The Hogwarts Express chugged and clacked its way through the beautiful, green countryside, heading for the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Second-year Griffindor, Oliver Wood sat in his seat staring out the window at the rolling hills flashing by without really seeing them. His sandy blonde hair was ruffling in the wind from the open window and his bright green eyes took in everything with an interest that made even the most boring subject seem worthwhile.
Suddenly, the sliding door to his compartment opened and there stood red-haired Percy Weasley. Percy was a third-year Griffindor and one of Oliver's friends from last year.
"Hello Oliver." Percy said in his sophisticated and intelligent voice.
"Hello Percy. Have a nice summer?" Oliver replied in his thick Irish accent.
Percy walked in and shut the door behind him, "Not particularly. My parents decided we all needed to go and spend a week in Romania. That was about the highlight of it all." He concluded, taking a seat across from Oliver. Oliver now gave his friend his full attention.
"What the devil were you doing in Romania?!" Percy looked up from the chocolate frog he'd just pulled out of his robe pocket.
"Visiting Charlie, of course! I told you; he's working with the dragon colonies there. Fascinating creatures really. Anyway, my parents were so strict on that 'no magic outside of school rule' that they locked my wand up in a cabinet and wouldn't even let me look at it until yesterday! Ridiculous if you ask me. What about your folks?" Percy asked, turning back to his chocolate frog.
"They were pretty strict too. The only half-way magical thing they let me do was fly my dad's old Quidditch broom about a bit and they were pretty nervous about that."
Percy opened the box of the frog and expertly caught the enchanted candy before it tried to take a flying leap out of the window. He held the frog and waited for a bit until it stopped wiggling then popped it in his mouth.
"Mo moo mecidmed ou mry ou or the Muidditsh meam?"
Oliver looked at Percy strangely, "What?"
Percy chewed and swallowed, "I said 'So you've decided to try out for the Quidditch team?'"
"I suppose so. No harm in trying, now is there?"
"That's the spirit, chum! We could use a good Keeper like you."
"Now let's not jump the gun." Said Oliver patiently, "I don't want my try-out to be jinxed before I get to school."
"Oh stop being modest! You know what Madame Hooch said before you left last year." Oliver hung his head. Last year Madame Hooch had made it quite clear to his entire class that she thought Oliver had talent. It was rather embarrassing really. He did not look back with pride on that day.
"I'll be modest if I like. I don't care what Madame Hooch said." Oliver said with indignation.
Percy smiled, "Alright then," he paused and Oliver looked out the window, "But you're still going to make it." Oliver glared at Percy and threw a Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean at him, "Hey!" exclaimed Percy. He lunged across the car and the two friends laughed and wrestled to the floor.
Suddenly, the two boys heard a small 'oops'. They both froze and looked toward the now open door and there stood a rather attractive and sheepish looking girl.
"Sorry, wrong apartment." She stated with a soft British accent. Oliver (who happened to be on the bottom at the time) shoved Percy off of him and leaped up, straightening his clothes, while he quickly looked the girl over. She had raven black hair and sapphire eyes with long lashes. She wore a plain black robe, which proved that she was a first year, but she looked much older. She was only an inch or two shorter than Oliver's four feet nine inches. She seemed to be observing the two boys in front of her with as much interest as she might give to a beautiful insect, intently yet fleeting. Her eyes flitted from Oliver to Percy (who had finally picked himself up) and back to Oliver in a matter of seconds.
Once Oliver had made sure that his robe was straight he answered the girl, "It's alright. Sorry you had to see us like that. We're actually very good friends."
The girl smiled, "I can tell." Her eyes flitted back to Percy, then returned to Oliver.
He held out his hand with a smile, "I'm Oliver, Oliver Wood."
The girl took his outstretched hand and squeezed it gently, "My name is Elynn." Oliver waited for more, but he saw that she wasn't going to give her last name.
He was about to ask when Percy jumped in front of him, took Elynn's hand, and kissed it playfully, "And I, fair maiden, am Percy Weasley and I believe in this twist of fate, this case of mixed direction, you have stolen my heart."
Elynn giggled and blushed, but removed her hand from Percy's, "Forgive me good sir, but I barely know you!"
"Oh don't worry, we can fix that." Elynn laughed and Oliver smiled, but he couldn't bring himself to laugh. Percy's playful flirting was beginning to annoy him and the fact that he didn't know Elynn's last name was burning him up. Why hadn't she just told them to begin with? What could it be?
Oliver saw his opportunity, when Elynn had stopped laughing, to find it out, "Well, now that the two of us have fully introduced ourselves… one of us more than was necessary…" Percy smiled and winked at Elynn, "What's your full name, if you don't mind my asking?"
Elynn's eyes suddenly went from shiny and bright to cloudy and dim and her face lost it's happiness, "Are you sure you want to know? It might come as a sort of shock…"
"Don't worry. You can tell us. We're almost never shocked anymore." Percy said with enthusiasm.
Elynn hung her head as if in deep thought then murmured, "Dumbledore," she lifted her head and looked straight into Oliver's widening eyes, "My name is Elynn Dumbledore."