Puzzling

September 1, 1992- Morning

Gemma stood nervously in line as she waited for McGonagall to call her name. She didn’t know which surname would be used. Skladany had been her last name her whole life until her stepfather adopted her. Technically she was now Perrault-Skladany, although her stepsister Cleo told Gemma that she had no business using the Perrault name when she wasn’t really family.

Speak of the devil, Gemma could see Cleo sitting at the Gryffindor table. How lucky Cleo must be, Gemma thought, to be sorted in the same house as the boy who lived and in the same year. Gemma waved at her sister, seeing no good reason to return Cleo’s ill will. Cleo ignored her.

“Perrault-Skladany.” McGonagall called. Gemma stumbled forward.

September 1, 1971- Morning

Hannah took the sorting hat from McGonagall and placed it on her own head.

“Hmm. A lack of ambition or academic skill.” The hat murmured.

Hannah’s brow furrowed. “Hey!” Her voice cracked in protest. Why did this hat need to insult her, just because she struggled in school? By this point, Hannah had learned that putting in the effort would never be worth it.

“Moving across an ocean? That does take bravery.” Hannah was surprised to hear that. She didn’t think sitting on a plane between her ma and dad was particularly courageous. Neither was crying when she learned they would never return to their apartment in New York City.

The hat continued, “Yes, Gryffindor would be passable for you but you could flourish in a different house…”

There was a ringing in Hannah’s ears when the hat yelled out and sorted her in Hufflepuff.

September 1, 1942- Morning

Maureen was grateful for how safe Hogwarts felt. From the moment she stepped inside the castle, its walls were like a warm embrace.

It came as no surprise when the hat sorted her into Ravenclaw. Maureen grinned when she thought of how thrilled her parents would be when they learned she was in the house renowned for its intelligence. Education was highly encouraged by Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford, due to the former’s career university professor while the latter was a teacher at Maureen’s old primary school.

Maureen had a nasty shock when she reached her dormitory and the realization that she would have to share it with four other girls for the next nine months. Maureen had grown up as an only child with her parents and the Rutherford’s maid, Marjorie, doting on her. This was completely new to her.

Maureen steadied herself. How could she complain when the muggle world was in midst of a war? She scolded herself for being so selfish. Maureen knew she had to keep her desires in check.

September 1, 1992- Noon

Gemma entered her dormitory. Seeing as there was only one empty bed left, Gemma strolled over to it. She wondered where the others before growing curious as to why the bed was covered in scratch marks.

“The girl before you had a cat.”

Gemma jolted. She looked over her shoulder to see a blonde girl with her hair. “At least that’s what I heard from Professor Sprout. I think we were really lucky to get her as our head of house.”

“I’m so sorry.” Gemma apologized. “I thought this was—“

“You’re okay.” The blonde girl held out her hand. “I’m Annabel Entwhistle.”

“Perrault-Skladany.” Gemma didn’t bother to give her first name.

“Perrault is easier to say, if you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all.” Gemma said. “Do you prefer Annabel or something else.”

“You can call me Anna if you’d like. Just don’t call me Annie.” Annabel insisted. “My brother Kevin does it to get on my nerves. He thinks that because he’s a Ravenclaw, it makes him smarter than everybody else.”

“He’d get along with my sister.” Gemma frowned. “I should go to my actual dormitory now.”

“Wait!”

Gemma stopped in the doorway. “Huh?”

Annabel walked over to her. “If we see each other in class, promise you’ll sit with me. I don’t have any friends here yet.”

“Promise.”

September 1, 1942- Night

Maureen quickly found out who her favorite roommate was. She stayed up late, chattering with her new friend. Similar to Maureen, Phyllis was a muggleborn. The shock of entering the wizarding world worried Phyllis far more than it did Maureen. She picked at her acne nervously while Maureen talked about her home and family.

“Oh dear,” Maureen tsked. “I’m talking your ear off and I haven’t given you the chance to tell me about your home.”

“I used to live in London.” Phyllis said. “Please, I don’t like to talk about myself.”

“I visited London once.” Maureen grinned. “It was with my mum and dad. We stayed there for a week in February for my aunt’s wedding.”

“Did you like it?”

“I did. My favorite part was when my grandfather took my cousins and I to see this American cartoon in the cinema.”

“Snow White? I saw that too.” Phyllis recalled.

“Oh, I thought she was beautiful. I didn’t care for the prince.”

“I saw it with my mum. She didn’t care for the American accents.” Phyllis frowned. “I haven’t seen my mum in a year. Maureen, you’re so lucky you haven’t had to evacuate yet.”

“My mum and dad planned on it.” Maureen confessed. “They wanted me to stay with my uncle in the countryside, but my letter from Hogwarts showed up before it was time for me to leave.”

“Do you think you’ll have to stay with him during the summer?”

“I hope the war is over by then. Of course, I also hope the Allies win.”

“Is your dad in the army?” Phyllis asked. “Mine is.”

“He enlisted in the Navy before I left. He plans to return to being a professor once the war is won.” Maureen hugged her knees. “I’m scared he won’t return.”

Phyllis tugged at one of her red pigtails, tied together with white ribbons. “Do you think we’ll be safe at Hogwarts?”

“Of course we will.” Maureen said. “If there’s any place we’ll be safe, it’s Hogwarts.”

“I suppose you’re right. A prefect told me that Hogwarts is undetectable by muggles, so we ought to be safe from the Blitz.” Phyllis yawned. “Good night, Maureen.” Phyllis returned to her own bed.

September 1, 1971- Afternoon

Hannah could never stay in one place at once.

She ran to the nearest professor she could find. McGonagall gave her a perplexed look. “Miss Fairclough, shouldn’t you be with the rest of the Hufflepuff first years?”

“Oh, I left.” Hannah didn’t bother to explain why. “When do quodpot tryouts start?” Hannah figured there was no chance of a magical school hosting a muggle sport like basketball, so this was her next best shot.

“There are no quodpot games at Hogwarts. We have quidditch, but as a first year, you wouldn’t be able to join the Hufflepuff team.”

“What sports are available to first years?”

“None of them, unless there’s a first year who is exceptionally talented. You could try gobstones or wizard’s chess, although gobstones is more of a game than a sport.” McGonagall explained. “Both of those have competitive teams in the school, as well as more casual clubs. Now go return to your common room.”

“Thank you, Professor!” Hannah waved goodbye as she sprinted off.

Hannah did not return to her common room. Instead she explored the castle on her own, darting around and resisting the childish urge to slide down one of the moving staircases. After that was exhausted, she decided to leave the castle. Hannah wanted to see that quidditch field for herself.

It was beautiful. Hannah could picture herself flying around on one of those brooms her ma would never allow her to ride. She’d score through one of the three hoops and the crowd would cheer.

As she walked along the field, something caught Hannah’s eye. There was writing carved into the outside of one of the quidditch stands. Hannah guessed that it was by a quidditch player, and took a closer look.

‘Congratulations on solving clue number three. Here’s number four: My favorite professor used to teach this class before becoming our transfigurations professor. You’ll find the clue above your heads.’

Hannah stepped back. That was it? A stupid riddle.

Hannah then remembered what the sorting hat had told her that morning. “A lack of ambition or academic skill.” It thought she was stupid. It wasn’t the first. At her old school in New York, her classmates would make fun of her when she got an answer wrong or when she was asked to read and mispronounced words. Well, Hannah would prove them all wrong. She didn’t know what the clues were for yet, but she would solve them with her own smarts.