Chapter 3

Dad was none too happy that I got a cat but relented after my mother told him that I would pay for all the cats needs and that Binx was to be kept in my room at night. Binx didn't mind my room at all, he slept at the foot of my bed and waited by the door every morning for me to get up. He was an odd sort though. He liked to be put on a leash and taken for a walk at least once a day. It earned some strange looks from people but I didn't care. His leg healed just in time for the ride to Hogwarts; which I was glad about seeing as how he was going to be in his crate for the whole ride.

The night before I was to go to platform 9 3/4 I couldn't sleep from the excitement. I went downstairs to get warm milk. My father's voice was the first to hit my ear.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

"I know Jake."

"That bitch lied to us!"

"She was sixteen year old girl giving birth to a baby. She was afraid."

"I don't care how old she was, Stephanie was not supposed to show any sign of her parent's nonsense. Her mother promised us that she would make sure Steph was a normal girl. That wand was supposed to keep her magic from ever happening."

"Well now it has and we just have to go with it." Said my mother firmly.

"I say we ship her off to that stupid girl. God if I could just remember her name."

"Jake we said we would care for her. We can't mess up that girls life now." said my mother. I had heard all I needed to hear. I crept back upstairs to my room. Binx could sense my restlessness and curled up against my torso. The feeling of his body against mine the heat made me feel sleepy I closed my eyes drifting away trying to forget what I had just heard.

I made my way through the hustle and bustle of Kings Cross station. Marie was right behind me. We made it to plat forms nine and ten.

"You're going to walk through those?" She whispered

"Yep wanna come and see the train?"

"Absolutely!" We clasped hands and sprinted at the wall. My sister and I had never really seen eye to eye. She was the popular kid and I was a geek. It felt great to know that when I needed her most she was there for me when no one else would be.

We made it to the other side and there it was the Hogwarts express in all its glory.

"Wicked." Said my sister nodding her head. There were many other students running about. The whistle blew causing my sister to jump.

"Well this is it." I hugged her. When I let go she was teary eyed, she hated goodbyes.

"You'll write to me right?"

"Every day if you want me to Marie."

"You better get on the train before it leaves without you." She said.

"Bye Marie, and thanks for coming with me." I jumped on the train opening a window. "BYE MARIE." she waved.

"Be safe!" She called. I sat back wondering is this how Harry felt. How could I not be safe the war is over Voldemort is dead.

The door to the compartment opened. A girl quickly came inside shutting the door behind her. She stood there for a second then turned around.

"Sorry." She said fixing her long red hair. "I was hiding from a duel and I thought no one was in here."

"That's okay. You can sit here if you want." She sat down and it clicked. "Hey you're the girl from school. The one who told Vicky to leave me alone."

"Yeah." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Rose, Rose Santana. And you're Stephanie right?"

"Yeah. How do you know my name?"

"You are always the one with the right answers in class." I was a little embarrassed by that.

"I must be a ravenclaw then." I said.

"Only the hat can tell." She said smiling.

"Wait if you're here that means you're a witch too."

"Yeah Mom is a witch dads a muggle. Wonder why it took them so long to get us our letters."

"Well Voldemort destroyed all the records of muggle borns from like 1988 to 1998 so I guess they are catching up." She laughed.

"I guess you know your stuff huh?"

"Sorry I am such a Ravenclaw."

"Nah I asked a question you had the answer. Of course that would explain the older kids. When were you born?"

"October 29, 1994."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen." She looked at me rather confused.

"Uh honey those numbers don't add up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well it's 2013 if you were born in 1994 than you would be 19 and if you were nineteen then I doubt you would have gotten your letter all the kids on the train like us range from the ages of 14-17."

"They lied about my age to." Rose looked at me worried. "I found out that the muggles who have been claiming I am their child were lying. And that my mom was a sixteen year old girl who promised them I wouldn't be able to do magic even though she and my father both can."

"Woah that's crazy."

"So how old am I?" It was meant to be a rhetorical question but Rose was already digging in her bag for something. She pulled out a card of some kind.

"Here give me your hand." I did so. "Catus." a small cut was made on my finger.

"Ouch!" she pressed my finger onto the card. Then mended my finger. The card began to smoke then my picture came into view. "What is this thing?" I asked.

"A wizarding identification card. They used them during the Wizarding War so that the snatchers knew your blood status."

"Why do you have one?"

"They use them now to prove you can drink and what your position in the ministry is."

"Oh wow."

"Now you have one she said handing me the card. It had my photo on it along with my blood status.

"It says I'm a pure blood."

"Cool. I'm not."

"Who cares what blood status you are it doesn't prove anything. Hermione Grangers parents were both muggles and she was considered to be the brightest witch of her age."

There was a knock at the door Rose slid it open.

"Anything from the trolley dears?"

"I will have a pumpkin pasty." Said Rose.

"I'll try a cauldron cake and Bertie Botts ever flavor beans." Paid, the trolley witch went to the next compartment.

"You are so brave." Rose said looking at the jelly beans.

"I'm just hoping I don't get a vomit flavored one." I popped a blue one in my mouth. "OH DEAR GOD." Rose looked horrified.

"What happened?"

"Gross, sour raspberry."

"Dear god by the way you acted I thought you were dying." I began to feel my eyes get heavy. Before I knew it I was on the hill with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Harry!" He hugged me.

"So you're on your way then girl." He said.

"I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS." My friends laughed.

"You're going to love your classes." Said Hermione.

"I'm going to kick ass just like you Hermione. Snape has got another thing coming." Harry and Ron laughed but Hermione just scowled.

"Don't listen to the boys Stephanie. I'm telling you it will only be trouble."

"Oh come on Hermione let her alone." Said Ron.

"You'll do great." Said Harry.

"If I get put into another house you will still talk to me right Harry?"

"Of course love I will always be here when you need me." The train jerked to a stop shaking me out of my dream. Rose caught me before I fell off of the seat.

"You alright?"

"Yeah thanks." I said Straightening myself up. "Time to see just where we belong. Come on Rose." We ran laughing out of the train.