Tell me what you think, and enjoy!
The compartment door slid shut as Patricia maneuvered her way around the bags clustered around Jessica. She dropped her bag with a plunk, and collapsed into the opposite seat, seeming much too weary for an 11-year-old. Jessica narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing here? I thought you would want to be as far away from me as possible."
Patricia's icy eyes flicked to Jessica with a cold stare. "You're the only person that doesn't completely annoy me," she replied loftily.
Jessica hesitated, then rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"I can leave if you want," Patricia remarked pointedly. She stood up, plucking her purse from the seat.
"I didn't say you needed to!"
Flustered eyes stared at Jessica coolly. "You don't seem to want me here."
Jessica snapped, "I don't- I don't care." Taking a deep breath, she amended, "I do care. I would like...if you stayed with me."
Patricia's expression softened at the confession, and she nodded once, before settling herself.
Thoughts swirled as Jessica gripped her book. Ashamed of her seemingly needy issues, she convinced herself that Patricia understood. After all, they had discussed this. They were both nervous.
The station was left behind as the train blasted away. Bored, Jessica tossed the stupid romance novel that she'd found while packing on the floor. She stretched out on the seat, sparing a glance at Patricia. She was laying down too, eyes closed, headphones blasting everything but reality.
Jessica shifted, trying to lay comfortably in case she could nap, but the cramped, musty bench impeded the desire, as well as the candy witch strolling by with her food cart. A curly-haired head peeked in. "Anything from the trolley?"
Grabbing a wad of cash from her bag, Jessica nudged Patricia with her boot. "You want anything to eat?" Patricia grunted, and sat up. Jessica made a deal for an assortment of candy and treats.
"Anything else? Patsy, dear?"
Patricia flashed the candy witch a toothy grin at the recognition. "No, thank you," she replied sweetly.
"Okay, you two enjoy yourselves!" The woman pushed her cart to the next compartment.
Patricia sighed and leaned back, hand over her stomach. "Do you want anything?" Jessica asked cautiously. "I have your favorite." She held up the pentagonal container of a Chocolate Frog.
Mouth twitching, Patricia sat up and reached across the area, before she drew back. "I don't want to ruin my figure."
You mean your mom doesn't want you to ruin your figure, Jessica seethed silently. More angry at Dorothy than she would admit, Jessica wished that Patricia would actually eat regularly, but habits die hard. Punishments can be incentive too. There was also the promise of keeping silent for the issues between Mother and Daughter.
Nibbling on Cockroach Clusters, Jessica watched out the window at the rolling hills of the green countryside. The grey-blue sky began to darken to black as dusk fell, and the girls began to prepare for Hogwarts, dressing in the floor length black cloaks and packing opened bags.
As they squirmed through the throng of students at the station, people called to Patricia, singing the "It's Patsy!" jingle, or asking for a picture later. She smiled at them all, but didn't respond. "Stay with me," she said to Jessica. "I don't want to be surrounded by strangers."
"Of course," Jessica responded quickly. They managed to snag a tour boat with two other students who kept to themselves.
The view of Hogwarts at night was gorgeous. Even Patricia showed fascination, despite her disinterested façade. The black water rippled before crashing against the rocks; the school glowed golden, casting silhouettes of the trees dancing. Inside, the light bathed everyone's astonished, excited faces.
A witch with sharp, stern eyes called to the student's attention, and they all instantly hushed. "Welcome to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor Reyes. In the next several minutes, you will be sorted into the corresponding houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Then the Headmaster will give his beginning speech, and finally you will eat." At her words, Jessica felt her stomach rumble. "Now, if you'll follow me."
She led the way into the grand hall. Jessica felt panicked, small and alone even among the throng of students. Her breathing quickened as she stopped, frozen.
Soft fingers grabbed Jessica's; when she turned, she glanced at familiar strawberry-blonde hair. The tender touch of a familiar acquaintance soothed her, enough that her legs unstuck from the floor and she could continue to the front.
Upon the stool in front of the professor's table, a raggedy, patched hat was singing about witty eagles and kind badgers, courageous lions and ambitious serpents. When he stopped, the professor began reading out names. "Reuben Anderson."
A skinny blond boy lurched up the stairs clumsily. A ginger started to follow him, but stopped, and waited earnestly, wringing her hands.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat crowed. The boy, Reuben, smiled dazedly as he marched off stage to the table decorated in yellow and black. Another name, Robyn Anderson, was called, and the ginger ran up stage. She was sorted into Hufflepuff along with her brother.
Jessica shifted, and Patricia must have noticed the anxiety it brought. "You okay?" she murmured, loud enough for Jessica to hear over the quiet buzz of excited students but low enough no one around could hear.
Sighing, Jessica responded, "I'm fine...sort of?"
Patricia bit her lip. "Yeah," she agreed, facing the students again. Gryffindor was yelled for a burly eleven-year-old, Luke Cage.
Heart racing, Jessica bounced on the balls of her feet. She would be somewhere around the middle, so not too long, but long enough; the Sorting seemed to be dragging along.
Malcolm Ducasse was the first student sorted into Slytherin, and the other houses cheered, albeit a much more subdued cheer than the other celebrations.
Suddenly, the Sorting seemed to speed up. Heart racing as the surname Jamison was called, Jessica didn't even notice his house; the pumping blood in her ears was overwhelming. She was barely able to respond immediately when her own name was called. Patricia squeezed her hand one more time, before giving her a sharp nudge. Jessica stumbled, and some students snickered, but she regained her footing as she stepped up to the stool. The frayed hat was plopped onto her head.
"Hmm," a voice drawled in her ear. "Jessica Jones, Jessica Jones. Where shall I put you?" Her shoulders tensed. "Plenty of smarts, I can see that. A desire to learn. Might be a good Ravenclaw. Mm, maybe not? Loyal to those who deserve it, not really Hufflepuff in that aspect, eh? Hm, well then, I think I've decided that you shall be a SLYTHERIN!"
Jessica sank, relaxing as the most stressful part of the night was over. She walked to the table adorned in green and silver decorations, and sat next to Malcolm Ducasse. "Congratulations!" he applauded.
Jessica barely smiled back. Although her Sorting was over with, Patricia was still waiting, and Jessica was nervous for her. While she hoped they would be in Slytherin together, she knew that Dorothy would hate the rep it would give the Walker family. After all, Slytherin was infamous for the less-than-stellar wizards it had turned out.
Another girl, Claire Temple, was sorted into Slytherin. Antsy, Jessica shifted on her bench, watching and listening in earnest. What felt like forever was only a few students, and then it was Patricia's turn. She strode confidently up, and the hat was placed onto her head. Jessica's fingers tapped nervously. Last week, she and Patricia had considered the possibility that they could be separated. While others might not care as much to be away from their sibling, they did, despite their strange friendship.
Even though Jessica had been adopted by the Walkers to improve their image, according to Patricia she was also supposed to be a "good role model" to correct Patricia's unruly behavior. It was an odd relationship. They cared for each other, but subtly enough to avoid comments, especially from Dorothy. Jessica would hold Patricia's hair back as she puked in the toilet, afraid of her mother's wrath when she proclaimed that she had too much fat. Patricia would make sure that no one picked on Jessica at their middle school for being the weird loner. Dozens of nights had been spent together, talking. Dorothy probably didn't even realize the extent of the relationship between them.
To be honest, Jessica wasn't sure which house Patricia could be chosen for. She was a mix of all. But the hat would know-
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat announced. Jessica practically wilted with relief. So did Patricia, it seemed, as she wobbled to table bedecked in green and silver.
"That was nerve-wracking!" she whispered.
"Yeah," Jessica agreed. "I'm glad it's over though."
The feast was delicious, especially with the relief from the end of the Sorting. After Headmaster Lantom welcomed the students and preached the rules, everyone was dismissed to their respective dormitories.
The other two girls, Karen and Claire, in the dorm seemed nice enough. All their belongings had been moved, and the girls started unpacking, to make the room feel homier.
In the bathroom, Jessica was organizing her toiletries when Patricia came in. She began brushing her hair, but something was wrong. Her hands shook.
"Is everything ok?" Jessica asked, closing the door to a crack to create more privacy.
"Fine!" Patricia responded, too quickly and cheerfully to be the truth. Jessicaa tilted her head, but didn't say anything, turning back to sorting her shampoo bottles. If she didn't want to talk, Jessica wouldn't force her.
"It's just- I'm hungry, is all…" She trailed off.
"You know, it's okay to eat," Jessica reassured her. "She's not here. She won't punish you."
"I know," Patricia muttered, staring at the pink hairbrush in her hands, "but it feels like she is."
She glanced up, and their eyes locked in the mirror. Her mascara was smeared ever so slightly, and her eyelids were tinted red.
"I'm sorry," Jessica apologized.
"It's not your fault," Patricia reprimanded quietly. Jessica left, feeling awkward and unsure of how to wholly comfort her sister.
When Patricia came back into the dorm to go to bed, she smiled a little at the sight of a pentagonal Chocolate Frog box on her pillow.