First Try, Second Chance
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter it is copyright to J.K. Rowling etc etc
A/N: This story is set 10 years after Harry and co leave Hogwarts and to make it easy the only people I'm assuming have died since book 5 are Voldemort and Dumbledore but its mostly new characters anyways
Liana Lachelt winced as she always did when slipping through the magical barrier onto platform 9 ¾. It was really just a reflex but even after 4 years she hadn't gotten over the fear of hitting the wall and totally embarrassing herself. Upon opening her grey-blue eyes, Liana couldn't help smiling at the bustle of Hogwarts students and parents in front of her. Everywhere there was something strange and exciting from an oversized poodle that randomly changed colors scampering around to the familiar clouds of purple smoke streaming from the scarlet train's engine.
She moved her trolley away from the barrier because another bunch of people started moving in and she giggled at the shocked eyes of who were obviously Muggle born first years. Once she had rolled her trolley down the stack of trunks being loaded onto the baggage carts and waved goodbye to her tawny owl Dom, Liana tried to see over the throngs of people for one particular face. Liana wasn't tall and she had to strain on her tippy toes to get a decent view of the tops of people's heads. She saw a bunch of her friends and year mates in Ravenclaw but not the person she was looking for. Finally the answer literally hit her out of the blue.
"Lee!!" Something tall, red and blue smacked into Liana and all her breath left her in one large puff. If she could have, Liana would have laughed out loud because she knew in an instant that it was Angel. She coughed violently but returned the giant hug from her best friend. When she could breathe again she straightened up and had a good look at her friend. Since she had last seen Angel around the end of July it seemed that she had grown yet AGAIN even though she already had several inches on Liana. Two weeks in the Canary Islands had given her a nice tan but couldn't hide the multitude of tiny freckles dotted all over her cheeks and nose. Angels flaming red hair was done up in a ponytail as always but it seemed lighter than before, no doubt bleached a little by all the sun.
"Hey, you look good girl! The islands agreed with you!" Liana voiced her opinions.
"Thanks, I see that hours of gardening didn't agree with you quite as much" Angel joked back.
Liana cringed but smiled at the memory of her callused hands and dirty knees. Liana had spent much of the summer growing her own garden, at the request of her mother, but however hard and dirty it was Liana got a sense of self satisfaction from it. Her mother had promised to maintain it through the year but she would still miss it, "Thanks, that reminds me I brought you some veggies but they're in my trunk so you'll have to wait. Let's get on the train so we can get good seats!" The two girls scampered onto the train because both they're sets of parents had left before and they started peeking into cabins for seats. It felt good to be back on the train, with the knowledge that soon they would return to Hogwarts. They came to several compartments to find seats but most were full by the time they got there. The two girls greeted some new first years, said hello to friends, and avoided their enemies but they still hadn't found seats by the time the train had left. For some reason a girl in one compartment attracted Liana's attention more than normal. It was full of first years that were noticeable by the lack of house coloring on their robes except for the one girl who was obviously at least 14. But she also had no identifying colors on her robes. It wasn't common that many people transferred schools but Liana assumed that this was the case. The girl seemed fairly average except for her hair which was a brilliant bubble gum pink with sky blue streaks. She was staring out into the now grey sky that was beginning to spill rain onto the earth. On her lap was a large and extremely fluffy white cat with large black spots that the girl was petting almost anxiously. That was all Liana was able to see before Angel pulled her back out and waved her over to another compartment.
"Evan, Craig, and Sareeka are in here!" Angel poked her head into the compartment then slipped in with Liana following. Inside were their year mates and friends and they settled in happily. Evan was a tall boy with dark hair and eyes and bushy eyebrows that Angel often made fun of, Craig was half Irish and the accent randomly resurfaced but he was rather good looking with his blonde hair and green eyes, Sareeka was an Indian girl with a strange sense of humour. Liana forgot all about the pink haired girl as they all traded stories about summer and went off to change into their robes. Sareeka was just finishing off a story about elves and poutine when the food trolley came by. Liana took the opportunity to buy tons of sugar quills (they were her favourite) and Angel stocked up on Chocolate Frogs because she collected the cards like a maniac.
"Ish getting cold in herw" Evan spurted through a mouthful of Cauldron cakes. He pointed outside to the now iron grey clouds roiling about them spurting large fat drops of rain onto the windows. Liana started scolding him about talking with his mouthful but stopped when everybody burst into laughter at his indignant expression.
"I think we're almost there, I can see Hogsmeade from here through the rain." Craig was apparently right because at that instant they could feel the train beginning to brake into the stop outside of Hogwarts.
"Uggg I hate the rain" Sareeka muttered and Liana agreed.
"I don't mind it" Angel shrugged.
Liana could help pointing out "Yeah well you have to, you're on the Quidditch team. Angel laughed and went back to stuffing her Chocolate Frogs into her bag. When the train ground to a final stop they all peered outside for the carriages before leaping outside into the cold and running for the nearby ones. Liana caught a glimpse of pink hair just before she jumped into the carriage after Craig. The mud everywhere made the carriage ride nice and smooth and it was somewhat soothing to listen to the banter of rain, punctured with the boy's complaints about being hungry.
"Geez the feast is going to be soon enough hold your horses" Angel punched Craig on the arm lightly but it didn't stop his out loud thoughts on mashed potatoes. Finally they reached the immense castle doors and ran to the entrance hall as fast as they could. Everywhere Liana looked she saw something that brought back a swarm of memories and she knew that this year would bring even more. She couldn't help skipping in delight to the Great Hall.
Liana and her friends sat down at the Ravenclaw table around the middle and talked while waiting for the Headmistress to arrive.
"Lots of butter, that's the best way to have them" Craig was still ranting about mashed potatoes and apparently now was having a deep conversation with Evan about them. Liana rolled her eyes and watched the ghosts float around above them and giggled whenever they became strangely illuminated by a group of drifting candles. Finally Headmistress Francis appeared. She was a middle aged woman who was rather stern but a fair person and a powerful witch.
"Welcome to Hogwarts first years and welcome back all others" Her voice was deep and melodic and it seemed to have the power to hush everyone, "I'm sure you've all had wonderful summers and I hope the train ride was fine. I'm also quite sure that you are all starting to get hungry as well so I will cut right to the chase."
As she began to rattle off the key rules Liana's eyes wandered, she had heard these 4 times now. She smiled at the huddling group of small first years that were now walking in behind Professor Knight. She noticed that the pink haired girl was trailing behind them sullenly, and she looked a mixture of annoyed, stunned, and embarrassed.
"-Now may we please begin with the Sorting." Francis finished and brought out the Sorting Hat. It sang its song as usual, nothing out of the ordinary and Professor Knight began calling up first years.
"Millie Anderson!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Patrick Ayers!"
"Slytherin!"
And so it went on. Liana applauded the Ravenclaws and smiled warmly at a few of them who sat near them. Finally the last boy scampered over to Hufflepuff and everyone looked back up at Francis.
"Kira McTavish!" Professor Knight called out, "As a new 4th year you must be sorted as well!" The pink haired girl stepped away from the wall where she had been lurking and walked up to the Sorting Hat. The Great Hall was full of whispers and murmurs but everyone was silent as the Hat seemed to be making its decision.
"I wonder where she's from" Came Angels voice at her left.
"Dunno, maybe France it's closest I guess."
"I wonder why she's here; I suppose she's in our year…"
Liana opened her mouth to respond but the Hat interrupted her with a shout of-
"Ravenclaw!" There was no applause though as the girl took the old Hat off her head and walked briskly over the Ravenclaw table. Liana managed to see her face as she rushed past to the end of the table, it was covered in silent tears.
"Well then, let's eat!" Francis's voice jolted Liana from her reverie and she could dimly hear Craig and Evans shouts of joy as the masses of food appeared in front of them. She turned back to her golden plate and began piling food on in large amounts. As soon as Liana started eating, she found that she was indeed very hungry and for a while nobody really spoke because they were stuffing their faces. Liana used the excuse of pouring her pumpkin juice to try and see the girl but there were too many people.
After several rounds of food, drinks and desserts everyone in the Great Hall sat content and full of food, waiting to be dismissed to their dormitories after a long day. Finally Francis waved them all off with one of her rare smiles and everyone thronged towards the doors. Liana and the other Ravenclaws waited until the first years came with the prefects and followed them up the stairs to the second floor. The warm hallways were bright and welcoming and they felt the exhaustion of the day slipping into their bones. They all stopped at a small portrait of a group of owls flying in the sky.
"Golden Snidget" The prefect in front of them said. Gasps rose from the first years as the owls all hooted happily and flew to the bottom of the frame to pull up what looked like a large sheet with a painting of a torch lit staircase on it. But when it filled the whole picture frame the portrait enlarged and it became a full fledged staircase. The 4th years all slipped past as the prefect began explaining about the password and they trudged up the stairs to emerge in the Ravenclaw Common Room. It was a tall room with a dark paneled ceiling decorated with gold stars. Providing light were large bright bronze lanterns that drifted in the air much like the candles in the great hall and a roaring fire in the large dark blue stone fireplace gave a steady warmth. There were tables and large comfy chairs covered in rich blue velvet scattered around the room. At both ends were spiraling staircases that led up to the dormitories. Each level of the dormitories could be seen by the small balconies that looked out onto the common room from above. Liana, Angel, and Sareeka muttered their goodnights to the boys and then headed up the stairs to their room. There were already a few other girls inside and they said hi and talked a little about summer but soon sleep claimed each one. Liana slid into her large four poster bed and arranged her pillows just so. She snuggled under the thick blue covers and noticed just for a fleeting second, the pink haired girl slip in as she pulled the blue velvet curtains shut. She was just too tired to even think any more about it though.
A/N: Ok well there you go. I know this sorta seems like a bit of a generic HP fic right now and I guess it is but it does have some differences. I wanted to focus it on the Ravenclaws because it's my fave house and I've come up with a few things you guys will see later. Just so you know Sareeka is basically me in the fic because my parents almost named me Sareeka and I like the name so I made up a character for it. Other than that I base things off my friends, and things. Anyways I want three reviews before I do the next chapter so pleeease review!