Owl Eyes

Chapter One: My Arrival

To see with owl's eyes in the darkness.

To have no need of light around me.

To go forth blind but with insight.

To live with freedom born of strength.

These were my mother's wishes for me.

Whether wishes come true is yet a mystery. I flip through the pages of the book we call life never pausing. For to rest on a page could be agony. I have learned to accept this darkness, this light, this thing some would call an affliction.

Walking through the barrier onto platform Nine and Three Quarters I was unsure. I was leaving the life I knew behind me. The familiar walls of my home. Voices I have known and hands I have held. What awaits me I do not know.

I heard so many voices, and the resting train. Carts and trunks being moved along and owls squawking. It was disorienting. My mother was beside me telling me to write and that everything would be fine and on and on. I only half listened. She helped me push my trunk onto the train before kissing me and leaving.

"Watch out where you're putting that thing!" a boy's voice said.

"I'm sorry," I apologized automatically. "I can't see, I'm blind."

He laughed and walked away. What had I gotten myself into?

The train ride was long. The car was empty accept for me and it bumped along gently. I could hear laughter from another car. I pressed my face to the cool, smooth window. Somehow it seemed soothing. Sapa, my owl, sat perched in my lap. Sometimes she seems more like a kitten. I stroked her fuzzy downy feathers. There is something about it that relaxes me.

The door opened and someone entered. I turned my head in their direction in an attempt at being polite.

"I'm Hermione Granger," a girl's voice said. "A boy said he thought a new student was in here and one that was too old to be a first year."

I nodded. "I'm going into fifth year."

"That's the same year I'm in," Hermione replied. "What house do you think you'll be in?"

"I don't know, my mom says Gryffindor because I am brave," I looked down shyly. At that moment I wasn't feeling brave at all.

"We'd be in the same house then," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't, but it is Lucinda Lee," I told her.

She stepped closer. I didn't move.

She stood right in front of me not moving. I looked up.

"What?" I asked.

"I just-" she began.

I held out my hand thinking maybe she wanted to shake it. She did.

"I'm blind," I said for clarification.

"Oh, right," she replied. "I didn't know. I mean...I didn't notice."

I like her. She is honest and straightforward. I thought I'd found myself a friend for sure. Now I truly hoped I would be sorted into Gryffindor.

Hermione sat on the seat next to me and we began talking. She asked about my owl and my previous schooling. I find her easy to talk to. She said her friends Ron and Harry were in the next car but were playing exploding snap. I've never played that game before and I wasn't sure I'd want to play with anything that explodes. I told her so and she laughed.

The train slowed, then stopped abruptly. Luckily we were both already in our robes.

"We're there," Hermione said. "I wonder if you are supposed to go with the first years or come with us?"

"I don't know," I replied nervously. I tried to move my trunk out the door.

"Leave that here," Hermione said. "They will take it to your room."

I continued to be amazed about the wonders of this place and I had not yet entered it. I was nervous and began to feel my shy side take over. I tried to push it away but it enveloped me like the darkness when the days could be better.

I could hear a man's voice calling "Firs years firs years this way."

The fog was heavy like a wet pair of jeans, hung on a clothes line to dry. It pushed my robes against my body and I felt as if I were parting curtains with each step.

A huge hand landed on my shoulder. At least I thought it was a hand.

"There ya are. Dumbledore said I'm to take ya with me in the boat."

The man steered me toward what turned out to be a boat. I hate being steered by the shoulder but I could tell he meant well and I was nervous, and he was huge, so I let it slide that time. Sapa remained perched on my other shoulder.

I stepped into the boat and it rocked gently. The water quietly slapped the solid sides of the vessel. Once the big man climbed in the boat moved off. It almost floated over the water like a leave skittering in the wind.

We arrived at the castle. I could feel how it blocked the air around me. It appeared to be huge! I will get lost in this place, I thought to myself. My nostrils were filled with the scent of herbs and I knew someone was standing close by.

"I will take the girl, Hagrid," a silky smooth voice said from somewhere near by.

Someone approached me.

"Miss Lee, I am Professor Snape," the man said in the same voice which had sent shivers down my spine. "I am to accompany you inside. If you will please take my arm."

I reached out my right hand and took the professor's arm just above the elbow. He couldn't be too old I thought for his muscles felt tight beneath the robes confining them. We went inside to a room full of what I decided must be first years.

A woman with an uptight, strict sounding voice addressed the room full of us. She explained about the four houses and how the sorting ceremony would be carried out. I became more and more nervous as she spoke. I was still holding Professor Snape's arm and I believe I may have squeezed to tightly because he removed his arm from my grasp.

"You will be sorted first," he said in a whisper. "I will take you to be sorted so there's no need to worry."

I said nothing.

We walked into the Great Hall in one big line. The place seemed huge. Sounds slipped away from me and vanished into thin air so I imagined the ceiling to be quite high.

The line stopped at the front of the room.

Professor Snape whispered, "First the sorting hat will sing."

And it did that very thing.

Oh you might not think that I am grand

But you'd be quite hard pressed to find another hat

That would be willing to sort you on demand

I do my job each year you see

And you'll never ever find

A finer hat than me

Try me on a spell

And I'll listen to your thoughts

I really listen well

You might belong in Hufflepuff

Where the loyalist of them go

Or perhaps you'll live in Gryffindor

Where they're mighty brave you know

If you're cunning and bold

Perhaps you'll be in Slytherin

Where their kind achieve all goals

If you believe that knowledge is like gold

Perhaps you'll be in Ravenclaw

Where your destiny will take hold

So sit right down on this here stool

I'll sort you alright

I'm a sorting hat I'm not a fool

I'll pick your house tonight

The hall broke out into loud applause which was punctuated by cheers and whistles.

Professor McGonagall, the woman with the uptight voice, then said, "I will call your name, you will step forward, place the sorting hat on your head, and it will sort you into your houses. You will then join your house at the appropriate table."

"First we will sort a fifth year student who is new this year," she continued. "Lee, Lucinda Lina" McGonagall spoke clearly.

Professor Snape lead me forward. I sat on the stool and he backed away as she placed the hat on my head.

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted just as it touched my head.

I blushed as people began to clap and cheer.

"Before the sorting can continue, I have an announcement." An old man spoke so that he could be heard throughout the hall. "Miss Lee is blind, though I believe you will find her insight regarding most things to be more than adequate. Anyone who might find it funny to cause her harm will find himself or herself in serious trouble. She is quite capable of taking care of herself, so I ask that you treat her with the respect I'm sure she deserves. If she requires your assistance, I assure you, she will ask for it."

The hall was so quiet I could hear him sit back down.

Professor Snape led me to a seat next to Hermione.

The sorting ceremony seemed to go on forever and my stomach began to grumble impatiently. Finally the feast began and the table was piled high with food. I shyly served myself hoping I was about to eat things which I liked but not wanting to shove my hand into the various bowls. Probably sensing my nervousness Hermione began delivering a helpful commentary on the food which I was most grateful for.

She introduced me to her best friends Ron and Harry. They seemed nice enough. I had to explain how I had been schooled at home as no wizarding school would accept me. I told them about America and my parents who both worked for the American ministry of magic. I explained my blindness, how my optic nerves were so small I couldn't see through them properly. I told them that it was a muggle condition and so there was no cure. They were curious and the questions kept on coming like ants in a parade.

When dessert was over the same man who had announced about my blindness spoke again.

"Before everyone retreats to their dormitories I have a few beginning of term announcements," he began. "The first years should note that the forbidden forest is off limits to all students. Some of the older students should try to remember this important rule. You are forbidden to do magic in the halls between classes for your own safety. If you can remember this we shall have fewer trips to the hospital wing this year." Some of the students laughed quietly. "Also, due to recent events such as the rise of Lord Voldemort," gasps could be heard around the room, "there will be a dueling club for fourth years and above. A sign up sheet will be posted tomorrow and I encourage you to participate." Everyone began murmuring excitedly. "Now if the prefects would show the first years to their respective dormitories, please."

"Come on," Hermione said getting out of her seat. "I'm a prefect. I'll show you where the dorm is."

"Can I take your arm?" I asked nervously.

"Sure," she replied brightly.

We began walking down the corridors making several turns. I wasn't sure how I'd ever find my way around this place. In some places sounds echoed off the walls and in others the sound was swallowed completely. Neither was ideal for finding my way around as both made finding landmarks difficult.

"You need to watch out for the stairways," Hermione said. "They will occasionally move."

"Move?" I said in disbelief.

"Yeah," Ron said coming up from behind, "it makes things bloody confusing if you ask me!"

I groaned out loud. That was all I needed, moving stairways.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Dumbledore wanted to see him."

"I wonder what he wanted to see Harry about already?" Hermione thought out loud. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

We finally stopped and a voice said, "password?"

"Lion heart," Hermione told it.

We stepped up and into a warm, cozy, room.

"We give a password to get in?" I asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said, "it is a portrait of what we call the fat lady. You give her the password which is occasionally changed."

I nodded.

"Hermione addressed the group to explain about the common room and where the dormitories were.

Once she was finished Hermione took me up to our dormitory room. We climbed a spiral stairway and entered into a room with six beds. At least she told me there were six. Mine was the one closest to the door. It was a four poster with heavy curtains around it and my trunk was already at its foot.

I sat on my bed just listening to the others moving about in the room. They came and introduced themselves one by one and I was surprised to see them so polite and friendly.

"What do you think so far?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to me on the bed.

"I don't know how I'll ever learn to get around this place!" I said.

"Well," Hermione said reassuringly, "why don't we start now by showing you how to find the bathroom."

"Good idea," I said.

I went to my trunk and pulled out my muggle white cane which I used to help orient myself when I move throughout a building. I figured that after a while I wouldn't need it in the common room or in classrooms and perhaps not the Great Hall but it would be helpful in the corridors.

"I've never understood how someone can get about with one of those," Hermione said.

"It takes practice," I replied. "You have to take lessons and stuff."

"Come on then, and I'll show you where things are."

I followed Hermione out of the room and down the stairs to the bathroom. I figured I could remember where it was at least. Next she showed me the table where she and Ron and Harry usually sat. It was somewhat off in a corner and would probably be easy enough to find. Ron was already sitting at it.

"Waiting for Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Ron said.

We sat down.

"I hope someone good is teaching dueling this time," Ron said.

"Maybe Snape," replied Hermione.

"Hay, Dumbledore didn't introduce the new defense against the dark arts professor."

"That's right, how could I forget about that."

"Do you reckon they didn't find one?"

"No they had to have."

I listened in silence. I was only half curious. I was beginning to grow tired and fog was creeping into my brain. Hermione explained about each of the four defense against the dark arts professors they had had thus far.

Finally Harry returned. I made an effort to straighten my slumped form to hear what he had to say.

"What did Dumbledore want?" Ron asked.

"They want me to join the order of the phoenix," Harry said. "It is a group of wizards who work against Voldemort to hopefully defeat him some day."

"I've read about that," Hermione said excitedly. "It was in Hogwarts: A History and Famous Wizards of this Century."

"Everything is in Hogwarts: A History," Ron muttered. "That's great, Harry," he said more loudly.

"I think it just increases my chances at getting killed," Harry said.

Ron gulped.

"I'm not sure that's possible, Harry," Hermione said.

I had read a little about Harry Potter and now I was glad. I never thought I'd meet him or talk to him, or be friends with him. I was glad I knew of Harry and of Voldemort because I didn't much feel like asking about who was who and what was what, every five minutes.

"Lucinda, you look tired," Hermione said. "Why don't we go up to bed?"

"I think I can find my way," I responded.

"That's alright I'm tired too," Hermione said standing up. "Why don't you find the way yourself and I'll just walk right behind you in case you get lost? I don't want to find you in the boy's dorms."

We all laughed and then promptly said our goodnights.

I found my way just fine but had forgotten to count doors on the way down so Hermione had to point out the correct one.

"I hope I never go in the wrong one and get in the wrong bed!" I said. "Maybe I could put a rubber band on the door knob. Do you think that would bother anyone?"

"No, I don't think so," Hermione said. "I'll do it. I've got one just in my trunk."

She disappeared quickly. The door opened and then closed again.

"There," she said when she had returned.

"Thanks," I said with a yawn. I quickly got into bed, said good night to Hermione and fell asleep almost immediately.