To this day, the eve of her Sixth Year at school, Alvara Lily Stone was amazed at it. The granite castle stood at the highest peak of Mount Greylock, the large marble statues of the original headmaster and headmistress flanking the entrance, and the four statues within that chose their student.
As she moved to take her seat at the circular overhead balcony, she remembered her sorting.
As a young eleven year old, Alvara was brought to the school by her grandparents, who then bid her goodbye and made their way home again. She was terrified, and the feeling of immense fear had brought a strange sensation upon her.
|●|●|●|●|
1991 - September
Alvara stared up at the castle in fear. Her grandparents had the odd sensation of taking a child of theirs to a Wizarding school before and gently ushered her forward. Alvara glanced back once before taking a deep breath and walking through the doors with the rest of her future classmates.
One by one, the eleven and twelve year olds were called to stand in the center and wait to be chosen. With each passing student, Alvara's fear grew. It grew to such a point, that she could liken it to a memery of such fear. But it made no sense. In this nightmare of hers, she was in a place called Godric's Hollow, but she knew that was in England. She had been raised in America.
Alvara shook the fear from her mind and cautiously approached the center, taking her time to study the four statues. It felt like an eternity to Alvara when finally, the Thunderbird beat its giant wings. Alvara axhaled in relief and smiled, but then, slowly, the Pukwudgie raised its arrow into the air. Alvara and everyone else froze.
She had to choose. She'd never heard of a student choosing before. Which one? Which one should she chose? Alvara closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
In her mind's eye, she saw herself both soaring above and staying firmly on the ground. Her feet moved of their own accord, and when her fingers came into contact with a stone statue, all Alvara saw was herself soaring high above, adventure around every corner.
She knew where she belonged. "Thunderbird," she said softly, and swiftly joined the new Thunderbird students.
|●|●|●|●|
"Hey!"
Alvara snapped her head towards the whispered shout.
"What?"
"You remember our sorting?"
Alvara rolled her eyes. "Of course I do, Shay. I bloody well couldn't forget it even if I tried!"
Shay rolled her eyes as well. "I freaking hate it when you do that."
"Do what?"
"You speak like you're from England. You're damn American, Allie. Act like it. Besides, you suck at accents."
Alvara successfully smothered her laugh.
"Shut your face, Shay."
Alvara put her arm around the boy next to her. "Don't be nasty, Luci, she just woke up."
"My name is not Luci."
"Aw, the widdle baby's gettin' angwy!"
"Allie, I will --"
"Shut up, asshole," Allie interrupted, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Everyone will call you Lucien from now on, okay?"
Lucien's reply was drowned out by the applause as the Sorting Ceremony concluded with the Headmaster's speech. The students were sent to their dorms without delay. Lucien walked between the two girls, mainly because they wouldn't shut up if they were together.
"Screw you!" Shay suddenly cried as Lucien muffled his laughter.
"What?" Alvara asked.
"Your boyfriend's an asshole, that's what!"
"Tell me something I don't know, Shay."
"Hey! I'm standing right here!"
Alvara smiled and briefly kissed him. "I know. Love you, you stupid little Pukwudgie, and I'll see you in twenty minutes on the roof."
With that, Alvara grabbed Shay's arm and dragged her to their dormitories.
"So . . . Gonna spill?"
Shay rolled her eyes. "He called me short."
Alvara laughed and leaned on Shay's shoulder. "That's it? Although . . . you kinda are, babydoll."
"Allie, you're an asshole too. It's no wonder you and Lucien are back together again."
Alvara only laughed again. "You know . . . Lucien's brother is back from Romania. I heard he was studying dragons with some enthusiast. Some Charlie something. Anyway --"
"Allie no. You cannot set me up with your boyfriend's brother."
"I'm not talking about Xander, you little egg! I'm talking about Charlie! I think you'll like him, from what Luci says."
Shay snorted. "I'm gonna tell him you called him Luci."
|●|●|●|●|
"Wait . . . Hogwarts is hosting a Triwizard Tournament?"
Lucien nodded at Shay. "I heard about it from Xander. Apparently he and his friend are helping out. Which begs the question . . . who told you, Allie? Your grandparents are Muggles."
Alvara shrugged. "I have my sources."
Lucien and Shay stared at her.
"Okay, fine! I hope y'all know what stupid assholes y'all are." Alvara sighed. "I snuck out for the Quidditch World cup. Well, I stole a Time-Turner first and then went for it. I met one of the Bulgarian players who directed me to Viktor Krum and he mentioned it."
"You met Viktor Krum?" Shay screeched.
Alvara grinned. "Damn, he's so . . . gentlemanly. And polite! I'd almost think he was fictional."
Shay glared at Alvara. "Need I remind you again that you're American?"
Alvara rolled her eyes. "I almost thought he was fictional. Better?"
Lucien turned to Alvara. "Hey, wait a minute. You weren't flirting with him, we're you?"
"Of course I was. He's Viktor Krum. It's not like I'm ever going to see him again."
Lucien glared at her. "You are literally the worst girlfriend I have ever had."
"I'm your only girlfriend, boo," she said with a smile as she patted his cheek. "Hookups don't count."
Lucien just continued to glare.
"We're going to Hogwarts," Shay suddenly announced.
"No," Lucien said. "Tri, means three. They already have three schools."
Shay shook her head. "I want to witness it. We can pose as Bulgarian students, from Durmstrang, or even as French, from Beauxbatons."
"I would go with Bauxbatons," Alvara mused, "we at least know a little French. We don't know any Bulgarian."
"You can't seriously be thinking about going," Lucien interrupted.
"Why not?" Alvara asked.
"You'd need a wand. It's against the law to keep your wand unless you're seventeen."
Alvara shrugged. "I'll move in with Viktor Krum. I'll be a fugitive."
"You're risking your future to see a death match?"
Shay sighed dreamily. "I'm risking my future to see Viktor Krum."
Lucien sighed. "You're not leaving me behind. I guess I'll risk it to see if this Harry Potter and Voldermort bull is real or not. England's freaking weird."