Taylor's Story

Chapter 1

Taylor jumped out of her tree by the lake, bringing the book she had been reading with her. She looked out upon the lake, thinking about he incoming first years. She smiled wistfully wondering what the castle looked like when one first saw it. She didn't remember the first time she saw Hogwarts, she had been too young. Everyone had thought it was a good thing when her family had moved into Hogwarts, both of her parents had taken up teaching and everyone thought it would be the safest thing. Yeah, tell that to Jamison. She had often wondered how life would have been different should she be coming to Hogwarts for the first time today. But then again, she wouldn't have come at all. No, it was best to be thankful for even being allowed to stay. Besides, Hogwarts was home, it just so happened to be shared by a large amount of young witches and wizards for a large portion of the year.

Taylor hadn't been able to concentrate all day. She had been thinking about what she should do about the upcoming feast. Sure, she was invited, but did she really want to go? Year after year she had set up at the staff table with her mother, and year after year it felt - normal. But it wasn't. She should be sitting in at one of the four tables on the lower level watching the staff, not vice versa.

Without thinking about where she was going, Taylor absentmindedly ended up in her Uncle Charlie's - Professor Weasley to the students - cabin located outside on Hogwarts grounds. Not wanting to interrupt anything, she knocked on the door, and upon hearing a cheerful "come in," entered the room. Her mom had always made comments on how different the cabin seemed with Charlie living in it, but Taylor couldn't imagine it any other way. It reminded her of the burrow: homely and inviting. There was also a 'lived in' sort of appeal that made the small house appear more like a home.

Silently she sat down at the table and took up the cup of tea offered to her. Her Uncle Charlie sat down across from her and waited patiently for the child to speak. He was just about to break the overwhelming silence, when Taylor blurted out in a rush, "I don't think I'm going to the sorting."

Yet again the house was overcome by silence, although this one much shorter than the last.

"Now, Taylor..." Charlie began, but was soon cut off.

"-No, I know what you're going to say," here she added an old wise, very adult-like imitation, " 'Why would you go and do a thing like that!' or 'Just because you're not going to Hogwarts doesn't mean you can't have friends at Hogwarts.'"

"Actually, I think you said that rather well yourself."

"You mean you weren't going to say that?"

"No, I wasn't going to say that."

"Oh."

Charlie chuckled softly to himself, "I was just about to tell you that you are perfectly capable of making important decisions on your own and don't need me to tell you the right ones.. when obviously you know already."

Taylor made a face, "Same thing."

"If you want to look at it like that, but we could have raised you where you would've thought that you shouldn't go."

Taylor sighed, "Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

Charlie retrieved the tea glasses and placed them into the sink. Taylor took this time to look around and collect herself. She really shouldn't have gotten herself into a slum, but whether or not he knew it, Charlie had helped. He was one of the two people she could go to for help - him and Uncle Filch. She never felt right going to her mother with problems, she seemed to have enough on her mind, and so often Taylor felt herself subconsciously ending up in places like Charlie's hut, and the astronomy tower.

Remembering her mom Taylor added as an afterthought, "You can't tell mom, okay?"

Charlie sighed as he turned back to the girl in front of him. "And why would I not be able to do that?"

Taylor fell silent, what was she supposed to say? 'You see my mom has gone through more then enough, she doesn't need me not being able to do magic - doubting going to the sorting as another reminder of what she could've had. What she lost a chance at, a perfect life.' Her mother was left with her - her strong, brave, fierce, little girl, capable of doing anything - that is if that anything included nothing magical. No, she couldn't say that, so instead she just sat there, unspeaking.

"Look, hun, your mother is not the weak little thing that she may appear to be. Nobody can be perfect. Everyone has doubts sometimes. Your mom would understand that."

"I know, but..."

"No buts about it. No, I will not tell your mother about this conversation, but I will not lie should she ask me a question about you that I feel she needs to know the answer to."

Taylor mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, 'Stupid honest relatives, why do I come to them for help when I end up spilling my guts and solving the problem myself.'

"What was that?" Charlie asked, pretending he didn't here, and waited anxiously for the response that awaited him.

"I said, for those of us around here who can't here: 'If Cupid has relatives, why don't I come to them for help...'" and, unable to think or anything that would fit that rhymed with, 'when I end up spilling my guts and solving the problem myself,' she finished lamely with, "... with my other problems."

Seeing the utterly bewildered expression on the face of her Uncle, Taylor desperately tried to come up with more on the subject. "I mean, if people go to Cupid for advice about love, then you'd think people would go to... umm... Loopy for advice about humor... or... something."

"Umm... right, well then, why don't you run along. I have to go to a quick meeting before the students arrive, alright?"

"Sure Uncle Charlie." Taylor turned to leave the cabin, when, as an afterthought, she stopped suddenly and gave her Uncle one of her best smiles, "And Uncle Charlie?"

"Yes?"

"See you at the sorting." She called and calmly ran out to Hogwarts grounds.

And so she went. The sorting feast was set up to go right when the first years arrived off the lake. It was a beautiful evening, and the crowds of second through seventh years seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

That is was greeted Taylor when she first slipped in behind a group of young looking second years (most likely Hufflepuff) - a very loud, very large group of students. She decided she would just stay for the sorting this year, her Uncle Charlie was right when he said she could make up her own mind, and so she had. She would sneak in the great hall(which had gone well so far), then stand quietly in the back in the room and wait patiently for the first years. One they entered, she would wait until after the sorting ended and then quietly leave the way she entered. She decided it had been a long time since she had seen Doby the house elf, anyway.

The plan she had was perfect, nothing could go wrong. She got to listen to the sorting hat sing, which had been her favorite part of the meal since she could remember, and didn't have to stay to feel guilty watching her... classmates, for lack of a better word, eat.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the doors opened once more and a group of intimidated girls and boys walked in. Taylor smiled softly, knowing they would relax after the sorting commenced. Undoubtedly their older siblings had told them all sorts of crazy stories about wrestling trolls or some such. Calmly Taylor looked them over noticing that not all of them seemed quite so scared.

Her face showed that of shock when she recognized her two cousins marching in as if they owned the place. Her smile faded as they spotted her and waved enthusiastically to her. Her face lit up once again as she thought about the fun she could have this year with the two troublemakers.

They both gave her a wink before finally turning back to the rest of the group. Taylor wondered what they were up to, but quickly pushed the thoughts aside, deciding that she would find out soon enough. Her thoughts were once again interrupted as the sorting hat began. She was once again captivated by what it had to say:

Welcome! Welcome!

To Hogwarts this year!

A quick warning to all:

Be prepared and have no fear.

For evil has only just begun to fall.

Watch out this year-

For surprises await 10 years past-

Hope the reunion will not last.

Though grown together this school still has

4 houses to each incoming class.

Where will you lie?

What house will it be?

Bring the first year's up so that they may see.

Gryffindors have bravery,

And are always daring

To do what is bold, strong, and right .

Hufflepuff is said to be home to the caring,

Hold in this house are the loyal and sharing.

Ravenclaw's have a mind of their own,

They are smart and witty within their home.

Still Slytherin has slyness within,

Cunning and clever -

The struggle is about to begin.

Placed into houses you all will be,

Yet know that not everything is free.

Prices will be paid as friends choose friends.

And nobody yet sees the surprise in the end.

Everyone broke into polite applause. Most never completely understood the hidden messages written within the tunes the had sung each year, but respected such an old, wise, material object just the same.

Next it was time for the names to be called. Her Uncle Charlie started out calling the names the hat had given him earlier. Taylor had once asked how that hat knew who was magical, and nobody really had an answer. Her Uncle tried to explain, though, he had said, 'It just knows, like how you know when you are hungry. Nobody tells you, you just... know.' Taylor was surprised about how many students who started out went to Hufflepuff. Normally it is more spread out, but when Finch-Fletchley, Gareth became the fifth Hufflepuff after Ackerly, Natalie, Becker, Mackenzie, Brown, Rebecca, and Cauldwell, Rianna, she began to worry just a bit. She stood silently and watched as the sorting ceremony proceeded with Fremont, Brac.

She let out a small sigh of relief when, after a short moment the boy was sorted into Gryffindor. She had thought before about what house she wanted to be in, what she was most like, and decided whatever it was, it would not be Hufflepuff. If her fath- no that man went to Gryffindor, then she wanted nothing to do with it. Hadley, Morrigan was then pronounced the second Ravenclaw after Grham, Conrad. Taylor applauded nicely was Jordan, April was declared the second Gryffindor.

Now there was something else to wonder: when would there be a Slytherin? Taylor knew there still was a bit of animosity between that house and most others, but mostly everyone had come together during war. It doesn't matter what house you were in when you are fighting for good. Taylor admitted that still Slytherin seemed to be the smallest house, not many dared enter it for it had a 'tainted name.' Those that did, however; really wanted to and didn't seem all that bad anymore.

Taylor was stooped out of her reverie when she heard the had call out loudly "SLYTHERIN!" She looked up as a girl she recognized as being one of her cousins friend - Sian - she thought it was walked proudly towards the Slytherin table. She realized that she had been dosing off a bit when she noticed a few more students in the Ravenclaw direction. She resolved to pay more attention when "Malfoy, Aaron" was called down to the hat. Whispers could be heard from around the hall as the name was called. Everyone knew about the legendary Draco Malfoy, who, like his head of house, had gone against everything Slytherin when he fought in the war against Voldemort as a spy.

The sorting hat waited approxamently 0 seconds before Aaron marched poudly over to the Slytherin table. His father, who also happened to be the head of Slytherin, looked on approvingly. Another girl by the name of Mostyn, Nolan was then sorted into Gryffindor. And, not so surprisingly, Evan Nott was sorted into the house of the snake.

After the Slytherin table's cheer dyed down, Uncle Charlie seemed to be in a mild state of shock. After glancing down at the list in his hand his famous Weasley complexion had gone even paler than normal. After sending a look to Headmistress McGonagall, he spoke slowly, but clearly the name that gave him such shock, "Lillyanne Potter."