《A Stranger in Green - Hp》


 Chapter 1 - The New Student

    It was a mild morning in early autumn, and the air still held a trace of summer warmth. The new Calderon-Boot residence¡ªa quaint cottage on the outskirts of London¡ªsat beside a shallow, glimmering lake. Mrs Calderon-Boot was particularly fond of the place; it reminded her of her childhood home in Pennsylvania.


    Today marked the first day of school for their daughter, Arya, at her new school: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Worried she might be late, Mrs Calderon-Boot had woken her up two hours early. And yet, Arya still hadn''t come downstairs.


    "Sweetheart, it''s time!"


    Arya closed her Ancient Spellwork textbook, placing it carefully into her suitcase alongside A History of Magic. She cast one last glance across her attic bedroom to ensure she hadn''t forgotten anything. The small room was cluttered but cosy, with wooden walls adorned by a large photograph of three laughing girls¡ªone of whom was Arya herself. Beside it hung a poster of the Horned Serpent Quidditch team. Her Ilvermorny robes in hues of deep blue and cranberry were neatly hung on a peg by the door.


    She sighed deeply.


    Arya had spent four successful years at Ilvermorny, but her father''s recent assignment had brought them across the ocean. She rarely questioned his decisions, but she couldn''t help wondering¡ªwhat could be so important at MACUSA that her father would uproot her during such a crucial year?


    This was, after all, the year of the final wizarding examinations¡ªknown at Hogwarts as the O.W.L.s. Arya had devoted her entire summer to studying the British curriculum, trying to align herself with the subjects taught at Hogwarts. Some, like The History of Magic, differed significantly. She''d had to set aside all the American magical history she had learnt and begin anew with British wizarding history.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by her father''s voice.


    "If you don''t hurry, you''re going to miss it!"


    She followed him out the door.


    They blended in with the Muggles at the railway station, dressed inconspicuously. The platform was bustling. It seemed the train was near, but having never been to this station before, they were quickly lost among the many platforms of London''s vast rail network.


    Mr Calderon-Boot was searching for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, but the numbers only increased in the direction they were heading. Finally, with great effort, they found it. Arya noticed several people running at a solid barrier between platforms and, without hesitation, followed them.


    The first-years looked the most nervous, but Arya, though older, felt just as uncertain. As Mr Calderon-Boot was placing Arya''s trunk and her rabbit onto the train, he said:


    "Hope you have a brilliant year, kiddo."


    Her mum pulled her into a big hug, her voice already trembling:


    "We''ll write to you every single week, sweetheart."


    "Mum, it''s my fifth year¡ªplease don''t make it a thing. You''re going to totally embarrass me."


    Her dad chuckled.


    "Just try and enjoy yourself, alright?"


    Mrs Calderon-Boot frowned and, while guiding Arba onto the train, added:


    "Now remember, this isn''t Ilvermorny anymore. So do me a favour and stay out of trouble, okay?"


    "Okay, Mum," Arya replied as she boarded the train.


    Suddenly, a deep wave of unease washed over her. She had said goodbye to nearly every familiar face from the American wizarding world and now found herself among hundreds of British students who didn''t know her at all.


    Her friends were all back at Ilvermorny. She was alone now. Yet Arya had always been confident¡ªan excellent witch who rarely made mistakes, and when she did, she corrected them calmly. Her friends had nicknamed her "The Iron Queen." She was clever, disciplined, and among the top students of her class. Now, she''d have to prove herself all over again.


    As she made her way through the crowded corridors of the train, she remembered she could look for Scorpius Malfoy. They had spent a lovely summer together. Scorpius, with his pale blond hair, was kind and soft-spoken. Arya rarely took to people so quickly. But the train had too many carriages to check them all.


    After failing to spot him in several carriages, she stepped into an empty one. Three girls, all wearing crimson and gold Gryffindor ties, sat chatting quietly.


    Meanwhile, Albus entered the Great Hall, moving carefully through the crowd toward the Slytherin table. His eyes scanned the room until they met Scorpius''s. He made his way over.


    The hall was buzzing with chatter. A cluster of Gryffindors had gathered at the far end of their table, clearly listening to someone recounting a tale. Albus smirked.


    Probably James again, bragging about his imaginary duel with a Dementor¡­


    He sat across from Scorpius, who was absorbed in reading the class timetable and didn''t seem to notice his arrival.


    "What''s going on over there?" Albus asked, nodding toward the noisy Gryffindors.


    Scorpius looked up, still a bit dazed.


    "Oh¡ªthat? It''s about the new student."


    "A new student?"


    "Yeah. From America. Everyone''s talking about them."


    Albus looked back at the growing commotion. It was rare¡ªvirtually unheard of¡ªfor a student to transfer to Hogwarts from another country.


    "Did you know we have four straight hours of Potions tomorrow?" Scorpius asked, breaking Albus''s train of thought.


    "No, I didn''t."


    Still watching the dispersing crowd, Albus asked,


    "How old is this student?"


    "Who?"


    "new bloke¡ª"


    Scorpius laughed.


    "Not a bloke. She''s a girl. Same year as us."


    Just then, Albus saw her. A girl with long, slightly wavy brown hair and striking dark eyes, approaching their table. She looked more Asian than American, he thought¡ªperhaps she had some Eastern heritage.


    "Oh, Scorpius, thank Merlin I found you!" she called out above the hum of the hall. "It''s so nice to see a familiar face."


    Scorpius smiled warmly. Albus blinked at the two of them.


    "Mind if I sit here?" she asked.


    Scorpius shifted to make room, and Arya sat down, immediately drawn to the timetable in Scorpius''s hands.


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    She looked up: "Oh my gosh, back-to-back classes? At Ilvermorny we at least had half an hour breaks in between!"


    Scorpius smirked.


    "Welcome to Hogwarts. By the way, you weren''t on the train, were you?"


    "No, my father and I arrived late. I couldn''t find you, so I ended up in a carriage full of Gryffindors," she said, shaking her head in mild frustration. "They were actually really nice¡ªjust kept asking a million questions."


    Albus, still puzzled by their familiarity, finally spoke.


    "Oi¡ªhow do you two know each other, then?"


    Scorpius opened his mouth, but Arya answered first.


    "Oops ¡ª I''ve not even introduced myself yet!"


    She extended her hand.


    "I''m Arya Calderon-Boot."


    "Albus Potter."


    "Nice to meet you," Arya smiled.


    Albus blinked again. She hadn''t squealed or gasped at his surname like most others did. Maybe she didn''t know. Or maybe, as a foreigner, the name didn''t mean much to her.


    Arya continued,


    "We just moved from the U.S, and I spent part of the summer at Malfoy Manor. We were still figuring things out¡ªhad to search a lot to find a proper house."


    "I see," said Albus, casting a meaningful glance at Scorpius.


    "By the way," Scorpius asked, "have they sorted you yet?"


    "Not yet," Arya replied. "Professor McGonagall asked me to come to her office after the feast. But I''m pretty sure I''ll be in your house."


    "How can you be so sure?" Albus asked.


    "Well, at Ilvermorny I was in Horned Serpent, which is clearly the closest to Slytherin."


    She lowered her voice.


    "Actually, I find it weird how Slytherin''s got such a bad reputation here. Everyone at Ilvermorny dreams of being in Horned Serpent."


    "Really?" Albus asked.


    "Yeah¡ªwhen I got sorted there, three statues lit up, but I chose the Horned Serpent."


    Albus smirked.


    "I can guess which one didn''t want you."


    Another surge of noise swept across the Great Hall as the Prefects began guiding their houses out. Arya squeezed through the crowd, following McGonagall through the castle''s winding hallways, trying to remember the path for later.


    They stopped at the spiral staircase leading to the Headmistress''s office.


    "Class starts promptly at seven in the morning," Professor McGonagall announced sternly.


    The staircase rotated, and they ascended together.


    Once seated behind her desk, McGonagall looked at Arya.


    "Well, Miss Calderon-Boot, I didn''t announce your arrival at the feast. I assumed most students had already heard the news, and frankly, too much emphasis can be¡­ awkward."


    She glanced down at some papers.


    "You understand this is a unique situation. Hogwarts rarely accepts upper-year transfers. But given your father''s important work with the Ministry, we made an exception."


    Arya folded her arms.


    "I wasn''t too thrilled about leaving my school and friends either, Professor."


    McGonagall offered a small, kind smile.


    "Of course. I only meant to say, your situation is unusual. But you come highly recommended¡ªyour teachers and Headmaster spoke very well of your talents. Still, things here may be different."


    She paused.


    "But Hogwarts students are good-hearted. If you need anything, you may always come to me."


    "Yes, Professor."


    "And now¡­ the matter of Sorting."


    "Is it really necessary, Professor?"


    "Oh, my dear¡ªit''s tradition. Even for you." She nodded toward the Sorting Hat resting on the stool.


    Arya reluctantly sat down, muttering to herself.


    "Four years of study, and I still have to go through this like a first-year? Ridiculous¡­"


    She placed the hat on her head.


    "Hmm¡­" the Sorting Hat said, its voice thoughtful. "Not a first-year, clearly. Talented, intelligent, and ambitious. I can see your path quite clearly. If this were your first year, I might have debated Ravenclaw. But now, there''s no doubt about it¡ªyou belong in¡­ SLYTHERIN!"


    Arya grinned, triumphant.


    "Told you it wasn''t necessary," she said to McGonagall.


    The Headmistress chuckled.


    "Welcome to Slytherin, Miss Calderon. Your trunk is already in the dormitory. One of the Prefects is waiting to show you the way."


    "Wait, Professor¡ªyou knew I''d be in Slytherin?"


    McGonagall winked.


    "Oh, certainly. But tradition is tradition."


    As Arya descended the staircase, she spotted a tall, dark-haired boy waiting for her. He looked a year or two older.


    "Hi, I''m Epidorus Duvade. Slytherin Prefect and Quidditch Captain."


    "Nice to meet you."


    He led her toward the Slytherin common room.


    "It''s not far, but a few tips¡ªdon''t mess with the enchanted plaques, and never leave the dorm after curfew. If anything happens in the girls'' dorm, talk to Claria Lestrange."


    "Got it."


    They reached a stone door.


    "Parseltongue," Epidorus said.


    The door creaked open.


    The Slytherin common room was surrounded by stone walls, illuminated by floating candles. A serpent statue loomed above the fireplace, encircled by green-hued armchairs. Most students had already gone to bed.


    Arya didn''t love the space¡ªit felt dark, even eerie.


    "The girls'' dormitory is on the right. Good night."


    Inside, five four-poster beds were lined up. Too exhausted to unpack, Arya changed and pulled a magical desk calendar from her handbag.


    It shimmered as she set it down: a crystal orb on a silver tripod, within which a miniature Ilvermorny student changed clothing and background with the weather and seasons. Today, the figure wore a jacket over deep blue robes, and autumn leaves gently drifted down inside the glass. On one leg of the tripod, glowing magically, it read:


    1st October


    Arya smiled. She lay down, her thoughts drifting to Ilvermorny¡­ to her friends, Sarah and Yindra¡­ and to the castle she had left behind. A profound sense of loneliness wrapped around her heart.


    Even thinking of returning and speaking with them made her ache with longing. She even missed the puckwudgie guards.


    She tried to clear her mind.


    Hogwarts isn''t so bad, she told herself. I''ll make new friends here too.


    A final image of Ilvermorny floated in her thoughts before she slipped into sleep

 Chapter 2 - Hogwarts or Ilvermorny?

    The following morning, when Arya finally reached the Slytherin table for breakfast, most students were already standing up to leave. She had woken up far too late¡ªan unfortunate combination of unfamiliar halls and oversleeping. Sliding into the nearest seat, she hastily made herself a sandwich and tucked it into her bag.


    Albus, who had been watching her, smirked.


    "Cutting it a bit close, Calderon."


    Arya, never one to admit defeat, replied coolly, "Well, perhaps your castle wouldn''t be so confusing if it weren''t designed like a riddle."


    She shot him a withering glare.


    "I didn''t mean anything by it," Albus said, raising his hands in mock surrender.


    Scorpius, who had overheard the exchange, leaned forward.


    "If you''d like, we could give you a proper tour. Right, Albus?"


    Albus gave a half-hearted grin that didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Sure."


    They made their way to Potions class together. Arya and Scorpius took their seats, pulled out their books, and waited. Their Potions Master was Professor Elyon Salavar, a highly skilled wizard known for crafting exceptional draughts. Arya had read about him in A Guide to Notable British Witches and Wizards and knew he had taken the position after the famed Severus Snape, whose heroics were still spoken of in the States.


    Professor Salavar entered the room. He was a man in his fifties, with salt-and-pepper curls and steady brown eyes. He spoke with a calm but commanding tone.


    "This year is pivotal for many of you. Your future careers may well hinge upon your exam scores. What I expect from each of you is greater precision, consistent effort, and above all¡ªfocus."


    He smiled slightly, then turned to the board and began writing the ingredients for a Sleeping Draught.


    Arya felt uneasy. Potions had never been her strength, and the last thing she wanted was to make a poor impression on her first day. Thankfully, the potion wasn''t too difficult, and with a bit of discreet glancing at Scorpius''s work, she managed to complete it. When she submitted her first brew, Professor Salavar examined it carefully, then nodded.


    "Not bad for a first attempt, Miss Calderon-Boot. I''m glad to have you in my class this year. Let''s see if I can live up to the high standards set by your American professors."


    He grinned so broadly that Arya couldn''t help but think he seemed almost too pleased with himself.


    "Oh¡ªand your former Potions professor, Steinfield, is a good friend of mine. If you ever see him again, do pass along my regards."


    "I certainly will, Professor."


    By the time she left the classroom, most of the other students had already dispersed. Arya once again found herself trying to navigate the castle alone. Fortunately, she ran into a petite girl with short blonde hair at the bottom of the stairs.


    "Oh, I''m so glad to see you!" the girl said cheerfully. "I''m Rosata Smith."


    "Nice to meet you, Rosata."


    Rosata was lively and charming, and to Arya''s relief, she didn''t ask a single intrusive question. Arya would later learn that she was a half-blood.


    Albus and Scorpius were sitting in the Great Hall. Scorpius was stealing glances at Rose Weasley, who sat at the Gryffindor table chatting with friends. When she smiled at him, Scorpius beamed, then turned to Albus, who was piling food onto his plate.


    "Still not a fan of her?" he asked casually.


    "Who?"


    "Arya."


    Albus smirked. "She''s full of herself. Always going on about Ilvermorny this, Ilvermorny that. As if she doesn''t know Hogwarts is the oldest wizarding school in Britain."


    "But she''s talented. Over the summer she used an Expansion Charm on my suitcase. Finding my socks is a nightmare now, but I managed to pack everything."


    "Talented, maybe. But I''m fairly certain her cauldron looked an awful lot like yours in Potions."


    Scorpius noticed Arya and Rosata approaching and whispered, "Just act normal, please."


    Arya looked around for a seat away from the boys but found none. She reluctantly sat next to Scorpius, and Rosata joined them.


    Arya pulled an old tome titled Ancient Spellwork from her bag and began reading.


    "This subject is really tough," she muttered. "Why are all the terms in Anglo-Saxon?"


    "Because it''s ancient magic," Albus answered without looking up.


    Arya glared at him. "Still, they could''ve made it more accessible. I can''t understand a word. Our own ancient spells are far more straightforward."


    "It''s not that important a subject. Don''t stress about it," Albus said lazily.


    Arya straightened. "Do you know why your father survived the first Death Curse? Because of an ancient spell. Anyone who wants to be a great witch or wizard must master this subject."


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    Albus looked surprised. He hadn''t expected her to know so much about his father. But he quickly recovered and quipped, "I''m also fairly certain great witches don''t copy their Potions homework."


    Scorpius, trying to change the subject, asked, "What electives did you choose?"


    "Muggle Studies and Ancient Spellwork. I''ve got to sit your exams this year, so I didn''t take anything else. Not that I had much of a choice¡ªI''m dreadful at Arithmancy and absolutely loathe Divination."


    "There''s Care of Magical Creatures too," Scorpius offered.


    "Yes, but my dad''s a magizoologist. I already know most of the content."


    Scorpius frowned thoughtfully. "I thought your dad was an Auror for MACUSA."


    "He''s not," Arya said curtly. "Well¡­ it''s not important." She turned back to her conversation with Rosata.


    Albus noted the evasiveness in her voice. Scorpius didn''t know much either. Even when Albus had asked him why he never mentioned Arya''s summer stay in his letters, Scorpius had merely said that Mr. Malfoy had insisted it be kept secret due to Arya''s father''s assignment.


    ***


    On the third morning, Albus and Scorpius entered the Great Hall and found Arya already there, looking cheerful for once. She beamed at Scorpius.


    Albus said, "Huh, you''ve finally learnt."


    "I woke up extra early today¡ªjust in case I got lost again," Arya said cheerfully.


    "Well, you''re right on time," Albus replied, raising an eyebrow. "I daresay you even beat the house-elves this morning."


    Scorpius, noticing Arya''s surprised expression, leaned in to explain.


    "They clean the castle and prepare the meals. House-elves, I mean."


    Arya dabbed her lips with a napkin and said matter-of-factly,


    "Yes, I read about them in Hogwarts: A History. Doesn''t sound like the most pleasant job."


    Scorpius, now seated opposite her, added,


    "Things have improved a lot¡ªthanks to Hermione Granger. They get weekends off now, and they''re paid. Though, not all of them have quite adjusted to the change."


    "I once gave one of them a Christmas present," Albus added with a grin. "It cried so hard I thought it was going to faint."


    Arya, clearly disinterested in continuing the topic, said flatly,


    "How¡­ fascinating."


    Though she hadn''t warmed up to them yet, she could no longer deny that their company made Hogwarts feel slightly less alien.


    Then, perking up, she added, "At least today we''ve got two proper lessons¡ªDefence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration."


    Albus, spooning porridge into his bowl, muttered with a smirk,


    "Neither of which, of course, hold a candle to Ilvermorny."


    ***


    After Transfiguration¡ªwhere Arya impressed everyone by vanishing her rabbit perfectly on the first attempt¡ªshe strutted up to Scorpius.


    "What you''re learning now, we covered back in third year."


    "You were brilliant," Scorpius admitted.


    Albus grumbled something under his breath.


    They headed to Defence Against the Dark Arts, held in a large and airy room. It seemed they shared the lesson with Gryffindor. Albus and Scorpius took the second row, Arya and Rosata the third.


    Soon, a tall, red-haired man entered. Though he bore an old scar on his cheek, Arya thought he still looked quite handsome. She knew who he was: Bill Weasley, the man bitten by a werewolf in the war.


    Rosata whispered, "He''s only been teaching for two years. McGonagall gave him the job when his finances got tight."


    Professor Weasley cleared his throat.


    "Welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts. I won''t waste your time by saying how important this year is. I''m sure other teachers have done that plenty. Those of you who were in my class last year already know how things run. The rest of you will catch on soon enough"


    He gave Arya a brief glance.


    "Let''s begin. Turn to the section on counter-curses to the Unforgivable Curses."


    He asked the class to list counters to the Cruciatus Curse.


    Rose Weasley immediately raised her hand. Arya glanced at her¡ªshe had seen her on the train. Rose was the Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team and widely regarded as one of the school''s top students. Many said she had inherited her intelligence from her mother.


    She was, of course, Albus''s cousin as well.


    Arya''s thoughts were interrupted by Professor Bill Weasley''s voice.


    "Yes, Rose?"


    "Aliciomora , Plielheb, and Avinomata ," she recited confidently.


    "Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor."


    Then he began reading out the spells. Arya raised her hand.


    "Yes, Miss Calderon-Boot?"


    "Sir, if we don''t actually practise these counter-curses, how are we supposed to use them when it really matters?"


    The class fell silent. Professor Weasley thought for a moment.


    "You''re right, but we can''t practise on living beings. The curses leave lasting harm."


    Arya raised her voice clearly and said,


    "but you can use sea slug shells. They''re highly resistant to the Cruciatus Curse. The curse leaves visible effects on their bodies, but in truth, they don''t feel much¡ªonly a sensation like itching or tickling."


    Once again, the classroom fell silent. Professor Weasley looked thoughtful.


    "Oh¡ªwhat a shame that there''s so little collaboration between magical schools. We rarely hear of each other''s discoveries. Thank you, Miss Calderon. I''ll definitely take note of that."


    "Twenty points to Slytherin!"


    The Slytherins grinned while the Gryffindors groaned in frustration.


    As they were leaving the classroom, Albus turned to Scorpius and muttered,


    "Alright¡­ some of what she said might have actually been true."


    Later, when Arya was revising her Muggle Studies notes, the two boys approached. Albus was surprised by her interest in the subject¡ªhe had heard she came from a pure-blood family. Apparently, the Calderon-Boots were among the oldest wizarding families in the United States.


    They sat at the table. There were already whispers about Arya''s performance in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Albus and Scorpius noticed a few students leaning toward one another, clearly gossiping about her. There didn''t seem to be a more interesting topic at the moment.


    The boys pulled out their homework and began writing.


    Scorpius asked,


    "Did you really learn counter-curses for Cruciatus?"


    Arya, lost in thought, replied absently,


    "Of course. We studied the Imperius Curse back in third year."


    She began sketching something in her notebook.


    "Can you cast a Patronus?" Albus asked impulsively. He had learned a bit himself and knew how difficult it was.


    Of course. My father taught me. It was one of the harder ones." She returned to her Muggle Studies work.


    "Muggles are fascinating, aren''t they?" she said, while scribbling something.


    Scorpius said, "I''ve heard there are strict rules in America about marrying or interacting with Muggles."


    Arya replied firmly, "Naturally, we don''t marry Muggles."


    Albus raised an eyebrow. "So¡­ are you also against teaching magic to Muggle-borns?"


    Arya, frustrated that they were misunderstanding her, snapped,"Look¡ªI''ve got nothing against Muggle-borns who can do magic. I''m talking about Muggles with no magic at all. They don''t know anything about our world, haven''t studied in our schools, and can''t take part in our society. If you marry one, you''re both stuck living in two separate worlds."


    Albus asked, "Then why are you so interested in studying them?"


    Arya replied simply,"They give me ideas."


    "What kind of ideas?"


    At that moment, Albus caught sight of someone across the hall¡ªJames, his older brother. He was laughing at something, surrounded by a group of students as always, completely at ease. A year older, James was far more mischievous, confident, and, in Albus''s eyes, far more adored by the family.


    Albus''s gaze lingered for a moment longer than it should have. Though the sharp sting of resentment had dulled since last year, a quiet ache remained. He still couldn''t shake the feeling that he was always the second act in someone else''s spotlight.