Thank you for the lovely reviews I have received this week.As my first fanfiction it really makes my day hearing about how you're enjoying reading this story and I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your feedback and thoughts.Now...onto Hogwarts.
Hayley couldn't believe her eyes. Looking up at the huge red steam train, surrounded by kids that would soon be her fellow students and classmates.
It was finally happening. She was going to Hogwarts.
She stood on the platform drinking in the sights of everyone and everything whilst everyone around her was busy saying their goodbyes.
A little nudge on her hand made her look down, to Snuffles. She smiled and gave the dog's head an affectionate rub, letting out a little giggle as she did. How weird was it that her dad could turn into a dog?
"Come along Draco" she heard in a cold silky voice "Let's move down the platform away from these...people".
Hayley froze, she knew that voice. It was one of the death eaters that had attacked her. She whipped around to see a tall man with long bleach blonde hair stalking past their group, he was accompanied by a women and a tall teenage boy, who also had the same colour hair and were dressed emmaculatly in what were clearly very expensive robes.
As they passed them, all 3 glanced back and spared them all an almost identical look of disgust and Hayley couldn't help but gasp when she saw the man's eyes. It was definitely him.
"Who are they?" she chocked out.
"Malfoys" said Ron from somwhere beside her "Pureblood evil scum who think they're Merlins gift to wizardry"
"The wizard" Hayley continued, "He's, he's one of the ones, from the day of mum's funeral who..."
Beside her, Snuffles began to growl, his hackles raising. Remus placed a hand on the dog's back, in warning.
"We know, Hayley" he told her qravely.
Suddenly she understood just how dangerous the current climate was. It was all well and good listening to her mums warnings over the years, and being briefed by her dad when she first arrived to Grimmauld place. It was another to realise that Voldemort's death eaters were walking around the streets, without a care in the world.
"Right, children, time to board" Came Arthur's voice, bravely attempting to sound cheerful.
Molly started grabbing everyone in a frantic last minute hug and with one final look at her dad's dog form, Hayley jumped aboard with Ginny. She took a deep breath as she did, determined not to let those Malfoys get to her.
It was easier said than done though. Just as the crowds began to disperse and as most people found their compartments and friends, and Ginny told the group that she was going to take Hayley to meet her friends, the Malfoy boy appeared, flagged by two other boys.
"Well" he drawled, looking at Hayley. "It is true then. The lost little Black pureblood is joining us this year".
Hayley scowled at him, "Is that what they're calling me?" she answered with a shrug, trying to make it look like she couldn't care less. "Miss Black will do just fine, thanks."
"You know" the boy continued, raising his chin in an arrogant manner, "the Black and Malfoys are amoung the most prominent pureblood families in Britain. If you wanted to embrace your true potential as a pureblood, I'm sure I could be pursuaded to be charitable and allow you to join our group. Before it's too late and you're completely brainwashed into a blood traitor... " he looked omnimously at her and at the group surrounding her.
She blinked in confusion at him, was he trying to be nice to her, or was he trying to threaten her - did he really think she would accept that offer? She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Harry shouted from behind her.
"Get lost Malfoy! As if anyone would choose your company. Hayley's with us - she's already been sorted in Gryffindor, so you can take that back to your death eater father and your Master and tell them they're wasting their time if they think she'll ever be interested in you lot"
"You watch what you say about my father, Potter!" Malfoy spat back.
"Or what?" Harry snarled back, pulling out his wand.
Malfoy took one last look at group, seeming to reach the conclusion that he was outnumbered as he said to his two friends, "Let's go" and then with a dark look at Hayley he added "I know a lost cause when I see one. But just beware, all of you, because I'll be dogging your footsteps from now on"
He turned and left. Hayley's head was spinning, was he hinting that he knew her dad was on the platform. And what was his motive for seeking her out? Was he just being nice, their family did have history after all, or was he on some secret mission to recruit her from his dad or worse, from Voldermort himself!
She knew she was getting far too carried away with the small exchange; her mum always said she over thought every thing - but it was all terribly confusing and more than that a little terrifying.
"Ignore Malfoy" Harry was saying to her "and if he gives you any trouble, just let us know."
Hayley rounded on him then, he actually thought he had just helped her?!
"What? And you'll take care of everything? Perfect heroic Harry Potter will save the day?"
"What's your problem?" he asked, a confused frown appearing on his face.
"You've just made me an enemy with the first student that's interacted with me! And announced to anyone within earshot that death eaters are interested in me!"
"Oh I'm sorry!" he yelled back "I didn't realise you wanted to make friends with Draco Malfoy. Why don't you run after him apologise, I'm sure if you do a good enough job he'll still help turn you into a perfect pureblood princess" He was clearly hurt that she wasn't grateful for his intervention, but she didn't care.
"Oh sod off Harry!" she yelled, storming past them all and stopping at the first empty compartment she saw.
A few minutes later, Ginny joined her.
"Calmed down yet?" she said as she sat down opposite her.
"mmmm" Hayley mumbled and then:
"I'm sorry, but why does he always have to interfere and be in the centre of everything!"
"Hey, he was just trying to help. Draco is dangerous Hayley, you'll want to stay away from him at school."
Hayley nodded, agreeing with her second sentence at least. That boy did give her the creeps.
"Look, I know you and Harry got off to a bad start and his timing to Grimmauld place wasn't ideal for you. But really, he didn't do anything wrong and I know that, if you gave him half a chance, you would like him" Ginny continued.
"Not likely" Hayley muttered. She knew Ginny was probably right, but she could help it. She had spent a good few days at Grimmauld Place alone and miserable and it was easy to blame it on Harry's arrival. The way her dad's mood had improved when Harry was around and the close relationship between the two made her want to join in with Kreacher when he went off on his very creative ramblings about the stupid scar headed boy.
"The whole world kisses Harry's ass" she said finally. "I'm not joining them".
"Excuse me" Ginny said with a grin, clearly trying to make light of the situation. "I for one, have never kissed anyone's behind. Let alone Harry's"
Hayley couldn't help but chuckle then. "Well" she began teasingly "I bet you wouldn't mind kissing any part of Harry".
The fierce blush on her friend's face confirmed Hayley's suspicions about her crush.
"I knew it!!" Hayley yelled triumphantly "Don't worry about me liking Harry. I think you like him more than enough for the both of us"
"Urghhhh" groaned Ginny. "Is it still so obvious?"
"No, don't worry" Hayley replied "Just a friends intuition"
Ginny nodded and then continued resolutely "Well, I don't think Harry does or ever will like me the same way. So this year I am officially moving on. Michael Corner asked me to the Yule Ball last year, but I had already said yes to Neville. I might see if Michael is still single this year, he is pretty fit! Hey he's got alot of friends too, I'm sure we can find someone to keep you company this school year! "
It was Hayley's turn to blush. "Nooooo, no thank you!"
Hayley was embarrassed to admit it but she had zero romantic experience. She only started to vaguely appreciate that the opposite sex could be anything other than icky a year or so ago, and by then her mum had been so ill that Hayley's only focus was taking care of her. Merlin, she was 14 years old and had never even been kissed, never even been alone with a boy...
Thankfully she was spared from this embarrassing topic by the arrival of a girl, with huge blonde curly hair, big wide eyes, who was wearing a pink floaty skirt on top of jeans, purple sneakers and a red checked shirt with a blue cardigan that was buttoned up all wrong - all in all she was the oddest looking girl Hayley thought she had ever seen.
"Ginny" she said in a far away look and a high floaty voice. "Do you mind it I sit with you, my compartment was fully of Wolly Wanglers and I didn't have any blackberries on me to protect myself from their infectious gas and - oh. Hi. I don't know you."
Hayley blinked as this strange girl abruptly sat down next to her and looked at her expectantly.
"Luna, this is Hayley Black" said Ginny through poorly refrained chuckles.
Ohhhh, Luna, Hayley recalled suddenly.
Ginny had told her all about the eccentric girl in their year.
"Oh, Hayley Black" Luna continued. "You were missing you know, but then an announcement was sent to purebloods announcing your birth" she tilted her head to the side, and looked at Hayley with wide "But, it was strange since you were already 14".
"Thanks " Hayley replied quietly. "I knew that..."
"Daddy ran a little piece about it in his magazine. He thought that you might have been hiding with a secret vampire youth group from Tansilvania. It's common knowledge they're known to raise their children in hiding. But now I can see that you're out in the daylight, I'll have to tell him that can't be right... He'll be ever so disappointed that he may have to issue a retraction"
Hayley laughed despite herself. Good god, was this girl serious? "Well, sorry, I'm not a vampire" She chocked out. "I'm just a normal witch who was homeschooled, and that pureblood announcement was just an anomoly".
Luna didn't reply, other than to nod slowly and then to say "oh look, clouds" then she began staring out the window, stopping every so often to scribble down in a book that was entitled "Clouds - particles suspended in the atmosphere, or insights into your own subconscious??"
Hayley looked around at Ginny with wide eyes; who was currently red in the face from trying not to laugh.
"Gin! There you are" came a loud voice as the compartment door opened. Two girls came running in and plopped themselves down next to Ginny.
"Quin! Summer!" Ginny called back in delight.
These were two fellow Gryffindor girls from their year, Hayley knew. Summer Bell and Quin Hobday.
The one opposite Hayley, who had black hair and kind blue eyes looked across to Hayley then and said with a smile "You must be Hayley. I'm Summer"
"And I'm Quin" said the other girl, as she tucked a strand of her brown curly hair behind her ear.
Ginny had assured Hayley that she had already written to her friends and told them all about Hayley, so there shouldn't be any awkward questions about her background or family name, for now.
"Hi" Hayley said, smiling back.
With another smile at Hayley, Summer clapped her hands together "So, what are we talking about in here?"
"Boys" Ginny said with a nod.
"Ohhh how exciting!" Summer replied, "well, let me tell you about my next door neighbour Colin who matured into a pretty handsome chappy over the summer-"
"Which naturally you took complete advantage of" Quin interrupted.
"Naturally" Summer agreed before all the girls started laughing, with the exception of Luna who just looked around with a surpised look before going back to studying the clouds.
The rest of the train ride went by pleasantly for Hayley. She got along well with all the girls. Quin was alot queiter than Summer and her and Hayley had a nice chat about classes whilst Ginny and and Summer tried to rank the 10 cutest boys in the year.
Luna joined in the conversations randomly, offering her bizzaire little inputs, ("I don't like that boy...in one of our first flying lessons he fell off his broom and landed on my bag. Squished my Spectrespecs and never even said sorry. Yes, his leg may have been broken, but I still think that's just bad manners") and Hayley realised that Ginny was right; as bizzaire as the girl was, you couldn't help but like her.
Hayley's heart was beating in her chest when the finally arrived at hogsmade, and it wasn't helped when she realised that Threstels were pulling the carriages! She ended up taking a carriage with Summer and Quinn whist Ginny and Luna jumped in a carriage with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Hayley had jumped at the chance to avoid Harry, seeing him looking nervously at the death horses made Hayley realise that, though he could clearly see them, he didn't know what they were, and she did not want to be the one who enlightened him.
Walking into Great Hall was amazing! From all her mums stories she had tried to imagine what it looked like, but wow - her imagination had not done it justice at all.
She tried to listen to her new friends chatter as they all sat down on the table, but she couldn't help but stare up at the ceiling in amazement!
"Leave her be girls" Ginny said when she joined them and saw the girls trying and failing to catch Hayley's attention and chuckling good humouredly at her. "Don't you remember what your first day was like?".
Hayley was soon brought crashing back to reality when she heard a familiar cold voice from behind her shoulder...
"Miss Black?" he head whipped round to the potions master in horror - why was he approaching her at the Gryffindor table, could he not see everyone was staring at her now?
"Report to my office tomorrow morning, before lessons" was all he said.
"Why, Professor?" she said. "I'm perfectly fine". It was true, though she could feel her mind magic buzzing, practically desperate to explore the hundreds of heads around her, she was keeping it safely behind her occlumency shield without much effort at all.
"As delighted as I am to hear about your wellbeing" said Snape, in a tone that plainly told her he was anything but delighted about the fact she was well, "I will see you tomorrow morning, regardless".
With that, he sloped off towards the staff table ominously.
"What did old Snape want with you?" said Summer imeediatly.
"Ermmm" said Hayley, looking around to find that most people had stopped taking to wait for her answer, she wracked her brain for a convincing lie, "Ermmm", but she couldn't think of anything.
"I bet he just wants to check what level you're at. With you being homeschooled previously, right?" said Ginny, coming to her rescue, and looking at her with a meaningfull look.
"Oh yeah" Hayley said gratefully, "That'll be it".
"God, I don't envy you there" said Quin quietly. "Snape gives me the creeps. Wait until you see how he treats us in potions"
"mmmm" said Hayley, looking up at the Professor's retreating form again, black cloak billowing behind him, "I can well imagine..."
She was not looking forward to facing the potions master alone, without her protective dad there to support her...
Bit of a filler chapter I know - but necessary to get Hayley along to Hogwarts and introduce some new characters.
Next chapter will get the plot moving a bit more. What does Hayley have in store for Snape? How will Hayley fare in her Hogwarts classes? And... Shall we introduce some more boys...??