A/N: So, I've always wanted to piece together a Harry Potter fic… At first I really wanted to do an Angelina centric one, but this one came to me first so now I'm going to attempt this. It's definitely AU because a lot of things in this story would not make sense according to the current HP Universe so bare with me please!
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When I look back on my life growing up, it is pretty obvious that going to Hogwarts changed everything for the better. Since I can remember my mom has never been around. When I was younger she was career oriented and having a baby was not a part of her plan. The first kid she had, my brother Mark, was a definite mistake. She had no problem reminding him every time he did something wrong. I, on the other hand was the pleasant surprise, her second chance. She'd been trying for two years but the doctor told her she was not going to be able to have any more kids. So, my mother took matters into her own hands. She found a donor and followed all the illegal directions she had been given. A year later she was "with child".
Even though things were going her way at last, she became obsessed with wealth. I vaguely remember living in an incredibly posh house. When I was four things went sour though and the authorities caught on her to her. We got everything taken away. She spiraled into deep depression and the bottle became her solace. My mother was bad enough sober, so when drunk you'd be wise to steer clear of her. That was when she forgot about image and not causing a scene. That was when she took out her anger and despair on me and Mark. He used to get it the worst until he packed up and moved in with my senile grandparents. So now she took all of it out on me in various forms of abuse.
Having a mother like that can really twist your idea of love. Which, prompted me to think I was in love wit the first guy to call me pretty. Kyle Watkins was my first boyfriend at the ripe age of nine. He threw a golf ball at my neck and proclaimed his love. Sadly I believed him but as it turned out, even at nine all he wanted was one thing. Thank goodness I had the sense enough to slap him after he tried to choke me with his tongue. He has avoided me since. After a few more relationships that ended that way, I came to believe that love couldn't exist for me. Going to Hogwarts changed my perspective.
My mother was not a witch, and since the only thing I knew about my dad was that he was a donor, I had no clue that I was a witch. You can imagine that it was quite a surprise to me and my sober mother when an owl zoomed into our window and left a letter. My mom glared at me indicating that I should open it. She didn't have to glare for long because I grabbed that letter so quickly I got a paper cut. Ignoring my new wound I opened it just as fast. I could not believe my eyes. My first thought was that someone was going to new heights by pranking me this way. I mean come on, a letter accepting me into an imaginary school? That was a lot of effort. There was a letter attached that I had to give my mother. After she quickly scanned the page her face lit up. I hadn't seen her that happy in years. She smiled oddly and handed me the letter. Then, I understood. Hogwarts was a boarding school. My mother would take any excuse to get rid of me. To her I was just an extra mouth to feed and my grandparents couldn't afford to take me in, so as long as she didn't have to pay for anything, Hogwarts was the best way to get me out of her hair.
"You're going and that's that." She said icily.
I truly hoped this wasn't a hoax; at least for my sake anyway. The letter had given my mother specific instructions on how to get me prepared for school. I was amazed when we got to Diagon Alley through a dingy looking pub. Diagon Alley was amazing. It was also full of people hurrying to purchase school supplies. My favorite shop out of all of them was the Quidditch shop. At first I was baffled, being so used to sports on the ground. But once the store owner explained it, I was hooked. Imagine the freedom you could feel soaring through the air, scoring goals left and right, and dodging rogue bludgers!
Unfortunately, my mother thought that anything not on the list was unnecessary and though she was sober-she was no peach. When we got home she sent me to my room to pack everything and went to get some "me time" which was code for a few drinks. I decided to lock the door for safety and prayed she'd be able to wake up in the morning.
For once I'd been able to sleep uninterrupted and I was glad. I looked well rested and not as disheveled as I usually did. My mother was up and bustling. I suspected she hadn't slept much. Any time she's excited, insomnia takes over. Somehow during the night she took my doorknob off and moved all my trunks down to the car.
"Hurry up. We'll be late and you are not missing that train." She snapped.
By now, I was beginning to wonder about how we were supposed to get to Platform 9 3/4 seeing as there were only two platforms. While I was in deep thought, some kid came by and threw a ball at the barrier between the two platforms and the ball went right through. As I was trying to rationalize the event (it must have been my eyes playing tricks on me or something), the little boy walked straight through the barrier to retrieve the ball.
"Holy…" I started.
Then, it all clicked. My platform was through that barrier. So, I made sure that no one was looking and ran for it. Part of me expected to end up on the ground with a headache. Instead, it as like walking into a completely different world. Parents were hugging and seeing off children, kids were seeing old friends and catching up, and other parents were discussing the "good old days". I stuck out like a sore thumb. My mother didn't even bother to walk into the station with me. She just dropped me off in the front and left. I had no friends to giggle with and no one to smile at. I was alone in a sea of excited and happy people. After a couple of minutes of self-pity, I gathered my trunks and boarded the train. Since most people hadn't gotten on yet most of the compartments were empty.
I'd only been sitting for a short while and going through my copy of Hogwarts, A History when four rambunctious boys noisily entered my compartment. They were laughing at something and stopped when they realized they weren't alone in the compartment.
'Blimey! She's actually reading that daft book." One exclaimed.
At this point I decided to look up. I really shouldn't of. They were all breathtakingly gorgeous and each in completely different ways.
"Oi! Take a picture it'll last longer." The red-head directed at me.
It was then, that I noticed my mouth had dropped wide open. I quickly closed it and averted my gaze to the floor.
"I find it rather adorable." That was the brunette. He plopped into the seat next to me and I felt a blush creeping up my face.
"Guys come on, leave her a lone. You've probably scarred the poor girl." The blonde said gently.
Finally, I regained my nerve. "I'm right here you know." I said bitterly.
The one with messy jet-black hair gasped sarcastically. "She speaks!" He exclaimed with mock surprise.
I glared at him in response.
"So, you got a name?" The red-head asked spitting out crumbs as he spoke.
"Maybe. But that is for you to hopefully never find out."
He smirked, "If I had a sickle for every time I heard that one. But, it seems I won't have to do much searching…Crystiana." He gloated.
"It's Crys, and how do you know my name?"
He pointed at my trunks which each had my name written on the card (just incase they got lost). The other boys snickered.
"If only I had a sickle for every time he guessed right. Actually…I'd probably only have a sickle." The blonde chuckled.
"Well, Crys, my name is Maximus, but all my buddies call me Max." The brunette next to me grinned and stuck out his hand.
I shook it out of politeness but was very upset to find that he'd stuck some bizarre substance on his hand, which caused me to become stuck to him. My eyes widened in horror.
"Girls just get so stuck on me." He grinned again.
"Yeah, thanks to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes." The red-head added.
All the while, I was sitting there stuck to Max. Though, I really can't say I minded too much. I felt the sticky stuff subsiding and I let go with remorse.
The blonde chuckled at my expression. "Now that you're detached, my name is Liam." He stuck out his hand and I looked at it suspiciously. "Don't worry. I'm clean!" He held up both his hands and I eventually gave in. "Now that strapping young chap over there is Andrew. We all agree that he gets his mischievous tendencies from his uncle. And Max, well we don't have any excuse for him. He was just born that way. My sincerest apologies to his mother."
For the first time all day, I cracked a smile.
"So, you do have a sense of humor! That's good to know, because I was beginning to worry. I'm Danny by the way." The one with jet-black hair approached. "I think it's only fair that you tell us something about yourself. Preferably something we can't find on your trunk."
"Well, my mum is non-magic, and I don't know my father. As far as I know I'm non-magic born."
"I think you mean muggle-born. Anyway, don't worry; you'll learn everything you need to know about magic if you stick with us." Max winked and patted my leg.
I flinched. "Who says I'm going to be hanging out with you guys?"
"The fact that you were alone in a compartment seems to scream 'I have no friends'."
"I've got plenty of time to make some." I replied icily.
"Trust me. It's a lot harder than it looks. Most of these kids have been attached at the hip for years."
Liam interrupted. "Look, Crys, we'd really enjoy having you around. But if you'd rather not that's okay."
"Well…I suppose being friends with you lot wouldn't be so bad."
"Good!" Liam smiled and Max was muttering things under his breath irritably.
True to their word, I learned most of what I needed to know from those four.
