chapter 1
The double doors loom above him, making Tenlie feel small even though he was significantly taller than the kids that surrounded him, almost like a herd. He's there, in the center, fists curled tightly as his heart pounds away loudly, his nerves and anxiety finally hitting him hard. Muffled sounds come through the door, faint, like whispers. He knows what awaits him on the other side; its a new beginning. He just transferred here from Durmstrang, another wizarding school located somewhere in Russia, just as Hogwarts was located somewhere in Britain. His parents had sent him there, claiming that he would receive the best education, that he would easily rise to the top with his skill in Quidditch and pureblood background. They couldn't have been more wrong, and to say that his time at Durmstrang had been awful would be an understatement. He was here now, thankfully, and if it weren't for his nerves he'd probably feel a lot more awe when the massive oak doors swing open, revealing the Great Hall.
He shuffled forward with the first years, lingering a bit so he was now at the back of the group, head bowed down as he looked firmly at the ground in front of him. He lets himself glance at the vast hall a couple of times, realizing then that no one is really paying him any attention so he allows himself to really look, briefly feeling that same wonder and excitement as the soon to be students in front of him did. It was filled to the brim with chattering students, colorful but distinct banners hanging over four impossibly long rows of picnic tables. Tenlie figured those must be the houses, divided but equal when they sat like this, together, but not mingling. Most of the current Hogwarts students seemed to be interested in the proceedings, the younger ones mainly. The older students looked bored, having animated conversations with their friends, hardly sparing the new arrivals a second of their attention. After sitting through the Sorting Ceremony for a couple of years it must get boring, and Tenlie found that he couldn't really blame them when he didn't feel much like being there himself. He felt exposed here, in this unfamiliar school, even though it was different than Durmstrang, even though no one was looking at him, and even though the hall was vast and grand, he felt suffocated and closed in. Those are just the nerves, he tells himself that because he refused to let himself be intimidated by this right now. That would come later, presumably when he'd be teased or bullied by someone, it was bound to happen.
The fact that Tenlie was here, actually here, had barely sunk in at this point. Durmstrang had been the worst experience of his life, and he had wanted nothing more than to leave that school. He'd even thought about dropping his education as a wizard, he was so desperate, and just the thought that he could transfer schools was shocking. Even more so than that prospect was the letter that had arrived by owl post, from McGonagall of course, stating that he had been accepted and would be transferring at the beginning of the next school year, as a fifth year at Hogwarts. His last couple of months at Durmstrang had actually been bearable, when he had known he was coming here. Tenlie had been excited all summer, babbling nonstop about what Hogwarts would be like to his parents. Would the other students like him? Of course they would, sweetie, his mother had told him, and his father had thought him an idiot when he had asked if he thought they would have Quidditch teams at Hogwarts. He'd even been gifted with a new broomstick repair kit, since his had been stolen from him at school.
He thought he'd be excited when he got here, he really did, but it wasn't until he had set foot in the castle that he realized just how big of a decision he was making. It was rare that students transferred schools, rarer that it happened to students who were close to completing their wizarding education. And of course, Tenlie was the pureblood idiot who had chosen the welcoming, "easy" atmosphere of Hogwarts over the "wonderful disciplinary structure of Durmstrang that built men into leaders, really Tenlie why would you ever leave the place? Hogwarts doesn't breed leaders, not like Durmstrang does." He had then, in a very annoyed tone, reminded his uncle that Harry Potter had attended Hogwarts, not Durmstrang, and ended Voldemort's regime, and that had shut him up quickly. Now Tenlie just felt nervous and anxious and desperately out of place. The noise in the Hall had diminished instantly when Professor Friblem had stood to the right of the stool where the Sorting Hat rested, managing to look both stern and fond at the same time.
A rather cheery song is sung by the hat, and names are being called now. Most of the attention are on the students who are being sorted, and they're given polite applause when they're sorted, from everyone. Sometimes cheers from their new house too, and all four seem equally enthusiastic to have a new student join their ranks. Tenlie likes to imagine that they would applaud in the same way when he was sorted, and perhaps they might even cheer to have him join their ranks. He didn't really understand the house system that Hogwarts had. Durmstrang had been sorted out into tiers based on skill, the topmost being the best students, and the bottom the worst. You quite literally had to fight your way to the top in battles of wit that more often that not involved magic; each new year at Durmstrang was a new opportunity to move up, and it was common that the best students were often injured by others in an attempt to knock out the competition. To be short, there was no sense of family there. Not like with Hogwarts and its strange house system, which had been explained to him in detail by Professor Friblem when he had arrived, a week before everyone else. Even now he had no idea where he would fit in. Tenlie guessed that he would be put into Slytherin, based solely on his past, though he didn't think he shared their vicious ambition. Maybe he'd be put into Hufflepuff, Professor Longbottom had seemed like a gentle man, and he wouldn't mind being put there. But would he fit in? Would they accept him even though he had transferred here from Durmstrang?
"Bishop, Tenlie!" His thoughts were broken by his name being called, and a cold, nervous hand clawed around his gut, and Tenlie forced himself to walk slowly forward. Now all eyes were on him, and the Hall fell silent as the students gazed upon the transfer with such an intensity that he felt closed in by the vast walls of the hall. Every sound was magnified by the silence, and the sudden desire to flee overwhelmed him. Somehow, he found himself sitting on the stool (without shaking he might add), and the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. It actually fit, sitting on him properly instead of sliding down like it had with most of the first years. The anticipation in the Hall weighed heavy on him, and the whispering voice of the Hat didn't help him feel any better about his situation. Tenlie ignored it, choosing instead to observe the Hall from where he was, up high upon the staff table, able to see most everything.
Well, it definitely wasn't any different from up here, and it didn't make the Hall seem any more grand than it already was. Tenlie did have the advantage of being able to see everyone from here though, and his eyes landed on a boy who looked about his age sitting with the Hufflepuff's. His heart beat skyrocketed as he caught the boys gaze, hoping and praying that he'd be sorted into Hufflepuff. He let himself drink in every detail, breath catching in his throat as their brief meeting seemed to drag on for hours (not that he minded). The Hufflepuff had long, gorgeous, light brown hair that looked faintly blond when he turned his head and it caught the edges of the light of the fire. His skin was pale, porcelain, and he had such kind looking eyes though Tenlie couldn't tell what color they were from here. His features were delicate and fragile, but the fierceness of the boy's gaze told him that he was not to be toyed with, and that he probably wasn't as breakable as he seemed. He thought that the boy looked like a doll sitting there, unmoving, pale pink lips parting and giving him a gentle smile.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat shouted, effectively tearing Tenlie's attention away from the cute Hufflepuff and to the situation at hand. The table erupted into a loud roar, and he felt bubbles of happiness floating up inside him at the warm and enthusiastic welcoming he had been given. A couple of the students had saved a seat for him, and there were hands clapping him on the back and shoulder, congratulating him. "Welcome to a new year of Hogwarts!," McGonagall said, her voice quelling the excited chatter, "And welcome to those who have come back for another year. I remind you to please treat our first years and transfer student with kind words and respect, and to, as always, enjoy yourselves." She gave them all a warm smile, turning and sitting back at the staff table as a plethora of food appeared before them. Tenlie's mouth opened in awe at the sheer amount of food before them, and at how delicious it smelled. Of course he had been fed at Durmstrang, but it had never been this good looking, and he wondered if every meal was like this. Eagerly, he dug in, finding himself fitting in easily with the other fifth years.
He hadn't forgotten about the Hufflepuff boy he had seen, trying to see if he could find him again, but now that he was on the ground it was hard to peer around the other students heads, and the Ravenclaws were sitting between them and the Hufflepuff's, much to his disappointment. Well, life wasn't perfect. He doubted he'd see the boy again anytime soon, and he let that depressing thought drift away as he turned back to join in to the animated conversation, eating until he was comfortably full, happy to have been welcomed in such a warm way. McGongall gave them a few start of term notices before they all filed out, reminding them Quidditch tryouts were happening during the second week of term (which he was very excited about), the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for everyone, and that no magic is allowed to be used in the halls between classes. He absorbed the information readily, vowing himself to not break any of the Hogwarts rules. At least, not within the first week or so (he was a natural rule breaker by heart, and nothing could stop him). Tenlie tried to find the Hufflepuff boy again as they filtered out of the hall, thinking that he caught a fleeting glimpse of him exiting the double doors, but it actually turned out to be a younger girl, who was definitely not the one he had seen. He admitted defeat when they all went to bed, drawing the curtains closed around his four poster bed as he lay awake for a while, staring up at the ceiling, unable to get the image of that gentle smile and curious gaze out of his head as he slowly drifted off to sleep.
