Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, and added this story to alerts and favourites. I am glad you all liked it, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

I hope you had a wonderful time over Christmas, however you chose to spend or how you celebrate it and I hope you have a wonderful New Year as well.

All mistakes are mine and mine alone, please do not hesitate to point anything out.

Chapter 2:-

"Well, there you are, girl. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

Uncle Vernon smiled at her. Holly would go as far to say it was a manic kind of smile, twisted and gleeful over someone else's misfortune. She had hated that smile over the years, but today she had little desire to acknowledge it or the fact her uncle was still talking to her.

"We don't want you back over the holidays, do you hear me?"

"Yes," she answered when it was required because not responding would cause more trouble than it was worth.

"Have a good term," he laughed, "if you get there," he added as he walked away, leaving her alone in front of the two plastic signs stating the numbers.

She wasn't concerned, or worried. Professor McGonagall had explained to her how to get onto the platform when she had first handed her the tickets for the train. And when Holly had questioned why have it somewhere so blatantly obvious, she had gone into an explanation about oblivators on standby and charms to make it less noticeable by the muggles.

She relaxed a little and let her eyes wander, seeing beyond what she was expected to see, it was almost like a 'something out the corner of her eye' lifted, and she could see men and women dressed in robes, pushing luggage with cats and owls.

With a small smile of her own, she muttered, "idiot", to herself before pushing her own trolley towards the barrier slipping through unseen by those around her, until she came out on the other side.

Holly couldn't help but gape in wonder.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. Holly gripped her wand concealed in her pocket, close to her hip, not that the measly knowledge she had of the spells that she had gotten to work would be much use to her, but its presence offered her a sense of security and comfort Holly hadn't realised she had needed until it had been there.

Holly still found it more comfortable reaching for her magic the way she had been reaching for it in the last five years - as instinctively as breathing.

If though there was a way she could keep learning to use both her wand and her magic without her wand then she would never be defenceless. Holly would have an ace up her sleeve that nobody would know about.

An ace Holly was sure she would need one day.

Because as much as she had allowed herself to read her school books and practice spells, Holly had spent an equal amount of time learning about the Wizarding World on the whole. She had discovered more about the War than perhaps Professor McGonagall had ever expected her to do so. It hadn't taken Holly long to learn how to reach Diagon Alley again without the aid of an adult or even without her Aunt and Uncle noticing she had been gone for the day.

More grateful than ever Professor McGonagall had insisted Holly purchase the: - 'A Muggleborn's Questions to the Wizarding World' a book that acted as an essential guidebook to the Wizarding World. Holly had devoured it in a week, and it was on: - Chapter 12:- A Muggleborn's Guide to Magical Transport, that Holly had found her answer.

The Knight Bus.

Several trips later and she had more books, more magical items and several subscriptions to various things including the Daily Prophet that would keep her well informed with the goings-on of the Wizarding World, but it had also allowed her to request old papers during the time of the war.

A War that had changed her life forever, and the lives of many others. She hadn't lived in the Wizarding World in the years that followed the supposed end, but she needed the information around that time, just as she needed the information during the war.

The information had proved useful. Holly now knew more about her parents and the Potters than she had ever done so before, it also provided information on the Lestranges, Crouch Jr and Sirius Black. It speculated precisely what had happened the night Voldemort, Holly refused to fear his name, had been defeated. Though Holly couldn't help but shake the feeling that defeated was too broad of a term - it didn't mean he had been killed, but it was clear he had disappeared that night.

She had learnt about Death Eaters, their crimes, their punishments and who had claimed to be under a Curse and had no control over their actions.

Holly learnt every name of every potential enemy to her, her plans and her parents. The War may have ended almost ten years ago, but that didn't mean that the ideals and beliefs of his followers had just disappeared. Far more likely that they were whispered in the dark waiting to see the light of day again.

And Holly would be ready should that happen. Would be prepared should anything interfere with her plans in finding a cure for her parents.

It was why as she pushed her way through the crowds, gripping her wand in her pocket that she searched desperately for an empty compartment. Few people noticed her, but then a lone figure in a sea of people was far easier to slip by unnoticed.

The train was quieter than the platform, and she was grateful to find an empty compartment at the back of the train, out of the way of everyone.

Holly sank into the seat with a sigh of relief when she had finally secured her trunk in place, two books lay next to her and a small journal and pen. She had been practising everyday writing with a quill, but the idea of jotting any notes down on a moving train with ink didn't appeal to her, and instead had opted for a simple muggle pen.

Tucking her feet under her, she picked up her book, An Introduction to the Human Anatomy, and started reading.

She needed to learn everything she could about the human body in a general sense before she could start understanding how magic interacted with the body, and how you could heal the body with magic.

Not to mention she needed a better understanding of the curse that had been used against her parents in the first place.

The Cruciatus Curse.

Holly doubted she would be able to find much information on her own to begin with, which was why she was leaving it as her third priority on the list in respect to healing her parents. First, she needed the understanding of the human body that went beyond the mere basics that her primary school teacher taught her.

Baby steps. This can't be rushed; it is going to take time.

Scribbling a few notes down in her journal, Holly found herself engrossed in her task at hand that she barely noticed the train moving. The rocking of the carriage a distant feeling as her mind attempted to make sense of the text that she was absorbing with every breath.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"

Holly couldn't help but stare at the gigantic man calling to the first years. Waving an equally huge lantern. Holly ignored all the children around her; she ignored their bumbling forms as they spoke with one another, jostling for position amongst the crowds as they followed the giant down from the train to what appeared to be boats on a lake.

She ended up sharing with a brown-haired girl whose blue eyes pierced her sharply when she looked at her, a tall, dark-skinned boy with even darker eyes that looked sombre and a smiling blonde haired boy, who offered warm hello's but said little else. No one seemed eager to break the ice between them, and so they sat in silence as the boats bobbed forward along the lake.

Holly gaped along with the others when the boat sailed around a corner and Hogwarts came into view. It was at that moment that Holly immediately fell in love.

It shone, Holly thought, a beacon in the dark. A symbol of strength and hope. Holly could understand at that moment why Voldemort had never dared attack it during the war. He would have been foolish to do so. It would have cost him, and so it remained a sanctuary in a time of war. Untouchable by outside evil.

Perched atop a high mountain, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, with many turrets and towers.

It signalled possibilities, at least to her. A place where she would be able to explore all of those possibilities, whether in secret or out in the open.

It was beautiful.

"Yes, it is." A voice agreed beside her, Holly turned to look at the boy who had spoken, realising that she had perhaps voiced that particular opinion out loud.

The tall, dark-haired boy looked at her before speaking again, "Blaise Zabini," he introduced.

"Holly Potter," she answered after a moment.

She caught his eyes widening in slight recognition but he made no further comment, it was something she could appreciate whether it was done out of consideration for her or just because he had nothing else to say. It was an unnerving thought really, the idea of other people knowing about her family's circumstances.

Holly didn't like it, but there was nothing she could do to change it either, all she could so was simply accept whatever anyone decided to throw at her in regards to her circumstances and hit back hard should anyone desire to hurt her with it.

She politely turned to the other two sitting in the boat, as the small voice in the back of her mind argued against her instinctive desire to not want to make friends and avoid all contact, warning her she needed to at least be polite and try no matter how much she wished not to try anything of the sort. And waited for them to give their names.

The brown haired girl murmured quietly, "Daphne Greengrass," while the boy who smiled warmly and had offered hellos was 'Anthony Goldstein".

"Heads down!" the giant yelled as the boats reached the cliff carrying them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They moved along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they all tried to clamber out at once onto the rocks.

There was a tension on the air, nervous excitement that wired through everyone. Holly could feel her stomach turning, and yet it felt as if she was coming home for the first time ever.

They followed the light of the giant's lamp up a passageway before coming out at least onto the smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up the flight of stone steps and crowded around the massive oak front door where the giant knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open almost at once, and Holly saw Professor McGonagall standing there waiting for them. Holly felt her shoulders ease as she saw a familiar face. The tension she hadn't realised she had been feeling slipping away.

"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," the giant greeted.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

So the giant's name is Hagrid, Holly thought silently as she followed Professor McGonagall into the castle.

Holly soaked in the sight of the Entrance Hall memorised by the stone walls lit with flaming torches, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them which she had no doubt led to the upper floors. She could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the doorway to the right, and Holly felt her nerves flutter like butterflies. Steeling herself for whatever was to come and determined that no matter what happened she would not fail she waited patiently with the other students as Professor McGonagall welcomed them to Hogwarts and explained that the start of term banquet would begin as soon as they had been sorted into their houses. She went further to define the four Houses in Hogwarts and the points system that seemed to play an important part, along with the emphasis that their House would be their family.

The moment she left the small chamber they had all been gathered in the nervous whispers Holly as her fellow students swapped wild theories on how they would possibly be sorted.

One thing became clear at least in Holly's opinion was that no one had a clear idea of what happened, as the possibilities ranged from 'wrestling trolls' and 'testing one's spell ability'.

Holly could even hear one girl not too far away from her muttering under her breath all the spells she could possibly think of that she might be asked to perform.

Holly hadn't given much thought into the Houses and which she felt like she belonged. Her parents had been in Gryffindor, but Holly wasn't sure that the house of the noble and brave suited her, though it would be nice to be in the same house that her parents had been in.

A scream cut through her trail of thought and Holly blinked in surprise as what seemed to be twenty-ghosts streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly looking at the first years.

They seemed to be arguing.

Until one of them noticed them all staring up wide-eyed at them.

"New students!"

And no sooner had they been greeted they were soon all wishing them good luck and desire to be seeing them in their former house until the sharp voice of Professor McGonagall cut across them.

"The Sorting Ceremony's about to start form a line and follow me."

One by one they formed a line until Professor McGonagall was satisfied and led them into the Great Hall.

Holly had never imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in midair over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. It was beautiful, and Holly was aware of hundreds of eyes on her, of course, they weren't on her personally, but as a collective whole, the older students watched the new first years as they walked passed before stopping in front of another long table where the teachers sat.

It was here where Professor McGonagall silently placed a three-legged stool in the centre and what looked to be an old looking hat on top of it.

Holly blinked in surprise. She certainly hadn't been expecting that, and while she had read Hogwarts a History, she couldn't recall anything about a hat.

And then just as suddenly that hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat began to sing.

XXX

Minerva took the time to steel herself during the Sorting Hat's song. She had lost count how many Sorting Ceremony's she had taken part in and yet still her hands shook, something she had told herself sternly was entirely unsuitable for her age. And yet as she glanced at this batch of first-years before she couldn't help but feel that something was different. She had seen Holly amongst the others, looking far to calm in comparison to the other eleven-year-olds. The only one that seemed to match her lack of concern was the tall, dark haired, dark skinned boy standing next to her. Zabini. He looked like his mother and Minerva expected nothing less from the 'Black Widow's' son. There was another Weasley this year too, and a Malfoy and a Nott, not to mention the Boy-Who-Lived.

There was no denying that this year group would be an interesting lot and yet it was perhaps because of that she was most apprehensive about it. Minerva was grateful though when it finally came to calling the first name out she was able to say it without her nerves showing.

"Abbott, Hannah,"

The blonde haired pig-tailed girl stumbled out of the line and put the hat on was somewhat predictable, but Minerva still smiled warmly when the hat shouted out 'Hufflepuff!' allowing a brief moment of cheers and applauds before continuing with the next name.

"Bones, Susan,"

One by one she stood back and watched them come up and place the sorting hat onto their heads. Minerva could see who was nervous and needed that extra reassurance, with a comforting smile. She smiled when the Brown girl became her first Gryffindor.

The rest of the Sorting hustled past as she worked her way down the list, there was one girl that seemed to take the longest before the Hat finally cried 'Gryffindor' and she mentally noted to keep an eye on the girl to ensure she settled in into the house.

The H's passed, followed by the I's, J's, and K's until she finally called her second most awaited name on the list. A name that everyone was more than eager to see sorted. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Albus sit up that little straighter as his whole attention was fixed onto "Longbottom, Neville".

The rest of the hall reacted almost as one to the name, whispers stirring through the hall with a buzz, and soon Neville Longbottom was stepping forward, almost nervously.

"That's him, The Neville Longbottom?"

"He looks so pale."

"I thought he would be taller."

She felt sorry for him as he almost jogged up to the stool, carrying the weight of other people's expectations on his shoulders. Everyone had an idea of who and what the Boy-Who-Lived would be like and Minerva often noted that people very rarely met those expectations that were placed upon them. Neville certainly had his father's eyes, but it was his mother's round face he had, with soft features that hadn't yet lost the baby fat and ears that were a little too big for his face. He would either grow into his features or he wouldn't but only time would determine that fact.

The hall waited eagerly as the Hat took its time on the boy's head, and it did take its time. Minerva could see his fist curled tense by his sides as he deliberated with the hat, she knew where the boy wanted to go, but it seemed the hat was taking even longer to decide than it had with the Granger girl.

And then the hat finally shouted "Gryffindor", and her house erupted in cheers and the boy smiled brightly as he took the hat off his head and walked towards his table. She could see the tension ease from his shoulders ever so slightly showing to her just how tense he had been. Minerva saw again out the corner of her eye Albus relax ever so slightly, at the result as he eased back into his chair, but her attention was soon back on the list as she called the next name, and the next.

Until finally she called the name that she had been most eager to sort, and Minerva found herself staring like an anxious parent herself when the hat lowered over Holly Potter's head, hoping that she was at least wrong in her assessment in the girl and she would indeed be sorted into Gryffindor.

XXX

Holly was aware of the eyes of the other students on her as the Sorting Hat slipped over her head.

While it wasn't with the same interest, the Boy-Who-Lived had received; thankfully, it was still interest as there had been with all new potential housemates.

Holly shuffled slightly on the stool under the weight before she caught herself and forced herself to stay still.

Attention of any sort was not a good thing.

The Dursleys hated her bringing any more attention to herself than absolutely necessary, but then they hated the fact she existed, gaining attention from others grated merely on their nerves that little extra.

Ah, Miss Potter, quite the mind you have here. Quite the ambition.

Holly was glad to see she didn't jump the moment the voice echoed in her mind, of course, that hat would be able to read minds as well as being able to talk. And wasn't that an unnerving thought, it would know her desires, her goals...everything instantly.

A chuckle filled her ears.

I can't tell you whether you will be successful in your quest, it is not my job to tell you what can or cannot be done. I can tell you I have looked in many young minds, and some of them have wanted to do impossible things, and they have succeeded. I can tell you that whether you achieve all depends on you.

I won't fail, she answered honestly. And she wouldn't, no matter how long it took she would not fail to heal her parents.

She felt the Hat smile at her, or at least it felt like a smile in her mind before it murmured to her, and there is a part of your soul bare for all to see should they wish to take the time to see it. Your determination, your drive burns through you like molten. I fear the day it erupts.

Why?

I see far more than what you want to do Miss Potter, I know what you are.

And what am I? She asked hesitantly, not sure she wanted the answer.

A rarity, the hat chuckled, now Hufflepuff is out as is Gryffindor, while I cannot deny you have the potential to be loyal you have never had anybody to be loyal to. And you are in fact quite brave; never doubt that for a moment, but the open honesty that can be found in both houses would not suit your more private nature. Which brings us Slytherin and Ravenclaw?

Are you asking for my opinion?

Shhh, I'm thinking. I cannot deny you're ambitious; there aren't many that have already set their goals before them no matter how impossible the road ahead of them may be, not to mention your thirst to prove yourself, my, my that is interesting.

Holly snorted at the thought.

You have a...hunger for knowledge, one I cannot decide whether it is solely for your own goal or you hunger knowledge as a whole. So where my dear girl shall you be sorted?

Now you're asking for my opinion?

I am giving you a chance to chose, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.

I want to be left alone; I want to be able to study what I want without the questions and continually looking over my shoulder.

Ravenclaw it shall be, but then you could in Slytherin to...no people would watch your every move; suspicious of the House of Snakes...I believe the best place for you is... "RAVENCLAW!"

The house closest to the wall on the left cheered and applauded, but she didn't pay it any attention as the Hat whispered parting words, the path you chose stands on the edge, stray but a little and you will fall, and all will be lost. Noble a course to heal your parents yet your thirst for vengeance drives you equally, and it is that drive that puts you at risk. Only you can choose which path you will walk. One must be careful Miss Potter when fighting monsters lest they become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee. I fear the potential inside of you Miss Potter, even as I rejoice at the potential.

Holly blinked in surprise, eyeing the hat suspiciously as it was taken off her head, though she had no time to ask what it had meant by that warning.

Her mind churned as she walked towards the blue and bronze coloured house, aware that her own robes had changed to match the house colours. People shook her hand and greeted her with warm smiles as they offered her congratulations before attention settled back onto the stool and the next potential housemate.

The Sorting came to an end with 'Zabini' who joined the Slytherin House. Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet, beaming down at them from where he stood at the head of the table, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" he said, "Before we begin our banquet I would like to say a few words. And they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

He sat back down as the older students clapped and cheered. Holly blinked in surprise at the man though from the looks her fellow first years were also giving him she was not alone.

"Yes, he is quite mad. Brilliant, but mad all the same." A brown haired boy said as he leaned closer to them.

"Damian Perriss!" hissed an older student further down the table, "Stop insulting our Headmaster."

"I wasn't insulting him, merely stating he is brilliant but mad," Perriss muttered more to himself than to anyone else, before reaching for a plate of sausages.

Holly couldn't believe at how full with food the dishes in front of her were... it was like magic in how it had appeared. She had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table; roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and on the list went.

She hadn't exactly been starved while at the Dursleys unless they were attempting to provide a lesson for her, but the amount she had been allowed had been limited in comparison to the rest of the family. For a brief second, she watched in amazement as her housemates helped themselves and no one berated them for taking too much.

"Not eating Potter?" a boy with reddish brown hair asked.

She blinked in surprise at him before answering, "Trying to decide what to choose."

He laughed, "Welcoming Feast can always be a little overwhelming with the number of choices available to you. I promise you it's all good food though, provided you pick what you actually like to eat."

She watched as he piled roast potatoes on to his plate before reaching for them herself, adding slices of bacon, sausages and a variety of vegetables.

"By the way, welcome to Hogwarts and the Ravenclaw House, I'm Robert Hilliard, a fifth-year prefect."

"Thank you," she muttered between mouthfuls of food.

She listened to the chatter of her housemates as she ate her food, they all seemed excited, they chatted about the classes they were most eager for and what magic they wanted to learn.

A dark-haired boy who had introduced himself as Entwhistle, along with admitting his complete surprise over ever getting his Hogwarts letter and magic in general as his family were utter 'muggle' shared concerns over learning magic.

"It doesn't matter that you are Muggle-born, as long as you put the work and effort in to learn then you can achieve great things," Hilliard assured, "besides the Sorting Hat put you in Ravenclaw, which is the house the cleverest witches and wizards live, not that we like to boast of course."

"Oh of course," one of the other older students snorted.

"What's a muggle-born?" Entwhistle asked.

"It's what we call people born to non-magical parents, or rather it is the politically correct term. Some people don't feel they have to be politically correct though and prefer to use more derogatory terms," Hilliard answered, a thoughtful look crossing his face as he communicated silently with another prefect before turning back to the first years.

"I don't want to dampen the spirits of anyone tonight, but a well-informed mind is the best security against the contagion of folly and vice. There are certain members in our society that are unkind towards those born to muggle parents. It is a rather complicated subject really, that goes back more centuries than I can recall, but bringing it to point they will try to use your lack of magical parents against you."

"It's complete Hogwash if you ask me, but it is there. That burning hatred directed towards Muggle-borns and muggles in general. Try not to let it eat you up inside though, you have every right to be here. However, if you have too many problems, please do not hesitate to reach out to the House Prefects and we will do everything in our power to deal with the situation," the older student who had scolded Perriss early said.

"Of course the best defence is knowledge as they say. Learn all you can and prove those who dare to question you belonging here," Hilliard smiled at them, "not that I am promoting violence in any way." He added with a wink.

Holly stayed silent. It fit with what Professor McGonagall had told her, the core of the war that had torn Wizarding Britain apart for over a decade. She supposed the Wizarding World was no different to the muggle one. There was still hatred, fear and idiots that hated anything different that didn't fit into their ideas in how the world should be. Like the Dursleys.

Wasn't that an uncomfortable thought, her parents had been attacked by witches and wizards who fully supported the annihilation of Muggle-borns, like her mother, and muggles alike, when the Dursleys felt the exact same towards Wizards and Witches.

Holly tuned out the others as the conversation turned to lighter subjects, contempt to study the Head Table.

The Ravenclaw Head of House and the older student had informed them it was Professor Flitwick, a small wizard that was of similar stature to that of the Goblins she had seen at Gringotts. He was happily chatting to another member of staff and seemed to be buzzing with excitement. That would perhaps be useful, to her at least, happy people tended to see happiness everywhere, all one needed to do was smile just right, and they instantly presumed all was right in the world.

There was Professor McGonagall, looking as stern as ever, keeping a close eye on the Gryffindor table. A glance towards that table confirmed that perhaps the Sorting Hat had been right to cross it off as a suitable place for her. While it would have been nice to have belonged to the house her parents had been in, it was by far the loudest and boisterous table in the Great Hall.

Holly turned her attention back to the Head Table. There was a man in a purple turban that looked nervous and twitchy as a man with oily dark hair spoke softly with him.

As if aware of eyes on him, the man with oily dark hair turned and looked in her direction. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, she felt the Great Hall slipping away from her. She could feel the intense hatred that poured forth from the man's eyes before he looked away first.

The Dursleys, in their own way, had taught her many things, and one thing they had shown her above all else was hatred. Especially in recognising it when it was directed her way.

And that man with the oily dark hair, hooked nose and sallow skin hated her.

"Who's that?" Holly asked above the chatter of her fellow first years.

"That?" A fifth-year prefect called Clearwater said, following her finger to where she was pointing and shook her head a little, "Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin and Potions Master. You do not want to get on his bad side."

Too late, she silently mused. Professor Snape seemed to hate her for some reason, and it was a hatred that burned far too hot for it to be over the House she belonged to. It was hatred much like the Dursleys that had years to fester and grow into an all-consuming force. She was sure she had never met the man before which she logically reasoned only gave one possible reason for his intense hatred. Her parents.

Something had happened between him and her parents.

She felt her own anger uncoil inside her at the thought of her parents. Her mother with her far away eyes and hushed words of whispers and weeping. Her father who hadn't said a word and only paced lost in the darkness of his own mind.

She didn't care to what they may have done to incur Professor Snape's hatred, hatred he so easily transferred to her.

What did it matter in comparison to the hell that her parents were currently living in?

All around her, the chattering and possible friendships faded into insignificance. All that mattered was finding a way to cure her parents, and while political alliances she couldn't deny would be useful friendship was not significant.

Holly wouldn't break to this man's hatred.

She wouldn't bow to it.

She would soar where others wouldn't even dare to climb.

She could feel something vibrate deep inside her but paid it no mind as she thought and planned. Though even as she planned Holly couldn't shake the feeling, she was being watched.

The Ravenclaw dormitory was high in one of the castle towers. As morning light crept over the castle with the rising sun; Holly took a few moments to relish in the view. They overlooked the mountains, lake and forest and it was a beautiful sight. She knew in a few moments her fellow roommates would be rising, but for the moment she was by herself already dressed and enjoying the scenery.

Turning away from the window in her room Holly gathered her things into her bag that she knew she would need for the day's lessons before exiting the room and descending the stairs to the common room.

It was empty, something she was grateful for before she walked towards the bookcases she had eyed up longingly the night before. They had all been too tired the night before to do much else than going to their assigned rooms and settle into bed.

Now though she had the time and the solitude to look at the books that rested on the shelves. She traced her fingers gently over the spines of some of them before picking one at random and moving to one of the tables to sit down.

'A Beginners Guide to Hermetic Magic', she had no idea what it was, but it sounded interesting. Opening the book she began to read.

She lost track of time as she read, but she was aware that people were passing through the common room.

"Crikey Potter, keen aren't you. Not even had your first lesson yet, and you have already started."

Holly looked up in surprise as Hilliard was standing the other side of the table; she spotted some of the first year boys waiting behind him.

"There is always an opportunity to learn," she replied.

"I won't fault that, but come on; I'm taking this lot down for breakfast why don't you join us. Don't want any of your first years getting lost now, Clearwater would have my head."

Reluctantly Holly shut the book, mentally noting the page she had gotten up to and the title of the book before returning it to its rightful place. The boys muttered 'mornings' to her which she returned with her own before they followed Hilliard out of the common room and down the spiralling staircase.

"What book did you choose? We fellow Ravenclaws have a tally going on what's the first book each first-year pulls off. I say it says a lot about the person to where their thought patterns are going," Hilliard explained as they walked.

"A Beginners Guide to Hermetic Magic," Holly replied.

Hilliard whistled, "Merlin! Potter, you don't start easy, do you? That's for sixth year and beyond and even then it isn't an area that many people choose to explore."

"I found it interesting, what little I understood. It brings together five different components of magic, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, together. They all work together in some way to produce the end result."

"It doesn't surprise me that you wouldn't understand most of it, and its seven different components of magic, more if you get deeper into the subject, but seven for the basics, which none of it is mind you. It is a really complicated branch of magic; you have to be top of your game in all seven components that slot together to get anything done, not to mention understanding the mechanisms of how they work together."

"I didn't get that far, what are the other two components?" Holly asked

"Herbology and Astronomy. The position of the stars can have an effect and moon phases and everything really."

"Seven is a magic number," Goldstein said. Holly turned to look at him; she hadn't spoken to him since their shared boat journey. He gave her a warm smile as they walked into the Great Hall.

"That is true, something you will learn further on, and if you chose Arithmancy as a third-year elective then you will explore it in far more depth," Hilliard agreed.

"Don't scare them yet Hilliard, they haven't even had their first day of lessons, and you are already telling them about elective courses." An older boy laughed.

"I doubt they scare that easily Davies, besides Potter started it when she started reading about Hermetic Magic."

Davies whistled much like Hilliard did and looked at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry but what is Hermetic Magic?" Entwhistle asked, looking confused, "Professor McGonagall never mentioned anything like it when she was explaining the subjects that they would teach."

"It's not really taught at Hogwarts, at least not until you reach your sixth year," Davies answered

"It is otherwise known as Alchemy. It focuses on Elemental Transmutation or making permanent changes on the state of matter. But in truth, it is so much more than just turning lead into gold. It potentially can, in theory, do anything like creating magical items."

"Turn lead into gold!"

"It would take a lifetime I think, and I am certain there is only one known stone with that capability of such a feat," Davies replied.

Hilliard nodded in agreement, "It doesn't stop there though really, you're looking at Elemental Manipulation to a degree and Life-force manipulation. It was an Alchemist that developed a way to fuse an object into the body as a replacement of a limb. Not to mention Skele-grow, a potion that allows your body to re-grow bones, matching your DNA and everything, quite a few Healers have an understanding of the subject even if they don't class themselves as Alchemists."

Holly perked up instantly, she hadn't gotten too far into the book when Hilliard had interrupted her, the subject had been fascinating certainly, and useful should she be able to learn it, but the fact it had more impact on healing human bodies wasn't something she could ignore and would need to explore in further detail.

In her own time, of course, she couldn't wait until the sixth year before she started learning something that could benefit her parents in any way.

Mentally she added it to her list of things she needed to investigate further as her fellow first years chatted around her.

Holly found Anthony Goldstein walking alongside her as they made their way to their first lesson of the day. Their schedules had been passed around at breakfast and with following a prefect they had just enough time to collect the first half of the day's books.

"So Ravenclaw then?"

Holly blinked in surprise, "you seem surprised."

"Zabini and Greengrass, I had them pegged as Slytherin but you. I couldn't quite place you, which is unusual. I'm normally better at reading people."

"Don't sound too disappointed."

Goldstein smiled slightly, "I wouldn't say I am disappointed, I would say I'm intrigued. You're like a new puzzle to work out."

Inwardly Holly winced; she didn't want to be a new puzzle. Puzzle meant Goldstein would be paying more attention to her than she liked and Holly didn't want any attention being paid to her.

"You are going to be disappointed. I'm not interesting."

"I don't think I will be. See, already you are trying to tell me nothing is interesting about you which obviously means there is."

"I don't think it works like that."

"And yet this is the most you have spoken to any of the other housemates, besides Hilliard and to be honest, he didn't give you much choice."

Holly looked at the blonde haired boy walking alongside her. In the boat, all he had offered were warm hellos, besides that he had been just as quiet as the other two she had shared with. She hadn't paid that much attention at the Welcoming Feast to her Housemates though she had already learnt the names and faces of a few.

In truth, she knew nothing about him or why he had a sudden interest in her. An interest she wasn't sure how to get rid of.

Thankfully Holly was saved from responding as they reached their first lesson of the day, and hushed whispers filtered through the Ravenclaws.

"Can you see his scar?"

"Where is he?"

"Next to the red-haired boy?"

"I can't believe we have a lesson with the Boy-Who-Lived."

Holly walked into the classroom, her eyes finding the boy in question instantly. He was hard to miss, he wasn't looking up at anyone, in fact, Holly would say he was trying to make himself as small as possible. His shoulders were slumped and his head was down and in that second Holly could see the weight of everybody's expectations pressing down on him.

Mentally Holly shook her head as she moved towards the back of the classroom and slipped into a seat, she felt sorry for the boy, wanting so desperately to be invisible and not being able to.

Holly wasn't surprised when Goldstein took a seat next to her. It seemed Goldstein was going to be sticking close to her whether she liked it or not, Holly just hoped that she would be able to find a quiet corner in the castle to study to her heart's content.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

The warning hung heavy on the air of the classroom, and all anybody could do was sit and wait and see what would happen next.

Professor McGonagall didn't disappoint.

She transfigured her desk into a pig and Holly couldn't help but feel a sense of awe just as she had when the Professor had transfigured a vase into a bird.

"It is imperative that you understand the fundamental rules governing transfiguration because it is easier here than most branches of magic for something to go wrong," the Professor continued, "When transfiguring it is important to make firm and decisive wand movements or the Transfiguration will be unsuccessful."

Professor McGonagall turned to the blackboard and with a flick of her wand writing appeared.

Holly frowned as she scribbled down the formula that appeared. It wasn't a math formula or at least not in a way she understood a maths formula to be. She had no idea what it could be or even mean. Did the letters represent something else?

"In Transfiguration, one must always take into account the intended transformation T which will be directly influenced by A the bodyweight," Professor McGonagall explained, "An example of this would be, turning a button into a pig. There isn't enough mass of the original object to transfigure into the intended transformation. Bodyweight matters."

"The next following step in the sequence for correctly transfiguring your intended transformation," Professor McGonagall continued, "V is for Viciousness or in better terms, Will or Intent. You must want the transformation to happen; you must will it with viciousness into existence."

Holly quickly wrote notes down, trying to get a better understanding of the subject that seemed so fascinating.

"W is for Wand Power. A wand is a tool, a tool that allows you to use your magic efficiently. The spell and the wand movements must be controlled, firm and decisive, as I explained earlier. While important in all subjects, in Transfiguration without them you are welcoming a disaster to happen."

"C is for concentration. Focus. Awareness. You must be focused on every step, nothing should distract you."

"Z is for visualisation. You need to visualise every detail of your intended transformation as much as you need place a harness on your imagination. If you visualise a detail wrongly then what you create might be beautiful, but it will not be correctly transfigured."

Professor McGonagall ran through the Transfiguration formula again, adding additional parts that they needed to take into account, or clarifying further points. Between the Professor's input and the first couple of chapters on their textbook, Holly had more than a few pages of extensive notes though she couldn't say she was any clearer about putting everything from the theory into practice.

It was towards the end of the class that Professor McGonagall had them attempting their first transfiguration, turning a match into a needle.

They were of similar weight and size, but they were of different elemental materials, and Holly couldn't help but wonder if that would have an impact.

It was perhaps in that moment that Holly realised while magic came to her instinctively without structure and pure willpower when it came to her following the rules and using her wand she had a long way to go before she would be able to turn a pig into a desk. Let alone a match into a needle.

Only one in the class managed a partial transfiguration, a Gryffindor girl with bushy hair that practically swelled with pride upon receiving praise. Holly couldn't fault her and was more than happy to let others pull ahead and take the stage with their achievements. Something that her other Ravenclaws felt very put out by.

"Can you believe a Gryffindor beat us to it!" Corner huffed.

"Only partially. Granger didn't complete it," Cornfoot added, "Maybe the Sorting Hat made a mistake, and she should be in Ravenclaw."

Holly tuned them out as they walked towards their next lesson. Herbology followed Transfiguration, and Holly was more than happy to get outdoors and get some fresh air for a short while.

Professor Sprout was a fascinating teacher, Holly thought, who clearly loved her subject and her subject materials as much as she seemed to enjoy her students. She ushered them into one of the greenhouses with warm, welcoming smiles and while like Transfiguration she started with safety first when using their equipment it was without the dire warnings that Professor McGonagall had added.

She set them to examining different kinds of soils and guessing what types of magical plants would grow best in each one. She taught them how to cast a simple diagnostic spell on the soil that gave them a vast amount of information of the properties found in each sample and helped them understand what they were looking for when matching certain plants with specific properties. Holly found it fascinating to realise that magical plants had to grow in the right soil to fully have their nutritional value or properties. Dittany - a powerful healing herb used in Dittany's essence would lose over half of its healing properties if grown in the wrong soil.

After Herbology the Ravenclaws had a chance to return to their dormitories to clean up and gather the books they would need for the rest of the afternoon, before heading down to lunch.

Holly quickly discovered much to her disappointment that Transfiguration would be the only lesson of the day where they would get to at least attempt magic and practice a spell.

History of Magic while interesting in theory the lesson itself was boring, taught by the only ghost Professor, had a voice that put even the most studious of students asleep and had a habit of getting the names mixed up. He never asked questioned and seemed generally happy to speak to the class without having anybody participate in the slightest.

Holly opted to use her time in the room in reading her Defence Against the Dark Arts book and write to occasional odd note. She would catch up in History of Magic in her own time learning the textbook. Goldstein who had chosen to sit next to her again could barely keep his eyes open, despite seeming to try his best to stay awake.

The lesson that every first-year Ravenclaw had been looking forward to the most of the day was also equally the most disappointing. Defence Against the Dark Arts was nothing like what Holly had been expecting. Professor Quirrell seemed to be scared of his own shadow and stuttered throughout the lesson. He smelt strongly of garlic and gave a general impression that he would like to be anywhere else but in the school.

He was also her only chance of finding any information out about the Cruciatus Curse.

Not that she wanted to burn that particular bridge on the first day of her first year. It was why for the moment Holly was content in waiting and letting the rest of the week pass by without rocking the boat. She would search through the library and look for information first before she approached the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.

And if she was able to find out the information on her own, well all the better.

The first years gathered around two of the tables in the Common Room that evening. Despite it being a long first day each of them was excited as the other as they discussed the day's lessons and made a start on the homework. Already Holly could see groups forming even after the first day. Students gravitating towards those of similar interests or mindsets. Patil and gotten friendly with Turpin. Boot with Corner. So forth it went.

Holly sat on the outskirts, not quite apart but not wholly separate from them either. While she had fallen through the social cracks and avoided interactions with others when she could, Holly wasn't stupid enough to completely alienate herself from her housemates. At least not yet.

It would be too noticeable if she did.

Not that she was the only one that kept to themselves, while Goldstein had made an effort to talk to her today, this evening he kept quiet, nose in a book and seemed oblivious to those around him, lost in his own world.

Holly frowned.

She had seen him interact with some of the others at the feast, but today he seemed to have pulled away and kept his distance from everyone but her. A part of her felt as if she should gravitate towards him, like magnets pulling at each other. They didn't have to speak; they could remain entirely separate but precent a united front to the outside world.

But the more significant part, the louder part that hissed and showed teeth at the idea of interacting with others won the round, and instead, Holly stayed in her seat, feet tucked under her, book in hand entirely happy in ignoring the rest of her housemates as she read her book.

Holly would find her routine, find her rhythm in Hogwarts, but for the moment she was content to merely process her first day, replay over the lessons and absorb the information off the page, listening and observing rather than participating.