HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Elizabeth stood nervously across The Hogwarts Express, her stomach full of butterflies. The scarlet train didn't seem scary, but how could she be sure? She'd never seen a train in real life before, much less ridden one!
"Elizabeth? Are you ready?" Minerva asked. "I think so. Trains can't hurt you, right?" she asked. Minerva smiled. "Correct. You'll be fine, I promise. And if you aren't, you are welcome to hold me accountable. Now, do you have everything?" Elizabeth nodded, hands firmly attached to her cart.
She had initially been surprised when the Transfiguration professor handed her a train ticket a few days before.
"Why do I need to ride the train? I'm already here." She said. "Yes, but if you ride the train like everyone else, it will help you fit in more. Besides, it gives you an opportunity to make friends. You are entering your second year, everyone already has their friends. It's not like first year when everyone wants to make friends. This way it will be more natural." Minerva explained. Elizabeth considered it.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense. Alright, I'll go."
So that is how she was waving goodbye to her guardian on a moving, metallic, magic death machine. She had found an empty compartment, but after about a half hour of reading from one of her second year books, she grew tired of studying. Even though she was afraid of meeting the other students and having them find who she was, her want to actually be around people her age overpowered it. She picked up her trunk and her cat, Novo's carrier,
Novo had been another surprise for her. Minerva had taken her back to Diagon Alley a few days after her assessment, once again under a disguise, to get her school things. They had just gotten her some more parchment when they passed a pet shop. Elizabeth couldn't help but look, which led to Minerva and her walking inside.
Elizabeth quite liked the pet shop. There were many kinds of different creatures, ones she could name, and some that she couldn't. Several things caught her eye, but when she sat on a chair to pet a bright blue gecko on the table next to her, when a black cat jumped into her lap. She giggled in surprise as the cat made itself comfortable in her lap. He had completely black fur, and blue eyes. Minerva, who had been talking to the owner, came over to her when she was done.
"Is that who you want?" She asked. Elizabeth looked up at her, hopeful. "What do you mean?" she asked. "I thought it'd be nice if I got you a pet. You mentioned your birthday was at the end of August, so consider a pet your birthday present." She said. Elizabeth grinned, and happily accepted the cat as her pet. When they went to the counter to pay for the cat, the woman behind the counter warned her, "Oh, this one is very odd. An old man came in about a month ago, explained the cat was caught in the middle of someone using a portkey. Now the poor thing can somehow teleport. Bit pesky, if you ask me." Elizabeth didn't really mind that. It wasn't the cat's fault he was caught up in a portkey. "I'll take him."
She had named him Novo, after a former Hogwarts headmistress, Lucinda Novo. She established quidditch at the school, and was noteworthy to Elizabeth.
She walked along the train, peering into windows. Everywhere was either full, or had older students in it. Elizabeth wasn't comfortable talking to what looked like seventh years yet. She'd have better luck with people her age, hopefully.
A compartment that looked promising was one that had two identical redheaded boys, and a younger redheaded girl. The two boys were making loud sparks come out of their wands, the sparks taking the form of quidditch players and stars. They looked strange to Elizabeth. What were they?
While she was looking at the redheads, someone came running down the train, knocking her down to the floor. Elizabeth landed on the ground, a little disoriented. Novo's carrier was a few feet in front of her.
She heard a compartment door open nearby as she was reaching for the carrier, and someone called, "Oy! You alright?" she grabbed the carrier, and turned to look up at the person. It was one of the boys, the other behind him.
"I'm fine. I just fell;" She said. "Let me help you up. Gryffindor's have to look out for each other, right?" she nodded as he pulled her up, only using one hand since she was so small. "And here I thought we'd be the only ones wearing robes already! Guess I owe Mum an apology." the other said. Elizabeth nodded. Minerva had her put her robes on before they got to King's Cross, saying it was better to be prepared, and plenty of people would already have their uniforms on. Though according to the boys in front of her, that wasn't the case.
"Haven't seen you before. I'm Gred, and this is my dear twin brother Forge." Gred introduced. Elizabeth thought that was a bit odd, but who was she to question it? She was technically 1,012 years old.
"Hey! Mum told you two not to pull that trick on anyone else anymore!" Another voice called from the compartment. The girl's, Elizabeth assumed.
She indeed came out of the compartment, and invited her in.
"I'm Ginny Weasley. And these are my stupid twin brothers, Fred and George. They love playing that trick on new people." Ginny introduced. "Now you know us, care to tell us who you are?" one of the twins asked, maybe George?
Elizabeth's stomach started doing flips when it dawned on her that now she had to say something. They already knew she was in Gryffindor, and she'd bet that Fred and George probably knew everyone in the house, they seemed quite social.
"Oh, I'm Elizabeth." she said. Perhaps she could get away with just her first name? "What year are you in?" Ginny asked. "I'll be in my second year this year." Elizabeth responded. Ginny smiled. "I'll be in second year, too! Though I haven't seen you before. Did you transfer from Beauxbatons? My older brother Percy told me transfers have happened before." Ginny told her.
Apparently she couldn't get away with it. Drat.
She took a deep breath. Well, it was bound to happen. Starting tomorrow, people would be sure to know who she is.
"I'm Elizabeth Gryffindor." she said. Sure enough, they all gasped. "Really?" the twins asked in shock. ELizabeth nodded. "We read about you in the Prophet over the summer, but blimey! We didn't think we'd see you on the train!" the twins said at the same time. It was a little creepy.
"Well, Professor McGonagall thought I'd fit in better if I rode the train." Elizabeth explained. After a few more minutes of questions, the compartment door opened, and another boy came in. "Guys, you've got to see the new broom Angelina got! Come see!" he said excitedly. Fred and George immediately got up and ran out, leaving Elizabeth and Ginny alone.
"Sorry about my brothers. They don't know when to quit, sometimes." Ginny apologized. "It's alright. Must be worse for you, since you have to live with them." Elizabeth nodded. This made Ginny laugh, which made Elizabeth's heart soar. Could she be on the road to making her first friend?
The two girls found they got along pretty well. Ginny told Elizabeth about her favorite quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies. "They're the only all-girl team in the league! And the Captain, Gwenog Jones, she's brilliant!" Ginny raved. While Elizabeth had learned about quidditch, she hadn't learnt much about the various teams. Needless to say, Elizabeth was soon a Harpie's fan.
"So, what do you do for fun?" Ginny asked. Elizabeth had let Novo out of his carrier after finding out Ginny was an avid cat lover. He settled into her lap after sniffing her hand for a moment.
"Well, I love to sketch. Professor Lupin got me a sketchbook when he found out my birthday was last week. I've been drawing in it ever since," Elizabeth told her. Ginny's brow furrowed. "Who is Professor Lupin?" she asked, confused. "Oh, he's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He helped me with my classes over the summer." Elizabeth explained. "Oh, well, he sounds nice. I just hope he's better than Lockhart. He was so ridiculous!" Ginny told her. "Was Lockhart the last teacher in that position?" Elizabeth inquired. Ginny nodded. "Can you show me some of your drawings?"
As the two were bent over Elizabeth's sketchbook, Ginny remarking on the detail on the Forbidden Forest in one drawing, the compartment door banged open, making both girls flinch.
A platinum blonde boy and two large boys came in. "Hey, Weasel. We heard on the train that you were all alone. Guess your own brothers didn't want to be around the Heir of Slytherin." the blonde said with a smirk. Ginny looked uncomfortable, but bravely said, "Bug off, Malfoy."
That didn't stop Malfoy, though. In fact, it only egged him on. "Well, at least you were able to swindle someone to sit with you. Did you use Imperius on her? That's probably the only way anyone would forget what you did last year." he teased. The two boys laughed, which made Ginny even angrier. It was angering Elizabeth, too.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy! She didn't use any spell on me. I chose to be here. Now leave us alone or face the end of my wand!" Elizabeth threatened. "And who are you?" Malfoy asked, clearly annoyed. "That's not your business. Now, get out!" Elizabeth yelled. Then, the three Slytherin boys were pushed back as if there was a strong wide pushing them. The door slammed shut, which rid them of the pesky boys.
"Thanks for that." Ginny said. "I didn't know I could do that." Elizabeth said quietly. "Don't worry. It was accidental magic. It happens to everyone, usually when you get really angry or really want something." Ginny explained. "Oh. Well, that's good. I was afraid something was wrong with me." Elizabeth admitted, laughing in relief. Ginny laughed too, but it sounded very forced.
"Are you alright, Ginny?" she asked. Ginny nodded, but something told Elizabeth she was lying. "Are you sure? I won't tell anyone." she said. Ginny looked out the window, and took a deep breath.
"I was the one that opened the Chamber of Secrets last year." She whispered. It was so quiet, but Elizabeth could still make it out. "It wasn't really me, though. I got a diary last summer, and there was someone in it. He possessed me, and made me do everything. I didn't want to, and tried to stop, but he was too powerful!" she exclaimed, her face full of shame.
Elizabeth sat there in silence, trying to figure out what to say.
"That sounds awful, Ginny." she said. "It was. He tried to kill me, too. If it wasn't for my brother Ron and his friend Harry Potter, he would have gained power again." Ginny said quietly. "If you don't mind telling it, who was it?" Elizabeth asked. "You-Know-Who." Ginny stated. Elizabeth gasped. "But, I thought he was gone." she said. "I thought so too. But Dumbeldore told me there are still wisps of him around. On his own, he isn't that much of a threat, but he's trying to rise again." Elizabeth shuddered at the thought.
They sat in silence for a while, both deep in thought. Elizabeth suddenly thought of a silver lining, perhaps something to cheer Ginny up, "You know, it takes someone really powerful to hold him off for almost a year. That means you've probably got a lot of power and potential." Elizabeth pointed out. Ginny looked pensive, but then a small smile on her face. "I never thought of it that way before." she said. "And if I hadn't gone through that, you would never have been freed, and we would never have become friends." Ginny said. Elizabeth grinned. "We're friends?" she asked. Ginny looked nervous at that, possibly feeling the same nervous feelings at making a new friend. "If you want to be." Ginny said. Elizabeth smiled even bigger. "I would love to be your friend, Ginny Weasley."
This was the beginning of an amazing friendship.