NB: This is a long one but stick with it!
Chapter Four – The Journey to Hogwarts
Evy Orpington glanced at her trunk as they made their way through the barrier and onto Platform 9 & ¾. She hoped she'd packed everything—on top of it, in a circular cage, was her new Tawny Owl, a brown and stocky creature she'd named Titan. He was a present from her parents, which she had received after leaving Ollivander's.
Evy had waited impatiently for this day to arrive. 1st September.
To keep herself satisfied, she had read her school books. They were very interesting and she was just bursting with excitement with being able to learn all this stuff. But it would be some sort of miracle if she could remember everything from them. Nobody would have learnt them all off by heart, right?
"Do you know who came up with the idea of a concealed platform at King's Cross Station?" asked Alexandra Orpington, as her parents and her brother Gideon followed her through the barrier.
Evy rolled her eyes. "Yes, my great—great—great Grandmother Evangeline Orpington; who was also Minister for Magic. How could you let us forget?"
Gideon laughed, whilst her father said, "Yes, so you're named after one of the greatest. So no pressure for you to do well or anything."
Evy looked at her amused parents crossly whilst Gideon laughed harder. As if she hadn't had enough to work at. Her brother was already rather well liked and good at his class work. Of course he was also well known because of the surname, as will Evy, and that'll make expectations high. Her parents were respected and even feared Aurors. And she comes from a long line of high-ranking Ministry employees, not counting her great—great—great Grandmother who was the Minister for Magic.
So yeah, no pressure.
As they moved further away from the barrier, a scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. It was exactly the same as last year when it was Gideon's first year—the crowd chatted loudly, owls hooted from their many cages, cats of every colour weaved through people's legs. The first few carriages were already packed with students.
Evy turned her head automatically as a young boy pushed his trolley past her, seemingly looking for an empty compartment. She did a double take when she realised it was the boy from Ollivander's. The boy who left as she entered. The boy who Ollivander was curious about. He turned to look at her too, and recognition flashed in his eyes and he smiled instantly.
"Hello," he said to her.
"Hi again," she grinned. Evy looked around. "Are you on your own?" Again?
He nodded.
"Well then, I'm Evy. Evy Orpington," she told him as they continued through the crowd, behind her parents and her brother.
"Nice to meet you—I'm Harry Potter."
Evy stopped dead in her tracks and broke out into a huge grin. That's why I thought he looked familiar! Her parents whipped around in a flash, gasped and stared at him for a couple of seconds.
Harry looked a little uncomfortable, to which Evy stared at her parents in disbelief. How embarrassing.
"Oh Harry, you look just like James," Alexandra told him quietly. "I'm Alexandra, this is my husband Christian, my son Gideon and well you've met Evy."
"Hi Harry, welcome back!" Christian said kindly, as they all shook hands.
"Nice to meet you," Harry said politely as they began moving again down the platform.
"You must forgive us Harry, because we knew your parents well," Alexandra explained. Harry's face lightened, and Evy smiled at this.
"You did?"
"We sure did," Christian. "And we met you when you were a baby, but of course you would not remember."
"Apparently we were best buddies as babies," Evy told Harry, who looked very happy.
"Don't be surprised if our parents adopt you by Christmas," Gideon informed Harry seriously, who looked like nothing could make him happier.
"Where are your Muggle relatives?" asked Alexandra, who looked concerned.
"Oh—well, they...er, just dropped me off at King's Cross Station," he told them. "They're sort of...not very nice..."
Alexandra and Christian looked outraged, but the arrival of a large red-headed family interrupted the conversation.
As Evy's parents greeted Molly Weasley, the twins joined her and Gideon.
"Hello, Evangeline," grinned Fred Weasley, tousling her hair.
"How many times? It's Evy, Frederick," she told him. "Anyway, I, or shall I say we, are going to find a compartment now."
The twins saw her companion. "Want a hand?" asked George Weasley, nodding to their trunks.
"Please," they said gratefully, and the twins lifted their trunks one at a time into a compartment that was not far from where they were standing. The twins went back outside onto the platform whilst Harry and Evy hung out of the window to talk to the group.
"Thanks," Harry told them, as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.
"What's that?" asked George suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightening scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you—?"
"He is," said George. "Why do you think he's with Evy?" He turned to Harry again, "Aren't you Harry Potter?"
"Yes, I am," he said, laughing slightly. Evy rolled her eyes at the twin's gawping at him.
"Anyway, once you're finished staring, where's Ron?" Evy asked them as Harry went a little red beside her.
They started to laugh. "Oh Ron was spotted by Neville Longbottom's grandmother. They're now having a lovely little chat." Evy laughed at this image.
"Brilliant," said Fred. "Neville's going to be in your year, by the way."
George turned to his mother, Mrs Weasley. "Mother?"
She came away from chatting to Christian and Alexandra. "What is it dear?"
"We would like to present Harry Potter," said Fred dramatically, lifting an arm toward him.
"Oh my, are you really, dear?" she asked kindly, as she looked at Evy and Harry hanging out of the window. She turned to Evy's parents. "This is the polite young boy that we met at the station—the one I told you about! Nice to finally meet you Harry dear."
Evy's parents grinned and Harry just smiled. It looked like he was getting used to it now, Evy thought, as she smiled apologetically at him.
Ron and his younger sister Ginny then came into view. "We've finally escaped her," he grumbled, as the twins laughed. Mrs Weasley took out her handkerchief.
"Ron, you've got something on your nose." She grabbed Ron and began rubbing the end of his nose.
"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said George. Ron told him to shut up, but looked up at the sound of Evy's laugh.
"Hullo, Evy," he said to her as she waved back.
"Hey Ron."
Just then Percy strode up into sight, his black robes billowing with a silver, shiny badge on his chest with the letter P on it.
"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the Prefects have got two compartments to themselves—"
"Oh, are you a Prefect, Percy?" said Fred, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said George. "Once—"
"Or twice—"
"A minute—"
"All Summer—"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy.
"Don't listen to them Percy," said Evy sincerely, though grinning at the twins. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you Evangeline." The twins stifled a laugh as Evy's family approached them in the window. The Weasley's began their goodbyes too.
"Well, it's almost eleven," said Christian, as he kissed her head. "Have a good year, all right? We'll miss you!"
"See you sweetheart," said Alexandra, giving her daughter a tight hug. "Have fun! Please write to us. You too, Harry, if you need anything!"
"Have fun kiddo," Christian said to Harry.
"Thanks," Harry told them with a smile on his face. "Bye!"
"Bye mum, dad," Evy said as they retreated from the compartment window. She heard Gideon saying goodbye to their parents outside.
They heard Mrs Weasley. "If I get one more owl telling me you've—you've blown up a toilet or—"
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet. Evy's prone to doing that, isn't she?"
"But great idea though, thanks, mum."
Evy rolled her eyes as Harry laughed at her. "Do you really do that?" he asked, intrigued.
"It's out of my control!"
Gideon then popped his head around the door. "Hey, Evy, Harry, are you both okay if I meet up with Jack and Alan?"
"Yeah, of course!" Evy told him as Harry nodded.
"Right, well I'll see you two at Hogwarts then! Bye."
"Bye!" they chorused.
The door of the compartment slid open again only a second later and in came Ron Weasley. He glanced at Harry, but then turned his head straight back to Evy as if pretending he hadn't looked. He sat down next to her.
"Hi Evy," he said. "And I'm Ron," he said to Harry.
"Hi," he said back, smiling back at another new friend.
"Are you really Harry Potter?"
"No, he's Celestina Warbeck," Evy said sarcastically whilst Harry nodded. "Though with the way you lot are looking at him, he may as well be."
"I thought it might have been one of Fred and George's jokes," Ron told them truthfully.
"Who's Celestina Warbeck?"
A whistle sounded.
The compartment door slid open once again. Speak of the devils though, it was the Weasley twins.
"Guys, we're going down the middle of the train—Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there. Evy, would you like to see?"
"Absolutely not."
"Harry," said George. "We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm George, and this Fred. That was our brother Percy the Prefect you unfortunately met earlier and our sister Ginny is out there too. See you all later, then."
"See you," Evy said, as George winked at her, closing the door and moving down the train.
Then, the three of them heard Ginny's voice. "Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please..."
"Ginny, the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo."
Ron looked very embarrassed whilst Evy laughed. "Well I think it's going to be an interesting year with your return, Harry."
"You really think so?" he asked her, looking a little nervous.
"Well, everybody knows who you are, and what you did." Ron nodded to agree and Evy turned to look at him. "You've still got that black mark on your nose. You should have succumbed to your Mum's handkerchief."
Harry laughed, and the train began to move. Evy saw her parents and Mrs Weasley waving and Ginny running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed; then she fell back and waved. Evy, Ron and Harry ceased waving when they disappeared around a corner.
Evy felt a leap of excitement. She was sad somewhat to leave her family behind, but filled with anticipation as to what lay ahead.
"So have you really got the—you know..." Ron asked Harry feebly. "The scar."
Harry pulled back his fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stared, but then said, "Wicked!" Harry laughed and swivelled around to show Evy next to him. "That's pretty cool, as scars go," she said.
Harry grinned and released his fringe, patting it back down. "So are all your family wizards?" asked Harry to his new friends, finding them just as interesting as they found him.
"Er—yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"Me too," Evy followed on. "We're all wizards. Although most families these days are a mixture of wizards and Muggles. There are not many 'old' wizarding families left anymore."
"So you must know loads of magic already."
Ron shook his head. "Nope. I haven't been taught anything, really. I've just watched and listened to Mum and Dad sometimes, but that's it." Harry nodded, feeling slightly better. "I heard you went to live with Muggles. What are they like?"
"Horrible—well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had wizard brothers—Evy, you've just got the one? And Ron you've got three?"
"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left—Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat."
Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a Prefect, but they couldn't aff— I mean, I got Scabbers instead."
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much. Evy knew that it was a sore subject for him. But the Weasley family do love each other very much, and it's always a wonderful atmosphere in the Burrow—Evy loved going to visit. Evy's family themselves were a bit more better off than the Weasley's, Evy's parents of course being Auror's, but they didn't spend their money lavishly like families like the Malfoy's do. Evy's seen their "home"—a cold, lonely manor—and she would prefer her little cottage or the Burrow any day.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl," Harry said to Ron to try and cheer him up. Evy looked at Harry gratefully. "After all, I'd never had any money in my life until a month ago. I had to wear my cousin Dudley's old clothes and I never got any proper birthday presents." Ron was definitely cheered up.
"This is awful Harry. Why would you be left with them?" Evy asked. "My parents will look into this; this isn't what your parents would have wanted!"
"Thanks Evy. Until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard."
Evy gasped in horror. "What? The Muggles didn't even tell you?"
Harry shook his head. "But like I said, I didn't know anything about my parents or Voldemort for that matter—"
Ron gasped.
"What?" said Harry and Evy in unison.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people—"
Harry saw Evy roll her eyes at Ron. "I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry. "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn ... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
"Oh Harry you won't be," said Evy, patting his arm. "I'm sure none of us will be!"
"There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough," Ron added.
Harry again looked a little better.
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
Harry and Evy leapt to their feet but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. They went out into the corridor as Evy said, "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I was too nervous to eat any breakfast this morning."
"Me too," Harry said. "I never had any money from my aunt and uncle and now that I've got some I'm ready to buy as many Mars Bars as I—"
But the woman didn't have Mars Bars.
"What in Merlin's name are Mars Bars?"
What the trolley did have was Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Jelly Slugs, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life.
Evy laughed at his amazed face. She drew her own money out of her pocket and began deciding what she fancied.
"Evy, put your money away," Harry told her. "I don't want to miss anything so I'm going to get some of everything."
"Are you?" she asked him. "Well at least let me just contribute—"
"No, please, Evy, let me—I've never had anything to share before," Harry said, "Or anyone to share with," he added quietly.
"Oh," Evy said, quietly back, and stared at him for a few seconds whilst he paid for and received his delights. He paid eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts for everything.
Ron laughed as Harry and Evy brought it all back into the compartment, tipping it on to an empty seat.
"Hungry, are you?"
"Starving."
Harry and Evy both helped themselves to a pumpkin pasty. Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef. She hasn't got much time, you know, with five us," he added quickly.
"Help yourself to something Ron," said Harry, gesturing the food between himself and Evy. "I bought some for all of us."
It was a nice feeling for all of them, not just Harry; eating their way through all Harry's cakes, pasties and sweets (the sandwiches lay forgotten). The atmosphere was light between the friends.
"What are these?" Harry asked, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?"
"Would nothing surprise you now?" Evy joked. Harry agreed. "But no, they're not."
"But see what the card is, I'm missing Agrippa," Ron said, forgetting Harry was unfamiliar.
"What?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know—Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect—famous Witches and Wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy. Do you collect them Evy?"
"No, but Gid does," she told him whilst munching on a cauldron cake. "Any I have I give to him."
"I'll have to see if he has any to trade," Ron said thoughtfully.
Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.
"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa—thanks—"
Harry turned over his card and read aloud:
Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.
"He's gone!"
"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her...do you want it? You can start collecting."
Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. Evy laughed a little.
"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."
"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Evy sounded amazed. Ron, with a mouthful of Chocolate Frog, said, "Weird!"
Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry and Evy studied them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans.
"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour—you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."
"And you really believe him?" Evy asked sceptically.
Ron shrugged. "Who knows with those two?" He picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully and bit into a corner. "Bleaaargh—see? Sprouts."
They had a good time eating the Every-Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron and Evy wouldn't touch. "It could be dirt, an earthworm or even a dirty sock..." Evy had warned him, but it turned out to be pepper.
The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills.
There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round—faced boy Harry had passed on Platform 9 & ¾ came in. Evy and Ron recognised him as Neville Longbottom, whose Gran Ron had unfortunately bumped into on the platform. He looked tearful. Evy was used to him looking slightly tearful—he was quite the pathetic and whiny child that she happened to know. Evy's parents have often told her that his parents were brilliant people, though, and she should try her best to be friends with Neville.
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"He'll turn up," said Harry.
"If not, I'm sure he's clever enough to hop off the train and follow us to Hogwarts," Evy told him, half sarcastically but half also trying to cheer him up.
"If not, it'll have a lovely train ride back to London," Ron added, as they suppressed their grins.
"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..." He left.
"If I see him I'll put it into a certain Malfoy's bag," Evy muttered. The boys didn't seem to hear as Ron said, "Don't know why he's so bothered. If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."
The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.
"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."
"Ron, no offense, but nothing will make your rat more interesting," Evy remarked. "I mean, look at it. And anyway, what did your mother say when you began practising magic outside of school?"
Ron rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. "You can't talk, your magic sounds out of control from what Fred and George told me."
Evy sighed and turned to Harry. "They'll never let me live the whole toilet fiasco down." Harry laughed. "Ron, didn't you go to Ollivander's and buy a new wand?"
Ron ignored her. "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway—"
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. Neville the toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Evy. But the girl wasn't listening. She was looking at the wand in Ron's hand.
"Oh, are you doing magic?"
"No, he's playing chess," Evy said, rolling her eyes.
The girl glared at Evy but quickly turned back to Ron. "Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.
"Excuse me, did we invite you in?" Evy asked her. "Ron, don't feel obliged to do anything you don't want to do." Evy wanted to make a point in front of the bossy girl.
But to Evy's surprise, Ron said, "Er—all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.
"What was that?" Evy asked Ron in exasperation. Now he's made himself look like a fool in front of the stuck up girl. Great.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practise and it's all worked for me."
"You know that's not allowed."
The girl again ignored Evy, which was getting slightly on her nerves. "Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course—" Evy's jaw dropped at this. "—I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
She said all this very fast. Harry was relieved to see by Ron and Evy's stunned faces that they hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Evy Orpington," she scowled at the girl who she was really starting to dislike.
"Oh are you?" she said. "I've read about your parents, is it—they fought in the war, didn't they?"
Evy nodded. "They did, yes," she said proudly. Hermione then looked expectantly at Harry. "Harry Potter," he told her.
Here we go.
"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course—I've got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
"Am I?" said Harry, who looked a little dazed. Evy shared a look of sympathy with poor Harry, who looked like he just wanted to be normal and out of the spotlight for a moment.
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione.
"Luckily for everybody, it wasn't," Evy muttered to Harry and Ron. "Honestly, she's been in our world for no more than five minutes and she already sounds like my Grandmother—"
"—Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad...Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"Poor Neville," Evy said in sympathy. "She's definitely going to be a Ravenclaw, with that brain and that awful attitude."
"Well whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell—George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."
"How many times Ronald—why do you trust anything they say?"
"What house is your brother Gideon in Evy?" asked Harry.
"He's in Gryffindor, so hopefully I'll be too. All my family have been, I think, but on my mother's side my cousin Will is in Ravenclaw. My aunty was too, if I remember that correctly."
"What about your brothers Ron?"
"Testy subject to bring up Harry," Evy muttered.
"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again and Harry realised that Evy was right about the subject of his family. "Mum and dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."
"Oh Ron, you haven't got a bad bone in your body," Evy told him.
"That's the house Vol—I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"
"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.
"You know, I think the ends of Scabber's whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. Evy appreciated the gesture. "So what do your oldest brothers do now they've left, anyway?" Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.
"Ooh, did you hear about Gringotts?" Evy asked. "It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles – someone tried to rob a high-security vault. I mean, who the hell would even try?"
Ron nodded. Harry stared. "Really? What happened to them?"
"Nothing that's why it's such big news," said Ron. "They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying 'Voldemort' without worrying.
Evy saw Harry's worried face. "Listen, Harry, don't worry about it—people can't see a shadow or have their dog barking at something at night without them thinking it's Voldemort. The war wasn't very long ago. The fear, my parents tell me, is still very inherent in people after years of living in apprehension."
Harry nodded. It was just paranoia. You-Know-Who didn't break into Gringotts. Harry himself has been told he had managed to stop him and he's gone, right?
"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked. "I know yours of course, Evy, Puddlemere United—you're so lucky to live by where they're based!"
"Er—I don't know any," Harry confessed.
"Well of course you don't," Evy said. "That's got to be one subject Hermione Granger is ignorant on—I bet she didn't read Beating the Bludgers over the summer!"
Ron however looked dumbfounded. "What! Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world—" Evy nodded to agree, and Ron was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money.
Evy took this opportunity to leave and see if she can find her cousins, after not seeing them on the platform. Harry looked up as she got up from her seat, looking a little disappointed that she was leaving. Ron was still in full swing, now taking Harry through the finer points of the game.
"Won't be a minute," Evy told him, and he nodded in return.
She hadn't walked a couple of seconds through the many students down the train when she bumped into the pale boy that is Draco Malfoy, flanked by two chunky bodyguards, looking extremely mean.
"Ah, Evangeline," he greeted her.
Evy rolled her eyes and didn't bother to correct him. "Hello, Malfoy."
"Word is getting around, and apparently you're sharing a compartment with Harry Potter," he told her, his eyes wide with interest.
"Yeah? So?" Evy retorted. Bloody Hermione Granger. Or maybe the twins have been spreading it around.
"Ooh touchy, isn't she boys?" he grinned. "Oh, Orpington, meet Crabbe and Goyle."
"I should have guessed," Evy muttered. Their fathers' are no spring chickens either. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have better company to go and see."
Malfoy nodded. "I'll see you in Slytherin house, then. Let's hope your brother's right about you, shall we?"
The three of them laughed slightly as they walked past Evy. She never let her scowl drop until they were well past her, and she adopted a more worried look about that prospect. "Oh, and you three behave yourselves in my compartment!" She warned, raising her voice at their retreating backs.
"Or what?" he sneered, looking at her with interest. "We're only going to make some new friends, aren't we?" Crabbe and Goyle grunted in response.
"Or I'll set Lee Jordan's tarantula on you," Evy muttered as she headed off to find Ryan, or Will.
After about twenty minutes, she walked back to the compartment. She was informed by Ryan's friends that he was in the Prefect's meeting but she saw Will, who was with Fred, George and Lee. Evy also bumped into Gideon, who was at the far end of the train buying sweets, with his friends Jack and Alan.
Evy entered the compartment to find Ron and Harry on their feet, trying to look brave by the look of it, Scabbers and sweets on the floor and Hermione Granger staring at them disapprovingly.
"What has been going on?" Evy and Hermione both asked them.
Ron picked up Scabbers by his tail. Evy came forward to have a look at the rat. "I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry and Evy, "No—I don't believe it—he's gone back to sleep."
And so he had.
"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked Harry.
"Oh no," Evy groaned. "What's he done?"
Ron explained that Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had came in, insulted them and their families, tried to steal their sweets but Scabbers bit Goyle's finger. Harry then explained his own meeting with him in Diagon Alley over the summer.
"I've heard of his family," Ron said darkly. "You dad works at the Ministry with him, doesn't he Evy? They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. Of course people like my dad and Evy's parents don't believe it. Dad says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."
"Not just Malfoy's parents, but Crabbe and Goyle's, and quite possibly the whole next generation of Slytherins," Evy informed Harry.
Ron turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up front to ask the driver and he says we're nearly there."
"All right," Evy said, annoyed. "Stop being so bossy for five seconds." Nevertheless she opened her trunk slightly at the top and had a rummage around for her robe.
"You haven't been fighting, have you?" Hermione asked them. "You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving now?"
"All right—I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice.
"Children? Behaving childishly? Oh the thought," Evy muttered.
"Well I am excited to get there too, Evy, but there's no reason for everybody to lose their heads," Hermione turned to Ron. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"
Ron glared at her as she left. "Don't say I didn't tell you about it," Evy told him seriously.
It was getting dark now. They could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.
Harry, Ron and Evy took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes over their clothes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his trainers underneath them. Hand—me—downs, thought Evy.
A voice echoed through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage and any animals on the train, it will be taken to the school separately. Also make sure you have changed into your robes."
"Pretty sure," Evy told the air, as Harry snorted. But then Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. Evy looked nervous too—worried about what she was heading towards, her house, lessons, the people. But she smiled warmly at her friends, one old and one new, and knew that they'd stick together.
Harry and Ron crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets whilst Evy put some in her trunk for future midnight snacks. They then joined the crowd thronging the corridor.
The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform.
A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read this mammoth chapter! And thanks for waiting patiently for it too :) I thought I'd stop it here because it's waaaaay too long as it is, but I've almost finished writing the next part so it'll be MUCH less of a wait for the next chapter. Let me know your thoughts, they mean a lot! Ooh, and I don't know if anyone's noticed but Ryan, Evy's cousin, and Percy are in the same year, same house and they're both prefects – I decided to tweak the rules of one girl and one boy from each house to fit with future storylines. :)