The train ride back to Hogwart's school of witchcraft and wizardry was always a little disappointing for Sadie MacOvee, who thought every year that summer would last forever. It wasn't that she particularly enjoyed the summer time, but she really dreaded what followed. In her studies, she was at best, mediocre. Her friends all had something they were good at, Divination, Charms, hexes, even Quidditch. But so far, the only thing Sadie had any talent for was being quiet while others were talking. She had taken to becoming the best listener in the entire school, in hopes that she would learn something. It hadn't worked so far, although she was now the best informed as to the happenings in her fellow student's personal lives.
While day dreaming how she would keep herself entertained this year, a knock came at the door. Sadie got up and opened it and met a small girl fidgeting in the hallway. She was eleven, maybe twelve, with frizzy blonde hair and robes that fit remarkably well to her stick frame. Her big blue eyes were the only things about her that wasn't tiny. When Sadie opened the door, she shrank into herself even more.
"Can I help you?" Sadie asked.
"I got kicked out of my car." The girl said, blushing. " I need somewhere to sit until we get to school and I don't know anybody on the train."
"Oh. You wanna sit in here, then?" Sadie held the door open and set her luggage up in its proper compartment, giving the newcomer room on the seats. The little girl shook with gratitude.
"This is so nice of you. I really wouldn't bother you, except every car I've been to has been full and…"
"Don't mention it." Sadie said, patting the spot next to her. "I was getting lonely anyway."
"Really?"
"No," Sadie giggled. "But I'm still glad to have you."
The little girl sighed and smiled and walked over to sit next to Sadie. When she entered, Sadie noticed that she walked very stiffly, with a limp. She caught Sadie looking and blushed.
"This? I was born with really weak…fibulas. I need braces for support, see?" She rolled up her pant's legs to show off shiny steel supports.
"Why don't you just get some magical aide for that?" Sadie asked. "They can do just about anything, you know. I'm sure someone could fix a little problem like that."
"No, I don't think so." She sat down and changed the subject. "I'm Camilla, what's your name?"
"Sadie."
Camilla Watson was a first year student at Hogwarts. She hadn't been really surprised when she got her letter of acceptance, her entire family was pureblooded magician, but she was so excited about starting school. "I don't really have any friends." She confessed. "We live out in the middle of nowhere and there aren't that many children my age in the village nearby."
"That's ok." Said Sadie. "You'll make lots of friends at Hogwarts."
"You think so?" Her eyes got big and she seemed to grow a little bit, like a turtle extending itself out of its shell.
"Of course. I'll tell you what, as soon as we get to school, I'll introduce you to all of my friends. Most of us are in Ravenclaw, but a couple people are in the other houses, so you'll have someone to sit with, no matter where you're sorted to."
Camilla was stunned to learn that Sadie was a sixth year, ("I'm like a baby compared to you!") but Sadie really wasn't all to phased. She was used to spending time with younger kids, and she got along with them just as well as she did with kids her own age. At family reunions, which she dutifully still attended, she was always the oldest child, so she was inclined to make friends in the sandbox with the toddlers. She had, in her third year, tried to set up a guide service for younger students, only to be shut down for her lack of a license by the janitor, Argus Filch.
"It was the only thing I had thought I would be any good at that year, and they wouldn't let me do it." Camilla laughed.
"You can be my guide anytime." She said.
After a short silence, Sadie said, "Say, by the way. How did you get kicked out of your car anyway?"
"Oh." Camilla turned almost violet with shame. In a voice that Sadie had to strain to hear, she said, "I threw up."
"Is that all?" Sadie rolled her eyes. "You were sitting with a bunch of other first years, weren't you?" Camilla nodded, almost in tears. "Well they were just over-reacting because they don't know the clean-up charm. Really, it's very easy. Even I can do it. I'll teach you when we get to school. But for now, I'll just put this on the floor, and if you feel the need to yark, do it on this, so we don't get any on the carpet." She got a newspaper out of a shelf and spread it out on the floor space between the seats. Camilla drew her breath in sharply.
"Oh no."
"What is it?" Sadie said, alert now and reaching for her wand. "Are you going to be sick?" She looked down at the paper and noticed the headline: Two More Wizarding Families Killed by Anonymous Stalker. In the photograph, detectives and Aurors shook their heads over the grisly paintings of blood on the walls and floors. "Oh. I heard about that. Man, I thought regular serial killers were scary, but this stuff just gives me nightmares. Can you imagine a killer with magic on his side?" Camilla shuddered. Apparently, she could. "They still can't figure out the way he works, and this has been going on for months. The tabloids are saying he's like the next, Dark Lord or something." Camilla snapped out of her state of silent horror to stare skeptically at Sadie.
"You read those?" She said. Sadie looked down, guilty as charged.
"Only because they're usually funny. It's not like I think of them as serious news or anything. I like journalism, even if it's a big joke." She didn't meet Camilla's eyes. The younger girl laughed.
"It's ok, I won't tell anyone. My older brother likes them too."
"Wow, you just ratted out family. I really trust you now." Sadie grinned and leaned back as the silhouette of Hogwarts rose over the dark hills.
"I don't know if I sleep safe with someone like that on the loose." Camilla said.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Sadie put her arm around the bony little shoulders. "We're going to be really good friends." The moons glowed and Sadie wondered if maybe this year wouldn't be so bad.