It was another warm, yet comfortable July day in London. It was on a busy Muggle street that one house seemed invisible, as not one person looked its way. It was this house, on this day, that a tawny owl glided to a stop at the window, pecking at the window. The window opened, and in it flew, nipping at the finger of a young girl, whose ice blue eyes were wide with excitement as she untied a piece of parchment from its leg. The owl gave her finger another nip, and she stroked its head with her fingers, before it took off again, hooting its approval.

Small hands shook as she opened the parchment, and her chest swelled with happiness. At the very top was the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry crest: a snake, lion, badger, and eagle wrapped around a large H. Beneath the letterhead, was the letter itself, and the girl had to contain her excitement as she read it; she had finally been accepted!

“Mum! Dad! I got it! I got my letter!� The child, Elisabeth, ran to her parents, who were both sitting in the living room fiddling about with whatever Muggle contraption they had gotten their hands on. At her entrance, they looked up, wide grins on their faces.

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September 1

Elisabeth’s father packed her luggage onto a trolley, placing a cage containing a snowy white owl, who was fast asleep and completely ignorant to the stares she was getting. Celeste and Roland McNight accompanied their eleven-year-old daughter onto the platform between nine and ten. The three of them casually leaned against the brick barrier, stepping through it to come face to face with a scarlet train which read HOGWARTS EXPRESS on the side.

The blonde girl went up to the conductor, who was helping students bring their luggage into the train, giving him her things before going back to her parents, giving them each a hug and a peck on the cheek.

“My little girl, finally going to Hogwarts.� Her father, Roland, beamed down at her with pride evident in his eyes. “I know you’ll make us proud.�

“You vill write to us?� Her mother gave her another kiss on the cheek, the same blue eyes Elisabeth had looking back at her.

“Of course, Mama.� Just then, the train began to roar to life as it prepared to leave. “I promise you I will.�

The engine gave a whistle, and she hurried off into the train, hanging out to wave at them as it began to move. They yelled out, “We love you, Lis!� just before she was ushered inside by the conductor, and she found an empty compartment to sit in, looking out the window as the train station became smaller and smaller until it disappeared from view.

“Excuse me, can I sit here?� A brown haired girl popped her head into Elisabeth’s compartment, her front teeth poking out from under her top lip.

“Sure.� She gave the girl a smile and held out her hand as she sat across from her. “I’m Elisabeth McNight. Lis, for short.�

The other girl gave her hand a firm shake. “Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you. Isn’t this exciting? I’ve read Hogwarts, A History, and the school has an amazing history. The Houses all seem very interesting, though I should hope I don’t end up in Slytherin. I read that it’s turned out the most dark witches and wizards of any of the Houses; you can only imagine what type are in there. Foul, they must be.� The girl spoke very fast, and Lis nodded with a friendly grin.

“My father was in Ravenclaw. I’m hoping to get sorted into Ravenclaw myself.� she told her.

“Ravenclaw or Gryffindor both seem to be excellent Houses.� Just as Hermione finished her sentence, a round faced boy came in with a worried expression.

“Excuse me, have either of you seen my toad, Trevor? I seem to have lost him…�

“No, I’m sorry, we haven’t, had we, Lis?� Shooting Hermione a surprised look, she shook her head to confirm that she had not. “Well, come on, let’s go find him. By the way, what’s your name?�

“Neville,� the boy answered.

“Alright Neville, I’ll come help you look for him.� Hermione gave him a wide smile. They both disappeared, and Lis sighed in relief.

She took her copy of Hogwarts, A History from out of the only bag she was carrying with her and began to read it. By the time she had looked up from its pages, the sky outside the train was dark, and the castle was glittering in the distance beyond a great lake. Students filed out, and she followed suit, treading behind a line of other first years.

A giant man with lots of hair was holding out a lantern, calling out to the first years. He waved toward them with a friendly smile, repeating, “Firs’ years, this way! Firs’ years, over here!�. Once everyone gathered around him, he turned their attention to some boats that were docked on the lake. Like the others, Lis looked at them in awe, but her stomach was twisting at the thought of going over the lake and falling in.

“C’mon, follow me!� The first years climbed into the boats, and the giant man instructed that there be no more than four to a boat before calling out, "Forward!" The boats lurched forward on their own, and the students were all oohing and ahhing at the magic of the scenery. Lis clutched her bag to her chest, eyes wide in wonder as Hogwarts castle loomed nearer.

As they reached a cliff, she could hear the giant yell, “Heads down!�, and she bent her head forward to avoid getting whacked. Once they reached a harbor, the students piled out of the boats and toward the castle. Behind her, she could hear the giant ask the round faced Neville she met on the train earlier if it was his toad. With a grin, she guessed that Trevor the toad had been found.

They parted ways as the giant made his way up the stairs, raising his trash-can sized fists and knocking on the door. When it opened, a stern-faced raven-haired witch in emerald robes came into view; Lis gulped. A stern expression was on this woman’s face, and Lis could only imagine how strict she must be.

The doors opened wider to let them in, and Elisabeth stepped into the Grand Entrance Hall where a beautiful staircase stood in facing them. The walls largely reminded her of castles from the Dark Ages with its torches lighting up the space. Opposite the staircase was a large door, which she assumed opened up to the Great Hall. Instead of directing them there, however, Professor McGonagall whisked them into a small chamber to the side.

“Welcome to Hogwarts,� the Professor began. She went on to tell them about the four houses, each having a special history, and each being an honour to be sorted into. Lis fidgeted; the nerves were really starting to get to her now, and she wished Professor McGonagall would hurry up with her speech. Accomplishments earn housepoints, rule breaking takes them away. More points means winning the House Cup, she thought to herself as she listened. McGonagall then told them to wait where they were, before disappearing.

As soon as she left the room, excited whispering broke out. Lis shifted from one foot to another, straightening up her robes and smoothing her hair. Her hands were trembling, and she looked around to see most, like her, were scared out of their wits.

“I know I’m going to be in Slytherin,� a pale boy with white-blond hair and grey eyes said to a couple of big boys. “Father says that’s the only House in this school worth anything.� The two he was talking to were nodding in agreement, and Lis rolled her eyes. The blond boy noticed her and leered at her. “Don’t believe me, do you? You’ll see.�

“Yes, I’m sure I will.� Lis replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I suppose your ignorant father also said Muggle-borns are worth nothing, right?� The boy scowled.

“My father is not ignorant. Mudbloods weren’t even wanted in this school, besides that oaf Gryffindor,� he shot back, his eyes narrowed in a glare.

“Is that what he told you? Then my case is proven and rested. The only founder who didn’t want Muggleborns,� she put emphasis on Muggleborns all while trying to squash her anger down at the nasty slur, “Was Slytherin. If you’d read Hogwarts, A History, you’d have known that simple fact. The racist git had it in his head that the only ones who were able to properly use magic were that of pure blood, which is absolute rubbish.�

A look of dawning crossed his face and he sneered. “So does that mean you’re one of them? You’re a Mudblood, aren’t you?�

“Not that I owe you an explanation,� she snapped. “But I am a McNight. I descend from a line of pure witches and wizards on both sides of my family. Luckily, my parents taught me right.� With this, she turned her back on his gaping face just as McGonagall returned, ordering them to line up and follow her. They did so, their faces betraying the nervousness they were all feeling. Elisabeth quickly put the insolent pale boy out of her mind and focused on the fast-approaching Ceremony. The first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall, and she craned her neck to see what everyone in front of her was trying to see. Lis managed to catch a glimpse of a stool with an old, patched hat with a tear at the brim. Of course she knew what the Ceremony was from her father, but seeing that she would be sorted in front of the entire school caused her stomach to lurch.

Suddenly it began to sing of the houses and what each valued most above all: Slytherins were cunning and sly, Gryffindors are brave and loyal, Ravenclaws witty and intelligent, and Hufflepuffs accepting and kind. The hall burst into applause and she followed suit, her clapping dying down quickly as McGonagall approached the stool holding some parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. She called out Abbott, Hannah’s name and a blonde girl in pigtails slipped out of the line. Elisabeth watched the hat as it remained silent for a moment, then�

“HUFFLEPUFF!� The students at the Hufflepuff table applauded, and on to the next student. As the names neared McNight, Lis gulped, her nerves on fire. What would she do if she didn’t follow in her father’s footsteps and join Ravenclaw? Even worse, what if she ended up in Slytherin?

“McNight, Elisabeth!� The sound of McGonagall’s voice was like chalk on a chalkboard. Heart hammering, she stepped forward and sat on the stool, facing the entire school and trembling as all eyes were on her.

“Very intelligent, you could definitely be a rival of Miss Granger, yes. Hufflepuff would do you very well. Oh but you prefer Ravenclaw? Well then…� The hat spoke in her ear then paused. “RAVENCLAW!�

The Ravenclaw table erupted in whoops, smiles and applause, and she couldn’t help but grin over at her new House as she approached them. A blonde first year girl smiled at her as she sat down next to her; she held her hand out to Lis.

“Hello, I’m Mandy Brocklehurst. It’s a pleasure to meet you.�

“Elisabeth, nice to know you as well.� She responded, a big smile still on her face as she turned her attention back to the sorting. Moon, Nott, Parkinson, Patil, Patil, Perks, Potter… Elisabeth’s eyes opened wide as a boy her age with untidy black hair and glasses nervously shuffled onto the stool.

“Harry Potter? The boy who lived?�

“Can it really be him?�

“Potter?�

Whispers sounded all around her, and she could tell Harry was terrified; at the attention he was getting or not knowing what house he was about to be sorted in, she wasn’t sure. By far he remained on the stool for the longest time, but eventually the tear opened and yelled, “GRYFFINDOR!�

Naturally, the Gryffindor table hopped to their feet. Screams of, “We got Potter! We got Potter!� could be heard, though just barely. The clapping sounded more like a herd of unicorns trying to get away. Eventually the noise died down. Two more students joined Gryffindor, and a third joined Ravenclaw, the last going to Slytherin.

A tall wizard with a long white beard and hair, his crooked nose holding up half-moon spectacles, stood up at a podium, a look of joy on his face. From her wizard card collection, she knew this was the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He welcomed them to Hogwarts, and then said something very strange: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

Lis had no idea what that meant, but she made a mental note to find out. Before she could give it another thought, food suddenly appeared on the golden plates in front of them, and suddenly she felt very hungry. Ghosts flooded the Great Hall, and a serene looking woman glided through the table, politely smiling and greeting everyone.

Dinner came and went. Lis gobbled down some treacle tart for dessert before it too, disappeared. Professor Dumbledore stood again, and everyone went silent. He told them of several important rules; the Forbidden forest was forbidden for a reason, no magic was to be used in the corridors, and the third-floor corridor on the right was forbidden -- apparently something life-threatening was stored there.

Murmurs filled the hall, and Lis turned to Mandy, who was looking at the headmaster as if he had said something that made sense. “Is he serious? What could possibly be at the school that could kill us?�

“I don’t know,� Mandy said, her voice dreamy. “But I suppose he has a very good reason for warning us away.�

“Yeah, I suppose so,� Lis mumbled and turned her attention back to him.

After joining in singing the school song with everyone else � at very odd intervals and tunes � they were ushered off to their dormitories to go to bed. The Ravenclaw prefect led them to the west side of the castle, up a flight of stairs until they reached a tower door. On the door was a knocker in the shape of an eagle, and the prefect knocked on it.

The beak of the eagle opened and it spoke. “I am first in earth, second in heaven. I appear two times in a week. You can only see me one time in a year, although I am the middle of the sea. What am I?� The prefect’s mouth opened, then closed again and he shut his eyes, mumbling under his breath. Elisabeth pushed forward and tapped the boy on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, but I believe the answer is the letter E.� He looked at her, unblinking and silent. Elisabeth pressed on. “E is the first letter in earth, second letter in heaven, twice in the word week. It appears only once in the word year, and it is located between the S and A in sea.�

His eyes widened in enlightenment and he turned back to the knocker, who was glancing between the two. “Right, the answer is E.�

“Very well,� it responded and a click sounded as the door swung open to reveal a large, circular room with a blue carpet; the walls were a light beige with arched windows covered in silky blue and bronze drapes. At the sound of excited whispers and fingers pointing up, Lis followed everyone's gaze and found a night sky twinkling above her.

“I heard it was bewitched just like the Great Hall,� she heard a girl of Asian descent say to a round faced boy beside her. “It's supposed to look like that during the day too.�

The prefect boy from earlier cleared his throat and gestured behind him towards a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw herself, a set of staircases leading up to what was the dormitories.

“Boys on the left, girls on the right. You may not join the other gender's dormitory for any reason. As you all saw, the password into the common room is answering a riddle. You had better get it right or hope that a fellow Ravenclaw will save you or else you'll be stuck outside.� His face turned notably pink and he cleared his throat again. “As all the older students know already, curfew is at eight o'clock in the evening for you lot until your fifth year.� This declaration was met with groans. The prefect ignored this, however, and continued. “In your fifth year your curfew will be nine. Right then, if there are no more questions� � like there were any to begin with � “I suggest you all go to bed. You have an early start tomorrow.�

Elisabeth followed the girls to the girls’ dorm on the right. Four-poster beds were arranged in a circle around a large, bronze globe in the centre of the room. Their trunks were already waiting for them on their beds, and they unpacked in silence, apparently all too sleepy to socialise. They muttered good nights to one another before clambering into bed and pulling their four-posters closed. Lis immediately fell into a dreamless slumber as soon as her head hit her pillow.

The next morning proved to be as excitable as the night before. As soon as Elisabeth woke up, she threw on her robes and rushed down to breakfast, right behind a couple of first-year boys who were murmuring to one another eagerly about getting their class schedules. Upon entering the Great Hall, she passed the Slytherin and Hufflepuff tables, plopping herself down next to Mandy, whom she met the previous evening at the feast.

“‘Morning!� she said, smiling brightly at the girl as she shovelled pancakes onto her plate.

“Good morning,� Mandy yawned as she bit the bits of egg on her fork. “I’m not used to waking up so early. S’pose I’d better, though.� At that moment, a tiny wizard shuffled towards them, mumbling and shuffling through papers.

“Miss McNight, here you go,� he squeaked as he handed Lis a piece of parchment. “And for you, Miss Brocklehurst. I look forward to seeing you both in my Charms class.� He shot them both a grin before wandering off to hand out the other students’ schedules.

Mandy groaned. “We have Charms with Slytherins. And Herbology. This is rubbish.� Her lips pursed, and an unamused expression crossed her face. “Well, it’s almost time for Charms. I suppose we’d better get a move on soon.�

“Yeah, we do.� Elisabeth continued staring fixedly at her timetable as she shoved the rest of her food into her mouth. The two girls stood and slung their bags over their shoulders as they left the Great Hall and trudged through the entrance hall towards the grand staircase.

“I believe Charms is on the third floor, isn’t it?� Lis asked Mandy as they ascended the steps. The staircase began to move and they held on to the railing until it clanked to a stop.

“It’s what the prefect said. Or rather, I heard him tell another first year,� Mandy responded as they began to mount the second set of stairs. They turned into a hallway leading to their Charms lesson, when a colourful ghost-like man floated above their heads, cackling.

“Oi, ickle firsties come to play! ‘Ello, what are your names? I need some playmates!� The poltergeist grabbed a vase from a table and shattered it against the wall above their heads. Mandy shrieked; Lis jumped out of the way, covering her head with her bag as the shards bounced off of it.

“Peeves!� An old, ragged-looking man came wheezing toward them with a shabby cat on his heels. “Get away, you bloody pest! You wait until Dumbledore hears about this.� Peeves floated away, giving the caretaker a rude gesture before disappearing through a wall. Filch ignored Lis and Mandy, instead speaking to his cat. “Yes, my sweet, Peeves will pay dearly. We'll see to that, won't we?�

“Bloody hell, that ghost is mental.� Mandy watched the retreating caretaker before eyeing the area of wall Peeves had disappeared through.

“That's a poltergeist, actually. They live for mischief. Er, in a sense.� The witch peered at her watch. “That Peeves nearly made us late. Come on,� she said, grabbing hold of Mandy’s arm and making a break for the Charms classroom straight ahead. They reached their seats just as the tiny wizard came into the room.

“Good morning, class! My name is Professor Filius Flitwick. I’m delighted to see so many new, excited faces here today. Our lesson will begin with the simple levitation spell, Wingardium Leviosa. The wand movement is a simple swish and flick, like so.� He took his wand from his robes as he spoke, giving it a light swish and flick several times for the class to see. He then scrambled onto a stool behind his desk, pointing the tip to a stack of books on it and repeating the movement. “Wingardium leviosa!� he squeaked, concentrating his focus on the books as they rose into the air. Murmurs filled the class as they watched with wide eyes. “What is essential when casting this spell is concentration. In time, with practice, this spell will become effortless. But for now, you must focus solely on the object which you are attempting to levitate, and be sure to properly enunciate the incantation; otherwise you just may set fire to the object, or worse. You must put emphasis on gar, and the o in leviosa. In front of you, you will find a feather. For the remainder of this class, you are to practice the incantation and wand movement until you can lift the object. You may begin!�

“Oh, this will be fun!� said Mandy excitedly. Lis grinned in response, but said nothing. She turned her attention to the feather in front of her, blocking out all utterances of the incantation around her.

The feather became all she saw, and she pointed her wand at it, keeping a picture of the feather clear in her mind. “Wingardium leviosa!� she said in a clear voice. The feather twitched, but it did not levitate. Lis squinted her eyes, continuing to concentrate. Just as she opened her mouth to try again, she was hit in the back of the head. The witch whirled around to find herself face to face with the pale boy from the previous night, his face screwed up as he waved his wand wildly in the air. It hit her again on the nose, and she reached out and snatched it from him.

“Stop. What do you think you’re doing? Professor Flitwick said swish and flick, not wave your wand around like a maniac.� He grabbed his wand from her with a scowl on his face.

“‘Professor Flitwick said...’,� he mocked her in a high-pitched tone. “If you think you can do better, you try it.�

“I am trying it,� she retorted, her cheeks flushing. “But unlike you, I haven’t whacked someone upside the head with my wand!� Elisabeth turned back, purposely swinging her hair into the boy’s face, before returning her attention to the feather. “Wingardium leviosa!� This time the feather lifted slightly off the desk, and she heard a squeal of delight as Professor Flitwick exclaimed, “Great job, Miss McNight! Keep going like that and you’ll have the spell down in no time!� Mumbling could be heard from behind her and she turned around to find the boy glaring at her. At her catching him, his pale face turned pink and he scrutinized his own feather, which still had not moved.

“I could help, you know,� she said as she turned in her seat. Beside her, Mandy was gawking at the pair, but Lis ignored her.

“I don’t need your help,� the boy replied, his teeth grinding.

“Your wandwork says otherwise. You need to give a gentle swish,� she moved her wand in a small, but wide U. “Then flick,� she flicked her wand at the feather. “And say the incantation. Now you try.�

He looked at her grudgingly, but copied her movements as he said, “Wingardium leviosa!� The feather quivered, one end raised slightly. Again he tried, but once more the feather barely moved. “This is pointless,� he grumbled.

“You have to keep practicing. You didn’t honestly expect to get it on your first try, did you?� A single eyebrow raised at him, and the corner of his lip twitched. “You’ll get it.�

“I’m Draco Malfoy, by the way,� he said suddenly.

Elisabeth blinked in surprise, but responded, “Elisabeth. If I were you, I would keep practicing.� Just then, the bell rang, signalling the end of class.

“Remember students, your homework is to practice the charm! I expect some movement by next time I see you,� said Professor Flitwick as everyone packed up and left.

“I’ll see you in Herbology,� Mandy said, shoving her wand in her robes as she fled out of the room. Lis was pondering why Mandy seemed to be in such a rush when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to face whoever tapped her, finding herself opposite of Draco.

“I really didn’t need your help, but,� he started, his face pinching as if what he was saying left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. “Thanks.�

“You’re welcome.� Her tone was polite, but icy. She slung her bag over her shoulder and stalked off, leaving Malfoy to walk with his large cronies, who seemed more like his dumb bodyguards than anything else. Finally making it out of the classroom, she weaved her way through a sea of students, the shoving and pulling nearly making her trip several times. As soon as the door leading to the greenhouses came into view, she darted to it and found herself in the middle of what seemed to be a forest with glass and strange plants everywhere.

As she neared her classmates, she caught Mandy’s eye, but the girl looked away quickly, resuming her conversation with a Ravenclaw boy whom Elisabeth didn’t yet know. Frowning, she lagged behind the rest of her class just as Draco Malfoy and his friends showed up. She paid them no attention, but couldn’t help overhearing their conversation.

“Dumbledore really needs to wise up, I mean he not only lets mudbloods in this school, he supports their rights. My father says—â€Â�

“Honestly, don’t you ever give up?� Before she knew what she was doing, she whirled around to face him with a look of anger on her face. “Muggles and Muggle-borns have just as much rights as we do. They aren’t worth any less than we are just because they have Muggle blood.�

“Says the pureblood,� Draco said, sneering at her.

Elisabeth’s cheeks flushed and she shot back, “My pureblooded parents are purebloods because, for centuries, their families thought the way you do. My parents, on the other hand, learned to think for themselves. And they got married because they love each other! It’s got nothing to do with blood status. So before you start slinging around accusations and insults, think.� Once again she left him open-mouthed, just in time for a tiny witch in a tattered hat and robes to come shuffling towards them, opening the door to the greenhouses and showing them in.

“Greenhouse one, everyone, that’s it. Welcome, welcome to Herbology. I’m Professor Sprout, and I will be your teacher, hopefully for the rest of your time here at Hogwarts. Today we will be going over safety and supplies, not particularly exciting for you but then again, first years never get the fun stuff.� The professor chuckled and tapped her wand against a blackboard. Writing scrawled on it as they watched. “First off, supplies!�

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Later that night, Mandy caught up with Lis in the common room just as she was bent over a table doing homework. She looked up from One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi to find a disgruntled Mandy sitting across from her with a sour expression on her face. She shot daggers with her eyes at Elisabeth, her arms crossed over her chest, and Lis set down her quill with a sigh.

“What’s wrong?�

“Malfoy,� she said, her tone oddly cold. “You’re friends with the racist git now.� Mandy was accusatory, and Lis raised a brow.

“Friends? Why? Because I helped him in Charms?� She snorted. “Hardly. I’ll say to you what I said to him, I may be pureblood, but I was raised right.� The other witch seemed doubtful, but said nothing and got up, leaving Lis to her homework and her thoughts.