*Disclaimer - This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of Harry Potter. This story is for entertainment only and I realize I have not followed the original story line. I have purposely changed and added things to suit my ideas.
Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of the story, I am not an experienced writer so please forgive me for any errors I make. I hope you enjoy my story :)
This chapter is just an introduction to the characters and Hogwarts, the next chapter is where it starts to get more interesting so please continue reading.
Chapter 1 - A New Start
It was my first day starting at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm 16 and starting my 6th year of magic schooling. Up until now I was attending Revel Bay Academy of Elite Witches & Wizards, I doubt any Hogwarts students would have heard of it because its on an island just off the Queensland coastline in Australia.
I went through a pretty rough stage back home and figured it was time to get away. And what better way to do that then to go to the other side of the world. So here I am.
As school had already started a week ago I missed the initial induction of new students so Professor McGonagall came to greet me at The Leaky Cauldron where I was staying and we used floo powder to get to Hogwarts.
We arrived in Headmaster Dumbledores office and he kindly welcomes me.
"Now its time for you to get sorted into your House Miss Hartley." He says.
"Sorted?" I ask.
"Oh yes. There are four houses of Hogwarts, named after the four founders. They are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin."
I must have to pull a house name out of a hat I thought to myself.
"Miss Hartley, sit over here while I place the sorting hat on your head." Professor Mcgonagall says.
To my surprise the sorting hat was alive and had quite the personality!
As the hat's placed on my head I can feel it linking itself into my mind, reading me like a book. McGonagall steps away so only I can hear what it says.
"Well... you're a strong witch, no doubt about that. Smart too...Creative...You're bold and brave." There was a long pause. "What’s this? a dark side...You have all of the makings of a great Slytherin you know. I sense a lot of hate, hostility and deception in you, a lust for revenge. It seems you would belong there..." He paused I was sure he had made up his mind to put me in Slytherin, but I didn’t like the things he was saying about me. I had a dark side, I know I did, I'd been through a lot last year. I had used all of my strength to get through my troubles and I knew that my loyalties and good heart overshadowed my hard times. I thought about this. "Well maybe you're right," the sorting hat added while reading my thoughts. "I suppose you will be a...GRYFFINDOR!"
I was relieved, although I didn’t know the type of people Slytherin possessed I had a feeling that being in that house wasn't a good thing.
"Well done dear." McGonagall said to me with a warm smile. "Come on then, I'll show you to your house common room so you can get settled."
We walked through the castle until reaching the staircase, McGonagall told me to hold onto the rail and for good reason to! As soon as I grabbed hold the staircase started moving, it was changing direction all on its own. This was the most magical place I have ever been to. There was so much to take in, so much beauty surrounding me. There was countless moving portraits in golden frames covering every inch of the walls of the magnificent 7 floor staircase.
We made our way to the 7th floor where Gryffindor tower was situated, it made me wonder where the Slytherin common room was. I could have very well been on my way there right now had the sorting hat not taken my current thoughts into account.
I quickly followed McGonagall up to a large painting titled 'The Fat Lady'.
"Now this is the entrance to your common room, you must present the fat lady with a password to gain entrance." She turned to face the portrait, "Wattlebird." and with that the portrait swung open. We stepped through and the immediate presence of Professor McGonagall demanded the attention of all the students inside.
"Good evening everyone, we have a new transfer student from Australia." She gestured towards me, “This is Jesinta Hartley please make her feel welcome." There was a sea of smiling faces looking at me, I awkwardly smile back wishing to no longer be the centre of attention.
"Miss Granger, a word please." McGonagall said as the girl gladly obliged. She seemed proud to be called upon.
"Miss Granger, would you please help Miss Hartley get settled, I believe there is a spare bed in your dormitory."
"Yes Professor, I would be delighted to." She smiled.
"Oh and Miss Hartley" McGonagall turned to me, "Here is a copy of our school rules, please make sure you don’t break any, any bad behaviour will result in loss of house points, detention or expulsion. But I'm sure we wont have to worry about that with you though." She smiled and left the common room.
"I'm Hermione!" The girl said excitedly.
"Its nice to meet you I'm Jesinta"
"Jacinta?"
"No, Jesinta - like Jess."
"Oh right, well its nice to meet you Jesinta! I'm so glad Professor McGonagall asked me to help you get acquainted with everything. Here let me introduce you to my friends." She was speaking quite quickly, I suppose she was just excited. "This is Harry and Ron," she said pulling me to stand in front of two boys. The first with messy brown hair and round glasses, the other with flaming red hair that you couldn't miss. "And guys this Jesinta"
They both stood to shake my hand.
"How are you liking Hogwarts?" Harry asks.
"Well from what I've seen so far it is absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to see the rest of the castle."
"It really is something," the red haired boy Ron smiled.
"We can show you around tomorrow if you like?" Hermione says to me
"That would be great." I smiled at my new friend.
"Well its getting late, do you want me to show you up to the dorm and I can help you unpack a bit?" I nodded at her and followed her up the stairs.
"Goodnight boys," Hermione said and I waved goodbye.
* * *
The dorm was a large round room with three beds facing inwards all meeting a beautiful red and gold circle rug in the middle of the room.
"This is your bed, I see your things have already been delivered. Oh along with your class timetable." She said gesturing to the small piece of parchment on my bed.
I sat down on my bed to examine my schedule.
First I had double potions with Slytherin. Finally I would find out what they were like, and get to decide for myself whether or not I should have been one of them.
Then Defence against the dark arts with Ravenclaw.
After lunch will be Herbology followed by Charms with the Hufflepuffs.
Then Transfiguration with Slytherin again.
"How are your classes?" Hermione interrupts my thoughts, I handed her my timetable.
"Ok I guess."
She looks at it for a moment, "Oh Slytherins first class tomorrow," she frowned, "don’t worry bout it, they're not too bad if you just ignore them." She places the parchment down on my bedside table.
I open up my suitcase and start hanging my clothes in my wardrobe, Hermione helps as we spend the rest of the night talking and getting to know each other.
"So what were these rules Professor McGonagall was talking about?"
"Well, basically all you have to remember is curfew is at 10pm, you have to be in the common room by then and you can't go anywhere else in the castle after that time. Also you can't leave the castle grounds, only when we have our scheduled Hogsmead visits of course. Anything else you need to know will be in document McGonagall gave you.
Just then a red hair girl entered the room. "Oh, hi." She said smiling but not expecting to see me.
"Ginny!" Hermione was pleased to see her. "This is Jesinta, she’s a transfer student."
"Hello, its nice to meet you." I shook her hand.
She smiled, "That accent? Australian?"
"You guessed it."
"Well its so nice to meet you! I had no idea we were getting a transfer student. Are you a 6th year like Hermione?"
"Yeah, you as well?" I asked.
"No, I’m 5th year so we wont have any classes together."
"Oh that’s too bad." I exhaled.
"You probably will with my brother though, Ron?"
"You remember Ron from earlier?" Hermione reminded me.
"Oh yeah, I met him in the common room." I smiled at Ginny, "It must be nice having someone else from your family here."
"I guess. All of my brothers went here, I have 5 other brothers. It's just me and Ron here now though."
"Do you come from a wizarding family Jesinta?" Hermione asks.
"Ah, no. I'm the only one from my family." I lied, there was no way I was going to get into my family history with them.
"Same." Hermione smiled.
We spent the rest of the night talking and getting to know each other, before all drifting off to sleep. It was nice, it had been a long time since I felt I could relax and just be a normal 16 year old witch.