Welcome back! Thanks for reading :) Well, chapter 2 is (obviously) up, and our two protagonist meet! :) enjoy!
Disclaimer: The plot is mine...and that's it. Except for my squishy. I own that too :)
The Hogwarts Express had seen its fair share of oddness, but this was the first time it had seen a pure white horse grazing on the student's luggage. The guard stood next to it looking bemused.
"How the...?" he wondered
"Look on the logical side, the horse can't be there. So therefore, it isn't." A voice said from behind him. This explanation seemed to please the guard, who secured a trunk as the horse that wasn't there nibbled his hair in a friendly way.
"Oi! I think you'll find that you're in the wrong compartment. What are you anyway? Some sort of circus freak." Pansy Parkinson demanded of the girl sat in the corner.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you wanted to sit in here. Go ahead. I'm not going to stop you." The girl said staring unblinkingly into Pansy's mud-coloured eyes.
"No. You are going to leave."
The other girl sighed as if she were dealing with a disobedient toddler.
"I don't think I am, and to answer your question: no, I'm not a freak, not from any circus anyone would care to visit."
Pansy took a second look at the occupant of the compartment – tall and thin, her eyes were silver, but what stood out most was her hair. Mostly white it had a single black streak down the centre. At the moment it was pulled into a bun, though it gave the impression of being tamed rather than brushed.
"Trouble, Pansy?" A dark haired boy appeared at Pansy's shoulder.
"Oh, Blaise. This girl won't let me sit in the compartment." Pansy sighed dramatically, leaning heavily on Blaise.
"Excuse me? This girl, has a name if you'd bothered to ask me, and I believe I said you could join me."
"Whatever, let's sit down Pansy." Blaise dropped into a seat, after hesitating briefly Pansy joined him, glaring at the outsider.
"Ah Blaise, Pansy. May we join...who's this?" Another person, another boy had appeared in the doorway, two mountains of flesh behind him.
"Just 'bout to ask Draco" Blaise answered "So...who are you?"
The girl met the eyes if all the coaches occupants briefly.
"Susan Sto-Helit." She offered. "Sixth year, just found out I have magical potential I went to Quirm, I mean Geneva College for young ladies."
"What a coincidence. My cousin goes there, you may know her. Sophia Malfoy?" Draco said.
"Can't say I know the name. However, you all have the advantage of me..."
"Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and Pansy. All in Slytherin." One by one everyone was introduced.
"Really? How thrilling."
"How come you've only just found out you're a witch?" Pansy asked suspiciously
"I'm from a wizarding family, if that's what you mean." Susan replied "My Father wanted me to go to Beauxbatons…I disagreed and purposely failed every exam I took, so he repressed my magic. He was killed in a car accident and the spell wore off, so here I am"
This statement raised a few eyebrows, especially Pansy's
"Why didn't you want to go to Beauxbatons?" She demanded
"I dislike the French cuisine and didn't see why I should have to speak a completely different language all day every day."
Pansy slumped back in her seat, apparently satisfied with Susan's response.
"So which house do you think you'll be in? " Blaise asked leaning forward
"Slytherin." Susan replied immediately
"Best house there is Slytherin." Draco uttered proudly, "All my family's been in it."
Susan's mouth twitched slightly at Draco's obvious family pride.
"Here. Anyone own a horse?" A tall, raven-haired boy asked. "Malfoy...who is this?" he asked coldly as he clocked the inhabitants of the compartment.
"Potter, she can speak for herself, but of course you wouldn't know how to talk to a woman – only mudbloods and Weasels" Draco responded
"Asking to be hexed Malfoy?"
"I'm Susan. Why do you want to know about the horse?" Susan interrupted.
"Neville's toad hopped past it and we can't get through. Harry Potter, by the way."
"How interesting. Here, feed him a couple of these. Not too many mind." Susan tossed over a bag; black and embellished with a skull and crossbones motif it was full of sugar lumps.
"Will do. Thanks, I think..." Staring at the bag, Harry left.
"So, you and him get on like a house on fire do you?" Susan asked Draco airily "Right down to the innocent people running and screaming?"
"Yeah, right down to that." Draco scowled.
A tendril of hair tucked itself behind Susan's ear as she delved into her bag for a book, a thick leather bound tome with a gold embossed title which she carefully hid from the other occupants of the compartment. She curled her legs under her body and settled down to read. Pansy and Blaise seemed deep in conversation while Draco watched Crabbe and Goyle playing Exploding Snap.
"Well, we should, err, go get changed now Susan. I'll show you where we can get into our robes." Pansy broke the silence and gathered together her uniform. Snagging her bag, Susan followed her down the corridor to the girl's restroom, taking stock of the girls leaving in the drab uniform – grey skirt, grey tights and a grey jumper. Susan entered a cubicle, put her bag on the floor and clicked her fingers. The handle of her bag stopped mid-fall, the air was filled with an eerie silence. She left her cubicle and stood in front of the communal full length mirror. Praying that her party trick would work outside Mon Repos she closed her eyes and let an image of the school uniform come to the forefront of her mind. Almost tentatively she opened her eyes.
"Oh I think we can do better than that. A little shorter in the skirt I think, and maybe a better fitting blouse." She blinked and the adjustments to her uniform were complete. She re-entered her cubicle and allowed time to carry on where it had left off as she covered up her birthmark with make-up.
"Susan!" Pansy called "You ready?"
Susan joined Pansy in the walk back to the compartment.
"Sorry I was a bitch before, I guess I just didn't think you might actually be a nice person." Pansy apologised as she opened the door .
"My God, Parkinson apologised! Mark it on the 'amazing things Pansy has done' calendar, Blaise" Draco laughed as Pansy stuck her tongue out at him.
"Yeah, sure thing Draco, seriously Susan, treasure the moment, you will never see it happen again." Blaise commented.
A magically amplified voice rang throughout the train,
"Can the Duchess of Sto-Helit please report to the guard's carriage!"
Susan grabbed her bag and went to the door, turning to say goodbye.
"DUCHESS?" Pansy exclaimed, bringing Crabbe and Goyle back to reality with the shrill note in her voice. "Why the hell didn't you say that before?"
"It doesn't make me a different person. Why should I? See you at the feast." So saying. Susan turned and left.
OMG Susan's a Duchess! Who knew? :L Hope you liked. I can't beg you enough to review. I like reviews. They give me something to wrok with. :) So...PLEASE REVIEW! xx
