Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 1

After dedicating two years to mastering the art of shifting realities, I was soon almost halfway there. I was sure of this because I started to experience a wide range of physical and mental symptoms. I felt tingling sensations, sometimes got a slight headache, and even caught whiffs of and heard sounds from my desired reality.

If I'm being completely honest, I was initially skeptical about it. However, after taking the time to thoroughly research and understand all the details, I began to realize it was legit. I have read numerous accounts of people using it for entertainment, but for me, it has become a way to break free from this depressing life I have.

You see, I've always known that my mother, Marlene, had an addiction problem. I came to this realization when I was just eight years old. As the years went by, her addiction became more and more evident, and I had to witness the terrifying moments when I'd find her unresponsive in the living room.

Now my father, on the other hand, may not even be aware of my existence or, worse yet, may no longer be alive. It's disheartening to keep asking Marlene for more details about him, only to be met with her angry outbursts. So, I eventually gave up.

After taking a few moments to clear my mind of any negativity, I settle into a calm, relaxed state. With a soft whisper, I reassure myself, "Tonight's the night." As I close my eyes and start to drift off to sleep.

"Excuse me, miss," the tall, husky man in his late 50s said. His voice was firm yet gentle. I tried to remain composed, but I couldn't help but whisper to myself, "No way, I did it!" as Hagrid awkwardly stares at me waiting to get off the train.

Stepping off the train, Hagrid introduced himself with a sharp sense of purpose. Even though I was already aware of his identity, he kindly explained his role in helping me get settled in.

•••

Once we disembarked from the boat and made our way inside, we quickly ascended a flight of stairs, where Professor McGonagall was awaiting us. "The sorting ceremony has just finished, but it's not too late to sort you in," she said, as Hagrid wished me luck before taking his leave. "Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said with a warm smile. "I'm Minerva McGonagall and in a few moments, you'll step through these doors and join your classmates." She explained.

"Before you take your seat, you must be sorted into one of four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your House will become your family while you are here, and your triumphs will earn you points. However, any rule-breaking will result in the loss of points."

"At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be presented with the house cup. Do you have any questions?" she asked, her voice intelligent and inviting. When I shook my head in response, she continued, "Very well, follow me."

And with that, as we stepped through the large doors, revealing the Great Hall, I was met with a breathtaking sight. Hundreds of candles lit up the long wooden tables, decorated with the colors of the different houses. As I walked down the aisle, I felt every pair of eyes on me and my nerves began to kick in. Taking a deep breath, I whispered to myself, "You can do this." With my head held high, I stepped forward and faced the crowd.

"Please have a seat," McGonagall said as she held the hat in her hands. Feeling a bit nauseous, I slowly sat down on the stool as a deep but calming voice then spoke. "Hmm... Interesting. Very interesting." I couldn't help but wonder to myself, what the heck was so interesting?

As my palms began to grow clammy with sweat out of fear that the hat would be able to tell I was not from this reality, the hat continued to speak. "It's not every day that a student is late to their ceremony, but I always say 'Better late than never'." The hat chuckled. "It looks like you must have taken a particularly brave journey, coming from America." Cue the whispers as everyone in the room leaned into each other, panic washing over me.

"There's talent, oh yes. But where to place you?" The sorting hat asked. "Not Slytherin," I replied firmly, for I wasn't sure where I wanted to belong, but I was certain of one thing: I did not want to be placed in Slytherin, given its reputation. "Not Slytherin eh... Are you sure?"

"You have the potential to be a truly remarkable witch, there is no doubt in my mind. Your intelligence and dedication make you an ideal candidate for the House of Slytherin, where you can hone your skills and reach greatness. But, if you'd rather be in another house, then better be Gryffindor!" Everyone burst into applause, celebrating the new addition to their house.

Smiling widely as all the Gryffindors stood up to greet me, I instantly spotted the famous 'golden trio' and took a seat next to Hermione. She leaned in close and extended her hand with a warm smile, introducing herself. "Hi! I'm Hermione Granger. It's so nice to have you here in Gryffindor!"

She gestured across the table towards two boys, introducing them "This is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." I smiled warmly as I shook their hands, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the fact that I had finally shifted. "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Sofia Mikaelson," I said as Dumbledore stood up silencing the room with a single wave of his hand.

He spoke with confident authority, yet with a gentle touch. His ability to command a room with such ease is truly remarkable. Everyone clearly holds him in high esteem and admiration.

"Welcome, all of you, to another year at Hogwarts. It's with a heavy heart that I must begin this year's speech with warnings and precautions. But as you all know, this very hall once held a young student: Tom Riddle. Today, his name is known to all, Voldemort. Fear hangs heavy in the air, and I implore all of you to stay vigilant in the coming year as he is still at large."

Unintentionally drowning out the rest of Dumbledore's speech, I noticed a certain blonde-haired boy sitting at the Slytherin table across from us. He looked utterly drained, his mind seemingly far away. As I watched him, transfixed, I suddenly realized he was now staring back at me.

Completely embarrassed that I had been caught staring, my attention quickly returned to Dumbledore as he began to wrap up his speech. "Though it isn't common for us to have transfer students, we have made an exception this year. So let us all give a warm welcome to our new students. Now, let the feast begin!"

Everyone erupted into joyous applause, and the atmosphere suddenly shifted as food materialized right before our eyes. It was truly an incredible experience. After an hour of getting to know my new friends, it was now time to head back to our dormitory.

Leaving the Great Hall with Hermione and Ginny's arms intertwined with mine, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for Draco's sad expression earlier. "Quid Agis," Hermione murmured, bringing me back to the present moment, as the portrait of the Fat Lady opened, allowing us access to the Gryffindor common room.

"Do you need any help unpacking?" Ginny asked as we entered. "You're so kind, but I'm quite exhausted so I think I'll just unpack and take a closer look at everything tomorrow," I replied as she gave us a nod of understanding before bidding us all goodnight.

Pleased with how everything had gone today, I couldn't help but grin to myself as I recalled my new friends' beaming faces as I drift off to sleep.