By Starjewel
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me.
A/N: I got the idea to write this before The Half Blood Prince came out, so this is AU as if the events in book six haven't happened. This is the first fanfic I've published online, so don't be too harsh, but all opinions are welcome. Enjoy the story!
The summer after his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a difficult event for Harry Potter. With his godfather, Sirius, gone, he felt more alone and estranged than ever before, and he had only communicated with his friends, Hermione and Ron, through the mail for the entire summer. He was very happy, therefore, when he could see his sixth year in the horizon--tomorrow he would board the train at platform nine and three-quarters and return to Hogwarts. A new year was ahead of him and he felt prepared for whatever life had to throw at him during it.
Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express and sat with his friends as usual. The train traveled to Hogwarts and the students rode the Thestral-pulled carriages to the Great Hall. Once everyone was seated, Dumbledore began the year's introductory speech.
"Good evening, students, and welcome to Hogwarts! Before we begin this evening, I would like to introduce you all to some new people. As some of you have heard, I am sure, Beauxbatons Academy was ravaged at the end of last year by Death Eaters, Dementors, and the Dark Lord. The surviving students' parents have the choice to place their children in whatever magical academy they chose. Here at Hogwarts this year we have 13 new students from Beauxbatons. They will be sorted tonight... please help them feel welcome in this most difficult of times."
Hagrid was one of the ones who had heard about the attack. He almost hadn't made it to the feast because he was visiting Madame Maxime at St. Mungo's as often as possible. As it was, he was sitting at the teachers' table with a very worried look in his eyes.
At a table at the head of the Great Hall, near the teachers' table, sat 13 students. Harry, Hermione, and Ron recognized one of them as Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur Delacour's younger sister. Gabrielle basically looked like a younger version of her sister. She had very porcelain colored skin, chrystalline blue eyes, and platinum blonde hair that spilled, pin-straight, over her shoulders like a waterfall.
Next to Gabrielle sat another girl who, although not part-Veela, almost equalled the Delacour sisters in beauty. She had an oval face with fine, Aristocratic features--a thin, slightly upturned nose; a Cupid's bow mouth; a delicate chin; and almond shaped eyes framed by long, curled eyelashes. Her skin was a light golden brown, slightly tanned from spending time in the sun, engaging in activities such as horseback riding, gardening, and just sitting outside reading books. The girl's cool toned eyes stood in sharp contrast to her warm complexion. They were a bright, luminescent blue-green--the same color as the ocean--glimmering with subtle silver flecks. Her hair was mahogany auburn, hanging down to her upper back in thick but soft waves, reflecting the light.
All of the Beauxbatons students were wearing the pale blue Beauxbatons uniforms, as they had not yet been sorted and did not have Hogwarts uniforms for their appropriate houses.
The Sorting Hat sang its song and a few new first years were sorted. Then, it was time for the Beauxbatons students. First, Gabrielle Delacour, who was now a fourth year, was sorted into Gryffindor. Then two girls named Josephine and Brigitte were sorted into Slytherin. A boy named Sebastien was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Richelieu, Ambrosia!" Dumbledore called. The girl who had been sitting next to Gabrielle approached the Sorting Hat and sat down.
After just a moment, the hat proclaimed, "Ravenclaw!"
Once Ambrosia Richelieu was sorted, a girl named Dominique was sorted into Ravenclaw as well; a girl named Emiliana was sorted into Hufflepuff; a boy named Armand was sorted into Gryffindor.
The sorting continued until all 13 of the Beauxbatons students had been sorted into their respective houses. After being sorted into Gryffindor, Gabrielle Delacour immediately ran to sit next to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Harry noticed that she had grown to be more of a lady than the little girl she was when he rescued from the lake... she was at least as gorgeous as Fleur, now!
"H-Hello, Gabrielle," Harry said, clearing his throat.
" 'Ello, 'Arry. Ron. 'Ermione," Gabrielle replied. Then she looked specifically to Harry. "You can call me Gabby, of courze. You deed save my life, after all!"
Harry blushed. "I didn't exactly... Well, I mean..."
Gabby giggled and smiled warmly at him, hoping to help him relax a little. She certainly hadn't meant to embarrass him.
"I can't even tell you how sorry I am about what happened to Beauxbatons," Hermione told Gabby, "If something like that happened at Hogwarts, I can't even imagine how I'd feel!"
"Eet eez okay. Or as okay as eet can be, I suppose. Mama et Papa sent me 'ere because they knew zat 'Arry had fought You-Know-Who before. Eef I will be safe anywhere... eet will be with heem."
Ron looked up from his plum pudding long enough to smile at Gabby with an endearingly lopsided grin. Hermione, catching it, smacked Ron on the shoulder just hard enough for him to give her an "I'm sorry, Mione" puppy dog face, and return--rather dejectedly--to his pudding.
Just then, Dumbledore continued on with his speech. "And now, I will introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Students, this is Professor Nymphadora Ton--"
The young woman with (currently) short, spiky green hair sitting behind Dumbledore gave him a very distinct "look."
Dumbledore continued with an amused smile, "Just Professor Tonks. Enjoy your dinner, everyone!"
After dinner, Ambrosia Richelieu and Gabrielle met up in he hallway. They had been best friends since Gabrielle's first year at Beauxbatons, since Ambrosia was a sixth year and Gabby was a fourth year. Since they were alone, they conversed in French.
"You'll have to introduce me to some of the people here, Gabby. The Ravenclaws seem really nice, but you already seem to know lots of people!"
"Oh, I will. I think you'd like Harry Potter and his friends," Gabby grinned, "but you better not like him too much!"
"Whatever! Like I could steal your boyfriend even if I wanted to, Little Miss Veela!" Ambrosia responded, laughing.
"I know you wouldn't want to, Ambre!" Gabby smiled at her friend. "Anyway, there are TONS of other cute boys here for you to set your eyes on. You'll see."
"Hey, it's too bad we aren't in the same house," Ambrosia replied with a bit of a frown.
"Yeah, I know. I'll miss you, but I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, and then you can meet some people."
"Okay, sounds awesome. 'Night, Gabby!"
" 'Night, Ambre!"
A/N: Okay, well that's the first chapter. I hope you guys like my idea so far. Please review!