september 1st, 1994

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Miranda McGonagall eagerly gets dressed in her favorite pair of corduroys and a tee from her favorite band, and double checks her trunk, (again) that she packed the night before. She glances in the mirror before she goes downstairs. Her mid length dirty blond hair is brushed for once, and the two clips she put in at the spur of the moment look surprisingly nice, making her hair frame her heart shaped face in a pleasant manner. She scrunches her nose covered with the freckles she hates, and her eyes, one blue, one green. A mark of a horrible night, and a deadly curse. Then, Miranda rushes down the two flights of creaky stairs, where her mother is waiting in the kitchen. "Mom, c'mon we have to go! The train leaves soon!!" Miranda says impatiently, tapping her mother's chair insistently.

    "Merlin's beard, can't a woman finish a cup of coffee around here?" Her mother smiles, "Besides, you have to eat breakfast first."

    Miranda takes a piece of toast, and shoves one in her mouth. "Mmm see," she says pointedly, mouth full, "there you go. I ate breakfast. Can we go now?"

    "Sweetie, sit down," Juniper shakes her head in amusement, "the train doesn't leave for another hour or so. We have plenty of time, relax." Miranda plops down in a chair with a sigh. She couldn't help it, she was excited. Not only was she back in her birthplace, London, and finally getting to attend her dream school, Hogwarts. She was also going to see her childhood best friend Draco for the first time since she was ten.

Draco's mom, Narcissa, had been close with her mom when they were in Slytherin at Hogwarts together. Draco's father, Lucius, was not a good man, so when things got bad at Malfoy Manor, Narcissa and Draco would come stay with Juniper and Miranda for a while, and they came summers as well. Draco and Miranda became fast friends over the years, but when he started school at Hogwarts, his visits had become less frequent. They kept in touch, but it wasn't the same, and Miranda missed him.

    "Alright Miss Impatient," her mother dusts her hands of crumbs, "I'm ready, do you have everything you need?"

    Miranda nods fervently in response, anxious to get out the door, "Yes mom, books and robes and my wand,"

    "Okay, let's go." Miranda grabs her trunk and walks over to the fireplace. She puts a bit of floo powder in her hand and yells, "Platform 9 and 3/4!" The fire pops, and in a split second she's tumbling into the station. She pushes her trunk over to the entrance and they run full speed through the brick wall.

A horde of wizards and witches, young and old, bustle around the platform, waving goodbyes. Miranda searches the crowd for Draco, hoping to see the glint of his white blond hair. "Miranda," her mother murmurs softly, "hey honey? I want you to be careful, okay?" Juniper's eyes are teary, and the expression on her face signals to Miranda that she does not want to let her go. They've always been close, Juniper and Miranda. Practically inseparable. Miranda can't remember a time when her mother wasn't there for her, providing, loving her with every ounce of her soul. Miranda will miss her too.

    "Mom, I'll be fine, honest." Miranda replies earnestly, hugging Juniper tightly. She breaks away from the embrace and boards the train as her mom watches her go, smiling sadly.

Miranda traipses through the train, scanning the faces of her new classmates for a familiar one. She passes a group of three in a car, sat close together, very deep in conversation. Two boys, one with red hair and the other jet black, and a girl with bushy brown hair and bangs who smiles at her as she passes.  Then she spots him, standing in a car at the end of the train by himself, also looking for someone on the train.

Quickly, she puts her trunk over head and runs down to meet him. Miranda leaps into her oldest friend's arms, smothering him in a hug. He lets out a surprised little 'oof'.

"Just so you know I'm not planning on letting go of you until you hug me back, Draco Malfoy. And I have gotten stronger since you last saw me, there's no way you're getting out of this. I'm serious, D," declares Miranda, firmly entwined with him. He's gotten taller since she saw him last. She hates that. Draco sighs, begrudgingly hugging her back, acting as if he doesn't care, when secretly he loves the way her hair smells when she's pressed so close to him. Miranda smiles as she sits down in the compartment, "Oh how I've missed your aversion to affection of any kind. It's nice to see some things never change."

    Draco smirks back at her, "Like your incessant talking? Yeah I was actually just thinking that."

    "Shut up D, you know you love it," Miranda retorts, dragging him into a compartment. They are already beginning to fall back into their comfortable rhythm. She really did miss him. Even that god awful smirk. "Now tell me what's been going on with you?"

    "Well let's see, my father's still an asshole, my mother still won't leave him, and you still have that hilarious American accent, so pretty much nothing new." She laughs and Draco looks at her longingly. He loves making her laugh, and she's gotten even prettier since he saw her last. Silently, he prays she'll be sorted into Slytherin. Miranda yawns, the late night prepping starting to take its toll. "I'm going to take a nap, wake me when we get there?" She rests her head on Draco's shoulder, and closes her eyes.

Miranda opens her eyes groggily, disheveled from her nap. Stretching, she looks out her window at the vast landscape and the massive castle shrouded by mist. She looks up to find Draco already dressed in his school robes.

    "Hey sleepyhead," Draco nudges her lightly with his shoulder, "you have to get your robes on. We're nearly there."

    Sleepily, Miranda procures her uniform from her trunk. "Turn around Draco," she orders pointedly. "Cover your eyes. I mean it, and no peeking."

    Draco's porcelain complexion goes pink, scoffing, "Yeah right like there's anything I want to see." He turns around as Miranda undresses, hoping he succeeded in playing off his nervousness.

    Miranda pulls on her robes and marvels at the softness of the material. Her hair had gotten mussed while she was sleeping, so she pulls it up into a quick ponytail just as the train comes to a stop.

    "Okay D, you can open your eyes now," Miranda does a little twirl. "So, how do I look?"

    Beautiful. Draco thinks to himself, but instead he says, "Like a girl, you weirdo"

    Miranda rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Thank you for that astute observation, Captain Obvious. Let's go. I don't want to be late for my sorting."

    They exit the train and ride to the school in carriages. Miranda gazes at her surroundings with awe. America is a great place, but she's never seen anything quite like Hogwarts before.

    Draco chuckles at her open mouth wonder, enjoying the look of astonishment on her face when they enter the Great Hall. Students find their tables, and Miranda and Draco are separated as she is ushered to the front with Dumbledore.

    A hush falls over the room as Dumbledore takes his stand, "Hello to all my young friends, new and returning. Before we may begin eating there are a few orders of a business we must attend to." Audible groans echo throughout the hall. The same red haired boy Miranda saw on the train complains, "I'm bloody hungry!" but is immediately shushed by the girl to his left.

    Dumbledore continues, "First of all, I would like to welcome a new student, a fourth year transfer from Ilvermorny in America, Miranda, who will be Sorted now."

    A burly fellow, who is at least ten times the size of any normal man, places a dilapidated hat on her head.

    "Hmm... a McGonagall, eh?" the hat whispers into her ear. "We haven't had one of those in years. I put Matthias in Gryffindor ages ago. There's something else, something  different about you. A hint of Slytherin I dare say. Ah yes now I remember, your mother, Juniper Nott was it? She was a Slytherin, and a powerful witch at that. Your father was powerful too. You carry much of that power inside you my friend." Miranda's heart thuds loudly in her ears. She's always yearned to know what house she belonged to, but now that the moment was here it was equal parts terror and exhilaration.

    "So what shall it be the snake or the lion" You would do well in both it seems. But your heart— your heart tells all. Yes, I know what to do with you. It better be..."

    Miranda waits with bated breath, and over at the Slytherin table, so does Draco.

    "GRYFFINDOR!"

    The Gryffindor table cheers and beckons her over. As Miranda makes her way down, she waves at Draco, who gives a little wave back, his heart sinking in his chest as she takes a seat next to his biggest enemy.

    Miranda's legs are still shaking when she sits down in the seat offered to her by the nice girl on the train. Close up, she notices that her hair is more wavy than bushy, and she's a striking beauty. The red haired boy sits next to her, and now Miranda sees the smattering of orange freckles across his nose and a smudge of something (possibly food?) on his chin. Next to Miranda, is the same dark haired boy from the train. He has round wire framed glasses, piercing green eyes, and underneath what looks like perpetually messy hair, a lightning shaped scar rests on his forehead. She inhales sharply; it's Harry Potter.

    The girl's voice breaks Miranda from her trance, "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger!" She holds out a hand for Miranda to shake. "This is Ronald Weasley," she gestured to the red head who had his mouth full, "and that is—"

    "Harry Potter," the boy interjects, "who can speak for himself, believe it or not." Harry looks at Hermione knowingly, and she waves him off with a chastising cluck of her tongue.

    A smile plays on Miranda's lips, and Harry winks at her. Who knew the Chosen One would be so witty?

    "Yeah, Hermione." Ron echoes, spewing food across the table.

    "Honestly Ronald, you're being so rude, we have a guest to welcome," Hermione harrumphs.

    The two begin arguing with each other, while Harry watches amusement.

    He turns to Miranda and smiles, "Sorry about them, they like to bicker."

    Miranda laughs, "No it's nice. I grew up an only child and it was always quiet. I love the noise."

    Harry tries to get his friends' attention, "Oi you two, we've got a guest as Hermione pointed out, and she hasn't gotten a word in edgewise."

    Hermione looks flustered, wringing her hands anxiously, "Oh my goodness. I'm terribly sorry. We didn't even let you introduce yourself did we?"

    "It's okay," Miranda replies, smoothing her robes. She's a bit nervous now that all three pairs of eyes are on her. Especially the pair that belongs to the Boy Who Lived. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Miranda McGonagall.            "McGonagall?" Ron questions, "as in Professor McGonagall?"

    She nods, glancing at the professors' table, where the woman is sitting. Her hair pulled into a severe bun. "Yes. She's my great aunt on my dad's side."

    "Blimey, you should know she's scary as hell." Ron whistles low, and Hermione immediately hits him.

    "She'd be happy to hear that," Miranda tells him, with a small giggle. "Auntie Minerva loves when students are afraid of her."

    Their conversation is swiftly interrupted by the sound of boots stomping outside the Great Hall. Dumbledore rises again, "That would be the second thing I need to mention. This year Hogwarts will also be home to two visiting schools, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons. That should be them arriving now."

    The doors burst open and a horde of boys in heavy fur coats begin performing a series of acrobatic flips and kicks, all while emitting synchronized grunts. They are then followed by a group of astonishingly gorgeous girls dressed in matching blue uniforms who float into the hall singing and releasing butterflies as they pass. The boys of Hogwarts' jaws drop, and their eyes glaze over as they gape at the delicate French females.

    Dumbledore clears his throat, commanding silence across the room. "This year the Triwizard Tournament returns to Hogwarts. For those of you who are unaware, three young witches and wizards shall be picked, a champion per school. They will compete in a series of trying challenges that will test their abilities in magic, in wit, and in heart. Due to the dangerous nature of this competition, only students 17 and above will be allowed to compete." Murmurs of dissent from each table rumble.

    "And now, Dumbledore continues, we light the Goblet of Fire." With a flourish of his wand, the giant crystalline goblet emits a stream of blue fire, flashing gold. "Good luck to all, Prefects escort your house to the commons, good night." A flurry of movement begins as students rise from their seats.

    Miranda's head swivels back and forth, trying to take in everything at once. She has no idea where she's going, and she has no idea where Draco is. The only anchor in this unfamiliar place is missing, and Miranda does not particularly enjoy the untethered sensation washing over her. In short, she is very much lost.

    "Come on then," A voice comes from somewhere in front of her. Harry, flanked by Ron and Hermione, extends a hand, "we'll show you the way."

    And Miranda takes his hand.

    What other choice did she have, really?

    But that choice— that one choice will change everything.