CHAPTER ONE
NEW PEOPLE, NEW YEAR, NEW START
"ABBIE! GET UP NOW!"
This is what woke Sarah that morning. The morning of the 1st of September. Despite having to get up and dressed for the return to Hogwarts that morning, Sarah loved to hear the shouting of her mother waking her older sister in the morning. She had to wait all summer to hear that call again. And the moment she heard she knew it was time.
It was time for Hogwarts.
Knock Knock
"Sarah? Honey? C'mon Sweetheart it's time for Hogwarts! I have your favorite on the kitchen table, waffles and honey. They're waiting for you so the sooner you wake up the sooner you can have them. But don't injure yourself, we don't want any accidents before your new school year!" Her mother said sweetly. Then the sound of slippers being dragged across the floor was heard and then followed by the thudding of someone walking down the stairs.
Sarah sighed. She opened her eyes and then smiled remembering what day it was. She hopped out of bed and stretched, wakening her muscles. She turned to her window and pulled back her curtains to see the sun shining brightly. She opened her window and the cool breeze filled the warmth of inside the house. She then made her bed, placing each teddy she had on the previous night in their usual space beside the pillows.
She smiled and turned to the chest of drawers where her stereo was and pressed the power button. How could you possibly have a good morning without listening to music? She opened the CD compartment to check what CD was already in it. Ellie Goulding, Bright Lights. This day keeps getting better and better. She turned the volume up to mark 18.
I hope the neighbours like Ellie Goulding.
Knock Knock.
"Sarah, I think you have my hairbrush in there. What did I tell you 'bout getting your filthy hairs on it!" Abbie called from the other side of the bedroom door. Sarah sighed and opened her bedroom door to see her still-sleepy sister. Abbies' black hair was in a mess, no wonder she was looking for her hairbrush. Her pajama bottoms were blue with little penguins on them, and her black vest was creased from her moving in her sleep. Sarah retrieved the hairbrush from her nightstand and handed it to Abbie, who took it sleepily. She began fixing her hair to it's everyday state. Abbie had an undercut and the left side of her head, causing her hair to be tossed to the right and her left side was shaved so little hairs remained. Her blue sleepy-eyes were now adjusting to the light and she sighed, "It's too early."
"You better get used to it, you've classes tomorrow. Which means back to Potions, Defence against the Dark Arts, Charms, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Herbolo-"
"Hey now! Too many words." Abbie said laughing, and heading back to her room. She closed the door behind her and began to change into her clothes.
"Don't dilly-dally now, we've got to go early!" Sarah called as she closed her door and began to change into her clothes.
oOoOoOo
"Do you have everything? Clothes? Books? Shoes? Quills and Ink?" Sarah and Abbies mother began. They were about to board the train to Hogwarts and the crowds were buzzing. Sarah could barely hear what her mother was calling so she just smiled and nodded. Abbie and Sarah boarded the train and waved to their Mum, and then disappearing into the busy corridor of the scarlet red train.
"Down there, on the right." Abbie told her little sister, as she pointed towards a particular compartment. The two waddled down to the compartment, their cases dragging behind them. Once they reached the corridor, Sarah looked into the see-through glass door. There were three girls in the corridor. The girl on the right couch of the compartment had blue iluminous hair and was laughing hysterically at something. She was wearing a puffed out black skirt with a white blouse. The girl on the left side was a tall girl, with long waist-length brown hair and a full fringe covering her forehead. She had on blue jeans, the ends tucked into her brown Ugg boots. She was wearing a purple t-shirt with the words I'm a Keeper printed on it. She was smiling and nodding at the girl with Blue hair, as if she was just after finding out terrific news. The third girl, who was sharing a couch with the blue-haired girl, was hiding behind a book with the title Fantastic Beasts and where to find them. From what Sarah could see, she had short black hair and thick-rimmed glasses. She was wearing her House uniform.
"Go on in, I know them." Abbie exclaimed from behind Sarah. Sarah nodded quickly and opened the door nervously. The three girls stopped what they were doing and turned to the intruder. The blue haired girl smiled, "Who might you be?" The girl with brown hair laughed at her friend, " Lyndsay, that's Abbie and her sister. You remember Abbie don't you? You're best friend?" The girl from behind the book giggled and waved friendily. "Hey there newcomers!"
Abbie laughed, "Oh Natalia, still as nerdy as ever." She said looking towards the girl who had waved. "And Katrina, still as bubbly as ever." Abbie said looking to the girl with brown hair. She then turned to the girl who was laughing hysterically, " And Lyndsay, you still so hyper?"
"Of course I am, even when I'm a hundred years old I'll still be pranking youngsters by switching their sugar in their sugar bowls with salt." She grinned evilly. Katrina sighed and leaned her back against the chair, "Let's hope you don't live that long, eh?"
Natalia giggled and patted the space on the couch next to her, gesturing for Abbie to sit down next to her. Abbie nodded and smiled, sitting down and dragging her case along with her. Sarah awkwardly looked around and watched, then decided to speak up. "It was nice meeting all of you. Well, not Abbie obviously because I see her every single day of my life. I'm going to uh..." Sarah stuttered nervously. ".. look for my friends."
Katrina, Natalia and Lyndsay smiled and waved. "Buh-bye Sarah!" They chanted together. Abbie 'facepalmed' herself and shooed Sarah out, who gladly left. She closed the door behind her and dragged her case as she searched for her friends.
Nope, in here?
No. What about...
No, nothing. Where are they?! Sarah thought as she checked the final compartments. She then smiled at the familiar voice who was soon heard.
"Quibbler? Anyone, Quibbler?" A dreamy-voice chimed, and that dreamy-voice could only belong to one person.
Luna Lovegood.
And then came along another voice.
"Luna, we'll never get rid of these if you're going to be so nice to people! You have to be forceful!" An Irish-charmed voice tailed in.
Rebecca Diggory.
Sarah turned to see two girls handing out magazines to students. One of the girls, Luna, was skipping along and offering the magazines whereas the other girl, Rebecca, was forcing them into the students hands. Rebecca was a short-ish girl with short light brown hair which framed her face, she had half-moon glasses which kept slipping down her nose. She was wearing her house uniform. She was a Hufflepuff, and it really did show. Luna was wearing her Ravenclaw uniform, her long fair and loose hair brushing behind her. Rebecca pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose and looked who was on front of her, and smiled.
"SARAH!"
The short girl called as she ran towards Sarah. She dropped the load of magazines she was carrying, causing Luna to moan softly. Sarah flicked her own ginger hair back on her shoulder and opened her arms, preparing herself for the fall. Sarah closed her eyes as she seen her friend was only a few footsteps away, and gasped waiting for the sudden action. She opened her eyes then confusedly, the hug was not given to her. She looked at where her friend was before to see it tall person standing in her way. She looked up to see the person had its hand on front of it, stopping Rebecca from coming any closer. "If anyone's going to hug Sarah first, it's going to be me."A familiar cheeky-voice said.
Then Sarah felt two hands being placed on her shoulders, " -or me!" Sarah smiled when she recognised the voices. "Hello Fred, hello George." She laughed.
Fred turned around to face Sarah and nudged her shoulder, then George popped around from behind her and smiled.
"How's our little sister?" They both chimed together.
"Good, what about my twin brothers?" Sarah said as she poked them both in their chests. The three of them laughed. Sarah wasn't really their sister, obviously. They just liked to say that they were all related for many reasons. Reason one, the hair. All of the Weasleys share the same shade of red as Sarahs hair. Reason two, Sarah and Abbies' Mum is very close friends with Molly Weasley, as they went to school together.
"Any trouble Sarah? Any bullies yet?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, do tell us if-" George said, before interuppted.
"-there is. We'll-" Fred finished, and began.
-sort them out with-
"-one of our-"
"-best pranks ever!" They both chorused. Sarah smiled and looked to them both. "Thanks, but I'm all good." She sighed, "Where's Ron and Ginny?"
"Probably with 'Arry and Hermione." Fred answered.
"Thank you, if you don't mind I'll be on my way." Sarah waved to the two and turned on her heel and ran to find a particular compartment.
oOoOoOo
"Get that thing away from me Hermione! It's scrabby claws and just waiting to pounce on me!" Ron demanded as he stared into Crookshanks' eyes. "It's ugly excuse for a face is glaring at me!"
"Oh shut up Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "All you do it complain and complain! Would you ever give it a rest?"
Ron muttered under his breath and crossed his arms, leaning his head against the wall and looking sulkily out the window. Harry smiled cheekily at Rons reaction and looked at Hermione, "I still think you'll both get married. I can see it."
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry wide-eyed.
"What do you think Wendy?"
Wendy giggled. She was a tall girl with her brown hair in a neat plait down her back. She was wearing a woolly jumper with a huge 'W' knitted into it. Her brown trousers were tucked into her winter boots. She had glistening green eyes that lit up whenever she laughed.
"Of course it'll happen, I can see it clearly." Wendy said pretending to be a Fortune Teller. Hermione and Ron looked at Harry and Wendy moodily and sighed, "Whatever."
The glass door slid open and in came Sarah. She smiled when she seen the Golden Trio and Wendy looking at her, " RON! HERMIONE! HARRY! WENDY! " Sarah gasped happily. The golden trio and Wendy exchanged looks at eachother and then turned to all look at Sarah.
"Sarah!" They chimed together, causing them to fall into laughing fit. Sarah sat down next to Ron and smiled, " I haven't seen any of you since the start of Summer. It's been so long!"
"Actually, it has only be-" Hermione began, before she was interuppted.
"Yeah, it has been so long Sarah." Wendy chimed in. Sarah turned to look at Ron.
"Well, I just seen you last week." She laughed, Ron smiling back at her. " Oh yes, that reminds me." He began as he started rooting through his bag. He took out a woolly hat with a multi-coloured bobble hanging at the top of it. "Mum made this for you, don't worry I have one too."
Harry, Wendy and Hermione laughed at the two, who embarrasingly looked back at the them. The three continued to speak about usual things, Quidditch, what they done for the Summer, Slytherins and their great hate for them but most of all the feast that was waiting for them.
But then they were interuppted by a knock on the door. The four looked at the sudden source to find Luna and Rebecca. Sarah signalled them to come in, and they did.
"Quibbler?" Luna asked dreamily.
"Are they free?" Ron managed to say through munching a handful of Pumpkin Parsleys. Rebecca looked lazily at him, " Oh course they are! Don't be daft!"
Ron shrugged and blinked, " Well I was expecting a huge bill from you, Miss Diggory."
Wendy stood up and placed her hands on front of the two, "Hey! Stop the fighting, where's the love?" She giggled.
Harry smiled, "I'll take one Luna." He reached for one and Luna slowly placed the magazine on his knees, causing Harry to confusedly take his hand back. Hermione raised her eyebrows, " Could I try one?"
"I'll give it a go." Wendy announced.
"Yeah, pass one over here." Sarah stretched. "Actually, give us two. I'm sure moody-pants over here will have a look tonight. For some bedtime reading, am I right Ronald?"
Everyone laughed, apart from Luna who looked happily at Ron. Ron turned bright red in the face and bit his lip, he looked at Sarah with an unpleasant look which warned Sarah to stop. As she did.
"Anyway, I advise you all get into your robes. We'll be at Hogwarts any minute now and you don't want to get in the bad books with McGonagall already." Rebecca said as she turned on her heel and walked off, Luna skipping after.
Harry stretched his arms, " She's right. We should get changed."
"I'll see you all at the meal then!" Sarah said cheerfully as Hermione and Wendy followed her to get changed. They waved and shared goodbyes before they were off to pamper themselves.
In the bathroom stalls, Sarah placed on her uniform. She then unlocked the door and stepped out, waiting for her other two friends to finish. She looked out the window which allowed her to see her reflection. She had grown in the past few years, but this year is different.
She was a new person this year. A whole new Sarah. She was going to have fun this year and stick with her friends. She was going to help out this year. She was going to mostly be herself this year, and not who anyone else wants her to be. It was a new start, so she was going to start again too.