The Illusion of Hope

Chapter 1 - Find the Path

Liv leaned her head against the cold glass of the train's window and sighed. She wondered how much longer the trip to Hogwarts would be. Three days had elapsed since she left remote Durmstrang, but it seemed like far longer. She was worn out from the trip, and worn out from life. Her thoughts wandered back to the start of her seventh year at Durmstrang. Three days ago seemed like weeks ago, but an eternity had passed since the start of term, barely three months prior. Much had happened in the span of those three months. Too much...

Memories unbidden surfaced in her mind. Liv remembered it all: the letter, the funeral, the well-wishers, the relatives, the good-bye party thrown by her friends. An icy hand clutched at her heart and she clenched her fists as she recalled the letter; the fateful letter that had informed her of her parents' untimely demise. No, not their demise: their murder. Their merciless, unjust murder. Her heart was cold as she thought about her parents' needless death. A tear threatened to spill down her cheek, but her sadness quickly turned to anger as her mind turned to the murderers. Liv had never uncovered the names of the two men who killed her mother and father and the Order refused to release them to the press, but at least the Order had had the grace to issue her a formal apology for the "rash actions" of the two in question. As if an apology would console her for the loss of her parents. They weren't even Death Eaters! Her parents had been some of the most upstanding wizards in the Durmstrang community; that is, until the members of the Order of the Phoenix got it in their minds to send two aurors to her house to cast the killing curse on two of the Order's most prominent supporters! It just didn't make sense to Liv. What had gone so wrong? Was there something about her parents that she wasn't aware of? That thought chilled her, and the icy hand gripped her heart once more.

Five weeks after receiving the letter and the Order's apology, she made the decision to transfer to Hogwarts, hoping to escape the memories that would not leave her in peace. She left behind a whole slew of friends, not to mention the remainder of her family that was still living. No one fully understood why she chose to transfer all the way to the UK, but Liv couldn't answer their questions. She herself wasn't sure what made her choose Hogwarts over all the other magical schools in the world. Perhaps it was because she had been born in England, and she had some special attachment to the country that she wasn't aware of. Whatever the case, she now found herself in the last stage of her journey, riding the Hogwarts Express with the students returning from their Christmas holiday. She sat alone.

Liv's thoughts were interrupted by the opening of her compartment door. A lanky, dark-haired boy walked in, followed by a cute brunette and a very tall redhead. Liv recognized them instantly.

The lanky boy held out his hand. "Hey. My name's Harry. My friends and I heard that there was a new transfer student on board, and we wanted to introduce ourselves. Pleased to meet you."

Liv looked at him coldly. Harry Potter, the champion of the Order and the defeater of Voldemort, was standing in her compartment and extending the hand of friendship. Too bad he was part of the Order.

She shook his hand slightly disdainfully. "No, the pleasure is mine, Harry," she said coldly and not without a touch of sarcasm. "My name is Livia Sorensen. Who are your two friends?" she asked, though she knew exactly who they were. Who didn't?

Harry looked a little taken aback by her brusque manner, but the brunette quickly stepped forward and shook Liv's hand.

"Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you." Hermione smiled, but Liv noticed that the smile did not extend to her eyes. Hermione was evaluating her. Liv gave her credit for being smart, because one can never know who to trust in the world of magic, but she quickly made her face a blank mask.

The redhead stuck out his hand next. "Name's Ron Weasley," he said. "So, what school did you come from? I can't place your accent."

"I went to Durmstrang," she answered carefully.

Ron smiled. "Cool." Liv did not smile back.

Hermione jumped in. "From what I've heard, Durmstrang is very different from Hogwarts and the transition must be difficult. What made you decide to switch?"

Liv resisted the urge to scream, I switched because you and your damned Order murdered my parents, that's why! Instead, she replied, "I felt I needed a change."

Ron and Harry furrowed their brows, but didn't say anything. Hermione just looked at her as if to say, Bullshit.

Liv faked a yawn. "Well, it was very nice meeting you all, but if you don't mind, I'd like to rest." She stretched for added effect.

"OK, sorry to bother you. Hope to see you in Gryffindor!" said Harry, a little too jovially. Perhaps he was still wondering why she seemed to dislike him.

The famous trio walked out of her compartment.

Liv frowned as she leaned back against the seat. Perhaps it was a mistake to come to Hogwarts, the centre of the Order's activity. She hadn't realized that meeting people from the clique that killed her parents would affect her so. Even so, she felt it was better to be angry every once in a while than to wallow in the sadness her empty home had brought her. She laid her head against the window once more, and waited for sleep to claim her.

***

A few hours later, Liv found herself in Headmaster Dumbledore's office, the office of the head of the Order himself. Liv was extremely surprised to discover that she felt no animosity toward him, though it was probably his word that had dealt the death blow to her parents. Maybe it was the twinkle in his deep blue eyes, or maybe it was the aura of gentle power and goodwill around him, but all feelings of foreboding and anger left her when she laid eyes upon him. She was currently seated opposite him at his graceful mahogany desk, and he was peering at her through his gold-rimmed, half-moon glasses.

"Now that we have gotten through the formalities, let us sort you," he said, rising from his chair and pulling a decrepit, old wizard hat off of a shelf.

Liv raised an eyebrow questioningly. Sort her how? Her questions were answered as Dumbledore placed the dirty hat on her head. Although she had been exposed to magic all her life, she was still a trifle surprised when she heard the hat's voice inside of her head. Her brain felt like it was being riffled through like a muggle file folder.

The hat's voice was raspy as it spoke. "What have we here? A young woman, not a frightened child like those I usually am called upon to sort. Where shall I put you?"

Liv sat very still in her chair as the hat mused.

"Hmm, I see in you courage and cunning enough to serve you, and a level of perceptiveness that is rare, but I also see a great deal of anger, fear, and sadness; all emotions that could destroy you. So where shall I put you? Brave Gryffindor would surely tailor to your talents, but so would clever Slytherin..."

Liv crossed her fingers and prayed that she would not be put in Gryffindor, the house from which sprang the likes of Harry Potter.

"Not Gryffindor?" said the hat, surprised. The hat was quite used to everyone wanting to be in Gryffindor.

Equally surprised was Liv, who had not really meant to wish that in a way that the hat could hear.

"Well, if not one, then the other. You are the next house member of... SLYTHERIN!" The hat finished with a shout.

Liv rubbed her ears. Was it really necessary for the hat to shout in such a small area?

Dumbledore smiled. "Wonderful! You will make a wonderful addition to your new house!" He stood once more and made his way over to an elaborate stone fireplace. "Now I believe a meeting with your head of house is in order..."

He tossed some powder into the fire and called for Severus Snape. At once the head of the formidable potions professor appeared. Liv was quick to note his sallow skin, greasy hair, and hooked nose, and wondered exactly what type of house Slytherin was... But she supposed she shouldn't be too judgemental; after all, she didn't even know the man and he was not necessarily a reflection of her whole house (so she hoped...).

"Yes, Headmaster?" Severus Snape's head said.

"Please come to my office right away. I have a new member of the Slytherin house that is in need of orientation. Would you be so kind as to direct her to her common room and supply with all necessary passwords?"

Snape inclined his head, and with a bright green flash, materialized in the fireplace. He brushed the soot off of his swirling black cloak and stepped out onto the plush carpet. Dumbledore gestured to Liv.

"Severus, this is your new student, Livia Sorensen. She recently transferred from Durmstrang, and will be joining the seventh year class," he said.

Snape drew himself to his full height and looked her straight in the eye. She was slightly intimidated, but she held her stance as well. When he spoke, his voice was deep, yet intense, and she knew at once that even though she belonged to his house, he was not a man to cross.

"Welcome to the ranks of proud Slytherins. I trust that you will do our noble house honour," Snape said. "Follow me to the common room."

He turned on his heel and made for the door. She followed him after thanking Dumbledore, and as she hurried to keep up with her new head of house, she decided that perhaps looks weren't so deceiving after all. She could only wonder what the rest of the Slytherins were like...