Chapter 3: The Expres

A.N: Haha… What am I doing? I shouldn't be writing fanfiction as much as I. I could be doing something productive in class… but I'm not. Consider yourselves lucky.

1938 (still)

August 25th

The next few weeks where the longest of Hermione's life, and that was saying some. She and Tom had read over their course list multiple times, memorizing each little part of it.

"Albus should be here any moment!" Tom whispered excitedly to her. Their relationship was on the mends. She'd made it a point to help him relax, even if she could barely make herself relax.

She was finally beginning to feel safe and confident again. With them leaving this orphanage and going somewhere the others couldn't follow, she felt grateful. It didn't mean she talked anymore or defended like she once had.

But she did stray from her brother's side more than once in the past few weeks. She could tell Tom was silently relieved that she could move without constantly emitting fear. Though, he was worried about his sister and would, without a doubt, be just as (if not more) protective at Hogwarts. Not that she could blame him. She felt protected and safe and sometimes smothered but that was okay because it meant no one could harm her.

Just then, the auburn man appeared on the front steps. Tom and Hermione ran out to greet him.

"Hello Albus." Tom said calmly, if wasn't for the twinkle in his eyes or the fact that she could hear his thoughts sometimes or they weren't best friends, she wouldn't have know he was excited.

"You will address me as Sir or Professor." The only man sighed. Hermione got the impression that he wasn't excited about taking the pair to get their school supplies. Why wouldn't he be excited? It was their first venture into the world they should have lived.

"I have some funds from the school; if you spend it correctly, it should last until you're seventh year, where then, once you come of age, you can get your own job."

Hermione's face scrunched up with dislike. She'd never been one who wanted to get a job, if anything she wanted to stay home and raise a family.

"Is that so we can pay the school back?" She asked with a scowl.

Albus shook his head. "No, we don't need students paying back, we have more than enough without expecting the ones we teach to pay back."

"Then why'd you mention getting a job? What if it was never a dream to work in the professional world?"

"Then you would be a very strange witch, indeed, most stay home until their child is old enough for them to leave with a babysitter. They usually work until they get pregnant and then about a year after the child is born, they return."

She shook her head at his explanation. She didn't think she'd ever understand the world she was about to enter.

As they walked down the street, she realized she felt more confident than she had in a while. Her hair was finally free of any and all grease, the purple bags under eyes were gone, and she could feel freedom pulsing within her. Wait, just waiting, until she could spread her wings and sore.

She had wanted children, but she didn't know if she could handle any. She'd spent years locking her desires away and they were just starting to return. Did she really want to be held down by having to care for another soul? A deep, and possibly disturbing, thought from an almost twelve year old.

They made it to a place, hidden from muggle eyes. "Now, we're going to apparate to Diagonally, since it is an hour or two drive from here." Albus scowled, like he'd had to make the drive before.

"what's apparition?" Tom asked curiously, his tone still smooth with only a tidbit of curiosity colored his tone.

"Its the wizard for of transportation." Albus replied.

"wouldn't it just be easier to take a bus or drive?" Hermione asked with a slow blink. Trying to smother the nervousness and fear that was rising within her.

Tom moved closer to her, sensing her distress, and hugged her comfortingly. He didn't say anything, he rarely said any comforting words in public. The kind gestures were enough to help her calm when she was still aware of the world. When she disappeared into her own world... well, Tom was the only one who could pull her back to the real world.

Albus, or Professor Dumbledore, watched their strange interaction with calculating eyes before softly asking if they would prefer to drive there or apperate.

Tom glanced at his sister before realizing she was through talking for now. He understood enough, that though he couldn't read her mind or wasn't as in tune with his emotions (or those around him), like she could, he knew that she didn't fancy having to cling onto someone who was still a stranger. But, she didn't want to be in a car either.

Which would cause her to be the least uncomfortable? He weighed his choices before coming to a decision. "We'll ride in a car." He finally replied. He hoped he hadn't made the wrong choice. His sister stiffed but didn't contradict him.

Albus looked dejected at having to find a car and then drive. Muggle England was so difficult to navigate. No wizard enjoyed socializing with Muggles, though most tolerated muggleborns and half-blood. None of them really liked half-breeds, but they accepted them easier than they did their nonhuman parents. Even if, legally, the parent had legal rights to be in the wizard world and get all the perks their spouse did.

Albus glanced at the pair. "If I'm not back in an hour," he said slowly, "go back to the orphanage and I'll come get you when I find a car." With that he moved rather quickly away from them and looked for a car.

Hermione glanced at her brother and let out a strangled sigh. Thank you, brother. She thought, that man is a strange one.

Tom snorted at her before pausing and realizing he could understand her thoughts as if she'd spoken aloud. He knew she hadn't be because her jaw hadn't moved nor did her body (save for her breathing).

"How'd you do that?" He asked her.

She stared at him in confusion before her jaw went slack and her eyes widened in shock. Can he understand me?

At Tom's nod of approval, her eyes seemed to wide even more. I don't know, Tom, I really don't. Is this something new?

Again, he nodded. "I would have mentioned at some point if I'd been able to hear your thoughts before. Hmm... We'll have to figure this at. We'll figure it out together."

If you say so. She thought grudgingly. I just hope to get control of this new gift... I hope only you can hear my thoughts. I don't ever want Albus hearing me think.

He looked at her confused but shrugged. "We have about eleven, maybe twelve, days to figure this new... development. But, just to avoid suspicion, you'll need to talk more so I won't seem strange when I talk to you when people can't hear you."

She rolled her eyes at him that probably won't happen, brother, you know I dislike talking in front of strangers. Talking to Albus was just a fluke.

They continued to converse like that for a good thirty minutes more before Albus showed up, excited. "I found a car. We must be going now if we wish to get all your supplies today."

With that, the conversation evaporated. Tom and Hermione climbed into the backseat. They sat close to each other for the two hours ride, neither of the three talking. Hermione wasn't even think talking to Tom. She refused to do so with Albus and she kept her thought annoyingly pette just to make sure the man did have a chance of hearing her thoughts if she accidently projected them to him.

The moment Albus parked the car, the twins were out, looking around excitedly. They half expected to see magic being freely used. The looked crestfallen when they noticed that they weren't in the Wizarding World just yet.

Albus chuckled at their excitement and going into his world. Is was poorly concealed when they were disappointed. After a few seconds, he told them to follow him and led them into the pub that only wizarding folk (or some really unlucky muggles) could see.

The twins gapped as they looked into the pub and then Hermione let out a gasp when Albus revealed the ally. Now, that was what they'd expected. And more.

Magic was in the air and it was impossible to miss, if you were in tune with it. It was a sweet, innocent, thing. Well, for the most part, there was some dark magic mixed into the air, but Hermione couldn't figure out why. She'd have to look into the pure forms of magic. Was some dark by nature, or was it how the magic had been raised? Maybe the child's magic took after their parents, if they were raised around it. Making a mental note to do some research on the matter

She tuned back in just as the old man was beginning a tour of all the Muggle-borns and anyone not familiar with their world.

Hermione raised an elegant eyebrow at the term muggle-born, wondering what a Muggle was and what difference between being a pure-blood, half-blood, and muggle-born. She voiced her question without realizing it and their tour guide's eyes shined as he answered her question.

"A pure-blood, Miss RIddle, is a term used for the ancient families who don't claim to have any sorts of muggle blood in them. A Half-blood is someone who was born, no matter how many generations back, to a pure-blood and a muggle-born. Some argue that if they're the child of two muggle-borns, then they're also considered half-blood because they aren't new to the world and there is at least one generation of magic prior to their birth. A muggle-born, to put it simply, is someone who has no magical lineage in their family." he explained. The muggle-borns looked confused with his explanation, but it answered her question.

She and Tom where probably the only ones who had grasped what the old coot was saying. She made another mental note to look into any kind of terms they may need to be almost up to par with their classmates who were raised in the world.

So, the tour continued. They were told where everything was, where not to go, who not to talk to, and what not to do. They were also told more about Hogwarts. Barely enough to satisfy their curiosity.

The tour concluded at the wizarding bank, Gringotts. They were each taken, four at a time, to get their tuition money payed for by the school. They were all watched like hawks by the other two teachers. Those two names she'd been told and then promptly forgot.

She rolled her eyes as she and Tom were the only two kids left to be taken to the vault. She envied the other kids who were already off getting their school supplies. They'd just wasted an hour waiting. Her cheeks flushed with annoyance as Dumbledore came back and collected them.

As they got into the cart, a rather rough voice shouted something about thieves beware and how they best not have any intentions of stealing.

Shrugging absently, she watched the vaults race by, still a bit annoyed at being saved for last. "here's Hogwarts vault. I shall be right back." Dumbledore announced and climbed out of the cart, leaving the two children with the grumpy looking goblin. He returned a few moments later, holding two small leather bags. He handed the two bags to the children and off they went to the exit. She gazed down at the bag, it felt heavier than she was used to carrying around. She didn't say anything, however, and then they were allowed to wander the allies without supervision.

Hermione glanced at her brother as they walked. "Where are we going first?" she mumbled. "School books, wands, the course books, or the supplies?"

Tom didn't even hesitate. "We should get our wands first." he replied with a smirk. "Then we'll actually be wizards." he sounded excited and the eleven year old male had a bounce to his step.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, because having a wand is what makes us magical beings." she snorted softly.

Nonetheless, they made their way to Ollivander's Wand Shop. An elder man beamed at them as they walked in. "First year students, then?" the man asked cheerfully. "Ladies first, then!" he didn't even give them a chance to reply if they were or were not first years.

"Which is your wand arm, Miss Riddle?" she froze with wide eyes. How did he know her surname? She panicked and glanced at her brother.

"She writes with her left." Tom said, stepping into being her voice. "If that's what you mean."

The man, Ollivander, she assumed looked at Tom with a bit of shock, as if wondering why her brother was talking for her. He shrugged before measuring her arm and gathering some wands for her to try.

He placed a wand in her hand and she glared at it like it had offended her in some way. "Well, give it a flick." the old man said cheerfully. She waved the wand softly and the man was knocked back.

"No, no, no. Definitely not that one." he sighed and promptly took the wand before giving her another one. A warm feeling passed through her as she widened her eyes.

"Not very picky, eh? That's a pretty good wand, Miss Riddle.11 and one third inches, Ash Wood, and a core of a Unicorn's Horn" he grinned.

She shrugged, not really understanding why it mattered what type of wand wood was used or what kind of core it was. She studied the wand. Ivy carvings swirled down the wand. The cravings were painted an interesting black color. It was almost a dark purple color.

While she didn't care about anything the wand meant, she did have to admit it was beautiful. When she came out of her thoughts Tom was still trying to find his wand. After a good ten minutes, he'd finally found it and they payed for their wands.

"That man was weird." hermione mumbled as they made their way to the book store.

Tom didn't reply, he was too focused on taking in the wand designs. Apparently the wand was yew, had a phoenix feather for a core, and was thirteen and a half inches.

It didn't take them much longer to find their course books and pay for them. An hour may have passed between Ollivander's and finishing their shopping. The placed everything gingerly in their trunks and was surprised when they shrank to a small enough size that they could simply slip into their pockets. Quite convenient.

They finished and went to meet their chaperone who was just sitting in the pub, waiting for them.

"All finished, then?" Albus asked cheerfully. "We best be leaving to get back to the orphanage." and with that, they all climbed into the car and went on their way.

September 1

Albus came to pick them up at exactly eight in the morning. Scrambling, they got into their travel clothing and checked to make sure everything was there thrice before they all climbed into the car again.

The drive was torture. They were both excited to see more of the wizarding world, that they could barely contain it.

By the time they arrived, Hermione and Tom had school their expression to look calm and unexcited. After giving them their tickets, Albus bid them farewell and disappeared.

They glanced at each other before shrugging and going to look for platform 9¾. She didn't bother asking about the strange number. It must be some wizard code so Muggles can't see them loading.

As they found nine and ten, she silently wondered how to get to their ride. She narrowed as she saw some particular looking people running into a wall and disappear. Rolling her eyes, she told Tom and off they went. Running into a wall. She half expected for them to crash so she was shocked when she heard a train whistle and opened her eyes.

Shivering at the packed station, the pair made their way to the train. She paled when they couldn't find an empty compartment.

Trusting Tom, she let him judge which one wasn't as full before he lead her over to one with three other people in it. She paled. "Tom…" she whispered miserably. Her brother took no heed and opened the door.

"Hello." he said charmingly. "Would you mind if my twin and I sit with you?" he asked. Hermione peaked around him and saw that they were around their age. Maybe they were first years as well?

"Of course." Came a shrill reply that Hermione almost flinched.

"Great. Thank you, Miss.."

"Black." she said proudly.

"Ah, thank you Miss Black." The duo clambered into the compartment and Hermione just wanted to hide.

The sighed softly as the four began to converse. This would be a rather long ride, wouldn't it?

AN: Heehee... a little bit over 3k words (with the author's note and stuff!) I really should name the chapters something different. Especially since the majority of the chapter was about them in Diagonally and not actually on the train. Hmmm... It should start to represent the chapter contains in a few chapters.

Posted 09/25/14 at 12:22 pm Mountain Standard