"Excuse me! Excuse me. Could you tell me where platform 9 3/4 is?" I asked the man in uniform.
"Platform 9 ¾? Funny one aren't you?" He chuckled and walked away.
"…packed with muggles every year." I heard a red-headed woman complain.
"Muggles?" Oh, yes, that's what Hagrid had called the people who were non-magic. Brushing back black curls, I followed the woman and her children.
"You first, Fred, George, Percy." One by one, the three red-headed boys walked straight into the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. I watched in awe as they went through it.
"Excuse me!" the woman turned to look at me, with her still were two boys and a girl, and a man. "Could you tell me how to… um" I pointed at the wall.
"Get on the platform?" I nodded to her. "It's easy. It's Ginny's first time to Hogwarts as well." the girl smiled at me. "Now, all you have to do is to walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10." I pushed the cart containing my trunk and snowy owl at the barrier. Closing my eyes, I braced myself for collision; instead, I ended up on the other side. A red train loomed ahead. Another man directed me to a car of the train. Stowing my things in an overhead compartment, I took a seat in an empty seat. I saw several people walk by the door to my compartment, then walk away. I recognized no one, but the red-headed twins, Fred and George.
"Looks like you stir up quite a crowd. What's your name?" one of them asked as they sat across from me. I didn't know which was which.
"Andi Black." they exchanged glances and got up. "Where are you going?"
"Unfinished business, places to go..."
"People to see." they shut the door behind them and once again, I was alone. The train gave a jolt as it began to move. The red-headed girl opened the door.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" I smiled as she sat; hopefully she would stay longer then her brothers. "I'm Ginny, by the way."
"I'm Andi Black." she tilted her head to the side. "Are you going to leave?"
"No, why would I do that?" Ginny took off her coat and laid it across the seat.
"Your brothers left after I told them who I am." I twirled a piece of hair around my finger.
"That's Fred and George for you. Wasn't your hair black before?" I looked at the lock of hair I was holding. It was a vivid shade of pink.
"Oh, yes it was. I change my hair all the time. Do you want to see?" Ginny nodded eagerly. I closed my eyes and my hair turned about six different colors.
"Wow, I don't know anyone who can do that. Oh, hi, Hermione." There was a girl in scarlet and gold Hogwarts robes standing in the door.
"Ginny, have you seen Harry or Ron?" Ginny gave her a small 'no'. She sighed and tucked a piece of bushy brown hair behind her ear. "I'm Hermione Granger by the way." She turned to me.
"Andi Black." Hermione stayed and talked with us until we had arrived at Hogwarts.
We waited out side the Great Hall with the other first years until a professor came to greet us. "In a few moments the sorting will begin. The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here, your houses will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, while any rule breaking will lose you points."
"There's not a witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin." Ginny commented darkly. The woman returned and led us into the hall. There were four long tables. I saw Hermione, Fred, and George at the table to our left. The professor stopped us at the front of the room. There was an old hat sitting on a stool in front of us.
"Now when I call your name, you will step forward and sit on the stool and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. Colin Adams." a small pale boy sat on the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" a voice screamed. The table farthest away from us cheered. I looked at Ginny, she pointed at the hat. The hat had talked.
"Andromeda Black." I couldn't move. Ginny gave me a small shove. Slowly I moved for the stool. I noticed my hair beginning to turn purple, as it always did when I was nervous. I turned it back to black as the professor put the hat on my head.
"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin." I whisper begged the hat. The entire hall went silent.
"Not Slytherin, eh? You'd be great there. It's all here in your head." I begged again for anything but Slytherin. "Slytherin!" it shouted.
I bolted upright in my bed. It just wasn't right. The Sorting Hat had put me in Gryffindor. I looked around at my room, at all the Gryffindor hangings. Everything was right again. Looking at the clock I found that I had over slept. It was nearly two o' clock in the morning. Groaning, I got out of my warm bed and blindly tugged on clothes. Stopping only to make sure I matched, I trudged down the stairs to wait for Mr. Weasely. I was going to the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. Being on the Gryffindor Quidditch team since my first year, as chaser, I knew all about the game, but I had never actually watched one. I had always been the one playing. I checked my Hogwarts trunk that had been lying on the floor since last night, to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Olyessia, my snowy owl, fluttered sleepily in her cage next to my firebolt. Five minutes later I heard a small pop and Mr. Weasley stood at the back door. Pulling my sweater on, I followed him into the yard, dragging my trunk along. "How are you tonight, Andi?" he asked quietly.
"Fine, but a little tired." he stopped at a random point in the yard.
"Hold tight to my arm now, make sure you've got a solid hold on your owl." Gripping Olyessia's cage and my broom tightly, I took hold of his arm.
"How are we getting to the Burrow?"
"Apparation." He explained.
"I can't… what?" I was more than a little confused.
"Apparation is how a wizard gets from one place to another quickly. Since you haven't learned how to Apparate yet, I'll have to take you by Side-Along-Apparation. Ready?" After I nodded he turned on the spot and we disappeared. My entire body felt like it was being squeezed through a very small tube. Seconds later we appeared on the lawn of the Burrow. My lungs expanded gratefully. A single light came from the kitchen window. As soon as we entered, I saw Mrs. Weasley already busy with breakfast.
"Andi, dear, it's so good to see you. Have you got all your things?" I nodded. "All of you books and all of your clothes?" Again I nodded. "Happy late birthday, by the way." I had nearly forgotten, yesterday had been my 13th birthday. July 31st, the same day as Harry's. Hermione tiptoed quietly down the stairs followed by Ginny, Harry, and a barley conscious Ron. Harry smiled at me, grogginess broken. I turned slightly pink as I smiled back. Mrs. Weasley sat us all down at the table and didn't let us leave until we had eaten something, no matter how tired we were. Ron had fallen asleep, with his head on the table. This went unnoticed by his mother but not by his older twin brothers, Fred and George. They were taking turns throwing pieces of food into Ron's hair, who slept through it all. The pieces seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. Finally I nudged Ron. His head shot off the table, sending the bits of food flying across the room. More than a few hit Hermione in the face. I choked back laughter as Mrs. Weasley turned to find out why everyone was laughing.
"I don't think Ron will be falling asleep at the table anymore." Harry whispered in my ear. Goose bumps rippled over my body. No matter how many times Hermione pointed it out; I did not have a crush on Harry Potter. Well, maybe a little. Ron was asking where Bill, Charlie, and Percy, his older brothers, were. Mrs. Weasley told them that they'd be Apparating to the field later. Checking his watch one final time before telling us it was time to leave. Swinging the strap of my messenger bag over my head, we all followed Mr. Weasley along a path to a hill. Up ahead, Fred and George were reminiscing the scolding their mother had given them before leaving, Hermione and Ginny walked behind them bursting into fits of giggles when they tried to impersonate their mother. Harry and I were yet another row back, having a contest of who could spin their wands around their fingers the longest. Ron trudged along behind us jumping every time one of our wands emitted sparks.
"I win." Harry said as I dropped my wand in the grass.
"About time Weasley!" a man shouted from a nearby tree. All of us looked around for a clue as to who he was.
"Amos Diggory!" Mr. Weasley shouted back. They shook hands while a boy of about 17 dropped from the tree. "And this must be Cedric?" he asked. The boy nodded and shook Mr. Weasley's hand politely.
"My word, Arthur, are all of these children yours?" He asked taking in all seven of us.
"Good heavens no! Just the red heads, except that one." he said pointing to me. Harry and I looked at him blankly; we hadn't heard any of the conversation. Harry had been testing my hair colors, naming every color he could think of. Mr. Diggory had just happened to land on red.
"How 'bout… this color" he asked pointing to his vivid green eye. He stopped, realizing that he was the only one talking. I stopped also, hair half way between red and green. Once it was black again, we walked towards an ancient boot that was lying on the ground. One by one, everyone got down on the ground until Harry, Hermione and I were the only ones standing.
"Get down!" Mr. Weasley shouted. Sandwiched between the older two, Hermione and I mimicked the others by putting a finger on the boot. "Harry!" Mr. Weasley yelled as a blue light came from the boot. Harry grabbed the boot as it began to spin. I felt a jerk behind my navel as we went soaring through the air. "Let go!"
"What?" Hermione shrieked over the wind. Mr. Weasley repeated his instructions. Letting go of the boot, Ginny, Fred, George, Harry, Hermione, and I all crashed to the ground. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric floated down gently.
"I bet that cleared your sinuses!" Mr. Diggory roared with laughter. We followed him over the hill until we saw an enormous camp site. Parting ways, we walked to a small tent.
"Everyone in!" One by one, we filed into the tent. The tent was about six times larger than it looked. There were three rooms, a kitchen, and a general area.
"I love magic." I heard Harry mutter behind me.
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A/N- Claiming the characters other than Andi and a few others you are yet to meet, is, regrettably, forbidden. However, a person is allowed to dream.