A chubby boy with a round face, dark hair, and chocolate eyes was tugged forward by a slightly taller girl. The girl who also had dark hair and brown eyes seemed in a particular hurry. "Come on Neville Gran will have both our hides if we miss the train." The elderly woman wearing an odd shaped bird hat and red dress followed the pair. The boy was dressed neatly in black trousers, white button up and loafers, and the girl in a blue plaid skirt and white blouse. It was the woman who pushed a trolley laden with two trunks and owl cage. A lumpy, greenish-brown toad poked its head out of the boy's pocket obviously trying to escape.
As the group approached the divide between platforms 9 and 10 small party stopped and the elderly woman bent over toward the kids, "Now take a run at it and I'll see you on the other side." When the kids hesitated for even a modicum of a second the woman raised her voice, "Now, you're hardly starting off on the right foot being hesitant to even go on the platform. Not even remotely an action worthy of your lineage. How are you to be sorted into Gryffindor if you're behaving this way? Remember you'll be disown if you're sorted anywhere else?" With grimaces on their faces the pair ran directly into the wall between platforms 9 and 10, but where one would expect a crash the children simply disappeared.
They came out on a simple train platform with a sign signifying that this was indeed platform 9 and ¾. The platform was busy with smaller children running around, older students greeting one another, and parents tearfully saying good byes to their children, especially those going off to school for the first time. This brought an even deeper sadness to the pair who realized that their own parents could never do that with them. On a good visit Neville's dad or mum may nod in recognition while Mary Jane's were both buried in a cemetery not far from Longbottom Manor. Both knew though that their situation could be worse, at least they had Gran, or "the old battle ax", as some referred to Dame Longbottom. Augusta Longbottom held a seat on the Wizzegamot and the Hogwarts School Board of Governors. Therefore, she was something of a force to reckon with when she was unhappy about something. The pair knew the story of "the Boy-Who-Lived", and knew they could easily have been his shoes with no proper family. Luckily the Longbottom's and Rutherford's, as well as the Randall's were an all wizarding family, and reasonably wealthy at that.
As they approached the scarlet steam engine Augusta applied a feather light charm to the trunks and allowed the kids to take their trunks on board and find a compartment. Both Mary-Jane and Neville did so, and descended to receive any last minute instructions from their Gran. It didn't take Augusta long to realize the pair were waiting for her instructions, "Remember watch for Potter, he should be in your house, and have his back. Our houses are old allies. He will need people that he can trust surrounding him. Not just fans, but true friends and allies." The pair nodded, and when nothing more was said they recognized the dismissal, and boarded the steam engine returned to their compartment.
It didn't take long for chaos to ensue. Trevor, Neville's toad who was something of an escape artist decided to make a run for it. The pair tried to stop him, but neither were quick enough, and Trevor took off down the corridor. Following as best they could the pair finally resorted to knocking on compartment doors. The first one had a boy and girl both appearing to be first years as well. The girl both having deep brown hair and blue eyes with freckles. Trying to appear considerate, and knowing Neville would never ask himself Mary Jane finally spoke, "Have either of you seen a toad? My cousin lost one." The pair looked her and shook their heads no. Realizing her apparently lack of manners and abrupt manner of speech she moved to correct the error, "I'm Mary Jane, by the way, Mary Jane Randall. This she continued nodding her head in Neville's direction is, Neville." That brought a sour expression to the normally quiet, and pleasant boys face, "I can introduce myself thank you." That led the elder of the two to roll her eyes. The pair quickly returned the pleasantry, "I'm Ivy, Ivy Etain O'Harran, and this mess is my brother, Ian." Mary Jane nodded and then reluctantly, steered her younger cousin back to go further down the corridor to continue looking for Trevor. Finding him eventually down in front of the last compartment.
The pair then decided to go back their compartment for the remainder of the trip. Both quickly got involved in different text books. Mary Jane had finished reading her herbology and potions textbooks, as well as the standard book of spells year 1, she was now concentrating on the book for transfiguration. Neville was engrossed in 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi. Both bristled when they heard the door to their compartment open, they had specifically chosen a compartment that was empty hoping to have a compartment to themselves the whole trip, and avoid some of the other pureblood twats. Looking up they saw a boy with white blond hair and pointy face a little shorter than Neville. Mary Jane who had spent the better part of the last couple of years rebuffing the Malfoy heirs tedious comments and sometimes worse crude advances spoke first, "Bugger off Malfoy. I'm not in the mood for your crap." The other boy only continued to sneer, "Tough talk when you're hanging out with a squib, blood traitor." At this Mary Jane had, had enough. People could insult her all that they wanted, but she wouldn't let Malfoy put her cousin in tears again. Keeping her face a neutral mask she flicked her wrist allowing her wand to come into her hand, "He's no squib Malfoy or he wouldn't be on the train. He resized his cloth to swaddle him tighter just after being born and landed nicely, when Uncle Algie threw him out the window. Now leave before I make you leave." The two boys who were waiting with Malfoy still in the corridor grunted, and indicated that the lunch trolley was coming to Draco with a nod and glance down the corridor. All three quickly made in the direction of the trolley.
The remainder of their time traveling from London to Scotland was somewhat peaceful. They were able to finish reading their respective books with both getting an assortment of items off the trolley to tide themselves over until they got to the castle. Only about 15 minutes outside of Hogsmeade were they interrupted again. This time it was by a bushy haired girl. Both cousins made a point of introducing themselves, "I'm Mary Jane Randall." Neville picked up the que this time, "Neville Longbottom and you are?" The bushy haired girl replied, "I'm Hermione Granger, pleasure." The girl observed the compartment for a moment noticing the books she smiled. "I'm glad to see that others are reading ahead too. Although, you'd better change into your robes. I was just speaking with the conductor and I expect we'll be arriving soon." Hermione quickly closed the door, and the cousins exchanged eye rolls. Neville, who was normally the nicer of the two said, "Who made her Prefect already?" Mary Jane nodded, "She is right though we should get our robes on."
Not long after each had taken a chance to swap into their robes. The train pulled into the station and all the students quickly departed. The cousins made their way to towards a rather large man who was calling out, "First years over here." In the hustle and bustle the cousins were forced to separate. Neville going with a group of boys whom she was not so familiar with. Meanwhile, she choose to get into a with Susan Bones, and her friend Hannah Abbott.
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