The Half-Blood Princess

Slytherin Or Gryffindor?

The last week of August, Hagrid showed up at the Torrance house to take Harley to Diagon Alley. With little protest, her parents let her go. They had to take the Tube because she couldn't Apparate or fly yet, and she didn't have any Floo Powder...whatever that was.

"Are yeh excited?" Hagrid asked.

"Oh, yes, I certainly am," Harley replied, not used to the bubbling excitement. Usually, she had, at best, apathetic enjoyment when going to English Lit or Chemistry class.

When they got to Diagon Alley, she was in awe of the strange, bustling place filled with humans and things she could not identify. She felt right at home in her oversized black coat, which hung on her like a cloak. She always wore it, even in the stifling summer heat. It was like a security blanket of sorts.

They went to Gringotts bank to exchange her money and went to get her school robes. Harley was startled but entranced by the moving pictures she saw in every shop window she passed. Hagrid told he that her robes would change colour accents once she found out what House she was sorted into. Harley did not quite understand that, but kept quiet. It seemed that the more explanations Hagrid gave, the more confused she became.

"First things first: time ter get yer wand," Hagrid announced with glee as he led her into Ollivander's shop. The old wizard was slightly off-putting, but he seemed to know what he was doing. It took about fifteen minutes before she found the right wand: nearly fifteen inches and made of Alder wood with a unicorn hair core. It was matte black and the end was elaborately carved.

"A great wand," Ollivander said. "I haven't sold one of these for over twenty years, as most young wizards and witches can't handle the magic this wood holds: it is excellent for nonverbal spells. You're a gifted young lady, certainly."

As they exited Ollivander's shop, she heard many voices calling Hagrid's name. She turned to see a group of what were probably Hogwarts students coming towards them. Four were younger than she, two of them were probably her age, and one was a bit older. Five of them were obviously siblings: two were twin boys and the other three all possessed the same flaming red hair.

"Ah, 'ello!" Hagrid said with a smile. "Great timin'. This is 'Arley Torrance. She's gon' start at 'Ogwarts this year. Missed 'er first three years. She'll be in yer year, boys." He gestured to the twins. "'Arley, this is 'Ermoine Granger; Ginny, Ron, Percy, Fred, an' George Weasley; an' this is 'Arry Potter!"

She'd read about Harry: the infant who faced the evil wizard Voldemort and lived. He was a legend and A History Of Modern Magic practically sang his praises. He did not seem very impressive in his too-big clothes and spectacles that gave him an owlish appearance, but she knew looks could be deceiving.

Previous experiences had made her shy and mistrustful around new people, so all she managed was a stiff, "Hello." She sounded rude and abrupt to her own ears, so she could imagine what they were thinking of her. For some reason, the twin named Fred Weasley was blushing like a tomato. It was cute, in a way.

Did I just call someone cute? I must be losing my bloody mind.

"How were you avoiding Hogwarts for three years?" the one called Percy asked. Harley knew right away she didn't like him: too stuffy and spoke with an air of authority he did not deserve to portray.

"I have magical parents who died when I was three. They put a Concealment Charm on me, apparently. And why is it your business, Weasley?" she asked.

"Don't mind him," Fred said, recovering his voice. "He's a prefect, so he thinks he's a real big shot."

"When all he is is a big head," George muttered as Percy walked into a nearby shop. "So, you'll be in fourth year with us. D'you know a lot about magic already?"