The thrill of the hunt is something I will never get used to. Spotting something to chnse and letting pure instinct take over is better than anything; even quidditch. It really helped me to take my mind off things; my life had been absolutely crazy this summer and being able to hunt was the only reason I was coping.
An absolute euphoria overtook me as I crouched down, preparing to pounce, eyes fixed on the gnome, the little bastard was going down and - "Lucy! Stop that now! You always get filthy whenever you morph, and you don't have time to shower before the train!"
My brother, Oliver, was always very no-nonsense, and had become even more so this summer. Given everything that had happened it was understandable, but it was still hard to never hear him crack a joke and to be in a constant state of worry. I knew I was a burden on him - I mean, what kind of 23 year old wants to have to be the only caregiver to their 16 year old kid sister?
The past few weeks had been tough on both of us; we didn't spend a whole lot of time together growing up because of our age difference and the fact that my parents sent me to Beauxbatons to try to get me away from the war. My parents were always a mystery to me; they were the Pendletons, the most famous aurors in Europe, and prepared me from birth to be an auror, but when rumors of a war started coming, they sent me away to safety in France.
And when I say they prepared me from birth to become an auror, I'm not exaggerating. My first memory is of me on a mini broom playing a "game" where I had to duck bursts of colorful light that came at random intervals from all directions- it wasn't until many years later that I realized the lights were supposed to simulate spells. I learned to read from spellbooks and potion recipes, and my parents got me a wand as soon as I was able to speak. I had mastered complicated spells before even beginning school, and when I was 13, they decided I was old enough to start learning to resist the Imperius curse. My parents were really intense, but they were also very loving, and only wanted us to be able to protect ourselves. They raised my brother in a similar manner, which explains why he was such a hard-ass rule follower. Except he got to go to Hogwarts, where they went, because rumors of the war hadn't even started when he began. Now he's out and has a job at the Ministry of Magic training future aurors. Not quite the position mum and dad had imagined, but close enough.
Our school years were spent apart, but our summers were spent together doing Mum and Dad's crazy training. This summer had been different though. Oliver got promoted and was starting to spend a lot more time at work and with his girlfriend. He'd had his own flat since he graduated Hogwarts, but usually he spent loads of time with the family. He wasn't around a lot at the beginning of summer and didn't come to our beach cottage with us for our annual beach vacation, and I think he still felt guilty for it. He really shouldn't have; no one could have guessed that Death Eaters would invade our beach house and kill Mum and Dad and very nearly kill me, too. Well, actually, many people could have guessed this and probably did. They were pretty famous aurors, and the fact that the Death Eaters attacks against them hadn't been successful before was a miracle in itself.
Their deaths were not surprising to me, but their absence hurt like nothing I've ever experienced; not even the Cruciatus curse could compare. At the beach house, I was tortured to lure my parents out, and very nearly killed; I honestly think the Death Eaters already thought I was dead. By the time they left I had barely enough energy to send a Patronus to Oliver before I passed out. I stayed at St. Mungo's for a week; they wouldn't even let me out to go to the funeral. Oliver and I were both grieving, but I knew that I added a whole new level of responsibility to his life; that I burdened him. He ended up having to sell our home, which was left to him in the will, for safety purposes, we moved to a remote house that was under Ministry protection, and he enrolled me in Hogwarts. He'd had enough go on this summer, which is why I morphed back into a human, leaving the gnome to be, the moment that he asked.
"Sorry, Olly," I mumbled.
"I will never understand why Mum and Dad encouraged you to become an illegal animagus. They worked for the government! Hell, I work for the government, and this is really not okay."
Oh, and in addition to all the crazy training they put us through, they practically forced me to become an animagus as soon as they saw my patronus - a wolf. They thought it might be useful for encouraging werewolves to join the cause against Voldemort, but so far they all seem to be on his side. And they couldn't very well tell the Ministry that they wanted their 11 year old daughter to register as an Animagus, so they made sure everything was done very secretly, which made it fairly illegal. Okay, completely illegal.
"You gonna tell on me?" I teased childishly.
He shot me a look. "You really are going to be late if we don't leave now." Due to our new, out-of-the-way house, my brother had ended up having to get a car and learn to drive. He was a horrendous driver, to say the least.
"Okay, okay, just let me grab my trunk."
The car ride to King's Cross station mostly consisted of me fidgeting while Oliver made sure I had every item I could possibly need.
" . .. and you're sure you've brought the right robes?"
"Of course, Oliver! Stop worrying, I'll be fine." He seemed almost as nervous as I was. But still, how could I possible bring the wrong robes? The Beauxbatons ones were bright blue and really itchy.
To get him to stop asking about everything, I started to ask him about Hogwarts. "So, how does the houses thing work again? I know there are four of them, right? Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and. . . what was the last one?"
"Hufflepuff."
I burst out laughing, "What the hell is a Hufflepuff?"
"It was just the name of a founder, okay? Their symbol is a badger. Anyways, Mum and I were both Ravenclaws, but Dad was in Gryffindor, so I'm not really sure where you'll wind up." That was awfully comforting. "They'll call your name out from a list, and the hat will decide which house you belong in."
"They leave everything up to a hat?"
"The hat knows where everyone should be."
I shrugged, stranger things had happened. Oliver parked the car, and we both got out, stepping into the light drizzle that seemed to always hang over London. I grabbed my trunk from the back of his car and we made our way into the bustling King's Cross Station. I had been here before, when saying goodbye to Oliver before he'd go off to Hogwarts, but it had been awhile; I'd forgotten how busy London always is. We started to make our way through the crowd of people rushing around. Half of them were probably wizards.
Oliver checked his watch. "We're almost at the platform, but we need to hurry or you'll be late and miss the train. I just want you to know that you'll love Hogwarts, and you must write to me." He stopped right in front of a brick pillar that I knew I'd have to run through.
"I will," I promised.
"I guess this is it. I love you, sis," he said, pulling me in for a hug. God, I would miss him and his pain-in-the-ass textbook neatness. He was my only living relative, and however much we disagreed, I'd always love him.
"I love you too," I whispered. He pulled away, and I shot him one last half-smile before running into the brick wall.
I boarded the train and found an empty compartment. I had no idea how long the train ride was so I took out a book and started reading. After about two hours, the door to my compartment opened, but I was too engrossed in my book to notice.
"The train will arrive in about 15 minutes, so I suggest putting on your robes," a voice said. I looked up in surprise to see a handsome boy who looked about my age with long dark blonde hair, light skin marked with scars, deep blue eyes that looked older than the rest of him, and a badge labeling him 'Prefect'. He looked surprised by me and proceeded to say, "What year are you in? How have I never met you before?"
"Oh, er, I'm going to be in sixth year, but I'm new to Hogwarts. I used to go to Beauxbatons."
He seemed rather taken aback, but stepped into my compartment and replied, "I'm Remus Lupin; I'm also a sixth year, and a prefect, so if there's anything you need help with or have questions about, let me know."
"Thanks, Remus. I'm Lucy."
He smiled. "So, Lucy, why'd you transfer with only two years left?"
I stiffened. "Family reasons." My parents death had been all over the Daily Prophet, and I didn't want to start the year off with everyone feeling sorry for me. Especially not the kind, good-looking Remus.
He seemed to understand that it was personal and replied, "Was there Quidditch at Beauxbatons? It's extremely popular at Hogwarts."
My eyes lit up, "I adore Quidditch. I'm actually hoping there's an open beater position."
Remus chuckled. "Well, it'll depend on the house you're sorted into. I'm pretty sure Hufflepuff and Gryffindor both had a beater last year who graduated. My friend, James, is actually the captain of the team this year."
"That's really cool!"
"Yeah, I suppose. So what's -" he started, but we heard loud calls down the hall of "Moony! Moony! Where are you?"
Remus groaned. "Is that you?" I laughed. "People call you Moony?"
"Only my best mates," he shook his head looking slightly mortified, and stepped out of the compartment briefly. "I'm right here, Prongs!"
The body belonging to the shouts ran up to him and said, "Moony, I've been looking for you for ages. Did Lily say anything about me?"
"No, she didn't, and you actually interrupted my conversation," he said quite bluntly.
The voice sounded disappointed when he spoke again. "I'm sorry mate." But then he pushed Remus back into my compartment and came in too. "I think she's avoiding me again," he said, sounding very dejected. This boy was extremely attractive with dark brown hair that looked almost (but not quite) black and stuck up in several directions as if it could never be tamed, but he made messy hair look extremely good. He had a strong jawline, excellent physique and chocolate eyes hidden behind circular glasses. If all the boys in the school looked like these two, I might enjoy it, I thought. But why was a boy like him pining over some girl? I would think he'd have girls lining up to be with him.
"Maybe you should try a different approach," Remus offered.
"But it's Lily! The mere thought . . . Oh, I burn, I pine, I perish-"
He got cut off by my obnoxious laughter. They both turned to stare at me and I managed to choke out, "You know Shakespeare?"
"Yeah, well Moony was very into Muggle literature for a little while there, and I may have picked some of it up," he retorted. "By the way who are you?" He turned to Remus. "Who is she?"
Before Remus could say anything I responded with a stretched out hand and, "Hi, I'm Lucy. I'm going to be in sixth year, but I'm new to Hogwarts."
He shook my hand with a smile. "I'm James Potter."
I gasped at Remus, "Is this the Quidditch captain James?"
"The one and only," James winked.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, but we better get going," Remus said, pulling James up. "I have to finish prefect duties, and we're almost at Hogwarts anyways."
"Yes, nice meeting you!" I called as they left.
When the train stopped seven minutes later I was in my robes and ready to go. When I stepped off the train a man with a long dark beard and long dark hair towered over me and asked, "Ar ya Lucy Pendleton?"
I nodded in confirmation to this man. He was ridiculously tall, but not quite large enough to be a giant. Perhaps a half-giant?
"I'm Rubeus Hagrid. I take all the first-years and new students to the castle in boats, please follow me."
I followed him and got into a boat full of first years, and I knew I stuck out like a sore thumb. The ride to the castle was rather cold, but not completely unpleasant. I didn't know how to swim, so I was always on edge around deep water, but we got to the shore quickly enough and I stared up at the magnificent castle. It was big and bold, ancient and alluring; it was everything that a school for wizards and witches should be. Do you ever just get a really strong premonition? I immediately knew that there would be adventures in this castle that I was not likely to ever forget.