I was woken up in the morning as usual with Gennie's off-key singing of 'Under the Sea' from The Little Mermaid. That girl never ran out of Disney songs to sing to, I swear...
"This is going to be the year, Rory!" Gennie declared as she wove her hair into a multi-coloured plait.
"This is going to be the year for what?" I asked groggily, grabbing my Hobbit shirt, a plaid shirt and jeans from my trunk.
"That Harry and I date, duh!" Gennie said, rolling her eyes. "I swear he kept looking at me last night!"
"Maybe that was because you had lettuce in your teeth." I said, because even though I'd known Harry for less than a day, I had a feeling he only liked Gennie as a friend. Gennie glared at me. "Or maybe because he likes you?? I don't know, I met the boy yesterday."
"We'll have our happily ever after." Gennie said firmly. "That's all I want."
After breakfast everything was a fluster and I didn't have time to sit down once. Annoyingly the only conversation I got with my brother was that he informed me I could share his owl, Hedwig, since he thought it was a waste for me to buy a new owl when he already had one.
Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.
"They're here, he said. "Harry, Aurora come on."
Feeling a bit surprised at being addressed, I followed Harry and Mr Weasley outside. Mr Weasley marched us across into an old fashion green car, driven by a wizard dressed in a similar shade of green, dark glasses covering his eyes.
"We'll be a minute." Mr Weasley said, opening the door for us.
Harry and I scooted across the seats, and I felt anxious, poking my finger through Minnie's cage so she could paw at it. "Do you think Mr and Mrs Weasley know who I am?" I asked Harry. "They were looking funny at me all through breakfast."
"I don't know, but in any case, you can trust them." Harry said, patting my shoulder.
We said nothing more of it, and we began passing around facts about each other-favourite colours (Harry's was red) favourite food (Harry's was whatever was in Hogwarts) favourite animal (Harry's was an owl) and so on. It was fun to see how much we had in common and how conversations didn't have awkward silences-as if we'd known each other for years.
Soon enough, we were joined by Gennie, Hermione and Ron and we set off for King's Cross. I almost ended up giggling at several points because Gennie kept looking fondly at Harry throughout the journey (especially considering she was sat next to him) but he was ignoring them and just carrying on normal conversation.
We reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; and the Ministry drivers were nice enough to unload all the heavy trunks and find us trolleys. And then after tipping their hats in salute, they drove away, jumping the line of traffic we'd managed to avoid.
All the way through the station Mr Weasley was close to Harry's elbow, and I suspected it was because of the whole Sirius Black situation. When the ten of us arrived on platforms nine and ten, he turned to us all.
"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."
Mr Weasley and Harry strolled towards the barrier and didn't stop, disappearing from sight. I blinked a few times. Even though Gennie had said this was the way to get onto the platform, I still hadn't believed her fully.
"Rory, come with me." Gennie said, nudging me with her arm. She noticed my hesitation. "It'll be fine, trust me. We'll just lean through, we'll be together."
"Okay..." I said, trying to force a smile. What if the barrier didn't work for me? What if it was the wrong wall?
Slowly I followed Gennie over to the wall, and we both pretended to be admiring a giant pot noodle advert. After giving me a subtle nod, Gennie gripped onto my hand and we both leaned back. I braced myself for impact-but instead we slid through the wall into the station.
As noise surrounded me like a blanket, I opened my eyes to see a scarlet train-the Hogwarts Express-towering over us, as hundreds of wizards milled around, hugging their children off onto the train.
With a faint ache in my heart, I thought about how much Hollie would love the atmosphere here. Taking a deep breath, I followed Gennie, who was seeking out my brother and Mr Weasley. I had to move forward alone, I knew that when I agreed to visit Gennie and Remus.
Once the remaining Weasley's and Hermione appeared through the wall, Mr Weasley led the way to the end of the train, at the luggage compartment. With great difficulty, all the trunks were piled on, pets and rucksacks left to carry on-and it was time to say goodbye.
Mrs Weasley kissed everyone-even those of us who weren't her own children-and gave me a big hug as well.
"Do take care, Aurora." Mrs Weasley said, eyes looking misty. "You'll love Hogwarts, I'm sure."
I went to reply when Mr Weasley called Harry and me over to see him. Once we were out of sight from the others, he whispered, "There's something I need to tell you-"
"Its okay, Mr Weasley, we know." Harry said abruptly.
"We - We heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night..." I mumbled feeling embarrassed.
"Oh."
"Well we know what's going on." Harry shrugged.
"You must be scared..."
"I'm not," said Harry sincerely. "Really," he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"
"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was leading everyone onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"
"They're coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word -"
"-that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily.
"Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black."
"What?"
"-Don't go looking for him. And look after your sister."
I froze-how did he know? Harry and I exchanged a fearful look.
"Molly and I guessed last night don't worry." Mr Weasley said with a smile, patting my arm. "You look so much like Harry-and well, we saw your scar. I want you to be careful. Many believe you to be dead, and if the wrong people know..."
There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut. We needed to hurry.
"Promise me, both of you, you won't go after him-"
"Why would we go looking for someone who wants to kill us?" Harry said blankly.
"Swear to me that whatever you might hear -"
"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.
"We promise." I said firmly. "We'll stick together, I won't tell people unless they have to know."
Another whistle was heard and the train was starting to move. Swearing, I grabbed onto Harry's hand and the two of us ran to the door, Ron opening it for us. Once we'd leapt on, I barely had time to wave at Ron's parents as they became specks in the distance.
"I need to talk to you all." Harry muttered quietly to Ron, Gennie and Hermione as the train picked up speed.
"Yeah, go away Ginny." Gennie rolled her eyes, not hiding her dislike for Ron's sister well at all.
"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.
Once she had stormed off, we tried and failed to find seats. "There's only this one left." Gennie said, pointing at the final compartment with an occupant already in there.
"There's someone in there." Ron whined.
Gennie had a funny smile on her face. "Oh well,"
Once we shut the door behind us, I figured out why. Sleeping soundly against the window was none other than Remus.
"Who do you reckon he is?" Ron questioned, flopping down on a seat next to Hermione.
"Professor R. J Lupin." Gennie said proudly.
"How do you know that?"
"Are you that dense? It's my dad." Gennie rolled her eyes, as the two of us took seats next to him.
"Wow, really?" Hermione said, seeming interested. "Is he teaching?"
Gennie nodded grimly. "Dumbledore had to find somebody to replace Lockhart, didn't they?"
"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?"
"Shut up, you prick!" Gennie scowled, kicking Ron's knee.
Ron turned red. "Ah, sorry... Anyway, what were you on about Harry?"
Harry explained what we overhead and what we were told on the platform.
"Sirius Black escaped to find you both? You'll have to be really careful, not looking for trouble..."
Harry shot her a weak smile. "I don't look for trouble. It finds me."
"How thick would they have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill them?" said Ron shakily.
Ron and Hermione seemed more afraid of Black than we were. But I mean I hadn't really got used to the idea. I mean it's not every day you're told somebody wants to kill you.
"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before."
"There's a muggle hot line open. All my stupid neighbours think they'll be the ones to catch him." Gennie snorted.
All of us were quiet for a bit, and I ended up reading one of the many text books I'd bought yesterday. Well, until the subject of Hogsmeade came up. Hogsmeade was the neighbouring wizard village that third years were allowed to go to on weekends.
Remus had signed Gennie's form, and mine, and honestly I couldn't wait to go.
"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"
"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. I snorted. "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"
"What's that?" Hermione and I asked in sync.
"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything...Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream...."
"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione interrupted eagerly. "The inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most haunted building in Britain -"
"Wicked," I grined.
"-and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.
Gennie and I exchanged a look, trying not to giggle. Harry was oddly quiet. "What are you looking forward to, Harry?"
"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."
Ron and Gennie looked horrified.
"-we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle -"
"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose -"
"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission," said Harry bitterly.
"But if we're with him," said Gennie, probably still thinking of dates with Harry, "Black wouldn't dare -"
"Oh, Gennie, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?"
The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment.
Already I was in my robes, hoping to be prepared for when we arrived. I was going to be sorted with a bunch of eleven year olds, which was humiliating, but hopefully in the end I would be in Gryffindor with my friends.
Mid-Afternoon, it started to rain. Everyone was starting to get bored now, Harry and Ron resorting to daring each other to eat horrible flavours of every-flavour beans. Hermione was ignoring them as she read a book; me and Gennie encouraging them to try the bogey flavoured ones.
Feeling as if somebody was watching, I looked around to see three boys hovering outside our door. The clear leader of the boys was cute, and he seemed to know it as well. His white-blonde hair was neatly styled to brush into his eyes, his odd grey eyes seeming to shine as he looked around the compartment.
His cronies looked like brick walls, to put it simply.
"Well, look who it is," said the leader in a lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel," his eye caught mine. "Who the hell are you? You look a little big for a first year."
I glared at him, feeling insecure about my height again. "I'm a new third year student, thanks. And before you ask, yes the weather is fine up here."
"Wasn't going to ask that." He said, a twinkle in his eye as he looked me up and down. "I was going to ask why you're sat with these idiots."
His entire presence was annoying me, from his stupid blonde hair to his rich boy shiny shoes and label brand jumper. My temper was bubbling as it usually did these days, and I burst out, "Well considering Harry is my brother, I thought I should, family loyalty and all that."
I bit down hard on my bottom lip until I bled. Why had I said all that to him? He was awful and now was going to spread it all around the school. There goes keeping my identity a secret.
"I see, you share his unfortunate features." The boy said, looking me up and down again. "But that doesn't matter. I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. We could be friends if you want."
I glared at him. "You say after you insult my brother, height and friends. No, you can piss off."
Malfoy glared at me. "Your loss." He turned to Ron. "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley. Did your mother die of shock?"
Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Uncle Remus snored, and we all jumped.
"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Remus.
"He's the new teacher-and he's my dad. I'm sure he'd love to see you bullying my friends." Gennie said, getting to her feet. Malfoy was silent. "Cat got your tounge?"
"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to his brick friends and they disappeared.
Gennie and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.
"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -" Ron made a violent gesture in mid-air.
"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at my Uncle, "be careful..."
The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows turning grey as rain spat at them angrily, lanterns flickering to life as the compartment darkened dramatically. The train began to rattle as the rain shot down and the wind roared, but Remus slept on.
"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look out of the window, just as the train stopped.
"Great," said Gennie, getting up and walking carefully past her Dad to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."
"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.
"So why're we stopping?" I asked, my heart starting to beat faster. What was going on?
The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the engine fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. Then all of a sudden the train stopped with a jolt, bangs and swearing from outside the compartment telling us luggage had fallen.
The lanterns went out and we were left in darkness.
My breathing became heavy from fear, everything seeming claustrophobic. I almost screamed as something touched my hand, but I calmed down when I realised it was Harry. I slipped my hand into his, grateful for his presence.
"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.
"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron that was my foot!"
"D'you think we've broken down?"
"Don't tell me, I've never been on this freaky train before..."
There was a squeaking sound, and I saw the outline of Gennie, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.
"There's something moving out there," Gennie said. "I think people are coming aboard..."
"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," Hermione's voice came from nowhere. I felt her pass, and then the door slid open, two people squealing and one person swearing loudly.
"Who's that?"
"Who's that?"
"Ginny?"
"Hermione?"
"What are you doing?"
"I was looking for Ron -"
"Come in and sit down -"
"Who's that with you?"
"Me." A girl's voice I didn't recognise came from nowhere. "I'm Alia Fawcett-first year who's really wishing she wasn't here right now."
"Hey Alia Fawcett, come and sit by us." I said over everybody's squabbling. I reached out and my hand soon found a skinny arm-Alia--and I dragged her onto the seat next to me.
"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly and the arguing cut out.
Remus was awake, and with a crackling sound, light illuminated the compartment from Remus' hand. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were alert.
"Stay where you all are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got up to open the door-but somebody beat him to it.
Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in his hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling.
Its face was hidden entirely by the hood and just one look of it made me feel awful. I felt sick, lost, exhausted, like I could never be happy again.... With a rattling breath from the creature I gasped as a intense icy feeling spread through my bones.
The cold was everywhere, in my blood, in my nerves, in my brain, sticking like fly paper, there was no escape.... I was drowning in ice, too far below the surface to kick my way out. There was rushing feeling, I was being pulled under, drowning from the ice.
And then from far away I could hear screaming, pleas, a crying baby, green light. I couldn't move to help them, fog was swirling around me in vine like strength, I was trapped....
"Rory! Rory! Aurora, you okay?" a voice far away was shouting, and then there were hands on my shoulders and I was being pulled out of the ice, and with a shuddering breath I looked up to see Gennie grabbing hold of me, shaking me.
"I'm-I'm fine." I mumbled, clutching onto my head, sitting up slowly. The train was moving again. I was on the floor. "Why am I on the floor?"
"Wow, you're really out of it, huh?" Alia said, helping me to my feet. She was very small and petite for an eleven year old, long brown curls and bright violet-blue eyes staring at me in concern.
"Yeah, I guess... Uh, what happened? What was that thing? Where did it go? Who screamed?"
"Nobody screamed." Alia said, giving me a weird look.
"Yeah, they did. I heard it." Harry said, looking as confused as I felt.
There was silence, and I looked at Alia, suspecting her. She shook her head defiantly. "Not me." She said quietly. "I'm not a sissy, unless the situation is terrifying."
The awkward silence was broke by something being snapped. I jumped, to see it was a bar of chocolate.
"Both of you, eat this." Remus said. "It'll help."
I started to eat, but Harry ignored it, asking Remus what the thing was. "It was a dementor." Remus explained, passing chocolate around to everybody, patting Gennie's head fondly as he gave her a bar to herself. "A dementor of Azkban."
"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me... I'll see you later, Gennie..."
"Are you sure you're both okay?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"But what actually happened?" Harry said, wiping his face.
"Well that thing came in, and you both, um..." Gennie trailed off. "You both sort of fell and looked like you were having fits or something.... You were twitching and looked in pain... it was scary."
"And Gennie's dad stepped over you both and told the dementor Sirius Black wasn't here, so he shot some spell at it and it vanished..."
"Did you see how cold it got when it came in?" Alia said, seeming excited now the initial danger was over.
"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."
Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as I felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.
"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.
"No," said Gennie, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..." It was nice to see that dementor attacks stopped Gennie and Ginny bickering.
I gnawed on the chocolate anxiously. Why did I feel so out of sync with the world, like I was looking on from outside? Why were my brother and I affected and nobody else?
Remus arrived, snapping me out of my thoughts. He paused, looking at Harry. "I didn't poison it, you know."
Harry took a bite and gave a weak smile.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Remus. "Are you both all right?"
"Yeah," Harry and I said together.
But that was a lie.
At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and a pet toad croaked loudly from under a hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform, and I shivered in my robes, drawing my arms around myself
"All first years, first years over here!" A tall man bellowed. A lot of small people were rushing over to him, and I supposed I should follow.
"I'll hopefully see you later," I forced a smile, hurrying through the crowds after Alia, who was practically hopping with excitement.
"Er, do I come with you?" I asked the giant man awkwardly.
"You must be Aurora," He smiled. "I'm Hagrid, course you do. All of you here?" Hagrid called. I was about two heads taller than all of them, making me feel more awkward. "Come on then!"
"I cannot bloody wait!" Alia babbled to me as we followed everyone down a winding path. "I've waited my whole life for this moment!"
"I've only known about this for a month, so... yeah."
Alia stared at me in shock, before giggling. "You have a lot to catch up with, my friend."
"No more than four to a boat." Hagrid called.
Alia and I climbed into a boat with two boys who ignored our presence entirely, chattering about a Quidditch match, making violent hand gestures about a player.
"So, how come you didn't know about magic then?" Alia asked curiously, winding a curl around her finger.
I hesitated, not wanting to tell her everything. No offence to the kid but she seemed the kind to accidently tell somebody. So I settled for a half truth. "Well turns out I was adopted, and that my parents were wizards. I guess I just supressed the magic until now."
Alia's face brightened. "Same!" she exclaimed loudly. "I was adopted too! Like I always thought I was different from my 'parents' and after snooping around their office I found the adoption papers. Apparently my parents didn't care enough to keep me."
"That's horrible." I said, thinking of how Mark and Jenna could have easily abandoned me but let me live with them.
Alia shrugged, not looking bothered. "But, I know they're European and I have some siblings, so one day I'll find them!"
She seemed to take it in her stride though, seeming optimistic about the future. "Rory, look!" She exclaimed suddenly.
I looked up, and gasped. Hogwarts was in front of us, glowing under the lanterns on the front of the boats. It looked like something from a Fairy-tale I'd read when I was a child. No wonder Gennie held onto her dreams of Princesses and happily ever after going to school in a place like this.
"I'd seen pictures, but I never thought it'd be this beautiful." Alia said dreamily.
"I know, right." I shook my head in disbelief.
Within minutes the crowd of small children and me acsecned a flight of stairs to enter the castle. My heart was almost in my mouth as I stared up at the sheer height of the place. I almost jumped as the door creaked open and a woman stepped out.
She looked like somebody you couldn't mess with.
"Thank you Hagrid. I'll take them now." The teacher said.
"I'll be off now Professor McGonagall." Hagrid smiled, and headed off inside.
McGonagall ushered us all inside and Alia swore under her breath, which was essentially my internal thoughts. You could write essays on the complexity of the entrance hall, with its swooping ceilings, torches lining the walls and impressive moving portraits.
I stared around in amazement as McGonagall explained the basic rules to the first years. I almost jumped when my name was called. "You are Miss Owin, correct?"
I nodded. "Yes Professor."
"You shall be sorted first, and I shall inform the school you are indeed a third year, and not a first year with a stretching jinx put on." She smiled crisply. "Please form a line, Miss Oswin, you first."
I went to the front of the line, feeling self-conscious and nervous. I had to be sorted in Gryffindor, I had to. The only people I knew in this confusing place were Gryffindor; I didn't want to be on my own.
"How are we sorted?" Alia asked from behind me. "I'm lazy and didn't read up.
"With a hat, that sees into our minds, Gennie-the blonde girl- told me." I told her in a whisper. Alia seemed to relax after that.
McGonagall opened the doors, and I followed her. It was a cavernous hall, with candles floating from the ceiling. Five tables, one at the front, with all the teachers and Dumbledore sat. Students dressed in different colours sat at the four other tables, and I felt my palms sweat as they stared at me.
My friends and brother were at Gryffindor, and Harry gave me a shy wave as I passed. I even noticed Draco Malfoy over at Slytherin, who smirked at me. I gave him a rude hand gesture and his smirk turned into a glare.
A stool was at the front of the hall, with a frayed hat sat on it. I assumed it must be the sorting hat. McGonagall faced the school, with a scroll in her hands.
"Before we begin, we have a transfer student starting this year, a rare occurrence for our school. She shall be sorted into her third year, please make her feel welcome. Oswin, Aurora!"
I straightened my robes, before shakily heading to the stool. I sat onto the stool, my legs feeling longer and more awkward on the floor, hat drooping over my eyes.
"Ahh, another Potter, the lost little Aurora Potter." A voice hissed in my ear.
"Can everybody hear you?" I hissed back.
A dark chuckle travelled to my ear-drums. "No, Rory, No." I sighed in relief. "Now, where should I put you? Well you are clearly clever and witty.... Ah, and the loyalty is there too-not to mention bravery and ambition! Oh, so many choices! Maybe you could take over that space in Slytherin I promised to your brother..."
"My brother was almost a Slytherin?"
The hat chuckled again. "Why yes Rory, you could take that spot. Great things you could achieve..."
"No!" I exclaimed. "I'll be away from him and my friends! Not Slytherin!"
"Just like your brother, through and through." The hat chuckled. "Fine Rory, GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers rang through my ears and a smile plastered itself on my face as I tossed the hat off. The sick feeling in my gut went away as I strode towards the Gryffindor table, the place I could call home for the next five years.
Gennie threw an arm around me and grinned, whispering "Welcome home," as I sat down, making me feel warm inside.
"I nearly got an over-night stay in the hospital wing." Harry said to me with a scowl. "Apparently, I look delicate."
"As delicate as a flower petal." I said in a mock baby voice and Harry rolled his eyes at me.
"Fawcett, Natalia!"
It took me a minute to realise that was Alia. She went up to the hat, and within seconds, "GRYFFINDOR!"
"HELL YEAH!" Alia shouted, and threw the hat up into the air. She then dashed towards the table, high-fiving the Weasley twins and a couple of blonde boys as she passed. With a little hop, she sat next to me.
"Ha, I'll be seeing you a lot more often, adoptee buddy!" Alia grinned, poking my side. "However, never call me Natalia, or I'll kill you."
More and more people were sorted into their houses and I sat whispering to all my new friends, feeling at home already, like this was a normal thing, that I was returning to Hogwarts for my third year, not technical first one.
Finally, the stool and hat were taken away and Dumbledore stood up. Even though Dumbledore looked as if he'd been alive for centuries, he always gave the impression of being powerful and a source of inspiration. As he smiled over all his students like they were his children, I couldn't help feel calm, and finally at peace after the train incident.
"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become distracted by our excellent feast..."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."
I could tell why Dumbledore wasn't happy with the dementors being here after becoming face-to-face with them. I never wanted to see them again.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises."
"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.
Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from me, puffed out his chest again and stared around to try and show his authority over us. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.
"On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was a scattered unenthusiastic applause, apart from the small group of us who'd been on the train or those who knew Gennie (because let's be honest how common was the surname Lupin?) clapped loudly.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Remus died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job."
Harry, Ron, Gennie and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was the loudest at the Gryffindor table in particular. After realising that Hagrid was friends with my friends, I began clapping as well.
"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"
Harry, Ron, Gennie and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, I saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and goblets filled themselves with food and drink, much to my surprise. Suddenly ready to eat anything I helped myself to everything I could reach and began to eat.
It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. My friends were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid.
They told me how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Apparently Hagrid was stripped of his education when he was thirteen because of a crime he didn't commit, though my friends cleared him of this last summer.
After my friends congratulated Hagrid they led Alia and I up through the winding castle, the two of us taking note of landmarks to help us find our way around. The others stopped so abruptly that I almost walked head first into Hermione.
We were in front in a portrait of a fat lady with a nice smile and twinkling eyes.
"This is how you get into the common room." Hermione explained to us. "You have to say a password to get in. The password this week is Draco Dormeins-Percy told me."
"Correct." The fat lady smiled, and the portrait sprang open, revealing a door.
Alia and I both raised our eyebrows and followed the others through the door, emerging into a large round room. Everything seemed to be either red or gold, sofas and tables scattered across the room, a fire flickering lowly in the background.
"Amazing," I grinned.
"First year dorms are up those stairs, first door on the left." Gennie told Alia, directed her to a set of winding stairs leading off from the main room.
"Thanks rainbow head!" Alia grinned, and patted my arm. "See ya, Rory!"
She dashed off after a couple other small first year girls up the flight of stairs, and I followed Gennie up the same flight of stairs, but we went passed a door Alia had slipped through. Two flights of stairs up we found a door which was labelled 'Third year girls'.
Gennie pushed the door open, and gave me an encouraging smile as I hesitantly followed her through. Six four poster beds took up the majority of the room, with our trunks already placed at the end of them. Like the rest of the house, red and gold was the colour scheme, giving it a very cosy feel to it.
Gennie nodded at the bed next to hers and I was glad to see my belongings next to hers. I started unpacking my pyjamas and a couple of posters and photos to pin to my wardrobe and bedside table, and I couldn't help but notice the three strange girls staring at me.
"Hi." I said with a small smile as a pinned my Beatles and Nirvana posters to the side of my wardrobe.
"It's Aurora, right?" a pretty Indian girl with a long braid said with a smile. "Welcome to Gryffindor. I'm Parvati, the blonde girl is Lavender, and the one with the plaits is Faye."
"Yeah, but you can all call me Rory." I said. "Nice to meet you."
The girl called Faye waved at me cheerily, almost falling from her bed as she carried on re-pinning anime posters to her wardrobe.
"You look really familiar," Lavender said, narrowing her eyes in interest. "Why haven't you been to Hogwarts before now?"
"It's none of your business really Lavender." Gennie snapped, throwing a pair of socks at Lavender's face and she squealed. "Leave her alone, it's her first day."
"You can't give it a rest for one day, can you?" Faye rolled her eyes, not looking up from organising figurines next to her clock.
"Frenemies can't give up arguing for one day, can they?" Hermione said dryly, emerging from the bathroom.
Everybody laughed, and I felt comfortable as I put on my pyjamas, sliding into the warm and snuggly bed. Curling up around Minnie with laughter and banter from all the other girls, I felt a warm feeling of fondness come into my heart.
This was my home now, and I couldn't help but love it.