Chapter 1
“Come on Ava it’s not that bad.” Ezra says trying to lighten the mood getting a glare from the girl in question. She tucks a loose strand of black hair behind her ear.
“Not that bad! Are you kidding me Ezra? They are going to show us, our power, and our skills off to rest of the wizarding world in hope that someone decides that they want a 15 years old! No one wanted us as a baby or five or ten so why would they want a teen!” Ava snaps backs at him.
“Its just the students, staff and some of the parents from Hogwarts. If we do well enough we won’t have to go to the orphanages’ school anymore we could have a chance. It’s mostly just them either awarding scholarships or a family deciding to pay for a better education for us.” Tara says back causing Ava to roll her eyes.
“Look I just don’t see the point, I mean what is the point?”
“I heard that some of them are looking for some kids that went missing after the war.” Another boy Noah says as he drops on the couch next to Ava.
“Just now? It makes no since. Also we know that our headmaster is going to send notice to the heads of the orphanages that all of us have to get along, and we know that is an impossible task.” As if her words were the trigger an announcement rings out through out the orphanage.
“All children please come to the main sitting room.” Ava sighs and stands leading her small group of friends out of the small study room and towards the main room.
The Matron stands by the door counting the kids as they come in. Once everyone is in the room and accounted for she stands in front of the fire place at the front of the room.
“Okay so as you are all aware, starting Tomorrow at school you all will have some visitors. Now Headmaster Meyers as asked me to make some announcements. One you are all expected to get along with the children from the other orphanages, two be on your best behavior, and finally you all will be staying in your dorms on campus and the Hogwarts students will be sharing dorms. Each room will be given up to four additional beds. I have the list posted for your dorm assignments. Make these students feel welcomed. Also the Hogwarts professors will be sitting in and teaching some of your classes be polite to them. Each of you will be gifted one new outfit and robe. That is all. Now head to bed tomorrow will be a long day.” With the dismissal the children all leave the room once everyone was gone the matron sinks onto the couch. She knew most of the children in her care would listen but one group of them would cause issues. Of course she couldn’t blame them, they all had been in at least one of the other orphanages and seen the differences in funding and their leader had gone through all four. Poor Ava she thought to herself. Her name had been changed more than the others. From her birth name that she doubted Ava remember to Avalonleigh to Avalon and finally to Ava when she joined this Orphanage. Her records scattered through the different names.
She opens Ava’s file and goes through it for the hundredth time trying to figure out the girl. Her birth year was listed as 1980 but that could be wrong they have been wrong in the past. Her parentage was left blank along with her blood status. She looks over the one section that hasn’t made sense to her since she found it. She was found wandering in Godric’s Hollow a week after the war ended. She seemed healthy enough but no resident had ever seen her before. She was found by Albus Dumbledor and taken to Hogwarts for a once over by the Medi-witch on staff. Once cleared she was taken to First Light Orphanage and named Avalonleigh. No last name just a number listing her as the 29th orphan found and taken to that Orphanage. Once she graduates and reaches majority she will either be assigned a random last name or have the option for a lineage test, but that one could be dangerous if she is apart of an old family and the magic rejects her. But, something told the matron that Ava wouldn’t care of the consequences. She closes the girls file with a sigh and heads up to bed.
The next day Ava finds herself lined up with all of the orphans from the 4 orphanages in front of the school. She is leaning into Noah’s arm half asleep while Tara is leaning into Ezra. Neither of the girls had slept much the night before. They had stayed up late going over the Hogwarts students and the professors learning everything they could. Of course they looked into possible families of students and had decided it would mostly be purebloods, maybe some wealthy half bloods. They don’t regret it though, knowing who they could be dealing with would be important for survival not to mention they were sharing their already cramped dorm with Pansy Parkinson and Luna Lovegood.
Soon enough carriages come into focus and while some looked confused others could see the Thestrals pulling them. Soon enough the students and staff climb out and are lead by a few of the upper years of Merlin’s Academy of Magic, the orphanage school. Next pops of apparition can be heard as parents and families arrive. Ava and Tara exchange smiles they has correctly guessed 87% of the families coming were purebloods, although they didn’t expect the Weasley’s. From what they knew although pure bloods they Weasley’s could barley afford to send their children to school so this was just curious.
Eventually everyone had arrived and everyone was alerted to go to the mess hall. Ava and her friends were the last to arrive and enter through the large doors causing heads to turn. Ava just smirks and struts to the table where her orphanage is sitting popping a sucker in her mouth as she walks. Noah rolls his eyes but the group follows her lead and once they are at the table the others make space for them.
“Ava, Noah, Ezra, Tara so nice of you to finally join us now back to what I was saying.” Headmaster Meyers says drawing more attention to the group receiving a two two finger salute from Ezra causing a few of the students to laugh. “We would like to welcome you all during your stay here and want to thank the Professors from Hogwarts for graciously agreeing to teach some of the classes. Now I would like to announce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor since Professor Hunt retired everyone welcome Professor Lupin and our new Runes professor since thanks to the pranks over the last few years has quit…” He glares at Noah and Ezra and the boys just smile at him. “Please welcome Professor Black.” Whispers break out as Sirius Black stands and waves. He had been proved innocent over the summer and of course the Orphanage school didn’t have high standards. “We will be having a dance for Halloween there will be a dress code sent out. To those who can’t afford attire you will be given something. Now everyone please enjoy this meal.” Food appears on the tables.
“Of course they now have the money for a full on feast and a dance.” Tara scoffs.
“How much do you bet the new clothes we are being given will be for the dance?.” Ava adds and the students nod in agreement. They eat quickly and stand up to leave when a voice stops them.
“Of course you four would be the first to leave antisocial freaks.”
“Ashley stop embarrassing yourself and sit down.” Professor Gwen, the current potions professor, says.
“No let her Professor Gwen, if she gets it out now everyone will see her true face. Saves us from dealing with it later.” Ezra calls out getting a laugh from some of the students. The group starts to leave when Ava suddenly turns and throws up a shield causing the spell to fizzle out.
“Now that was pathetic Melissa you whispered the spell and it was still weak. If your not strong enough to cast silently don’t pretend to be.” Ava silently flick her wand sending the same spell back at Melissa causing the girl to fly backwards. The group walks of the hall rolling their eyes. They can hear a teacher yelling at them and all hold up their middle finger over their shoulder as they leave. Whispers break out in the hall as soon as they are gone.
Professor Sprout leans over to Professor Perkins to her left.
“Who was that?” She asks her fellow Herbology professor.
“That was Ava Tara Ezra and Noah of the Nightingale Orphanage. Great students each of the excel in class but are trouble makers, though it seems they are making an effort to behave.”
“That was them behaving?”
“Yes normally they all would send a spell in retaliation that worked well together. We are still trying to figure out how they do it silently.”
“I see… We have had groups of friends like that over the years.”
“I wouldn’t call them friends per say they are more like siblings. But, I guess being orphaned they had to find that sense of family somewhere.” Sprout nods at Perkins words tucking that information away.