Dear Diary,
Today I will be going to Hogwarts for the first time. I would never admit it to Won and the girls, but I am a bit worried. It's not like I'll be freaking out or anything, I'm just...oh, who am I kidding, even if I don't look like I'm scared, I'll be freaking out overtime.
I i finally /i found that countercharm to let me see Draco Malfoy-Parkinson. But Mum had placed a secondary spell. Damn it. So I can't see him except at the Burrow or Malfoy Manor, and heaven knows I'm not going i there /i . And I find it hardly likely that Mum would like me bringing Draco i here /i . Mum doesn't like the Malfoys, and I can't say I blame her. Lucius is as mean as a prodded bull and twice as dangerous. Mum says that he is a follower of You-Know-Who who has escaped from Azkaban. Pity. I'd love to put him back in there. It would be good riddance.
But what Mum just doesn't get is that Draco is different than the other Malfoys. It's not that he's different to look at: as Mum says, he is the mirror image of his father. But Mum thinks he has Lucius's temperament, and he really doesn't. Sure, he used to steal my toys, but he always gave them back if I pretended to get upset. He says that when I cry it makes him feel sad too. Maybe that's why I never cry – I don't like seeing him upset either.
Sevi Granger /i
On Platform 9 ¾ there was a hectic scramble to get on the train. Among the old friends greeting each other, the prefects ordering the rest of the school about, and the professors greeting parents, a tall, dark-haired girl stood next to a trolley. From her carefully blank expression, no one could have guessed at the emotional turmoil going on inside her head.
Sevi looked around.
"Lots of people here, eh?" she said to the mousy-haired boy standing next to her. Compared to his sister's grace and poise, Won looked to be a scruffy wreck. He started when she spoke, and blushed at her obvious amusement.
"Sorry…just…nervous, ya know," he said, his ears a noticeable fuchsia.
Sevi smirked at her brother's discomfort. "Yes, I i know /i ".
They heard a tired voice from behind them. "Sevi, could you refrain from teasing Won until you get on the train, at least? i Really /i , you two." Shaking her head in despair at her children's endless arguing and teasing, Hermione looked down at the two redheads who were laughing at her rather déjà vu irritation.
The other two children in her care were also entering Hogwarts that year. They were kinder versions of Fred and George and had inherited the full extent of the Weasley humour. Emma Weasley-Potter, Ginny's daughter, and her cousin Leanne Weasley-Granger were inseparable. Harry had gone to chase Voldemort thirteen years ago, effectively abandoning his pregnant girlfriend for the 'greater good', as he put it, and Ginny had had to move in with Hermione. Hermione Granger put it down to the fact that, with girls at least, he had never had any sense.
Sevi looked up at the big clock. "We'd better get on the train, Mum," she said. "It's nearly eleven, and we'll need to get seats."
"Good idea. Try and get your own compartment, it'll make it less squashed," advised Hermione.
The two redheads shrieked with excitement, and, after hugging Hermione quickly, darted onto the train. Sevi glared at Won, who got the point and hurried after the younger girls. Sevi looked at them go.
"You'd hardly think that they are in the same year as Won and I to see the way they behave," Sevi said dismissively. "Really, those girls are quite crazy sometimes."
Hermione smiled gently. "You must remember, dear, that they are almost a year younger than you. It's only because they were born just before the cut-off point that they are in your year." Before Sevi could answer, however, Hermione went on briskly.
"Now, Sevi, go and catch up with those crazy girls of yours."
Sevi looked up, and for the first time there was an emotion shown on her face. Not one, but a thousand emotions swirled on her face, darkening and illuminating it at the same time. Hermione smiled and gave her a quick squeeze. "Now, go."
Sevi hugged her mother once and, taking her trunk in one hand, walked to the train and boarded it without looking back.
Sevi found the crazy youngsters and her brother looking dejected. Leanne hurried to explain.
"Oh, Sevi, I'm in the pits of despair, I am, and I don't care about anything no more!" she said began dramatically, "I don't care what house I'm sorted into, or what the professors think of me. " She finished sadly, "Small things like that are of no importance to me any more."
Sevi sighed. "What's going on?" In her speech, Leanne had neglected to mention what was wrong. Apparently, this was intentional. Leanne opened her mouth to elaborate, but Won cut her short.
"The short story is that we don't have a compartment."
Sevi was, understandably, annoyed. She looked around, then into the nearest compartment, which was at the very end of the coach.
"For goodness sakes, this one's got free space! i Really /i , Won." She made to open the door, but Won pulled her back.
"No, Sevi! That's the teacher's lounge!"
center /center
Dumbledore was enjoying himself thoroughly. It was a new beginning, a new year. The school was in fine shape, physically, but the events that had taken place thirteen years ago still hung over the school's reputation like a dark, rain-filled cloud. He watched the new arrivals from the window. There was the Malfoy boy. With love for U all /U being the main priority, Dumbledore had decided to forbid Harry from bringing Ron with him on his journey. Instead, he had forced Harry to bring Draco Malfoy with him, a decision that had been fiercely opposed by both parties. But Dumbledore had had his reasons.
Neither had been heard of for almost ten years. Dumbledore sincerely hoped they had come to an agreement quickly – the quicker they made it, the less pain they would have gone through to get there.
Now, who i was /I that girl? She stood, expressionless, next to the trolley. Her black hair rippled in the wind as she looked around. Next to her, a boy with mousy hair fiddled with anything in reach, clearly nervous. He started, and then said something to her, blushing furiously. She smirked. Then Dumbledore saw an old student of his, Hermione Granger, walk up behind the two of them. They turned to greet her. Behind Hermione there were two redheads jumping up and down with excitement. Just then, Professor McGonagall came to greet him. He turned to talk to her, and was instantly immersed in a long conversation recapping both of their summers. Only once Professor McGonagall had gone to greet Flitwick did Dumbledore turn around. But when he turned back around to look out the window, the family had gone.
center /center
Professor McGonagall looked around, smiling. The train was about to leave, and there were very few people left on the platform. A dark-haired woman…was that Pansy Parkinson? She was hurrying a blond boy (how could a boy look that much like Draco…oh, that's probably Parkinson and Draco's son) and there was Hermione. What was she doing here? She was hastening a dark girl (such an unpleasant looking creature, she had seen her smirk at that poor boy earlier). Yes, that was all that was left of the passengers on the platform. The door opened and that boy she had seen with the dark-haired girl looked in. He blushed to the tips of his ears and, muttering apologies, closed the door. But where had that girl gone? When Professor McGonagall looked back out the window, the girl was gone.
center /center
Dumbledore looked up from the i Quibbler /i to see the door-handle go down, then come back up. He heard a voice saying
"Well, i really /i Won! Would you just prefer to sit around in the corridor? Come i on /i ."
The door opened and the dark-haired girl observed by both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stepped in. She spoke clearly and concisely.
"I am very sorry, sir, but there are no compartments left, and I was wondering if we could sit in those seats." She nodded to four free seats in a corner of the compartment. "If that wouldn't be too much trouble?"
"No trouble at all, my dear." Dumbledore gestured to the seats in question. "Sit right down."
"Thank you, sir," said the girl, and she sat down. The others followed. The two redheaded girls, who were clearly more excitable than the dark-haired one, burst into a flurry of speech.
"We are so terribly sorry-"
"You see, there really was nowhere to sit-"
"And we wouldn't have disturbed you-"
"But Sevi said it was i really /i alright-"
"Girls!" said the girl, Sevi, sharply. "Behave yourselves!"
They quailed under her furious eye. One opened her mouth to speak, but Sevi shut her up with one glance. Then she turned to Dumbledore.
"Oh, I am very sorry, sir. They are very sorry for disturbing you." Her tone changed. " i Aren't you, girls /i ?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Given that it is the first day of term, I see no reason to blame these girls for being, shall we say, a little more i excitable /i , than usual." After a moment, he added: "And what are your names, may I inquire?"
The girl was clearly shocked. "Oh, where have my manners gone! I am Sevi Weasley-Granger. This is my brother," she indicated the boy, "Harry-Ron Weasley-Granger…"
"Better known as Won," Leanne interjected. Sevi glared at her, then resumed her introductions. "This is my younger sister, Leanne Weasley-Granger," she said, pointing at one redhead, "and this is my cousin, Emma Weasley-Potter." She indicated the other redhead. "The girls are better known Gin and Emy."
Professor Dumbledore inclined his head. "And I am Professor Dumbledore, this is Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, Professor Snape…"
But here Dumbledore noticed something change. The atmosphere had been friendly, slightly held back, perhaps, but friendly and warm. Now, it was as if a sudden chill had swept the room. It wasn't hard to figure out where the chill came from.
"How's that i darling /i mother of yours?" inquired Professor Snape.
"Very well, thank you," answered Sevi coolly.
"Oh, really? I hope she appreciates your i kind /i protection of her. I am sure she wouldn't want to know when old friends arrive."
"Depends on what state the i old friend /i last left her in. I think that she might make some exceptions."
"Oh, i really /i ?" said Snape, suddenly wolf-like.
Sevi looked at him, unflinching. "I dare say so."
"Oh, i really /i ?" Snape repeated. Sevi still held his gaze.
"Yes, i really /i ," said Sevi coldly. "And I am not used to people distrusting me."
Before Snape could reply in kind, the door opened. The blond boy that McGonagall had observed on the platform slipped in.
"I'm really sorry Professor, but do you know where we could get some towels?"
Dumbledore, turning to get some towels from the compartment behind him, heard Sevi, suddenly sounding like her eleven years, say:
" i Draco /i ?"
The boy turned like he had been stung and stared at Sevi.
" i Sevi /i ?"
Sevi rose and took a step or two towards him, but Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Here you go, Draco," the Headmaster said, smiling and holding out towels.
Draco smiled. "OK, then, off I go."
Sevi asked, "How about I help you carry those to your compartment?"
Draco grinned and handed her some. "Come on!"
The two left the compartment. Professor McGonagall exclaimed, "What a poisonous girl!"
Leanne hurriedly explained. "She's not usually like that at all! She's just…" Leanne shrugged, "nervous."
McGonagall snorted. "Nervous my foot. That is the singularly most unpleasant creature I have ever met."
"I hate to be forced to agree with you, Minerva, but I do agree with you about Miss Granger. She is quite disagreeable," said Snape smoothly.
Leanne was looking like she might cry, but was distracted by Emma's voice.
"Interesting, isn't it, what she chose to say about our parents, wasn't it? She made it sound like we were sisters!"
"Whatever do you mean?" Professor Flitwick inquired.
Emma explained.
"You see, Sevi is my half-sister, and Won my half-brother. My dad was Ron Weasley, and her dad..." She paused, uncertain. Won rescued her. "Sevi's the only person who knows. She offered to tell me, but I didn't want to know."
Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "So Ron was not Sevi's father? That is very interesting."
A cold voice spoke from the door. "Interesting it may be, Headmaster, but that does not make it any of your business." Sevi, her eyes flashing like lightening, turned her fury onto her siblings and cousin, who looked afraid. When she spoke, it was with an icy coldness that chilled Dumbledore's heart. "And it is none of i your /i business to talk about i my /i father. Draco has room in his compartment, we're going there." She turned back to Dumbledore cooly. "Thank you for giving us a place to stay, but now we must take our leave. As she left, she stopped and turned to Snape.
"And I wouldn't go to the Burrow while I'm gone if I were you. I have placed spells to keep unwelcome visitors out."
"What if I were welcome?" asked Snape smoothly.
That earned him a brief smile from Sevi.
"You won't be," she said, gliding out of the compartment.