Hello. My name is Ariana Dumbledore. I am currently in my third year at Hogwarts. You may know me as the 'loner,' or you may not know me at all. Though the latter applies for just about everybody I know.
So let me tell you a little about myself. You may have noticed that I said that I'm a 'loner.' Well, I guess you could say that I'm sort of friendless. I don't even have any acquaintances. Nobody talks to me, and I talk to nobody. You might think that this leads to a miserable life, but I am perfectly happy with the way my life is running. I was never really the social type of witch. I really rather stay alone; it has been my way of life since I was old enough to talk.
I am completely ordinary. I have no special talents, nor am I especially smart or witty. I'm not brave, nor do I have any ambition to do anything with my life. As I'm sure you've already guessed, I'm a Hufflepuff. I don't have good looks, what with my scraggly dirty blonde hair, abnormally large freckles, and huge green eyes. My older brother Albus once told me that I look like an overgrown house-elf, as a joke, of course. Sometimes I think he was telling the truth though.
So let me tell you about my family. I have two older brothers, Albus, in his seventh year, and Aberforth in his fourth. Albus is rather ambitious- I'm surprised he wasn't in Slytherin, but I'm sure it was his brave, noble heart that saved him from the 'terror' of crossing over to that side. Yes, we are against the Slytherins and their 'pureness.' I'm sure half of them are half-bloods! Or even muggle-born. It really makes no difference to me. We're all the same. Anyways, back to my family. Aberforth is a rather peculiar wizard. He, unlike Albus, has no talents. But, unlike me, he has friends, all of whom are as strange as he is. But, like me, he is perfectly happy with the way his social life is. I'd bet anyone that when he leaves school he will marry a goat and open an unsuccessful bar somewhere hidden in Hogsmeade.
Then there is Mama. Kendra Dumbledore is just about the most pleasant woman you'd ever met. She is very kind, generous, and courteous. She always listens to me, whether I am discussing with her one of my few problems or if I am ranting about something or other of no importance.
My Papa died when I was just barely five years old. I don't remember anything about him, but I do have pictures of him and Mama together on their wedding day, on their honeymoon, the night he proposed, the list goes on. Just looking at those pictures brings tears to my eyes. So young and in love, and now, he was dead, leaving my mama behind.
I do not know how he died. My Mama is very careful about keeping this from me. Somehow, I don't think I want to know.
Albus keeps encouraging me to do my best, be a model student, ect. He wants to turn me into Head Girl one day. I don't want to be it, though. Why would I want all the attention? Surely Albus knows that. Soon enough, I realized that he doesn't know, because he's too busy being popular, exceedingly brilliant, receiving awards- it's ridiculous how unobservant he is, especially for someone with such intelligence.
Anyways, enough rambling about my ludicrous family. I have better things to do…that I have yet to decide, of course. My daily life at Hogwarts is rather dull, in many people's opinions. I wake up, go to classes and meals, do my homework, do something or other and go to bed. Then Albus would say to become a prefect- doing rounds would fill up my evening. Yes, I'd love to spend my evenings roaming about the castle with some student that probably wouldn't even know my name. Very amusing. Stupid Albus. He's such a goody-two-shoes. I'd bet anyone a thousand galleons that he knows every single Educational Decree there is at Hogwarts.
Oh, let me tell you about Hogwarts! It's the most wonderful place to live in, a really beautiful ancient castle. It's absolutely huge! I don't know how many times I've gotten lost in this place. It's the staircases that do it; they're always switching around, stupid things. And such interesting classes! Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against The Dark Arts, History of magic, Astronomy and Herbology. Then there are classes that we get to choose from in third year. I picked Divination, Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes. My favorite classes are Ancient Runes and Charms. Ancient Runes is really interesting. We learn how to read runes and to write them as well. It's really quite fun. Charms is really the best class; it's so convenient to learn all these charms that will help us in later life. And they're really quite easy, though sometimes slightly challenging. Divination is the most boring subject I'd ever heard of. We've got this batty old thing as a teacher. She doesn't do much except squeak about reading palms and tea leaves. She really hasn't got a clue what she's talking about.
Well, it's time for dinner. I don't really feel like going down to the Great Hall. No one would notice that I'm gone anyways. I suppose I could go down to the kitchens – I overheard some fifth years discussing the location. It's down in a corridor somewhere near the entrance hall. Shouldn't be too hard to find, right?
Well, this is going well. I am completely lost. I went to the Entrance Hall, like they said, and went down a corridor, like they said. Then what? There aren't any doors there, only a couple paintings. So I walk down the corridor, hands pressed against the wall. Maybe it's a secret door that will only open when I push it? I'm starting to sigh continuously. There isn't any door! They must have been wrong, the idiots. So I tried another corridor.
Mama always tells me to watch where I'm going. I never really listen to her though. I suppose that that is the reason that I am now stuck on a staircase that was swiveling around like a merry-go-round, or whatever those silly muggle contraptions are called. Alright, no need to panic. I'll just turn around and go back down when it stops. There is no way I am going anywhere whilst it is moving. So I wait. Finally, it stops. I sigh in relief. But then, as I turn around, I realize that the bottom is moving too! I never knew it could do that…
So now I have nowhere to go but up. Who knows where going down could lead me to? And going up, too. Well, I had better get moving before the staircase moves again.
I am pretty sure that I am now up on the seventh floor. I have never really been on it before, so I am not quite sure what to expect. Turning to the left, I catch a glimpse of an abnormally large painting. It is of a lady in the most fine, ancient looking dress I have ever seen. It is extraordinarily beautiful. What intrigues me most is the background of which this woman is standing in front of. I walk closer, until I am only a foot away. The setting is most familiar - yet I cannot place where I have seen it in the past. Before I can even open my mouth to question the lady, however, she asks me one short question.
"Password?" It is a very posh, important voice she used whilst questioning me. It is clear now that this was one of the House common rooms. Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, by the looks of it, as Slytherin is in the Dungeons.
"Sorry, I don't belong in your house. I merely came over here out of curiosity. May I question you as to where you are standing in front of, in the painting?" I use what I hope to sound like a polite tone, so she doesn't think I am here to sneak behind her portrait.
"Why, it is Godric's Hollow, my dear." She answers. Godric's Hollow! That is the neighborhood that my family and I live in. Rumor has it that this was the home of Godric Gryffindor, long ago. So then this is the Gryffindor common room, then.
"Thank you!" I say, and I turn around to leave. I suppose I could do a little more exploring before I return to my dormitory. But, the staircase has disappeared! I walk around the corridor, searching for a way out. I pass by a strange looking painting of a troll in a ballet suit. I giggle as I walk past it. A troll, dancing! Simply preposterous. As I turn around the corner, I smack straight into something hard and fall backwards.
"I'm sorry! I was not watching where I was going. Are you all right?" Said a voice. Looking up, I see that it is that of a boy. I recognize him from Ancient Runes, but I do not recall his name.
"No, it was my fault." I say, struggling to sit up. Then, he holds out his hand. Nobody has ever been this nice to me before, so this is quite startling. I take his hand and he helps me to my feet.
"I'm Edmund Colbert."
"Ariana Dumbledore." I answer. He has a nice face, messy brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. They reminded me a little of Albus and Aberforth's eyes. If only I had their eyes too. I do so hate these green eyes of mine, they look like those of a house elf!
"You're in my Ancient Runes class, aren't you?" He asks politely. Why was he talking to me, anyways? Most people here know that I am considered as the strange girl who keeps to herself.
"Yes." People start to trickle down the corridor, heading for their common room. I suppose they are all Gryffindors, as is Edmund. "I should go…" I say apologetically. He nods understandingly, as if he knows why I do. Perhaps he does.
"Goodbye." He says. I give a little smile, and then walk off. That must have been the first real conversation I'd ever had with anybody in this school besides my brothers. I shake my head, confused.
At least the staircase is back!
Author's Note: Chapter two! Once again, it's all JKR's. And it's longer than the first one, by double at least. Just so everyone knows, the current year is 1899 because after looking at the Harry Potter Timeline (courtesy of HPLexicon, thank you very much) I decided that Ariana would be one year younger than Aberforth, who is three years younger than Albus. I rather that Ariana and Aberforth were two years apart, but I wanted to keep canon and then Ariana would have to be a second year, which I don't want. Nasty business, these timelines… Please review!!