A/N: In order to make the ages of my paring a little more compatible, I did what JK Rowling did with Hermione and Angelina, making them almost a year older than most in their year grouping. (Hermione was born in September 1979, whereas Ron and Harry were born in early/mid 1980). Therefore, Elisabeth is nearly twelve at the beginning of her first year.

The sun shone in cheerily through the window of the compartment, illuminating the small figure that was hunched in the corner. Elisabeth Valsan knotted her fingers together nervously, staunchly hoping that no older students would pass and evict her from her makeshift sanctuary. Her tawny owl, Apollina, hooted softly in her cage, eyeing her master with intent. Elisabeth extracted an Owl Nut from her pocket and poked it though the bars. Her mind was already racing unpleasantly, wondering about her first day at Hogwarts, her new classmates, and most distressingly, whether or not any of them would like her.

Like most eleven year old girls, Elisabeth was of a short stature. On first sight, it was immediately noticeable that she was shorter than most, with a wiry, lean frame that seemed to indicate that she could grow taller in a year or two. Her dark hair was knotted into a tight bun at the nape of her neck, a parting gesture from her mother as it did the most awful things when it was out. Mrs Valsan has said that it would do no good to leave such unruly hair to its own devices and look untidy on her first day. Elisabeth agreed with her, and vaguely wondered if she would be able to recreate the bun tomorrow.

Her face was a pleasant one: childish, yet with the promise of developing nicely later on. Large, dark eyes were rimmed by lashes that framed her eyes so thickly that she always seemed to look forlorn, even when she smiled. Her brothers had never particularly kind about her features, likening her to a little doll that her parents had given to her a few years ago.

'You can't play with us, little dolly, you'll break!' Adam, her eldest brother had chided.

'Yes,' agreed Thomas, who was the next in line, 'now go have some tea like a good little girl!'

Elisabeth gave a little groan at the memory. Being the only girl amongst two much older boys was difficult. As a young child, when she was a 'good little girl', her dresses would be soundly ripped, her delicate china cups smashed, and her dolls were dismembered and made to do the most grotesque of things. When she tried to join her brothers, they could easily outrun her, push her and generally show their displeasure at her company in a pretty painful way. It was a war that couldn't have been won as far as she was concerned.

Presently, Adam had left Hogwarts, and was pursuing his studies as an Auror. Thomas was in his last year, and both brothers seemed to not mind Elisabeth in the slightest. To that point, as soon as the pair of siblings had entered the Hogwarts Express, Thomas left Elisabeth to fend for herself. That was fine with her, that is, until she found herself amongst strangers. That was when she had sought refuge in the empty compartment.

The train hissed menacingly, and jerked off from the platform, causing Apollina to shriek, and bat her wings in alarm. Elisabeth dug for another Owl Nut, just as the door of the compartment slid open. A small girl, just about Elisabeth's age came in. The most distinguishing feature about her was her crown of flaming red hair, which she tucked behind her ear as she tugged her trunk to the threshold.

'Anyone sitting here?'

'Oh, no, it's just me,' Elisabeth said nervously.

'Great. I don't want to sit with my brothers. They're being prats again.' She dragged her trunk into the compartment and left briefly to return with a smaller one.

'I'm Lizzie Valsan. You're a first year too?'

'Yeah. My name is Ginny Weasley,' Ginny smiled. She spotted the owl near the trunks, and dropped to her knees, running a finger along the soft feathers of Apollina's head.

'That's Apollina. I got her yesterday in Diagon Alley,' Elisabeth explained excitedly, 'Dad decided I needed an owl for my twelfth birthday this year.'

'I'm a little jealous,' Ginny replied, 'my brother Percy has an owl, but the only other one who has a pet is my other brother Ron. And his is a silly rat.'

'A rat? That's peculiar.'

'Yeah, his name is Scabbers. He's this fat pathetic thing that eats and sleeps all the time,' Ginny laughed, 'Ron tried to teach him tricks one time. Fred and George convinced him that they could liven him up with a potion they'd made. Ron ended up with a desk full of rat droppings when it didn't quite agree with Scabbers.'

Elisabeth giggled. 'How many brothers do you have?'

'Six,' she answered, 'I'm the youngest and the only girl.'

'Woah, and I thought I had it hard with two brothers!'

'It's not as bad as it used to be anymore,' she said, 'my oldest brothers, Charlie and Bill left home. That leaves Percy, who's good at almost everything, Fred and George who like to take the mickey out of everyone and Ron who started Hogwarts last year.'

A smiling lady passed the compartment, with a cart full of goodies. Elisabeth and Ginny hopped off of their seats and both purchased some Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

'My brothers are both older than me as well,' Elisabeth popped a bean in her mouth and grimaced. Grass flavour. 'Adam is the oldest and he's left, and Thomas is in his seventh year. They didn't like me much when I was little but they don't mind me now.'

Ginny nodded, 'Yeah, I'd follow mine to the Quidditch pitch and try to make them play with me. Oh, there's Fred now…'

The compartment door slid open, and a stocky, red haired boy entered. Elisabeth fumbled with a Chocolate Frog wrapper, feeling suddenly uneasy being around an older student.

'Have you seen ickle Ronniekins? Perfect Percy's been looking for him.'

Ginny looked thoughtful for a second. 'No, I haven't.'

'Hmm… Mum and Dad thought that he and Harry got onto the train by themselves. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Harry either.'

Ginny's face had gone almost as red as her hair, and Elisabeth looked at her, mystified. The Chocolate Frog in her hands let out a loud ribbet and took a tremendous jump, slipping through her fingers. Elisabeth squealed and grabbed at it, but to no avail. Ginny's brother, Fred, caught it with a fluid motion as it made for the door.

'Pesky things, those.' Fred remarked, handing it back to her. 'Glad to see my Quidditch skills aren't rusty… should tell Wood I fancy being a Chaser.'

Elisabeth simply stared at him with her mouth slightly ajar. He withdrew from the compartment, leaving both girls looking thoroughly uncomfortable.