Chapter II
The Wand and the Witch

The measuring tapes whizzing around her body were easily the most annoying part of her day, and in Vail's eyes, they were lucky she did not yet have her wand.

It was the morning of the following day - a Saturday - and Professor McGonagall had picked her up from the hospital wing at 9 o'clock sharp to take her over to Hogsmeade. She was, as is constantly said to her, in a very unique predicament.

Every other student would go to Diagon Alley in London to pick up all their school supplies, but that wasn't an option for her, so McGonagall took it upon herself to bring her to the next best shopping district that was conveniently a short distance from Hogwarts. When the topic of money was brought up, the professor told her not to worry about it and that the school had a discretionary fund for "students coming from less fortunate backgrounds".

The first shop Vail had been taken to was Tomes and Scrolls where she was able to pick up the assigned textbooks for the upcoming year, as well as some textbooks from previous years to help her keep up with the curriculum, such as The Standard Book of Spells, Grades 1 to 4 and the beginner tomes for each core subject. McGonagall said that she would need to pick at least two electives that year, and she could return to Tomes and Scrolls to get the necessary textbooks for the electives at some point during the next few weeks, and in the meantime just share with someone.

With every tome the shopkeeper placed on the counter, she swore she had felt one of her vertebrae crack under the pressure of having to lug them all back to the school with her. She had glanced up at Professor McGonagall with the saddest looking expression she could make, only for the woman to roll her eyes and reassure her that, with the exception of her wand, she would be sending the items purchased ahead of them to Hogwarts with a spell.

What a relief.

After Tomes and Scrolls was a quick stop at Ceridwen's Cauldrons for potion supplies, and now Vail was getting her measurements taken at Gladrags Wizardwear - a clothing shop that specialised in quirky wearables but also kept a stock of appropriate school attire for the students that may need it during the year.

One of the enchanted retractable measuring tapes pulled a little too tight around her thigh, so she gave it a slap. It floated up to her head and the few inches of tape that were sticking out of the case waggled in annoyance, like it was blowing a raspberry at her. She just glared until it and all its little friends finally left her alone.

"No problem, Professor McGonagall. Give me about ten minutes with these measurements and I'll be back with some uniforms for your student."

"Thank you, Mr. Cook," McGonagall nodded to the tailor who went into a room behind the counter with the measuring tapes following him.

Good riddance.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" exclaimed the man, poking his head back across the doorway. "Skirts or trousers?" he asked while looking at Vail. Unsure of how to answer, she glanced at the mannequins that displayed school attire, noticing that the male mannequin wore a pair of black trousers while the female mannequin wore a black box pleated skirt down to its knees.

"Skirts please, Mr. Cook. And add in some tights as well," McGonagall replied for her, which satisfied the tailor so he could get back to work.

"Sorry, I was taken aback by his question. I didn't realise there was a choice in style for me," said Vail as she stepped down from the stool and joined the professor near the front of the shop.

"Interesting, seeing as you're wearing trousers right now."

Vail looked down at herself. "Well, yes but… I don't know, I think I might've worn all this for practical reasons, but a uniform just feels… different." The older woman hummed in, and Vail took that to mean acceptance of her reasoning.

The soon-to-be student browsed the other mannequins and racks around the shop and began to wonder how much fashion had changed in just over 100 years, besides the fact that it was seemingly completely normal for girls to wear trousers now. It was a little difficult to judge the looks of those walking the streets of Hogsmeade as most wore long robes that covered their clothes underneath, but thankfully nothing felt truly… alien to her. Yet.

"While you're here, you may as well pick out a few pieces of casual wear. You won't be expected to wear your uniform all the time, such as when you're out of class or visiting Hogsmeade with the other students," advised McGonagall, picking up a rather eccentric looking shirt from a display table and giving a once-over before changing her mind and putting it back, a look of disgust on her face. "Don't worry, I'll keep you right."

Around ten minutes went by and Mr. Cook returned as promised with the school clothes tailored to fit Vail, and he happily rang up the additional items they had picked out as well. Once again, McGonagall whizzed them off to Hogwarts with her wand, with the exception of one outfit that she requested Vail change into from inside the private rooms meant for customers. When the girl walked out wearing the new outfit, McGonagall actually smiled.

"There, now you look like a normal teenager! I have great taste, don't I?" she turned to ask the tailor, but they both knew it was a rhetorical question.

The medium blue coloured button up shirt - sleeves rolled to her elbows - and the dark slim-fit dress trousers were inspired by muggle fashion, which is apparently "the trend" for young witches and wizards right now. Part of the reason was probably because it meant they wouldn't have to change outfits whenever they travelled through the muggle world.

She had also replaced her knee-high brown leather boots with a pair of black laced up ankle boots, with a small heel (1.5") to give her a little bit more height. She wasn't short (roughly 170cm if the enchanted measuring tapes were to be trusted, though Vail was still undecided on that), but she did admit that liked the idea of being taller.

The only downside to the visit to Gladrags was that McGonagall had shoved a new kind of undergarment in her hands which ended up being quite uncomfortable. It was called a 'bra' and was apparently a modern version of the breast band she was already wearing. Supposedly it offered superior support so she decided to just tough out the adjustment period.

"Professor," she began as she and McGonagall left Gladrags to go pick up Vail's wand, "could I ask you a question?"

"You can."

"If you hadn't met me and just saw me in a shop or on the street, wearing these clothes," she lifted the bag in her hand that held the leather outfit she had arrived in, "what would you think?"

"That's quite an open-ended question. I suppose my first thought may be, 'What's a school age witch doing here when she should be getting the train from London tomorrow?'."

"Okay, yes, I should've been more specific," she sighed, which caused the corner of McGonagall's mouth to briefly curl upwards. "I mean, what do you think I might've done? Do these clothes give you any ideas about my life? I think even just a hint might provide some comfort."

It was McGonagall's turn to sigh, but she didn't answer straight away. Having spent most of the day with the woman and witnessed the way others interacted with her, Vail had gotten the impression that she was often held in high respect, which meant her hesitation in providing an answer was likely due to not wanting to do so thoughtlessly. Vail could appreciate that, especially since McGonagall was taking a chance on her by trusting the Headmaster's judgement. She wasn't sure about the nature of the relationship between the two professors, but she imagined that in order to obtain the office of Headmaster, Dumbledore himself must be respected as well, so there was certainly a mutual trust there.

Finally they reached the wand shop: Ollivanders. It was the local branch of the main shop, usually visited by those that had broken or lost their wands and were in need of a replacement, as the location in Diagon Alley was where students traditionally received their first wand.

Professor McGonagall stopped just outside the entrance, turning to face Vail.

"I'm afraid this is where I leave you as there's much work to be done still in preparation for your fellow students arriving tomorrow. I trust you can find your way back to the school," she half-turned and pointed down the road just ahead of them. "Follow this path, do not take any detours, and you'll reach the gate within fifteen minutes, twenty at the most if you're slow.

"Someone will meet you to guide you back to the hospital wing where all your things will be. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey is looking forward to getting one of her beds back soon," she explained, raising her eyebrows to ask if Vail understood her, to which she responded with a nod.

The older woman gave her a once-over, similar to her assessment of the clothes in Gladrags (Vail hoped the outcome would be different), and then murmured something under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest. She thought she might've heard the word 'Merlin' in there.

"To address your question: I would be concerned - concerned because you're a fifteen, maybe sixteen, year old girl wearing gloves meant to be worn by an adult - a fighter - with evidence of much wear and tear. I would be concerned because your boots were worn down enough for the soles to have nearly flattened and the heel on one of them to almost need repairing, and your robe is fraying at the edges.

"All of this happened in less than a year, assuming that whatever you were up to didn't start before you arrived at Hogwarts, and I'm shocked that our standards of teaching back then were so low that the professors found it acceptable for a child to be running around doing god knows what.

"So, while I still have my reservations about you enrolling at Hogwarts instead of receiving medical care from some of the finest practitioners of the healing arts, I intend to do my best to make up for the failings of my predecessors while you're here."

Vail looked up at the professor, slack-jawed and struggling to come up with an appropriate response to the abrupt change in tone. Even though she did briefly consider the idea that she might've been the adventurous sort, seeking challenges and triumphs, she never thought about the consequences and how that may look to someone like McGonagall whose job it was to nurture and guide young people like her.

"I… I see," she eventually mustered up, her free hand finding its way into the pockets of her trousers and her shoulders sagging. "Um… thank you for your honesty, Professor."

McGonagall hummed again, uncrossing her arms and relaxing her stance. "Chin up, Miss Vail. Professor Dumbledore wasn't wrong when he said that help would always be given at Hogwarts. I'm sure you'll find that out for yourself soon enough." The woman gave her a quick pat on the shoulder and held out a small pouch of coins (which she accepted, with a 'thank you') before ushering her into the wand shop and taking her leave. It was the last stop on today's shopping trip, and the most exciting one of all.

Vail never questioned if she could perform magic herself, it was just one of those facts about oneself that people rarely needed to question in the wizarding world, but she needed a wand before she could put herself to the test. She just hoped that, similar to learning an instrument or how to swim, much of the knowledge would be retained in muscle memory. If not, then even she didn't need to be a seer to predict an ungodly amount of hours that would be needed for studying.

A bell above the door jingled as she crossed the threshold into the shop. On either side of her were shelves packed full of long and differently coloured boxes that she could only assume contained wands. Directly in front of her was the counter and behind that led further into the shop - probably where the wands were crafted.

It was a bit narrow and smelled quite dusty, but still managed to give off a cosy atmosphere.

"Hello! You must be the new transfer student I've heard of," greeted a man with long grey robes. He looked to be maybe around the same age as Professor Snape, but he held none of the malice or… questionable hygiene.

"Ah, you've heard of me?"

"Professor McGonagall sent a letter ahead of your visit today and asked me to help you with matching yourself to another wand. Did you lose your first one? You're a bit young for that, no?"

"Ah." This was Vail's first test in keeping her circumstances a secret. "Yes, kind of. You see, there was an… accident, over summer at my home. Fire. I'm afraid all of my belongings were lost or destroyed, including my wand." Nailed it.

"Oh, I understand. My apologies. I can't imagine how that must have been for you," he replied with a frown in sympathy. "Well, Ollivanders had been making fine wands since 382 B.C., and while I'm not an Ollivander myself, I've been trained by the current heir himself!" he finished with a beaming smile.

Vail chuckled at the wandkeeper's enthusiasm. To like your job so much; it must be a blessing.

"Let's see, what shall we try first…" he spoke to no one in particular as he scoured the shelves. He seemed so focused that Vail had to step back out of his way to avoid bumping into him.

A few moments later he pulled out a blue box.

"Now, I could have just asked for the details of your first wand-"

'Please do not do that,' she begged internally.

"- but wands are such fickle things that even one with the same core, wood type, length and flexibility could still explosively reject you. It's often best just to start from scratch and see where that takes us."

'Explosively?'

"Here we are," he said with a grin, flipping open the lid and presenting the wand to her. "This one is made of elm, with a phoenix feather core. Go on, give it a twirl."

Vail gingerly picked up the wand - light brown in colour with natural grain and a twisted handle - and imitated Professor McGonagall's wand movements from earlier.

A lamp sitting on a shelf towards the back of the room shattered, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin.

"Ah, not that one then," the wandkeeper took back the wand and returned it to its case. "I can probably count on one hand how many people I've matched a wand to on the first try!" Back to searching, but it didn't take long for the man to grab another box, this time green, and present the wand inside to her. "Yew, dragon heartstring, unyielding."

Vail appreciated that he wanted to keep her apprised of what kind of wand she was about to test, but part of her wished she could tell him that his efforts were wasted on her as she had no clue what any of it meant.

This one, though less destructive than the elm wand, still seemed to give an undesirable result. The next one did too, and by this point the wandkeeper was becoming frustrated, however she was pretty sure the frustration was directed at himself rather than the girl messing up his shop.

As he searched his shelves for another box, an idea seemed to pop into his head, but he looked conflicted. "Could it be…? No, no, too risky… unless…"

The wandkeeper retrieved a set of stepladders in order to reach the highest shelf in the shop. From there, he pulled out a dark blue box that had a layer of dust on top which he blew away before stepping down. As before, he opened the box in front of her, but this time pulled it back just as she was about to pick it up.

"Please listen carefully; I do not give you this wand lightly," his attitude dampened the atmosphere, causing Vail to straighten up and take this more seriously. "This wand is made of hawthorn, which makes it particularly difficult to master and is only given to a witch or wizard of known talent or experience.

"The wands that are made from hawthorn have been known to produce potent magic, adept at both the healing arts and curses. I would never imagine giving this wand to a first year student, but since you're a fifth year student with Professor McGonagall's personal approval…" his mouth formed into a tight line, like he was still debating with himself on whether he should pass it over or not. Evidently he sided with the former, holding out the box again and allowing her to pick it up.

With his warning in mind, Vail carefully reached out, her fingers sliding around the handle of the wand slowly. It was near black in colour with a smooth grain and what looked like strings of white metal, or maybe even silver, had been draped over it and embedded into the wood - twice close to the bottom and three times about a third of the way up, a slight curl at the ends of the 'strings'.

"Dragon heartstring, 12 ¾", pliant," he explained, and despite his warnings Vail actually thought she could see a hint of eager anticipation in his eyes. If what he said about hawthorn wands was true, then maybe he hasn't yet had the opportunity to sell one to someone.

For the first time, Vail felt a warmth beginning in the tips of her fingers that slowly spread up the rest of her hand, cutting off at her wrist. It was a pleasant warmth, and she found herself unable to stop smiling.

"Feel as good as you remember?" the wandkeeper asked with a cheeky wink.

"Huh?" she asked, her gaze flickering between him and the wand a few times before she realised her mistake, too caught up in the experience of being bonded to her wand. If magic felt like this all the time, she might just start to get addicted. "Oh. Yeah, definitely!"

That seemed to please him. "Wonderful! I really love this job," he said, the mood suddenly lifted again.

After handing over the money (seven Galleons, exactly how much was in the pouch), the blonde left the shop with her new wand in her hand. It wasn't until she set on the path back to Hogwarts that she realised she didn't really have anywhere to put it. The pockets of her trousers were only deep enough to fit one hand which meant her wand would probably threaten to fall out often if she left it in there. There was potentially the option of slipping it under her waistband or tucking it under the band of her 'bra', but neither of those options really appealed to her, so Vail just dropped it into the bag she was carrying her old clothes in.

While it saddened her that she couldn't keep it directly on her person, she made the way back to Hogwarts with a skip in her step knowing that she'd be able to start practising as soon as she got there.

Since getting her hands on the wand, she could feel this ache inside her chest that was pulling her towards magic. She wanted to be able to light up a room, change an item's form, summon objects to her - not to mention all the incredible sounding offensive and defensive spells that were apparently in her arsenal. Everything about it all just sounded so… extraordinary.

Vail had no way to explain it, but it was like a sudden rush of energy had filled every part of her body, from her head to her feet. It was something beyond feeling excited, it was…

She just couldn't help but break into a run. What better way to let it all out?

The wind whipping past her face, the girl gave a lively holler as she passed fields of flowers and towering trees either side of the long path to Hogwarts. The castle didn't appear as big from a distance, but after seeing the sheer size and complexity of the Grand Staircase that morning, she knew that she had barely touched a fraction of what the school had for her to discover.

She had magic. She had magic. It seemed so obvious to her before, but only now that it was thrust in front of her like this did she get to feel the exuberance of it. It was like knowing Christmas was coming all year versus finally waking up that morning to the presents under the tree and a sheet of freshly fallen snow on the ground outside.

Was this how she felt the first time? Was reliving the experience somehow causing these feelings to resurface?

As Vail approached the majestic entrance of Hogwarts, her heart raced with anticipation. She slowed her pace, catching her breath, and took a moment to soak in the sight of the ancient castle before her. It stood tall and proud, its towers reaching towards the sky, as if beckoning her to step inside and unlock the secrets within.

Standing in the ancient stone doorway of the courtyard was Professor Dumbledore, who Vail was surprised to see. When McGonagall had said someone would be waiting for her, she never would've expected the Headmaster himself.

His eyes twinkled with warmth and wisdom as he greeted her with a gentle smile. Even though she still felt a slight hint of uneasiness at the sight of him, she couldn't deny that he was very good at creating a sense of comfort and safety when in his presence.

"Welcome back, Miss Vail. I trust your journey to Hogsmeade with Professor McGonagall went well?" he asked, motioning for her to walk in step with him.

Vail nodded. "It did, Professor. I would've been lost without Professor McGonagall there, so I'm grateful she accompanied me."

The old man chuckled. "Yes, she returned a little while before you did. 'Never in my life did I think my duties as Deputy Headmistress would entail taking a fifth year on a shopping trip', she said. However I do not believe she disliked it as much as she would have me believe." Dumbledore turned his head to look down at Vail, a smirk on his lips. "She enjoyed the trip, didn't she?"

Vail thought back to her time in Gladrags and how the woman quickly offered her expertise to ensure she got everything she needed, and then some. "Yes, I believe so."

"Excellent. I appreciate everything Minerva does for this school, but sometimes I worry she doesn't get enough free time."

They spent the next few minutes on the way back to the infirmary talking about the rich and storied history of Hogwarts spread over a thousand years. He shared the story of the school's four founders and how, together, they created this remarkable institution for magical education.

As they strolled through the corridors, the towering walls and ancient architecture seemed to echo the whispers of centuries-old enchantments. The Headmaster continued to regale the blonde with tales of extraordinary events that shaped the school's history, as well as the stories of many of its alumni, such as Merlin himself, arguably the most famous wizard of all time.

"Legends speak of countless battles fought within these walls, where Hogwarts stood as a bastion of light against dark forces," Dumbledore explained, his voice filled with nostalgia and solemnity. "Each generation has witnessed triumphs and challenges, but the spirit of Hogwarts endures as a testament to the resilience and magic within its walls."

Vail listened intently, her mind brimming with images of brave witches and wizards that had once walked the same halls she now explored. She marvelled at the thought of becoming part of this extraordinary legacy.

Now approaching the infirmary, Vail's thoughts drifted back to her own situation. The mystery of her displacement in time lingered, and she wondered if the answers lay hidden somewhere within the castle itself. Her memories can't have just disappeared from existence, right? They had to have gone somewhere.

"Professor, I have so many questions about my past," Vail confessed, her voice tinged with hope and uncertainty. "Do you… do you think Hogwarts holds any answers for me? I know you said you couldn't find anything at the site I was found at, but… well, it's a very big castle."

The Headmaster paused for a moment, his gaze contemplative. "Hogwarts is a place of both knowledge and discovery, Miss Vail," he replied, carrying a note of encouragement. "While I cannot guarantee anything, as even I myself feel like I've barely scratched the surface, I do believe that you will find guidance, support, and the strength to face the troubling times ahead, within these halls. The truth may even be waiting to reveal itself when the time is right."

Vail nodded, a renewed sense of determination settling within her.


"And now it is time for the Sorting Ceremony!" called out Professor McGonagall over the clapping of students in response to a song from the Sorting Hat.

Vail stood outside the large double doors to the Great Hall of Hogwarts, just out of sight from those within. She had been given a brief rundown of what to expect when her name was called, but it didn't make her any less nervous. The girl had taken a peek when the new first years had tottered in past her, realising she had severely underestimated just how many people would be in there - people that would have their eyes on her from the second she walked through the doors.

Vail fiddled with the ends of the sleeves of her black school robes, now feeling the excitement from yesterday slowly dissipating. She has stage fright?

It was a funny feeling to discover something new about yourself at the ripe age of 120 or 121.

As for the rest of her outfit, she had a white button up shirt, a black tie and a thin long-sleeved black sweater on top. She was also wearing a skirt similar to the one on the mannequin that she had seen (black, knee-length, box pleated) with dark tights underneath, and the same ankle boots.

By this point McGonagall had made it more than halfway through the alphabet, which meant it would be her turn shortly. Dumbledore had said that he would introduce her separately (hence why she was waiting outside, and also because she would stick out amongst the eleven year olds like a sore thumb) and briefly explain that she was a transfer student, that way her fellow students would be less likely to bombard her with their questions as soon as she sat down, so she was grateful for that.

She had spent some time that morning on her own just rehearing it herself, in case she forgot that her parents were meant to be dead and that she had actually arrived via floo network and not spontaneously down in the depths of the castle like a cockroach. The parchment that she had written these details down on and read over religiously was tucked into her bra.

In her defence, she had to find another use for the contraption if she was going to continue tolerating it.

With 'Zeller, Rose' being sorted into Hufflepuff, she knew she was next.

"Thank you all for your patience during yet another Sorting Ceremony," came Dumbledore, presumably from the lectern she had seen near the back of the hall. "To our newcomers - welcome! And to our returning students - welcome back! I'm sure you would all love nothing more than to dig into the feast, but if you could indulge me for a little longer, I'd appreciate it."

Vail could hear the whispers beginning, though she couldn't make out the words. If she had to guess, it seems the students had already caught on that something new was happening this year.

To prepare herself for what was to come, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as well as shaking her hands out in the air like she was shaking off the nervous feelings.

Her eyes shot open and her movements ceased upon hearing a noise coming from below.

It was a dust-coloured cat with bulging yellow eyes. It had hissed at her.

Vail's eyes tracked the cat as it prowled past her and around a corner.

"In addition to this year's batch of first year students, we have an extra newcomer to our halls. Transfers to our school are, as you may well know, uncommon but not unheard of. They often travel to us from other magical schools, but sometimes, such as in this case, they come to us after being schooled at home for a number of years.

"Fifth years, please do give your new classmate a warm welcome as she adjusts to Hogwarts life over the coming weeks," he finished with a clap.

Dead silence. Vail wasn't sure how to interpret that, but it was at least better than being hissed at. Probably.

"Vail, Tempest," came McGonagall's voice again. With no option of turning back and changing her mind, Vail decided to face the music and stride into the hall while keeping her face forward. Perhaps confidence was the key.

Professor McGonagall's stern expression was becoming something of a comfort to her, because at least it was familiar to her now. With the eyes of hundreds of people aimed directly at her, it was good to have something that she could focus on while she walked this inhumanely long path to the stool next to the professor and that hat- oh that's the hat that was staring at her in the Headmaster's office.

It was big and old looking, like someone had found the mummified carcass of a cow and used that to make some leather which was then thrown into the den of a troll and left there for a month, before finally being sewn into a hat.

'Someone just put that thing out of its misery,' she begged with a scowl, which she would immediately come to regret.

"That's not very nice, is it?" came a gravelly voice as soon as the hat was placed on her head.

'What the- are you in my mind?!'

"Indeed, though we've performed this dance together once before, haven't we?" the hat asked, though it immediately started laughing. "Not that you'd know, I suppose."

'You… you know me?' she asked, the feeling of hope swelling up inside her chest like a balloon.

"Of course I do. I remember everyone whose head I sat on and whose personalities I've sifted through to find the perfect place for them, but before you ask, no; I do not have the answers that you seek. My enchantments cannot penetrate the mind deep enough for that."

The balloon deflated with a pathetic sounding wheeze.

"No need to let yourself get all mopey about it. When I first evaluated you all those years ago, I sensed a great deal of resilience in you. I predicted that you'd be safely capable of relying on your natural talents and your tenacity, as well as be remarkably resourceful and quick-thinking in tough situations.

"On the other hand, you were a bit of a lone wolf, choosing to keep others at arm's length and failing to recognise the strength that comes from letting them in, and something that stuck out to me was the lingering sensation of pain - though not of a physical nature.

"However you got here, I would recommend looking for the silver lining. You have a fresh start with possibly one of the best sets of students and faculty this school has seen in a great many years. Use them."

For a hat that probably came from the Stone Age, it was strangely good at offering advice. If what the hat said was true about her over 100 years ago, could that still apply to today? How much of one's nature could be influenced by their experiences, and how much was innate?

"In all the years of sorting Hogwarts students into their respective houses, I have never been wrong. I knew from the moment I met you exactly where you would flourish the most, and I'm in no mood to change my mind today. So with that…"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The students on the far right table, decorated in green and silver, all clapped for their newest member. Most of the blue and bronze house (Ravenclaw) clapped along with them, as did some of the yellow and black house (Hufflepuff), but almost no students belonging to the scarlet and gold house (Gryffindor) made a sound.

"Good luck, Tempest."

The hat removed from her head, Vail stood tall, her heart filled with a mixed bag of emotions as she observed the reactions of her fellow students. Vail had been there for all of five minutes and already it looked like she'd gained potential friends and… not friends? Enemies seemed a bit too extreme, but it was undeniable that a palpable tension hung in the air, particularly from the Gryffindor table.

With a tap of McGonagall's wand on the knot of her tie, Vail's clothes now matched the colour scheme of her house, however as she took her first steps toward the Slytherin table, she couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. Was there something wrong with Slytherin? Was there something wrong with her to be sent there? Was she about to be prejudged for the rest of her life, all because of her house affiliation?

However, her worries were soon alleviated as she approached the Slytherin students. The atmosphere at the table was one of camaraderie and acceptance, and they greeted her with open arms. One of the Slytherin students who looked around the same age as her stood up and waved her over to where he was sitting closer to the middle.

He introduced himself as Adrian Pucey, a seventh year student, and congratulated her on joining their ranks. He offered to show her around the castle some time, but a boy next to him dug his elbow into Adrian's side and laughed. The people around her followed suit (with introductions and congratulations, nothing more), and it just so happened that she was going to be sharing a dorm with some of them.

Pansy Parkinson, a girl with a rather hard-looking face and perhaps a slight haughty aura, but maybe that was because Vail had only just met her; Millicent Bulstrode, who sort of looked like a square if Vail squinted her eyes a little; Tracey Davis, a short girl with a braid long enough to reach the bench she was sitting on; and Daphne Greengrass, the only one of her future dorm mates to give her a smile that truly seemed genuine.

As the feast began, Vail engaged in conversations with her housemates, getting to know them better. Adrian Pucey, the seventh year that had welcomed her, proved to be knowledgeable and charismatic. He mentioned being a chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team and that tryouts for the team would be coming up soon, if she was interested. She didn't have the heart to tell him no, because if she hopped on a broom for the first time during Quidditch tryouts she was more liable just to fall off and break her neck, so she just said she'd "think about it", which seemed to satisfy him.

Pansy, despite the initial impression, gradually warmed up to Vail and initiated a polite conversation with her, as did Tracey. While Millicent remained mostly silent and apparently preferred to just listen to Pansy, Daphne made Vail feel very at ease with her friendly demeanour and the two quickly bonded.

There was another Slytherin close enough to join in on the conversations when they broached the subject of this year's classes, and that was Theodore Nott. He appeared to be quite a clever boy and offered some insightful advice for her; don't fall in with Draco Malfoy and his 'gang'. Theodore told her that Draco had a habit of getting into trouble when "the golden trio" were involved and that he'd happily drag other people down with him. When Vail asked what he meant by "the golden trio", numerous groans could be heard across the table. Evidently that name was not meant to be a compliment.

"See that group of Gryffindors over there?" asked Pansy, gesturing over her shoulder. Vail straightened up to look over the heads of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students. "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Potter is the one with the ugly glasses, Weasley has the hair that's bright enough to attract moths, and Granger has the rabbit teeth."

"Oh I think she got that fixed last year," commented Tracey.

"Well it didn't do much to improve anything!"

Vail couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension as she listened to her fellow Slytherins discuss the infamous trio. The mere mention of them seemed to ignite a collective disdain among the Slytherins.

Pansy continued her commentary, highlighting their perceived flaws and shortcomings with a hint of superiority in her voice.

"But why do they bother you so much?" Vail asked, genuinely curious. So far the other girl hadn't actually given any reasons for her to hate them so personally.

Pansy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Potter is nothing more than an attention-seeking troublemaker, always causing problems and getting away with it because of his fame. He just can't stand not being in the spotlight that he even went and told everyone that You-Know-Who had returned from the dead! Weasley is just a bumbling fool riding on his best friend's coattails because he can't afford his own, and Granger is an insufferable know-it-all who acts like she's better than everyone else."

Tracey chimed in, her voice tinged with annoyance. "They think they're the wizarding world's saviours, but they're just a bunch of foolhardy brats who manipulated and lucked their way into their heroic status. They constantly act like they're above the rules, and it's ridiculously infuriating."

Daphne, who had been listening quietly, interjected with a more measured tone. "While they may have their faults, I think it's unfair to categorise their actions as selfish behaviour. Potter does bring a lot of trouble with him wherever he goes, but he also jumps into situations without hesitation if it means helping someone in need. Weasley is largely the same because he's so loyal to his friends, and Granger… Well, let's be honest here Pansy; she is better than a lot of people."

"Oh, shut up Daphne," spat Pansy. Daphne just rolled her eyes in response.

Vail, who had been greatly invested in the interaction, finished spooning the last of her mashed potatoes into her mouth. Whoever whipped up this whole feast needed a big kiss because wow everything was so delicious.

When she was done, she leaned over to Daphne who was sitting beside her and whispered a question into her ear. "Who do I know?"

"Huh?"

"Pansy said 'You-Know-Who'. Who do I know?"

"Oh. No, not 'you know who', it's… You-Know-Who."

"What?"

"You know, You-Know-Who."

"No, I don't. Why do you keep saying I do?"

"Oh for-" Daphne sighed. "The Dark Lord? Tell me you know what I'm talking about, else you must've been living under a rock. A big one."

"Ah. Right, yeah, him. I do know who. Thank you."

"Uh huh," Daphne looked at her with a scepticism in her eyes, but both girls dropped the topic in favour of turning their attention to the Headmaster who had approached the lectern once again.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start of term notices," said Dumbledore. He announced that the forest around the grounds was out-of-bounds to students, as always, and that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. He then went on to explain the changes in staff for this year: a 'Professor Grubbly-Plank' would be taking over the course 'Care of Magical Creatures', and that a 'Professor Umbridge' would be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

While the Headmaster went on to talk about Quidditch tryouts, a dark shape appearing behind her caused her to turn and look up in confusion. It was Professor Snape, and he was holding out some parchment for her along with a quill.

"Your subjects for this year. As Slytherin's head of house, I have the misfortune of sorting out your timetable," he explained with venom in his tone. "There is a list of core subjects that you must take according to the curriculum, and a list of electives with brief descriptions, of which you must pick at least two, however I would advise against picking up more than required considering your… circumstances," he ended with a raised eyebrow.

Vail nodded and quickly scanned the lists on the parchment. It would make sense for students to get some time to decide, but Snape didn't seem like the type that would be happy to wait around for her, so she just picked two that sounded the best at that moment: Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy. The first one was the easiest for her to pick - who didn't love magical creatures? - and the second one was a toss-up between that and Ancient Runes. Both sounded equally as boring to her but at least Arithmancy didn't sound like having to learn an entirely different language.

Snape took back the parchment and quill with a swipe of his hand, and with one last lingering look of thinly veiled contempt, he stalked back to his seat at the faculty's table.

"Your first day at Hogwarts and Snape already hates you, huh? That's almost a new record," Daphne said with a chuckle.

"You mean someone got there quicker? I'm shocked," Vail replied. Sarcastically.

"Potter. I'm pretty sure Snape hated him before he'd even stepped foot in this school."

Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore broke off from his speech, turning to look at Professor Umbridge with a questioning expression. It seemed she had interrupted him, though for a second it didn't look like she had bothered to move because she wasn't all that taller standing than sitting.

She approached the lectern with a smile on her face, however instead of taking Dumbledore's place - who had politely moved out of the way for her to do so - she decided to stand in front of it so that no one had an obstructed view of her.

"Thank you, Headmaster," said Umbridge, her voice annoyingly high-pitched and fake sounding, "for those kind words of welcome." She incited an immediate dislike from Vail, and little did the new student know that things were only going to go downhill from there. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say, and to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

Vail looked around the hall, noting that none of the faces visible to her looked particularly happy.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Umbridge cleared her throat with a 'hem, hem', and her tone changed to one a lot more businesslike and less fake sounding. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance…"

Vail could feel her attention slipping. It was unstoppable. Inevitable, even. The woman dressed in an insane amount of pink just kept droning on about how much the Ministry was invested in their futures, and there even sounded like a hint of blood purity in the speech hidden by carefully selected words and phrases. It was only the very end of Umbridge's spiel that managed to retain her focus.

"... because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent of preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

Daphne turned to Vail, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I'm sure she needed to use every single one of those words to make her point. Anything less than an essay's worth and no one would've understood her." Vail agreed, entirely.

"So the Ministry is tightening its grip around Hogwarts, hm? I can't see that ending well," chimed Theodore before taking a large bite out of a jam doughnut.

"Is this level of involvement not normal?" the blonde asked, ignoring the jam that popped out the other end and dropped onto the boy's robes.

"Not at all. Headmasters and Headmistresses throughout the years have always made it clear to the Ministry that they have no business with the inner workings of the school, so as far as I'm aware, this'll be a first."

'Ah, wonderful,' Vail thought to herself, picking up her goblet of pumpkin juice to hide the smirk of amusement on her face when Theodore finally noticed the red stain on his robes. Her first year at Hogwarts, her first year of anything really, and she was going to have to tolerate a big pink toad trying to put a damper on things. Glancing around the Slytherin table, she couldn't wait to see how long, or how short, Umbridge's new regime lasted.


Author's Notes:
You have no idea how tempting it was to write "She marvelled at the thought of becoming part of this extraordinary legacy… this Hogwarts Legacy" just for a laugh, but I somehow managed to rein in my impulsivity.

I know Maggie Smith is only like 5'5" (shorter than Vail) but I've always pictured McGonagall as something like 5'8"/5'9". She just exudes that tall woman energy.

Something I've always liked about Tracey and Daphne is that they're blank slate characters, mentioned in basically name and house alone and nothing else, which means I can do whatever the hell I want with them and enjoy it.

Umbridge's dialogue is directly from the book because I didn't want to bother rehashing that toad's words. Some of it did indeed sound like blood purity to me ("ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished") which I think was probably on purpose?

Anyway, I'm pretty much done with the set up, so now we'll be getting into the main plot of the story. I hope you'll forgive things for being a bit slow, but I can't just shove Vail into the deep end without some preparation first. The next chapter will show Vail in her first set of classes, which if you remember from the book, Slytherin has Potions with a certain crimson themed house ;)