Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.

Chapter Seven – The Very First Day

The train rolled to a halt shortly after Whitney and Neville had finished changing into their robes. They left their luggage on the train to be taken to the school separately and, once they were outside, Whitney heard a familiar voice calling all of the first years over. She smiled, relieved that someone she knew was going to take them to the school. She wasn't sure how much more of this 'dealing with new people' she could take.

Sticking close to Neville, Whitney made her way to the boats, loading into one with the red-haired boy from the train. Whitney smiled politely and he waved, looking a little queasy.

"You all right?" she asked him, looking worried. She wasn't sure she could handle someone throwing up on her new robes on the first day of school.

The boy nodded, then shook his head. "Just… nervous about the Sorting," he said.

"Sorting?" Whitney asked. "What Sorting?"

The red-haired boy looked at her like she was mad, but Neville answered the question. "It's how they put you into your Houses," he said. "You put on the Sorting Hat and it tells you which House you go to."

Talking about the Sorting seemed to have made Neville a little nervous, too, because he didn't even look up from the water as Hermione joined their boat.

"You… you wear a hat?" the red-haired boy asked looking relieved and angry at the same time. "Fred and George were going on about—" He stopped himself, looking decidedly more pleased with the situation. "I'm Ron, by the way," he said, putting out his hand.

Even though he wasn't really talking to her, Hermione took the hand first. "Hermione Granger," she said crisply.

Ron made a face, but Whitney didn't notice. She was busy trying to think of ways to introduce herself that wouldn't make people stare. Unable to think of anything, she took Ron's hand, shaking it, and simply stated, "Whitney."

Ron didn't seem to catch on to who she was immediately, but Neville chimed in, "She's Whitney Potter," and Ron's expression turned surprised. He looked down at his hand in hers, staring at them for a moment, before looking back up toward her forehead where Whitney's bangs concealed her scar.

Whitney threw a dirty look at Neville, who looked chastised, but didn't say anything. Quickly, she swept her hair back to give Ron a good look at what she now felt to be a brand on her skin.

"Blimey," Ron breathed, looking almost impressed.

"It's only a scar," Hermione said suddenly, getting Ron's attention.

The boy blushed and Whitney found herself thankful for Hermione's blunt behavior. The boat descended into labored silence as the First Year fleet launched out across the lake. The rowing took all of their breath and they silently made their way across the water.

"Must be… some kind of… tradition…" Hermione said when they'd reached the dock and climbed out of the boat.

Whitney nodded, but was too winded to really say anything. She heard Hagrid knock heavily on the Hogwarts door and a stern-looking woman stepped out to greet them.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said to the woman.

"I'll take them from here, Hagrid," she told the man, and then wordlessly led them into the building. The main hall was truly magnificent; Whitney had never seen anyplace quite so beautiful, save perhaps snippets of Buckingham Palace she'd seen on television. Professor McGonagall then led them to a smaller room just off the Entrance Hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, looking at all of them as they stood together in the group. "Dinner will begin shortly, but first you will all be Sorted into your Houses. Your House will be something like your family while you're here are Hogwarts. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. You may also gain or lose points for your House depending on your behavior. The House with the most points at the end of the year is honored at the end of term banquet.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly. I shall return when we're ready for you. Please wait quietly."

Whitney's heart sank further into her stomach with every new piece of information she was given. The fact that she knew nothing about magic or the wizarding world was beginning to occur to her and nausea was setting in. After the woman left, Whitney took a moment to calm herself before she spoke, opposed to throwing up on her first day of school.

"N-Neville…?" she asked, looking at him. Before she could ask her question, however, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, looking concerned, waiting for a teacher to whisper to her, 'We're sorry, Miss Potter, there's been a mistake. We'll have Hagrid take you back home.'

She smiled a little nervously when she saw who it was, though.

"Hello, Draco," she said to the blond boy who had gotten her attention.

Draco took her hand and air-kissed over the back of it. Whitney looked immediately confused, but her cheeks turned slightly pink. She cleared her throat. "Draco, what… what are you…?"

"Rescuing you, of course," Draco said, interrupting Whitney's thought.

"Resc… From what?"

"From the wrong sort of wizard," Draco replied, his gaze falling across Ron, Hermione, and Neville.

Whitney's mouth fell open in surprised. Hermione could be annoying and Neville was a bit pessimistic, but she liked the three she'd met so far. Her attention turned to the two larger boys who were flanking him. The Draco in front of her was slightly different from the boy she'd met at Ollivander's. This one was more… mean-looking. She wasn't sure what had brought on the change, but she didn't like it at all. He suddenly reminded her very strongly of Dudley.

Her eyes narrowed and she said the only thing that came to mind. "That… isn't very nice, Draco."

Draco sneered and jabbed one of the larger boys in the shoulder. The boy laughed tonelessly for a moment before stopping. "You'll find out soon enough, Potter, that some wizarding families are better than others. I can help you with that."

A vein in Whitney's forehead twitched and she decided that she really didn't like being called by her last name. "I…I think," she began, but had to wet her lips when her mouth went dry. "I mean, I like…"

Whitney was lost—losing momentum as she faced Draco, not sure what to say. "I don't… understand," she whispered at last, looking at the boy with an almost fearful expression.

Before Draco could reply, Professor McGonagall returned and began ushering the students into the Great Hall. In the bustle, she got separated from Draco and his bulky companions, and had lost track of her three, new friends.

Whitney gulped back her terror as she waited for her turn. She watched Hermione and Neville Sorted into Gryffindor, where all of Ron's brothers seemed to be, as well. She watched Draco and his two head-bashers Sorted into Slytherin. Still more were happily Sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Whitney was so nervous, she forgot what the reaction would be like when her name was announced to the entire hall. When it finally was called, she was struck by just how different the atmosphere had become as she walked toward the Sorting Hat. Trying to ignore the general reaction of the students, she placed the hat on her head and sat on the stool.

"Don't worry, dear," said a voice in her head. "I won't bite."

Far from being reassuring, the voice triggered a feeling of panic and Whitney nearly jumped off the stool. Whitney felt the equivalent of a mental chuckle in her head.

"Scared of me, is it?" the hat asked her.

"N-no," she said, though she was shaking. "I… I just don't know what to do."

The statement had multiple meanings and Whitney got the sense that the Hat knew this. She wasn't sure what to do with the Hat, or with Draco, or magic in a general way.

"You haven't anything to worry about, my dear," the hat said with some amusement. "Perhaps we'll just have a short chat."

"O-okay."

"You're quite brainy, I see. But also a good and loyal friend. Good, strong heart."

Whitney cleared her throat. "Ah, thanks. The school nurse said I was a very good runner."

Another chuckle. "I didn't mean your actual heart, dear. You're a fighter! There's bravery in you. But you also have the potential for more. You'd be very good in Slytherin, I believe. You know how to get away with things. Wake up early and sneak some tellie? Take a longer shower while everyone's away? And the sort of things you can talk yourself out of," it said. "Not many can lie on their feet."

The Hat laughed again, then asked, "Get it? Lie on your feet?"

Whitney thought quickly about Draco, who was watching her from the Slytherin table, and the transformation he had undergone since their meeting at Ollivander's. What had changed him so? Did he behave differently around his friends?

"No…" she said, shaking her head so that the Hat jostled and lowered further over her eyes. "Please, no."

"Please? Oh, well you may be new at this, but you've already learned at least one magic word. I know just where to put you.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Whitney felt her heart skip as one fourth of the students in the hall erupted into cheers and whistles. Quickly, she removed the hat and walked over to the Gryffindor table where Neville was saving her a seat. Hermione was sitting a few seats away and Whitney waved weakly, emotionally drained; the other girl smiled back. A few moments later, Ron joined them, looking shaken but proud.

And then the Headmaster spoke. Whitney had never even heard his name before except when Hagrid had lost his temper at Uncle Vernon. Now, though, she recognized him from one of her new chocolate frog cards. He was an unusual man, for certain, but she was too distracted by the vast amounts of food that appeared on the table to bother paying much attention to what he was saying.

Trying not to seem too eager, she picked at the food, but still managed to eat as much as she wanted. She noticed Ron watching her at one point and put down a chicken leg she'd been about to eat. "What?" she asked.

He shook his head and said, "I've never seen a girl eat so much."

Whitney blushed and said, "I was just… all I had to eat today was the candy from the train."

Ron turned red, as well, and Whitney turned her attention elsewhere. Her gaze fell on the teacher's table where she noticed Professor Quirrell who she had met at the Leaky Cauldron. He was facing away from her, but she recognized the purple turban easily. He was talking to another teacher, who glanced in her direction. A searing pain echoed in her head as the man looked at her, and Whitney clutched her scar.

"Ah!"

"All right, Whitney?" asked the boy she vaguely remembered was called Percy.

"H-headache," she said. "I'll be fine."

"Well, I'll be sure to show you the Hospital Wing later, should you need a nurse," he assured her, though she somehow felt as though it wasn't for her well-being, but for the sake of his appearing to be helpful.

After dessert, Professor Dumbledore spoke to them again, warning them to stay away from the third-floor corridor or else suffer a painful death. Whitney paled slightly, but was full enough of good food and pumpkin juice that she was more preoccupied with staying awake long enough to be shown to a bed. Yawning, she followed Percy and the others up to the common room and, too tired even for words, waved to Ron and Neville as she followed Hermione to the girls' dormitory.