It's actually warm as I sit in the train compartment, which makes a stark contrast to the temperature outside. Have I mentioned how much I love magic? It keeps this ancient train warm, and possibly moving, since I couldn't see a driver anywhere.
However, I can already tell that drama is always on it's way; the wizarding world seemed to love bullshit and drama of all sorts, purebloods are the worst, gossiping and somehow able to keep an invisible pole stuck up their collective arse.
But it's not the pureblood that are the problem, for once, no, it's the boy sitting in front of me. He's shy, he keeps fiddling with his fringe, and his clothes are worn and baggy, obviously hand-me-downs, and his hands and wrists (from what I can see of them at any rate) are too skinny for an 11 year old. This paints a picture or a poor, or neglected muggle child, but it's the lightning bolt scar on my forehead that shocks me the most. This boy is none other than Harry Potter.
Harry Potter, the child who supposedly killed the Dark Lord Voldemort at a year old, was left in a muggle home, a severely poor home, or neglected. Now, I may not know a lot about the pureblood families at 11, but I know enough to know that Harry's father, Lord James Potter or the Potter family, was very well off, and he would have left a sizeable amount in his will for Harry, so he couldn't have possibly been poor. So he was neglected.
From the way he seemed to stare at her like he was both excited and terrified indicated that he had no idea what to expect. So no-one had seemed to tell him anything about the magical world, why? Why keep such an influencial child in the dark? To protect him? I snorted at the last train of thought. No, this was done on purprose with a likely malicious intent, well, I need someone powerful to back me up, with my status being so low, and this was too good of an opportunity to slip up.
"I doubt the rumours about you, you know?" I told him, when it became obvious after waiting for a few minutes that he wasn't going to be the one to start the conversation, and I lifted my chin slightly in a sign of defiance. "It's impossible for a baby to kill a 50 year old Dark Lord, it makes no sense."
Of all the reactions I expected to get, I didn't expect him to simply say; "I know."
I tried not to show my shock, but I guessed from the way the corner of Potters lips twitched that he was repressing a smile. "Just so we understand each other."
"Of course," he replied with surprising patience, most people who were brave enough (or stupid enough to waste their time, if you ask me) would attempt to scold me for being so blunt and 'rude', however, Potter seemed to be different. I liked that, it showed that he wasn't afraid to see past the bullshit.
He fidgeted; still wary then. I snorted in annoyance, I needed to break him out of that habit before people picked it up and used it against him. I could almost hear my mother scolding me for being so 'unlady-like' in the back of my head. "Relax shortie, I'm not going to bite your head off."
"Uh, sorry?" Potter asked with uncertainty.
"You should be," I replied with a smirk. "Now, how much do you know about the wizarding world?"
"Uh..." his response and shocked face left a lot to be desired.
Jeez, you'd have thought that The-Boy-Who-Lived would know this stuff. I sighed tiredly; this was going to be a long train ride. "Ok, I'm feeling generous so I'll give you a run down on the basics, seeing as no-one bothered to tell you." My smirk turned into a giggle at his bashful expression, he seemed slightly relieved though, which just cemented my suspicions.
"The wizarding world," I started as I leaned back in my seat and folded my hands in my lap. "In a lot of ways, is very backwards. People judge you on your status; which is measured in your blood, family line, and income. Your blood status and the reputation of your family can determine what job you end up with, for example: muggle borns don't have an extensive magical family line, or heritage, so they would be like the cleaners, garbage men/women and bartenders of the wizarding world. Half-bloods get some minor ministry jobs (along with blood-traitors) along with the usual muggleborn orientated jobs. Purebloods get all the good jobs, or don't work at all and live on their family fortunes."
I paused to give Potter a few minutes to process the information I had given him. "You with me so far?" I asked him.
"I think so," Potter replied as he ran his fingers through his messy black hair. "What are purebloods, blood traitors, muggleborns and half-bloods?"
I really wanted to kick whoever made Potter so ignorant where it hurt, the balls or the tits, either one was good in my books. "Purebloods," I continued to explain patiently. "Are witches and wizards who are in families that have never (or so they claimed) married muggle-borns in their family (or mud-bloods as they like to call them), and most of them are pretty wealthy from generations of money being poured into the family vaults. They hate muggleborns because they fear they and their families, will expose them to the muggle world, and cause major havoc and war."
"Now blood traitors, are purebloods and half-bloods who tolerate or even like muggleborns, and are happy to let them into our world." I paused once again to give Potter time to absorb the information. "Sometimes, they are considered blood-traitors for allowing a muggleborn to marry into their family."
"Half-bloods, are the decendant of a blood-traitor and muggleborn couple, and they tend to be very powerful, and example of a powerful half-blood would be our head-master, Albus Dumbledore the Light Lord. Half-bloods are tolerated better than muggleborns for their power."
"Muggleborns," I added as I neared finishing my explanation. "Are wizards and witches from a family of non-magical folk, otherwise known as muggles, and are often looked down upon for being so closely associated with the muggle world, and could possibly put the wizarding world in danger."
Potter scowled. "But that's not fair to treat people differently because of blood!"
I know that, as The-Boy-Who-Lived, he's supposed to say something like that, but given that he doesn't know that, and still reacted that way, gave me a little bit of hope. "Maybe you can change that once we're out of school, you'll have a hell of a lot of political power by then, and most people in the ministry will agree with you to get in your good graces."
Potter seemed a bit at ends with himself in whether he liked the idea or not. If he's anything like I hope he is, then I imagine him debating over whether he wants to get involved in the bullshit called politics or not, or barge in there now to make it happen quicker.
"What's the ministry?" He asked with curious green eyes.
And my hopes crashed and burned.
~*~*~*~
It was nearing the end of the train ride that Harry and I changed, and the last few minutes were spent in silence. Harry was reading through the first chapter of each of his books in order to get some preparation for classes in two days, and I promised to test him after he finished a chapter in each book, but it was slow going.
The first thing I'm going to do when I get the chance to retreat into my new room at Hogwarts, was write a letter to my mother to get her to make an appointment with an eye specialist during the Christmas break, and some cover-up for Harry's scar when he goes to Diagon Alley.
After I explained the wizarding world, I pretty much ordered him to read through Hogwarts; A History, to help him get an idea of what to expect there, and to read through the first chapters of all his textbooks to help him get ahead. He was an idol, and he needed to start acting at least somewhat like it, and he seemed too scared of me to say no, so it was all win-win for me, and partly for him.
That was after I briefly explained what the ministry was, and I promised to get my mother to tach him pureblood courtesies to help him get by in politics in the future, and I explained about the Houses at Hogwarts (and through them, the founders of the school). I'm sure this won't be the first time I'm thankful that the train ride was ridiculously long.
Potter was a little too eager to please, and easy to persuade (after I pointed out that, at the moment, I'm the only friend he had here, and that it would be best to consider my word gospel) but he'll get better and more confident, if I have anything to say about it. He WILL learn how to stand on his own two feet, or people will take advantage of him and his family fortune. I won't let vultures like that get away with such disgusting things.
During our train ride, we were interrupted by the Malfoy heir, who was sent off spectacularly by Potter, and a bushy-haired muggleborn who slammed the door open, much like Malfoy, and demanded whether he had seen a toad.
God, people were annoying, at least Harry had a few manners.
Eventually, when the train stopped, we were escorted by a giant of man (Hagrid, according to Harry) to a bunch of boats by the edge of the lake. With four people to a boat, Harry and I were stuck with the boy who lost his toad (Neville) and a dark haired and skinned boy (named Blaize Zabini, he told me as he kissed my hand like a proper pureblood, and he smirked at my unimpressed look), with no-one wanting to talk, or not brave to, I turned to Potter and murmured. "What's in a Boil Cure Potion?"
He sent me a grateful look for the distraction, and started to talk about the ingredients and instructions slowly, trying to strain his memory. The other two didn't seem that interested in our discussion so we were left alone in peace, however, there was one problem. It was raining, and the boats seemed spell resistant so I couldn't use heating charms to warm myself up, or anti-rain spells.
Luckily, the boat ride wasn't too long, but before long we were ushered into the castle, and into the great hall, where a hat on a stool burst into song. I resisted the urge to smack my forehead with the palm of my hand; this was beyond ridiculous. Were we going to be sorted by a magical hat? How the hell is that in anyway logical?
Hey :) Harry isn't going to be majorly changed, but he'll be more politically aware.
Rosie will be in Hufflepuff of course, despite being aggressive, she'll be in Hufflepuff simply because her stronger personality traits are her hard-working and loyal nature :)
