Reborn from Ashes

1. A Late Arrival

 Aislyn rushed through doors and up staircases with a slight worried sweat. Late to school? And it hasn't even begun yet! Finally, she found stacks of trunks, cages, and books pushed against walls, however making the hallway much narrower. Shoving her belongings at the end of the pile, Aislyn made sure to grab her wand before continuing her sprint to the Great Hall, except she didn't quite know where that was.

Clapping began to echo against the ancient walls of the school, so she knew she was close. At last, she reached tall, open doors to the source of the clapping. She ran as fast as she could down the center of the hall, earning stares from students and teachers alike.

"Excuse me," a quivering voice shouted from the front where, what seemed to be a professor, held an old tattered hat.

As Aislyn reached the front, she finally slowed down, causing the hall to be filled with apprehensive silence. "Sorry, I'm late," she said distractedly, shocking students with the unfamiliar accent. She adjusted her robes and rubbed them down. "Missed the train in London, so I had to find another way to get... here..." She soon realized the hall attention was silently directly at her.

The witch reached for a scroll from the table of professors while saying, "Are you the new student?"
Nodding hesitantly, Aislyn wasn't quite sure why she had run up to the front.

"Ah, let's see here. Elmore, Aislyn, of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in America. Transfering to Hogwarts in her third year. Of the Thunderbird house, therefore favors adventure." The professor twirled her finger around, motioning Aislyn to face the tables of peers. "Would you like to be put in your equivalent house or be sorted into a new one?"
Aislyn knew this decision was coming her way. She turned to see Gryfindor, the obvious equivalent, who were quietly celebrating the new addition they believed was coming their way.

"I'd like to be resorted," she stated hesitantly.

The teacher led her to a stool and revealed a large, tattered and patched hat. How was this thing going to choose a house for me?

The hat was placed on her head, and it suddenly came alive.

"Ah, a third year! Difficult, difficult... Thunderbird, I see... adventure and soul... but where would you fit here... Gryffindor would be easy..." The Gryffindor table celebrated too early, for the hat then decided, "But you have potential... great power and ambition... that can only be reached in... SLYTHERIN!"
Aislyn expected some sort of applause as the first years got, but the table embellished with snakes gave a not-very-welcoming clap as the professor shooed her to her table.

The only empty seat was next to a boy with silvery blonde hair. His disposition proved that he did not have any interest in talking to her at the moment. She sat down awkwardly next to him, receiving a neutral glare.

The headmaster stood up and welcomed the students, and she recalled his name to be Professor Dumbledore. After few announcements regarding teachers that meant little-to-nothing to Aislyn, he ended with an eery warning.

"Finally, on a more disquieting note, Hogwarts, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, will, until further notice, play host to the Dementors of Azkaban."

The boy beside me turned to face the Gryffindor table, seemingly mocking a boy with glasses.

"The Dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. While they are under strict orders not to enter the castle itself, you will on occasion see them as you go about your daily activities. Under no circumstances are you to approach them. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

Dementors? At Hogwarts? I chose a great year to start school here, didn't I? Aislyn sat there worried as the feast commenced. An abundance of food appeared across the length of the entire table. This was usually exciting for new students, however, this was one of the few things Aislyn had found in common between the two schools.

No one cared to make conversation with the new girl. She had noticed the boy whisper to his friends, occasionally glancing at her, but didn't care as to what they were saying. It had already been a stressful enough day, and she didn't need to disrupt her mood any further.

As they finished their meal, a teacher dressed in robes as black as dementor robes interrupted Aislyn's eating. "Ms. Elmore, I am Professor Snape," he muttered monotonically. "Welcome to Slytherin. I am the potions teacher here, so I will see you in class tomorrow. Malfoy-" He called.

The boy next to me turned at attention to his name. Ah, his name is Malfoy.

"Yes, professor?"

"Please leave the feast early and have Ms. Elmore take her things to the dormitories. I require you to give her a basic tour of the school."

"Yes, professor."