Disclaimer: I do not own any original characters, places, or references to events. In other words, the only thing I own is the plot and the original characters. Even that has references to the novels. So I don't own anything at all.
Authors Note: Hello, all poor souls who managed to find their way here. I'll try to clear a few things up now, before I get questions. I constantly refer to Lord Voldemort as the Dark Lord because I find it has a better ring to it than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and I want to create the illusion that Scarlett Lovell, as well as the other characters, do not fear Voldemort, but hold him in contempt for being the man who brought darkness into the lives of many. So when I mention the Dark Lord, it is used as a term of disrespect.
With that, I hope you guys enjoy this story, and I'll do my best to make it as enjoyable as possible with the short time I have to write (major exams at the end of the year). Read and review! Thanks )
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The song faded, and she sighed, the small smile that plastered her face disappearing. She cast her eyes upwards, and a solitary tear made its way down her cheek as she reminisced. Her skin was an eerie ivory, an offset of the tan that she was accustomed to seeing on her skin.
It was exactly one year, to this day, that her family had been lost to the evil known commonly as the Death Eaters, the two words that cast a shadow on the minds of many and still made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Her parents, her beloved parents, were in the Order of the Phoenix, men and women who were dedicated to bringing down the Dark Lord. Her only brother, two years older and fiercely protective, had died trying to save her own life. He had succeeded, and now she was left alone.
It had been one year, to this day, when she had last heard her mother hum the melody that helped lull her to sleep, the song that's tune was etched in her head, in her memories. She closed her eyes and let the tears fall, her mind blank and her heart broken.
Behind her, a ginger tabby cat disappeared with a loud crack.
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Dated: The Twelfth of June, two thousandth and seven.
Dearest diary,
Today has been a day of revelations. It comes as no surprise the letter I received fifteen minutes ago, from the headmaster of the school Hogwarts. I have told myself over, and over again, that going to Hogwarts would be a mistake, and yet I cannot seem to be able to decline the headmaster's gracious offer of allowing me to school there. Ever since the death of mama, papa and my dear brother Peter, I have been alone. Dropping out of the LaBeau Academy of Fine Arts for Witches has been an awkward yet necessary experience. I no longer correspond with what few friends I had there, and I am lonely. As the headmaster mentioned, I could do with a change of atmosphere. This house is cold and unwelcoming without the tender touch of family, and the headmaster is afraid the charms he placed on the house to erase its visibility to the untrained, and trained, eye, will wear off.
I suppose I could agree to this and put myself through two years of arduous schoolwork under the protection of Albus Dumbledore, the most feared and respected wizard known to man, or I could anticipate an early death by the followers of the Dark Lord.
Dear diary, I wish I was back when life was simpler, and my family were all that mattered to me. I wish I was back in time, when Peter and I would have those ghastly fights about how late I should be staying up to study, and when mama and papa's involvement in the Order of the Phoenix was less straining.
I wish the Dark Lord never emerged, and the Order was never formed. I wish this life was simpler. I wish I felt alive again. I wish someone could make me feel alive again.
I wish Hogwarts will be kind to me.
I know little about this school, except that my parents and brother are - was - alumni. They were all in a house they call Gryffindor, and I expect no less of myself. The school is said to be large, with excellent teachers. It is also said to be safe. Oh, the stories mama and papa used to tell me about their schooling days when I was on break from LaBeau. I only hope to find friends as close, of who can relate to me and help ease my pain.
I will end this for tonight. I have written my letter of acceptance to the headmaster, and if all goes well and I survive the night, I will be going to get my school supplies tomorrow, at Diagon Alley, the same place I visit every year to get my books for LaBeau, with mama and papa.
This year, I go alone.
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Draco Malfoy stood alone in the back of the shop, a sneer distorting his sharp features. He waited until his father had made the deal with the owner, and with a flick of his coat walked out the front door. He did not see the frustrated sigh the owner made as they left, nor did he anticipate what was to happen on his way back to Diagon Alley.
Loud music by the Weird Witches blasted out of a shop selling enchanted muggle record players, and many young witches and wizards flocked to the numerous sweet shops lining the road. He watched them with contempt written on his face and his sneer deepened. He quickly looked away, and turned his body to walk in the opposite direction. This proved to be a mistake as he found himself in the path of a harried looking young witch, who fell upon contact with his study frame.
"You are an idiot." He heard the girl mutter to herself, under her breath, as she stood up and dusted her pants with her hands. She looked up and stared into his eyes, and it seemed as if the both of them could not look away. She broke contact first, and breathlessly uttered a quick apology before picking her bags and owl cage up, and carrying on her way.
Draco stared at her retreating back, wondering what had just happened.
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Dated: The Thirteenth of June, two thousandth and seven.
Dearest, dearest diary,
Today I went to Diagon Alley to buy my schoolbooks and robes for Hogwarts. I had just finished purchasing my lovely new ebony owl I call Hemingway when I felt like I was being watched. Maybe it was the effects of having been alone for the past year, in this cold, lonely house, but I was sure a pair of eyes were boring into my back as I made my way back to the entrance of Diagon Alley to exit the district. Naturally, my paranoia made me constantly watch my back, and this led to me clumsily falling after hitting a boy square on the chest.
Oh, the embarrassment I felt! Especially when I looked into his eyes, dear diary! He had the most amazing eyes I have ever seen, and I felt that I could not look away. Realizing what I must have looked like to this poor bloke, I broke contact and looked away, apologized and got on my way.
I feel this has made me conscious that there is more to life than mourning.
I pray that mama, papa and Peter will be with me when I emerge as a student of this school in two weeks. For now, I bid you adieu.
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Scarlett Lovell finished writing in her diary, and closed the book. She stroked the velvet cover and smiled softly as she thought of her parents. She put the book in the nightstand next to her bed, and walked to Peter's room, staring at the soft bed he had laid in every night.
Oh Peter. If only you knew.
She felt a tear fall down her face and lay down on her brothers' bed, the familiarity of the room lulling her slowly and gently to sleep.
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Two weeks went by without a care in the world. Scarlett stayed at her family's house and took care of Hemingway as if her life depended on it. She was not looking forward to the day where she would have to leave the comfort of the, albeit lonely, home, but the time had come. She had to go.
Packing had not been easy. There were so many things she wanted to bring along, so many memories she was afraid to leave behind in the empty house. She walked around, from room to room, picking up pictures of her family's happier times. She had placed them all in an album, and tucked it protectively in her suitcase. She packed her clothes neatly, and then piled her books into a separate bag. She closed both pieces of luggage and smoothed her skirt down. As an afterthought to her attire, she went to her brother's closet that had remained untouched for one year, and pulled out his favourite hooded jumper. She brought the jumper up to her nose and inhaled deeply. Her brother's cologne had not worn off the jumper, and she smiled at his memory.
Putting the jumper on proved that it was two sizes larger than her, but she did not mind. She fingered the logo on the front of the hoodie - Silverstein. For as long as she could remember, her brother had been a fan of muggle music, and eventually she picked up the habit of listening to music not warbled by witches or wizards. She had found that she liked in particular rock music, and was so inspired by the many guitar' and drum solo's that she had taken up lessons with a muggle to teach her how to play. The lessons proved to be worthwhile, as she had an excellent ear for music, and was a natural on both the guitar and drums. In fact, reminiscing about her days of playing the guitar with her brother had prompted her to pack along an extra item to lull the boring days away - her trusty acoustic.
Who would have thought, a witch playing a muggle instrument? There were so many things about her that was strange, but she did not seem to care.
She left the house with one final glance, and walked away quickly, sticking her wand out to hail the bus she knew would appear.
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Draco Malfoy nodded to his father and crossed the pillar that would take him to Platform 9 and ¾. He looked, with disdain, at the great big train that boasted a maroon overcoat. Steam poured from the front and many students were chatting and laughing, pleased to have seen each other alive after yet another summer break.
Draco was easily found by what could be called his minions, as he never really felt much love towards them yet they seemed to crave his attention. He barely took note of what was being said by the girl who had hounded his nightmares, Pansy Parkinson, who seemed to have fallen in love with him over the years. Grabbing his hand, the girl wheeled him around and moved him towards a carriage, but not before he caught sight of the girl whose eyes had captivated his senses the day she fell over, two weeks before. She looked hesitant and scared, and looking up, she caught his eye. He never broke contact with her until one of the men he hated the most, Harry Potter, seemed to find her just as interesting and lured her up to one of the empty carriages, no doubt to introduce her to the bumbling idiots he called friends.
With all that was said and done, Draco Malfoy moved into the empty carriage Pansy had brought him to, and sat down, all the while thinking another one bites the dust.
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"It's really lovely to meet all of you." Scarlett said, smiling her slow smile. She cast her eyes on every member of the group. "I'm sorry, but I'm really tired. Would you mind if I closed my eyes and took a nap?"
"Not at all!" Harry smiled warmly at her. She smiled wider in return, and dug in her backpack, emerging with a pair of earphones and a music player.
Putting on the earphones, she switched the player on as her favourite song came wafting through her ears, another one of the gentle lullabies that helped her fall asleep.
As she dozed, six pairs of eyes followed her every breath. Harry Potter and his five friends, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom, they were named, and curiosity was etched in their minds.
"Mate, she doesn't look like a first year." Ron said, with a piece of chocolate frog he had bought from the trolley in his hand.
"Well obviously not." Hermione said, slightly harshly. "Apparently you haven't gained anything since your first year here."
"I'm just saying, right?"
"Yes, and I'm just saying…" Hermione and Ron began another one of their usual squabbles, and Harry rolled his eyes at Ginny. To think, they would start, five minutes after coming into contact with one another.
Then again, it was Ron and Hermione, and more wasn't to be expected. Right now, he had other things on his mind, such as the beautiful girl who seemed to be lost, broken and confused. He wondered about her story, and wondered why she looked like she was in perpetual pain. He tore his eyes away from the girl and found himself, instead, staring at a pair of eyes laced in cruelty. The door to their carriage rolled shut with a resounding thud as Draco Malfoy entered, his presence commanding the hatred of even the bickering twosome in the corner.
"Malfoy." He acknowledged coldly. "What do you want?"
"Nothing, scar-head. Who's your new friend?"
"That is none of your concern, ferret-face." As he uttered those words, he heard a soft snort coming from next to him. He turned around to find Scarlett grinning at him, and then at Draco.
"I'm Scarlett Lovell. Oh, and the both of you use such childish insults, it's a wonder how anybody gets hurt."
At the mention of her name, and at the sound of her voice, Draco stalled and stared at her with confusion. He was not used to being spoken to in such playfully sarcastic terms, but he was not about to let down his guard in front of the people he loathed the most, especially if she was friends with them.
"Ah, Lovell was it? Weren't you the ones whose entire family died because they were trying to combat the Dark Lord sometime last year?" He asked maliciously, not enjoying the way her face seemed to crumble, but knowing that it was necessary. "Seems they put up quite a fight, didn't they?" At that, Scarlett stood up and pushed past Draco, moving into the hallway and running down the corridor, bumping into students, until she found an empty carriage she could lock herself into.
"What did you say to her?" Harry yelled, with his wand ready lest it be needed.
"Just the truth, Potty." He walked out without another word, leaving behind him a group of stunned students who were about to watch their lives unfold, that final year, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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Authors Note two: Alrighty! Thats chapter one, for all of you. Review, tell me what you think! xo