"You're sure you have everything?", my grandmother asked for the millionth time since we left the house.
"Yes.", I reply, rather annoyed. She'd been fussing about me all summer, worried that Hogwarts wasn't the most suitable place for me any longer. I knew the only reason was because I hadn't been sorted into Slytherin, like everyone else in our family. She'd even considered sending me to Salem or Beauxbatons this year. I had to practically beg to continue at Hogwarts.
She nods. "Alright then. Keep your grades up. Make sure to write me. And for goodness sake, please be pleasant to Adrian. His father said he was rather put off after the way you treated him at Diagon Alley last month. You must stop being so ridiculous. He's a nice young man."
I groaned. My family had a long standing friendship with the Pucey family. Adrian, a year older than me and a Slytherin, had always tried to torment me whenever he had a chance. Needless to say, we had never gotten along well. Even as children. "I'll try.", I mumbled, not making any promises. Adrian Pucey was one of the few people I absolutely could not stand.
She frowns not fully satisfied with my answer. But before she had a chance to scold me any further, the last call for boarding went out. She looks me up and down, as if she was just looking for something to correct about my appearance. "Off you go then."
I gave her a quick peck on the cheeks before grabbing my trunk. "See you at Christmas."
"Yes. And do make sure to behave. I don't want to hear anything from your professors. Am I clear?"
"Crystal.", I say as I heft my things on board. The train was packed as always, but surprisingly I was able to find an empty compartment.
I had never been one to cause trouble, or even step a toe out of line, not that my grandmother thought so. I could never seem to please that woman. Though I had always been the quiet type, keeping to myself mostly. Of course, I had a few friends in my house at Hogwarts, but I still prefered the quiet companionship of my books and schoolwork to actual people.
So you can imagine my annoyance when a certain pair of red-headed brothers strolled into my otherwise empty compartment, not even bothering to knock. I had anticipated a quiet, uneventful ride to the castle. Which I wasn't going to get now. You didn't have to be a Gryffindor to know all about the Weasley twins and their immature pranks. Last year one of my dorm mates ate one of their candies, and it turned her hair purple for weeks.
"Are these seats taken?", asks one of the two, gesturing to the empty bench across from me.
I glanced up from my textbook, shaking my head in answer. The two grinned, one sitting directly beside me and the other right across. I ignored them, pretending to be completely absorbed in my geometry book. My mother had sent me several muggle textbooks for my birthday last year. She hated that I'm a witch. So she schoolbooks every year in hopes I might renounce my magic and attend a 'normal' college. I didn't really mind. It gave me more options once school was over, if I couldn't find a job in the wizarding world.
While my father had been a wizard, my mother was as muggle as they came. After my father died in the war against You-Know-Who, she hadn't wanted anything to do with magic. And that included not wanting anything to do with me. When I got my first Hogwarts letter, she sent me to live with Grandmother. I still remember the horrified look in her eyes when she saw the seal on the envelope. In the summer when I wasn't at school, I rarely even getting a letter from her. She always made excuses to me. She was always busy with her new boyfriend or traveling for her job.
"I'm Fred. Fred Weasley. And that's George. I don't think I've seen you around before. What's your house?", says the one across from me, sticking his hand out over my book.
Setting the book in my lap, I shook his hand. More to be polite than actually wanting to. "Lizzie Avery. Ravenclaw. And most likely you haven't seen me because I'm a year below you."
"Pleased to meet you.", Fred grinned as the train started moving.
"I'm sure", I say rather flatly, picking the book back up.
Fred cocked his head at me curiously. "Is that an accent my ears detect? That's cute!"
"My mom is American. I grew up in the U.S. until Hogwarts. I never really lost the accent, I suppose.", I explain.
George peeked over my shoulder at the textbook. "What is this? It's just a jumble of numbers and letters."
"It's math.", I said, practically ignoring him. At least until he snatches the book from my hand. "Hey! Give it back!"
George tossed it to Fred, who flipped through it with a confused look on his face. "What's it for?"
"Solving.", I says, extremely annoyed with the set of twins.
"So it's a muggle book.", George observes.
"Yes. And I would like it back now." I held my hand out for it, frowning.
"This girl is no fun, Fred. I bet it's a muggle schoolbook."
"No fun at all.", Fred agrees.
"I think we need to fix this.", George says in a serious tone, as if giving a business proposal.
"She could be our pet project."
I rolled my eyes at the two, wishing they had chosen someone else to pick on. "My book, please." They both stare at me, thoroughly amused.
"Are these two gits bothering you, Avery?", asks a voice as the door to the compartment slides opens.
Oh joy, I thought, rolling my eyes. Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. "Go Away, Pucey."
"On the contrary, your grandmother asked me to watch out for you this year. And if you're being bothered by a pair of blood traitor gingers, I'm afraid it's only my duty to...", he didn't get to finish his sentence. The twins had launched to their feet, both of their wands pointed directly at his nose. Adrian paled, stepping back into the hallway. "This isn't over, Avery. See you around." He fled the car like a puppy with his tail tucked between his legs before they could curse him into next Tuesday.
"What was his problem?", George asks, miraculously handing me my book back. I stowed it in one of my bags for safe keeping.
"It isn't even worth explaining."
"Git.", Fred mumbled. That was quite the understatement.
The rest of the ride wasn't too bad. Fred and George talked among themselves while I read or stared out the window. I caught some rather suspicious things on pranks they were planning for this year, but as long as I wasn't the victim, I wasn't going to complain.
Eventually, we all changed into our school robes. Not long after, the train rolled up into the station. I got up and left the compartment without saying anything to the twins. It was nice of them to stand up for me against Pucey, but that didn't mean I wanted to get caught up in their hijinks. Anyone who hung around them usually ended up in detention. And that was the last thing I needed.
Once I got to the door to get off, one of the prefects hand me a black umbrella. Rain pounds down on all the students rushing for the carriages. I felt bad for the first years, having to take the boats across the lake.
Before I even got off the platform, they caught up to me easily, keeping up with my brisk stride. "Does the phrase 'personal space' mean anything to either of you?", I snap, feeling a bit more than irritated.
Each of them slung an arm around me, sandwiching me in the middle. "Nope. What about you Georgie?", Fred laughs.
I shrugged them off of me before George can reply. "Obviously subtlety isn't working. This was nice and all, but I'll be going now. Without you two."
"Did you hear that, Fred? She thinks she can get rid of us that easily.", George laughs.
"Oh, it won't do.", his brother agrees, looping his arm through mine. George follows suit, shooting his brother a knowing glance. "It won't do at all."
"Hey, Lizzie!", A voice called a little ways behind us. Racing towards me, her feet splashing water in every direction, was the one person I actually counted as a close friend.
"Sutton!", I squealed, pulling away from ginger 1 and ginger 2 in order to hug her. She nearly makes me
She grinned, her hair all messed and cheeks flushed up from running. Sutton was a pretty, blonde, tiny, Hufflepuff with the emotional backbone of a teddy bear. The girl cried at the slightest of things. But that aside, she was an incredibly sweet, caring girl.
"Did you hear? Something big is happening this year! Maybe they'll abolish the rule on uniforms, you know let us girls wear pants for once. Or maybe..." She pauses, staring behind me. "Who's that?"
I glance back, noticing Fred and George still standing there, waiting for me. Didn't they have better things to do than stalk me all night?
Sutton drags me back over to them, looking up at me expectantly. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. "Sutton this is Fred and George Weasley. Guys, this is Sutton Tate."
"It's nice to meet you.", she smiled, shooting me a 'you'd better spill everything later' look that I knew so well, and sticking her hand out to shake theirs. In an over dramatized, gentlemanly manner, the two of them bowed to her, kissing the top of her hand instead of shaking it like a normal person.
This time I did roll my eyes, grabbing Sutton's arm and dragging her away at a brisk pace. "We'd best be off then. We're going to be late to the feast if we don't hurry."
"Hold up!", one of them yells after us. "We can share a carriage. There's only a few left."
I groaned, which Sutton noticed but was too nice to say anything as she dragged me into one of the horse-less carriages. I would have walked if I could have gotten there in time, but I didn't really have much choice.
The twins piled in, taking a seat next to each of us, which made Sutton giggle all the more. "So Liz, how was your summer?", she asks.
"Alright. For the most part."
"Didn't you have to go on the yearly shopping trip with the Pucey's? Sounds dreadful. Adrian is such a jerk."
"That Slytherin chaser?", George asks. "That was that him on the train, wasn't it?"
"Yep."
Sutton's eyebrows went up. "What did he do now?"
"Nothing. It wasn't a big deal.", I answered before either of them could cut in. Luckily, they seemed to realize it was a bad subject and didn't say anything further about it.
When the carriage came to a stop at the castle, the twins skipped on ahead, eager for the tons of food that came with the welcome back feast. "What was that all about?", Sutton asked as soon as they were out of ear shot.
"I'm not actually sure."