This is the full (edited slightly) version of the sample I posted (:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was a story of people changing as well as of those who refused to.
It was a story of happiness as well as those who loathed seeing others have it.
It was a story of betrayal and deceit as well as of restored faith.
It was above all a story of love.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Running my hand over the book feeling the smooth texture I realised that it was, regardless of if I wanted to or not, my duty to re-tell his story. Their story. Once again I glanced down on it, bound in leather, embellished lavishly with gold swirling letters- A truly delightful object. This lovely exterior gave no hint to the heartbreak and tragedy, nor of the devotion and love which the carefully penned words inside told of. And to think of how it all started off…
Cobalt blue met steely grey. Her gaze embarrassed him and made him a little more shy that usual. He looked away from her face and offered her his hand to help her up.
"Thank you" she whispered softly, gently smiling- still looking directly at him.
Another boy appeared and took her by the arm steering her away" Come on! We'll be late" he said to her smiling apologetically to Blaise.
"You're welcome" he replied to her already retreating form, she had long since disappeared from view and into the crowd by the time he regained his senses and began to walk towards the train platform dragging his Hogwarts case behind him.
-- --
Aboard the Hogwarts express a certain Draco Malfoy was animatedly having a discussion with his friend and housemate Blaise Zabini about the Quidditch regional auditions which he had recently attended, only it seemed Draco's conversation was entirely one sided as Blaise's mind was on other things. He sat staring directly to the left of Draco's head while the other boy gestured and waved his arms around, engrossed in his own story.
He was still thinking about the girl from the station. Strange, yet somehow perfect. Pretty, but her features nothing extraordinary. Yet he was still plagued by her image, he found her oddly beautiful. Her tall thin frame, curly blonde-almost-white hair and polite manner were nothing to do with this however. It was the way her eyes seemed to sparkle and dance with question and mischief when she looked at him and her smile which seemed to challenge and made it appear that she knew something that the rest of the world hadn't quite caught onto yet. She intrigued him, no more than that- She fascinated him.
He had deduced that she couldn't be a muggle because she'd been towing a trolley with a large suitcase on and an ornate crème coloured owl case balanced on top. The cage contained a caramel owl with speckles on its breast matching the colour of the cage. Yet he'd never before seen her at Hogwarts… And the boy who was with her, was he her boyfriend? or…
"Blaise!" Draco said loudly while simultaneously slapping his friend on the back of the head "were you even listening to one word I said?"
Blaise gazed out of the window and sighed, "Sorry, I was miles away"
The blonde boy gave him a pointed look and an annoyed grunt, then proceeded with his explanation of the skilful dive he used to gain the advantage over the opposing team's seeker.
-- --
After their arrival at Hogwarts, the students settled down and watched the first years being sorted into their houses. When they had all eaten their fill, the plates of food were magically cleared away by the house elves; Dumbledore stood up and waited for the hall to fall silent he then went on to say his normal speech about the forbidden forest, and how despicable filch thought all of them to be, but a new middle section had been added. It was about the struggles against Voldemort and the people they had known, loved and lost- a serious more sombre tone overtook the hall and a few silent tears even fell throughout.
"..but the arrival of a new year of witches and wizards should bring a little joy to us all" He continued "Certainly they can replace no-one who we have sadly lost, but they provide us with a new hope- A new, young generation free from fear and full of hope!" At this a great cheer went up throughout the hall. "May I also introduce you to our head girl and boy: Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy" Dumbledore smiled as the hall again erupted into cheers- mostly coming from the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, Dumbledore chuckled, his half moon spectacles glinting in the candle light of the great hall "We will also have two other new arrivals joining us, my great niece and nephew: Portia and George Dumbledore" he gestured to the ceiling high wooden doors to the left hand side of the hall.
A pair of tall willowy teens were standing just inside the hall looking at the floor. Almost every head in the great hall turned to study them. Blaise immediately, visibly perked up at the sight of the female, it was her! The girl from the train station, she looked even lovelier now- a slight pink flush gracing her cheeks and a small smile spread on her face. Her curly hair was piled up messily onto her head and tied with a ribbon; her school robes hung loosely but were drawn in with a belt, to show off her slight waist.
Blaise had noted that the boy beside her was her brother, and not as he had thought to begin with- competition. He was much taller then his sister, he must have stood at around six foot five inches tall. He was handsome, no question about it, he had a strong jaw line and high, prominent cheekbones. His hair, unlike his siblings, was chocolate brown in colour. Blaise smiled to himself as it appeared that most of female Hogwarts population were visibly swooning at the sight of him.
What Blaise did not know at that time however, was that he was not the only wizard to have become infatuated with Portia Dumbledore, a certain Harry Potter had taken more than a slight interest in her too.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanking you!
Ciao fair reader (: