she have been excited? Nervous? Scared? She wasn't a witch, she was ordinary – but extraordinary at the same time. My father told me about how excited they were when they found out she was pregnant with me, how my mother had chosen my name, Hope. My father was the one that chose my middle name and he had also insisted that I had my mother's surname instead of his when she died in childbirth. He wanted to honour her. He told me how they had been so indecisive about a middle name for me. My father originally wanted me to be Hope Eileen, after his mother. But my mother had wanted me to be Hope Rosalie, after her mother. I liked my name: Hope Elizabeth Murphy, but part of me wanted to have my father's name, that way nobody would mess with me.

The first few weeks at Hogwarts went by quickly, and soon enough we had reached Halloween, and there was a huge feast. I sat between Hannah and Justin across from Susan, Ernie and Megan and we discussed the little backfired spell that had happened in Charms class.
"Troll" Professor Quirrell shouted, "In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon. Thought you outta know" Professor Quirrell continued before collapsing in a heap. Professor Dumbledore stood and the entirety of the students began to panic.
"Silence, everybody please don't panic. Now prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories. Teachers follow me to the dungeons" Dumbledore told the room. I quickly found my father's eyes before he darted off through a side door. I quickly ran off after the rest of the Hufflepuff students, only stopping once we were safely inside the common room. I quickly ran up the steps to the dorm and pulled my stuffed bunny out of my bag, holding it close as I always did when I was scared.
"Everything will be ok, Hope. The teachers will defeat the troll" Hannah told me as she sat down beside me. I sat up and accepted her hug when she offered it.
"That's not what I'm worried about, I just hope everyone is safe" I told her.

We got the all-clear an hour later and I immediately left the dorm to find my father. I ran through the halls towards the dungeon corridor and crashed into someone so hard that we both fell backwards.
"You again" Draco snapped as he stood up. "Watch where you're going, Badger" he warned.
"I'm not in the mood Malfoy, I'm just trying to find someone" I grumbled back as I stood and brushed myself off. Draco stepped forward so we were nose-to-nose.
"What did you just say" Draco growled.
"I'm not afraid of you, Serpent" I snapped. He seemed confused for a second before he lifted his wand.
"Flipendo" he cast and I was thrown backwards, my back hitting a stone wall before I landed on my side. Draco snickered.
"Expelliarmus" I returned with a swish of my wand, and Draco's wand went flying out of his hand. He looked to me in shock. I got to my feet and brushed myself off before meeting him face-to-face once more. "Don't pick a fight with me Malfoy, because I'll fight back" I warned with a snarl. He took a step back before turning on his heel.
"My father will hear about this" he snapped as he began to walk away, and I waved after him.
"So will mine" I smiled, then turned on my heel and bumped into my father.
"What will I be hearing about" he asked, glaring between me and Malfoy – who stopped in shock upon hearing the voice. Malfoy turned and gulped when he saw my father.
"You-you're Hope's father" Malfoy asked in s stutter, making me smile.
"Malfoy, I'd like you to meet my father, Professor…"

CLIFFHANGER! Who is Hope's father? - Hey all! It's been a while since I last posted or updated any stories but I recently fell in love with Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and needed to write this. I'm halfway through writing chapter 2 and it will be a bit jumpy until I get to The Goblet of Fire. I will not follow exactly what happens in the books or movies (I keep main themes/plots but add my own spin to the story)