Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with JK Rowling in any way. Anything similar to her works is hers. I own Maria and what little plot I had added to the story.
Professor Dumbledore looked mildly surprised for a moment before his eyes twinkled as he took off the hat.
"I'm sorry sir, but does this not happen often?" Maria asked. "That's what the sorting hat said, at least."
"This is the first time in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that such a sorting has occurred," Professor Dumbledore explained.
"Do you know what will happen to me?" Maria asked.
"You will be accepted at Hogwarts, that's what I can tell you for now. I will have to work out what will become of you with the heads of houses about what is to be done," Professor Dumbledore said. "Now, you best be on your way, tomorrow will be a big day for you."
On the first of September Maria was awoken by half a dozen house elves- most likely sent by her mother- to help her prepare for her day. She was fed, bathed, hair washed until it shined, and was given her clothing. Trunk packed, owl ready, and her pet snake fed, Maria was ready for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The ride in the muggle taxi to Kings Cross Station was a long one, but Maria was too excited to be bored. Her mother, on the other hand, was sketching out new robe designs for her job in order to keep her mind busy. Upon entering Kings Cross, Maria and her mother received many stares. After all, veelas were attractive creatures. Maria and her mother meandered their way around Kings Cross until coming across platforms nine and ten.
"Platform nine and three-quarters!" Maria exclaimed. "These Brits sure are être con comme un balai!"
"That might seem so, ma bichette," her mother smiled. "I've been informed that we're to walk through this wall."
And so they did. They entered on the other side of the wall where a grand train was. It had steam blowing out the top. Painted red and black, the outside said "Hogwarts Express."
"Okay, so maybe they aren't so dumb," Maria said, dumbfounded. She turned to her mother, only to see tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Not again mère. Vous faites un fromage entier à ce sujet. It's nothing maman, you'll see me at Christmas, and I'll write every week, I promise."
"You better," Adrienne LeCleu sniffled. "I can't believe you grow up so fast. Now take your trunk, before I change my mind and make you stay at home with me."
"Je t'aime maman!" Maria said as she hugged her mother. "Au revoir."
And with that Maria was off to the Hogwarts Express. She lugged her suitcase behind her as she boarded the train. She was getting quite a few stares from boys of all ages as she looked for Hermione, Ron, and Harry. Eventually, she found them after getting close to the back of the train.
"May I join you three?" Maria asked. "I don't know anyone else." Hermione and Ron looked to Harry, and when he nodded Maria sat down.
"Is this a Professor you've had?" Maria asked gesturing to the man who was passed out in the compartment.
"No, I've never seen him before," Hermione said. "But I assume he's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, it's the only vacancy, really."
"I wonder who he is," Ron said.
"Professor R.J. Lupin," Hermione said. "It's on his suitcase."
"He doesn't look like he can teach Defense, does he? I mean he could be bedridden with one hex by the looks of it." Ron said.
"That could be true, l'habit ne fait pas le moine," Maria said which only she only received a blank look. "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover."
Just then a noise came from Maria's trunk. Maria opened it cautiously, thinking that her immobulus spell had worn off of her monster book, but instead, there was a snake squirming around.
"Decoris? What are you doing here?" Maria said in parseltongue. "You're not allowed at Hogwarts, I hope you know! Now I'm going to get in so much trouble, and it isn't even my first day."
"It's not my fault," Decoris hissed back. Under Maria's glare, she continued, "Well, maybe it is, but you would've left me to waste in the tank."
"I would not!" Maria exclaimed. "You know full well that Daisy adores you, and the rest of the house elves do too!"
"You have house elves?" Harry asked. Maria looked at him in surprise.
"What?" Harry asked in English.
"You're a parselmouth?" Maria asked. After his confirmation, Maria looked absolutely elated. "I've never met another one before, how long have you known? I've known since I was four!"
Before Harry could talk, Ron decided to butt into the conversation. "You're a parselmouth. You'll probably be in Slytherin then, with the rest of the evil bunch."
"So Harry's in Slytherin then? Il ne faut pas mettre tout dans l'même sac" Maria asked, offended. "One parselmouth doesn't like muggleborns, and now we're all associated with him. Although I've heard Voldemort himself was a parselmouth, but that's beside the point. The person who discovered parseltongue was a Healer!"
"Maria, I'm hungry," Decoris cut her off. "Do you have any mice or rats on you?"
"No, and Scabbers isn't dinner either. You should've thought your hunger through before you hid in my trunk." Maria scolded. "Now Harry you were saying something before Decoris so rudely interrupted."
Harry explained Mr. Weasley's warning against going after Sirius Black and the argument between Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. When he finished telling it, Maria and Ron were thunderstruck and Hermione had her hands over her mouth, before lowering them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry... you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble Harry-"
"I don't go looking for trouble," Harry insisted. "Trouble usually finds me."
"I'm sure that's true Harry," Maria said. "But if a mass murderer comes after you, you'll have to be extra careful."
"No one's ever escaped from Azkaban before," said Ron uncomfortably. "And he was a top-security prisoner too."
"But they'll catch him, won't they?" Hermione asked. "They've even got muggles looking out for him..."
Just then a noise went off, startling the four of them. It ended up being a Sneakoscope that Ron had given him. The noise continued, so they ended up hiding it in Harry's trunk.
"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," Ron said. "They've got all sorts of shops. Honeydukes will be especially nice. They've got every sort of sweet."
"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place isn't it?" Hermione said eagerly.
"Wasn't the inn the headquarters of the 1612 goblin rebellion?" Maria asked excitedly.
"Yes! And the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain-"
"They've got pepper imps, chocoballs full of mousse," Ron said, clearly not listening to Maria or Hermione.
"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked Harry.
"'Spect it will be," Harry said glumly. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."
"You can't go can you?" Maria asked him. He shook his head. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize." She finished in parseltongue.
"You really shouldn't be doing that," warned Ron.
"What speaking parseltongue? I'm sorry, I'm just excited to meet another parselmouth," Maria said. "Anyways, maybe someone else can give you permission."
"Or it might be some good that you can't go with Sirius Black on the loose and all," said Hermione.
"I think that's what McGonagall would say if I were to ask her," Harry said glumly.
Maria tried to console Harry about the trip, saying that she might not even go just to make sure she adjusted well. Meanwhile, Hermione decided to let Crookshanks out and had started to argue with Ron about being polite, until Professor Lupin stirred. The whole compartment was silent for a while after that.
The trolley lady came by with the food cart. The whole compartment got food and tried to unsuccessfully wake up Professor Lupin. About mid-afternoon, Ron, Harry, and Maria were discussing Quidditch when three boys came to the compartment.
"Well look who it is," said the white-blonde haired boy. "Potty and Weasel."
The two larger boys were staring at Maria while she shifted uncomfortably and got the attention of the blonde.
"My name's Draco Malfoy," he said charmingly. "And you are?"
"Maria LeCleu," she responded coldly due to his treatment of her friends. She had heard the name Malfoy before, but she couldn't place it. This couldn't be the same Draco that had been her best friend until she left for France, could it?
"Draco!" she exclaimed happily jumping up quickly to hug him. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you before. We used to play together as children! I can't believe I forgot you went to Hogwarts."
"Maria?" Draco said shocked. "I can't believe how much you've grown! It's been what-"
"Eight years," Maria said excitedly, not noticing the worried looks cast between the others.
"Why aren't you at Beauxbatons?" he asked.
"Mother wanted to work instead of sitting on her money," Maria told him. "I believe that your father had something to do with me being allowed to go to school here."
"Probably, he is on the board of governors."
"I can't believe I forgot. I assume you're in Slytherin? Just like your parents."
"Yes," Draco bragged. "What house are you in?"
Before Maria could answer, Ron said: "Why don't you leave Malfoy, no one wants you here."
"Weasley," Draco sneered, in a change of attitude. "It appears someone does."
"Shove off Malfoy," Harry said coldly. "We wouldn't want the new professor to give any detentions before he even starts."
Malfoy glanced at Professor Lupin before smirking at Maria, "See you around, okay?"
"Definitely!" Maria called after him. "Bye Draco!"
"Friends with the enemy. How come you didn't tell us?" Ron asked callously.
"How was I supposed to know you three knew him?" Maria said defensively. "Draco was my best friend for the first five years of my life, I thought he'd be going to Durmstrang, after all."
"Just drop it guys," Hermione insisted. Maria and Ron spent another half hour glaring at each other until the train started to slow to a stop.
"That's strange," Hermione said. "We can't be there yet."
Suddenly the train stopped. Harry poked his head out the door and with a thud the train shook and the lights went out.
"What's going on?" Ron asked.
"Ouch, that's my foot!" Hermione gasped.
Harry felt his way back to his seat beside Maria.
"Do you think we've broken down?" Maria asked. "Has this ever happened before?"
"Not that I know of," Hermione whispered. Ron tried to de-fog the window to see what was going on.
"I think there's someone coming on board," he said. The compartment door opened, and in came two people.
"Sorry! Do you know what's going on?" a voice said.
"No idea," Harry said. "Hullo Neville."
"I'm going to go ask the driver what's going on," Hermione said and went to open the door when a thud came and two girly squeals of pain.
"Who's that?" Maria asked.
"Who's that?" the figure asked gesturing to Hermione.
"Ginny?" Hermione said incredulously.
"Hermione?"
"What're you doing?"
"I was looking for Ron-"
"Come in and sit down-"
"Not here!" Harry exclaimed. "I'm here."
"Ouch!" Neville said.
"Quiet!" came a hoarse whisper. Professor Lupin had finally woken up.
Professor Lupin had conjured some sort of flame and made his way to the compartment door, but before he could make it out a figure appeared.
It was a black mass with a cloak. The hood covered its face completely. Instantly the compartment got colder. Maria looked around at everyone and noticed everyone appeared very glum. Neville and Harry the most out of her friends. Harry's eyes seemed to go out of focus and slumped to the floor.
"Harry!" Maria exclaimed. She couldn't understand why everyone looked so sorrowful. She was totally unaffected by the figure, whatever it was. She glanced up at it, trying to figure out what it was. When she did; the figure faltered before starting, almost hesitantly, forward again.
"None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our coats," Lupin said firmly. "Go."
When the creature didn't respond he said a spell that shot a silvery light out of his wand. The creature seemed to be very affected by the glowing mist and glided away swiftly. Everyone in the compartment still seemed spooked after it left.
"Professor, what was that?" Maria asked him. "Why did everyone look so out of it? It wasn't nearly scary enough to do that."
"You didn't feel anything?" Professor Lupin looked at her, surprised. Before Maria could respond, Harry started to come to.
"Harry! Are you alright?" Hermione asked. Ron started to slap Harry's face.
"W-what?" Harry murmured.
The whole compartment was staring at Harry, Maria included. She couldn't process why someone would be affected by a hooded creature.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.
"Yeah," Harry said, looking quickly toward the door. "What happened? Where's that —that thing? Who screamed?"
"No one screamed," Ron said. "Well, Maria did shout your name if that's what you mean."
"But I heard screaming—" Harry started.
Professor Lupin snapped a bit of chocolate off a slab, making everyone jump.
"Here," he said, handing a piece to Harry. "Eat it. It'll help."
"What was that thing?" Harry asked, not eating the chocolate.
"A dementor. One of the ones from Azkaban." Professor Lupin said while handing chocolate to everyone affected. "Eat the chocolate it'll help. I'm going to see the driver, excuse me..."
He brushed past everyone in the compartment on his way out.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"That thing-" Hermione started. "The dementor- stood and looked around, and- you-you-"
"You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching," Ron said, finishing for her.
"And well... Maria looked at it and it stepped away," Hermione said. "Come to think of it, you didn't look half as bad as the rest of us."
"I don't know what happened," Maria shook her head. "You all- well, it looked like you had seen someone you loved die. Then Professor Lupin said some sort of spell and the dementor was- repelled I guess- by it and it glided away... But I didn't feel sad or anything like how the rest of you looked."
"It was horrible," Neville said. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"
"I felt weird," Ron said while shifting his shoulders uncomfortably."Like I'd never be cheerful again. . . ."
Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad asHarry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.
"Did any of you faint?" Harry asked. They all shook their heads.
"Ginny was shaking like mad, though," Ron said.
"I didn't poison the chocolate, you know." Professor Lupin said. "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes. Are you all right Harry?"
"Fine," Harry muttered, embarrassed.
They didn't talk at all during the short remainder of the journey. When the train finally stopped, the whole cabin collected their things quickly. It appeared the rest of the train did the same. The rain was pouring down hard on the students, nearly frozen.
"Impervius," Maria thought as she did the wand movements. The water started to be repelled by the charm, leaving her dry.
The group from Maria's cabin set off along a mud track off the platform. They headed towards stagecoaches that appeared were being pulled by an invisible force. Maria thought she saw a young blonde girl talking to the front of a carriage, but couldn't be sure due to the rain. The carriage ride was a short one, with only two dementors on the way up, and everyone seemed to be in better spirits.
"Is it true you fainted?" a familiar voice said.
"Shove off Malfoy," Ron said.
"Did you faint as well Weasley?" he asked maliciously. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you?"
Maria stepped out of the carriage at the same time as Professor Lupin stepped out of the next one.
"Draco?" Maria asked, confused at his behavior. Was he really like this to her friends?
"Is there a problem?" Lupin said mildly right after.
"Oh, no- er- Professor," Draco said sarcastically. He walked up the steps, and Maria followed quickly behind.
"Draco," Maria hissed, pulling on his arm. "What was that about?"
"Leave it," Draco said forcefully. His eyes softened when he saw the hurt look in her eyes. "It's nothing really."
"You better explain soon," Maria said sadly. "See you Draco." She then quickly joined the others. The walk up the stairs to the Great Hall was cut short by a stern witch.
"Granger! Potter! LeCleu!" a stern voice said. "I wish to speak with you." Maria, Harry, and Hermione had no choice but to leave Ron and follow the Professor. She took Harry in and spoke with him first. Harry came out a few minutes later and murmured for Hermione to go in. A couple of minutes passed and Professor Dumbledore appeared.
"Ah, Miss LeCleu, just who I was looking for," said Professor Dumbledore. "I believe Miss Granger is just finishing up, I think we are due to head in."
As he said this, the door opened, and Hermione walked out with a slight smile on her face.
"Miss Le" she started before seeing Professor Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall is ready for both of you, I guess."
The two walked into a small office, with a welcoming fire. The rigid witch sat behind a large desk, which was already overflowing with papers.
"Ah, Headmaster, Miss LeCleu, welcome. I'm Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration professor," the stern professor greeted. "It seems that you would like to take a very full course load. I don't know how time schedules are at Beauxbatons, but here at Hogwarts there are five periods plus morning, afternoon, and midnight classes. Unfortunately, this combined with your uncommon sorting will not work with the number of courses you'd opted to take. If you do not wish to drop any classes," she paused waiting for Maria's shake of her head "then you will have to use a time turner to get to all of your classes."
"A time turner, really?!" Maria said excitedly. "I've only read about those."
"Then I assume you've read the laws of time?" Professor McGonagall asked, and at Maria's confirmation, she smiled. "Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience for you."
With that, she left, after dropping the time turner in Maria's hand. Maria looked at it fondly, before slipping it around her neck and tucking it into her shirt.
"What happens to me now?" Maria asked Professor Dumbledore. "I don't really have a specific house to go to."
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Miss LeCleu," Professor Dumbledore said. "You don't just have one house to go to, you have four. However, you can't be in all four houses at once. The Professors and I have decided to create a new house; the Headmaster's house. Due to being the first person sorted as thus, I have the honor of picking out your house colors. Purple is always nice isn't it?"
With a nervous shake of Maria's head, Dumbledore smiled, and clapped his hands, resulting in Maria's robes to change colors to purple and gray. Instead of an animal on her crest, a witch's hat appeared.
"Thank you, sir," Maria said. "Can I ask you a few questions now?" With an affirmation from Dumbledore, she continued. "Hogwarts A History says that all four houses are divided for sleeping, eating, classes, and Quidditch. Where will I sleep and eat? Do my classes change from day to day? How do I play Quidditch? Wh-"
"The castle has already provided us with a solution to your sleeping arrangements," Professor Dumbledore cut her off with a twinkle in his eyes. "After your sorting, that the Headmaster's tower has created a new room for you to sleep in. For eating, you may sit with whatever house you wish, unless it's a feast, then you are to sit at the High Table with the professors. Don't worry though, you'll be sitting next to me. Professor Snape, the potions professor will be on your other side."
"What about Quidditch, sir?" Maria asked. "I played for Beauxbatons in previous years. And classes?"
"Your class schedule will be divided by each head of house's house, every other class will be fit into your schedule otherwise" Dumbledore smiled. "As for Quidditch...I suppose I'll have to ask Rolanda, but you may have to audition for all four teams at once and see who wants you. Any other questions?" Maria shook her head and he continued. "No? We best get to the feast then."
Maria was directed toward a small door. She appeared in the Great Hall by the professors' table. The room was massive, with four long tables on the main level. There, Maria could see each house divided by table. There were a few stairs going up to the professor's table, where Maria saw two open spots. One was larger than all the other ones, she assumed that one was for the Headmaster. The other chair was hers, she assumed at least. Next to her chair was a greasy haired professor with a hooked nose. He didn't look pleased to be seated next to Professor Lupin.
With a little push from the Headmaster, Maria walked to her seat and sat down. As soon as she did, there were many whispers throughout the hall. She looked for Hermione and made eye contact. They smiled at each other, and the first years' sorting commenced. The first years looked nervous as they approached the stool and hat. Finally, the sorting ended with "Zabler, Brock" going to Hufflepuff, and everyone looked to Dumbledore expectantly.
"Welcome!" Dumbledore said loudly. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast... As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission."
Dumbledore paused and cleared his throat, "Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises- or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly. "It is not of the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I, therefore, warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you."
Dumbledore paused again, looking around the Great Hall seriously before saying, "On a happier note I would like to welcome two new teachers that have been added to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Professor Lupin stood up while people clapped halfheartedly. Maria and the others that were in the compartment clapped fully. Professor Lupin smiled gratefully before sitting down.
"As to our second appointment," Dumbledore continued. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
There was more applause this time, from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. The applause started to die, and Professor Dumbledore looked Down at Maria and smiled.
"And on a final note; as you all may have noticed, at the staff table, we have a student present. She is sitting at our table due to her unique sorting," Professor Dumbledore started and Maria felt her face begin to flush. "The Sorting Hat came across quite the dilemma when it came to sorting her. After quite a few deliberations, it announced her to be in all four houses."
Whispers started to form from all four houses when Dumbledore paused.
"She will be given passwords to all four common rooms, so she can spend time with all four of her houses. However, due to her unique situation, we have created a new house for her; the Headmaster's House. I trust that you will all let her feel welcome in her new home here at Hogwarts. Welcome to Hogwarts, Maria LeCleu."
There was applause from all the tables as Maria stood up. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Many of the boys stared more openly at her now. She flushed a deeper red and quickly sat down.
"Well I think that is all of the things of importance," Dumbledore said. "Let the feast begin!"
And within seconds each table was filled with food. Soon, the students forgot about Maria sitting at the head table as their hunger took over. Maria looked beside her to see the Headmaster conversing with Professor McGonagall. She filled up her plate and looked to her left at Professor Snape.
He was sitting quite stiffly as to be sat between Lupin and a student, so when Maria meekly said, "Professor Snape, I presume." He nearly jumped out of shock.
"Yes," came his drawl.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but you teach potions, right? It's one of my favorite subjects you see," Maria said earnestly, desperate not to sit through an entire feast in silence. Snape grumbled something about annoying students, but Maria pressed on.
"I read ahead in the book, and I saw some, what I would call mistakes in some of the potions. Surely, you noticed them too."
His interest peaked, Professor Snape replied, "And what mistakes were these?"
"Well, isn't it obvious that when making a shrinking solution you ought to shake the figs before adding them to a potion, to decrease the potency of the fig? Also won't just three drops of leech juice suffice?" Maria asked.
"It seems as though one student knows their way around a cauldron," Professor Snape smirked. The two continued to debate potions and properties over the rest of the feast.
"You know, not many people have been known to make long conversations with Professor Snape," Professor Lupin told Maria when they exited the Great Hall.
"Really? He has some great insights on potion making. It really is interesting to talk to a Potion's Master," Maria said.
Maria wandered through the halls before finding the gargoyle the Headmaster's tower. She had no clue what to do from there, so she waited for Professor Dumbledore.
"Ah, Miss LeCleu," The headmaster greeted. "What can I help you with?"
"It seems, sir, despite you giving me passwords to the other houses, you forgot to give me my own," Maria said with a smile.
"It appears so," Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "For now, the password is 'Maria LeCleu' but if you would wish to change it, say the previous password and your new one. Goodnight Maria."
"Goodnight sir," Maria replied, and with that Professor Dumbledore was up the staircase.
"Hm, password," Maria thought. "Oh, I know!
"Maria LeCleu, Quiberon Quafflepunchers," she said to the gargoyle which started to spin slowly upwards, past what she assumed was the headmaster's office and residence before stopping at a door about four stories up.
Opening the door, Maria entered a living room with a fireplace with a couch and a couple chairs by it. Off to one side was a large desk with a chair. She walked across the room to another door. In it was a large four poster bed with her trunk in front of it. Through the other door, she assumed there was a bathroom. Maria wrote a letter to her mother explaining her sorting more before heading to bed, more tired than she had been in years.
French to English Phrases:
être con comme un balai: as dumb as a broom/idiotic
ma bichette: my little dear/my darling
mère/maman: mother/mom
je t'aime: I love you
au revoir: goodbye
vous faites un fromage entier à ce sujet : you're making a whole cheese about it/you're making a fuss about it
l'habit ne fait pas le moine: you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover
Il ne faut pas mettre tout dans l'même sac: do not put everything in the same bag/you can't just group it all into the same category