Nana surveyed the crowded station as she fingered her newly dyed hair. Last night she had dyed it as a tribute to her new life that was about to begin. The previously brown and wavy locks were now straightened with a potion and blonde. It was her first time traveling by train; she failed to see the reason behind train transport.
"Why don't they just set up a Floo to the gates or something?" she asked Nick. He smiled distractedly at her. She could tell that he was reminiscing.
"It gives people time to bond. As a first year, you will appreciate it, trust me," he assured her. He gave her his most winning smile, and she felt annoyed at him again.
He is so full of charm lately, I wonder if he has a new girl? She wondered. Nickhun tended to be a player. Nana rarely got to meet the girls; she referred to them as flavours of the month.
Nana pushed her trolley toward the platform labeled as nine. She had been told the previous night by Nick which one to go to. She nervously pushed her cart until it was against the barrier. When there were no muggles watching, Nickhun gave her a slight push. The feeling of going through solid brick was very disturbing on her senses.
The other side was very different from where they had just left. It was full of students pushing trolleys with owls, cats and toads. There were parents tearfully waving goodbye to children, and older students with badges trying to shepherd the younger ones on board the scarlet train.
Nick leaned down and kissed her cheek, "Don't get into too much trouble, but make sure that you aren't a sheep." She reached up and hugged him hard. Since she most likely wouldn't be home for Christmas, this was the last time she would see him until the summer. He squeezed her back, then untangled himself and waved as he gave her a gentle push in the direction of the train. Nana went forward, a bit apprehensive of the journey in front of her.
Off to the side she saw parents with a girl her age arguing. It seemed as though they didn't want her to go. The girl was about to burst into tears. The parents shook their heads and turned and left, without even a wave or hug goodbye.
Nana strode forward confidently. After the display from the Muggle family, for their clothes showed they were clearly that, she decided that she would be strong. No more taking crap from people, no more crying or whining. Nana was going to be strong, and stay as far away from riffraff like that girl as possible.
She walked over to the train away from the other girl, and got on. Nana looked right and left, and decided to go left, towards the back of the train. She passed a compartment that only had one person in it. Without even hesitating, she opened the door and put her trunk overheard.
"I'm Nana," she flashed a brilliantly white smile at the other girl. She looked up from the magazine she was reading.
"Liana," she offered with a small laugh, "excited to be here?" Liana was very pretty. She had green eyes and short black hair. She swept her bangs back to the side, looking like a model as she did so.
"Of course I am, who wouldn't be?" Nana answered confidently. She had taken an extreme liking to the girl when she saw what she was reading. It was Pure Vision, the magazine with stories exclusively on purebloods. Nana herself was an avid reader of it. It had great fashion tips, and they had just released an issue on the upcoming school year. Nana's copy was in her bag. She took it out.
"well, there was a girl I saw from the window, a muggle, whose family seemed less than thrilled that their daughter would be greater than them one day. Did you read the article on Fortunatas' stylist yet?" Liana asked, noticing the magazine in the other girl's hand, "it is positively juicy."
"I just got it, so not yet, but I love how they make a school edition," Nana gushed to her. She sat down on the other seat. Pure Vision wasn't even readable to anyone other than purebloods. They only could be read by subscribers, and you couldn't subscribe unless you were a pureblood. It was a wonderful system.
"Oh, you are a first year, right? And, obviously, a pureblood? I am a third year. Slytherin, as it is the best house." Liana asked with an arrogant expression. Nana was liking the girl more and more. She settled in to the seat opposite her, and got comfortable for the journey.
Just at that moment, the door slid open again. It was a petite girl with hazel eyes and long, honey-brown hair. She pushed the cute glasses up her nose and looked at the two inside.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked nervously. Liana sighed softly and glanced at Nana. When Nana made no objection, Liana waved the new girl in. she walked in with her trunk behind her.
"Hi, my name's Raina," the new girl said brightly. "Ooh, is that the school edition of Pure Vision? I got mine yesterday; I haven't had time to finish reading through it yet though."
Nana was very pleased with the way things were turning out. She had found two pureblood girls to be friends with. Both were pretty and read Vision, it was going to be a great year.
Hara was heartbroken. Her parents had told her that she should stay over for Christmas and Easter. They also said that maybe she could stay at a friend's for the summer. Between the coldness they had been giving her since her letter arrived and those statements, she knew that they would rather her be gone than have to acknowledge that she was a witch. It hurt her, but she resolved to make them come around over the summer.
She pushed her trolley over to the train. Other students were starting to board the train, and she followed a few of them. They seemed to know what they were doing as they took their things to an empty compartment. She stood outside it.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" she asked softly. They looked up at her with interest.
"Are you an ickle?" one of the boys questioned her with interest.
"Am I a what? I'm a first year," she hesitantly answered. That seemed to answer the boy's question as he moved over and patted the empty seat next to him. Hara walked in with her trunk.
"That's what ickles are," he explained as he took her trunk and put it overheard for her. "My name's Quinten, that's Lia, short for Aemilia," he pointed at a girl with long blonde hair, "and Blasius," to the other boy in the compartment. Both of them looked up in acknowledgement.
"Hello," she said with a small wave, "I'm Hara. What year are you?" Hara addressed Quinten with the last bit. She sat down where he had indicated as he closed the compartment door.
"Third years," answered Lia. She was sitting practically on Blasius' lap.
Blasius, who had frowned as Quinten introduced him, said "You can call me Blaze, it is much simpler. My parents, purebloods that they are, had to name me some weird name. I forgot what it means, since no one really calls me by it except for Quint here." Quinten just shrugged as he said it.
Quinten sat down and glared at Lia, "would it kill you to not act like a slut until we actually get to school? We have an ickle with us; don't be so blatant about your private life," he opened his bag and tossed a package at her. "Newest type of Baprig's Broom Polish, it just came out, oh, next week," he flashed her a smile. Lia immediately sat up to catch it. She tore open the package. Holding it up the light, she smiled at Quinten.
"This is awesome!" she squealed, "I didn't expect you to get me it! I thought I was going to have to beg my parents for it, thank you so much!" she came across the compartment and flung her arms around him. Then she settled back on the other side, noticeably farther from Blasius. Lia help it almost reverently in her hands. Quinten had assumed a self satisfied smirk at her reaction. He turned to Hara.
"Lia is a Chaser on the Ravenclaw team," he told her, looking at her clothing, he added, "Did anyone tell you about Quidditch yet? I am assuming that you are a Muggleborn, since you seem to be in a slight state of awe here."
"No, the professor didn't mention that when we went shopping for supplies. She was more interested in my getting a good telescope. I had to sit through a lecture for almost half an hour on the different types. It was horrible. Then we had to rush though Madame Malkins', so I hope my robes fit," she added with a grimace. Professor Ellyria had been very concerned when Hara hadn't shown any interest in the different types.
"You were with Ellyria?' Blasius snorted, "She has to be one of the worst teachers as far as acting like a normal person. She is obsessed with her subject, which, I hope, you could tell was Astronomy."
"Well, Quidditch is the only sport that we have in the Wizarding World," Quinten said, ignoring Blasius' remarks, "you have seven players from each team on the field at a time. You play it on broomsticks. There are three Chasers who try to score goals using a big red ball called the Quaffle. The goals, there are three of them, and the middle one is taller, are guarded by a Keeper. His job is probably the most dangerous, because even though Beaters aren't supposed to hit at them, and the Keeper's team gets a penalty shot, Beaters like to aim the Bludgers at them. Beaters carry clubs, and use them to send Bludgers, medium sized leather balls, at the opposing team. They are pretty nasty, especially Slytherin's. I swear those two are part giant or troll. The final member is the Seeker. The Seeker is the most important member after the Keeper. Their job is to catch the Golden snitch. I," he smiled, "am a pretty damn good Seeker if I do say so myself. The Snitch is small, winged and golden. If you catch the game is over and your team gets one hundred and fifty points. So that team is normally the winner," he finished his explanation and looked at the other two to see if they had anything to add. They shook their hands.
"Pretty good explanation," Blasius added, "but you forgot to mention the best part."
"And what is that? Besides, of course, beating Slytherin for the Cup the last two years?" Lia demanded playfully. She was very proud of winning the Cup.
"Being in the stands with an umbrella while the players get soaked every weekend," Blaze said with a grin. He ducked from the slap that Lia aimed at him. Quinten just shook his head ruefully at their antics.
"So, do you know what House you want to be in yet?"
"I haven't really thought about it, aren't they all good?" she asked nervously. Hara thought that it was safe to assume that Blaze was also in Ravenclaw with the other two. She wasn't even sure what the different houses were.
Lia looked at her in disbelief, "All good? All good? Are you insane? Of course they all aren't. Slytherin isn't smart enough to be in Ravenclaw, Gryffindor are too concerned with their images, and Hufflepuffs just care about 'doing the right thing,'" she scornfully said. Hara bit her lip silently. She hadn't realized that the rivalries between Houses were so big.
Quinten protectively put his arm around her, "don't be so harsh," he scolded Lia, "she's a muggleborn ickle, she doesn't know about the different Houses. Ravenclaw is the best, though," he told Hara with a smile, "since all three of us are in it. It is also the House for the smart people. There's a saying that goes 'there are approximately 1,249 items in the average room that a Ravenclaw could kill you with, including the room itself, and they won't do it. But the Slytherin in the same room only needs a wand and then they'll kill you in.' needless to say, Slytherin is the house for the extremely ambitious. They aren't evil, per say, but they definitely aren't Hufflepuffs. Puffs are loyal to a creepy extent. They will do what's right, even if the outcome is reached a lot slower than if you stepped on a toe. Gryffindors practically need their own castle. They are so egotistical and big headed. I enjoy beating them every year at Quidditch," he gave a satisfied smile.
