Secrets Lie Within: Year 1

Secrets Lie Within: Year 1 Part 2

Chapter 2:

"Roselia? Roselia, wake up," a female voice echoes through the darkness.

"Huh?" Roselia mutters under her breath, waking up. Her pale eyelids blink a couple of times.

"We're here, silly!" Hermione chuckles. Then a faint smell catches her attention. "Do you smell something?" Granger asked, sniffing something, turning her head while looking for a source.

Roselia blushes madly. She knows this muggle-born is on to her. The moment when the light brunette turns towards her compartment mate, Softpaw freaks out. She runs out of the compartment and into the nearest broom closet.

A sigh of relief appears as she fully relives herself. "That was close," Roselia whispers, letting the darkness consume her actual "human"-like form.

When almost everyone left the train, the white-haired normal-looking girl reemerges cleaner and fresher. She gets her stuff and follows everyone out.

First-year students follow the path towards the water surrounding the school. Almost immediately, the boats are taken, filled with three to four students.

"Hey, Roselia!" Hermione calls out, surprising her. "We have room!"

Roselia turns to see Granger on one of the boats with another girl. At first, she wasn't going to, but seeing the boats are about to depart soon, Softpaw hurries over. She sits at the farthest part of the boat with her head bowed, not wanting to react with the other girls.

Hermione turns her head, somewhat concerned about the quiet girl. The muggle-born has met other wizard girls along with other muggle girls. None of them are like Roselia Softpaw. She feels like this mysterious girl is giving Granger a challenge that she needs to solve.

Meanwhile, the wolf girl stays quiet and is just a "normal-looking" girl. Her parents' orders echo in her mind as she takes things literally to heart.

A gentle glow from the moon lights up her vision. Roselia slowly lifts her head slightly to see how far they are towards the castle, but when her eyes meet the castle, her head lifts more and more. She has never seen such beauty from a location before.

Hermione is too spelled by its beauty, but she looks behind her to see more of Softpaw's face as the castle memorizes her. A small smile curls on her lips. "She's actually kinda cute," she thinks to herself.

First-year students arrive on the grounds. Everyone begins walking inside the castle, where a wiser professor awaits them at the top of the stairs. Her fingers rap against a railing before greeting the new students.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she speaks up to them. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates," she explains, "but before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points," the professor continues. "Any rule-breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points are awarded the house cup."

A first-year by the name of Neville Longbottom sees his pet toad near the professor. He jumps forward, calling out to him, "Trevor!"

She stares down at him.

"Sorry," Neville apologizes, backing away, scared.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily," Professor McGonagall explains. She turns around to leave.

Roselia zones out what's going on at the top of the stairwell—just hearing some mumbling between some boys.

Professor McGonagall returns. "We're ready for you now," she tells everyone. First-year students follow the professor through two large doors where they reveal the Great Hall.