Sydney Dadzie-Granger and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 1 - The Cat

Sydney's POV:

Hermione and I had quickly settled back into our joint room, but found that it was slightly awkward after having spent the last ten months apart. After all, in just the summer prior, Professor Minerva McGonagall had come to inform us that we were both witches, and had been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Once arriving at Hogwarts, Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor House, and I into Hufflepuff House. Despite our separation, we still made an effort to talk with each other at least once a day, and to eat breakfast or lunch together once a week. Hermione became close with two fellow Gryffindors; Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, while I connected the most with my roommates: Meg Jones, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones. I had also sometimes hung out with Hannah's sister Lexie, who was a Ravenclaw; Neville Longbottom, a Gryffindor; and Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass, both Slytherins.

The past year had been incredible - filled with learning spells and potions. My favourite classes were Transfiguration and Charms, though I also enjoyed Herbology, taught by the Head of Hufflepuff House: Pomona Sprout. She had been quite supportive by encouraging me to begin private lessons with Professor McGonagall.

See, I'm not technically Hermione's sister, not by blood. Her parents adopted me at the age of six after my parents, Katarina Dadzie and Jeffery Ackerly, were murdered by Dark Wizards. Katarina was the "Powerful One" - a witch descended from the four founders of Hogwarts with extra powers. In dying, she passed her powers onto me, making me the next Powerful One. I also learned that I was the eldest of triplets, and that my two sisters had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth.

After learning of my identity and receiving a letter from my mum, I spoke to Minerva McGonagall requesting her tutelage with my powers. She taught me advanced Transfiguration spells, charms, jinxes and hexes. I also mastered my abilities as an elemental under her careful instruction, which came in handy towards the end of the year.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had discovered that the Philosopher's Stone, a stone with the ability to give someone immortality, was residing in Hogwarts. They feared that Lord Voldemort, a Dark Wizard who is supposed to be dead, was trying to steal it. Thus, the four of us (and Neville Longbottom) went through a magical obstacle course to prevent that from happening.

Ron was injured during a chess-match, so Neville stayed behind to take care of him. I battled a troll, enabling Harry and Hermione to continue. After dissecting a potions riddle, Hermione returned to my side and encouraged me to go help Harry. We discovered that Professor Quirrell, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, had been possessed by Voldemort to steal the stone. Harry managed to get it and run for help while I held off Quirrell-Mort.

Despite my enhanced magical abilities, it didn't take long before I was overpowered. Quirrell-Mort placed the Cruciatus Torture Curse on me for several minutes before I was saved by none other than Minerva McGonagall.

Unfortunately, the Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, did not seem so impressed with my role in the rescue of the Stone. He ordered me to cease my training with Minerva, claiming that I was "too young" and that he would train me "when I was ready". He additionally invoked his power as my magical guardian, which apparently is a thing, to make sure that I obeyed him.

He had no such issues with the others who participated in the excursion, however. At the Leaving Feast, he awarded me twenty-five points to Hufflepuff, only ten to Neville, fifty each to Hermione and Ron, and sixty to Harry. This meant that Gryffindor narrowly beat Slytherin to the House Cup.

I knew that it wasn't Hermione's fault that she had gotten those points - it was Dumbledore's sly way of getting back at me - but I felt a sick, twisting sensation in my stomach as I realized that no matter what I did, Gryffindors would always be the favourite. Hermione would always be the favourite child - after all, her parents were still alive.