Chapter Two: Hanging With The Wrong Crowd
"Where to miss?" said a man at the wheel of a yellow cab. His teeth were decayed and he smelled of chewing tobacco.
"Kings Cross." the man nodded, turned his cab around and began down the road.
The watery sun filled the car as Raven starred out the window, London scenery passing her window. She was dressed in the muggle clothes she had purchased yesterday. A plain white tank-top, black sweater and jeans.
King Cross station was not far from the Leaky Cauldron, Raven was just to lazy to walk. The prospect of lugging a heavy trunk all the way to the station was black. She figured spending a few muggle dollars for a ride there wasn't to bad.
Minutes later the cab pulled up behind a large red truck and the man helped her get the trunk out of the back. She have him a twenty, not knowing if the was enough.
King Cross was loaded with early commuters, shuffling their way to where ever they went in the morning. Raven knew right were she was going and headed toward platform 9 ¾. She waited a moment for a man with a cell phone to his ear to pass before she slid nonchalantly through the barrier.
Platform 9 ¾ was far more busy then the muggle platform. It was teeming with kids of all ages saying there good-byes to parents and aunts and uncles. Raven was fortunate in that category. She didn't have to deal with mushy hugs and teary eyes that accompanied good-byes.
Rolling her trunk forward, Raven weaved between the crowded bodies, muttering apologies for rolling over toes. She pushed aside a trunk left in front of the entrance and hopped onto the train.
Raven entered the closets empty cabin she could find and put her trunk above her head on the golden rack. She sat and looked out the window at a red brick wall for some building she did not know of. She thought about the people on the other side (muggle's no doubt) and wondered if they could sense the magic on the other side. Raven had always liked to think magic was more than just power. But a feeling.
As 11 o'clock ticked closer the train began to fill with chattering students, laughter and yells of excitement echoed down the aisle and into Raven's cabin. She was happy that no one had asked to share with her, but felt her stomach drop when she heard a tap on the door.
"These seats taken?" the boy was tall and awkward looking, with a round nose and red cheeks. He was carrying a potted cactus that looked like it was sprouting whiskers.
"No." she moved her feet off the seat across from her and turned her head to the window.
"Oi guys! Over here!" she let out an annoyed sigh, whishing she would have said they were taken, the last thing she needed was a bunch of rowdy fuckers giving her a head ache.
A second later the boy returned and took the seat closest to the door, two red heads, a light brown head and a black head followed in after him. "Oh, Hello." said the girl with light brown hair.
"Hi." Raven said shortly, not interested in making conversation.
"Um, I'm Hermione Granger. I don't think we've met before." she turned slightly to the dark heard boy sitting next to her, "This is Harry Potter," Raven sat up straighter, "Ginny and Ron Weasley."
"I'm Neville." said the small voice from the door. Raven nodded quickly, not expecting her mission to start so early.
"Raven," she cleared her throat, "I'm Raven Fargo. New student." she gave Hermione Granger her hand and she shook it. "It's nice to meet all of you." she put on the most alluring smile she could muster.
There was a moment a awkward silence.
"So, uh," said Ron Weasley, "Do you know what house your going to be in?" "No. I think I'm to be sorted when I arrive." Raven answered this question with a calm smirk, but on the inside she was screaming.
Shit, Shit, Shit! How am I supposed to make friends with Harry if I'm in Slytherin?
"Just pray your in Gryffindor." said the red head.
"What's wrong with the other houses?" there was a hint of defense in her tone.
"Well, Ravencalw is full of smartass's, and don't get me wrong, I have friends in Ravencalw, but it's true." she shrugged, her bronze hair shining under the sun that came in through the window.
"Hufflepuff?" Raven asked, in a slightly amused way.
"Are you kidding? Full of hounds and jocks." she shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Its pathetic really."
"Slytherin." Harry Potter laughed out. Raven's eyes narrowed at his suggestion.
"Bunch of horny buggers, that lot is." she crossed her arms.
"Don't forget asshole." said Ron, from next to her.
"Preach." answered Ginny. Harry was chucking next to Hermione. Raven was about to intervene when a very plumb witch popped her head inside the cabin, "Anything from the trolley?"
"Well take the lot." said Ron, pulling a handful of Galleons out of his pocket.
"And where did you get that?" asked Ginny, disbelief on her face, "Tell me you didn't rob anyone."
"Of course not." he said handing the money to the Witch, "I saved all my money up over the summer." Ginny snorted.
"Yeah, doing what?" Ron looked up at her from the sweets he had just received and shared a look with her, "You better not have been partnering with Fred and George again, or I'll bloody kill you."
"Buzz off." he grumbled through a mouthful of chocolate frog.
"Aren't you going to get something?" Raven looked from Ron over to Harry, who had a politely puzzled look on his face. She cleared her throat.
"No, I'm not really feeling well," that part was true, here back was aching and her stomach was churning, "I think I'll go change into my robes, though."
Raven stood, grabbing her bag from the overhead bin, and walked down the aisle. She was back two seconds later with a tiny smirk on her face, "Yeah, where is the bathroom?"
"I'll show you, here, this way." chuckled Harry, leading her down the opposite way she had gone.
Raven studied the back of his head closely as she followed him. His hair stuck up in every direction and shone lightly under the lamps. Harry walked with a sort of defense about him, like he was expecting an attack at any moment.
"Here you go," Harry gestured her forward, "Do you need help finding your way back?" he asked with a smirk.
"I think I'll be okay." Raven shut the door behind her with a click and hung her bag on the back of the door.
Her stomach lurched suddenly and she dived for the Lou. Her stomach was empty in the first place so not much was coming out. The back of her throat stung and her eyes watered.
Shit, I can not afford to be sick right now.
Her stomach dry heaved once more before she slid limply down the wall. Raven thought about the cabin and the people she had left inside it. Her new targets. She pictured them happy and laughing with one another, faces rosy and flushed, eyes bright with blissful ignorance.
A feeling came over her she had never felt before then, when she caught a flash of their bodies pale and lifeless, eyes looking up, forever unseeing.
With a last groan, Raven hoisted herself up and over to the mirror. She was almost afraid to look into it. She looked better than she expected.
Her unusually bright blue eyes were a faded gene gray today and she had shallow bruises under her eyes from her lack of a good nights sleep. Her hair hung in thick curtains on each side of her face, slightly covering her left eye. Raven blew air at it, but it just flopped back into its old position.
Decided not to waist anymore time just starring at herself, she rummaged through her back, pulling out a black leather mini skirt she had gotten at a shop in London, a white button up shirt with the Hogwarts crest embroider over the right breast, and her Converse all stars that were falling apart at the seams.
"Look fella's! I do believe we get some fresh meat this year, eh?" Raven didn't even have to turn around to know who was behind her. She had, after all grown up with him the first half of her life.
"And you are?" she said sarcastically. They, after all, had an act to keep up. The only part they weren't faking was there intense dislike for each other. They only managed a few moments of contentment.
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." he smirked crossing his arms, with his to cronies flanking him.
"Mm, well isn't that nice." Raven snorted and turned back to the cabin. She felt Draco come up behind her and whipped around. They were face to face.
"Look's like your hanging with the wrong crowd Fargo." he whispered for just her to hear. Raven pushed him back and tossed him a dirty look, all the while worrying about how much of a problem Draco was going to be.
