Yay! My first Harry Potter fic. This is just an idea I had. A story like Harry Potter's story but it's a girl. I can't think of a title for it yet so you'll have to give me ideas.
Jane Mallory fidgeted with the crystal pendant hanging around her neck. She twisted it around and around her fingers feeling the cool silver chain bite into her too pale skin.
"But I don't want to go to a boarding school." She said to the two figures in the front seat of the car. One of them turned around to glare at her.
"I don't really care what you want young lady. After burning down the last school I'm surprised anyone would teach you."
Jane leaned forward in her seat.
"But Aunt Ella it was just one classroom and it only got singed a little. Besides, it wasn't my fault. The fire just jumped to me from the bunsen burner."
Aunt Ella snorted.
"None of your lies. Don't think you can worm your way out of this one. You create mischief wherever you go."
Jane opened her mouth to protest but decided that arguing would only get her into more trouble. She slid back into her seat and sighed. Realizing that the pendant chain was now cutting off the circulation in her skin she began to twist it the other way. The crystal was the only thing she had from when she was a baby. Jane's parents had both died in a car accident a year after Jane was born. Jane had been in the accident too but for some reason she came through it without a scratch. Well almost Jane thought as she raised her right hand to examine the rose shaped scar on the palm. Aunt Ella had said the scar was from when she pressed her hand to the cracked glass of the window; stupidly, she'd often add.
Uncle Jerry now added his voice to Aunt Ella's in scolding her.
"We just don't know what to do with you anymore. You talk to animals, you seem to attract fire like gasoline. I wish you were a normal girl."
Jane bit her lip. It's not like I try to be a freak. I don't attract fire and it's not my fault that the animals talk to me first she thought I want to be normal too
Uncle Jerry made a left turn down Pine Street to a small dirt road.
"Avery's School of Discipline will be good for you. They don't take that kind of nonsense there," Uncle Jerry continued, "Ahh, here we are. Corner of Presely and Pine. This is where your trolley stops."
The car rolled to a stop. Jane got out and eyed the countryside warily. All barren wasteland as far as the eye could see, only interrupted by the blue of the sky and the dirty grey of the road. Uncle Jerry got her trunk out of the car while Aunt Ella tried to control Jane's wild black hair with a brush. Jane stared straight ahead, glaring at the road with eyes that were a touch too green to be normal, as if willing the road to disappear. And it did. The road flickered for a few instants until firmly deciding that it was going to stay put whether Jane liked it or not. Jane was so astonished that she stopped glaring and let her mouth drop open. Aunt Ella smiled at her encouragingly saying,
"That's my girl. Just think of all the new friends you're going to make at Avery's."
Aunt Ella had either not noticed roads temporary disappearance or she had noticed but didn't want to acknowledge anything more weird happening around her niece. Uncle Jerry dropped her trunk in front of her and wiped imaginary dust off his hands.
"Well, you're all set. I guess we'll be going." Aunt Ella gave Jane a quick kiss good-bye and walked back to the car. "Have fun at school."
"Make lots of new friends."
"Normal friends."
"And for heaven's sake, don't get into trouble!"
The car drove off down the road and was soon out of sight, leaving Jane alone in the barren wasteland that was the corner of Presely and Pine. She sat down on her trunk to wait for the trolley. She looked around once more and to her surprise found that some scraggly looking bushes were growing around her. She blinked and it seemed as if the number of bushed grew. Then trees popped up out of the ground until Jane was sitting in an immense deep forest. The road and the sign that said Presely and Pine were the same but everything else was different. Jane shivered and pulled her grey flannel cloak tighter around her shoulders. This was definitely the weirdest thing that had ever happened to her. Jane heard a strange noise in the distance. It sounded sort of like a wolf howling. Jane got a little bit scared. Only a little bit though. She searched through her trunk until she found her umbrella. Maybe you couldn't fight off wolves with an umbrella but Jane was sure going to try. The howling got louder and louder and soon Jane could hear a clacking sound in the bushes. Then she saw the trolley. It flew down the road at an alarming pace, knocking over small plants which sprang up again after it passed. The howling sounded again and Jane realized that it was the whistle of the trolley making the noise. The trolley screeched to a stop a half inch away from Jane's nose. A flashing of lights displayed the sign, which read, "Avery's School for Girls". Jane got her baggage together and walked up the steps into the trolley. She noticed two things. One; the inside of the trolley was too big for the outside of the trolley. There must have been a hundred girls in a trolley that from the outside didn't look like it could stand to seat twenty. Number two; the driver of the trolley had green hair. That alone might have been okay except that her skin was green as well. A pale wintergreen as opposed to the long river of bright emerald of hair that flowed down her back. The driver smiled and turned to Jane.
"Hello. I'm Lisa. The trolleyman. Or trolleywoman if you prefer. You just leave your bags here and Jypi will take care of them."
She nodded at a little monkey who was sleeping underneath her chair. Lisa gave the monkey a gentle kick. Jypi looked around and scratched his head. When he spotted Jane's bags he took them by the handle and towed them away. Lisa must have seen the shock on Jane's face because she whispered,
"It's okay. You're not nuts, believe me."
Then in a louder voice,
"You just move on back and find a seat. There's plenty."
And there was. Jane moved along the rows of seats, trying to decide where to sit. A girl in the sixth row waved at her. Jane made her way towards the girl and sat down gratefully. The girl smiled at her.
"Hello. My name is Clover. Clover Carson. What's yours?"
Jane stopped to stare for a moment. Clover had the reddest hair all bound up in springing curls that framed her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a deep violet. Jane had never known anyone with violet eyes. Clover cleared her throat and Jane realized that she was still waiting for a name. Jane stuck out her hand. "I'm Jane Mallory".
They shook hands. Jane searched desperately for something to say that wouldn't sound absolutely stupid. "Uhh…so are you going to Avery School too?"
Brilliant. What an astounding observation. Of course she was going to Avery School. Why else would she be on this trolley? Clover nodded,
"Yes. I'm really excited to be accepted."
Jane was confused. Who would want to be accepted to a disciplinary school for girls? It was like being happy about going to jail. Clover must have seen the confusion on Jane's face because she tried to explain herself.
"You see, I didn't think my magic was good enough to get in."
Now Jane was really confused.
"Magic?" she asked. "Isn't this a disciplinary school for girls?"
Clover's mouth dropped open. And then she began laughing so hard she almost fell out of her seat. "Could you please stop making that noise. I am trying to sleep."
The voice came from beneath Clover's feet. Jane jumped from surprise when a sleek grey cat crawled out from under the seat and into Clover's lap.
"I'm sorry Diana," she apologized.
Jane looked shocked,
"You can hear her too?"
Clover looked at her, surprised.
"Of course I can hear her. All witches can talk to animals."
Jane stared at her.
"Witches?"
Clover then smiled like she suddenly remembered something.
"You're from a Norm family aren't you?"
"Norm?"
"Yes. People that aren't witches or warlocks. Normal people."
"Well, yes. I guess you could say that."
"Then you don't know. Avery School is for young witches."
"Not for disciplining young girls?"
"Nope," she said cheerfully,
"You see when witches get to a certain age they begin to grow apart from the norms. I bet your family thought you were weird."
Jane nodded her head.
"So Avery School sends out flyers for disciplinary schools or finishing schools or whatever your family thinks you need so that you can go to Avery School and learn to use magic properly."
Jane frowned. "Have they ever made a mistake?"
"Sometimes. But people that aren't witches can't get into Avery. They can't see the trolley. Or the enchanted forest."
Jane still looked worried. "But what if I'm not a witch?"
Clover laughed.
"I wouldn't worry about it. You saw the trolley didn't you? You can talk to Diana can't you? You're a witch all right."
Jane relaxed. "So what do you learn at witches school?"
"Oh lots of things. There's Spell Casting, Charms, Enchantments, Potions and Brews, Healing Plants and Herbs, Flying.."
"Flying!" Jane's eyes grew wide.
Clover laughed at her expression.
"Yes, on broomsticks you know. I like Familiar Training best though. I want to be just like Dewey and take care of enchanted animals."
"Who's Dewey?"
Clover blushed.
"He's just the guy who picks out animals for the newcomers and helps train them."
Diana the cat snorted.
"Just the guy? Clover has a major crush on Dewey."
"Shush." Clover glared at Diana.
"I met Dewey before school started when I picked up Diana. I had wanted something exotic like a dragon or a unicorn but as soon as I saw Diana I knew she was for me."
Jane looked closer at Diana but she didn't see what was so special about her. Then Diana opened her eyes and Jane discovered that they were violet like Clover's.
"Don't worry. Dewey will pick our the perfect familiar for you."
Jane opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the shrill whistle of the trolley.
"We're here," sang out the trolleywoman.
"Everybody out. Don't worry about your luggage. We'll take care of it. Those of you with pets keep a tight hold on them. Come on, get a move on. I don't have all day you know. Watch that first step. It's a doozy."
Above the ruckus Clover leaned towards Jane and said,
"You'd better stick with me. It's pretty easy to get lost here."
Jane nodded. Once everybody was off the trolley a very load woman appeared before them. Like poof appeared. Out of thin air. Jane's mouth dropped.
"Listen up," the woman shouted.
"Welcome to Avery School. Please follow me and stick together. I don't want anyone getting lost."
The woman then sped down the path towards a large stone building. The group of girls ran after her. Not wanting be left behind, Clover pulled Jane along after her.
"Come on. Hurry up," she said.
'Oh lordy,' thought Jane. 'What have I gotten myself into this time.'
Well that's part one. Did it suck? Should I continue? Review or e-mail me (
chibicherryb@hotmail.com) and tell me please.