The next day Charlotte woke up to hustle a bustle of the house coming alive again. She had many 'sisters' back at the orphanage but everything they did was always on a schedule. Woke up at six, having forty-five minutes to shower, get dressed and get ready for the day before breakfast at six-forty-five. While at breakfast, which was held in a dim lighted room, speaking was discouraged. Mrs. Montague would read some announcements, and by seven-fifteen everyone would be out the door headed to the local church for school.
At the Weasley's' it was completely different. There was yelling, and laughter, and other noises such as banging of pots and pans. Charlotte hadn't forgotten that this was the first day of school. A small, red headed, boy opened her door. "Aren't you coming to eat? If you don't hurry all the black pudding will be gone."
"Too late!" Fred yelled up.
The youngest Weasley groaned and ran down the stairs leaving Charlotte in her room. "That's not fair! Mum said you couldn't have more until everyone had some."
"You're mad if you think we'd save some for you Ronnie." George laughed as he put a spoonful of the black pudding in his mouth.
"Enough bickering, I've made enough for everyone." Mrs. Weasley waved her wand towards their refrigerator and another bowl of black pudding started to float towards them.
Charlotte had just come downstairs and found a seat between the twins, seeing the bowl gently land on the table was fascinating to her.
"Oh good, you're up." Mrs. Weasley smiled towards her as she fixed her plate, piling on eggs, black pudding, and ham. "Eat up, it's going to be a long day."
"Thank you." Charlotte smiled and began to eat.
After breakfast everyone got dressed in their Hogwarts school uniform, the boys with their black slacks and white top, Charlotte with a grey pleated skirt, white blouse. They all packed up their things and made their way to the infamous platform. It was odd to Charlotte that no one questioned them on the carts they were pushing around. Everyone, excluding her, had an owl or animal. Each of them had at least three large cases of luggage, and books. Not one person gave them a weird look, it was as if they were invisible. Once they got to Plat form nine they all stopped. "Alright, Charlie go first sweetheart."
Charlie nodded and positioned himself between platform nine and ten. He then pushed his cart and began to run towards the brick wall. The moment the cart hit the wall he continued through and disappeared. Charlotte's eyes widened when this happened, she quickly looked around to make sure no one else saw what she had just witnessed. One by one they through the wall until it was just Fred, Gorge, Mrs. Weasley and Charlotte left. "Alright George go ahead."
"Do you even know which one of us is George?"
"Honestly, there is no time for this George just go." Mrs. Weasley scolded him.
"I'm not Gorge, I'm Fred. Not like you care."
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Of course I care, I care more that you three make on the train more though. Now go!"
"I'm just messing with you, I am George." He smiled and went through the wall. Soon after Fred joined him on the other side.
"Okay no you're turn sweetheart."
Charlotte took a deep breath. "Mrs. Weasley…how come no one is staring at us?"
"Oh well, muggles never really are aware of what is going on. Now, I'd take a running start if you're scared."
Charlotte nodded and she stepped a few feet away from the wall and took a deep breathe in and exhaled as she ran towards the wall. When she came out on the other side, she gasped at just all the people with carts. She saw the locomotive sitting there, the steam coming out, the front of the train read "Hogwarts Express."
"Come on, you're going to miss the train." Charlie called out. "There is no other way to get to Hogwarts as a student." He led her to a man that took care of the luggage and then they stepped on to the train making their way down each cart. "I'm going to go sit with my friends, but you can stay with Fred and George. Just don't get into trouble." Charlie left and disappeared into a different cart.
Charlotte opened the door to the cart the twins were in and smiled. "This is amazing." She sat down next to the window and observed all the parents waving to their children. A few of the new parents were crying. In that moment she wondered what it would have been like if her mother and father were out there seeing off.
A couple of hours went by, the three of them had talked about everything. She asked about magical things and in turn they asked about non-magical things. "So, you mean to tell me that people write letters, stick them into a metal box, then some stranger picks it up at a certain time of day and send it the person addressed in the letter?" George looked confused.
Charlotte nodded. "Well…actually the postal man, or woman, take the letter to larger building and then from there it's sorted and then sent out to a person…actually I'm not really sure the details on how they sort letters. We don't have owls to do that though."
Fred raised an eyebrow for a moment and then shook his head. "It sounds like a lot of wasted time to me. By the time the letter comes I'd be dead. And what if I want to meet them some place? The event will probably be over."
"Well…it doesn't take quite that long and if you wanted to meet up with a friend then you'd just call them of the telephone." Charlotte found it so strange that the boys hadn't heard of something as simple as writing a letter, but they also found it odd that she never used an owl ether.
Just then someone came around with a cart filled to the brim with snacks. "Snacks? Anyone want a snack?" George nudged Fred who gave him a weird look but when George nodded towards the cart a sly smile crept on to Fred's face.
"Yes! I'd like to buy a few things." George called out of the cart. "Can I have a box of chocolate frogs, and Bertie Bott's?" He gave the person the money and in turn he received the candy and sat back down in his cart with a large grin on his face. "Since we can't try and muggle food, the least you can do is try some of the best candy there is."
"Okay, I like candy. What did you get exactly?"
George first gave her a chocolate frog. "Careful with this one…it's known to be a bit wiggly."
Charlotte had no idea what he was talking about, but she took the small package that had read 'chocolate frogs.' "I love chocolate." When she opened it she let out a scream as the chocolate frog hopped onto her chest and then on the floor.
"Catch it! You're going to let it go to waste." Fred yelled, but the tone in his voice was filled with amusement.
"No way! I'm not eating a frog!"
George managed to scoop the frog into his hands and captured it. "It's not really a frog, it's enchanted. See." With that he stuffed the frog into his mouth and gave a good couple of chomps before swallowing it. "Delicious really."
Charlotte looked at him with disgust. "What about those? They're not enchanted are they?"
George looked down at the beans and smiled again. "Oh no, they're not enchanted at all. Here, try one, promise it won't move this time." He handed her a yellow bean that seemed innocent enough.
Charlotte examined the bean, made sure it wasn't alive in any way. She gave the twins a long look before she placed it in her mouth. The moment she bit down into the candy her face scrunched up, her mouth fell open as the bean sat on her tongue. "What the bloody hell did you give me?"
George looked at the package and turned it over to the back side. "Well, I gave you a lemon bean or troll's earwax…and by the look on your face its earwax."
She bent over a small trash bin and spat out the remainder of the candy. "You two are the absolute worst."
"Hey, I didn't give you anything." Fred protested.
"You didn't warn me ether."
Fred laughed. "But where's the fun in that?"
Charlotte had to admit that this was certainly funny, even if it was at her expense. "Fine, but one day I'm going to give you some candy corn."
George already looked disgusted. "Candied corn? Why on earth do muggles make vegetables candy?"
"I could ask the same thing about eat wax!"
For the rest of the trip the three of them joked around, and continued to ask questions about the two worlds. After an hour the train finally came to a stop. "I guess we're here." Fred stood up and followed the crowd outside, having his brother and charlotte tag behind him.
When they got off the train they were greeted by a large man with a very bushy beard. "Glad you all made it, my name is Hagrid I'm the gamekeeper here at Hogwarts. Now, follow me and don't wander…you never know what may be lurking in the shadows." With that being said he walked on down a path. Everyone fallowed, a few of the upperclassmen found their friends and chatted about summer. As they approached Hogwarts there were gasps coming from all the first years. Fred, George and Charlotte were no exceptions.
"This…is Hogwarts?" Charlotte asked in a whisper.
In unison the boys nodded their heads, but they were equally as impressed. "It's were we'll be for the next seven years." Fred finally spoke.
The three of them gulped and continued their way towards the castle. Upon entering the elegant yet mysterious building they were bombarded with magic. Ghosts floating by, greeting a few of the upperclassmen. They were all escorted down a few hallways and into a large room filled with tables. On the tables laid a beautiful pile of food. More food than most have even seen in their lives. The aroma was welcoming, the room smelled of pastries, meats, and over all warmth.
"Now then, all first years follow me, stay in a nice line please." An older woman, with her hair up in a bun and a hat upon her head and a green cloak around her shoulders, spoke up. "As for all returning students, please find your table and wait until it is time to eat."
With that the woman walked the first years down the aisle and had them lined up in front of a stool, many adult who were probably teachers, and an old ratty hat.
"My name, is Professor Mcgonagall. I am the head of Gryffindor house as well as your soon to be transfiguration professor. Now, before we can start we must get one thing out of the way and that is the sorting hat. I shall call you up one at a time, place the hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house. First up, Annabell Aarlove."
A small blonde hair girl walked up to the stool. As the professor pick the hat up, she sat down and looked up as the hat was being placed on her head. When the hat spoke she, and the other first years, jumped slightly. They hadn't been expecting a talking hat.
"Hmm, I see…yes you'll be perfect. HUFFLEPUFF!" There was a cheer from the Hufflepuff table as Annabell got off the stool and walked toward the cheering where they welcomed her with open arms.
The professor continued to call names out in alphabetical order. Soon Charlotte heard her name. Her heart began to pound against her chest. Her breathing became short and heavy and she couldn't seem to get her legs to move.
"You'll be fine." George whispered in her ear and gave her a gentle push.
As she approached the stood and sat down, she was able to see just how many students there were and the very obvious division of houses, recalling what the twins had said the night before and how most houses stick to themselves. As the hat was placed on her head she could hear a voice in her mind, the same voice that had spoken when assigning houses.
"My oh my. You're very interesting. Very interesting indeed. Yes…I've sorted someone like you, almost exactly and they turned out to be rather…dangerous. Where to put you…where indeed."
"Please…Gryffindor."
"So you want to be in Gryffindor, but instincts are saying Slytherin…and I'm hardly ever wrong about my instincts." Charlotte didn't realize that there was absolute silence in the dining hall, she also didn't realize that it had been ten minutes since the hat was place on her head. The two of them went back and forth in her mind. He deciding on which house, and her begging to be put in the house she knew Fred and George would be placed in. Finally on the eleventh minute the hat had decided. "You shall be put in Slytherin!"
There were cheers coming from the Slytherin house, and Charlotte got up from the stool and walked towards the table. She passed the twins and gave them a miserable look. Once she had found a seat she was forced to watch everyone else get placed and when the twins were placed, in Gryffindor no less, she felt as if she would burst into tears right there and then. The dinner proceeded as usual, Dumbledore introduced a few new professors, warned about the forbidden forest and welcomed the new the student hoping their first year would be a year of great growth.
Once dinner was over the Prefects of each house lead the students to their respected common room. Charlotte followed her house while Fred and George followed Gryffindor. As the Slytherin's made their way to their common room they made many turns, and loops around the building. Finally they had reached the entrance to the common room, which was located behind a stone wall in the dungeon. The head boy cleared his throat. "Snape is always watching." With that large doors appeared out of thin air and opened.
The same boy then walked in and turned around to face everyone. "For those who are new, this is the slytherin common room. Boy's dormitories are on the left and girls on the right. If you're thinking of meeting up with your boyfriend or girlfriend don't bother doing it here unless it's in the common room. No boys will enter the girls' dorms and vice versa. You have two hours before lights are out."
From there everyone disbanded, some sat in the chairs by the fire place, a few left the common room area to steal food, or explore. Charlotte stood in the middle of the room staring at the décor. The window had a slight tinge of green, and she was pretty sure she saw a creature go by. There were a few desks scattered about and a fireplace. For a dim place it was oddly welcoming.
"You're new aren't you?" A tall boy bent down and whispered in her ear, causing her to jump. "Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you. My name is Vincent Lucian."
Charlotte turned to look at the boy speaking. She noticed right away that he was incredibly handsome and older than her. His brown hair was combed to one side ever so neatly. His height, if she had to guess was about 6 foot. She became lost in his green eyes, and devilish smirk. Once she realized that she had been staring at him, and hadn't said anything she felt her face become flush. "I'm sorry…yes I'm new…and I'm…my name is Charlotte…. Greum"
"Charlotte, that's a very pretty name." He stood up straight and looked around. Vincent had taken a liking to her. It wasn't every day that the sorting hat took so long on deciding where to put someone. "This is my second year here and I love it."
She smiled, surprised that there was a friendly face in this house, since the twins had told her that Slytherin's were the most stuck up house of all. "I'm glad you like it here, it gives me hope." She chuckled.
"Well, I have to get going. If you need any help don't ask a Slytherin, they won't do a damn thing for you." He looked down at him. "But…if you ask me, I'll consider helping." He winked and turned on his feet and left in a hurry.
The feeling that Charlotte was experiencing was difficult to explain. She had butterflies inside her stomach, and her face felt warm. "Perhaps this won't be a horrible house." She thought to herself. Making her way to the girl's dorm room; she spoke the password that had been given to her on a piece of paper and walked into another room filled with beds. Once she found hers she laid changed into her pajamas and laid down falling asleep instantly.
The next day came very quickly, and everyone in the school came to the dining hall once more and ate breakfast. Like the Weasley house, it was loud. Everyone was talking over one another, eating and laughing. All in all the students were having a good time. Charlotte sat down between two girls who she had somewhat befriended, talked to them and got to know a little about each other. However, she continued to steal glances towards Fred and George.
"Who do you keep looking at Charlotte?" A girl with blonde hair asked in a high pitch voice. She didn't like this girl but she needed friends in the house at least.
"No one."
Another girl, a less annoying one, nudged Charlotte on the side. "You're looking at those boys at the Gryffindor table aren't you? What do you have crush on them?" This girl with unruly black hair giggled.
"A crush? No! They're my friends."
The blonde hair girl looked at Charlotte in disgust. "Friends? You're friends with Gryffindor people? Why?"
Charlotte had enough, she was told by the boys that Slytherin's were bad, and now she was being told more or less that Gryffindor people were somehow lesser. "So what if they're in Gryffindor?"
"So what? We don't talk to them let alone befriend them unless you want to be ridiculed." The blonde haired girl whined.
"Why don't we talk to them? Is it a rule?"
The black hair girl shrugged. "No, but that's just how it has always been. My sister told me that she wanted to date someone from their house and when got to our common room area she was locked out. They changed the password and never told her, not until she promised to stay away from him."
Charlotte couldn't believe what she was hearing. "That's a load of a shit. There is no way that would happen."
"You know Charlotte, if you want to commit social suicide then by all means go ahead, just don't cry when the whole house hates you." The two girls got up and left to go to their classes.
Charlotte waited until they had left and she too went on her way to her first class. "Alright…where is…broom flight class?" she asked herself as she stood in the middle of a hallway.
Vincent had been in ear shot and he bent down to her ear once more. "Down the corridor, to your left out, in the field." He spent all of three seconds with her before continuing on his way.
"That boy is going to give me a heart attack…at least he was nice and did help me." She smiled to herself and made her way outside where she saw a line of brooms on the ground and a few of her house mates and other people from other houses, including Fred and George. Luckily there was a broom between them and she managed to take the spot.
"Oh look Fred, our friend the Slytherin." He looked down at her.
"Be careful George you don't want to be hexed by her."
"Very funny you two, you seriously aren't going to ignore because of the house I was put in are you?" Charlotte pouted. She was actually frightened that they would do just that.
"You know we're only joking. We were you're friends before the sorting and we'll be friends until we aren't." Fred nudged her.
She smiled, relieved. "Good because I was going to put a curse on you if you answered differently."
"Please, you can hardly handle a chocolate frog let alone a curse." George snickered.
"Alright everyone! Welcome to your first day of Broom Flight Class. My names is Madam Hooch, I will be your instructor for the remainder the year and you will listen very carefully to all direction if you wish for your bones to remain intact. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Madam Hooch." The class of fourteen chanted in unison.
Madam Hooch nodded her head once in agreement and smiled. "Very good. Now everyone move to the left side of your brooms, place your right hand over the broom and with a very stern voice command your broom into your hand by saying up." She walked up and down the row of students watching as one by one they all commanded their brooms in to their hands, or attempted to.
Charlotte had been able to get it on the first try. She looked over at George sticking her tongue out. "Still don't believe I can curse you?"
George had tried several times but all he got was the broom to wobble on the ground. "Shut it." He was clearly irate.
"Come on George, we're twins I got mine on the second try…this is just embarrassing for me now." Fred decided to join Charlotte in poking fun at his brother.
"You shut it too Fred or I'll put itching powder in your bed tonight." Finally the broom had gone up into George's hand and he sighed in relief. "For a second I thought I wasn't going to get it."
Madam Hooch was pleased at the overall success, this was a good batch for possible quidditch players. "Now, mount your broom, hold tightly onto the shaft and on the count of three kick off the ground and hover in the air. One…Two…Three!"
The three of them seemed to be able to get off the ground just fine. Fred looked down at his dangling feet. "You know, tomorrow I'm thinking of trying out for the quidditch team."
"You just learned how to fly." Fred yelled over towards him. "But if you're going then I'm going too."
"What is quidditch?" Charlotte was confused once more with their magical talk. However, she felt very comfortable on broom stick, oddly.
"Only the best game ever! It's difficult to explain but you just fly around and try to get points, or knock someone off their broom, or get the golden snitch to win the game." Fred did his best to explain in a short amount of time. Madam Hooch had ended class and the three of them made their way back into the castle.
"You should try out too, not many first years make the team but you never know maybe you'll be a natural." George said as he walked on one side of her.
As the day went on Charlotte was glad that they had all the same classes at the same time. Even though they were going to live in separate houses, they'd still see one another in class and even sat next to each other, except in potions where Professor Snape clearly dived the room. Everyone had a little break for lunch and the trio decided to skip and wander around the castle.
"Professor Flitwick sure is odd don't you think, or at least that's what I heard." Fred asked the two of them.
"I'm sure he's perfectly normal." Charlotte shrugged. "But I guess we'll see." The three of them walked into music together and joined the class. Her eyes fell upon Vincent, who had been standing in the back room of people. She adverted her eyes quickly and joined the rest of the students.
A small man with glasses and a moustache walked in the room wearing a suit. "Good morning class, for those of you who do not know me. I'm Professor Flitwick your Charms teacher. I also am head teacher for the choir here at Hogwarts for anyone interested. Now, I'm sure you've noticed that this class is large, and mixed with first years and second years, this situation will last for only a week, and I have some business during the second year slot. Please try to do your best in this situation."
The class continued on with a few charms, Flitwick would show the first years a few charms and while the practiced he showed the second years a more suited charm for their level. Fred and George were bored and decided they wanted a little fun. They had managed to get a batch of fire cracked on Flitwick's chair without being noticed, since it was a big class it wasn't hard to go unnoticed. It was merely only a waiting game.
When the professor grew tired of standing he waddled to his seat and sat only to scream and jump out of his chair, his pants singed by the fire crackers. "Alrgiht! Who is responsible for this!" The class stayed silent. Fred raised his hand. "Mr. Weasley, how disappointing. Your older brothers would never pull something like this."
"Oh, no sir it wasn't me…I saw Charlotte sneak those fire crackers onto your chair. I just didn't know what they were."
Charlotte turned her head towards him and glared.
"Miss. Greum you did this?"
"No sir, it wasn't me."
"It was professor, I saw her do it too." George decided to play along.
Since this was their first year they hadn't gotten a reputation yet, and their older brothers were always well behaved.
"Well Miss. Greum, Lucky for you I'm very busy and detention isn't possible."
Charlotte let out a breath of relief.
"However, you may join me and your other classmates in the choice club, every Tuesday at six in the morning."
She could feel her jaw drop. "Six…in the morning?"
"Unless you'd like me to bring this matter up with Professor Snape." It was painfully obvious that Flitwick was very angry.
"No sir, see you at six. "Charlotte sighed.
With that class ended and everyone walked out. Charlotte punched boys in the side rather hard. "You two are the worst people ever."
They groaned. "Sorry Charlotte, but we had to. We're planning on something even bigger and we just needed to test the waters."
"Test the waters?! I have to wake up at six in the morning every day to go sing! You're just testing the waters." She hit them again this time in the arm.
"Look, it'll be okay. How about we sneak you some food every Tuesday then?" Fred asked as he rubbed his shoulder.
"You're very strong…kind of scary." George rubbed his shoulder as well.
"Food won't make me forgive you…But it'll help." She smiled. "Do something like that again and I'll do worse than fire crackers."
"Charlotte." A deep voice called out to her. When she turned around she saw Vincent walking towards her. "What you did could have cost us points." He looked at Fred and George and sneered. "And why are you two still here…go on this is a Slytherin matter."
The two of them looked at Charlotte. "Good luck." They left heading towards their common room.
"Vincent it wasn't me honestly."
"I know, I was watching. That's why you shouldn't be friends with those two."
"Fred and George? They were only messing around. They meant no harm."
Vincent looked into her eyes, his once deep green eyes turned into a stern, sharp glare. "Don't hang out with them. They're no good. "
Charlotte was slightly afraid of him, she didn't know why he was so admit about the situation but she didn't want to ruin their friendship. "Let's just go to the dining hall, it's time for supper."
His glare had softened and he seemed like he was back to normal. "Yes, I'm starving." He walked with her and they joined the housemates for dinner, and then went back to their rooms and the first official day was over, and it was already filled with drama.
A/n: I could write forever, but chapters! Anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it so far. I'm trying to set a goal for myself to put a story out once a week. If I get more than yay! Anyway if you'd like please review! Thank you!