Disclaimer: It is unfortunate that must admit that all Hogwarts related characters do not belong to me. Sadly, J.K. Rowlings is the true geniius behind them. And another character, Raven Hawkins, is also not mine, she belongs to my bff Diana Lupin, who has her own fanfic on this sight, "Raven". Please R&R on hers as well. It is very good. The only character I have any claim over is Gwendolyn Farr. But please don't let this discourage you. R&R and please tell me what you like.

Chapter 1

Gwendolyn Farr stared around the huge office that belonged to Headmaster Dumbledore of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Still clutching the admittance letter that had been brought to her by an owl of great dignity by the name of Jinx she looked around with wide eyes. Who'd have ever thought she would be here in Headmaster Dumbledore's office?

It was quite a sight to see. In fact all around her things were making noises that had she not been so nervous would have been worth looking into. She turned her eyes to wall and smiled shyly at the headmasters' and headmistresses' portraits that looked at her curiously. Though most were too busy sleeping to bother.

Next her eyes were riveted upon the claw-footed desk that dominated the room at the very back. It was as golden as the walls themselves were and covered in so many papers she was almost certain there was no desk. She smiled slightly relaxing just a bit for the first time since she had arrived in the room. It reminded her of her Papa, he had never been one to be very tidy.

More curious still she noticed the shelves that lead in huge arc to the back of the room. On their shelves many silver doodads and whirling instruments puffed out smoke. Interested, Gwendolyn found herself walking beside the shelves looking into their glass-protected insides. She had just seen a small sculpture of a fairy when a reflection appeared in the glass just above her face.

Spinning around she found herself face to face with an older man with a long graying beard and twinkling blue eyes that smiled at her through half-moon glasses. He wore a cloak of purple and a smile that did nothing to ease her nervousness even as she smiled back. Albus Dumbledore…

Gwendolyn knew she looked shocked. She felt shocked. "I…I'm sorry, Professor…uh, Headmaster. I didn't mean to…"

"Gwendolyn Farr?"

"Yes, sir. That's me. I received your letter, a little late though. Mother wasn't quite sure she wanted to let me come to Hogwarts… after all I am a… well, part-fairy… sir."

"Ah yes, but you are also part witch, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well then. Come sit here."

"Where sir?"

With a wave of his hand a stool magically appeared and Gwendolyn walked over to it barely sitting down when she noticed a red bird seated upon a stand. "A phoenix… I've never seen one up close. What's its name?"

"That is Fawkes."

"He's going to burn soon. His feathers have already started turning dull."

"Know much about phoenixes?"

"I studied them with my mother. She taught me a lot about all the creatures. Dragons, sphinxes, phoenixes, pixies… I've learned a lot about all of them. I don't know everything yet but I'm… I've learned quite a bit."

Turning around she found him holding a strange old ragged wizard's hat in his hands. It was tattered and torn from years of use and looked like it would fall apart at any moment if Gwendolyn merely stirred the air too hard.

"What is…?"

He plopped the hat unto her head and she tensed up fast. The hat slipped down over her eyes and she could see nothing but the black brim. Then she heard it. She didn't know what it was at first but then realized it was the hat. The hat was talking to her.

"Don't know what to make of me?
This ugly dingy cap
Well there's more than what you see
Inside my old sides
I am no ordinary cap
No not like others you see
For I am the Sorting Hat
The one and only
So let me see
Where do you belong?
Where ought you be?
Let me look inside your head…
Are you brave and true?
A Gryffindor
Is that you?
Maybe…
Are you patient and loyal?
AHufflepuff
One who is always ready to toil?
Maybe…
Are you smart and of the mind?
A Ravenclaw
One of the agile kind?
Maybe…
Or are you willing to go to any ends?
A Slytherin
Who has only real friends?
Let me see…
For I am no ordinary cap
You think I see
The sorting hat
That's me…

After it had finally finished its little song Gwendolyn didn't have to ask what this was. It was the sorting hat of Hogwarts. The hat her father had told her about year afteryear whenever he could see her. Tears came to Gwendolyn's eyes and she blinked them away.

"Well, now let me see. Which are you? You've a quick mind… your heart is true… you're very shy…you care very deeply… then I suppose you are a… GRYFFINDOR!"

Then as suddenly as the hat had been put upon her head it was gone and she was staring into the eyes of Dumbledore again. She was very confused. "But… I'm… I'm a Gryffindor?"

"Yes, now, Miss Farr you must be off. It is still early and if you are lucky you will make it to your first class. Herbology."

"But I don't have a…" again with a wave of his hand Dumbledore produced an old box, one older than even the sorting hat. Opening it he showed her a delicately carved wand. "Wand... "

"Made of willow with the hair of a unicorn. Ten inches long."

"But how do…" Without saying a word he pulled it from the box and held it out to her. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was serious. He wanted her to take it. But how would he know that it would be hers? When he didn't waver she finally reached out and took it from him.

For just an instant Gwendolyn felt a spark go through her. Her eyes snapped open and she saw a quick image that flickered through too quickly to truly be seen. A woman sitting by a stream, hair as long and golden as the sunshine looked up and a unicorn rode past. Then the woman was gone.

Dumbledore watched her and saw her eyes widen and the way they changed from hazel brown to a green in a flash only to change back. Then she looked up at him with a puzzled look.

"How did you know it was mine?"

"It belonged to your great-grandma. Fairy lines make it so that a wand can be passed down generation after generation, but only a very special wand. Your mother did not want it. Now it falls to you. Will you take it?"

Gwendolyn eyed the wand in her hand carefully. A tingle still floated up and down her arms and she felt… different. This was everything she had ever dreamed of. As long as she had been alive she had dreamed of coming here to Hogwarts and learning as her father had. And now he just wanted to hand it to her.

Looking up into his twinkling blue eyes, which had changed so serious, Gwendolyn found her voice wouldn't work and simply nodded. Then the twinkle returned and he smiled at her. "Very good. Your things will be taken to your room. You will get your schedule tomorrow morning. You know where you will be staying?"

Gwendolyn nodded and then suddenly found herself ushered down the stairs and into the corridor of the large and imposing Hogwarts. Turning she was going to ask Dumbledore a question. "But Professor, I…"

The wall had already spun back into place and Gwendolyn found herself all alone in the halls of Hogwarts. A place she had always dreamed of… Well, she was here… now what?

"Oh… knickers…" Looking right and left she thought to herself that all the hallways looked exactly the same. So she closed her eyes. One of them was sure to lead back to the entranceway.

Mumbling "eenie-meanie-minie-moe" she moved her finger back and forth opening her eyes as she finished. Her finger went right so she struck out praying that she had chosen the right way… What a way to get introduced to a place you'd never been…