AN: Hello, my lovelies. I have returned. I beg your forgiveness for making you wait this long for a new chapter, but alas, I've been having a very long case of writer's block. Hopefully the length of this chapter will make up for the prolonged absence, but I would like to thank all who've reviewed, and to all who will review in the future. And so, without further ado, I present to you the newest chapter of A Stranger in Your Own Body. Please enjoy.
-Vincent Argeneau
Chapter 10: In for a Penny, In for a Pound
Coline, blushing with embarassment, took her pay card from Ollivander and shuffled out the door with Mrs. Pierson. As the door clicked shut softly behind them, Coline muttered "It was really pretty though." Mrs. Pierson could no longer contain herself at this point, and snorted. The snort was quickly followed by a short period of almost manic laughter. "Coline!" She gasped out, speaking thorough the outburst. "You nearly gave Mr. Ollivander and I both heart attacks! What on earth possesed you to turn his shop into a garden of all things?!" Giggling throughout the whole question, her tone of voice was more facetious than stern.
"I wasn't me." Coline said seriously. "The wand did it. It was like it wanted to do something all on its own." Mrs. Pierson's laughter died slowly, and she sighed qietly. "Coline. I may not know a lot about this world you're getting yourself into, but I do completely understand accidents. If this gift you have is anything like other skills, it takes practice, and determination. Why I still remember the first time I let you help me cook spaghetti. You nearly set all the hamburger on fire." Coline blushed a little, but frowned and glared at Mrs. Pierson. "I was seven years old, Mrs. Pierson. I am quite capable of cooking spaghetti now." Mrs. Pierson chuckled and smiled at the young girl before her. "Yes Coline, you most certainly are. And that is the point I was trying to make. With your new gift, you'll start off fumbling and not sure what your're doing, but eventually you will get the way of it, and your talent will shine through."
Mrs. Pierson's eyes took in the figure of her troublesome ward. Coline was fingering the box that her wand had come in absently, and had a small smile on her face as they made their way out of the magical shopping street. Mrs. Pierson thought that she would definitely have to come back in this direction to get Coline a present for her birthday next year. As the two made their way past the sometimes-there archway and into the back of the leaky cauldron, Mrs. Pierson put her hand on Coline's shoulder and said "I think today went well, don't you?" Coline nodded vigorously, and tighened her grip on the wand box. The pair made their way through the pub, waved at Tom on their way out, and put all of Coline's bags into the Orphanarim's van.
"Now Coline, you know you're going to have to take this directly to yours, Lacey's and Tanya's room, right? It will go directly into that trunk you bought earlier, and nobody is to be the wiser that you went shopping today. Am I understood?" Coline nodded demurely, and mumbled "I don't like that Tanya and Lacey can't know about this though. It isn't fair." "I know, Coline." Mrs. Pierson said symapthetically, "I know."
Once they'd made it back to the Orphanarium, Coline did as Mrs. Pierson had said and squirreled her new things into the trunk, first making sure Lacey and Tanya were not there. After having done so, she sat on her bed a for a moment, then kicked off her trainers and lay down. Her mind was far away trying to grasp all the implications of what had happened in the last day. The sun was beginning to hide its face behind the horizon as she looked out the window, and Coline knew as she drifted to sleep that today was just the beginning of an interesting and potentially complicated new life.
-The Next Morning:
Coline was rudely awakened by her best friends Lacey and Tanya who were shaking her and near jumping on the spot. "Coline! Coline!" They babbled in tandem, rocking her back and forth. "Coline! Wake up! Mrs. Pierson is making a fuss this moring looking for you. You're being phoned by that fancy girl's school you're supposed to go to this autumn." Coline's eyes widened, all thoughts of sleep gone from her mind. "Oh my. Well, turn you around and tell her that I'm on my way, you dummies!" Coline threw her pillow at the two as she scrambled out of bed and began changing.
Coline quickly checked the time, then snatched two small plastic bottles from her nightstand and tapped a couple of blue and white pills into her hand. Tightening the bottles back up and putting them back where they were before, she took the white pills and swallowed them with a small gulp of water from the cup on her nightstand, then tucked the light blue ones under her tongue to let them dissolve. She then scurried off to the loo to do her business and get herself at least somewhat presentable. The raven-haired child quickly ran her fingers through her hair, straightened her hair band so the bow was at the nape of her neck, and hurried out to meet Mrs. Pierson.
As soon as she'd left the safety of her room, Coline was immediately snatched up at the elbow by Sister Sarah. "Come come, dearie, not much time to be had this morning it seems." Coline adjusted her pace so she wouldn't be dragged by the sister to their destination. After a minute, they reached Mrs. Pierson's office and Sister Sarah knocked on the door quietly. Mrs. Pierson looked up from the notes she was writing, the phone tucked into the nook between her shoulder and pressed against her jawline. She raised her hand, pen still between her first and second fingers and motioned Coline to sit in the seat opposite her.
"...yes, she just came in. Yes, I understand. I apologize for the wait. Here she is." Mrs. Pierson held her hand to the mouthpiece of the phone and whispered "This is the head of admissions, Coline. She's going to talk to you about mail-in courses. Since you won't be going there physically, I figured you might want to still get your courses and diploma from Woldingham's. It can be a good cover story for when you head off. Make sure you're polite, and respectful."
Coline took the phone and talked with the admissions department of Woldingham's for over an hour. They discussed average scores of those who participate in mail-in courses versus those of girls who attend in person. The benchmark requirements for passing each grade were also discussed, along with graduation requirements. The last thing Coline was told was that if she should fail to turn in assignments and coursework in on time, she would be up for review on whether she would be able to continue in this program. Coline thanked the woman for her time and for the opportunity to still attend Woldingham's. Once she'd given the phone back to Mrs. Pierson, the venerable woman waved her out of the office with a smile and a reminder to come see her in the afternoon.
Coline moved out quick as a rabbit, on her way to the kitchen to see what there was leftover for breakfast. Turns out on of the sisters had left her a plate in the microwave, and even better, it was still warm. Coline ate quickly then went off for a much deserved shower.
****Time Skip: 1 month****
Coline'd had a very productive month, if she did say so herself. She'd gotten almost a year's worth of medication from her physician, who'd told her to strictly follow the dosage increases for the following school year, as she would be properly entering puberty soon, and the influx of hormones would be controlled by a proper amount of medication. She'd also read the first few chapters of each of her school books, Woldingham's and Hogwarts alike. Of course, she still played outside with Lacey and Tanya, but with the amount of coursework she was going to have this coming year, she knew she had better get ahead while she could.
Coline and Mrs. Pierson had made a final trip to Diagon Alley once they had realized something very obvious. They would need owls to communicate properly. They purchased two male snowy owls that they'd named Romulus and Remus. The other children were ecstatic about the pet, especially as they were to be the caretakers of Romulus. Coline would be taking Remus to school with her so she could send her assignments and letters to the Orphanarium in a timely fashion. They'd determined that the assignments for Woldingham's should be sent from the Orphanarium so as not to arouse suspicion from the school.
And all of these accomplishments blurred together for Coline until she was staring wide-eyed at the divider between platforms 9 and 10, a trolley laden with her trunk in front of her and a ticket clutched tightly in her hand. Coline's eyes flickered between the signs for platforms 9 and 10, then her lips tightened into a scowl. She had fifteen minutes by her watch to get to the platform, and it seemed that someone had decided to either play a prank on her, or had neglected their duty to let her know about how to reach platform 9 3/4. As she sat on her trunk in between the two platforms, two voices called out in her direction at the same time.
"Oi, midget!" Coline turned her head incredulously, and a group of seven redheads made themselves known as they waved at her. Two of the boys, twins by the look, called out again in stereo. "Oi, you! You're in the way of the platform, you!" The frumpy woman that had a hold of a little girl only a year younger than Coline glared at the back of the brothers' heads and slapped them softly while whispering "Fred, George, quiet. The muggles don't know about the hidden platform, remember?" "Right mum." Said one, as the other mumbled "Sorry mum."
The middle-aged woman walked up to Coline and said kindly "is it your first year at Hogwarts, dear?" Coline nodded absently, and looked around at the veritable sea of gingers in front of her. Confused, Coline blurted out "Are these all your children?" The previously named Fred and George bellowed with laughter, and the younger boy smiled widely, trying to hide his laughter. Coline's hand went to her mouth, horrified of what she'd just said, and she opened her mouth to apologize when the twins, laughing manically, leapt forward and twirled Coline's trolley around while she was still on her trunk. "We like this one, mum! We'll show her the way!" They hollered while Coline did her best to remain on top of the trunk.
Coline's attempts were abruptly cut off as the trolley jerked forward suddenly. Coline saw the wall approaching quickly and screwed her eyes shut, preparing for impact. She briefly heard the older woman's voice yelling "...red, George, don't you dare...", before her trolley stopped and she cautiously opened her eyes. In front of her was a scarlet behemoth of a steam train. Coline's mouth was slowly opening and a slight curve at the left could be seen as she involuntarily smiled in awe. Then the entire sight was ruined as her kidnappers shoved their way into her vision.
"Well midget, nice to meet you. We're Fred and George Weasley. It's been fun, but we'd best be off before mum makes her way through. Ta!" With that and a lazy salute, the twins disappeared into the throng of people as if by magic. An irate voice from behind her caused Coline to hop down and turn around to grab her trolley. "...ose two ingrates. Shoving an innocent little girl through the gatway." Mrs. Weasley made her way over to Coline and grabbed her by the chin, looking into her eyes, then feeling along her neck for a couple seconds and wiping a small droplet of sweat from Coline's face with a small handkerchief.
"A wonder they didn't cause a heart attack in you, sweetie. Are you alright? Those two boys wouldn't know proper decorum if it pranced naked in front of them. Sorry dear, those are Fred and George. They're coming on their third year at Hogwarts. You must be a first year though. So is my Ronnie. Ronald, come out and say hello." Th youngest male Weasley poked his head out and gave a half-hearted wave to Coline. "Hullo." He said quietly. The middle-aged man and the oldest boy took off, leaving Mrs. Weasley and young girl and boy with Coline.
"Lets get you two up onto the train, then. If you see Fred and George, Ronald, let them know they'll be recieving a couple of pointed letters from your father and I." Coline was flabbergasted by how this family had just swept her up in their wake as they'd come through the portal she'd not even known existed. Coline was tucked down in a compartment with her trunk safely stored away in the overhang before her haze of confusion was abruptly banished by the sound of a piercing whistle from the train. Coline felt a lurch, and she looked out the window to where the boy Ronald was waving out toward his family. She watched them as the tain pulled away, but a pillar briefly obscured her sight, and once they had passed it, the three remaining redheads had disappeared.
As she got comfortable in the compartment, Coline finally turned to regard Ronald Weasley. He was slightly gangly, as most young boys were, had fiery red hair that reached just below the tips of his ears, a slightly wide mouth, and bright blue eyes. Now that she had a queit monent to take in his entire apperance, he was wearing some pretty worn clothing. The type that most of the kids at the Orphanarium wore. After taking in the boy in front of her, she stated in an incredulous voice "Your mum is quite the woman, isn't she?" Ron gave a short laugh, sighing as he said "Yeah, that's putting it a bit light, isn't it?"
Coline and Ron made light talk for a while as the train chugged its way along. After a couple of hours, the two children had fallen into a comfortable silence and Colien had pulled a mobile dinner tray, a couple of her Woldingham text books, a pencil, and a green biro out of her trunk and began doing some of her coursework so she could get some of her first week's assignments out of the way. As Coline was beginning an essay on the first act of Romeo and Juliet she was to have finished reading by mid-October, a knock came on the compartment door.
Putting aside her work, Coline opened the door and an elderly lady smiled at her. "Anything off the trolley, dear?" She asked kindly. Coline blinked a couple times, then looked at the trolley the old woman was pushing. Her stomach grumbled a little bit, and she nodded. "Hey Ron. You want anything off the snack trolley? I'll buy if you don't have the money." Ron nodded excitedly and pointed at the confection called 'Chocolate Frogs'. "I'll have a couple of those if you don't mind. And some pumpkin juice is she has any."
Coline looked at the trolley and, yes, it looked like there was pumpkin juice. Are there any sandwiches and crisps?" Coline asked. The lady smiled and got their orders for them. "Oh, and some apple or orange juice if you have it." The woman nodded, and Coline got out a few sickles to pay the lady with. Handing Ron his chocolate and juice, Coline sat down with her roast beef sandwiches and her small bag of crisps. Shaking the glass bottle her orange juice was in, she opened it and took a small sip, then put the rubber cap back on. Coline then dug in to her sandwiches and crisps while she continued her work.
About twenty minutes had passed and Coline and Ron were both finished with their meals – Ron had pulled out a few corned beef sandwiches his mum had packed him – when there was another knock on their compartment's door. Opening the door again, Coline was greeted by a young girl, her age, with very bushy brown hair, and a young boy, also her age, with straight but rumpled brown hair and a concerned look on his face. "Hello," the girl said. "My name is Hermione Granger, and this is Neville Longbottom." Coline giggled at the boy's last name a bit, and he gave a small chuckle himself. "We're looking for a toad. Neville's absconded from his pocket, so we're going door to door to see if it managed to get into another compartment."
Looking around, Coline said "I don't think so, but you're welcome to look if you want. I've no idea where a toad might hide in a train. Do you think one of the older students might be able to Summon him if you asked them? I'm Coline, by the way. Coline Potter." Neville put his face into his hands as if embarassed he hadn't thought of that, and Hermione cocked her head to the side, thinking. "Well, that might work well, assuming he's not locked inside something like the loo. Thanks a lot, Coline." Then time seemed to stop for a moment as the three finally registered Coline's name.
Neville squeaked and pointed at Coline, eyes narrowed and jaw agape. Hermione studied Coline as if she were a puzzle, and Ron almost fell out of his seat. Coline blinked, then ran her eyes across the three other students. "What. Is the Summoning charm not used as much as the text book says it is? If so, I sorry for suggesting it." Hermione shook her head. "Neville, why don't you go find an older student to summon Trevor? Then come back here. I think this might be an interesting conversation. May I come in and sit with you two?" Coline and Ron nodded, and Hermione went to fetch her trunk.
A few minutes later, Hermione and Neville were both back, toting their luggage, and Neville grasping a toad in his left hand. After helping the two with their trunks, Coline put her work away, feeling like she wasn't going to be getting any more of her essay finished. Then, she pulled out her school robes and clothes to put on once the day got a little later. After doing the same, Hermione sat down opposite Coline in between Ron and Neville. "So, Coline I'm sure you're wondering about our reactions when you told us your name?" Coline nodded sightly. "Well, this year there's supposed to be a boy names Harry Potter attending Hogwarts. He was credited with the defeat of an evil wizard named..." Ron and Neville shushed her and Ron interrupted. "We call him You-Know-Who. Nobody says his name except Dumbledore. It's just not done."
Coline was intrigued at this, especially since she'd been inan Orphanage since she could remember. "Go on, Hermione." She said, her eyes boring into the chocolate brown orbs of the other girl. "W..well, apparently, according to Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Evens of the Twentieth Cenury, he survived what's known in the Wizarding world as the Killing Curse. Interestingly, the incantation for that is Avada Ke..." "Stop! Don't say that! Unforgivable, that curse is." Ron shouted. Hermione loked at Ron, irritated at having ben interrupted again. "I was just going to say that it was ineresting that the muggles have a stereotypical magic phrase that was similar. It's abra kadabra." Ron flinched at those words. "Too similar, that is. Way to close."
Coline snorted at all this information. But she didn't laugh. Because while the story wasn't plausible, they knew her birth name. And that was disturbing. Well, lets see what they make of this. Coline looked at the bickering pre-teens, and cleared her throat. "Well, it's very strange how you three seem to know more about my history than I do." Ron and Neville blinked, but Hermione, without skipping a beat, said "Your history? What do you mean your history? You're a girl. Harry Potter is a boy. In any case, Harry Potter has a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forhead. You obviously don't ha..." Hermione trailed off as Coline moved her hair to the side, and while not breaking eye contact with Hermione, licked her thumb and wiped away the concealer that hid he scar from view.
Ron made a strangled sound of confusion while Neville thumped him on the back, trying to get him breathing again. Hermione, meanwhile, narowed her eyes, mounth open slightly as her gaze flickered between the scar and Coline's eyes. For a couple of minutes, nobody said anyhing, and Coline wondered how the wizarding world could know about her scar when she'd been in the Orphanarium since she was a baby. "So," Coline broke the ice. "I'm sure you all have some questions about this. Ask away, and I'll be honest."
Hermione took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but Ron once again cut her off. "But Harry Potter's a boy. You're a girl." Hermione closed her mouth. "Yes, Ron. Hermione already pointed that out." Coline said slowly and deliberately, as if to a child. "Next question?" Coline pointed to Hermione. Hermione made a gesture, as if to say 'come back to me'. "Neville? Any questions?" Neville shook his head warily, keeping his eyes on the scar like it was a snake.
Coline let Hermione think for a bit, then waved a hand infront of her absent gaze. Snapping out of it, Hermione said "So you're Harry Potter." Coline nodded. "But you're a girl." Coline nodded again, amused. "And you've always been a girl?" "No." Coline said. Hermione's face took on a look that said 'ah', and a faintly smug look over came her features. Ron and Neville blinked a couple times in confusion. "So your transgender?" Hermione said. "Yes." Coline affirmed. "And so you take the hormone pills and such?" Coline nodded again. "And how long have you been taking the hormones?" Hermione asked. In the background, Ron and Neville looked over Hermione's shoulders and mouthed 'hormones?' to each other.
"Whazz a whore mone?" Ron asked. "A hormone, Ron." Coline chided. "They're chemicals that everyone's bodies make, and they're different in boys and girls. Girls produce a hormone called Estrogen, and boys create one called Testosterone. In my case, I've been on them since age 9, Hermione." Ron scratched his head. "Well, why d'you have to take a hormone potion if you alread y produce the thing?" Hermione replied "Because Coline... Harry..." Hermione looked over to Coline questioningly. "Coline. Coline Gael Potter." Coline replied quickly. "Right." Hermione nodded. "Coline wasn't born a girl. She was born a boy. Coline is what muggles refer to as transgender. Its a thing where a person considers themselves alligned to the gender they weren't born into. Like is I thought I was a boy, or if you thought you were a girl, Ron."
Ron's face scrunched up, like he was thinking pretty hard. "So..." the trailed off. Coline leaned forward expectantly, eyebrows arched in warning. "You're a girl." Coline nodded slowly. "But... you've got a willy?" Hermione's face took on a look of feminine outrage. "Ronald! You can't just ask..." "It's fine Hermione." Coline interrupted, giggling. "Yes, Ronald. I am a girl, but I stil have a penis." Neville in the corner was looking thouroughly uncomfortable with the conversation. "Once I reach my majority, I'll be eligible for an elective procedure where they take my penis and make it into a vagina." Ron turned a little green at that thought, and Hermione loked like she wanted to drub him on the shoulder for being a prat.
Neville Longbottom was looking at Coine like she was an alien. Now, Neville considered himself a fairly acceping person. Muggeborns, purebloods, goblins, various sentient plants. All these things he'd encountered and accepted, but this was something he couldn't understand. "So, you're pretending to be a girl? Because I'm pretty sure you can't have babies. Even if the muggles do chop you up into looking like a girl, you'd still be a boy." There was no malicious intent in the statement. Just genuine curiosity. Hermione though, looked apalled.
"Nev..." She started. "No, Neville." coline interrupted again. "I'm not pretending. Imagine if you were transfigured into a dog. You know you're a boy. A human. But you have the body of a dog. Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?" Neville nodded, beginning to understand. Ron 'ahh'ed. "Okay. So its like you're a what was transfigured into a boy." Coline nodded, satisfied they both understood. "The surgery," she started "is so my body feels more like my brain knows it should. No, I won't be able to have babies naturally, but maybe some time in the future that could change. The sciences of organ transplants and body modifications are still in their early days, after all."
There was an awkward silence for a while, and just to keep heself from geting nervous aroun the three who might be her first new friends, she pulled her tray, textbook, and wriing supplies back out and began to pulled out a book, tucked her legs up underneath herself next to Coline, and started reading. The four spent the next couple hours in silence, broken only by the occasional yawn from one of the boys, or a hum from Hermione as she read something interesting in her book. After two hours though, there came a knock at the door of the compartment again. A voice called through saying "We'll be arriving at Hogwarts shortly, please change into your school clothing and put away any supplies you have out." Then then heard a knocking at the next door down the corridor.
Hermione glared at the two boys, then looked over at Coline warily. Turning back to Ron and Neville, Hermione pointed at them and said "Boys, out." Coline put her supplies away and began untying her trainers so she could get her socks off. Ron and Neville gaped for a moment, then hurried to get out the door. Turning to Coline, Hermione said "Do you want to change alone?" Coline shook her head dismissively. "I change around my roommates Lacey and Tanya every morning and every evening. You've got nothing I haven't seen before." Hermione flushed at that, and Coline added "I can change in the loo if you feel uncomfortable though." Hermione shook her head frantically. She didn't want to unnerve perhaps the first friend she'd ever really had.
So they both changed in silence. Hermione quickly, Coline leisurely. The advantage of sharing a room and having to change in front of people regularly was you became numb to the act of being temporarily nude in front of others. And it wasn't like she was taking a shower with Hermione. Her panties were still on. No need for a bra yet. Hermione snuck a couple of glances toward Coline, and other than the obvious bulge in the front – which caused a furious blush to appear on her face – Hermione could see no real difference between Coline's body and hers. Coline finished dressing, sitting down to tie her slightly heeled dress shoes, then tied the plain black tie and tucked it into the vest she was wearing. As she shrugged on her robes, Hermione called out "You can come back in!" Ron and Neville scurried back in, pulled their robes and clothes out of their trunks, then headed off to a different loo each.
Coline shook her head after them. "They could have just asked us to stand outside. Why'd they have to go to the loo?" She asked Hermione. The brunette shrugged and said "Boy thing, maybe?" Coline tilted her head and shrugged, letting it go. A couple minutes later, changed and packed, the four children felt the train slowing. "We must be going very quickly for them to begin slowing so soon." Hermione said absently. Coline nodded slightly, looking out the window. The village of Hogsmeade was fast approaching.
As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station, an female voice came over the speakers telling the students to leave their trunks on the train, and to calmly disembark in an orderly fashion. The first years were corralled over to one side of the station while the rest of the studentsgot into carriages that once full, took off of without any visible means of propulsion. There were no horses or other animals pulling it, so Coline figured it was some form of magic. Just then a booming, gravelly voice rang out from the shore of the lake where a small fleet of row boatswere bobbing calmly.
"Firs' years this way! Firs' years ter the boats! Firs' years over here!" After the group of around 40 children congregated around a wide, towering figure, they were lead by the man - he'd introduced himself as Hagrid – to the boats and split into groups of four. Coline, Hermione, Neville, and Ron were able to wrangle a boat all to themselves near the front of the arrow formation. Soon, with a wave of Hagrid's pink umbrella, the boats follwed the example of the earlier carriages; gliding of their own accord across the otherwise glass-smooth surface of the loch.
Hermione leaned over to Coline and pointed at the stars. "They're so beautiful! I've never been able to see the night sky so clearly. We don't get to see many of the stars in East Devon. There's too much city light pollution. I read in 'Hogwarts, a History' that the ceiling of the Great Hall is ensorcelled to appear as the sky outside." Coline hmm'ed and ahh'ed in response to Hermione's chatter. Coline was just rying to take in all of the scenery at the same time. It was, for lack of a better term, magical.
But as all good things must end, the boats eventually sidled up to a pier leadign to a flight of stairs and the largest, most majestic looking castle Coline had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. Hagrid ushered the first years up the steps, then, making sure none had gone missing, knocked thrice on the heavy wooden doors, the impacts resounding ominously. As a few moments went by, nothing happened, and the children gathered behind Hagrid began fidgeting nervously. Then, with a loud squeal of hinges and the creak of wood planks far older than living memory, the giant front doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opened, spilling warm candlelight out onto the new students.