Ashlee and I giggled girlishly with glee as Carrie finished telling us that she finally had her first kiss with Brett, her boyfriend, "Shut up!" she complained, throwing an eraser at Ashlee and I. We giggled ever louder, "So, come on, Care, details!" Ashlee demanded, flipping her pitch black hair over her shoulder, her green eyes lighting up and accenting her cocoa brown skin. Carrie giggled as well, her light brown hair falling in front of her chocolate brown eyes and shielding them from view, "Well, it was kind of, nice."

I rolled my eyes, "No duh,"

I felt a stab of pain as Ashlee gave me a fake smile, I knew they hated me, but they were all I had, "My stop's coming up," I said and dropped my eyes, thankful for the excuse to stop talking, I bid them good-bye and I got off the school bus.

I walked up the drive to my house but right before I was about to open the door to my house I heard a crash and froze, taking a deep breath I slowly turned the knob and stepped over the threshold, "Mum?" I called out uncertainly, closing the door behind me.

"GET IN HERE!" My mother bellowed from her room, gulping, I hesitantly walked down the hallway to the right, heading for the room at the end of the hallway, I cautiously opened the door and stuck my head in, "Mum?"

I felt pain spreading through my head as my mother grabbed my hair, pulled me in, and threw me on the floor, "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LATE!" she screamed and slapped me. I threw my arms up to protect my face, "Mum I'm sorry, the bus was late!" I said frantically and scrambled to my feet, "NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" she screamed and whipped her belt across my face.

"Mum, no!" I yelled and sprinted across the room, heading for the door, before I made there I felt a hand close around my throat, she spinned me around and I was met with her unfocused eyes.

"You're not getting away from me that easily, bitch," she hissed in my face, I smelled the alcohol on her breath while she glared at me with her two different colored eyes, I started hyperventilating.

"Aww, is wittle baby Holly scared?"

I whimpered when I saw her hand curl, "I'LL TEACH YOU TO BE SCARED!" Mum yelled and slammed her fist into my right eye socket, stars erupted in my head, before they went away I felt the pressure disappear from my throat, I turned around and saw Mum laying on the floor, passed out from alcoholism.

I ran out of the room and went upstairs, I slammed the door behind me and threw myself on my bed sobbing, I guess I was lucky, though, usually she gets to bringing out knives before she passes out.

A half hour later I got up and walked into my bedroom's adjoining bathroom, I peered into the mirror and gasped, encircling my right eye was a dark ring of purple and a dark shadow of blue covered the left side of my face in a slap mark.

I gingerly touched one of them and winced, I let my hand fall down and walked back into my room, I looked at my Harry Potter book, the first and only book I had ever read, (Yes I haven't read the last six) which was laying on my desk. My grandfather gave it to me, before.

Before. That's what I called it. The time before my dad died, before Mum began drinking, back when I had a happy family. I still remembered the day he had given it to me.

"Gappa!" I screamed, launching my little body at figure that had come into the backyard.

"Ohhh!" He grunted, catching me and spinning me around, laughter bubbled out of my mouth as I shrieked with joy and my parents smiled from the side.

"You tame!" I squealed as he set me down. (A/N: Please keep in mind that this a flashback when Holly is very young and doesn't know how to speak well yet.)

"Well of course I came!" Grandpa chuckled, as though the thought of him not coming was just ridiculous, "our little Holly is turning 5, how could I stay away?"

I giggled as he ruffled my hair.

"Gappa, where my pesent?"

"Present? You mean we're supposed to give people presents on their birthdays!?"

I nodded vigorously, my face forming into a pout, my cheeks puffed out and my mouth pointing downwards, "Gappa," I whined, "you didn't bring me a pesent?"

Grandpa laughed heartily, his piercing blue eyes crinkling up with mirth, "Of course I brought my little Princess a present!"

Excitement suddenly exploded in my body, Grandpa's presents were always the best.

He pulled out a small, rectangular piece of matter from behind his back and handed it to me, grinning widely.

"Book?" I asked in confusion, turning it over and over in my hands, inspecting it, "Gappa why'd you gimme a book?"

My grandpa looked absolutely offended, "A book? Holly this isn't just any old book, this," Grandpa leaned down to my small form, whispering conspiringly, "is a magical book,"

"Magic book?" I asked, excited again.

He nodded, "Yes, but you have to read it all the way through, and remember this-" I leaned in closer, nodding, "-those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

I stared up at my grandpa, wonder in my eyes, "Do you believe in magic Gappa?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. His eyes crinkled a bit "Holly, magic is all around us, it's inside everything, the tree in tree in the park, the creek in the forest, the frog that leaps from bank to bank, and inside everything living thing," he poked my chest, right over where my heart was, "and inside there, inside you,"

"Now, Holly, tell me," Grandpa looked into my eyes, "Do you believe in magic?"

I looked at my grandpa, smile tugging at my mouth, and slowly nodded. I believed him

After that I had been determined to learn to read, just so I could read the book my grandpa had given me and discover the magic.

After my dad died though, after Mum began drinking, Grandpa disappeared, but I never forgot him, I had held onto the book, through all the years it had been my one source of hope, the one thing that made me feel like I could survive.

Sighing, I picked it up fell onto my bed, clutching the book in my hand tightly, I stared up at my bedroom ceiling miserably, a drowsy feeling overcoming me.

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it," I whispered, and thinking about witches, wizards, Hogwarts and Voldemort, I fell into a deep sleep.

"WAKE UP!"

A pillow hit my face as I jerked awake, thinking it was my mother I jumped out of bed, but when I turned around I wasn't met with my mother's livid one blue/ one brown eyes and sleek blonde hair, rather and exited pair of brown eyes and tangled, bushy brown hair. "COME ON!" the girl screeched and scrambled out of the room, I blinked, not believing my eyes I rubbed them vigorously with my hands, but when they fell back to my side, nothing had changed.

I was not in my boring, brown, cramped room at home, instead I was in a cozy, comfortable room with light blue walls and two amazingly soft beds, "COME ON, WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" yelled the same girl's voice from somewhere in the unknown region outside the door.

I cautiously poked my head out, seeing nothing alarming I walked out I went down a hallway, "HURRY UP!" called the girl's voice again, when I saw her she looked strangely familiar although I know that I had never seen her before.

She had bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth,

Wait a minute, what!?

"Holly, Hermione, what are you guys still doing in your pajamas," came a woman's voice from down the hall, "Go and change," I stood rooted to the spot.

This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real

"Holly, come ON!" yelled the so-called Hermione, she grabbed my hand and pulled me back towards the room I woke up in, "Come on, do you think we should wear our new robes? I dunno if the train will be there quickly, hmm, just in case," she decided and pulled on her Hogwarts uniform.

This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real

"Holly aren't you going to put your wand away?" said Hermione, pointing to a dresser on which a beautifully carved wand lay, I picked it up and surveyed it, there were little vines decorated up the side and it was a dark brown. "I wish that you and I could have had similar wands at least," Hermione whined and picked up her own, "Ten a third quarter inches, vine wood, dragon heartstring core, that's mine, yours is thirteen and a half inches, made of ash with a phoenix feather core."

I silently marveled at how she memorized everything word for word.

What!? No! I can't do that because none of this is real! It's all a dream!

She sighed, "Well, we aren't very similar anyway, aren't you putting your robes on?" she asked curiously, pointing at my pajamas, "Err," I said and launched into action, I looked through the dresser very quickly and put on some jeans and a cotton shirt.

"Where are your robes?" Hermione asked when I walked back into the kitchen, "Er, um I think I'll put them on when we're on the train," I said slowly and sat down, making up a plan.

Okay, I'll go along with it, I'll go along with it for now, and when we get to the train station, they'll say it was all a joke and I'll go home, I shuddered with that thought, Or maybe not.

"Now, come on!" Hermione yelled and bounded across the room, she opened a door which led to a driveway and she almost flattened a cat trying to open the door, "My trunk!" she yelled and sprinted back inside and into her room, she came out of the room with two trunks, going as fast as she could weighed down with two heavy trunks, she silently handed me mine, too excited to say anything.

We headed towards Kings Cross Station in complete silence, when we got there however, my p- THE ADULTS bombarded us with reminders to brush and floss everyday and to write them at least once a week. After all that they each gave us bone crushing hugs, the woman kissed Hermione and I on the forehead, "Bye!" she said tearfully when we arrived at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

"Have a good year!" said the man and gave us our trolleys, "You go first," Hermione said, "Umm," I replied, she grinned, "Okay, we'll go together," she said and put a death grip on my hand. I started hyperventilating with fear, but Hermione took no notice, "NOW!" she screamed and pulled me towards the barrier and an amazing speed.

I closed my eyes and waiting for and agonizing crash, but it didn't come, instead, a light breeze passed over me and I felt Hermione let go of my hand, I peeked through one lid and gasped, opening my eyes up fully.

A scarlet steam engine stood opposite Hermione and I, above us was a wrought-iron sign depicting the place as Platform Nine and Three Quarters,

Oh. My. God.

I stood there in breathless amazement, this wasn't a joke, this was REAL, at least that was my last thought before a thin boy with flaming red hair and horn-rimmed glasses crashed into me.

"Oh my god! Are you all right? I'm so sorry, I had no idea that there was anyone there, really," The boy said, Hermione and the boy helped me up and I groaned, "Ow,"

"I really am very sorry, are you all right?" I tried for a smile at him, but I bet it looked more like a grimace, "No, it's all right, I'm fine,"

"Geez Perce, Why're you hurting all the firsties?" said two newcomers we hadn't noticed, Glasses gave them each a dirty look before straightening up and holding his hand out to me and Hermione, "Percy Weasley, at your service."

Hermione and I shared a glance before each in turn shaking his hand, "Hermione Granger,"

"Holly," was all I said, I mean, if this WAS real, what was my last name? Was I Hermione's sister, or was I just a magical friend that was staying over for the night.

The newcomers marched up to us and each held out their hands, "Hello there, jolly good to meet you, I'm Fred Weasley," said the one on the right in a awfully good impression of Percy, "George Weasley," said the one on the left.

"No you're not you imposter you I'M George!"

"So does that mean I'm Fred"

"No wait! I'm really Fred!"

"No I'm Fred!"

"And I'm Gred,"

"My names's Forge,"

"Or are you Gred and I'm Forge?"

"Maybe I'm G-"

"SHUT IT!" I yelled at the two.

The one called Fred(or was it George?) looked positively heartbroken.

"But my love!" he exclaimed, clutching a hand to his heart dramatically, "What did I do to deserve all this heartbreak?"

I giggled, "Come on," I told Hermione and grabbed my trunk, "Oh my dear, why must you hurt me so!?" came one of the twin's voices from behind.

I shook my head and boarded the train, together me and Hermione looked for a free compartment, but halfway through, we got into an argument, "I really want to be in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I don't even want to think about being in Slytherin, it sounds simply awful-"

"Don't worry," I said blandly, "You're Muggleborn, you won't be, all Slytherin gets is Halfbloods and Purebloods,"

Hermione brightened considerably, "Oh, good, I mean, from what I've read about it all it has is dark, terrible wizards and I mean-" she broke off at my look, "Hermione, Merlin was a Slytherin and he was of the greatest wizards ever, there's nothing wrong with Slytherin House. Their students are a bit more ambitious, that's the only difference, and if you're judging all Slytherins because of a select few, go away." I told her darkly and left her standing there with an expression of incredulity on her face.

I went towards the end of the train, looking for a compartment, all I found was a mostly empty one with two boys sitting inside it, one with black, untidy hair and another with fiery red hair and a smudge of dirt on his nose.

Knowing who they were I slid open the door and went inside, "Sorry, er, can I sit here?" I asked timidly, they both nodded and I sat across from Harry, "Harry Potter," he said and held his hand out, I took it and shook, "Holly, er, Granger?" I said.

"Ron Weasley, you're Muggleborn aren't you?" said the boy next to me, "Yes, and your Percy's brother aren't you?" I said, Ron's ears turned red and he nodded, "How do you know Percy?" he mumbled, "He crashed into me," I said.

"Hey Ron, Me and George- My love!" Fred entered and fell to his knees, looking up at me, I laughed and pushed him away, "I'm 11 you pedophile!" Fred got up, "Pedophile! I think not, I will eventually steal your heart!" he proclaimed and turned to Ron, "By the way, me and George are going to the middle of the train, Lee Jordan's got a new tarantula."

After Fred and George left the lunch trolley came and Harry bought all of us cakes and candies and we started feasting, at least, in my opinion we did, I started paying attention to Ron's and Harry's conversation when I heard the word 'magic.'

Hermione opened the compartment door, she almost faltered when she saw me but merely acted like I wasn't there, "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost his, are you sure?" she added when we all shook our heads.

"Hermione, I think I would've noticed if there was a loose toad in here," I said and she blushed furiously.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then," Hermione said to Ron rather bossily, he scowled and at her and started chanting, "Sunshine daisy, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" he said and waved his wand at Scabbers, when nothing happened Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well it's not very good is it? I've only tried a few simple ones myself, but they've all worked for me, for example, Oculus Reparo," she said and pointed her wand at Harry's face, his glasses mended instantly and he blinked in shock, "Go away," grumbled Ron, Hermione huffed and left, slamming the compartment door behind her.

"You know her?" Harry asked, absent-mindedly unwrapping a cauldron cake.

I shrugged, "She's my sister, I think,"

"You think?" Ron asked, "How can you not know?"

I decided not to answer.