A/N: This has a lot of description but I really like writing this story so it's staying that way. I hope you like it, I don't think I need to warn you about anything…no spoilers, no smut, not even any snogging! Lol. Anyways, I hope you like it.
The Sorting Aftermath:
"I think I shall place you, Elizabeth Moon in…" many held their breaths as the hat took a pause for a dramatic affect…stupid hat. "Actually…I think I will choose not to sort you. You shall not join any of the four houses so you can serve your purpose best!" With that the hat became limp and lifeless, until the next year rolled around.
Many gasped, this had never happened in Hogwarts history! The hat was refusing to sort her into a house! It was unheard of! It had also said something about serving a purpose but everyone, except an intelligent Headmaster that is, shoved that aside and continued to gape at the young woman who was still sitting on the stool even though the shocked McGonagall had removed the hat.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and for the first time that night the chatter did not stop. Hermione was going on about everything she had ever known about Hogwarts history and many others were talking as well, completely ignoring the Headmaster. "Ron, can you kiss her or something? Don't make all of us suffer!" Harry spoke loudly so the redhead could hear about the growing noise.
Ron nodded and covered the girl's mouth with his. She fought for a few moments but then got caught up in the passionate kiss and decided that she could torture the two later with history notes. Throughout all of this, Albus smiled encouraging to Elizabeth to come and stand next to him. She complied and walked slowly to the podium, whispering an apology for everything to the Headmaster.
The man smiled lightly and patted her on the shoulder, "no need to apologize my dear, your appearance may be more important in the end than even I can guess so do not fear to do what your instincts command." She nodded and the Headmaster lifted his head to look over his students. Only two pairs of eyes had followed the girl's movements the whole time and when he saw steely-gray eyes and emerald-green ones staring intently at Elizabeth, Dumbledore's suspicions of, or at least some of them about Ms. Moon's appearance and 'purpose' as the hat put it became clear. This would be a very interesting year…
After Ron had gotten Hermione distracted from twittering on about history, Harry's eyes had sought out Elizabeth. He easily found her standing next to Dumbledore muttering something to the old man. He was close enough to the teacher's table to see the confusion in her blue/gray eyes. 'What was that hat on about when it was saying 'purpose'? Was there a reason she was here? She doesn't seem to know anything about it…' Harry noticed Dumbledore looking across the hall and stopping briefly on Harry and then his eyes skirting across the hall to stop on someone else.
Looking across the hall, following Dumbledore's eye line, his eyes came to rest on Draco Malfoy… 'Stupid prat'. He was staring at Elizabeth with no shame. Why was he staring at her like that? She was a muggle, he should have his nose turned up in disgust at the mere thought but Malfoy didn't, he wasn't even paying attention to Harry or even Dumbledore looking at him! Forcing himself to stay calm, he looked back up to the Headmaster.
Albus was getting bored, the students were talking for too long, didn't they know that once they got to their dormitories they could talk the night away? Pulling out his wand, he smiled at Elizabeth's smile and cast a spell sending fireworks off all over the hall.
Albus, Draco, and Harry all took a sharp intake of breath as they got a good view of the redhead's eyes. At the view of the fireworks from nowhere, they had practically burst with colour. One moment they were gray like Draco's, then blue like Dumbledore's, then green like Harry's, and then they finally settled with the original blue/gray but with very prominent green streaks from the irises to the edges of the pupil. The three shared one thought before the rest of the hall had completely calmed, 'That isn't normal!'
"Would everyone please calm down?" Dumbledore commanded across the hall, first to recover from what he had just seen. His eyes rested on the Slytherin and Gryffindor, both equally stunned with their mouths slightly open. Elizabeth was already doing her job. "Now that that is settled, I think it is appropriate to serve the food. Classes will be postponed to start until the 3rd so we can get Ms. Moon accommodated. I expect you all to show her proper manners and welcome her to our school. Now everyone, tuck in!"
Food appeared and Dumbledore walked back to his seat, motioning for Elizabeth to follow. She did…after looking at all the plates that had magically appeared. As the beautiful redhead sat down between the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress, people returned to their earlier conversations and began to fill their plates.
Draco and Harry finally managed to tear their eyes away from the nervous looking girl who was looking at the food as if she had never seen anything more interesting and their eyes met across the hall. Draco sneered and Harry rolled his eyes before prodding Ron and Hermione to start eating. Draco piled his plate, ignoring Blaise and Pansy who were discussing where Dumbledore would put the girl's room.
They were both oblivious to the pair of eyes watching the two. Elizabeth wasn't stupid, she had seen these two boys staring at her most of the time she had been here; from when she had tripping into the hall to when she had sat down in between the old man…Professor Dumbledore, and the lady who had put the hat on her head. She also noticed their exchange across the hall when they had caught each other looking at her.
"Excuse me…sir?" She asked tentatively. Albus looked down and she continued, "Which houses are which?"
Dumbledore smiled, she was already getting down to business, and she didn't even notice. "Well Ms. Moon-"
"Lizzie, call me Lizzie…or Elizabeth if you prefer," Elizabeth smiled up at the man who had so willingly taken her under his wing to let her stay at this amazing school.
"Well, Elizabeth, here on our left by the wall, that's Slytherin. Their symbol is the snake and their colours are green and silver…" Elizabeth nodded, so this was the house of the blonde boy… "And then beside them, closer to the middle but still on our left we have Ravenclaw, whose symbol is an eagle with the colours of bronze and blue." The girl nodded again. "Beside them we have Hufflepuff who have the symbol of a badger with the colours of yellow and black…and finally we have Gryffindor on the far right. Their colours are red and gold with a symbol of a lion."
Elizabeth nodded again, making sure she's remember that. So one boy was in Slytherin, while the other was in Gryffindor…the two houses that hat had warned her about…they certainly didn't get along…but they seemed to agree on at least one thing. She smirked slightly to herself.
"Don't worry Ms. Moon, you will learn soon enough," the lady on Elizabeth's right smiled at her warmly.
"You can call me Elizabeth…Professor?"
"McGonagall. Professor McGonagall. I will be teaching you Transfiguration during your stay." Elizabeth's eyes lit up with excitement.
"So you teach, transforming one thing into another through magic?" she was having a hard time keeping herself from bouncing in her seat.
"…Yes, that's exactly what Transfiguration is in simplest terms…" she seemed quite surprised the girl had figured that out with being a muggle and all. The professor looked over the girl's head when she returned to eating to catch the eye of Dumbledore. He smiled and turned to drink some pumpkin juice.
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After almost everyone was done and chatter had once more broke the silence, Dumbledore looked at the newcomer who had finished long before and was now speculating the room, or more specifically, Draco and Harry.
"Now, Elizabeth…" he waited for her to look at him, "tonight I have some business to attend to tonight so I will get someone to help you find your rooms and tomorrow we can get you school supplies, robes, books and everything else you need. You can wear your muggle clothes until you get comfortable…"
"Thank you sir, this is all very kind…but I don't have any money…" Elizabeth looked downcast as she watched the blue eyes twinkling.
"No need to worry about that, that is partly the business I must attend to tonight. By tomorrow everything that can be sorted out, will be sorted out. I shall get some girls to help you shop, but I wish to accompany you when you get your wand and then I would like a word after that…"
"I get a wand? Sir? Are you serious?" Dumbledore chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm and nodded his head.
"Yes, I am quite serious. Now, tomorrow we will get you a timetable set up so that you are with someone to help you to and in your classes…though I doubt that will be much trouble. Now then, if you will excuse me…" she nodded, her red ringlets of hair bouncing slightly, and Dumbledore stood up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, now that we are all finished with dinner, would the Prefects please lead their houses to their dormitories. Remember that classes are postponed until the 3rd but you should get a good night's sleep anyways. Please enjoy your first night and I shall see you soon. Could Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter please join me at the front?"
The teachers said their goodnights to each other and the Headmaster, a few even saying a polite 'good night' to Ms. Moon as they disappeared to their private quarters as the students were led away. Dumbledore stood next to the anxious Elizabeth in front of the teacher's table as the blonde and raven-haired boy moved cautiously to the front.
'Professor Dumbledore must already know something about my 'destiny', he sure will make things easier…' she cut off her thoughts as the two boys stood in front of them, trying their best to ignore the other. She smiled hesitantly at the two. The black-haired boy from Gryffindor smiled at her… 'What a gorgeous smile!' she thought to herself. She turned to the blonde Slytherin and was a little putout to see that he was not smiling back. Her smile faltered slightly but then the boy gave the tiniest smile before he hid it again behind a mask of indifference. 'This guy doesn't like to show emotion apparently…'
"Ms. Moon, this is Draco Malfoy, a 6th year in Slytherin," she gave him a warming smile and although he didn't return it, she thought she caught one being given to her from his eyes… "And this is Harry Potter, also a 6th year but in Gryffindor," Elizabeth gave him an equally warm smile. Harry quickly smiled back, 'I can't wait to get to talk to this girl, she looks at me without looking at my scar every 3 seconds. This will be paradise. I wish she wouldn't smile at Malfoy though, he doesn't really deserve it, but I guess it's good that she isn't judging or anything…'
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, as you already know, this is Ms. Elizabeth Moon. If it is possible we will be trying to get her into classes with other 6th years so she is with people of her age…" Dumbledore continued.
"But, Professor, won't the classes be too advanced for…her?" Harry looked at Dumbledore but then returned his gaze to the blushing girl. 'That blush almost seems to make her hair all the more lively and beautiful,' both Harry and Draco thought though they didn't know it…luckily.
"I'm sure she shall manage, but she, as well as the both of you need some sleep. I have matters to attend to so I was wondering if you two would accompany Ms. Moon to her quarters?"
"Yeah ok!" they both said a little too loudly. "If I have to," Draco added in a hasty, and not altogether convincing, attempt to regain his Malfoy composure. Elizabeth giggled. Draco hated being laughed at…but as he heard the sweet sound of her laugh, he decided that he didn't really mind anymore. "Where is it?" Harry was also fighting back laughter. He had a feeling that Malfoy wouldn't let him get away with it like he was letting Elizabeth do.
"It is on the 3rd floor, two corridors to the right of the main staircase. Look for a portrait of a witch in periwinkle blue gown in front of the Lake of Hogwarts. The password is 'Ange Magique', now I really must be off. Goodnight you three…" and with that he left the three 6th years alone in the deserted hall.
"So…" Harry cleared his throat, "shall we?" Elizabeth nodded and followed Harry towards another set of oak doors. Realizing that Draco wasn't following, she turned and looked at him expectantly. Draco started, realizing that she actually wanted him to come with her; she didn't just want Harry to help her out! With this in mind he moved quickly to her side and the three moved through the oak doors in search of the portrait.
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When Dumbledore entered his office, he immediately set to work. First he began to write a letter to Ms. Granger and Ms. Weasley requesting their help the next day to help Elizabeth with her shopping. After he had sent them to the Gryffindor tower with two school owls, he began to ponder what he would do in the sense of money for Ms. Moon.
Obviously even if she remembered her parents names, she wouldn't be able to use her muggle money anyways, so what was to be done? He could talk to the Ministry, they might chip something in like they did when people needed a little extra for school supplies, but he really didn't want to let the Ministry know about her, there might be an uproar.
Then suddenly, he remembered the secure vaults he had in the depths of Gringotts for emergencies, there was plenty in one of the many vaults to sustain Elizabeth for one-year minimum. He could also get some of it transferred into muggle money seeing as she would need muggle clothes as well.
Deciding this would be the best option, the Headmaster began writing a letter and signing all documents necessary to hand over one of the vaults to Ms. Moon. It took a while but finally everything was done and legal. He sent out the signed papers and the letter with one of his personal owls and sat at his desk. Now all he had to do was give Elizabeth the key and she would be set…
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The summer air was finally loosing the battle as the evening September air took over with the chill of night. Some of the windows that were still open let in the chilly breeze and Elizabeth shivered, moving her hands to wrap her arms around herself, her t-shirt doing nothing to hold in the heat.
Both Draco and Harry noticed at the same moment that the girl was shivering though trying to hide it from the two. Their warm Hogwarts robes easily stopped the wind and they were both happy for the reason to be nice to the girl.
"Here Elizabeth, you can have my cloak, I don't need it," Draco took off his cloak and held it out to her.
"No need Malfoy, she can use mine, I'm quite warm in my robes," Harry also removed his cloak and also held it to her.
"Stop trying to be a gentleman Potter, it won't work," Draco sneered at the Gryffindor who slowly began to blush.
"Sod off Malfoy, clearly the only reason she was trying to hide that she was cold was because you are such a prat!"
"Smooth Potter, clearly she was trying to hide that she was cold so you wouldn't make a complete fool out of yourself!"
"Shut up both of you! The only bloody reason I was trying to hide that I was cold was because I knew that somehow you two would find a way to fight over that fact. I don't know why you two fight over everything, but it's very childish, especially because you have no reason to fight. Inner-house feuds indeed! Ange magique!" And with that she disappeared through the now open portrait that they had just walked upon.
The two stared in disbelief as the portrait closed behind her. The lady of what looked like 30 looked down at them with dismay. "That was highly rude of you two, she's new to the school and she has to pretend she's not cold to keep you two from fighting…and what do you do? You fight anyways! I agree with her, inner-house feuds are quite ridiculous. I hope you two are happy!" And with that she marched out of the portrait, holding up the tail of her gown to go check on her new tenant.
"Night Malfoy."
"Night Potter." And with that, the two boys, thoroughly ashamed of themselves made their way to their dormitories, which happened to be of equal distance away seeing as Gryffindor Tower was on 7th floor and the Slytherin Dungeons where…in the dungeons. Elizabeth's room smack dab in the middle.
"Are you alright Ms. Moon?" the portrait moved to the one in the girl's private common room. "I told them off for their horrible behavior and they left looking terribly ashamed.
The scowl on Elizabeth's face quickly evaporated, "yes, I'm fine thank you. I'm glad they're ashamed; it may knock some sense into them. If they come back, they can come in because they will probably have to help me find the Great Hall for breakfast. Professor Dumbledore can come in too, but the rest are left to your judgment, thanks."
"Not at all Ms. Moon," the woman smiled at her, "my name is Eliza if you are somewhere else in the castle and need my assistance."
"Ok, thanks Eliza, you can call me Lizzie…Elizabeth is too long for normal conversations. Well, I think I'll go to bed, good night Eliza," Elizabeth smiled at the portrait, slightly amazed that she was keeping up a proper conversation with a portrait! This place was definitely going to be interesting.
"Good night Lizzie," Eliza disappeared from the portrait she had just been occupying, now revealing the Hogwarts Lake in the complete painting.
Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair, parting red hairs of silk in between her fingers as she sighed, it had been a long day and she still couldn't remember anything. Where were her parents? Where was she from? How had she gotten here? Questions continued to run through her mind. She got up to look at her room to get her mind off the many unanswerable questions.
The room she was in was a small but spacious common room with the colour scheme being sapphire blue and gold trimmings. There was a large mahogany desk in one corner by three large windows, half covered in deep blue drapes with vine-like designs in gold sewn in, which when she looked out was overlooking some sort of sport pitch…she wondered what sport it was. There were a few plushy chairs by the large fireplace, a fire blazing in it merrily. In the center there was a red carpet under the two couches while the rest of the floor was wood. In another corner there were a few bookshelves filled with books on what…she would have to investigate later.
She saw two wooden doors branching off from the Common Room. Taking the one on her left, she stepped into a large and very ornate bathroom. The prominent colours were white tiles with emerald green designs. There was a large shower and toilet (obviously), with a sink made of white marble, which had a beautiful mirror with gold around the edges above it. The bathtub was huge! It was more like a mini-swimming pool with dozens of taps. There were a few small windows looking out over a forest and the moonlight spilled into the room, covering everything in an eerie, magical glow.
She left and moved to the last door. She read a clock on the wall that read 9pm. Even though it was early she was tired and hoped this would be her bedroom. Opening the door, her prayers were answered. Inside was a beautiful four-poster bed with deep-red sheets and a black trim. A large, wooden wardrobe stood tall against one wall and a lamp sat on the beside table next to her bed. There were two huge windows with drapes of the same red with tiny, ornate stitching in the picture of flowers in black thread.
The whole place was amazing! 'I am SO lucky to be here! I get to learn magic! I'm sure I can get those two to get along eventually…but I really wish I could remember Mom and Dad…' she thought to herself. She knew she should be sad about missing her parents, but because she couldn't actually remember them, she wasn't as affected as she would have been.
Getting under the soft silk covers, she snuggled up to herself and drifted off into a sleep of images fading the moment she tried to understand them, unaware of the affect she had already had on the two rivals…
A/N: WOW! That was a lot of description! I didn't even know I had that in me. I tried to make the colours in her room different, a bit of all houses: blue from Ravenclaw, red and gold from Gryffindor, black from Hufflepuff, and green and silver…well…white from Slytherin. Just wanted to point that out. Anyways, the next chapter will be shopping and discussions and all that good stuff. Then we're off to class! Yeah! That will be fun to write. Please review, it won't take long and reading reviews always make me happy. Lol. I can't wait to get the next chapter started but it may take a while seeing as I have to write my other fan fiction (The Price of War) and my original book. The next update will be anywhere from one to two weeks. I will not desert this fic unless I die so if updates are far apart, stay calm because it will be on its way.