Day Two
Amanda and Hermione were the first ones up the next morning. Amanda beat Hermione to the showers and got a five-minute, super fast shower. After that she applied some make-up and put on her clean robes. She then gathered the stray books that had been in a messy pile on the left side of her bed and organized them into her satchel. By the time she had started making up her bed Hermione was then doing the same. Just as the pair headed towards the common room their other roommates were just waking up.
"So Amanda, how do you like Hogwarts so far?" Hermione asked as she and Amanda sat on the couch that was placed in front of the fireplace.
"I like it, but I don't understand the hostility of our house and Slytherin. At Salem all the houses always got along.
"Well, I don't quite understand it myself.."
"Hold it; stop the presses. Hermione Granger doesn't understand something?" a voice said from behind the two girls. It was Harry and Ron. Ron couldn't stop laughing.
"Oh, honestly, Ron. Amanda, the only thing I can think of that makes the houses hostile is all the students, just about, that have ever been sorted into Slytherin graduated and then soon after became a Death Eater." Hermione finished while shaking her head sadly.
"It's time for breakfast, let's go on." Harry said to break the awkward silence.
The four gathered their books and headed to the Great Hall. "I'm nervous about this tournament. There is no telling who will come from my own school. I also remember what I read in the Daily Profit (?) about the last time it was played here. I might enter though if the age limit is right" Amanda said as they walked.
"That may not be a good idea." Hermione said
"I was thinking I could use this tournament as a training of sorts. I have a sinking feeling the time is about right for a battle of evil and light." Amanda replied. The rest of the walk to breakfast was silent as the four sixth years took in Amanda's revelation.
Classes were uneventful. Amanda got the creature for the Care of Magical Creatures from Pansy to do her part of the project done on time after dinner. When she got back to Gryffindor tower Amanda transfigured an old muggle flashlight into a cage to keep the creature in so it wouldn't get any ideas.
As everyone else fell asleep, Amanda opened her trunk, pulled out a leather-bound book that had Amanda's Journal in gold on its cover. She began to pour out all her day's worries, frustrations, ect on an elegant off white, blank page.
Dear Journal,
Today was my second day at Hogwarts. Oh, I wish you could see journal; this place is magnificent! The anniversary is coming up. I wish there wasn't an anniversary though. Father should be with us instead of God-knows-where. Oh, father where are you. Grandma always tells me not to give up. There is nothing that shows that he is dead, we would have found a body or something after ten years of looking; so no one really thinks he is dead. However, there is nothing that shows he's alive either. Curse Voldemort and his new ally, Angel for all the pain they have caused in their life times. Well, that's enough brooding for now; I'm ready to write something positive among the many tragedies and pain that plagues this world. I have met someone, Journal. He doesn't know of my new feelings. I know I might be rushing into this new crush a bit fast, but there is something about him that makes me…I don't know how to describe it. It makes me happy to see him happy, it upsets me when he is upset and well you get the picture. I suppose I should go to sleep. Until tomorrow.
Amanda Hailey Mitchell
With her entry finished, the sixteen-year-old girl tucked her precious journal, the only thing that Amanda always could confide in when no one else couldn't or wouldn't listen, back into its place in her trunk at the foot of her bed then proceeded to lock up her trunk and she hid the key in her night stand drawer. Felling quite pleased with getting all that off her chest Amanda quickly fell asleep.