Day 0 : The Sorting Ceremony

"Tick tock tick tock..."
Regaining consciousness, Margaret was laying in bed, her senses focused on the tangle that were her interlocked fingers; on the horrible ticking of that blasted clock.
"Clock?" she thought, as she gathered her thoughts, carefully untangling her hands; the fear of breaking them in the back of her mind. She felt unfamiliar bedsheets burning her skin; noisy conversations; music.
Slowly opening her eyes she scanned her surroundings: It was a cramped room, with only a bed; a dresser; a mirror and a chair with her bag sitting on it. She rubbed her eyes, yawned and stretched; she felt surprisingly comfortable despite her legs feeling like they were on fire from the cheap fabric.

"Knock knock knock"
"...Yes..?" said Margaret.
Piercing her ears with the loudest creaking, the door to her room opened to reveal a paunchy old man in yellow robes with a warm face; slightly out of breath.
"Good morning young lady! Horace Slughorn, Potions Master and Head of House Slytherin!" he said, beaming.
"Hello." she replied, glancing at him only once before exploring the room with her eyes again.
Taken aback, the wizard paused, mouth agape.
"Err..." he started, observing the strange girl in pajamas in front of him. "Ah! Congratulations, young lady, you are officially admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; we usually send an owl but when I heard your name I simply had to welcome you in person!"
"Why?" she answered bluntly, frowning quizzically at her appearance in the mirror: she was younger; and her hair was longer; a most puzzling predicament.
He grinned at her uncomfortably for a few seconds. "You're very unlike your father."
She didn't answer.
He felt around his robes for her Letter and handed it to her, smiling.
"Really accomplished a lot, your father... Been a while since I last heard of him, though... Some might say he did more than even Harry Potter, heh." he trailed off, watching her open her letter with trembling hands. "Excited?" he nodded with a toothy smile.
"Hm?" she didn't even look up from the letter, despite not being able to read while he was talking.
"Your hands, you're shaking." he pointed.
"They always do that."
He felt eerily uneasy, under pressure; she was just a kid, not even twelve, but something felt off; she reminded him of someone.
"Ah... Well... We should probably go." he said, looking at the grandfather clock loudly ticking. "I'll wait for you to change downstairs, alright?"
She nodded.
Smiling uncomfortably, he bowed before closing the extremely loud door, feeling a shiver down his spine.

Down to her treasured swimsuit, she quickly inspected her body, the many scars Margot left on her body over the years were all gone; she was smaller and thinner, she did a few stretches, pushing her body to verify her limits and sighed in relief when all was as it should be.
Rummaging through her bag, she sighed again as she found nothing missing or out of place. Noticing her robes would be too big for her, she reached for her wand, feeling a sense of calm as she grasped it.

"BOOM"

Loud footsteps followed by the door to her room bursting open, an out of breath Slughorn holding his wand with a scared look appeared.
He froze at the sight of the young girl "in her underwear" holding scraps of clothing and a wand.
"Merlin's Beard! What happened!" he was too worried to process his intrusion on her chastity.
"I... Used Reducto instead of Reducio, I... Got confused..?" she answered, frowning. "That's unusual." she thought.
He was flabbergasted, he didn't even know where to begin: She knows Reducio? She knows Reducto? She has a wand? Robes? She's in her underwear?
He turned around in a hurry. "Aaah I apologize! Should I fetch you some clothes?"
"It's fine." she answered, already holding plain clothes. "Reducio." she whispered.
Frozen on the spot, his mind busy trying to process the situation, he didn't expect her to interrupt his thought a few seconds later.
"I'm ready."
He turned around, his worried grimace turning into a warm smile: She was wearing a pretty black and white Victorian dress.
"Quite fashionable, aren't you?" he chuckled.
"Not really."

"Quite surprised to find you in there. Not as much as the owner; he didn't even know you, or that the room even existed!" chuckled Professor Slughorn, leading the way downstairs.
"Where?" she asked, too quietly.
"Pardon?"
"Where am I?" she repeated.
"The Leaky Cauldron, in London! Lucky for you our destination is right behind that wall!" he pointed downstairs, slightly out of breath.
"Are you alright, sir?" she asked.
"Hm? Oh... Just... Age is catching up, you see. Terrible thing. Heh." he swallowed and pulled out his wand before tapping the wall with it.
Starting slowly but increasing in speed, the brick wall shifted and opened to a bustling shopping street with crooked buildings typical of Great Britain's Wizardkind.
Margaret sighed at the sight "Oh no..." she thought.
"Well, let's get you your school supplies! Chop chop!" he beckoned her through the wall, smiling; expecting her to enjoy this magical moment.
Pinching her fingers and biting the insides of her mouth, she obliged, following the man like a prisoner on death row.

Beaming with joy, the man described the shops to the young girl, his robes swishing with the wide motions.
"I noticed you already have a wand; quite a beautiful one at that, is it yours?" he asked.
"Yes."
He wasn't getting anywhere, she was a closed book. "Ah... Well you know, your father got his first wand here, at Ollivanders'!"
"He did not." she answered bluntly.
He stood there, mouth agape, puzzled. Was he wrong? Was she making fun of him?
"'Morning Horace!" said a rough voice, coming from a large man in a thick fur coat.
"Ah! Hagrid!" a smile illuminated Slughorn's face again. "Please meet our new first year, I'm sure the name will bring out a lot of memories... Megamelons!"
"Blimey! 'haven't heard that name in years!" the half-giant smiled widely, kneeling down to inspect the girl in front of him.
"Hello." she said, avoiding looking at either of the men.
"We're doing a bit of shopping before getting to King's Cross, you see..." said Horace.
Stuck with two strangers chit-chatting like schoolgirls, Margaret gritted her teeth as her body and mind screamed at her to get out of there, the wand in her wand slowly but surely whispering in her ear. "There's barely anything to erase, just a quick spell and you'll be out of here, you know the incantation: Obliviate; then you can slip away..."

Having most likely noticed the pained expression on her otherwise blank face, the two professors parted ways with an uncomfortable smile.
Following silently behind the old Potion Master, Margaret purchased her school supplies, not uttering a single word to the shopkeepers and letting her caretaker do it instead; Professor Slughorn was surprised she was already carrying a good amount of supplies, high quality ones at that.
"Looks like your parents are taking good care of you, eh?" he remarked, with a smile. "Those books are really old..."
She nodded.
"Ah well, all that's left is your owl and your robes." he said with a smile.
She nodded again.
Horace felt increasingly uneasy, something wasn't right with that girl.
Opening the door for her, they entered Eeylops Owl Emporium, his worried mind felt lighter as she instantly opened herself up to the many birds in the shop, even though she still didn't smile.
Doing the talking for her, Horace explained Margaret's situation with a warm smile and a wink; the equally warm shopkeeper, wanting to make such a magical moment even more memorable for the girl approached her and the bird she was currently caressing.
"Looking to take home a delightful new owl?" asked the shopkeeper.
She chuckled, making Professor Slughorn smile. "Can I take them all?"
"I love your enthusiasm but I'm afraid this won't do!" he answered with a hearty laugh. "Why don't I let you browse and familiarize with the birds for a while, hm?" he added, before returning to his chat with the professor.
"Ah, watch out, this one is quite cranky!" he warned the girl reaching for a grumpy looking bird. He was surprised when it rubbed its face against her hand.
"That's not an owl, is it?" said Professor Slughorn, impressed.
"It's an Augurey." half whispered Margaret.
"Is it... For sale?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not, but..." the shopkeeper observed the interaction, mesmerized. "I haven't seen the old bird so comfortable since his last owner passed away..."
"Well I'm sure the Headmistress will allow it!" Horace declared confidently. "Fascinating." thought the two men.

Leaving the shop with the large bird perched on her arm, Margaret looked around Diagon Alley while her caretaker reviewed the list of supplies. "All that's left is your school robes, seeing as your old ones is only scraps..."
Margaret made a very polite expression in what little "embarrassment" she felt.
A few students stopped by to look at the unusual bird, some curious, some impressed; a few of them had seen it in the shop; some even suffered at its beak.
"Shall we?" said the Professor, opening the door for her.
Luckily for her, Madam Malkin's fancy shop was almost empty; save for a young lady in green perusing the wares, and a large figure busy behind the counter.
"Oh my! What a fashionable young lady!" remarked the large figure, who turned out to be Madam Malkin herself.
Professor Slughorn explained the situation, eliciting a mocking snicker from the green witch behind him; smiling widely and excited to get her hands on such a pretty little thing, Madam Malkin lead Margaret inside the shop, chuckling at the sight of the child jumping at her touch; Professor Slughorn followed, smiling at the shopkeeper's enthusiasm.

Margaret grimaced at the new school robes: the fabric burned her skin, the sweater vest was too tight, and the skirt was too short.
"Isn't this a little too revealing..?" she asked.
Slightly offended, the fashionable lady retorted with a chuckle. "This is the standard uniform, my girl."
"The fabric burns..." grimaced Margaret.
"What?" asked Madam Malkin, her smile completely gone from her face.
"...Can you please repair these robes? Or make another one?" she asked, handing over her tattered robes and a bag of galleons.
The fat lady clicked her tongue. "I suppose." she snatched the items from the girl's hand, clearly offended. "I'll have it sent to the Castle."
Professor Slughorn made a face like he had just witnessed the girl wrestling with a bear- and winning.
"Now I'm afraid we'll have to do something about your hair." he said, slightly uneasy.
"Pardon?" asked Margaret, scratching her burning skin.
"Ah... You see, First Years aren't allowed to use Colovaria." he answered, pointing his wand at her hair. "I'm sorry, girl."
She frowned quizzically.
The professor waved his wand; his eyes went wide when nothing happened. "Oh! My apologies! I just assumed... Your father was blond." he stammered.
"It's fine." she answered bluntly, leaving the shop.
Grimacing with embarrassment, the man followed. "Ah... That's unusual..." he apologized again.

Squinting at the sun, Margaret turned back towards the shop to look for Professor Slughorn, who slowly approached her.
"Well, this should be it. Now off to King's Cross station; take my arm, girl." the man seemed unusually willing to expedite things.
Feeling her surprisingly strong grip he apparated in a safe spot near the station; remembering too late that he didn't warn the young witch.
"Ah... Are you alright, girl?" he asked, leaning towards her.
"Yes." she answered right away, taking him by surprise.
"Merlin's beard! You really are your father's daughter!" he chuckled nervously. "I still have a few things to do in London, I trust you can find your way to the train, yes?"
She nodded.
"Professor." she called out to him before he could leave, a hand in her bag.
"Yes, miss?" he answered with a smile.
"Thank you." she handed him a packet of candies.
He inspected the item, his surprised expression turning into an impressed smile. "Pineapple? My favourite! How did you know?"
"Intuition." she answered bluntly, her cold gaze sending a shiver down his spine; he remembered.
He opened his mouth to say something, but apparated instead.

All alone, Margaret felt somehow even more stressed out, she felt those pits in her lower back, her body shaking even more than usual. She walked briskly through the unfamiliar Muggle train station, all eyes turning towards her, her unusual bird and her even more unusual hair colour.
She didn't know where she was going but she outpaced everyone; dodging them; slithering between them; looking around for signs, until she found herself in front of the place mentioned in the letter.
Enjoying the taste of blood filling her mouth, she fidgeted with her hands, pretending to be busy, while she waited for someone to not crash against the wall. A scared looking auburn haired boy looking behind him approached and traveled to the other side; Margaret took her index out of her mouth, caressed her Augurey and walked through the wall.

The crowd was even thicker than the one in Diagon Alley, which made sense since they were most likely the same people.
Circling the train, she looked for an empty looking cabin from the outside while waiting for most passengers to enter, so as to avoid them.
Finding an opportunity, she quickly entered a cabin and walked towards the end, recognizing a few students on her way, including the green witch.
"Ah! Sorry! I'd let you sit with me but I spilled paint everywhere!" said a girl with a beret; Margaret turned around: the seats were a mess, so was the girl's face.
"I'm Lottie! I love your hair! Is it natural?" she added, smiling.
Margaret nodded; she wasn't sure if the spilled paint was her telling her to sit somewhere else or not; she could just cast Scourgify.
The girl stared at her for a moment, perhaps waiting for her to say something, or to go on her way.
Margaret did the latter and sat down an empty seat.

The ride was uneventful, aside from the green witch and two boys, all the other passengers were sitting alone and no one uttered a word; the silence was only interrupted by an elderly witch selling candies, who was pleased by the child's enthusiasm, albeit unorthodox.
Carefully inspecting the many strange candies and confectionaries, Margaret enjoyed herself, feeling relaxed in the all too familiar atmosphere; the Hogwarts Express hadn't changed one bit.
It was as if Anne, Sebastian and Ominis were sitting with her; she remembered her first first year; her trip to the Forbidden Forest; her encounter with the Unicorns and the Thestrals; her father's tears; her trip back home.
Albus Dumbledore read the Chocolate Frog Card she had just opened. Died on June 30th 1997
"At least a hundred years..." she thought; she grimaced at the treat's taste, it certainly wasn't Belgian chocolate.

Welcomed by Hagrid, the First Year were escorted to the Castle by boat, no Dark Wizards would lead her into the woods this time; spotting the Thestrals on her way she smiled warmly; the trip filled her with nostalgia, the valley and the Castle were slightly different but she was home.

The Castle's interior was much more different than what she was used to; she was looking forward to exploring it again and let her mind wander as she followed the group, lamenting their slow pace and pinching her fingers.
Leading the students to the Great Hall, Hagrid opened the large doors, making a grand entrance to the applause of the teachers and older students.
Margaret winced at the loud noise and scanned the room: It was very different, not better or worse; she smiled at the enchanted ceiling and its beautiful, starry night sky.
"Welcome, welcome, students! Today will most certainly be a life defining and magical day for all of you and it is my duty, as Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to make sure you will remember this day forever!" she waved her impressive wand at the end of her sentence and conjured a stool with an old hat under thunderous applause.

Sorting students after students in alphabetical order, the crowd slowly thinned out; Margaret felt much more at ease than she was last time; though she was worried about the Hat, especially because the ghosts had been staring at her and whispering for while, interrupting themselves only to join the applause.
"Margaret Megamelons!" called Professor McGonagall with a different kind of warm smile.
Students erupted in laughter, joined by a few teachers; older teachers, however, leaned forward, smiling and whispering to each other.
Clicking her tongue at the commotion, she stepped forward, repeating what she already did once.
"You again?! Gryffindor!"
The room fell silent, she placed the hat on the stool, walked towards the designated table and leaned against the wall, unwilling to take a set.
Breaking the silence, whispering filled the Great Hall, echoing and piercing Margaret's head.
"Silence, please." ordered the Headmistress, not taking her eyes off the girl; she observed her for a second and waved her towards the seats.
Margaret waited for a moment, expecting the ceremony to resume, clicked her tongue when it did not and sat down next to a visibly uncomfortable blond boy.

The ceremony was almost over but it would feel like an eternity to the girl; it wasn't as bad as the first time but it certainly wasn't better.
Exploring the room with her eyes, she was surprised to see familiar faces; she frowned at the thought, still confused at her predicament.
Soon the feast would occupy everyone's mind, hopefully hers too.

Satiated and distracted, the students were lead to their Common Room; Margaret's eyes shone as she discovered a much different Castle, though her smile quickly disappeared when she entered her dormitories. It was impossible not to compare them to the room she used to know; her disappointment was immeasurable, and her evening ruined.
At least she didn't have Roommates.