The Expectations of Wizardry || Harry Potter

- Rocky Beginnings -

When I first boarded the Hogwarts express, I wasn't expecting to be greeted by an explosion of what I could only assume were fireworks. These days I probably would have found it exciting, but back then I was far too stuck-up to think it anything other than scandalous. I had found it somehow more irritating when the two red-headed twins simply laughed. It had turned out they'd bought small fireworks to play with on the train, and they had accidentally them off in the corridor. Needless to say, I didn't get off on the right foot with them.

I'd mostly avoided them for the first month or so, instead focusing on studying and keeping up with the work. I hadn't made many friends yet - the general concensus was I was intolerable for the most part. In a way, it was true - my family were fairly influential, with my mother being head of human-muggle relations. My lineage was also stated to be pureblood, although there were several muggles in the line that got covered up. The combination of these meant I was brought up with a mindset of superiority - to be honest, without Mr Ollivander's friendship when I was younger, I would've grown up to be an obnoxious prat.

Don't get me wrong though - I love my parents. They did spend time with me, and we did go on holidays, but they were just a bit too... involved in their work and political standings. My dad used to drown himself in files from my mum's work, but I saw him a lot more than my mum, who seemed to spend half her life at work. I had a good relationship with them, and I know now they only had my best interests at heart... well, what they thought was my best interests. I wouldn't be the person I am today without their teachings.

Speaking of my family, I also had a little sister named Anastasia, three years my junior - I remember when she first found out Harry Potter - "the Harry Potter!", as I was reminded several times - was going to Hogwarts, she sulked for a week that she wasn't one year older so she would be in his year. She did end up making acquaintances with Ginny though, and eventually got to meet Harry Potter - which she didn't shut up about for a while, bless her. Anyway, I digress.

I was put into Hufflepuff when I first arrived, and made friends with a timid boy named Theo, who I know now was probably too shy to complain about my occasionally rude ways. He was the first person to tolerate me, and he'll always hold a special place in my heart. All of my classes were with him for most of my O.W.L.s, and we ended up being quite close. My opinion on muggle-borns was drastically improved after meeting Theo - to this day, I'm ashamed of the attitude I used to have back then, but it didn't take long for it to break down.

I've never been good at Potions, and that includes my first year at Hogwarts. My grades were coming back as fails, and so I decided to study really hard for a test that was coming up. And I mean, really hard. I remember being exhausted, but extremely proud when my test came back as a E - of course, it wasn't an O, but for someone who had been getting consistent P's and D's, it was a big win. Unfortunately, due to my low reputation, my grade was put down to bribery due to my social status, and I remember being devastated... I'd worked so hard, yet my success was put down to petty means. It was the first time I had wished I wasn't of a high social status.

Strangely, without this event, I never would've made friends with the Weasley twins. My reputation was at an all-time low, and you could tell people believed the rumours. I was particularly upset one evening, and was sat in the library by myself, when the two sat down either side of me.

"Did you really bribe Professor Snape?"

"Sounds like a pretty impressive feat, but you don't seem like the type to do it."

I was surprised by the sudden question, but was clinging to any shred of hope by this point, since my reputation was so low. I told them that obviously I didn't, and they just nodded and left. I found out the next day people were spreading rumours again - this time, surprisingly, they had changed - now, they were rumours of my success, but also how the initial rumours were spread about by a "jealous dung-brain". It wasn't long before I was approached by my two new acquaintances.

"That was to say sorry for the incident on the train. There's only one way to right rumours-" began the first twin.

"-and that's to start new ones."

It was a strange feeling, but such a welcome one - like someone had my back. I hung around with the twins that day, and over time, we became friends. I think that was when my attitude really started to change, and I loosened up a lot. It was an amazing feeling, and I'll never forget sitting in the library with my friends, studying quietly, but still having little conversations between us. It was such a simple thing, but it meant the world to me back then.

Before I knew it, Christmas holidays had arrived. Most kids were excited for presents, and looking forward to spending time with their families - but I wasn't looking forward to it all. Around Christmas, my parents were a lot busier, as wizards mingled with the muggles a lot more due to Christmas celebrations, which meant a lot more incidents to cover up. As well as that, we often spent Christmases at other households like the Malfoy's to uphold the family's social status. Needless to say, I decided to stay at Hogwarts that year for Christmas, and it was the best decision I'd ever made. I got to spend Christmas with my friends that year, and it didn't feel like I had to keep up any appearances - it felt like I'd found a second family.

My time at Hogwarts continued like this for many years - well, I say that, but it was a bumpy few years, even without the arrival of Harry Potter. For example, the twins broke into Filch's closet once, and were extremely lucky they only got out with a week's detention - a few months after, they never got caught. I'd assumed at the time they just got smarter, but I know better now. They also dragged me into the Forbidden Forest the year before Harry joined, and I really thought I was going to die - it was a good laugh afterwards though. We don't talk about the incident with Mrs Memmery - she wasn't all there anyway, but she ended up being the reason classes were split into just one house per Defence Against The Dark Arts lesson instead of two.

My years at Hogwarts weren't all fun and games, besides exams that is. I'd never seen Fred and George so devoid of life as when their little sister had disappeared somewhere in the castle. Plus, it was horrifying the year that the dementors were in Hogwarts... It still chills me to the bone whenever I even mention the name. To be honest, for a girl still of school age, my childhood was pretty intense.

And yet still, I finally returned to Hogwarts for my 6th year, not knowing what was going to happen, but excited and nervous all the same.