Everyone starts Hogwarts the same way, all it is except for me. I was not allowed on the train, I went in with the teachers, but I made sure I was with Hagrid when they got off. We were taken in to be sorted and Professor McGonagall called out my name as Louisa Snape. My full name is Sarah Louisa Snape-Riddle. I had been given the full don’t look at me when you get sorted talk. It was fine. People were already whispering and I wanted to shrink. I looked out and saw Fred & George which made me feel better. “You are a riddle” the hat said. I wasn’t sure if it meant a Riddle like my father or a puzzle. I decided it meant a puzzle. I was finally sorted into Gryffindor. The same house as my mother and the house that my uncle thought I would go into. I sat down next to Leanne Storm a first year. It felt like a hush went over the Hall. Then the clapping started. I looked over to my uncle and he was giving me the look that said “Just like her”. I remember asking him if he was disappointed that I was not a Slytherin. I think he was more disappointed that I had asked actually.

My 1st year (1990) I was “Snape’s niece” everywhere I went. I had people of all classes wanting to be friends with me simply because they thought they would get better grades in potions class. Not True. The greatest trouble I had was sleeping in the Gryffindor Dormitory. It was truly different to anywhere I had ever lived and I started to think they had made a mistake. I used to sneak down to the dungeons when I knew he would be on duty so that I didn’t have to sleep there. I hated it. The holidays weren’t so bad because I could stay on. I gave my friends Midwinter presents for their families and they gave me Christmas presents. We had always kept up the elvish midwinter and midsummer tradition. It took people a while to understand these traditions but they got there in the end. As time went on, I made it into the common room. I used to sleep on my own in a sheltered spot away from the others. Leanne knew what I was up to. She never said anything but let me work things out on my own. She’s sensitive in that way. By the end of the year I had made a few friends. I used to say there are many layers to me that you need to understand to know me. I would still stand by that. I didn’t go back on the train either, I had to stay whilst my uncle was finishing some work. It usually took a week.

That summer was the first time that I was allowed out. My uncle was incredibly proud and I went into Diagon Alley with Gert the house-elf. We were given money and we would get sweets or books, look in the window. I was excited to tell Mr Ollivander all that had happened since I had last seen him. We also went on holiday to Paris. It was also the first time I got to go to Gringotts. It was scary but I was told I have my own vault so I was very happy. By the end of the summer I was so happy to see my friends, I even was allowed to take the train. All my things were already at Hogwarts and Gert let me leave with Hagrid. I had to wait for him outside the Alley. I thought he would be alone but he wasn’t. He turned up with a boy, a first year called Harry Potter. I had heard his name before in relation to my father or as everyone at school called him “he who must not be named” which suited me. He probably found me a little cold but I wasn’t sure what to make of him and I was scared to go on the train. We got to the platform and Harry started asking a muggle where it was. I had to pull him away quickly. I saw Fred and George and made my way to them. I think Harry had to run to keep up. I’m used to going through walls so for me it was quite usual. I left Harry and went with Fred, George and Leanne. By the time we got to Hogwarts we were hungry and fully briefed on the Harry Potter situation. I was keeping quiet.