Telara woke up to a beautiful autumn morning. Comprehension of all that had occurred over the past thirty-six hours came back slowly. The lady in pink looked at her to consider whether or not she could say good morning without giving the poor girl a heart attack. Telara opened her eyes slowly. The sun was shining in through the windows illuminating her new Diagon Alley purchases.
“Good morning,” uttered the portrait softly.
Telara smiled at her “roommate” and returned her greeting. She didn’t know what time it was or when Dumbledore would be there so she got showered and dressed quickly. She packed her new things away with the old then sat on the bed to wait. She did not have to wait long. She heard a pop outside her door and had it open before Dumbledore had a chance to knock.
“Good morning, Papadore!” greeted Telara.
“Well, you look much better now than when I left you last night. I trust you had a good night’s sleep,” said Dumbledore.
“Oh, I did! I don’t think I moved an inch all night,” she answered.
“I’m glad to hear it, because you have quite another day ahead of you. You will not be taking the train to Hogwarts. I have other plans for your arrival that will make things much simpler,” said Dumbledore.
Telara was disappointed that she would not get to take the train. Edward and Bridget had told her so many stories of the fun times they had on the train while in school. She knew that she would meet her classmates soon enough though. Papadore was always right about these things.
“You will travel to Hogsmead by Floo. From there, one of my professors will take you to Hogwarts. Again, I will take care of getting your things transported,” explained Dumbledore.
“Okay. How will I know who the professor is?” asked Telara.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be able to spot him quite easily,” hinted Dumbledore. “Let’s eat a bit of breakfast downstairs and then we’ll be on our way.”
Telara had been anticipating Dumbledore’s arrival so much she hadn’t even notice her stomach rumbling. She looked around her room one more time and said goodbye to the lady in pink before following Dumbledore out the door.
The waitress brought an enormous plate filled with eggs, sausage and toast to the table. Telara ate quickly in her rush to get on with her trip to Hogwarts. Dumbledore marveled at how much food she was managing to eat.
After she'd eaten enough for two grown men, she contentedly stretched as she stood up. Dumbledore guided her over to The Leaky Cauldron’s fireplace. He held out a pouch of Floo powder and instructed Telara, “You’ll be going to a tavern called ‘The Three Broomsticks’. I will see you soon.”
Telara took the powder and stepped in to the fireplace.
“The Three Broomsticks,” she pronounced carefully. In a flash of green flames, she was gone.
She was forced out of the Floo into another large fireplace. She would have fallen forward on her face if it wasn’t for something very solid that stood in front of the fireplace. Except, it wasn’t something, it was someone! Telara took a step back to see the biggest man she had ever laid eyes upon. His hair and beard seemed to consume most of his face. And his coat pockets seemed to be home to something very wiggily. He could have been quite fearsome if it had not been for his kind eyes and friendly smile.
“You must be Telara!” boomed Hagrid.
“Yes, I am. And you must be the professor who is taking me to Hogwarts,” replied Telara.
’I’ll be able to spot him’ “ no kidding, she thought.
“Yep. Name’s Hagrid. Glad te’ meet ye’! You ready to get up to the school?” Hagrid asked.
“Almost. I need to let my eggs and sausage settle from the Floo ride for a minute before I’m ready to go,” said Telara.
After a quick rest, Hagrid took Telara to a carriage waiting outside. She couldn’t see the Thestral pulling it, but she had been told about them by Bridget and was thankful for her innocence in this matter. She entered the carriage and sat down while Hagrid squeezed his bulk inside. The carriage lowered by quite a few inches as he sat down.
“So, are you excited about coming to Hogwarts?” asked Hagrid.
Telara replied, “I wasn’t too thrilled when they told me, but now I’m starting to look forward to this year.”
“I don’t blame ye’ for being in a state over it. I wouldn’t like it either. But I’m glad you’re acceptin’ it well,” said Hagrid.
“Well, I can’t go around mad forever,” Telara admitted. “And I’m glad to be living near Papadore now.”
Hagrid chuckled.
“What? Did I say something funny?” asked Telara.
“No, not really. I jus’ never heard Professor Dumbledore called by a nickname before,” explained Hagrid.
“Oh! Maybe I should get used to calling him Professor. At least when other people are around,” Telara figured.
“You might get some strange looks tha’s fer sure. But I don’t think it would bother him,” said Hagrid.
Telara looked out the window just in time to see Hogwarts loom into view. Her breath caught as she saw the castle for the first time.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” exclaimed Hagrid.
“Beautiful can’t begin to describe it! It is more magnificent than I could have ever dreamed,” gushed Telara.
As they pulled up to the massive doors, Telara wasn’t sure if her legs would be able to carry her inside. She couldn’t quite believe she was really here. She pinched herself just to make sure.
Ouch! That answers my stupid question, she thought as she scolded herself.
Hagrid opened the carriage door and made his way out. When he was through stretching after the cramped ride, he offered his gigantic hand to help Telara out.
“We’re to go to Professor Dumbledore’s office straight away,” Hagrid instructed.
Telara could only nod as Hagrid led her up the massive steps and through the doors. She felt the coolness of stone and shade as the stepped into the entryway. Hagrid led her though many hallways and up several flights of stairs. They finally stopped in front of a gargoyle statue.
“Ice Mice!” exclaimed Hagrid.
Ice Mice? What is he talking about? thought Telara.
Just then, the gargoyle sprang back and revealed a moving spiral staircase. Telara peeked up the stairwell to see if she really wanted to get on this thing, but Hagrid made her choice for her as he pulled her onto stairs.
When they reached the top, she saw a wooden door with a knocker in the shape of a Gryffin. The door opened as they approached and Hagrid ushered Telara inside. Telara just stared at the splendid room as Hagrid wrote a note at the desk.
“Feel free to look around. Professor Dumbledore should be here soon,” said Hagrid. “It’s been real nice to meet ye’. I’ll see you at the feast.”
“Thank you for everything, Hagrid,” said Telara.
Telara wondered through the room, fascinated with the delicate little devices on the tables. She watched the portraits as they slept and could have sworn that she almost caught a few of them peeking at her. She had just started looking though the titles of the many books in the office when Dumbledore came through the door.
“Ah, my dear, I hope you found your way here easily,” greeted Dumbledore.
“Yes. I would spot Hagrid easily indeed! You could have warned me, Papadore,” laughed Telara.
“But where is the fun in that?” retorted Dumbledore.
“All joking aside, I’m going to need a map to get around. I don’t think I could find my way out if my life depended on it,” Telara stated.
“I know of a certain map but I don’t think you will get the owner to part with it,” hinted Dumbledore. “The paintings and suits of armor should be helpful if you find yourself lost. I expect you will learn your way around quickly. Most students do.”
“We need to take care of some business before I take you to the Great Hall,” instructed Dumbledore.
He pointed his wand at a high alcove above the bookshelves and said, “Accio, Sorting Hat!”
An old, patched hat flew into his hand. Telara recognized it from her parents’ stories of their first days at Hogwarts. She hadn’t even thought about being sorted. Dumbledore motioned for her to take a seat and Telara moved quickly in her eagerness to know in which house she would be placed. The hat sunk low over her eyes and the smell of old leather saturated her nose. She heard a small voice inside her head.
“Hmm,” said the voice “A very unusual pupil. I’ve never sorted any one of this age before.”
Telara peeked out from under the hat’s rim at Dumbledore. He gave her a reassuring wink as he moved her hand away from the hat.
“I see daring, talent, and gift for learning,” the hat continued. “But there is some darkness deep within that I cannot ignore.”
Telara’s heart skipped a beat at this revelation. How could the Sorting Hat see something that she had never even felt herself?
“I think this darkness can be overcome. You will do well remember that this darkness exists in you and be ready when it surfaces. You will need all of your gifts to be able to defeat it. Your house will be Gryffindor!” finished the Sorting Hat.
Telara’s joy at being placed in her parents’ house was tempered by the warning she just received. She slowly pulled the hat off her head and gave a half-smile to Dumbledore.
“Well done, Telara,” said Dumbledore. “I will have someone from your house walk you to the feast.”
Dumbledore left the office and returned a few minutes later with the bushy haired girl she had seen entering the joke shop.
“Telara, this is Hermione. She is Head Girl and one of our brightest students. Hermione, this is my Goddaughter, Telara. She has been studying in the United States and will be joining us for her final year of training,” explained Dumbledore. “I would like you to show her around and introduce her to your housemates.”
If Hermione thought this was an odd situation, she did not show any signs to that effect.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Telara,” welcomed Hermione. “Are you ready to go down to the feast?”
“I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be,” said Telara bracingly.
Dumbledore gave Telara a reassuring wink as she and Hermione left the office and headed down the spiral staircase. They walked along quietly for a little while before Hermione decided to break the silence.
“Telara, where had you been training before you came to Hogwarts?” she asked.
“My parents taught me at home in Texas,” explained Telara. “We had our own library and potions lab.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Hermione. “Having your own library must have been wonderful! Did you go to Muggle school as well?”
“Yes, my parents thought it would be good for me,” Telara continued. “I liked it but I think I’ll like it here much better.”
“I hope you do. You’ll love being in Gryffindor. We've won the House Cup every year but one since I've been here. That's the award for the house with the most points for the year,” added Hermione. "We get along really well."
By this time, the girls had reached the Great Hall. Telara stopped in front of the doors. She heard the din of hundreds of conversations and felt a touch of nerves. Hermione gave her a heartening smile before she opened the doors and led the way inside.
The noise level dropped a bit when the girls entered the room. Heads turned to see this new girl who was heading to the Gryffindor table. Telara ignored the puzzled looks and whispers that had erupted around the room. She straightened herself to her full height and strode confidently beside Hermione as they made their way to the Gryffindor table.
Luckily, she didn’t see the glare of a certain Slytherin who was apparently trying to burn a hole in her back with his eyes.
Hermione introduced Telara to Harry, Ron, Neville, and Parvati before the first years came through the doors and captured everyone’s attention. Telara watched as the Sorting Hat sang his song and proceeded to sort the first years. She let her mind wonder as the Hat continued its task.
I can’t believe I’m here, she thought. These are people just like me. It’ll be so nice not to have to hide who I am anymore.
What Telara didn’t know was that she did have something to hide. She had a secret that was so staggering that Dumbledore had kept it from Telara herself.
Telara became aware of Dumbledore standing to greet the crowd of students and professors.
“Welcome back to yet another year at Hogwarts!” hailed Dumbledore. “We have much to discuss but that will wait until our stomachs are filled. Tuck in!”
Telara marveled as the food appeared before her. It seemed to her that there were some American recipes mixed in with the British dishes. Telara grabbed some familiar fried chicken along with some wonderful looking Shepard’s Pie. The conversation flowed freely as everyone became accustomed to Telara’s presence. She was asked a lot of questions about America and she in turn asked about life at Hogwarts.
Everyone fell silent as Dumbledore stood once again.
“I have just a few words before we all go off to our beds. Once again, it is my job to inform our new students and remind our returning students that the Forbidden Forest is, as its name suggests, forbidden. Also, there is to be no magic used in the corridors between classes. Mr. Filch will be glad to provide a very complete list of other activities that are prohibited. Now to a more vital topic. As you well know, much has changed in our world since last year. I want to encourage all of you to work together as we prepare to battle this rising evil.”
Telara saw Harry in her peripheral vision. She turned to see that his skin had paled during Dumbledore’s speech. His eyes caught hers and she offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
Dumbledore continued, “I want you to be ready for whatever lies ahead by studying and practicing diligently. Please know that the staff and I are here to help you in any way we can. Well, that is quite enough from me tonight. You are excused to your houses. Good night.”
As everyone stood to leave, Hermione excused herself to help organize the prefects as they guided the first years to their respective common rooms.
Parvati linked her arm through Telara’s and whispered, “I’ll show you the way to Gryffindor tower.”
Telara was grateful for Parvati’s help and gesture of friendship. As everyone slowly filed out of the Great Hall, Telara felt very comfortable and contented in her new home with her new friends.
They finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and Parvati gave the new password, “Golden Snitch”. As they came though the portrait hole, Telara gazed for the first time at the Gryffindor common room. It was so warm and welcoming, but its exploration would have to wait until tomorrow. Telara was ready for bed.
Parvati guided her up the stairway to the girls’ dormitory and to their room. Telara saw her trunk and sank into the bed that was behind it. She forced herself up to put on her pajamas before she crawled under the blankets.
“Thank you, Parvati,” Telara said sleepily. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“You’re welcome,” replied Parvati. “Sleep tight.”
Telara fell into a blissful sleep as soon as her head hit the down pillow. She would need her rest for the day that was ahead of her.
Thanks again to bekkio, my amazing beta! I can’t wait to hear what you think. Please read and review!