Author's Note: This chapter is about Alex's trip to Hogwarts and her Sorting. Reviews and feedback welcome. Please enjoy the story thus far.
Chapter Two
This last week seemed to take forever to Alex but it was finally here, it was the night before the start of the term. Her mum had cooked up something special for this dinner, it was Alex's favorite, roast beef and mashed potatoes. The four of them talked about the next day, all of them excited but all of them nervous at the same time.
"The only issue we have with tomorrow is that your mum and I have a lot to do tomorrow with Roiben so we'll only be able to get you on the train, we won't be able to stay long enough to see you leave. Is that alright?"
"That's fine with me, as long as I don't have to try and find a way onto the platform myself." She smiled as she remembered the other day and how her parents had described trying to find the platform was a fairly hard task unless you were with someone who knew how to find it.
They continued talking while they ate the rest of their dinner. Alex decided to opt out of dessert and head to bed early, just in case it took her a while to get to sleep. She excused herself from the table and went to bed.
She lay in bed listening to Stormy for hours before she finally fell asleep. It seemed like she had just fell asleep when suddenly Roiben was shaking her awake. He was excited; she could tell because all the while he was shaking her, he was talking so fast. All she caught of what he said while he was rambling was "hurry," "school," and "wake up." She pushed his hands away playfully, sitting up and scooting to the edge of the bed.
"Alright Roiben, I'm up. Now let me get dressed, even though I'm sure we're getting ready a few hours early."
Roiben left the room so she could get dressed. She put on the outfit that she had laid out the night before. I'm really glad that mom color coded my clothes for me. People are probably going to think that I look very unusual. She smiled at this thought because her outfit would look strange. She was wearing black jeans, a dark green miniskirt, a black tank top, dark green Chucks and black lace arm warmers. She was also wearing her hair pulled into a half ponytail tied off with a dark green velvet string, and she was wearing a Celtic love knot necklace.
She left her room and went out to the kitchen; her mum was cooking a light breakfast. She softly coughed so as to get her mum's attention.
"So? How do I look? Do I look freaky American enough?" She smiled at her mum as she slowly twirled.
Her mum laughed, "You don't look freaky, at least not to me." Her mum sighed softly, "Sometimes I wish you could see just how beautiful you look."
She walked over to her mum and hugged her, "Maybe the school nurse can do something, or we could go to St. Mungo's. Don't forget that in America, you took me to a Muggle hospital and they hardly help anyone. I'll talk to the headmaster and the nurse about it."
She let her mum go and walked into the dining room. She sat down and a few seconds later her mum was bringing out and serving breakfast. They ate quietly, enjoying each other's company for the last time until the holidays and that was only if she decided to come home for the holidays.
After they finished their breakfast, her dad packed all her things into the car and they left for the train station. When they got there her dad put all her things on a trolley and pushed it while Roiben held her hand to direct her through the crowd. They got to platforms nine and ten without any issue. Roiben let their mum take her hand and he went in with their dad first, then her mum just kept walking her straight until they were through the barrier.
She heard the voices and laughter of others around her all talking about what they were expecting to happen this year at Hogwarts. She smiled and felt a little more confident about being there. Her dad lugged her stuff onto the train into an empty room while her mum led her and Roiben to the same spot. She hugged her family and said goodbye. Her family left the train and she was completely alone.
She went to sit down but tripped on her own trunk. Dad must have forgotten that blind girl can't see in order to put her own trunk on the rack. Silly dad. She tried anyway; she pushed and pulled, almost giving up when she heard the door open.
"Do you need some help getting your trunk up on the rack?" A boy asked her in a very mellow voice.
"Er… yes, my dad forgot to put it up there for me." She stated calmly.
The boy opened the door again and yelled, "Oi, Ron, come help me with this trunk. Then we can sit in here instead of looking all over the place for a room."
She heard another boy come into the room. The two boys heaved her trunk onto the rack.
"Harry, who is she?" The other boy asked in a slightly husky voice.
"Dunno Ron, didn't ask her. I just volunteered to help her with her trunk." The boy called Harry replied.
The two boys then placed their own trunks onto the rack and sat down.
"I'm Ron Weasley."
"Harry Potter."
"I'm Alex Draven." She said as she slightly waved.
The door to the room opened again and all Alex could smell was parchment and peppermint. She smiled knowing that scent could belong to only one person.
"Hermione? Is that you?" She asked timidly.
"Alex? I can't believe it's you." Hermione walked over and hugged her. "I thought you were joking when you said your parents wanted to move back."
"Nope. My parents were dead set on the idea of moving back, mostly so that Roiben could go to Hogwarts when he starts school."
They laughed and hugged some more.
"Mind telling us what's going on here?" Ron asked.
"Oh seriously Ronald." Hermione giggled. "Alex is a pen pal that I've had for the past two years. She was living in America and her parents decided to move back to Ireland."
"Oh. So that explains why I've never seen you before. And why are you wearing all green, do you hope to be a Slytherin?" Ron rambled.
"I don't honestly care what house I'm in. My mum was in Ravenclaw and my dad was in Hufflepuff. And the reason I wear green is because it's my favorite color." She paused as she heard Ron softly chuckle. "Are you making faces at me or something because I can't see you?"
Ron stopped laughing. "What do you mean you can't see me? I'm sitting right in front of you."
"I'm blind. I can't see anything."
The room got very silent. Finally Harry spoke up, "I'm sorry, he didn't know. Ron's not known for being very observant."
"Wait, so if you can't see then how do you know green is your favorite color?"
Of all the things he could have asked me, he wants to know why green is my favorite color… he really isn't very bright, just like Hermione told me. "Green is the color of grass, leaves and emeralds to name a few. Green symbolizes life and immortality. Seriously, even Harry's eyes are green." She paused long enough to here Ron inhale. "Before you ask, Hermione told me. She described both of you to me. Harry is average height, smaller build, black messy hair, green eyes and glasses. Ron is tall, average build, red hair, blue eyes and number five out of seven."
"Hermione, how does she read your letters?" Harry asked, genuinely interested.
Hermione sounded pleased as she answered. "Well I had to learn a new spell for this to work; it basically transforms what I write down into Braille so she can read it. It's a fairly easy spell but I did have to get special permission from the Ministry so I could use it, they told me as long as I was alone I could use the spell since it was for correspondence purposes."
"And the way she reads my letters it simple, my quill writes what I say." Alex nodded.
The rest of the train ride was filled with lots of question towards Alex and she answered them as best as she could. When the time came to change into their robes, Alex climbed onto the seat to pull one of her robes out.
"I'm only putting on robes; I'm not changing out of this outfit until I go to bed." She smiled.
"Well she'll definitely fit in with us, defying the rules since day one pretty much." Harry stated.
"So how will you be sorted?" Ron added.
She shrugged her shoulders, "Not quite sure how, my letter just told me to sit wherever and after the feast I'd be sorted."
"Oh please sit with us then." Hermione begged.
Alex nodded. Then they sat back down after they were done changing and waited for the train ride to end. After about another thirty minutes the train finally pulled to a stop.
Hermione lead Alex off the train and headed towards the carriages. The ride was short and was over almost as soon as it started. She let Hermione lead her to the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. She sat in silence as the Sorting Ceremony was done and as Dumbledore made his speech before the feast.
She ate quietly as everyone around her babbled on about their summers and anything else they could talk about. When finally the feast finished everyone got up to go to bed, Hermione volunteered to stay with Alex until she was sorted.
Professor McGonagall walked over to Alex and Hermione. "Ah Miss Granger, if you'll lead Miss Draven to Professor Dumbledore, while I retrieve the other three guides."
"Yes professor." Hermione said and then lead Alex up towards Dumbledore's pedestal.
The two of them stood there waiting until McGonagall showed up with three students in toe. Alex smelled a familiar scent other than Hermione and she indistinctly smiled, it was the boy from Ollivander's, the one she wanted most to meet up with again and maybe even actually talk to.
"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, Mister Finch-Fletchley and Miss Lovegood, the four of you have been chosen as guides, one from each of the four houses. Miss Draven will be joining you fourth year students as soon as she is sorted. Once she is sorted, the three remaining students may go back to their dormitories by themselves while the fourth student will escort Miss Draven around school for the term. Miss Draven, if you will please accompany me to the Sorting Hat." McGonagall stated and then reached out to lead Alex to the Sorting Hat.
She sat down on the stool and waited. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and everyone waited.
Why are you thinking of raspberries and mint?
There's a boy here, he smells like raspberries and mint, it's two of my favorite scents in the world.
Interesting… well you possess many traits admired by each house, so where should I put you? Is there a specific house or is anywhere fine?
I'm quite content with any house. Although I think I'd like to be in Hermione Granger's house if that's at all possible.
Alright then. "Gryffindor." The hat shouted the last part for everyone to hear.
Professor McGonagall removed the hat from her head and led her down to Hermione.
"So does this mean we can leave now professor?" It was his voice, velvety smooth and sweetened with honey.
"Yes Mister Malfoy, you may all leave now. Miss Granger, please show Miss Draven to the common room." McGonagall stated.
Alex listened to all the other students leave before Hermione lead them out of the Great Hall. They were already up at least one flight of stairs before she felt comfortable enough to ask Hermione questions about the others.
"Er… Hermione, who were the other students that were my prospective guides?" She mumbled nervously.
Hermione paused as if she were trying to find the right words to answer with. "Well there was Justin Finch-Fletchley, he's from Hufflepuff, I don't know too much about him. Then there was Luna Lovegood, she's from Ravenclaw, she's alright but a bit out there. And then there was Draco Malfoy," she said his name with disgust, "he's in Slytherin and he's a right nasty git. He's been a constant enemy of Harry, Ron and I. Why?" She asked a bit suspiciously.
"I was just wondering who everyone was, you know, since I would have been stuck with any one of you." Alex answered casually.
They walked the rest of the way without really speaking much. When they got to the Fat Lady, Harry and Ron were waiting outside for them.
"Well I guess it's safe to say she's in Gryffindor." Ron said.
"Oh, and the password is Balderdash." Harry commented, and as he said the word, the portrait opened.
They all walked in and went to their respective dorm rooms to go to bed. Alex lay awake for hours thinking of Draco and of what she would say to him if they ever actually talked. After a while she fell asleep, dreaming of a world where she could see the face of that irresistible scent.