I was a whole head taller than these first years. Was I really the only new student this year? How embarrassing. "Victoria Greenwood?" An older woman wearing emerald green robes called my name, of course I had to go first. I made my way up to where the battered old hat was sat waiting for me. Everyone was watching. Every single person wondering why there was a new girl in fourth year. People were craning their necks to get a better look at me like I was an animal in a zoo. The strange hat was placed on my head and dust filled my nose. How old was this thing?
I looked out at the people in front of me. The colours of green, red, yellow and blue clearly showing the four houses of Hogwarts. I knew nothing about them so I didn't have a clue where I would be placed. A few people caught my eye. There was the boy with glasses, who was surrounded by a load of red haired children and girl with wild curls and a stack of books in front of her. There was a boy with ice blonde hair who was previously looking bored out of his mind, now sat up, staring at me with interest. I could have sworn I saw him smirking at me. The old hat interrupted my thoughts as it began to speak.
"Hmmmm, an intriguing one. You're clever, yet there is an air of mystery around you. Your determination speaks for itself, therefore you must be a GRYFFINDOR!" The table full of the red robes begins to cheer and they all stand up, delighted to have a new member. I take it that's my house then. Gryffindor. I join them, and as I'm walking over I notice my plain black robes now displayed the symbol of a lion, the Gryffindor symbol I'm guessing, paired with a red tie.
Two of the red haired children greet me first, identical ones.
"A new fourth year Fred, what does she need to know?"
"Well George she needs to know that the whole school lets off fireworks every morning as a ritual and the password to the common room is Slytherin sucks!"
"Boys shhhh, you'll have plenty of time to play pranks once she's settled in", the girl with the books said. "I'm Hermione Granger, your name was Victoria wasn't it?"
"Yes, nice to meet you"
"Did you transfer here from another school? We never get new students that aren't first years!"
"No, I was home schooled, my mother used to teach at Beauxbatons though"
"Oh Beauxbatons who are here this year for the TriWizard tournament! So you're from France? But you don't have an accent?!" Another red haired boy chewing on a chicken leg asked, his mouth full.
"My mother is from France, my father was English, they met in Paris and then moved to England to have me, I was raised in Brighton."
"Brighton, where's that?"
"It's by the sea, it's such a lovely city! I'd have my lessons everyday while hearing the seagulls and then in the evenings I'd sit on the beach!"
"So you grew up around muggles?"
"Yep"
"What did your mother teach in France?"
"Potions, it's my best subject. I can whip you up an amortentia in 3 minutes flat."
"What's amortentia?" The boy with glasses asked, looking at me with intrigue.
"Amortentia is-"
"Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world, you can smell who you are attracted to" Hermione finishes my sentence.
"Couldn't have put it better myself"
"You better get used to that, she does it all the time. Thank god you're good at potions, Hermione never helps me with my homework", the ginger boy says.
"How will you learn if you never do it yourself Ron? Honestly" Hermione opens one of the many books sat in front of her, she's clearly bored of the conversation now.
"Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Harry, Harry Potter", the boy with glasses says, extending his arm out awkwardly, which I shake gladly.
"And I'm Ron, Ron Weasley, and these are my brothers Fred and George", he says, nodding to the twins "and this is my sister Ginny", he points to a red haired girl who smiles shyly.
"Nice to meet you all"
"So how come you've come to Hogwarts now?" Ron asks, curiously.
"Well with OWLs being next year my mother thought it was best I came to school. There's also not many witches and wizards in Brighton so she wanted me to have experience with other people of our kind. My father came here so she decided to send me here."
"What does your father do? Mine works in the ministry for magic."
"My father died when I was little"
"Oh. Sorry"
"It's ok, I don't really remember him, it was something to do with a dark wizard, that's all I know about it. I guess my mother sent me here to feel close to him"
"Well, you'll love it here, Hogwarts is the best!"
I didn't doubt that. The atmosphere was brilliant, everyone laughing and joking and having the best time. I looked around me and caught the boy with blonde hair staring at me again. I looked away briefly but when I flickered my eyes back to him he was still staring, watching my every move. I raised my eyebrows at him and he simply smirked back and went back to throwing something at a first year sitting at the yellow table. I looked back at the table to see Harry staring at me, who flickered his eyes away as soon as he saw me staring, I don't even think he had realised he was looking at me. He began eating his food but I kept noticing him looking at me out of the corner of his eye.
Intriguing.