31st August 1991

Isla was excited. Today is her eleventh birthday. Finally! She may well be the youngest in her year, but she is now eleven and tomorrow, she will be boarding the Hogwarts Express to start school for the first time. She was currently packing before her combined birthday and good luck dinner. Neville and his Grandmother were coming, as was her Grandpa. But her great Aunt and stupid cousin Marcus were also coming. She had no choice in that one but he was family after all. They had a letter from his Mum about a week after she received her letter, Marcus had been made Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. How he even got that position she didn't know as he's only been on the team a year and the team's keeper was older and on the team longer but she was sure Professor Snape, his head of house, had his reasons. He was a good player, granted, she just did not think he was a good leader.

There was a knock at her door, and her Aunt Ella came in with a smile on her face and a glass of pumpkin juice in her hand. "How's the packing going?"

"I'm nearly done, I'm just trying to fit as much in as possible"

Her Aunt set the glass on her bedside table, looking at the trunk on her bed and started chuckling, "You are not going to have room for that many books my love. School books are the priority" she said firmly.

"But Auntie!" Isla exclaimed, "I cannot just read school books. I like reading stories, you know that! Please let me take some!"

Ella shook her head and said, "How about this? School books, supplies and clothing first, and then you can take 3 fiction books with you and then we can rotate them by owl. Once you finish them, owl them back to me and I will send you on some more." Isla nodded and Ella continued, "Your party will be starting soon, so you may want to finish up."

"Party? With Marcus coming?"

Ella shook her head slightly, "I would be surprised if he wanted to come. Not all 15-year-olds want to go to an 11-year-old's party." She signed. "I know Marcus can be, well, a bit mean sometimes, but he's a teenager, and teenagers can be jerks sometimes."

"He made his dog eat my rabbit last summer," Isla said gloomily.

"Okay" Ella said raising her hands in defeat, "maybe not all teenagers are quite like Marcus. But lets just be mature about this, okay? He is family." Isla nodded in agreement. Ella continued; "Good. I will leave you to it. Try and finish soon, okay?" and she left. Isla sat on her bed taking a sip of the refreshing pumpkin juice and sighed. Marcus was the downside of Hogwarts, apart from her missing her Aunt that is, he was likely to make her life hell, and probably Neville's too. But for some reason, he seemed to hate her more. She suspected it was because she was half-blood. He and his mother never made it a secret that they did not approve of mixed marriages, and he always called her names because of it. Marcus' Dad was in the wizard prison – Azkaban - because he supported you-know-who and did some bad things. We never talked about him either. Her family was full of massive parallels that is for sure. Isla stood up, taking her Aunt's advice and finishing her packing in ten minutes, leaving a couple extra books (her total coming up to five fiction books) to put in her backpack for the train. But before she closed the trunk, she placed a small bear in the centre, snuggles, next to her photos. This was her mother's bear when she was a kid, and she had used it too. She always felt that when Snuggles was around, so was her mother. With a sad smile, she closed her trunk and set it on the ground next to her door. She could hear the fire going downstairs, so she left her room, closing the door behind her, and walked downstairs.

Isla had a good hall of presents this year. Her Aunt had got her a new book – a collection of short stories about witches who did amazing things – and a nice selection of coloured inks, Isla liked to draw as well, and lastly some sketching parchment. Her Grandpa got her a first edition of Hogwarts a History, no wonder her Aunt did not think she needed one when they went shopping for her school things last month. Neville and his Grandmother, her Aunt Augusta, gave her a nice scarf, hat and gloves set for winter. She already had some but they were nice, and Neville convinced his Grandmother to add some sugar quills, her favourite sweets to it. Marcus and her great Aunt gave her some socks. Nice.

As they ate dinner they started to talk about Hogwarts, and telling her and Neville what to expect. "You must remember to remain calm when they are selecting your house, their process is secure and as long as you want it enough, they will pick that house for you." Her Grandpa stated. "Although I am certain you will be a Ravenclaw Isla, just like your mother." He said proudly.

"Actually Father, I think she could well be a Gryffindor. She's a lot like her mother yes, but she isn't as passionate about learning as Emily, but she is just as brave and loyal, if not more than her mother. She has them in bucket loads!" Ella gushed, with some sadness in her eyes as she said it.

Barty nodded, "I will be proud whatever house you are in my girl. Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. You will do great regardless." Isla blushed.

"Neville will be a Gryffindor, just like his parents. I cannot think of why he would not be" her Aunt Augusta stated. Isla could not help but agree with her, even if Neville thought he was a Hufflepuff. Neville may be shy, but when needed, he would have more confidence than anyone and would stand up for what he believed in. Well, except when it came to her Aunt Augusta, or her Grandpa for that matter. He feared them. She tried to explain to him that even Godric Gryffindor had a fear of enclosed spaces, rumour had it, that everyone feared something.

After dinner, the adults moved into the living room, suggesting to her and Neville to go and get some sleep. Neville and his Gran were staying the night as they had a car and they were closer to London so they didn't need to leave as early as they normally would. Marcus hung back before heading to the fire to go home with his mother. "You better stay away from me at school, or I will make your lives a living hell. Pretend you don't know me." Then turned and left. It was nine o'clock, but they had to get up at six and leave at seven to get to London before eleven, so they both walked upstairs.

"Isla. Do you think he was being serious?" Neville asked. Isla nodded.

"Definitely. But it's not like we want to talk to him, is it?"

"I guess so" Neville paused. "What if I do not get sorted into Gryffindor? Gran will never speak to me again!" Isla looked at him, turning to him at the top of the stairs and pulled him into a hug.

"Aunt Augusta loves you Nev. She may want you in Gryffindor, but she wants the best of you and she will not love you any less, whatever house you end up in" She lets go. "We better go to bed night Nev"

"Night Isla, and happy birthday"

1st September 1991

Today is the day. Isla thought excitedly, as she opened her eyes. Hogwarts here I come! She looked at the clock. It was half five. Not too early as they have to leave at seven. So, she got up and triple-checked she had everything before she went and took a shower. The cottage was small. Three bedrooms one bathroom. Her Aunt was sleeping on the sofa while her Aunt Augusta took her room, and Nev took the box room. As happy and excited as she was for starting Hogwarts, she knew she would miss this cottage and especially, her Auntie Ella. She was everything to her. Raised her when she was a year old till now. Almost 10 years. That is how long she has lived here. They have lived together. They've always been together, for as long as she remembered. It was a little scary for her to leave it all behind. They have never spent even the night apart. They did everything together. She taught her from home, her Aunt gave up work as an unspeakable to care for her. Not that she needed to work, but her Uncle Jasper left her a lot of money. But Isla guessed she may return to work now she is starting school.

After her shower, she got dressed picked up her bags and moved them downstairs. It was six now. She placed her bags in the hallway and went to the kitchen to find her Aunt making breakfast and her Aunt Augusta sitting at the table with a coffee in hand. "Morning," Isla said, sitting down at the table.

"Morning poppet" her Aunt replied cheerfully, placing a plate of food in front of her, "eat up."

"I still do not understand it Lowella" Augusta continued, "Why you do not have a house elf? All respectful families have one. Why not you?" Ella rolled her eyes.

"Because, Aunt Augusta, we don't need one. We're managing perfectly fine without one." Ella glanced at Isla, who rolled her eyes in return. The conversation always turned to this when it was just the four of them. Speaking of the four of them.

"Is Neville still asleep?"

"No" Augusta replied, "I went to wake him up earlier when you were in the bathroom, he said he would use it when you finished." Isla nodded. "Did you manage to bring your case down or shall I go and hover it down for you" Augusta continued.

"No need Aunt Augusta," her Aunt Ella interrupted, "I put a feather-light charm on her case yesterday, so she can easily move it around." She heard Augusta mumble about spoiling children as Neville came in.

"Mor…morning," he yawned. Augusta stood up and went and got his case. Isla couldn't help thinking that it was strange to think that using a feather-light spell was spoiling if it meant she was able to bring it down herself.

They arrived at King's Cross and quarter past ten, plenty of time to get on the train and find good seats. She and Neville grabbed a trolley each with excitement and started to follow Augusta, while Aunt Ella trailed behind them. When they entered through the barrier, they found some good seats in a compartment with three other children their age. Their names were Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones and Hermione Granger. Isla met Susan before, both their Aunts were friends at school. She had dark red hair and blue eyes. Hannah was a half-blood with blonde hair, except she had green eyes. She and Susan were best friends. Then there was Hermione. Bushy brown hair, brown eyes, a selection of freckles on her nose, with the most gorgeous light brown skin tone. After making introductions, they all went outside to say goodbye to their parents and respective guardians. "Goodbye poppet," her Aunt Ella said with teary eyes. "Have fun, learn lots, and remember to write to me if you need anything!" she paused "In fact I want a weekly letter, and one tonight, after the sorting I-"

"Oh, for heaven's sake Lowella!" Augusta snapped slightly in from behind her, "You would think she was going off to war the way you are going on" before she turned to Neville and berated him for having scruffy hair and telling him she expects are letter twice a week so that she knows he is staying out of trouble. Isla looks at her Aunt and she rolls her eyes. Looking at her watch she looks up and says;

"You two best get on the train. You have a minute before the train is due to depart." With that and some final hugs, they re-enter the train, and with some final waves as the train departs, they were on their way.

A boy called Anthony Goldstein, who was also blonde, had joined their group and they were all talking about starting Hogwarts. Hermione seemed a bit up herself but she put that down to nerves and actually, she was rather nice. Anthony was interesting and funny and he had some good stories. She knew she wanted to be friends with him. Maybe they will be in the same house.

It was around three o'clock when Isla needed to use the loo, so she ventured out of the compartment with Susan to find the loo. Susan was nice. On the way, they chatted about living with Aunts. They both had a similar background. Susan's parents died when she was a baby too. When they got back, Neville and Hermione had gone. His toad, Trevor, had gone missing.. again, and Hermione had offered to help. She figured it was best to leave them to it, and she continued chatting to the other three.

It was starting to dark when they returned, without Trevor. Neville stammered out that they had met Harry Potter. Isla couldn't help but think 'poor kid', as Hermione started running off facts about him, he is not going to be able to have a normal time at school, with everyone talking about him. Her Aunt had advised her not to discuss her Grandpa's connection at Hogwarts, as he had sent a lot of student family members to Azkaban at the end of the war. She made a note to treat him like any other student, he would probably need it.

Isla hugged Neville and said that Trevor would turn up, and not to worry. They put their robes on over the clothes, thank goodness they don't have a uniform like muggle schools. And as the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. They all piled up onto the platform. "Firs'-years! Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" a booming voice was shouting across the platform. They looked round and saw a big man, with a big bushy beard at the end of the platform. He seemed vaguely familiar but she didn't know why.

"Hagrid!" a small boy with black hair and glasses ran over to him, a ginger boy with freckles trailing behind him.

"That's him!" Neville whispered behind her.

"Who?" She murmured back.

"Harry Potter," Neville replied. Isla looked over. So that's Harry. He didn't seem anything like the storybooks about him. Then again, she never really thought he would be. They reached the group just as Hagrid said, "C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"

They followed. Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Isla thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville was sniffing, still upset about Trevor. "Don't worry Nev. He'll turn up." Neville just nodded sadly as they continued to follow the group.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" from the others around them. Her Aunt Ella had already forewarned her about this, as Isla has never been a fan of water, or swimming. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. She and Neville slid in behind Harry Potter and his friend. The boy in question turned.

"Hi. I'm Harry Potter." Lending her his hand.

"Hi, I'm Isla Hope," she responded, shaking his hand. The other boy then did the same.

"I'm Ron." He said, smiling. "Weasley." That made sense, Isla thought. Ginger.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, "Right then – FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. "Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them directly underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. Isla was relieved, she didn't like the water. Neville knew this and gave her hand a quick squeeze. That was Nev, always putting others first. She smiled at him as he happily picked Trevor up, who was hopping around her ankles. She wanted a pet, but her Aunt said she could have one in a couple of years, and they could share her owl, Cyril, for now.

The first years then followed Hagrid up the path to the castle. All the kids were nervous. Neville was next to her, Harry on her other side. At the top of the stairs, Hagrid left them in a side room to wait for Professor McGonagall. They were all nervous. This was the part her Aunt kept quiet about, but she was certain her Aunt would never let the school make her do anything dangerous. It didn't stop her from all but pooing her nickers through.

Something seemed to going on with Harry, Ron, and a blonde boy. She was about to step in when the doors opened and a very stern woman was standing there, with a stereotypical black witch's hat on her head, hair pulled back into a bun. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She paused, as if for effect. "Now, form a line, and follow me."

Feeling like jelly, she lined up behind Neville, and they started walking toward the doors to the great hall. The doors opened and the other students were looking at them. This was scary. She could see her cousin Marcus at the other end of the hall, purposely ignoring her. She continued forward, she heard Hermione talking about the ceiling to someone behind her, so she looked up, and she didn't think she had seen magic so beautiful. It looked exactly like the sky outside, dark but she was able to see all the stars outside. Something which muggle pollution had prevented for so long.

They had reached to the front of the hall, and there was a shabby old hat on a rickety old stool in front of them, almost right in front of the headmaster. The air was crisp, and all the first years were silent. Most of the students were, except for a small amount of the older students. Everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, as was she. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty but don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall, for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat cannot see, so try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, there dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal, those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends, those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) for I am a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Isla couldn't help but chuckle slightly. She knew it wouldn't be dangerous, but she didn't think it would be this easy. Her Aunt must be laughing. Then again, maybe not. Her Aunt isn't like that. Well, at least not in a mean way.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Hannah, bunches bouncing, stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause – "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Isla saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" a pause. "RAVENCLAW!" Looking at him, something about him made her shiver slightly. Stupid, it's probably just chilly, she told herself.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; two identical redheads were shouting the loudest. She briefly wondered if they were Weasley's too. "Bulstrode, Millicent," then became a Slytherin. Isla hoped she wouldn't end up there.

"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat, after a while. She heard a boy grown; she turned her head and saw it was Ron. A little rude of him.

"Hope, Isla." It was as if the world had gone silent. She was suddenly utterly terrified. She took a tentative step forward, up three steps to the stool. The headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, was looking at her, through his glasses. It was as if his blue eyes were scanning her. She figured it had something to do with her grandpa.

She sat on the stool, and Professor McGonagall put the hat on her head. Silence, when a voice popped up in her head. 'Hmm, interesting mind. Loyal but you're no Hufflepuff. Smart, but you are more creative than academic, Ravenclaw's out.'

'What?' She thought. 'It's true and all but most of my family are Ravenclaw'

'Not entirely true' the hat replied. What the hell does that mean? 'Enough about that now'

'Well as long as it's not Slytherin, I will be happy.'

'No. You are not a good fit for them'

'Because my dad was a muggle?'

'Well, there is only one option left to us.' A brief pause, and then the hat shouted. "Gryffindor!"