A Love Like This

Chapter Two

When they said school. I pictured your basic school. Desks and chairs. Quiet hallways and rude teachers. But Hogwarts?
Total opposite.

The hallways were bustling. Me and Molly Weasley were meant to meet with a lady named Minerva McGonagall. But I was to call her Professor McGonagall. She is a kind woman. Aged, but it hasn't seemed to steal away her warmth and brightness.

Molly pulled me aside in a hallway as we remained out of the way of students rushing to their classes. Or wherever they were meant to go. Once the hallways were decently empty, Molly and I found McGonagall in a large, bright room called the Great Hall.

I'm still so unsure of all of this. I don't know any of these people. But something about the Weasley family just seems comforting and safe to me. McGonagall smiled wide when she saw me. She stood next to a man who was obviously the Headmaster.

He stood tall, but wasn't intimidating. More of an authoritative stance, but he was kind and had a gentle nature as he spoke.

"Wonderful to see you again, Molly," McGonagall hugged Mrs. Weasley. "And- is this the girl you wrote to us about? Rain Abbot?"

"Yes, Minerva," Molly turned to me proudly. "She is- an unexpected visitor to our wonderful world."

"You seem a little frightened, Miss Abbot," The Headmaster said. "I can assure you, Hogwarts is the safest place for you."

"It's all just a little... intimidating..." I replied, glancing around the large room. "I'm not sure how to feel about- any of this just yet really."

"Well, Miss Abbot, would you be open to being sorted into a house here or would you like to wait and see the school first?"

"U-um... I mean..." I stuttered a bit. I felt my hands grow shaky. So much pressure on me all of the sudden. I didn't know what I wanted to do. "I don't know..."

They all seemed upset hearing my voice falter. I was fighting tears.

"How about I take you on a walk, Miss Abbot," Dumbledore, the Headmaster, stood up next to me. Something about his presence felt safe. I trusted him.

"Okay," I nodded. Mrs. Weasley stood as well and hugged me.

"Would you like me to wait for you?"

"No," I said. "I'm content here I think. Thank you."

"Very well," Molly seemed reluctant to leave me here. "I'll write to you, dear. You always have us Weasleys to fall back on."

I thanked her as we all dispersed into the hallways. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and followed Dumbledore down one of the hallways.

As I felt my anxiety worsen with all of the sudden students, I saw two identical heads of red hair speaking with a group of students my age.

My entire being relaxed seeing Fred. He gave me a confused glance but when I gave him a soft smile and faint nod, he understood that I was fine and didn't really need his reassurance at the moment.

"Ah, Harry!" Dumbledore said when he saw a boy with dark hair and glasses. He and a curly headed girl turned. Ron eventually did as well. The twins watched curiously. "I would like you to meet Rain Abbot. She will be attending Hogwarts from now on."

"Oh! Have you been sorted?" The girl asked excitedly. I backed up just a bit. Suddenly startled. "Oh- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm Hermione Granger."

"Blimey, Hermione, go easy on the girl," Ron teased her.

Fred side-hugged me. "Alright there, Abbot?"

"I am. Now," I leaned into him. "It's all a bit overwhelming."

"Big castle like Hogwarts has that effect."

"Miss Abbot, you seem comfortable with Mr. Weasley."

"Yeah, I am," I blushed faintly.

"I will assume he then could continue showing you about the school once you've been sorted?"

"Okay. Yeah," I nodded, finding confidence somewhere inside of me. "I'd love to be sorted."

"Very well. Back to the Great Hall, shall we?"

"Milady," Fred held out his arm. I took it with a sheepish smile and pink cheeks. He led me back to the Great Hall behind Dumbledore and in front of the rest of the group.

The sorting hat was placed on my head as I sat on a stool on the center stage. Even in a decently empty room it was still quite scary.

"An older witch, I see. You're very unsure, yes, very unsure about everything. I sense great hesitation in you. But also a drive and desire to be great. You hold great bravery behind your fear. And for that I say..." I held my breath. "Gryffindor!!"

Everyone cheered. Dumbledore grinned and removed the hat from my head. I walked off the stage and went back to stand next to Fred.

Where I've begun to feel as one of my safest places. He's a safe spot for me. And I barely know him. Just something about him I guess. It just screams home to me.

"Miss Abbot, would you prefer to dress in your school attire before you see the school or after?"

I tensed. Another sudden and pressured decision. Fred seemed to notice my sudden intense hesitation and he reassuringly hugged my shoulders.

"You get all dolled up. I'll meet you after, lovely."

A beet red blush stained my cheeks. I grinned and nodded. "Okay."

"Miss Granger, I can trust you to escort her to the girls' dormitory and help her find her robes?"

"Yes, Professor," Hermione smiled. The group dismissed. I caught a wink from Fred before he turned a hallway opposite the direction Hermione and I were wandering to.

"You seem to have Fred's attention already," She remarked. "It seems as though you've known each other before your arrival here?"

"Yes. But very briefly," I said. "I'm- not sure how I feel about him just yet."

Wow that was honest. Why am I being so open all of the sudden?

"Oh, no worries. If there's anything I know about Fred- it's that he's extremely caring with women. Once- you get past all the childish teasing and jokes."

"I don't know. I find it funny."

"Well then- I'm sure you and Fred would get along just fine."

"I'm not sure about that," I tucked my hair behind my ear. We entered a large room with beds spaced inside of it. Each one had a long set of drapes along the top for privacy.

"This is my bed," Hermione patted her bed. "And that's Ginny's," She pointed to the bed on the other side of my own. "You can have this one in the middle. There's schoolwear in the trunk there. And the wardrobe. I will leave to give you some privacy. Come out when you're done."

Once I finished changing, I met Hermione outside of the dormitory. She told me I looked beautiful. Then pointed subtly to a familiar head of red hair at the common room entrance.

Fred was leaning against the doorframe waiting for me to be finished changing. I smiled and approached him.

"Okay. I wanna see the school."

"Well hello there," He took my hand and spun me around. "Don't you look lovely?"

"It's- not what I'm used to. But it'll grow on me."

I took his arm again. "Right then. A tour of Hogwarts by the one and only Fred Weasley."