A/N: here's the first chapter! (and it's my favorite too)

and I don't own harry potter or godrics hollow or hogwarts. but you know that!

Chapter one

The Letter

A skinny girl with long blonde hair was humming a tune. Lauren looked up at the cloudless sky. She was lying in the garden in her backyard. Her parents had not been awake when Lauren had sneaked into her yard at 6:00 a.m., but at around 8:25 she thought she heard movement in the kitchen.

Lauren often woke up early because of her fits. She had magical problems where she would often perform large magical spells without meaning to. Since she had grown older she now only had these fits when she was particularly scared, happy, or angry. She also often had them when she was in large crowds, which was why she was home schooled.

The Heltings family lived in Godric's Hollow. This was good for Lauren because it meant being around other witch and wizard children. It also meant being around her old house, where she had lived with the Potters.

Today was Lauren's 11th birthday, July 30th. She often thought it was interesting that she had a birthday before Harry Potters.

Suddenly a small dark object appeared in the sky, moving towards Lauren's house: An owl.

"My letter!" Lauren leapt out of the garden and ran to the backdoor leading to the kitchen. She wrentched open the door. Her mother and father were sitting at the kitchen table. Mr. Heltings looked up from the morning newspaper to see Lauren's happy face.

"What is it Lauren?" he asked.

"An owl is flying this way," she said, slightly out of breath.

"Now sweetie," Mrs. Heltings said, "you know that you're not the only young witch or wizard in Godric's Hollow. It may not be your letter."

"But no other young witch or wizard is turning 11 today," Lauren said.

The three Heltings looked out the front window. The owl flew close to the door and dropped a letter through the mail slot.

"See," Lauren said, snatching up the letter, "I told you it was for me!"

She looked at the letter. It was in an envelope of yellowy parchment, no stamp, and a wax seal bearing the Hogwarts coat of arms. She tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwamp, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Heltings,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Lauren couldn't believe it. She was actually going to Hogwarts. Of course she didn't think she would go because of her fits and also because she was American (her original parents had moved here before Lauren was born), but she was going! They sent Lauren's owl, Aaron (a barn owl), to Hogwarts with a letter confirming Lauren's attendance. Soon after that they headed off to Diagon Alley, where they bought Lauren a wand (12 inches, holly, dragon heartstring) and the rest of her school supplies.

Very soon it seemed Lauren was on platform 9 ¾ about to board the Hogwarts express.

"Bye, sweetie," Mrs. Heltings hugged her daughter, "see you at Christmas"

"We'll miss you very much," said Mr. Heltings.

Lauren climbed aboard and found an almost empty compartment. The only inhabitant was a girl sitting near the window. She had her knees pulled up to her chin and her arms wrapped around them. The girl had long brown hair and was dressed in almost all black. She was staring out the window.

"Hello," Lauren said, sitting across from the girl. The girl didn't respond. "I'm Lauren Heltings"

"I'm Anna Yash," she turned to Lauren.

"It's nice to meet you, Anna," said Lauren.

Very soon a very tiny boy entered the compartment. He had brown hair and looked very scared and nervous.

"Excuse me," he said, "can I sit in here?"

"Only if it's okay with Anna," Lauren said.

"Of course it is," Anna said.

"I'm Oliver Wood," the boy said, "is it your first year, too?"

"Yeah"

"Yes"

"I want to try out for the quidditch team," Oliver said excitedly.

"Me, too," Lauren perked up.

"I do, too," Anna looked around.

For a little while the three kids talked about quidditch. It turned out Oliver already had a broom and was learning to fly.

"I wish I had a broom!" Lauren said.

"My brother has one," Anna replied, "but he won't let me even touch it"

After a while it began to turn dark. The three kids changed into their Hogwarts robes. Oliver and Lauren taught Anna how to play chess for the rest of the ride, using Lauren's wizard chess set. Soon the train pulled to a stop. They all got off. They saw Hagrid and accompanied him to the boats along with the rest of the first years. The got to the school, met Professor McGonagall, and filed into the great hall. The sorting began after the Sorting Hat sang. Lauren's name was called:

"Heltings, Lauren"

She stumbled toward the stool and the hat was set on her head. Not long afterward the hat talked to the whole hall:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lauren walked to the Gryffindor table and crossed her fingers for Oliver and Anna. Near the end Oliver's name was called:

"Wood, Oliver"

He walked to the stool with the same nervous look he had had when Lauren first saw him. A few seconds passed as the hat sat over his head then:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Oliver whipped the hat off his head an leapt off the stool. He sat down next to Lauren. Then the last name was called:

"Yash, Anna"

Anna sat on the stool. Almost a whole two minutes passed with the hat on Anna's head. Then it made a decision:

"RAVENCLAW!"

Lauren and Oliver both groaned but knew that they would still see Anna around so clapped anyway.

Dumbledore stood and the clapping died away. He spoke:

"Tuck in"

Food appeared before them. It was a most wonderful sight to Lauren who immediately began to eat. And so Lauren's first year began.