The Hufflepuff Girl

Chapter 1 - Muggle Born

The letter to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry had barely been a shock to Quinn's grandmother. While the cat that had morphed into a teacher carrying the letter had been an entirely separate story. To her grandmother Quinn had always been bright if not a little different. She knew things before they happened, she had practically floated down the stairs after tripping one day, and she was indeed very inclined to having things move when she was in a rather upset or moody state. This explained the mystery behind her grandchild but still they couldn't pinpoint how it happened? The professor who had indeed brought the letter explained it could be any number of reasons, but the most likely was one parent or the other had magical heritage. If one of her parents had not been a witch or wizard themselves. And to the best of Mary Adams' knowledge her son and his late wife had not been magical. She sensed it would have been a great gift that may have prevented their death, though she never told Quinn that.

The time came to pass however that summer rather quickly after the arrival of her letter in June of that year. Before she knew it she was caught up from her country side town life in the hustle and bustle of the large town of London. She stuck close to her grandmother as she stumbled through the streets following Professor McGonagall directions to a small keep on the bustling streets. Quinn's Grandmother seemed to walk right by it as she stopped noting the sign hanging up above the window and butted out from it. The sign was wooden but the inlay of the words and the green bubbles coming from the faded caldron let her know, this was indeed the place they were looking for.

"Grandma!" She called to her grandmother who was already paces ahead and turned to see her. "I think this is it." She smiled gently and her grandmother bustled over to her and looked up at the sign squinting then the establishment.

"I suppose so..." Quinn's Grandmother's voice seemed to dip with disappointment as she eyed the rickety establishment. "Are you sure about this Quinny?" She spoke with worry. Quinn however was alight with the idea that maybe, just maybe she was finally going to find a place she belonged. They were due to meet the Professor here soon with a few other students as she had instructed she would lead them through how to gather their belongings. It seemed that until they could transfer funds from the muggle world to the wizarding world they would be working off a pension for the school. Quinn stepped towards the door about the time a rather large, no, giant man appeared before her. She sucked in a sharp breath and scrambled back out of his way.

"Pardon me!" She squeaked as the house of a man peered down at her then chuckled with a cheerful smile.

"Ah... you must be here for school supplies as well." He chuckled joyfully, "So is young Harry here." He looked over at a young male standing behind. "It's Harry's first year as well." He looked at her then then her grandmother as he held the door to the Leaky Cauldron open for them. The moment they stepped inside Quinn was filled with a warmth and sense of magic. She stepped out of the way of the man and looked at Harry with a warm smile. They passed on by Quinn and her grandmother, who was now holding Quinn's shoulder from where she was pressed to a wall by the entrance. Within moments of the departure from them the mountainous man and Harry were swarmed by patrons. She could hear people shouting at them, it was all jumbled and she looked around pulling her Grandmother away from the crowd. She spotted a flash of velvety emerald and took off in the direction of a smaller crowd and Professor McGonagall.

"Ah, Miss Adams! Mrs. Adams! I am glad you made it." She gave Quinn a prideful smile and handed her a rather hefty leather pouch, her eyes went wide as she opened the bag and she looked up at McGonagall. "Ah yes, this is Wizarding money." She went through each coin, how much they were and which were the most valuable and how many of each went into another. Quinn nodded along taking mental notes. "Now, your books will be provided for the first year, after that we will make sure your funds are well supplied for your school years to come!" She looked up as a dark brown haired girl with curls approached. "Ah! These are the Grangers!" She motioned to the girl and the adults that were looking around the inn with about as much delight as Quinn's Grandmother.