This story follows the life of Athena Faebar Glas, a new student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is a first year, and is starting school with Scorpius Malfoy, Rose Weasley, and Albus Severus Potter. This story found its way into my head, and it refuses to let itself out without a fight. I don't even know who her love interest will be, at this point, so every surprise you get, will be a surprise to me as well! On with the show!
Athena Faebar Glas stood alone with her trunks, right outside Platform 9 3/4, her thumb at her lips, and her teeth incessantly gnawing on the nail. Her eyes flitted around, from the happy families waving goodbye as their children, to her own lack of family. She tried not to ponder on it long. They had dropped her off with little more than a, "You'll be staying until Summer, don't expect to hear from us," and then they were gone. She liked to think her parents cared about her, but she knew she wasn't right.
"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!" Called a dark haired boy, to who she presumed were his parents.
"James, give it a rest!" Said a lovely, copper-haired woman, who she guessed was his mother.
"There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slytherin" said a taller boy, perhaps a year or two older than she herself. She assumed he was James.
The boy, James? Looked over his shoulder at his sibling, she assumed, and gave him an ego-filled smirk, before running and disappearing into the brick column. She squeaked as he suddenly vanished, and she could feel her heartbeat racing. She put her hand on top of her animals cage, and she could feel its nose pressing against her hand, calming her almost immediately.
Few people looked at her, and she was thankful for that. She could almost feel her anxiety flaring. She looked at the note in her hands, and she was about to start biting her nails again, when she felt something- someone smack into her, knocking her flat onto her face. She tried not to call out, but failed only slightly, a small "Umph!" escaping her as she hit the concrete ground of the station. She looked up, and suddenly there were faces all around her, and the person she assumed had knocked into her was pulling her up, apologizing profusely. Athena looked up, and gasped slightly. The girl had to be about her own age, and her hair was maybe a few shades less vibrant than her own fiery tresses. A deal less curly, at least.
"N-No, It's my fault! I shouldn't have been standing there... I-I'm sorry!" She stammered, awaiting a blow to her face, her neck, her chest, somewhere, but when it never came, she started brushing off her legs, clad in loose grey skinny jeans, and her plain black tee.
The other girl, who was already in her Hogwarts robes, it seemed, looked extremely apologetic.
"I ran into you. I'm so sorry! I'm Rose, what's your name?" The girl had a kind face, and Athena almost immediately took a liking.
"I'm Athena. I'm a first year... And terribly nervous." She admitted, and Rose smiled.
"I'm a first year too! We can hang out together if we're sorted into the same house!" Athena inwardly grimaced at the girl's choice of words. What if they weren't? Would Athena just be dropped off like her parent's had just done?
"..Yeah." She said after a slight hesitation that Rose didn't seem to notice. Rose looked around, as if searching for something.
"Where's your Mum and Dad?" She said, still looking.
"Not here. They had to... work." They lie tasted like cough syrup on Athena's tongue, Rose didn't press it any farther, but smiled, nodding with sympathy, to Athena's dismay.
"Well, would you like to stay with me until we get sorted? I'd like to have at least one new friend by the time we get there." Roses words were kind, and they seemed so.. sincere. Athena shook her head, yes, and they both made their way to the barrier, Rose going through, and right after, Athena ran after some hesitation. It felt like... Nothing. It was like stepping through a doorway... Just really fast.
She looked around to find a bunch of people tutting over Rose, and she stood to the side, not wanting to interfere, until Rose looked at her and grinned, walking over and linking an arm through Athena's.
"I wasn't through because I accidentally ran into her, literally! This is Athena, Mum, Dad." Rose was grinning proudly, and Athena allowed herself a small smile, her hand lifting into a hesitant wave.
She heard a long whistle, and she looked up at Roses parents, and then some. There were about nine people staring at her, and she resisted the urge to get her mirror from her trunk, to see if she had something on her face.
There was the family she was paying attention to before, the woman with copper hair not unlike her own, except the woman's was straight with just a hint of wave, a black-haired man with round glasses and a faint scar upon his forehead, the two boys, and a young girl she had failed to notice before. There was also the people Athena assumed were Roses parents, a woman with thick brown hair, and faint lines upon her face, and a ginger-haired man with a bit of a belly. There was also a young boy, his hair the color of carrots.
"With hair like that, she'll be mistaken for a Weasley in no time." Mumbled Roses father. The woman next to him, his wife, rolled her eyes and pinched him lightly, drawing out a fake whine of pain from the man.
Athena tugged on one of her unruly curls self-consciously, and she bit her lip in anxiety as she heard the people talk around her, her presence temporarily forgotten.
"If you're not a Griffindor, we'll disinherit you. But no pressure."
"Ron!" Yelled the brown haired woman. She smacked her husband on the arm, and Athena flinched as she heard the connection. The woman hadn't hit him hard at all, but it still brought back disturbing memories she'd rather keep locked up, under chains and bolts.
No one noticed her, so she crouched in front of her trunks, sticking her fingers in and wiggling them at her pet, at which the animal immediately started rubbing its face against.
"Is that a rabbit?" She heard behind her, the words incredulous and maybe a bit furious. She turned around, a grimace upon her face as she saw the words coming from the older boy, James.
"Y-Yes, it is." She responded, clenching her fists at the stutter that had escaped.
"You do realize that you can't have a rabbit at Hogwarts!" He had crossed his arms, and he tried not to roll her eyes. She took the letter she had received in the mail out of her pocket, and handed it to the boy hesitantly. He snatched it up, not bothering to notice the way the girl flinched, and his eyes ran over the page, his eyebrows raised in interest.
"Dad, look at this!" He called over his shoulder, and Athena jumped at him, trying to get her paper back. The man in round glasses came up to him and took the paper from him, handing it back to Athena.
"Why don't you just tell me?" He said to his son, and James shrugged.
"It says she gets to bring her rabbit because they have a 'strong emotional bond' that would be cruel to break." He looked confused, and she wanted to childishly stick her tongue out at him.
The older man too, looked a bit confused, when his wife came over, taking his arm and smiling at Athena.
"I'm Ginevra, and this is my husband, Harry. It's nice to meet you, Athena. And I'm assuming the emotional bond would be like you... and Hedwig, Harry. What's the rabbit's name, Athena?" Athena fell in love with this copper-haired woman almost instantly. She was kind, and caring, and... everything her own mother wasn't.
"Delilah. Her name is Delilah, and she's been with me a very long time. Five years, next month. I've raised her by myself." She sounded a bit proud, and it brought a smile to Ginnys lips.
"Rose seems very smitten with you, she's our niece. And this little bugger is James. Our other son, Albus, is starting this year, just as you and Rose are. Rose tells us your parents are at work right now?" Athena was saved from lying again, when the train blew it's whistle, and Ginevra's question was cut off. Athena gave them apologetic looks, and mouthed the word "Sorry" at them, before turning around and pulling her trunks towards the train. She was startled when the ginger-haired man, and Harry lifted her trunks for her, but she quickly grabbed Delilah's carrier before she could get hidden. The man, who was Roses father, stuck his hand out and she took it, gripping it tightly as she could with her small one.
"I'm Ronald Weasley, and please don't be offended if you get called a Weasley at school." He looked sheepish, and it caused her to smile her small smile.
"With a family like yours. I'd be proud of that name." She was barely heard over the commotion of the station, but she could tell he had heard her, for his face lit up, and he wrapped her in a hug, that wasn't entirely uncomfortable. Just, different. She patted his back, and he let her go, grinning and saluting her as she hefted her backpack that contained her robes onto her back, and held Delilah's carrier out in front of her, trying not to jostle it as she stepped onto the train.
I know, I know! I totally re-wrote this scene, but I refuse to apologize! I needed to! Also, Delilah is here because I couldn't live without my rabbit, so why should she? See you in the next chapter, and faves/reviews are my life source!