circles; h.potter

chapter two- a contagious smile

"For third year, Holly Liana" called Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raising in amusement as she recognised the name and noticed the warnings all her previous Professors had put next to her name, most about late homework, singing loudly in the library, storming out of class or starting fights with the Quidditch players.

Liana strode through the first years, parting them carefully and stepped out onto the stage, brushing her hair back and smiling in a bashfully way, her smile seemed contagious.

Professor McGonagall had to bite her tongue to stop her own mouth curving upwards as the girl lifted the hat and let it drop around her eyes.

Liana sat in silence, trying to hear the hat talking to her like Christina had said it would. But there was just quiet. She felt like she had been on the stool for years by the time the hat triumphantly called out:

"hmm, a tough cookie but I'll have to say- GRYFFINDOR "

Everyone looked around in surprise. Despite the fact that Liana felt like she might have turned to stone while waiting for the hat, it had been barely seconds. Liana grabbed the hat from her head and placed it back on the stool as she hurried towards Hermione, her old Beauxbatons cloak already hanging off one shoulder and a large smile gracing her flushed cheeks.

A few of the teachers glanced at each other over their goblets of pumpkin juice as they eyed her scruffy robes, untied shoelaces and unbrushed hair that fell sloppily out of her lopsided ponytail.

She looked like she might be a handful.

"Well done! We get to share a dormitory now- and I want to tell you all about my plans for trips to the library-" gushed Hermione as Liana slid onto the bench beside the bushy haired girl.

"Thanks" Liana grinned as she spun around to look for Grey in the sea of yellow behind her.

Harry watched her wave at an older Hufflepuff, the same one she had jumped onto earlier and he wondered if they were related. Although their appearances were miles apart, the thing the two shared was similar face and bone structure. The Hufflepuff boy looked slightly embarrassed but waved all the same at the new Gryffindor girl.

"So what have I missed?" smiled Liana, leaning her head on her hands to stare at the Golden trio who she had decided would be her new friends, her eyes dancing excitedly. But before anyone could speak Dumbledore had stood from his chair and advanced towards the centre of the hall, his arms held wide open.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I would like to say a few words before you all become too befuddled by our excellent feast" Dumbledore greeted warmly, sending a hush over the whispering pupils. Liana raised her head to peer at the old man closely, taking into account his long, wispy beard and twinkling eyes that peeked out from above his half moon glasses.

"- As I am sure you are all now aware our school is currently playing host to the dementors of Azkaban."

The silence felt heavy now as tension rose in the air. Everyone looked at each other dubiously, the first years looking positively petrified as they glanced around and a particularly small and scrawny looking first year boy toppled off the bench in fright.

Liana felt a twist in her stomach at the memory of the vile creatures. She hated the cold feeling that would seep through her and she had a relatively positive outlook but having the worst memories of her life come rushing back to her wasn't the most pleasant experience.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, while they are with us you are to be warned. Dementors will not be fooled or deceived. Not even by invisibility cloaks"