Evelyn Malone and the San Grasal
Chapter One- A New Beginning
Alone and afraid, Evelyn Malone sat in her compartment on the Hogwarts Express and looked out at the people on the platform. Platform 9
] was full of interesting people. It wasn't your average train platform. This red steam engine was ready and waiting to take young witches and wizards to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The platform was crowded with wizarding families saying farewell. Cloaks, caged owls and boisterous teenagers were everywhere. Looking out at all those happy families made Evelyn feel even more alone.She had come here with no one. Aunt Sarah had left her at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley a week ago. Even though she knew Aunt Sarah needed to be home for her little brother Tommy's first day of third grade, she still felt a little unloved and unwanted. The unreasonable part of her mind thought that an eight year old could get himself to school and that Aunt Sarah should be here supporting her. Snap out of it, Evelyn told herself. Every time thoughts like that crept into her head, she needed a distraction.
Instead of falling into a pit of self-pity, Evelyn concentrated on the families outside. Her eyes were drawn to a particular group that stood out, even among such a motley collection of people. The thing that caught her eye was that most of them were tall with flaming red hair, except one. Evelyn guessed he was just a friend of one of the red headed boys. She enjoyed doing this, guessing and inventing the life stories of strangers. It was a particular bonus if she later got acquainted and could find out if she was right.
To keep her mind off the thoughts and feelings inside her, she started sorting out the red haired family. The woman must be the mother and the older man, the father. The young man with a ponytail seemed to be the oldest son and the little girl looked to be the youngest, probably third or fourth year. Then there was the boy with the disheveled black hair and glasses. Evelyn guessed he was a friend of the tall lanky boy standing next to him. They looked about her age. She hoped they were in fifth year too. Last in the group were two boys. They looked older, probably seventh year, and they looked almost identical. The same flaming red hair, height, even their freckles were the same, but there was something about one of them. He seemed better looking somehow. There was a certain twinkle in his eyes, and something in his smile that made her feel weak at the knees. She felt like she was going to fall down and she was already sitting. He just had an aura about him. Evelyn thought he was very handsome, but only thought his twin was relatively good looking. Looking at him made her heart skip a beat. She turned away from the window, so she could catch her breath.
No longer concentrating on the family outside, her anxiety and fear came back to her. It was hard enough moving to a new school but what made her even more nervous was the new country and the fact that she was coming in fifth year not first. England is so different from Canada, what if I can't fit in? Besides everyone will already have friends. No one will want to hang around the "new" girl. I'll never be able to make friends, Evelyn thought. With a sigh she turned back to the window to look at the family again.
To her dismay the family had dispersed. She could not see the twins, the girl, the parents or the older brother. She assumed they had gotten on the train and the parents and older brother had disapparated. She could see the tall boy and his friend, though. They stood there and were approached by a very excited girl in a stunning blue cloak. She enveloped them both in a hug when she saw them. As she pulled away, Evelyn noted that the red-headed boy had turned a deep shade of crimson. He obviously likes her. Even I can see that. This was what she enjoyed; guessing other people's thoughts to escape her own reality.
She continued to play this guessing game until the crowd on the platform thinned and all there was left were parents and small children. Then a whistle blew and the train began to move. Here we go.
