A/N: Hello everyone! This is Rideon, coming at you live from the most boring place on the planet Earth. I'm joking, of course. It's not that awful. Anyway, this is my first OC fanfiction, and I'm trying really hard not to make her a Mary Sue. I have also made up a few details of the story, like the DADA professor's name, not that it's a hugely important detail.
"Goodbye Mum and Dad!" "See you at Christmas!" "I love you Mum!" The cries of students echoed in Kate Jones' ears as she watched her fellow Hogwarts pupils prepare to leave their parents until December. She listened to their tearful partings with a sort of envy. Never in her life would Kate hear her own parents wish her good luck at school or promise to write her often.
Cheer up, Kate. You'll be with your friends soon. She seized the handles of her trunk and dragged it forward onto the train. The corridors were thronging with students who were greeting each other after months apart. Kate wove her way through the din, awkwardly lugging her trunk behind her. The first compartment that she found was full of seventh years. The next contained several wide-eyed first years who stared silently at her until she left.
Where are Mary and Jo? They promised they'd find me on the train, Kate thought dismally. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that her wayward friends had abandoned her. Hyper-active Mary and absent-minded Jo combined made a team of forgetful and easily distracted girls.
The train was already in motion by the time that Kate found a compartment near the end of the train. There was only one boy inside, a lonely figure sitting near the window with his nose buried in a thick book.
"Excuse me," Kate said quietly. "Do you mind if I sit here?" The boy glanced up, revealing a thin, sallow face and hooked nose.
"Go ahead," he told her. His voice was lacking of any emotion, and his eyes flickered to meet hers for a moment. It was a second-long collision of beetle-black and amber. The boy in black was the first to glance away. He was already wearing his Hogwarts robes, Kate noted. Perhaps he was one of those reluctant to return to the Muggle world, one of those who eagerly embraced the comfort of Hogwarts and all that it embodied.
"I'm Kate, by the way." She lifted her trunk into the luggage rack and took a seat opposite the boy. "Kate Jones."
"Severus Snape," the boy said. "You're a Gryffindor, aren't you?"
Kate was slightly taken aback. She had seen Severus Snape a handful of times before, mainly in Potions, a class that he seemed to quietly excel in. They had never spoken, though she seemed to remember him wearing the distinct green and silver of Slytherin.
"Yes, I'm in Gryffindor. You're a Slytherin, right?"
Severus gave another emotionless nod and returned to his book. The minutes passed with a sort of horrid awkwardness. Neither Severus nor Kate spoke, and the empty silence was filled with the clack-clack of train wheels running over track. The city proper was giving way to a low tumble of houses, grey flats and row houses with windows like dead eyes. Kate was unpleasantly reminded of her own home, Aunt Mary's dismal flat in the council housing building. She assured herself that the restless days of waiting were over, she was almost back to Hogwarts. She was almost home.
The silence continued for a good few hours, during which Kate took the time to start reading her new Defense Against the Dark Arts volume. Professor Rictus had assigned them loads of homework over the holiday, all of which Kate had gladly completed. She wondered vaguely if anyone else, any other Muggle-born student stuck in the non-magical world, took pleasure in doing summer holiday homework. For Kate, at least, it served as a reminder that the Wizarding world did indeed exist and that she would soon be returning.
As Kate skimmed the chapter on witch burnings, the compartment door banged open. Four boys stood in the opening, two of them dark-haired and good-looking. Behind them stood another boy, light-haired and slightly tired in appearance. His arms were crossed, but not with malice. His stance was more one of disapproval. Another boy stood behind them, much shorter than the rest, his head just bobbing behind the dark-haired one's elbow. Kate recognized them at once. Who wouldn't? James Potter and Sirius Black, the two biggest show-offs in Gryffindor and most likely the entire school. And that must be Remus Lupin behind them, the quiet one…she couldn't tell who the other boy was, though. Probably some desperate second year they'd picked up on the train.
"Well, well, well," drawled Sirius Black. "Look what we have here." Severus glanced up from his book. Upon sighting the boys, he stiffened and his eyes widend with badly-disguised fear.
"Snivellus Snape…how's your holiday been?" Sirius Black sneered. He spotted the book in Severus' hands brightened. He strode forwards and easily snatched the volume from Severus' tight-knuckled grip. Sirius examined the cover and then read aloud to his friends,
"Magical Arts Most Dark…sounds a little dark, don't you think, Snivelly?" Severus attempted to grab the book, but Sirius jerked it away and dangled it near the window. "Looks a little suspicious, doesn't it? I'm sure that McGonagall wouldn't like to see you reading this. Wouldn't it be easier if it all just…blew away?" And Sirius pushed open the window and held the book outside in the roaring wind, inches from being cast from the train.
"Stop it!" Kate, who had been half-frozen until now, jumped to her feet. "What's he done to you?"
Sirius froze, book still dangling from one hand. His dark eyes roved her thin frame as if he were reading her body. Kate shifted in embarrassment. She didn't appreciate anyone looking at her like that, especially not Sirius Black.
"Kate Jones, isn't it? What are you doing with him? You can come sit us, if you like."
Kate forced a cold sneer onto her face and watched Sirius' smirk morph into a surprised smile.
"Like I'd want to sit with a couple of arrogant toe-rags like yourself. No thanks, Black."
Sirius looked taken aback. His eyebrows arched above widened eyes, giving him the effect of a startled puppy. Kate had to admit, the expression would have looked cute if Sirius Black wasn't wearing it. She doubted that he'd ever been turned down by a girl before.
"Suit yourself." Sirius whipped his hand back inside the compartment and made to leave, gesturing for his friends to join him. He paused in the doorway, and as an afterthought, tossed the book at Severus. The boy barely managed to catch it before it smacked him in the face.
An awful silence filled the compartment. Kate could now understand Severus Snape's reserved behaviour and sullen expression. She had always pinned Sirius Black and James Potter down as bullies-they had been obnoxious from their first minute at Hogwarts-but she had never imagined that they would be this cruel.
"They're arses," she began, feeling as though she should apologize on behalf of Gryffindor House. Slytherin House claimed most of the bullies and arrogant prats, but everyone knew that Gryffindor had a slight reputation for housing the egotistical. "I'm sorry that they were so-"
"It's fine," Severus interrupted. His sallow face had heated with a blush and his eyes were almost frantic with embarrassment. "It doesn't matter."
Kate still felt the need to say something.
"Well, they're gits. Not all Gryffindors are like that."
"I know," said Severus quietly. However, his expression did not agree with this statement.
Stupid Potter. Stupid Black. Why can't they just leave everyone alone? Kate felt, not for the first time, anger burning inside of her. Like most witches and wizards, Kate had been tormented in primary school, mocked for a 'freakiness' that she could not control. Hogwarts was supposed to be safe, it was supposed to be happy. When Kate had arrived at the school as a first year, she had felt a sense of relief that she had never before experienced.
And damn in Potter and Black are going to take that away.
The next few weeks passed with blessedly little Sirius/James interaction. Kate had taken the coward's way out-avoiding them at mealtimes and sitting on the opposite end of classrooms during any periods they shared. She didn't mind Remus Lupin and the other boy-who she had discovered, much to her surprise, was a Gryffindor fifth year like them named Peter Pettigrew-as much as she despised Sirius Black and James Potter.
So when Professor Rictus announced a big Defence Against the Dark Arts partner project, Kate prayed that she wouldn't get stuck with either Black or Potter. Luckily, she found herself paired off with Remus Lupin. It was a slightly bland assignment on werewolves, supposedly to give them a more in-depth look at what they had already covered in their third year. Still, she felt relieved that she hadn't landed with Black or Potter. Lord knew they'd make her do all the work…
"Kate Jones, right?" Remus asked as they made their way to the library that afternoon. He extended his hand. "Remus Lupin."
"We've met," Kate said, attempting to keep the chill from her tone.
"Oh," Remus held open the door for her, and Kate considered the idea that he might be a gentleman after all. "The train." He hesitated. "I'm afraid my friends can be…"
"Your friends are arrogant arses."
To her surprise, Remus laughed.
"It's a fact I've considered many times myself."
And she began to wonder just how Remus Lupin fell into league with James Potter and Sirius Black. This, Kate thought, would take some investigating.
Okay, my friends! Sorry for the bad ending. I promise to continue if you promise to review! Please let me know what you think…is she too much of a Mary-Sue? I know I didn't elaborate on Kate's past, but her story will unfold as the fiction continues. Thanks and have a good week!