Disclaimer: HP characters not mine, Mia and Skye are mine. It's starting out slow, but I hope the feedback is just as positive as the first chapter. Please comment!
Harry ducked out of the common room following the first years that had frightfully exited as his two best friends continued their shouting match. Counting calmly to 10, he smiled to himself as he saw the fat lady's portrait swing open to reveal his two best friends. He watched as they climbed out of the portrait hole separately, unspoken words hanging in the air between them.
"New love." Harry muttered under his breath.
Hermione threw a dirty look in his direction as the trio began walking in complete silence. Impatient, Harry began whistling a love song made popular by the Charmed Sisters—which he had lovingly dubbed their theme song. The couple stopped short in their tracks and glared at him separately.
"Go on." Harry said gesturing for them to finish what they had started.
He tuned them out as he moved down the hall and observed a tapestry that hung on the wall. It felt good to finally be back at school, back where he felt most at home. His fifth year had been a roller coaster ride that had ended in tragedy, but his sixth year began with a renewed hope because Dumbledore was back at Hogwarts. The months away from Hogwarts had allowed Harry to mourn the loss of his godfather, and had allowed him to grow into a hardened young man. Harry turned and watched as his two best friends, also a product of the summer months away from Hogwarts made up, or shall we say made out. Turning his back to them, assuming they would appreciate the privacy, he continued to walk down the corridor. As he turned the corner, his eyes lit up as he spotted Hogwarts' gamekeeper.
"Hagrid!" Harry called as he jogged towards him.
"Harry!" Hagrid greeted with enthusiasm.
As Harry approached Hagrid he noticed that the gamekeeper had been escorting a girl he didn't recognize. So, he thought, she must have been the reason the beloved half-giant had gone missing.
"Welcome back!" Harry said genuinely happy to see his good friend.
"Thank yeh Harry," Hagrid said slapping Harry on the back knocking the wind out of him.
Mia watched as she saw the poor guy try to catch his breath.
"This here is Mia," Hagrid said introducing the girl at his side.
Harry stretched his hand out to shake hers but dropped it as soon as they made contact. The shock left his fingers tingling as he shoved them deep into his pockets.
"Where are the other two?" Hagrid asked oblivious.
As he finished the question, Ron and Hermione rounded the corner hand in hand. Seeing Hagrid, they rushed over to welcome him back to the place he loved the most.
Hagrid raised his eyebrows at Harry who nodded confirming his thoughts. Laughing, Hagrid scooped the two unsuspecting teens up in a bear hug.
"It's about time for the two of yeh!" Hagrid said excitedly.
Harry watched the reunion with smiling eyes. Glancing past the excited threesome, he saw Mia standing to the side looking on uncomfortably. He side-stepped and stood next to her shuffling his feet and clearing his throat, the summer had allowed him to grow into his height, but had not helped him at all in the girl department. Mia tilted her head up and watched him curiously wondering why he was so nervous.
"How was erm…how was—"
"Mia!" Hagrid boomed, "Hermione and Ron meet Mia."
"Nice to meet you," Hermione greeted with a warm smile and an outstretched hand.
Mia took her hand cautiously wondering whether all their handshakes would shock her, but was surprised when the firm grip was nothing but a friendly handshake.
"You too," Mia said nodding
Taking the redhead's hand, she shook it and nodded to her new acquaintances.
"Well, we have to be on with official business," Hagrid said puffing his chest with pride as he beamed down at them.
"Well Hagrid, it was wonderful to see you," Hermione said smiling up at the half-giant, and then turned, flashing her warm smile to Mia, "Welcome to Hogwarts."
"Thanks." Mia said managing a half-smile and another nod of acknowledgement before turning her back and following Hagrid down the hall.
The trio watched as the unlikely pair disappeared around the corner.
"Well," Ron said as he eased his arm around Hermione's shoulders, "I wonder what her story is."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well," Ron said shrugging, "she's clearly not a first year."
"That's strange," Hermione said as she leaned into him, "do you think this is her first time around magic?"
"Well," Ron said as they began walking, "whatever it is, we know that our good friend Harry has been struck speechless by her beauty."
Harry reached over Hermione and gave his best friend a firm tap upside the head, "Well I'm glad that the two of you are getting on so well."
Their laughter echoed down the halls as they rounded the corner.
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Mia shifted uncomfortably as she watched the heavy door close behind Hagrid. Looking forward, she was reluctant to meet the intense pair of blue eyes that were trained at her.
"Amelia—"
"Mia. Please professor." She interrupted her blue eyes finally looking up from her fiddling hands.
"Very well, Mia, I would like to officially welcome you to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a little welcome present," He waved his wand and a handsome black and white cat popped into her unsuspecting lap.
"What's his name?" She asked as she stroked him lovingly.
"His name is Ace."
"Ace." She whispered as she nuzzled the purring cat's black fur against her cheek.
"Thank you." She said looking up at the man behind the desk.
"Hagrid revealed that you did not pick up a pet while in Diagon Alley, and I saw an opportunity. Would you like a chocolate frog?" He asked his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.
Mia shook her head and felt her body relax into the plush arm chair.
"The wizarding world is obviously different than the muggle world, but I trust that you will learn to adjust. Do you have your wand?"
"Yes." Mia pulled the long slightly bent piece of wood from her side. She had been told after more than a dozen tries that it was the one for her when it had shivered in her hand and spewed red and blue sparks like fireworks.
"Very good." Dumbledore nodded, "Do you have any questions? I will do my best to answer them."
"Yes," Mia straightened as she allowed Ace to jump off her lap. Taking a deep breath, she asked the question that had been bouncing around in her head since she had received the letter, "Why am I here?"
"Because you are a witch," The headmaster replied simply.
"Why am I so late?" Mia asked earnestly, "Why didn't my letter come when everyone else's did?"
"That," Dumbledore said his eyes flashing, "was a matter of miss-communication. But as they say, better late than never."
"I don't have the abilities I'm supposed to have."
"No," Dumbledore said patiently, "but you will learn them."
"But all of the other kids have been living in this…" Mia looked around the room filled with numerous foreign objects, "world for all their lives. I've just entered it."
"Yes," Dumbledore agreed his expression serious, "you are new to the wizarding world, but you must remember that you are a witch, and you were always a witch, even while you were living in the muggle world. You are here because you have abilities and I am here to help you develop them. You will," he said meeting her eyes, "learn from the beginning with the help of your professors and extra tutors I will assign to you."
Mia closed her eyes for a second letting everything he had said wash over her. Dumbledore sat silently as she rubbed a pendant around her neck and then opened her eyes. The expression on her face was one of acceptance.
"Feel free to ask more questions," Dumbledore prompted as he settled back into his chair.
"No more questions," she replied.
"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, "we only have one more thing before I send you on your way."
He summoned the sorting hat to his desk with a flick of his wand.
"Put it on," he gestured to the floating hat.
"This?" Mia asked incredulously plucking it out of the air.
"Yes," Dumbledore nodded the twinkle of amusement back in his blue eyes, "it is the Sorting Hat."
"All…," Mia began hesitantly bringing the hat closer, "right."
As she lowered the hat unto her messy head of curls, she yelped and yanked it off. Turning red, she held it at arms length, as far away from herself as possible.
"It's talking!" She exclaimed.
The headmaster nodded, his eyes twinkling. Mia decided to try it again remembering what Hagrid had said to her earlier, she had magic now.
"I have magic now I have magic now I have magic now" Mia thought running the expression through her head like a mantra.
"Yes you do," the hat said in reply making Mia jump. It took all her self control not to yank the hat off her head and fling it across the room.
"New to magic, I see."
Mia quieted her thoughts to listen to the hat's voice in her head.
"Fiercely loyal….hhmmm interesting," the hat said thoughtfully, "very interesting….heartbreak….time heals all things….there is clearly one place and it's GRYFFINDOR!"
Mia slowly removed the hat when a knock was heard at the door. Dumbledore called for the visitor to enter. The door creaked open and a girl with long blonde hair entered the office.
"Professor Dumbledore you wanted to see me?" the girl asked approaching his desk.
Dumbledore rose and gestured for Mia to do the same.
"Skye, I would like to introduce you to Mia."
Mia shook her thoughts away and took the hand that was offered to her.
"Nice to meet you," Skye said flashing two identical dimples.
"You too," Mia replied as they shook hands.
"Skye I would like for you to take Mia to the prefects' dormitories where she will be staying with you."
Skye grinned as they bid good night to the headmaster and exited his office.
"You're the other new one aren't you?" she asked excitedly.
"Excuse me?" Mia shot the grinning face a questioning look.
"Well I'm new here as well; I transferred from Phillips Exeter in Scotland because my parents felt Hogwarts was a safer place with Dumbledore being here and all. Where did you transfer from?"
"I'm completely new," Mia replied as she held Ace against her chest.
"What do you mean?" Skye's green eyes scanned her new roommate's face.
"I mean I've never been around magic before."
"No," Skye said disbelievingly, "you you're some sort of magic virgin?"
Mia nodded, amusement lightening her serious blue eyes, "Yeah I guess I am."
They stopped in front of a portrait depicting a young lady in emerald dress robes looking extremely bored.
"Password?" She said yawning.
Mia almost dropped Guy as the portrait began eyeing her with disdain.
"Its…" she gulped, "It's moving.
"Password is Merlin's Robes," Skye said laughing, to the portrait, she whispered, "Magic Virgin."
Skye climbed into the portrait hole after Mia and guided her up the stairs and down a corridor. Stopping at the last door on the right, she looked over at Mia.
"Do you snore?"
"No!" Mia retorted.
"Good because I do and it would be terrible if both of us snored."
Skye opened the door and nudged Mia into the spacious room. Lowering Ace to the floor she moved to the window and played with her necklace.
"It's great isn't it?" Skye asked from her bed.
"It is," Mia replied.