New Trains of Thought
Author Note: Am I Joanne Kathleen Rowling? Nope. It's not mine, then. 'Meda's back to Hogwarts, and the second year is full of surprises, but first, a central character engaging in some light pranking and the momentual train ride...
Harry woke up with a sticky feeling on his face and hair. His hair also felt very neat. Sleakeazy he thought.
"You two!" he screamed. Luna and 'Meda, who were in the kitchen, exploded with laughter.
"What is that noise?" Sirius' portrait mumbled.
"Luna and 'Meda getting the one up on Harry for the face-paint, I think." Remus' portrait smiled, already awake. A disgruntled Harry Potter stormed into the kitchen wearing his dressing-gown.
"I would expect this of Hermione in her rare funny moments, but you two? The two people I love most in the world, ganging up on me? Evil." he grumbled half-comically, putting an emphasis on the 'e' in evil.
"Hate to be an old fusspot, but it's September first." Lily's portrait pointed out.
"Honestly Grandma Lily, we know." 'Meda laughed.
"Another year stretches before you like-" Tonks started, but Sirius cut her off.
"-a big hole in the ground!"
"Sirius!" Lily chastised.
"Now I must go change into Auror robes, and wash the potion out." Harry said. "And save me some breakfast!" he called as he walked back upstairs.
"One of my finest pranks." 'Meda mused. Luna ruffled her daughter's hair and laughed.
"Oh Merlin, I'm raising one third of the Ravenclaw Marauders."
"I'd have thought that if anyone was a 'Ravenclaw Marauder', it would be Moony. Smarty-pants and pranking in his veins." James chuckled.
"Very true." Lily replied. "Now get ready!"
"Aww..." 'Meda fake-moaned, sitting down to breakfast. Luna suddenly turned away from Harry and 'Meda, wiping back a tear. She loved the portrait of Lily, but seeing the redhead be motherly just reminded her of how no portrait of her own mother could have been prepared due to the tricky circumstances of the infamous accident. Andromeda Senior's body had been in very bad shape afterwards, so no portrait could have been done.
"Lu?" Harry asked. Luna turned back.
"I'm fine." the blonde said, half-smiling as much as she could.
"Luna, I know when you're down." Harry said, getting up to rub circles on her back. Luna visibly relaxed and grinned a true smile.
"It is my namesake?" 'Meda asked. Luna nodded.
"Our fourth year was a bit easy as far as troublemaking was concerned." Sirius remembered.
"Why?" Luna pondered.
"Well your mum was in the year above us, and she'd always let us off when she caught us doing wrong on her Prefect rounds." Sirius grinned. Luna mumbled something - it was mumbled because she had her head in her hands.
"Sorry?" Sirius teased. "I said you are insufferable." "I second that." Remus smiled.
"If you lot don't snap into shape I will act like Sirius' mother." Lily smirked. Harry cringed.
After time, the family was on Platform 9¾. Only one familiar face was there, and it wasn't a pleasant one.
"When will the Malfoys learn?" 'Meda muttered. Scorpius was giving her an evil smirk.
"What have you not told us?" Harry asked.
"Scorpius has given me a broken nose and used the Leg-Locker Curse on Joan." 'Meda huffed. Harry's blood boiled.
"Potter." Draco Malfoy sneered, seeing Harry and walking over.
"Been giving your son lessons then?" Harry hissed. Draco looked confused.
"I don't know what you mean." the blonde-haired man replied. Harry flushed with anger - 'Meda stepped behind Luna.
"Look Malfoy, you owe me. Your son has no need to give my pride and joy a hard time." Harry growled quietly. "You owe me." the Man-Who-Conquered continued, his hands threatening to grab Malfoy. "You owe me big. I will always hold that power over you. Narcissa may have made her decision in the end, but you... are another matter. Just leave us alone." the eldest Potter nearly spat.
"And I can see where Scorpius got the inspiration to hurt 'Meda." Luna said calmly, but her eyes told a different story. Harry raised Draco's chin with his signature holly-and-phoenix feather wand.
"Remember the warning." he seethed. As Draco and Scorpius looked baffled, the Potters turned away, 'Meda sparing Scorpius a see-through look.
Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo suddenly turned up.
"Trouble?" Hermione asked - she could tell Harry was peeved.
"A certain cockroach." he mumbled.
"What did he do?" Ron demanded.
"Same as what he did in school. Just ticked me off with his very presence. He should have learnt to respect me." Harry muttered.
"Doesn't help that his son broke 'Meda's nose last year." Luna said, putting her arm around her daughter.
"'Meda!" Joan called out. 'Meda beamed and ran off to the Corner family. Harry smiled with a tear forming in his eye. Luna looked at him.
"I love the fact that 'Meda can have the childhood she deserves." Harry mused. Luna hugged him.
"You've raised her brilliantly. Don't doubt that." she grinned.
"Don't you dare doubt it." Susan beamed, who had now joined the group. 'Meda blushed.
"She doesn't take compliments very well..." Joan laughed. 'Meda nudged Joan playfully.
"Oi!"
"Oh that didn't hurt!" 'Meda mused. After tearful goodbyes (and some pouting from Hugo) Rose, 'Meda, Joan and Phillip were boarding the train to kickstart another year. As the clock struck eleven, Harry and Ron laughed heartily.
"Do you have any idea how serious this is?" Ron started.
"You have risked the exposure of our world!" Harry said in the most serious voice he could without laughing.
"Not to mention the damnage you inflicted on a Whomping Willow that's been on these grounds since before you were BORN!" Ron concluded, holding back a scream of mirth and jovial tears. Hugo looked utterly confused while Hermione face-palmed.
"These two ruffians caused a rather lot of chaos at the start of their second year." the bushy-haired witch explained. Back on the train, three Ravenclaws and one Gryffindor were trying to find an empty compartment. Rose spotted a familiar face.
"Raymond!" she grinned. Raymond smiled.
"I've found an empty space." he said.
"These three will probably have to do some super-secret Ravenclaw-related high-jinks before joining us." Rose stated, raising cries of 'Oi!', 'How dare you!' and 'Rose!' from the aforementioned 'Claws. Rose laughed and walked off with Raymond.
"How dare she?" Phillip pouted. As they made their way down the train they noticed a commotion, and 'Meda got on edge when she saw a familiar blonde head. The triad walked in.
"What's going on here?" 'Meda asked. Scorpius was hassling a Hufflepuff (the stranger's black-and-yellow insignia on his robes made that clear) with a variety of hexes. The blonde turned around and sneered.
"Nothing."
"He's causing trouble!" the Hufflepuff exclaimed.
"Qui-" Scorpius started to hiss but Joan cut him off.
"Expelliarmus!" she called, sending the troublemaker's wand out of his hand and catching it herself. Scorpius looked shocked. "Want it back? Stop this nonsense." Joan demanded. With one last look, the Slytherin stopped as Joan handed him back his wand, and stomped out. The Hufflepuff looked Joan in the face.
"Thank you." he said.
"No problem, er…" Joan faltered, lost for a name.
"Jerry." the 'Puff replied. "Jerry Whitby."
"Ah. No problem Jerry. Just remember to tell people that the heroic Joan Corner saved you." Joan grinned, striking a heroic pose. 'Meda playfully whacked Joan over the top of the head. "Hey!" the saviour cried.
"And just when she'd proved the point we'd been trying to make last year." Phillip muttered.
"Eh." 'Meda shrugged.
"Don't make me be mean, 'Meda." Phillip grinned. 'Meda raised an eyebrow. "I'll hold your lovely teddy bear Rotterdam at wand-point." Phillip continued.
"No! Not Rotterdam! He's my precious!" 'Meda stated firmly. Jerry looked quizzically at Joan.
"Are they OK?" he asked with trepidation.
"No." Joan responded in a voice barely restraining her laughter. "They need help. And fast."
"I resent that, Joan Eleanor Corner!" 'Meda giggled, narrowly avoiding a tickle from Phillip.
The mischievous Boot child then proceeded to walk off.
"Are you forgetting how much Rose will attack us?" he queried.
"Is someone scared of Rose Weasley?" 'Meda pondered mockingly. "Well a little bit, yes. Remember the Herbology accident last year?"
"Aarrgghh…" 'Meda groaned with a face-palm.
"How do you know Rose Weasley?" Jerry asked.
"She's my god cousin. And I know, she's made quite a name for herself because of the rain prank last year. 'Meda Potter at your service." the brunette curtseyed. "And old grumpy-guts over there is Phillip Boot." she continued, jerking her thumb in Phillip's direction.
"I better leave you to save your skin then, to make sure you avoid getting 'attacked'." Jerry laughed. "Again, thanks for saving me Joan." he finished as he walked back into his compartment.
"Look at you, saving people like a Gryffindor. C'mon." 'Meda smiled at Joan as they walked along the train.
"What kept you?" Rose pestered when they reached her compartment.
"Joan was busy playing the hero. Ah!" 'Meda dodged a playful whack from 'the hero'.
"I must say, you might benefit from staying here at Christmas, Joan. That way you don't get swayed by Harry at Grimmauld Place during the festive season. He had a 'saving people thing' too." Rose commented.
"Only according to your mother." 'Meda pouted.
"That 'saving people thing' avoided my Aunt Gabrielle from drowning." Louis pointed out, walking in. 'Meda looked at Rose with a superior look.
"Hmph!" Rose grunted. Emma Carmichael walked in also.
"It's really stacking up against you here, Rose." Emma grinned.
"Shove off, Emma." Rose pouted.
"Hey." Louis said, an edge to his voice.
"It's not a good idea to insult Louis' friends, Rose. He fights tooth and nail for them." Emma reasoned.
"Don't bother getting in his way, then." Raymond laughed. Emma nodded and slipped him a wink.
"Inside joke?" Rose asked.
"Actually yes. When you were going batty last year over the exams, Emma wanted to interrupt, but I told her not to get in your way." Raymond grinned.
"Am I that bad?" Rose asked, looking concerned for her mental health.
"YES!" a resounding chorus sounded, dissolving into laughter.
"Oh." Rose sighed, stopping short.
"Oh, and while we're at it, stop criticising our eagle friends." Raymond continued. 'Meda looked at Rose with a mixture of curiousity and mild hurt.
"I swear-" Rose started.
"Rose, what did you say?" 'Meda asked. "Rose...?"
"Alright. I said about how you three could be so carefree around exam time." Rose admitted.
"Stereotype much?" Phillip pondered. Rose hung her head in shame.
"I made a slip-up under pressure. We all do it. I'm only human." she whispered. "I'll go ahead, take that back, and admit that not everyone sticks to their house qualities."
"Actually, that's true." Joan chipped in. "I'm from a mixed background of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and yet I show bravery, a Gryffindor trait." she finished. Louis mumbled something.
"What was that? Something about 'power-hungry' and 'over-confident'?" Emma questioned.
"Oh Louis, the secret's gonna come out now, is it?" 'Meda snickered. "Didn't tell your dear friend about it? Or... does she fit the bill?" the silver-eyed girl concluded cryptically. Louis shook his head.
"What in the blazes is going on?" Raymond queried.
"'Meda, drop it." Louis finished firmly. 'Meda donned a sympathetic look. Louis laughed. "Not going to work, dear godcousin." At this, Emma laughed also.
"My dad used to do deals back in his Hogwarts days."
"But your dad was selling in the OWL-connected black trade, wasn't he?" Rose asked. Emma flushed.
"Baruffio's Brain Elixir-"
"-is not legal at Hogwarts." Rose demanded.
"'Meda, you're right. She is like her mother." Emma pointed out.
"Oi!" Rose exclaimed, looking extremely offended. Soon enough, Hogsmeade Station was in sight.
"Don't." Rose mumbled.
"I wasn't going to." 'Meda reasoned.
"Expecto patronum!" Joan and Phillip chorused playfully in a whisper. This got them a look from Miss Potter. "We wave the white flag of surrender!" they laughed, boarding the carriages. Raymond held his head in his hands.
"I know..." Rose fake-soothed.
"We're not that bad!" the triad defended.
"Only one more year 'til our OWLs." Louis moaned, looking at Emma.
"Then this is the year to cause chaos." she reasoned.
"CHAOS!" Phillip yelled gleefully.
"Just don't end up in the Head's office for a serious offense like your dad did." Rose said.
"My dad never-" Phillip began.
"I've heard rumours." Rose mumbled, hoping no-one would catch that. Phillip unfortunately did and huffed extravagantly. "Right. I have absolutely no hesitation, in announcing that the sentence of this court is, is that you Phillip Boot be taken from your dorm and suffer torture by tickling, tomorrow at dawn. Do you have anything to say?" Rose pondered.
"Yes. Could I have an alarm call, please?" Phillip requested.
"'Meda." Rose responded. Phillip groaned. 'Meda's face lit up.
"She'll do the tickling before it's officially set." Joan pointed out. Louis kept a straight face.
"I bet she will." he said neutrally - but in his head, he was laughing.
"Don't gamble. Aunt Fleur wouldn't approve." 'Meda fake-scolded.
After the Sorting, feast and McGonagall's rants, 'Meda was the first to answer the knocker's question, and smell the familiar aroma of the Ravenclaw common room with its spectacular dome. The Ravenclaws that roamed Hogwarts flopped down onto the magnificent sofas and rugs.
"We're back to the land that we conquered." Joan said pompously.
"And you told Jerry Whitby that we need help?" Phillip reasoned. 'Meda couldn't help but laugh. Joan shrugged.
"Easy come, easy go."
"Easy c-"
"Silencio." 'Meda commanded, high-fiving Joan. Phillip's eyes bulged. After realising that he wasn't going to set free, he undid the spell himself and stomped up to bed, leaving the two girls in hysterics. After a fair amount of Quidditch talk - which meant Joan reminding about tryouts and Katie's demand and 'Meda huffing stuff like 'dear Merlin, Joan. You're Miss Picky' - the remainder of the trio went up. 'Meda snuggled into bed as the moon hung in the sky. Sure, she had Grimmauld Place and the Burrow, and her parents and the Weasleys were wonderful, but as she snuggled down into the super-soft covers and her body fell into sync with the mattress, she felt like she was truly home. Harry had found home here, and 'Meda had to a degree as well. Andromeda Ginevra Potter loved Hogwarts, and always would.
AN: Wonders await the students in the second year for sure. I WILL speed up my writing process. 'Meda, Joan and Phillip are my brain-children, and they will get nurtured - seeing as Joan is the one out of the triad who's probably based on me the most. It just happened, I suppose. 'Meda suspected a tad of more than platonic friendship between Louis and Emma, and she may be right.
