~The Big Five at Hogwarts~

Chapter 3

Elsa~

      I tighten my blue and gray neck tie for about the hundredth time that night before I continue to flip through the pages of a book I'm reading. I'm part of the Ravenclaw house, which means that a lot of us tend to have books out at dinner. But tonight everyone's eyes are focused on the timid-looking first-years up at the front of the room. The Sorting Hat's deep voice seemed to fill the entire Great Hall, bouncing off the walls and creeping into corners as he sings his song of the four Houses. Each first-year comes up to sit on the wooden three-legged stool and be put into the House that they will be in for seven years. After the ceremony, the Headmistress stands up from the staff table and addresses the school. Her face is stern; her almost white hair up in a bun, and her knowing eyes twinkle, despite all the destruction she was said to have seen in her past. She gestures for a student standing next to the staff table to come towards her. A tall silvery-haired boy of about sixteen or seventeen steps up to the platform.

            "Students, I would like to introduce Jack Frost. I understand that it is not often that we have a student begin during their seventh year, but he is a special case. I expect you to welcome him and treat him with respect." With that, she takes her seat once more. After this, I return to my book about ice and snow spells. This was something that I specialized in, and I was always curious about it. I pretty much tuned out the rest of the ceremony, until McGonagall gave permission to eat. Suddenly plates of cake, ice cream, roast chicken, bacon, and goblets of juice appear on the table before us. I place a small pile of carrots, bread, pork chops, and pudding on top of my plate and start to eat.

            I'm getting up from my seat to go to the restroom when I fall onto the floor, dropping my book. Or should I say I was bumped into by the Slytherin boy, Jack Frost. Nobody from the Ravenclaw table helps me up of course, because I don't have any friends here. Instead the boy starts apologizing awkwardly and holds his hand out to me.

            "Oh, um sorry. You okay?" he inquires.

            "Fine," I answer irritably, ignoring his hand and turning away. But before I can leave, he stops me.

            "Um, you forgot your book..." He stops there, probably wanting to know my name. I take the book out of his hand and pretend like I was about to pick it up anyway. He laughs out loud and I roll my eyes.

            "It's Elsa," I finish for him, "but I'm not giving you my last name, because you might be some sort of weirdo. We don't usually receive new students here." Jack laughs and stars rubbing the back of his neck nervously. So I giggle a little and leave before he has a chance to say anything else. For all I know, he could be a weirdo. What does "special case" mean?