Dark Heiress

Chapter 5- Onwards to Hogwarts

Morgana worked hard the rest of the week, saving every tip she made. Since accepting the offer to attend Hogwarts, her plans had once again been altered. Every Knut was precious and she knew she would most likely need every bit of her measly savings to purchase the items she would need for the duration of her stay at Hogwarts.

She found herself looking forward to her new life with each day that brought her closer to boarding the Hogwarts Express. Tom had been happy for her deciding to attend the school and was kind enough to allow her to keep her employment at the pub when her school year ended. Morgana was grateful for this as it meant that she would not be homeless and without an income when school ended.

In her work at the Cauldron, she developed a newfound respect for the house-elves and anyone else having to do manual labour. With the week's rush, she had been constantly kept on her toes and as such had not had a chance to acquire any toiletries. While she did not feel as pampered as she once did, her current freedom more than made up for her new lifestyle. Her only regret was that she had not left home sooner.

She knew that she would never forget her past and nor did she want to, but for now, she wanted to be as carefree as possible. As for Lucius, well, revenge was a dish best served cold and she definitely intended on getting her own back. He would pay, of that she was certain.

Morgana ran her hands through her clean hair, trying to neaten it. Today was Saturday, the day before she was to board the Hogwarts Express. She had been busy the entire week but Tom had been understanding and kind enough to give her the day off to prepare for her departure. She had a number of things to do and had risen early that morning in the hopes of getting a head start.

Milly had informed her of all the shops in Diagon Alley where she could procure the items on her list second-hand. She would not be able to purchase everything on her list were she to purchase anything brand new. It irked having to pay for someone else's leftovers but since she had no choice, she knew it was best to just get over and accept it.

With a last look in the mirror, she decided that she did not look too bad. Thankfully, her bruises had finally faded. She left the bathroom and pulled on her travelling cloak before exiting her small bedroom. She made her way to the kitchen where breakfast was a quick, simple affair of buttered toast and now her favourite, rhubarb juice.

The morning was bright and cool with the first few patrons of Diagon Alley already making their way between shops. She worked her way systematically through the myriad of shops, carefully buying the barest of essentials since her funds were limited and she still had to buy her most important item: a wand.

Eventually, she reached what appeared to be a general store. A young witch with curly blond hair sat on the counter reading a copy of Witch Weekly; she didn't looked up as Morgana entered the shop. Morgana walked to the furthest end of the shop and began to browse the many aisles. There was nothing that she could really afford. Eventually, she made her way still empty-handed into the last aisle, catching sight of the blond witch now charming her long nails various shades of pink.

Morgana rolled her eyes and looked back to the many shelves on the walls. There were rows of various potion bottles lining the walls. On closer inspection, she realised that she was looking at various beauty potions. A sparkling pink bottle caught her eye: Lady Lockhart's Perfect Pearls Potion- guaranteed to ensure a sparkling smile every time! Strawberry flavoured. Morgana scoffed at the label. A witch with a shiny mane of golden hair was flashing a dazzling smile at her. After a glance at the price tag, Morgana shook her head and made her way towards the counter.

Again, the young witch paid her no notice. "Ahem," Morgana cleared her throat loudly in a bid to get her attention.

"Mm? What-oh, can I help you?" the young witch finally acknowledged her and seemed almost surprised to see that someone was there.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Morgana replied, "Yes, do you perhaps have something more affordable than what this Lady Lockhart has to offer?"

She screwed her face up in concentration as if Morgana had just asked her to define the secrets of the universe and not merely for an alternative potion. A moment passed before she answered, "Well, I suppose there are these--" She leant over the counter and pulled out a dusty box that contained a number of potion-filled vials. Morgana carefully picked out a bottle and inspected the label: wart removal was scribbled on in an almost illegible, spidery lettering. The price was a fraction of what anything on the shelf sold for.

Morgana gazed sceptically at it. "Why the large price difference? And why are these hidden behind the counter?" she said as she gestured to the box.

"Well for starters, it's not exactly eye-catching. I mean, presentation is everything. Only reason we stock it is as a favour to some bird my dad used to know in school, Ella- or something the like. Bless his sweet old heart. If it was me, I'd tell her to take her wares down Knockturn you know. Merlin knows! Her son looks like he crawled right out of one of them alleys. He comes by once a month or so to restock. Not much of a looker that one, and moody too. He should really consider using some of this stuff on his hair. I once tried chattin' him up, just for the fun of it, you know, and you'd think he'd be grateful for the attention. The boy just doesn't know how to recognise a good thing; I think he's just got his wand stuck too far up his--"

"Do they work?" she hastily interrupted the girl's inane ramblings. Morgana was quickly losing her patience.

"Does what work?" the girl asked puzzled.

Annoyed, Morgana hastily replied, "The potions, do they work?"

"Well I suppose they must, mustn't they? Else there'd be no point stocking them would there? Oh, but I absolutely love Lady Lockhart's range though, woman's a genius she is--"

"Yes, thank you, I'll take the mouth cleanser," she once again interrupted the chatty girl before she could begin another one of her ramblings.

Quickly handing her the exact coins, she collected her potion and hurriedly made her way out the store. She heard the girl call after her, "Come again, I could always do with a good chat!"

Now Morgana did roll her eyes; the last thing she would want to do was share beauty tips with a complete airhead. A good part of the morning had already passed and the crowd in Diagon Alley had increased. It seemed as though a number of other people were in need of last minute shopping.

Morgana stuffed the potion into the cloth sack that contained her other purchases. She had spent quite a bit of her money, on the things she would need for Hogwarts. Although she had combined the money she had earned over the few days working at the Leaky cauldron with what she had procured in Knockturn alley, there was only so far she could stretch it and she still had her robes and of course her wand to buy.

Without as much as a glance to any of the other stores, she made her way in the general direction of the wand shop Milly had told her about. She had said that there was no way she could miss the gold lettering of Ollivander's Wands, as it was one of the most prestigious shops in the Alley. She hoped she would be able to afford the wand and some robes; if not, then she could always transfigure the robes she had.

Standing outside Ollivander's, she was both anticipating and dreading entering the store. While she longed for the power she knew she would have with a wand at her fingertips, she also knew that she could only afford a second-hand one. A wand was revered by its owner and if a wand chose its owner, then it would mean she would be chosen as second best. A wand was very personal and definitely not something meant to be shared.

Sighing in resignation, she entered the shop and took in the dusty appearance of the shop. Rows of long boxes lined the walls while some were stacked in heaps in the corners.

"Good day Miss, in need of a new wand are we? Or perhaps simply refurbishing?" Morgana spun around as she heard a voice behind her.

Where had he appeared from? she wondered. Quickly recovering herself she replied, "No, a wand, just not a new one." There was a hint of reluctance as she spoke that was not lost on the wandmaker.

"Yes, well, there are a number of second-hand wands that are in reasonably good condition. Rest assured, all my second-hand wands have been refurbished and are in perfect working order. I am certain we can find something to suit you. I have never been wrong. So, let's get started then shall we, Miss...?"

"Morgana, just Morgana," she replied.

The wandmaker glanced shrewdly at her, but merely raised an eyebrow. He thought better than to comment.

By mid-afternoon, she had still not found the right wand. None seemed to bond just right with her. Some were too temperamental or too weak while others had a complete mind of their own. She was not the only one feeling more than a little frustrated. The wandmaker himself was beginning to grow agitated at his inability to find the perfect wand.

"This isn't working; perhaps there's another store I could try?" asked Morgana finally, vainly trying to keep the impatience out of her voice. She was hot, tired and the smoke from her futile attempts to get a wand to work combined with the dust that accompanied the wands dug up from storage was beginning to bother her.

"No, no, no, the right wand is here somewhere, I know it is," he replied as he discarded another failed wand to large pile that had steadily grown. He huffed in irritation as he made his way to yet another shelf of boxes. He had just reached for what Morgana was sure to be another waste of time when he suddenly froze.

"Mm... what if... it's not impossible... thought sooner..." he mumbled distractedly to himself before making his way to the back of the store. Puzzled, Morgana managed to catch the pensive look on his face as he scurried past.

Minutes passed, and just when Morgana was beginning to believe he had gone into hibernation, the wandmaker came out cradling the dustiest and tattiest box she had seen yet.

"It's worth a try but I've yet to be wrong," he told her as he removed the lid and handed her a long dark wand. The moment the wand made contact with her palm she knew it was the one she had been looking for. A second later and a stream of green and silver sparks erupted from the tip of the wand.

The wandmaker smiled smugly before saying, "Ah, I see. Right, now just give it a little swish and see how it works for you."

Morgana did as instructed and was amazed as a large double-headed snake emerged from the end of her wand. The snake swirled around her while its heads seemed to be entwining around each other.

Morgana moved her gaze to the wandmaker seeking assurance that this was the expected reaction. However, the look on his face spoke the contrary. The smug look he had worn disappeared and was replaced with one of bewilderment. Clearly, this was as much a surprise to him as it had been for her.

After a few minutes, the serpent dissolved into a black cloud before dissipating. She looked down at the wand to examine it closer. It was, simply put, amazing. It was intricately carved and its black wood was highly polished. The glossy ebony looked brand new.

The hilt was formed of two snake heads entwined, facing each other, while the common tail that they shared formed the rest of the wand. One of the heads was silver while the rest was smooth ebony. Upon further inspection, she noticed that the eyes were tiny green stones. The wand itself actually felt warm in her hands, almost alive and still she knew it belonged with her.

She placed the wand carefully into its box and her stomach suddenly plummeted as she realised that there was no way she could ever possibly own such a fine, splendid and perfect wand...

"I see we've found our match then. I'll just wrap it up for you--"

"No, that kind of wand, I'm sure it's out of my price range, there must be something- something else," she interjected, trying to hide the longing in her voice, all the while never taking her eyes off the wand in the box.

"Actually, you'd only be paying two Galleons for refurbishment and storage."

Sceptical and with a slight frown, she asked, "What's wrong with it?"

Peeved at the mere insinuation that he would trade below average goods, he sniffed before replying, "Absolutely nothing is wrong with it." He walked around the counter and sat the box upon it.

"Then why--"

"Is the price so generous?" he cut her off before continuing, "Simple, it is not mine."

"Excuse me? What do you mean it's not yours?"

Sighing, he said, "The wand, it is not one of my crafts. This wand was passed down from the wandmaker under whom I apprenticed. He used to have a shop in Hogsmeade. Anyway, it has never been sold and since it is the only wand in this shop not crafted by me. I have a feeling that it was never meant to really be sold."

Morgana, although somewhat intrigued, felt as though Christmas had come early and could not help the shadow of a grin that was threatening to spread.

Paying careful attention to her facial expressions, he took her silence as affirmation that she was still interested in the wand. Again, he asked, "So, shall I wrap it up for you then?"

"Actually, I'd like to keep it on me if it's all the same."

"Certainly, as you wish."

She pulled out her money pouch and laid the gold coins on the counter before taking hold of the wand almost reverently.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," she replied in a low voice.

He waved his wand over her box, and the next instant it was brand new. He handed her the box before replying, "It's a pleasure, Morgana."

Placing the box with her other purchases, she left the shop with a feel of magic bubbling beneath her fingertips. She felt powerful, unstoppable, as though she were capable of anything.

The feeling of recklessness that had so quickly risen with her new sense of power, rapidly dissipated as she remembered how dependant she had become on having a wand. She remembered how helpless she had been when her father had destroyed her wand in the alley. There was no denying that a wand had its uses, and it definitely made life easier. However, she had learnt that to be dependant on anything not attached to your body which could easily be removed, leaving one in a state of vulnerability, was a grave mistake that she did not intend on repeating. So yes, for now, the wand would help her out, but in time, she would strive to ensure that it would not be her sole lifeline.

More than satisfied with her latest purchase, Morgana began looking for a shop that sold second-hand robes. Although she had made such a bargain on her wand, she was doubtful that she would be able to afford a new robe. She only hoped that the shop Milly had suggested would be gentle on the remains of her paltry week's earnings.

The little money that she had managed to procure from the sale of that horrid necklace had mostly been spent on the long list of books, stationery and various other items of equipment that she would require during her time at Hogwarts.

She began to make her way back towards the Leaky Cauldron when she spotted just the shop she was looking for: to her left, a door away from Ollivander's was the second-hand robe store that Milly had told her of.

She stepped into the shop and after a moment was attended to by an old woman who had made her way out from the back.

"Ah, young lady, what can I do for you?" asked the old woman.

"Well, I'll be starting at Hogwarts so I'll be--"

"Needing a set of witch's robes. Hmm, you really should have come sooner, there aren't that many school robes left to choose from, but let's have a look anyway shall we?" The old lady approached some of the racks with Morgana following. Morgana noticed that the racks were, indeed quite empty. They reached a rack that held about four robes through which the older witch began rifling in search for the right robe. Morgana watched anxiously; this was her only choice although she reasoned that if it came down to it, she would just have to do with wearing boys robes.

"Ah, I was beginning to think you'd leave empty handed. Here, try it on for size, it seems a tad too short but that can always be remedied."

Morgana took the robe from the outstretched hand of the older witch and made her way behind the screen in the corner of the store. She stepped out a moment later and approached the platform to see her reflection in the large mirror. While the fit would do, the sleeves and length of the robe was too short. She noticed that overall, the robe was in fairly good condition with the exception of an odd burn along the inner cuff of the left sleeve. The material had a purple scorch mark and a number of tiny holes.

The old witch saw Morgana examining the sleeve and spoke, "Yes, it's not perfect and while the length is no problem, I'm afraid there's nothing to be done with that burn. It's been damaged most likely by magic or even a potion spill and try as they may, my elves just couldn't mend it."

Once again realising that she did not have other options, she replied, "Thank you, it will do." The old woman smiled at Morgana and began to make the necessary markings with her wand in places where she thought the robe required altering.

A few minutes later and Morgana had changed into her own robes and handed the school robe back to the old witch. "Right, the alterations can be done while you wait, if you do not mind, Pippin is excellent at what he does, it will be done in a trice."

"That's fine. I would, however, like to take a look through the rest of those robes--" she gestured to the rack from which they had searched through earlier, "--in the mean time if it's all right with you?"

The old witch replied kindly, "Yes of course, go ahead."

Morgana realised that a single school robe would not last the entire school year. She would have to resort to wearing boys robes after all. She sifted through the remaining robes and found two that would do. They were larger and more worn than the first robe. She approached the older witch who had moved behind the counter but thought it best to check how far her funds would stretch. Turning her back slightly to shield herself somewhat from view, she counted the few coins that her purse contained and realised that she could only afford to purchase two of the robes.

Slightly embarrassed as she was just a few steps away from the counter, she handed one of the robes to the older witch and said, "Um, I'll just take the two." Her face had a slight flush to it as she spoke and she avoided making eye contact with the older woman.

She had just turned around and made to replace the extra robe that she would not be able to afford, when the old witch's voice rang out, "Dearie, I gather you missed the sign in the window; the robe is yours unless you really don't need it."

Morgana watched as the older witch summoned a sign from the store window. She was almost certain that it had not been there when she had entered. The old woman showed her the sign; it was gold with large black letters that boldly read:

CLEARANCE SALE: PURCHASE ANY TWO ROBES AND GET A THIRD FREE

Morgana looked up to see the old witch smiling kindly at her and she felt her face burn in embarrassment. While she did not want to look at the gesture as one of charity, she was however, grateful.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you. I will indeed take all three robes." Morgana handed her the third robe. The old woman clicked her fingers and an old elf appeared, quickly collecting the robes to make the necessary alterations.

Morgana waited patiently while her robes were attended to and a short while later the elf appeared once more with a box in his hands. He placed it on the counter and swiftly disappeared.

"Ah, your robes are finally complete. I have had Pippin add Self-Ironing charms to the robes; it should make it easier when you are at school my dear," she told Morgana kind-heartedly.

Morgana emptied her purse and handed over her last few coins to the old witch before replying, "Thank you, again. I-I really do appreciate it."

"You are most welcome child, most welcome," she replied with a smile.

Morgana gathered her package and left the robe store. Her money all spent, she made her way back to her rooms at the Leaky Cauldron where she could pack for her trip to Hogwarts. She hoped that she had not forgotten to buy anything of importance, not that it would make a difference now.

* * * * *

Morgana awoke to the feel of Cornish Pixies trying to escape from her stomach. Today was the day; today, she would be leaving for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Today was the first day of the rest of her life.

She had managed to finish packing her few belongings the night before. Tom had found an old, battered trunk for her in which she could store her things. All she needed was to get dressed and have Milly get her to the train station. Tom had arranged for the elf to transport her to the train station as she had never been there before. Morgana was grateful for all that they had done for her and knew that a small part of her would miss the place that had temporarily been a home for her.

Standing before the mirror, she examined her appearance: she was wearing the robes that she had left home with as they were in much better condition than the other wizard's robe that she had found. As luck would have it, she had forgotten to buy a bottle of shampoo and had resorted to using the soap that was in her bathroom, which left her hair looking rather limp and dull. Since he had her new wand though, she was at least able to cast charms that would untangle and smooth her hair.

Satisfied that she was presentable, she took one last look around her rooms to ensure that she had not forgotten anything. She then grabbed the handle of her trunk and made her way to the kitchen where Milly said she would be waiting.

She entered the kitchen to find the usual sight of elves bustling around preparing for the day. "Ah, Miss Morg' you is ready. Here, Milly is making you a healthy pack of lunch to take on the train and an extra large flask of Miss' favourite rhubarb juice. Is Miss Morg' sure she is having everything? Milly does not mind checking again for Miss. Is Miss' clothes all neat and clean, perhaps Milly should make sure? Milly should make more food, yes, Miss Morg' should be well fed for her trip to school, growing girls need lots of healthy food for a healthy mind. Milly wants Miss Morg' to be the brightest witch at the school to learn Magiks--" The little elf had frantically started fussing over Morgana as she stepped into the kitchen.

Before the elf could get further carried away, Morgana interrupted her, "Milly, thank you so much but I'm sure everything is packed, and no doubt the food is more than enough. You've really been wonderful."

Milly gazed tearily at Morgana with her large eyes. The elf gave a large sniff before throwing herself around Morgana's middle in a tight embrace. Morgana patted the elf gently on her back and a second later Milly let go, had Morgana's trunk open, and was busy reorganising all her possessions into a more orderly fashion. She added the pack of food and cast an anti-Spill charm as a safety measure.

Morgana caught Tom watching the little scene in amusement. Leaving Milly, she approached the old barman. "Tom, I'd just like to thank you for everything, for helping me out. I'm really grateful, I don't know where I would be if it weren't for you."

The barman smiled at her before replying, "Morgana, it has been a pleasure havin' ye. Yer a bright witch an' I'm sure that ye'll do well at Hogwarts. I wish ye all the best an' hope ye know that ye'll always be welcomed back at the Cauldron. Yer job an' room will be waiting for ye if you decide to come back o'er the holidays."

Morgana felt her chest clench; she was not used to such affection. She was amazed that someone could show such kindness to the stranger that she had been.

"Thank you Tom, thank you very much," she said in a quiet voice.

"Don't mention it. An' now, I think it's best the both of ye get goin' if ye plan on makin' it on that train."

Morgana found Milly at her side, her trunk closed, and the elf's little hand suddenly slipped into her own, clutching on tightly.

"Fare well, Morgana," said the old barman.

Morgana gave a fleeting smile before replying, "Good-bye Tom."

A breathless moment later and Morgana felt herself being squeezed from all sides and almost instantly it was over and she found herself on a platform facing a huge scarlet train. It was still quite early and only a handful of other students were waiting with their families.

Morgana glanced down to find Milly shuffling around her legs. The elf was having a hard time seeing Morgana leave. Making sure that no one was paying any attention to them, she crouched down and took the elf's hands in her own. Morgana was not very comfortable with such displays of affection; the very idea was totally foreign to her. She did, however, want to get the moment over with so that she could board the train before more people arrived.

"There, there Milly, it's not like I'll be gone forever; I'll write and before you know it I'll be back," she said trying to console the elf.

"Of course, Miss Morg', Milly is just being silly. Miss must let Milly know if Miss is needing anything. Milly can be here in a moment--" she snapped her fingers as if to emphasise, "---if Miss wants."

"Thank you Milly, but I really should be boarding the train now," Morgana replied, rising and gently releasing the elf's hands.

"Oh yes, of course, Milly should be getting back to Master Tom. Good-bye Miss Morg', and good luck," the elf said through a stream of tears before she disappeared with a loud crack.

Sighing, Morgana pulled her trunk along as she boarded the train. She was one of the first to do so and so had her pick of the compartments. Hoping that she would not be bothered, she made her way towards the end of the train and chose the very last compartment. She stored her trunk beneath her seat and took a seat by the window.

Pulling out her wand, she ran her fingers over the intricate work. She could hardly believe how much had happened over a single week: she had been assaulted by that prick Malfoy, run away from home, barely survived her father's attempt to kill her and had managed to pick herself up after everything and make her way to Hogwarts. It was all so surreal.

Morgana replaced the wand inside her robe and idly stared out the window as the platform slowly began to fill with students and their families.

Animated voices could be heard all over the platform as friends met up to board the train which would once again take them to another exciting year at Hogwarts, while other new voices were anxious about their first trip to the legendary school.

Soon the once empty train filled up with bustling students and Morgana was glad that her compartment was only being shared by a pair of nervous first-years. The two young boys were dressed in seemingly Muggle attire and were too afraid to look at her let alone bother her trying to make conversation. This which was just as well for Morgana as she had decided that by keeping to herself, she would avoid questions to which she would rather no one knew the answers to.

Having changed into her robes shortly before she was joined by the two first years, Morgana was ready to get the train ride over with. The sooner she was settled in at Hogwarts, the better. She once again stared outside at the now almost empty platform while the two boys spoke in hushed whispers to each other.

Most families had left while a few lingered to say farewell as the train departed. Her attention went shortly to the back of a tall boy who was making his way to board the train. A moment later and she saw a jet of light hit his ankle, sending him sprawling to the ground. She watched as the he struggled to pick himself up while a group of laughing boys stepped over him.

"Idiots," she mumbled to herself. Eventually, the boy managed to get up and walked out of her view. The train gave a jerk and slowly began to move.

Morgana sighed and pushed the incident out of her mind. The train picked up speed and soon the platform disappeared from site, replaced with green hills, which would slowly change to mountains.

The ride passed by rather uneventfully for Morgana: the boys kept to themselves and their compartment had no visitors save for a trolley lady who came to sell a number of sweet wares. While Morgana had no money to spend, the two obviously fascinated boys bought a bit of everything. She ate the lunch that Milly had prepared for her, which was especially good, while the boys looked as if they were going to be sick.

The sky had darkened and Morgana was sure that they would be arriving soon. She stood up and left the compartment intent on finding the lavatory. Luckily, she had made it without meeting anyone with interest in her. She was nearly at her compartment when she heard raised voices coming from an open compartment.

She walked by and caught a glimpse of the occupants: three boys had their wands out and Morgana noticed that the two closest to the door looked like the boys she had seen laughing earlier on the platform. The taller of the two had wavy black hair with smug look on his face, while the shorter, plumper boy looked mousy and wide-eyed.

"... me guess, you're gonna dunk our heads in one of your slimy cauldrons so we can have matching greasy hair styles, eh, Snivellus?" she heard the taller boy say.

The third boy in the compartment stood closest to the window with a book lying at his feet. He had shoulder length black hair that framed his face. His fingers were white-knuckled as he gripped his wand, which was emitting sparks. "GET OUT BLACK! You're such a coward, thinking you're so big just like that prat Potter! Just you wait, one of these days, I'll show--"

"One of these days you'll finally discover the wonders of shampoo and we'll all stop loosing our lunch every time we see you... or not." He let out a bark of laughter and his partner let out an appreciative snicker, apparently highly amused.

Livid, the boy Black had called Snivellus sent a Cutting hex towards Black. Morgana watched as it narrowly missed his eye leaving a streak of red across his brow. He managed to move at the last second but not enough to avoid the spell completely.

Spurred by the spell that was thrown at him, Black began returning spells in kind, aided by his meek partner who seemed to be almost trying to shield himself behind his bigger built friend.

While Morgana did not want to involve herself in that which did not concern her, after years of being defenceless against her father, she couldn't help but feel as if the current duel was unfair being two against one.

Slipping her wand out of her robe, she hastily cast a Stunning spell at the mousy-looking boy before quickly making her way to her compartment. She heard the satisfying sound behind her of a body hitting the floor, indicating that her spell had been had met its target. Now that the odds had been evened, she had no reason to stick around and be caught by either party or some other observer. Outside her compartment, she could hear the commotion from the duelling pair increase and with it a crowd that had been drawn towards the ruckus.

Suddenly, her compartment door was pulled open and a boy with brown hair and fading scratch marks on his face hastily stepped past. Morgana managed to spy a shiny badge on his robe before she stepped into the compartment and shut the door.

The two boys had pulled on their robes and were whispering frantically to each other. Morgana heard parts of their conversation, "...said we'd be there soon..."

"...going on out there...?"

"...must stay here..."

"...want to get expelled...fed to dementor-things..."

"...giants on boats..."

"...eaten by squid things..."

Morgana let their words drift from her thoughts of what she had just witnessed to her impending arrival. People would be curious, would want to know why a sixteen-year old witch was only coming to Hogwarts now. A sixteen-year old witch by the name of Morgana who had no surname, no family, no known background and apparently no money once they caught a glimpse of her second-hand robes and the sight of her probably performing some menial, demeaning chores as she earned her stay.

She sighed audibly and decided that she would just deal with her situation as the need arose. She felt the train slow down until it stopped with a slight jerk. Ensuring that she had all her belongings safely in her trunk, she waited a while until she was sure that most of the train's occupants had left before making her own way off the train. Students had already begun to make their way towards carriages that would, no doubt lead them to the castle.

Hoping to find herself an empty carriage, Morgana was suddenly halted when a patronus in a form of a phoenix glided towards her and spoke in the voice of Albus Dumbledore, "Morgana, please be so kind as to join the other first years in the boats which will take you across the lake."

A number of students were now staring at Morgana and a few first years had hurriedly scuttled away when they saw the silver, transparent bird that could apparently talk. Morgana clenched her teeth in frustration. Great, that's all I need, to be singled out with a bunch of kids.

She found herself a boat that had just one other occupant, a black-haired girl who had her nose in the air. The girl gave Morgana a slight appraising glance before promptly turning her face in the opposite direction.

Resisting the urge to throw the snooty little girl into the inky blackness of the lake, Morgana urged the boat on. It seemed as though the boats were all charmed to go at the same safe pace to ensure that no students met with the giant squid.

However, Morgana soon forgot about the girl when she looked up and was stunned by the incredible sight that was Hogwarts castle, it was simply remarkable. And while the scene was breath-taking, what added to the moment was the fact that Morgana had the overwhelming feeling that she was finally coming home. She could feel the tingle of her magic flowing through her veins and she was almost certain that she had felt her wand twitch.

Ahead of her, Morgana could see students that had already made it to the shore and were collecting around a rather large figure. Not long after Morgana too joined the bustling, anxious crowd. A booming voice was heard over the excited chatter, "Righ' firs' years, ye'll be followin' me up te the castle wher' Professor McGonagall will be waitin' fer ye. No pushin' now, ye'll all get there soon enough. Oh, righ', an' the name's Hagrid, in case ye'r wonderin'."

The group made their way towards the castle and soon they were standing on the steps with a stern-looking witch gazing down at them. "Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here."

With an acknowledging nod, he departed from the group and made his way towards a cabin at the end of the field. "Right, then, first years--and you--" she paused as her gaze fell on Morgana before quickly taking in the group as a whole, "--follow me."

The group made their way in through the large doors and followed the older witch to another set of large doors. She stopped before the closed doors and turned to face the group before addressing them, "In a few moments you will join the rest of the school in the Great Hall which is directly behind me. I will call out your names and thereafter you will come forward and sit on the stool before you. Upon it is a hat which you will place upon your heads. You will then be Sorted into one of the four Houses, Ravenclaw, Huffelpuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor, of which I am Head of House. Each house will act as a family for whoever joins it for the next seven years. You may earn or lose points for your House and any misdemeanors on your part will be reported to your Head of House who will see to a fitting punishment. Are there any questions?" she spoke quickly and Morgana could see a number of blank-looking faces around her that were still trying to absorb everything she had said.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly. You will wait in here quietly until the doors open when you will calmly enter the hall. I suggest you use this time to neaten yourselves up," she said and her gaze lingered on a boy who looked as though he had been rolling in the grass.

She turned on her heel and entered the hall, closing the door behind her. Animated chatter from hundreds of students was heard in the brief moment when she opened the doors. Morgana looked down at her robes; they were at least clean and wrinkle-free in comparison to some of her younger companions. They had begun to make a single row and Morgana ensured that she was at the very end of the line. In the process of trying to calm her nerves, Morgana heard a few frightened gasps followed by the sound of voices behind her, "Perhaps we should wait for after the Ceremony, Baron, now might not be the best--"

"Sir Nicholas, kindly refrain from telling me what you think I should and should not be doing. The honour is mine, and mine alone. We have all waited long enough, and I shall do as I see fit!" A formidable-looking ghost with chains around his neck and what appeared to be blood spattered on his front was having a heated conversation with another ghost. The ghost floating alongside him was fidgeting nervously with his ruffled collar.

Morgana noticed that they were not the only ghosts present: it seemed as though every ghost in the castle was floating towards...her. The Cornish Pixies in her stomach returned with a vengeance. What now?

She noticed that the line of students had distanced themselves from her and were now watching in frightened curiosity. The group of ghosts headed by the one with the chains now stood, or rather floated before her. She watched as they bowed or curtsied before the one with the chains spoke again, this time to her, "Morgana, welcome, it is a pleasure and an immense honour to finally meet you. We have waited patiently for this moment."

Stunned at her reception, Morgana apprehensively replied, "Um, okay?"

Ignoring her shaky response, the Bloody Baron continued in his deep, gruff voice, "My Lady, I hope you know that we are at your disposal; anything you may wish, you have but to say and it will be done. And anyone who displeases you in the slightest will have me to deal with."

"Do I make myself clear, Peeves?" he growled menacingly at a poltergeist that had been pulling faces and making rude gestures at some of the frightened first years. Startled, Peeves flew back into the group of first years who began shrieking when they felt the icy, disconcerting feel one experienced as a ghost passed through them.

"Y-yes, of-of course, Bl-Bl-Bloody Baron, sir," stuttered the poltergeist.

"And get away from those students, you fool!" snarled the Bloody Baron.

Morgana watched as the one called Peeves flew to the back of the group of ghosts before venturing, "Does everyone warrant such a -uh-reception?"

"My dear Lady, but surely...if you do not know...we are not permitted to speak of it, and in present company no less," replied the Bloody Baron vaguely.

What is going on? What could these ghosts possibly know and how the hell does it involve me? wondered Morgana.

Morgana did not have time to ponder those thoughts further, for a second later, the double doors through which the older witch had gone through earlier, opened widely, revealing a large hall which was filled with students. The first-years who were still stunned by the ghostly welcoming committee, jumped when they heard the stern voice of Professor McGonagall beckon from the hall, sounding slightly miffed, "First years!"

The group hastily made their way into the hall with Morgana bringing up the rear. The ghosts began to disperse and Morgana heard the Bloody Baron tell her in a low voice as he floated past her, "We shall speak in a moment, my Lady; I shall save you a seat." She watched as the ghost flew to the nearest table that was decorated in green and silver. The ghost then began to clear the head of the table of students that had the misfortune of seating themselves there.

Her attention was drawn to the spectacle before her, where a shoddy-looking hat that had been placed upon a stool was now singing. She tuned out the hat's song and idly began to take in her surroundings; the Hall was huge and had four large tables running its length and each held a number of students, some of whom were pointing and snickering at her. Being fairly tall for her age, she obviously stood out from the rest of the tinier first-years and the rest of the school had been quick to notice this.

At the end of the room was a platform which seated the teachers, with, she recognised, the Headmaster at the centre on a large chair. Even from her distance, she could make out his blue twinkling eyes and a smile on his face. He seemed to be looking right at her, but Morgana had not forgotten the last time she had looked into his eyes and quickly averted her gaze. The best part of the Hall in Morgana's opinion had to be the ceiling, which, amazingly, was charmed to depict the sky outside.

Her eyes swept back to where the Bloody Baron was floating; most of the people pointing at her were from his table. Morgana noticed the boy who had been in the duel earlier; his hair hung forward and Morgana was sure that he was trying to cover what looked like a bruise on his cheek. Their gazes locked, and Morgana was staring into a pair of eyes so dark, she was sure they were black. The look he gave her was an intense one and she was sure that he was scrutinizing her.

Not wanting to have a staring contest, she tore her gaze away to the opposite side of the room where a group at of students at the red and gold decorated table were chattering amongst themselves, oblivious to the glare they were eliciting from Professor McGonagall.

Again, she recognised the group from earlier as the ones who had tripped the long-haired boy at the train station. The one known as Black had a thin cut above his eyebrow but seemed not to care. A number of girls were admiring him and trying to get his attention but he took no notice. He had one arm casually hanging on the shoulder of a boy with messy black hair, and was talking loudly to his group of friends. His eyes however, kept darting back to Morgana, and she was taken aback when he boldly winked at her.

Frowning, Morgana turned her attention back to the hat in front of her. The line of students before her had dwindled, each seating themselves on the stool with the hat on their heads, before it called out their new House.

The Hat had just shouted "HUFFLEPUFF," and Morgana recognised one of her two companions from the train, hastily make his way to join the table decked out in yellow, that was now cheering loudly for him.

This was it, in a moment she would hear her own name being called and she would have to don the hat just like the rest of them. Already the centre of attention being the only sixteen-year old amongst the group to be Sorted, she noticed that everyone was now focused on her, as she was the only one left to be sorted.

She watched as Professor McGonagall frowned slightly at the parchment she held while she regarded the list of names. A second later and she called out in a level voice, "Morgana!"

Taking a deep breath, and with her head held high, she made her way towards the stool, trying to ignore the chattering that had begun and the loud wolf whistle that she was sure came from the red table.

"Mister Black! Behave yourself," she heard Professor McGonagall admonish. The last thing she saw before placing the hat on her head was the boy called Black smirking at her.

As the hat covered her head she heard a voice in her head say, 'Ah, Morgana, the castle has awaited the return of its daughter. Mm... curious... I expected your arrival a few years ago... no matter; my job is no less easy. Your place is rightfully in--'

Morgana did not mind where she went, as long as it was not there. Assuming that it was the hat talking to her, she hastily interrupted it as she thought, 'I don't care where you put me, as long as I'm not in the same house as that idiot!'

'Come now, child, there is only one place you belong--'

Again she interrupted, 'NOT THERE!'

Annoyed, the Hat insisted, 'Morgana, it would go against my very existence to--'

Unwilling to be bossed by a tattered old hat, Morgana forcefully thought, 'Now listen here, you mangled scrap of cloth! I will NOT be in that house! If you ever wish to sing another inane song, you will ensure that I am anywhere but there! Am I understood?'

'Hmph, fine, fine! Have it your way. In that case, in can only be...'

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