Hogwarts has been an escape for me - not without its troubles, of course, but an escape nonetheless. As I'm sure you've figured out, I'm Serena Maple. I live with my sister, Althea, and my mother (a muggle). I'm a half-blood. My father's the source of my magic but, as soon as the 'secret' came out, he was banished from the house.

I only discovered my abilities one year from enrolling in Hogwarts. My books turned their own pages, my bed covers covered me up with being handled. My accidental magic went so far as to shattered a rather large window - that's when Mum decided magic was the most criminal practice in existence. My uncle was my only refuge; with my sister clinging to my mother and secrecy preventing me from talking to anyone else about it, I found myself swapping stories with my maternal uncle. Now, I shall talk about his story later (in short, he made contact with the wizarding world before my mother did).

There's one thing you should know about me: I very easily acquaint, but it takes a long time to establish true trust. My speech is formal, my interests are odd and my emotions are a maze I can't afford to be lost in right now. But, to counter that, I like to think I work my hardest. I've dropped a few marks already and haven't had the chance to make notes, with my muggle studies being a pressing matter too. So, to some degree, I feel like I'm not showing how good I can truly be. If I can. After all, I'd be interested to see what it's like growing up...around magic.

In my next entry, I'll get down to my first impressions and other experiences. I also write a muggle diary, of sorts, for my literary friends on a writing website. Recently, I've been neglecting it. But something tells me I'll be keeping this for a while (although I've always sworn to those at my muggle school that I'd never keep a physical diary; it's more convenient this way).

So, thank you for reading. I'd love it for you to leave a comment or send me a message, I haven't met many people yet.