Headstrong

The scenery outside passed in a blur of green and brown, the sky, a blue reminder of freedom… freedom that we no longer had, that we no longer were allowed the privilege to live with. A single bump echoed throughout the cabin as I remained unmoving. Silence followed as I inwardly ignored the thunder of the tracks. Relishing in the peace of an empty train.

Empty, excluding the other three. Callie Heart, Madison White, and Stephanie Adams.

Another longing thump sounded throughout the cabin as I closed my eyes for a few moments before opening them slowly. Four girls, four compartments, each wizards, and the only way they could get a message through was a thump? Interesting, but not the best they could do.

From this position, I could tell you that there were twelve Aurors on the train right now, and the conductor was armed with a wand, making the train that much more stable for child delinquents with magic. Two were women and the bottom of their platoon based on the way their held themselves, slightly unsure and not as confident.

The leader, I presumed, had a twelve inch ash wand, most likely unicorn hair. He was antsy, in this business too long due to the fact that at every flash of something out of the ordinary, he was the first to have a hand on his wand. Tall, with dark, messy hair and glasses.

The best bet for an escape other then the two females was the tall and lanky thin wizard with his slightly straggled appearance and the faint stubble on his chin. His eyes drooping and long over do for a good night's sleep.

I knew that the bathroom would be the worst place to look for an escape because three Aurors had been through each one to make sure there was no way anyone could be granted an escape through any possible flaw in the train.

My, along with my partners' wands were located in the small wizard's cloak pocket, sealed under a ward where only his own hand could possibly take a hold of. He too would be most likely to be the first to break under pressure and had suffered through much trauma based on his blood shot eyes and the faint wrinkle lines on his forehead.

Should I get a clean breakaway, the best place to exit the train would be the end door on the back of the train to the left, as the ditch on the right was too deep and would possibly do more damage then good. And my companions were located on the south most part of the train. Two compartments apart from each other, but completely oblivious to the fact.

As I continued to watch the scenery pass by, I ignored the sound of the door sliding open and the lead auror stepping into the compartment. Ready and willing to do what he had too to make sure we arrived safe and secure to our destinations. I knew for a fact it was indeed the leader as the sound of his movements were much more precise and sharp, for he walked with more confidence and edge.

"Miss Jones, we've been informed that you will be arriving in ten minutes at the school." he said in a monotone voice. A voice so use to speaking and yelling curses, it was almost disappointing knowing that I wasn't worth his enthusiasm.

"Thank You Mr. Potter." I replied just as board as he remained frozen for a few seconds.

"How did you-…" he motioned to asked as I turned to him with piercing eyes and cut him off before he could continue.

"Know your name?" I finished for him as he simply nodded his head in agreement. "It's really rather simple actually. You just have to look for the facts." I added as he sat down across from me and nodded for the others to close the door so it was just us.

"And what are the facts Miss Jones?" he smiled, his broad arms wrapping around his wide chest and his eyes dancing with a now, sudden interest in minor detail. Which was exactly what it was. Minor detail. Everything has some, to much, detail and facts about it, it's just a matter of how hard you look.

"You hold yourself high and mighty, not unusual for an auror, but you hold yourself with something else. Pride, pride only seen in pureblood families, and I have long memorized the high names of civilization, which narrows it down." he nodded his head, most likely tossing the idea back and forth. "Your shoes along with your robes imply a state of wealth and cleanliness not common for an average auror and your robes have the embroidered initials P on them, once again… narrowing it down to a mere few left." I stated as he leaned forward in interest.

"I know for a fact that as your air comes across as cold and serious you are in fact an interesting person, as your act is forced and now a one of natural amusement. I assume you live out in the country as the mud is caked on your shoes and dried from hours of being left, again, another narrowing down for the list of names. You smell of cigar smoke, rich and full, a quality cigar not very common. Your job also is taken into consideration, as not many purebloods would bother themselves with work, there are few I can find that have a job like yours', willing to get down and dirty. Therefore, I believe it leaves me with for consecutive names; Parker, Pavrent, Pillery, and Potter. Besides, it's easy to see you appreciate a keen eye and a quick mind as your eyes betray your amusement in my findings." he grinned at this fact as he nodded his head.

"I could go on for a while now but you have an estimated thirty seconds before your antsy comrade and second in command, who in which has pocketed my wand, opens the door and requests a meeting with you, as unspoken he is really only interested in finding out what has you so keen. I know this because it's seems that he peers over his shoulder in confusion and curiosity every few seconds and is second guessing coming in now." I flashed my eyes between the door and the back of the cloaked Auror back to the man in front of me. "And on a last note, it seems that you wear your heart on your sleeve. A picture of your fifth year son James, who was once a classmate of mine, and your wife, hangs from the inside of your coat pocket. So your intent on having them with you at all times."

He sat back and brought his hands up to try and hide the smile on his face. Awe evident in his eyes as I simply countered down the last seconds as sure enough, the man stepped inside the compartment and requested to speak with Mr. Potter. "Fascinating." he smiled as I nodded my head and turned back to the window, sensing his resistance to follow his fellow auror, but knowing he would do so in case I was wrong.

"By the way, how do you know I'm not Parker, or Pavrent, or Pillery and simply trying to elude you into thinking I'm someone different?" he asked before leaving. But without turning my head, I simply replied in a voice that would not let on my amusement and kept my tone distant.

"That facts are there, and I know that should you not be a Potter, you wouldn't have waited so long to question my motives." with a deep chuckle, the two motioned to walk out of the compartment but stopped before they could.

"You should get changed. Just pull the blinds down, but not for too long, or we will come in… weather your decent or not." the second in command warned as he walked out and slid the door closed, leaving me to the silence and drum of the train once again. With a smirk, I simply waved a hand over my body and felt the, what was once familiar, fabric of my old uniform brush against my skin.

I had always been good with magic. But oddly enough, as young as I was at the time, I had also always been good at nonverbal magic. Even magic without a wand had always been one of my strongest points. And that, along with the fact that I saw what others didn't, had made me the biggest threat for anyone at school.

That, and the fact that I would always be backed up with those faithful to who I was, and had always been ever since first year. Callie Heart, Madison White, and Stephanie Adams had been my best friends ever since we piled together and fought against a group of Slytherin's on our first day. We hardly new each others' names let alone who the other was but that had never seemed to stop us.

And ever since we've been inseparable from each other. Every class, every detention, every dorm and or blame, we've always had the others' backs. Maybe that was why we had all taken the fault equally, but when they caught us a month before, the hardest part for me was watching the other's being taken away as I couldn't do anything to help them. And now, a month after being forced from who we were and where we were, I would see them again. Sadly this time, not as friends, or family, or acquaintances, but as classmates in a place each of us had fought to escape from.

We had been runaway's from Hogwarts once before as a young child in third year, and now, with times changing people would expect no less from us, who had done it before without a hitch. In a sense some would fail to see how I wouldn't try it again. But, from personal experience and defiance, I wasn't stupid; I knew the new found risks and cautions that I would have to face. And I even knew that from the last incident, Dumbledore and McGonagall would have placed wards, charms, spells and even alerted the prefects and professors of new standards that would be met to make sure that every Hogwart's Witch and Wizard would remain at the school.

"Miss Jones, we have arrived at Hogwarts." the voice called from the doorway as I stood up cautiously and followed the auror out the closest exit and off the train. One flanked behind as the other stood off to my right and the last on my last. The best escape would be forwards. A flat out run. From the walking pattern of the man behind me, he had injured his leg and wouldn't be able to keep up. The woman on my right was disproportioned. With a large chest and short stubby legs, she was not fit for running and chasing. The man to my left would be the hardest to handle, as insufferably… it was indeed Mr. Potter.

He was fit and tall, with strong arms and a lanky build. I would not be able to outrun him should we resort to that. Not to mention the fact that he had his own wand and most likely mine now also. Looking along the rest of the platform, I watched as one by one, as if planned, the other's walked off the train with Aurors flanking themselves also.

Callie was first, her red hair and freckles more pronounced against the now grey sky above, her curvy status never tainting her short frame and beady eyes, her lips pulled into a pout as always. Just like I remembered. She had always been the enforcer, the best at charms and sweet talking her way out of everything. Next off was Madison, or Mattie. Her black hair pulled into a French braid as her uniform sat comfortable on her also curvy body. Her long arms wrapped around herself as she looked around for something or someone to give her a sign. Smart and sophisticated, but hardly ever one to think for herself.

Last came Stephanie, the tall, brunette that had the ability to catch anyone's heart and keep it within her clutches. I sounded like a horrible friend, but though every one of them had appealing features, they weren't classed as overly beautiful. And Stephanie was one to dwell on that over everything else. She was brilliant, the best positions master to ever walk the halls considering the fact that though she seemed to fail the class, she had always done it on purpose.

Steph, Callie and Mattie had all come from backgrounds they couldn't say they were exactly proud of, but when I made my escape to leave Hogwarts, I couldn't say that I wasn't at least a little surprise when I found them trailing behind. It was true, I loved every one of them, but I'll never live down the regret I had when we got caught and I realized that if I had left them at school, maybe we would have never gotten to this point. Being dragged back to Hogwarts with our heads lowered.

What felt like hours later, I found myself standing outside the Great Hall, the doors closed as I heard the familiar pattern of feet behind me. Turning to face the others, in an instant I was surrounded by those who I thought would have found to hate me for not being able, for the first time, to save them from these people.

"It's good to see you Ace." Mattie smiled warmly as Callie took me into a hug and Stephanie merely nodded her head in agreement. I couldn't say that I liked her the least, but she never did sit right with me. Perhaps it was the fact that though my friends were borderline pretty, I had been the Barbie Doll all through school and that was a fact the Steph had the hardest time with.

"It's good to be back guys." I offered as the Aurors quickly stepped in and lined us up. Stephanie, Maddie, Callie then I with an Auror at our side as we stepped into the great hall as the doors were opened. Before anyone could get a good look at us, they handed us back our wands before prodding us forwards and forcing us to walk.

"This year, we welcome back Miss Heart, Miss White, Miss Adams, and last but surely not least, Miss Jones. As it has been a while since their last class here, we will be sorting them just before our dinner's take place. So if you would place take your spot in the front ladies please." he smiled reassuringly as I turned to Potter that had remained by my side.

"What's the meaning of this?" I hissed as he simply turned to me with unsure eyes. The excitement from earlier still there, but hidden deeper and over masked by his pity.

"A lot can change in two years Miss Jones." he added hesitantly as I looked to the three before me, panic stricken across all their faces. We had always been together, met right in the middle with the rest of the intelligent Ravenclaws, and it would be a disgrace to be placed anywhere but where we hade practically grown up together.

As Callie took an unsure step forward, the sorting hat was placed on her head for less then a few seconds before it hollered out "Ravenclaw!" and with a smile, she ran back to her seat with the fifth years where she was greeted by another one of our friends from when we were younger. Susan Forman wrapped her skinny arms around Callie as they both smiled at laughed before turning back up to watch.

If anything, at least Callie wouldn't be lonely if somehow we were split apart. Stephanie was next to sit on the bench as she cringed when the hat was placed on her head. "Ah, it seems that things have changed since last time we met." it seethed diligently as the hat sat there for a few more seconds before yelling out, "Hufflepuff!"

The smile wiped off her face as McGonagall picked up the hat and head it as Steph slowly walked towards the other table. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like. We had grown up together, we didn't know anyone else, or any other way based on how we had lived off of each other.

Gulping, Madison sat down on the chair and she too cringed when the hat was placed on her head. It wasn't there for two seconds before it yelled aloud, "Hufflepuff!" with a half relieved, half disappointed look, Mattie instinctively turned towards me before making a move. Grimacing, I nodded my head as she turned and bolted down to Stephanie's side and they hugged each other tightly.

Suddenly aware that every eye in the school was on me, I looked to Callie to find her clutching hands with Susan and starring at me with fear in her eyes. At that point, I knew. Callie had Sue, and Mattie had Steph, I would be okay weather I landed in either house, and at this point… I had made my decision. "I know where I belong Professor, I don't wish to be sorted again." I turned to her as she looked taken aback before her eyes filled with an unrecognizable emotion.

"Miss Jones, I suggest you sit down. You'd be surprised how you've changed." she mused as Potter took hold of my upper arm and leant forwards.

"You've got nothing to loose. Look at the facts." throwing the concept back and forth, I remained starring straight forward and swallowed my pride with considerable force. "You might be surprised Miss Jones. For a life without risk and no life at all."

Taking a deep breath, I took the necessary amount of steps forward and sat down on the stool. Soon enough they placed the heavy hat on my head as I could feel it picking through my head. This time, it spoke aloud. "Hmm, very difficult, very difficult indeed." it mused as I warned it I was already placed in Ravenclaw, and that was where I belonged. "Your bright, a Ravenclaw mind I'll give you that. But you have potential, you lead, so you could be suited in Hufflepuff. But you've also a dark streak, one that's very deep down and hard. Unbreakable. Your professors are right. Things have changed." it's voice was eerily changing, it knew what it was talking about, but there was only one house for you.

You know where I want to be. And my choice is mightier than yours. Place me where I'm destined to go. I stated strongly as the hat seemed to chuckled on my head, it's lashing with quick movements countering my choice. "Very well." it mused as I smiled in triumph. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat screamed as the grin fell right from my face.

That's not where I wanted to be placed. It was my choice and the hat said differently. I didn't belong in Gryffindor, I belonged in my own house, Ravenclaw. "Your wrong, I'm not suited for that house." I protested as the hat turned on me with it's tattered magic and creeping air.

"Miss Jones knows not what is best for her. I know what and who you are my child. You see all the little detail, so look at the facts. Gryffindor is you, and will be your one true house." as McGonagall took the hat from my head I turned to it with glaring eyes.

"I need to be in Ravenclaw." I stated at the hat turned and looked at me once again.

"I do not make mistakes child. If Gryffindor is what's in your heart, then Gryffindor is where you'll be."

Let me know what you think. I have the next chapter of the story ready, but I'm not sure how well it will do, so I'm holding off until I get some feedback!

Thanks