CHAPTER ONE

       Greta Adams always knew she was different. nothing like her siblings, friends, or cousins. Always wondered what makes her so different. How her parents treat her, her grandparents, and everyone around her. She thought she might be sick, that she was dying soon. but no, she is not sick or dying soon. she is fine, that is what she has been telling herself, and yes she is okay. Days and months turned into years, with wondering and Greta finally knew what was different about her from the others.

She is a witch.

Yes, a witch. She is to be a student in a Wizarding school called Hogwarts, and she just received an envelope. never in a million years, had Greta thought she was a witch. sick maybe, but not a witch. now with her knowing that she is a witch, other thoughts filled up her little mind, How can someone be a witch? why her parent aren't like her? Aren't all witches and wizards evil? What is Hogwarts like? and many many questions that only certain people can answer, and she can't wait any longer.

Greta Adams stood beside her parents, she watched a girl her age going through a wall without a single harm, mouth gaped, and widened eyes as she watched more people do the same. looking back at her family, she realized that the moment she steps into the wall, she would enter a brand new world where the thing she never thought ever exist, existed, and that does seem to frighten her a bit. Greta gulped and tugged her mother's blouse as her mother looked down at her, she hugged her.

"Now listen to me, Greta. Everything is going to be all right." her mother assured. "You will go in there and then the next time we see you will tell us everything that you've learned. Okay?"

"Of course." Greta gave her a little smile and hugged her back and her eyes landed on her father whose face was adorned with a teary smile.

"Come here, darling." Her father opened his arms and kneeled as his daughter threw herself onto him and hugged him tightly while tears ran down her cheeks. "Oh my darling, Don't cry, It is only a matter of months before we get to see each other again. and I know, my sweet angel will be one of the greatest witches Hogwarts will ever have."

"I know." She nodded her head. "but I promise you, I won't turn to be an evil witch like the stories you've told me, I promise I'll be a good witch."

Her parents laughed at her silly thoughts. Her mother held her face in her hand and stared into her eyes before kissing her on the forehead. "I know, we know you will be a great witch and use your witchy powers for good. and just like what your father said, Hogwarts will be lucky to have you. Now off you go. You don't want to miss the train."

Stepping back away from her parents, Greta looked at the wall under platform 9¾ and sighed. She turned back and gave her parents one last smile before pushing her cart standing right in front of the wall and going right through it. She closed her eyes during the process and as she opened them. Greta gasped from the view. A train, a red and black train awaits her, she watches as kids her age and older ones wave at their parents through the window of the train's cabin. Greta smiled at the scene and moved forward.

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       Greta Adams sat in the empty compartment, looking outside the window and admiring the view as the train traveled through the countryside. without her realization the cabin door opens and a girl her age steps into it and sits beside her. The girl moves to sit across from Greta.

"Beautiful isn't it? the view."

Greta, who just realized the girl sitting across her, gasped and held her heart skip a beat. "Oh my, you startled me.' they both giggled. "And yes, it is beautiful, breathtaking really."

"Sorry for frightening you. wasn't my intention." She smiled and held her hand. "My name is Irene, Irene Harper and this is my first year."

Greta smiled back and shook her hand. "Hello Irene, I'm Greta Adams, This is also my first year."

"That's great. we could be best friends, let's hope we're on the same house. What house do you think you'll got sorted into?" Irene questioned.

"I don't know. Never thought about it." Greta shrugged. "I don't even know the houses. I mean I know there are houses, just not the names nor what does it take to be part of them. will you please tell me?" She asked sheepishly.

"It would be my pleasure!" Irene smiled. "Well there are four houses, There is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now each house has its own trait. Being a Gryffindor requires you to have courage, be brave and help others frequently. Hufflepuff, is being a hard work, patient and being loyal. In Ravenclaw you must be intelligent, have knowledge and wit. Finally, Slytherin, is being resourcefulness and ambitious and let's not forget cunning."

"Wow. That's insane." Greta gaped. "So if i get sorted into a house, i'll be stuck there forever not changing no nothing."

Irene Laughed. "Of course. That why many people fear the first day of school. Other than the fact you will be judged by your house, you will be stuck with your house till you graduate. Let's hope we don't get sorted into Slytherin."

"I think i'm a Ravenclaw."

As the two girls talked about random things. A trolley comes by the compartment, full of sweets. Irene being a candy obsessor gasped and clapped her hand not without looking and the girl across from her with the biggest smile Greta ever seem on someone face yet, and laughed.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" The woman behind the trolley asked the question. Just as she finished asking, the brown haired girl stood from her place and went near the trolley.

Irene beamed. "Yes please."

Let just say, Irene almost got everything from the trolly. If i wasn't for Greta who stopped her from doing it.

Greta and Irene ate the chocolates and candy's together, as Irene made sure Greta tastes everything she finds delicious, which is basically everything she bought.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?" Greta asked the girl and looked at the weird looking candy in her hands before tossing it to Irene who giggled before explaining the weird candy and it purpose plus taste.

"They mean every flavor! There's chocolate and peppermint, and there's also spinach, liver and tripe. My sister once got a bogey-flavoured one once! and threw up. Not before getting mad at me, and making my parents punish me for it." She winced and the memory. "Horrible day, but funny."

"That's disgusting. I Don't have the heart to try it. I might actually throw up if I get anything other than chocolate." She stated.

Irene rolled her eye before grabbing the chocolate bar and began opening it and eating. A girl, also their age, with bushy brown hair, dressed in robes, appears at the doorway and smiled tightly and the two girl sitting across from each other. She cleaned her throat, grabbing their attention and began asking;

"Has anyone seen a toad? A green toad? A boy named Neville's lost one, and he is looking for him."

Greta shook her head. "No sorry."

Irene whose mouth stuffed with chocolate shook her head with a sorry smile that says no. "Oh My name is Irene and this is Greta. What's yours?"

"I'm Hermoine, Hermoine Granger."

"Pleasure meeting you Hermione." Greta smiled at the girl. "When did Neville lost his toad?"

"I'd say Twenty minutes ago. Poor Neville, he just got it." Hermoine stated as she sat beside Greta. "You two are first year?"

"Yes, I'm guessing you too?" Greta wondered.

"Yes I am. Any thought on which houses you got sorted into? My guess is Gryffindor, or maybe Ravenclaw. I would be happy getting into anywhere but not Slytherin. I don't what will happen i got sorted into Slytherin. I might just skip school."

"Me too." Irene said looking straight at Hermoine. "We were just talking about it. I think I might get sorted into Ravenclaw. I like reading. And i think i'm pretty smart. Greta?"

"I am not picky. I would accept anything actually." She shrugged. "Even Slytherin. I mean, they can't be That bad right?"

As Irene opened her mouth to answer Greta a boy perhaps their age showed up at their cabin and smiled sheepishly when the three girls attention were on him.

"Um, Hello."

"Hello." Both Greta and Irene smiled and the boy who couldn't keep his eyes upon them and decided to make eye contact with the ground instead.

"What's your name?" Greta asked.

"N-Neville."

So that's Neville.

"Hello Neville. Pleasure meeting you. Did you find your missing toad?" She wondered as she took a closer look at the boy in doorway. He was shy, obviously, but adorable. His cheeks turned red as his eyes went up to meet with hers. He then look at Hermione and shook his head knowing that perhaps everyone in the train knows about his missing toad.

"N-No. I don't know where he went. He might have jumped out the window." He said the last part in quiet tone.

"Don't worry, you'll find him. I'm pretty sure he's still here. I'll bring him to you once i find him." Smiled Greta at him. and just as she finished talking to the shy boy, Hermione stood and looked at the two girl and smiled.

"I have to go and look for trevor in other compartment. Pleasure meeting you both. You two better change into your robes. I think we'll be arriving soon, so better be ready."

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They arrived.

Finally.

It was nighttime. The train blows its whistle and pulls into the station. A giant man, Greta found out his name to Hagrid walks along the side aisle, with a very bright lantern. Greta and Irene along side other people, wearing their robes, begin pouring out of the train. Some scared and in awe others are excited.

Hagrid, while holding the lantern walked up to them and said; "Right, then! First years! This way, please! Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up!"

As everyone who's first year including, Greta, irene, Hermione and Neville followed Hagrid and later they hoped onto a boats as large number of them are plugging across a vast lake, where up ahead there is a huge castle, known as the Hogwarts Castle.

Their home. From now on.

People stared in awe. Gasped were heard from around the boats. Eyes wide open. Greta couldn't believe the sight of the great castle. She couldn't wait to go back home and tell her family about the castle.

They arrived near the castle. the first-year students walk in the castle, and up the staircase, a tall women with a large hat watched the first year students walked up. Professor McGonagall, Hermione claims to be, waited as each and every student take their own place up the stairs.

Professor McGonagall taps her fingers on a stone railing, and then goes to the top of the stairs to greet the newcomers

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

As Professor McGonagall kept on talking, Greta noticed something green jumps from a place to another landing infront on the professor. Greta giggled and nudged Neville and pointed her fingers at his lost toad. Neville, looked at her and then at where her pointer finger land and gasped loudly, catching the attention of the others.

"Trevor!" He jumps forward and catches his toad. as students around them laugh. He back away and returned to his place while holding his toad, embarrassed when he noticed the Professor stares down at him. Neville politely smiled and thanked Greta. 

Professor McGonagall decided to ignore the scene and continued on; "The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily"

She walked away from the student.

As everyone waited for the Professor to be back and bring them to the great hall. A blonde hair boy, with an evil look on his face spoke up and decided to make fun of few people around Greta. including Neville and a boy named Harry Potter, and his friend, Ron Weasley. That boy, Draco Malfoy was rude, very rude, and Greta already hate him for speaking badly of Neville, the boy who she now decided to protect him from others.

As Draco continues on talking, Professor McGonagall then returns and tap Draco's shoulder with a paper and tell the students to follow her. She walked leading everyone through two large doors which go to the Great Hall, where there are four long tables with hundreds of students, as well as floating candles. The roof appears to be the sky, exactly like the sky, and Greta likes it very much.

"It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione voiced her thoughts out loud to Greta and whoever is listening.

Professor McGonagall leads them to the front facing the sorting hat lying on the stool. "All right, will you wait along here, please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."

Dumbledore rises from the main table. "I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch" A ragged old man with his red eyed cat. "has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you."

He sits down on the main table as the sorting hat begins. Greta grabbed Irene's hand and squeezed it. Irene looked at Greta and gave her a smile assuring her that it will be alright.

"When I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger."

"Oh, no. Okay, relax." Hermione whispered to herself as she walked up to sit on the stool.

"Mental, that one, I'm telling you." The ginger boy who's was bullied by Draco, Ron Weasley whispered to Harry Potter but since Greta was near him, she heard him clearly and pinched his forearm.

"Ouch." He winced.

When Ron looked her way in shock, she pretended to be watching Hermione fully focused on the scene.

Greta smiled.

Gryffindor, Hermione got sorted into Gryffindor and she is happy about it. Few students got sorted before it was time for Greta. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley also got sorted into Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy in Slytherin. Susan Bones in Hufflepuff. Before it was Greta's time Professor McGonagall called for Irene. The two girl looked at each other one with frighten eye and the other with comforting eyes.

Ravenclaw!

Irene got sorted into Ravenclaw.

Greta could the relief on her face. How her body relaxed as she walked away from the stool and to the Ravenclaw table as everyone clapped for their new student, but not without looking at Greta and giving her a smile and thumbs up. Professor McGonagall called out her name.

"Greta Adams."

With Shaky hands and legs, Greta walked to the stool slowly, She gulped as her eyes landed on the headmaster who gave her a small smile, that somehow made her feel relieved. She sat on the stool and faced everyone, she could see both Hermione and Neville looking at her with look that clearly state them wanting Greta to be a Gryffindor. Looking at her right she could see Irene giving her a tiny smile.

Greta felt the hat landing on her head and closed her eyes. "Ah.. Greta... There's something appealing about you, perhaps it's your loyalty or perhaps it's simply your way of thinking. You simply could be a Gryffindor.... But no. Not a Gryffindor. Let's see... I know! Ravenclaw."

She is a Ravenclaw, and she is not mad about it.

   END OF CHAPTER ONE