Chapter 9
Hogsmeade was a small village. Etta had seen small stores and flowers everywhere from the passing summer. The wind blew all around and the children around her shivered. A beautiful woman came down the the station to great them, her robes blowing in the wind.
"My name is Professor Sinistra. I will be escorting you to Hogwarts. Single file line first years, all of those not in first year to the carriages. Shoo shoo. Now children follow me please." Luna took Etta's hand in hers. Luna smiled at her and she tried to smile back to no avail. She had never had a reason to smile, so she didn't know how.
The children were guided to ten, five manned boats. Luna, Draco, Etta and boys that Draco introduced as Theo and Blaise all gathered into the same boat. The boats were comforted and warmed with warming charms. Etta stared at the stars, seeing that they were brighter then she had ever seen. The stars has always kept her company. They were always there and never left her. She had read a book on stars after finding out her middle name was Polaris. The North Star.
When she seen the castle she thought her heart would jump out of her chest and Luna squeezed her hand as if she knew what she felt.
"You're excited." Luna replied to her look.
"Excited? That can't be right. I've never felt that before, how could you know?" She asked Luna quietly.
"Cause everyone feels the same way the first time they see Hogwarts. It's the magic it gives to the children who are new. It locks you into the magic wards around the it. Mother told me once that it was like a burst of magic so the castle knows where you are at all times. It's supposed to keep you safe." Luna said in a soft dreamy voice.
The boats hit the deck and stopped. The boys got out first and helped Etta and Luna out. The other children got out and followed Professor Sinistra into the castle. The inside was warm and lit by hundreds of floating candles.
"Wait right here. I will let them know we have arrived." The professor told the children.
The professor walked away. Etta looked around seeing all the children. A boy with really red hair, more orange then her own red, walked up to her. Way to close. She squeezed Luna's hand causing the girl to look at her and the boy.
" So you're Harry Potter. Can I see the the scar?" He moved his hand to her face. Luna pulled her back. Draco came to stand beside her.
" How dare you try and touch a girl without her permission. Have you no manners?" Draco said getting in the boys face. " Seeing as you're a Weasley I suppose not. A pureblood family who has no manners. No wonder your family is such a disgrace." The boy became red.
"Shut up you deatheater in training. How dare you say something about my family when yours joined You know who. Scum!" The boy replied angerly.
"For your information only my uncle joined. He is barely one of my family members. I am nothing like him. And I never will be." Draco replied. As Etta looked at the both of them she felt someone watching her. She turned to see a beautiful pale woman in the the corner. A ghost. Long pale black hair and a white dress. The ghost woman stared at her. She had a sad smile on her lips.
"What is going on here?" Professor Sinistra had come back and seen the Weasley boy holding onto Draco's collars. Weasley let go and Draco patted himself down. "Well if you are ready it is time to get sorted. Follow me." The children all followed Professor Sinistra into the great hall. Walking in Etta seen the hat on the stool. A school song started about the different houses. After it was done an old woman moved toward the hat and started to call names off a list.
Luna had been sorted into Ravenclaw, Draco into Slytherin and so did Theo.
"Harrietta Potter!" Her name was called. Everyone around her started whispering and she looked around and seen Professor Snape. He nodded to her and she sat on the stool the hat on top of her head.
"Well what have we here. An heir to two houses my, my. A lot of knowledge. You wish to learn everything to you can about everything don't you, much like Rowena. But very ambitious like Salazar, oh and a parselmouth. All there is to do is choose. Now which house would you like most my dear heiress? Both would do you well" The hat spoke into her mind.
"Ravenclaw please if you don't mind." Etta told the hat.
"Very well then. Ravenclaw!” The hat shouted and Etta walked over to Luna. Luna grabbed her hand and smiled at her. Draco's friend Blaise and the Weasley boy we're both left. Weasley went to Gryffindor and Blaise to Slytherin.
"Welcome all to a new year and to you young first years welcome to your next seven years at Hogwarts. Before we begin I will star with a few warnings. The third floor is out of bounds to anyone who wouldn't wish a most painful death." Nobody said anything to that. "Also for first years the forbidden forest is off limits. Dinner will now be served eat well and once again welcome."
" That is Albus Dumbledore." Luna told Etta. Etta stared at the man a moment before looking at all the food in front of her. Luna had grabbed the pudding and poured some into her soup bowl. "Dessert is always good to eat before dinner. Would you like some?" Luna asked.
"Please. I have never had pudding before." Etta held her bowl out for some chocolate pudding. She slowly put a small spoonful into her mouth and the taste was amazing. Her stomachs did a weird flip thing and she looked to Luna. "It makes my stomach feel weird. Like a flip thing, is that bad?" Etta asked her.
"Well do you want to eat more of it?" Luna replied. Etta nodded. Luna smiled. " You must like it then." She explained to her. " It must be hard to not know whether you like something or not. I know what I like and what I don't like. I can help you find the things to you like and don't like. I can even show you many other things." Luna told her and went back to her pudding.
In a dark castle a handsome boy of sixteen was reading a book on darkest arts. A man came in and bowed lowly. The boy looked up and stared at the man.
"Alexander please you have been my oldest friend. Do not bow so lowly. I will leave that to Lucius." The boy smiled wickedly. "What news do you have for me Lord Knott." The old man stared at the boy.
"The Potter girl, my Lord, she has been placed in Ravenclaw. It was as you suspected. Would you like my grandson Theo to keep an eye on her?" The boy looked out the window to see the North Star shining brightly in the dark sky.
" There is no need Alexander. I have no to know her school life. What can an eleven year old girl do at this point." Sixteen year old Tom Riddle spoke softly. Alexander Knott gave a small chuckle.
" Yes what can an eleven year old child do at this point." He said in a most sarcastic way. Tom gave him a glare that would mean death if he didn't look so young. He shocked the old man and went back to his book the laughter of his oldest friend trailing out of the room.