Halle Potter and the first year of madness
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Halle Potter stood gazing around platform nine and platform ten of King's Cross station. She had been driven up to London by her uncle to be able to take the train to Hogwarts which was on platform nine and three quarters but upon getting to the platform her uncle was delighted to gloat that Platform nine and three quarters didn't appear to exist.
With that, he had left her on her own, laughing like a lunatic with her aunt Petunia and Dudley and they had driven away.
Now she was stood there with fifteen minutes left to get on the train and she was starting to get some attention. It was very apparent that not many people usually carried cages containing large snow owls on their person.
The Guard had been no help when she had asked about the eleven o'clock train. There apparently was no eleven o'clock at all. She had taken the chance and asked about platform nine and three quarters but he of course assumed that she was having him on and was just a silly little time waster.
Halle was now starting to panic. What if she missed the train? The Dursley's had driven off. She had no money and was carrying a large trunk of magic supplies and an owl. She couldn't afford to miss the train but she had no clue how to get onto it.
Her ticket did not tell her. She wondered if there was a secret entrance like there had been at Diagon Alley and then a thought occurred to her. She surely couldn't have been the only person in the station going to Hogwarts could she?
She certainly hadn't been the only witch going to Diagon Alley.
Halle looked around intently.
There were many men in suits with brief cases and women with small children and vice versa. They were walking to the trains or coming off the platform in quick sprints and hurried shuffles. She scanned and scanned the station until a glimpse of bright red hair caught her attention.
There walking, was a family of six, all with flaming red hair darting across the station. Four of them had trunks like Halle's and one of them had a large brown owl in a cage on top of his trunk.
Halle caught a snippet of words spoken from the plump woman who led the group of children.
"Packed with Muggles of course-"
Halle quickly strolled after the group and stopped when they did in the middle of the platform. From where she was standing she would be able to hear any conversation they were having.
"Mummy please can I go?" Pleaded a small girl clinging to the plump woman.
"No Ginny, your not old enough. So don't ask me again. Now go on Percy, you first." Said the mother quickly.
The eldest boy of the group, with his cart, ran forward at a grey wall between the two platforms and in a blink of an eye he was gone.
Halle's jaw dropped. She rubbed her eyes and looked around to see if anyone else had seen what she had just seen but no one seemed to pay the red headed family any attention whatsoever.
Had that boy really just ran through the wall? How? Where did he go?
"Alright Fred, you next." Said the mother beckoning one of the two boys who Halle now noticed were twins.
"He's not Fred, I am!" Said one of the twins outraged.
"Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother." Said the other twin shaking his head in disappointment.
"Sorry George Dear." Said the mother apologetically.
The boy moved forward toward the wall.
"Only joking, I am Fred." Said the boy with a cheeky grin and at once he sped off passing through the wall. The second twin shortly followed after him.
Halle could clearly see that all three boys had ran at the wall but she couldn't tell if there was anything specific to the trick and couldn't help but worry that she'd be leaving King's Cross station with a broken nose if she attempted to do the same.
Halle decided to chance it and ask for the woman's help.
"Excuse me." Said Halle nervously. The mother turned to look at her and gave her a warm smile.
"Hello Dear." Said the woman kindly.
"I'm sorry to bother you miss but I was wondering if, if…." Started Halle. She for some reason felt a little embarrassed.
"If I know how to get onto the platform?" She said smiling at Halle.
Halle nodded her head, relieved she didn't have to finish the question. She really wasn't sure why she was embarrassed but she couldn't help it.
"Not to worry dear, it's Veronica's first time too." Said the mother pointing to the girl on her left.
The girl Veronica gave her a bright smile and a small wave. She had flaming red hair much more brighter than her mother and sister. Her face was covered with an array of light freckles. She was thin and was a few inches taller than Halle and had a pointed nose.
Halle gave her an awkward smile back.
"All you have to do is walk straight at that barrier between platform nine and ten. Best do it in a run if you're nervous and don't stop. Go on dear you go first." Said the mother sweetly.
"Er, ok. Thank you." Said Halle panicky.
She took a deep breath and then broke out into a run, pushing the cart towards the barrier. Perhaps she could knock herself out when she ultimately smacked into it.
As she sped up she closed her eyes and waited for the impact of the crash but it never came, instead when she opened her eyes she found that she was on a new platform with many people littered across it and in front her was a large Scarlett steam train that glistened ever so brightly.
Halle was starstruck at the beauty of it all. She wondered heavily how this platform was here and where else it could possibly lead too, but she was too mesmerised to fully care and was just appreciating the magic of it.
Halle looked around the platform. She could see mother's and father's hugging their children, talking to them or helping them with their trunks. Groups of people talking and smiling, showing each other their animals and other stuff. There were hundreds of people. Halle didn't recognise anyone. She had been wondering if anyone she knew from the Muggle world, would also be attending Hogwarts but she realised she couldn't see everyone. She looked at the front of the train and saw plenty of hands and faces saying there goodbyes from the first few compartments.
Halle couldn't help but feel a pang of Jealousy as she saw plenty of other children with their families. It was always a painful reminder at primary school watching her other classmates get picked up by parents or relatives who cared for them but she also couldn't help but smile at the scene before her too.
Halle was usually too depressed to physically watch other school kids get affection, primarily because she would have to go back to privet drive. So Halle only ever saw affection like this given to Dudley and that often made her feel sick.
She couldn't feel happy for Dudley because he was a terrible, spoilt brat with horrid parents but here she could see love that she didn't have to judge. She'd envy it but it was quite beautiful to see too.
It was a nice feeling that was painfully interrupted when she felt a cart being rammed into the back of her legs.
"Ahhhhh." Shrieked Halle.
"Oh holy hell, I'm so sorry." She heard someone say, panicked from behind her.
Halle achingly turned to see the same red headed girl from before known as Veronica pushing her cart to the side. She then came striding over to her.
"I'm really sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be standing in front of the barrier." She said apologetically.
"That's alright, it's my own fault. I shouldn't have been standing there." Said Halle wincing at the throbbing pain that seemed to be shooting up her back.
"Are you ok?" Asked Veronica; Concern written all over her face.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks." Said Halle gritting her teeth as she took a step forward to push her cart.
She didn't want the girl to see her in pain. She didn't like fuss being made over her. She somehow quickly but painfully hobbled down the platform still full of people. She could see plenty of compartments full now. She walked toward the end of the platform where she could see some more empty compartments on the train.
"Hey, wait up." Called out the voice of Veronica.
Halle turned to see her a little red in the face. She must have ran to catch up with her but considering she was hobbling, she wasn't sure why.
"Hi again." Said Veronica brightly.
"Hello." Said Halle nicely but another throb in her leg strained her smile.
"Look I can see I did a number on your legs and I feel really bad, so I figure the least I can do is help you with your trunk." She said sheepishly.
"Oh that's alright you don't have too." Said Halle mentally cursing herself.
The girl was offering her help and her legs were in agony at this second. She wanted to blurt out yes but she wasn't used to people helping her out that much and felt wary of most people's motives. The Dursley's made her do a lot of things for herself but that was usually to punish her as opposed to teaching her valuable lessons in life and Dudley helping her out usually ended in her getting hurt in some physical way so it was quite normal for Halle to feel apprehensive around people.
"Oh good, than my brothers can do it for us. Oi Fred, George, help us out." Said Veronica with a grin. She then shouted towards the two twins who were standing a few compartments away from them.
The two twins turned and headed towards the pair.
"Awwwwww. What's the matter? Little Ronniekins can't pick up her trunk." Teased one of the twins.
"I can, but why do it, when you can do it for me." Challenged Veronica.
"Oooooo. Bit confident there are you Ronnie? What makes you so sure that we'll help you out?" Said the other twin amused.
"Because if you don't, I'll tell mum that you guys have a hidden stash of Zonko's joke products that your hiding with a concealment charm you put on your trunks last year in Hogwarts. Even though mum banned you from taking any to Hogwarts this year." Said Veronica confidently whilst crossing her arms.
The twins looked at each other for a moment before turning back to their sister. Both had grins on their mouths.
"We're impressed. Alright we'll help you, but know that this little sister means war, if you're prepared to pull the blackmail card." Said one of the twins with a sly grin.
"Ok, but you can't start it until Ginny comes to Hogwarts and you only get one blackmail card back this year." Said Veronica with her own grin.
"Deal." Said both twins simultaneously. One twin spat on his left hand and the other spat on his right. Veronica made a face of disgust but spat on her two hands and crossed arms to shake her brother's hands and then let go.
"Right, also my new friend here, I almost broke her legs . So can you help her out too?" Said Veronica pointing to Halle.
Halle had almost forgotten that her legs were still hurting. She couldn't help but be enthralled by the interaction between the two brothers and sister.
What she wouldn't kill for siblings or a proper family in general.
"Sure but I'm telling you now, run for the hills, if you know what's good for ya. Our sister is a little demon." Said one of the twins to Halle.
Halle suppressed a chuckle.
"Shut up." Said Veronica bitingly.
Veronica grabbed Hedwig's cage, and a smaller blue cage and walked onto the train and into the compartment. The twins both took Veronicas trunk and lifted it onto the train. A few minutes later they came back out with Veronica.
"I'm gonna go let mum know we're up here and ask her to wash my hands of all your rabies." Announced Veronica and she sped off down the platform in search of her mother.
"Like my brother said, run for the hills. Our sister is something else." Said the other twin although Halle couldn't tell which was which.
"A nightmare to be precise." Said the first twin very dramatically.
The two of them gave her cheeky smiles before they began to pick up Halle's trunk.
Halle felt a little bad and decided to grab the other end of her trunk and help the twins. The lifting caused her legs to twinge painfully but she pushed passed the pain and helped and soon enough her trunk was tucked into the corner of the compartment.
"Thank you." Panted Halle whilst wiping the sweat off her brow.
"What's that?" Asked one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Halle's lightning scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you - ?"
"She is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Halle.
"What?" Said Halle.
"Halle Potter." chorused the twins.
"Oh, her," said Halle. "I mean, yes, I am."
The two boys gawked at her, and Halle felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.
"Fred? George? Are you there?"
"Coming, Mum."
With a last look at Halle, the twins hopped off the train.
Halle in the month that she had spent back at Privet Drive with the Dursley's who had Ignored her intently had almost forgotten Hagrid's revelation to her that she was famous in the magical world. She had only received this reaction in Diagon Alley from Adults. It hadn't occurred to her that she might receive this reaction from children too.
She realised it wasn't something she would look forward too.
Maybe not everyone would recognise her?
Halle sat down in the corner, next to Hedwig's cage who was now peacefully resting and to her surprise she saw a small cage on the opposite chair which had a rat inside it, sleeping.
Halle looked out the window at the red headed family. She was half hidden but could hear them perfectly.
The older boy from earlier, had appeared, who the twins seemed to be mocking about being a Prefect. A few minutes later the older boy who Halle had caught his name as Percy, left. The mother then started to berate the twins about blowing up toilets.
"And finally make sure you look after Ronnie, ok." Said their mother firmly.
"Awww don't worry mum. we'll look after ickle Ronniekins." Said the first twin with a mischievous grin.
"Shut up." Said Veronica irritated.
"Yeah she's safe with us mum. We'll take care of baby Ronniepoo." Said the other twin.
"Hmmm." Scoffed their mother. "You'd better and don't go teaching her any of your bad habits. I want most of my children to come home with good grades."
"Mother! we're hurt." Said the first twin in mock disbelief.
The girl Ginny gave a Loud giggle whilst Veronica smirked.
"I can't believe you would think so low of us." Said the other twin putting a hand over his chest.
"Yes, well you don't prove otherwise, now behave yourselves." She said to the twins. She then turned to Veronica.
"Now remember honey. Be good, don't be nervous about your first year. Hogwarts is such an amazing experience. I know you'll love it. Pay attention in classes, try your absolute best in lessons and even if you don't always get it, don't worry you have the next seven years to get it right. Make lots of friends and have fun my darling. Your father and I will be sure to write. Make your mummy proud." She said squeezing her into a big hug.
"I will mum but please we're in public." Said Veronica trying to get out of the hug.
"Oh mum speaking of friends. You'll never guess who our little Ronnie has met." Said the first twin.
"Who?" Asked the mother and Veronica curiously.
"The girl whose trunk we just put in the compartment." Said the first twin.
"The girl who asked how to get on the platform." Informed Veronica to her mother.
"You'll never guess who she is." Said the other twin.
"Who?" Asked Veronica impatiently.
"Halle Potter." Said the first twin.
Halle quickly moved out of sight from the window so she couldn't be seen.
"What?" Said Veronica shocked.
"Oh mum can I go and meet her? Please." Asked Ginny excitedly.
"No Ginny she's not something to be gawked at." Said the mother.
"Are you actually serious? Like seriously? Thee Halle Potter?" Asked Veronica shocked.
"Yep. Saw the scar, shaped like lightning." Said the other twin.
"Yeah, it's insane and to think you could've broken her legs Ronnie. Thee Halle Potter." Said the first twin with a tut and a sly grin.
"What?" Shrieked the mother turning to Veronica with stern eyes.
"It was an accident mum. She was behind the barrier when I came through." Said Veronica quickly.
"Oh poor thing. No wonder she was alone. I did wonder and she was ever so polite." Said their mother.
"Never mind that, you think she remembers you know who?" Asked the other twin excitedly.
"I forbid you to ask her anything of the sort. This must be confusing for the poor girl as it is. Don't go reminding her of such awful things. That goes for you too Fred." Said their mother sternly pointing a threatening finger at The twins.
"Alright keep your hair on." Said the first twin Halle assumed was Fred.
Just then a loud whistle sounded.
The mother suddenly scooped the twins and Veronica into a massive hug which Ginny joined and then ushered them on the train.
"Ginny don't cry, we'll send loads of owls." Said One twin.
"Yeah and we'll send a toilet seat."
"George!"
"Only joking, mum."
But it did the trick because Ginny was now laughing.
"Bye sis." Said Veronica who was blowing kisses to Ginny.
Their mother waved whilst Ginny chased the train until they were out of sight. The train was now speeding past houses. Halle felt a rush of excitement course through her. In a few hours her new life would begin.
Halle heard shuffling outside the compartment. Suddenly the door was opened. Veronica was back.
"Hello again." Said Halle, aware of how much the girl was staring.
"Hello." Said Veronica in a much more shy voice than earlier.
She sat down on the opposite chair and stared out of the window. Halle could tell that Veronica was watching her from the corner of her eye.
Halle said nothing. They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Veronica spoke.
"You heard all of that outside the train, didn't you?" She asked whilst looking in her lap.
At first Halle was going to deny it but the tone in which Veronica had asked the question seemed like she knew the answer.
"Yeah I did." Said Halle sheepishly. "How did you know?"
"Windows still open." Said Veronica embarrassed, whilst pointing up at the open window.
"Well I didn't mean to ease drop or anything." Said Halle apologetically. She didn't want things to be awkward with the girl.
"Ah don't worry about it, all Weasleys are too loud for their own good." She replied with a nervous chuckle.
"Weasley. That's your surname?" Asked Halle.
"Yep. Veronica Weasley at your service but everyone calls me Ronnie." She said looking at Halle.
Halle noticed Veronicas eyes shifted up to Halle's forehead before she quickly looked out the window again. Halle was officially about to introduce herself but Veronica spoke first.
"Are you really Halle Potter?" She blurted out.
Halle nodded.
"Wow." Said Veronica amazed before getting embarrassed slightly and changing her tone. "I mean, cool. So, does that mean that you really have the…"
"The what?"
"The scar." She whispered.
Halle smiled and lifted her bangs revealing her lightning shaped scar.
"Wicked." Said Veronica in awe.
Halle smiled. She still disliked her scar but it was nice to have someone interested in her. Although she hoped that not everyone would want to see it.
Suddenly the door slid open. The two twins were back.
"Alright Ronnie. We're in the middle of the train. We're sitting with Lee. He's got a massive tarantula. So if you need us, you know where to find us. Oh Halle, did we introduce ourselves?" Said the first twin.
"This is Fred and I'm George and I'm sure you now know our little sister Veronica. Anyway we're about to head off but first Ronnie here you go." Said George and he handed her a blue pouch that she peered into before putting it the side of her.
"Thanks. No Percy?" She asked amused.
"What so he can talk off yours and Halle's ears. We're evil." Said Fred.
"But we're not that evil." Finished George.
Veronica snickered.
"Anyways, smell you later." Said Fred
"Bye." Said Halle and Ronnie.
Then Fred and George left the compartment.
"So what's in the bag? If you don't mind me asking." Said Halle cautiously.
The Dursley's always punished her if she asked the wrong question and most of the time any question. Of course Ronnie could do no such thing but Halle had learnt that people could react badly to the wrong question.
"Oh it's just some extra stuff my mum packed. She always does when we go off to Hogwarts and now I get one. She doesn't trust any of us to hold onto them though. We were running late because we all left stuff behind, so mum always gives the pouches to Percy but trust me you don't want to converse with Percy right now. He's a handful." Said Ronnie with an exaggerated shiver.
Halle chuckled.
"So are all your family wizards then?" She asked curiously.
"Pretty much, well except one, I think a cousin who's an accountant but we don't really hear from him." Said Veronica looking through her bag.
"Wow that's awesome. To have four wizard siblings and the rest of your family as wizards too." Said Halle a little dazed.
"Six actually. I have two older brothers that have finished Hogwarts as well. It's a nightmare." She said half heartedly.
"Even so. I wish I had a family full of wizards." Said Halle almost dreamily.
"So you live with Muggles then?" Asked Ronnie.
Halle nodded.
"What are they like?" Asked Ronnie curiously.
"Horrible. Well not all Muggles are, but the ones I live with aren't the nicest." Said Halle now looking out the window.
She didn't want to tell this girl about the Dursley's. She didn't want to think about the Dursley's.
"Sorry to hear that but at least you have near enough a year away from them besides the summer but you can stay at Hogwarts during Christmas and Easter." Said Ronnie cheerful.
"Really?" Said Halle perking up.
"Yep, my older brother Charlie once spent Christmas at Hogwarts. He said he had work to do, when really he was just staying to spend it with his girlfriend and not tell mum about her." Said Ronnie with a chuckle.
"Cool." Said Halle with a massive smile.
Halle and Ronnie continued to talk. Halle found herself very enthralled with all the tales of the Weasleys and their antics. She Learnt that Fred and George had once turned Ronnie's teddy bear into a massive spider which their mother had been furious about. She learnt about her two older brothers Bill and Charlie who both had very strange but intriguing jobs in the wizarding world.
Ronnie opened the cage door and introduced Halle to her pet rat named Scabbers which seemed to cause her some embarrassment as she revealed that her rat was second hand. A fact which seemed to be common in Ronnie's life.
Halle not seeing anything wrong, told her all about the second hand things she had received from the Dursley's to make her feel better.
Around lunch time a polite smiling woman with a trolley of goodies came and asked if they wanted any food. Halle jumped at the chance as she had not eaten breakfast. She had recognised none of the food on the trolley but had bought a sample of everything.
"Hungry?" Asked Ronnie.
"Starving. Want some?" Asked Halle plopping the sweets on the chair.
"No that's ok. I'm all set." Said Ronnie meekly whilst pulling out some sandwiches from the blue bag.
"Oh come on. I'm hungry but I probably won't finish this all by myself. Unless you want to see half of it chucked?" Taunted Halle. This got Ronnie's attention. She looked at Halle with wide eyes and hopped over to the seat of sweets.
"Absolutely not. We'll don't just sit there. Let's eat." Said Ronnie already grabbing a handful of sweets.
Halle smiled before picking up something known as a Cauldron cake and taking a large bite. It tasted delicious.
Before Halle knew it time had flown by.
Herself and Veronica were enjoying a bevy a sweets while engaging in plenty of stories. Ronnie seemed fascinated about the Muggle tales Halle told her. She couldn't get over the idea that things what were considered normal in the Muggle world was entirely not normal in the wizarding world. Pictures that didn't move took her by surprise completely.
Halle found it amazing that Ronnie had actually wanted to hear stories about her time at school.
Ronnie had told her that she had never been to school before. That any child in the wizarding world was home schooled from five, in three subjects. Basic Maths, English and wizard basics.
Halle had wondered what wizard basics were and had asked Ronnie to which she answered.
Wizard basics included the statute of secrecy, the ministry of magic and essentially the do's and don'ts of the wizarding world.
Halle asked if it was difficult to learn but Ronnie had told her that all the major and political things were sugar coated and put to simple format for children until they grew older and wished to learn it properly.
Halle had wondered why she hadn't received such teachings.
"It's nothing personal. Dad reckons it gives Muggleborns and Muggle raised an edge over pure bloods. Not that it's a competition or anything but he says that for them, they have a wider selection for their future. You get to go to Muggle school and wizard school.
Where as me well I only get to go to wizard school, well unless a pure blood takes up the muggle lifestyle. Dad says that you get to balance both your natures and you get a more extensive education." Said Ronnie thoughtfully as he took a large chomp out of a pumpkin pasty. She continued after a moment.
"Dad loves Muggles. Dad thinks Pure bloods should be taught the Muggle way too, seeming as we share the Muggle world. The wizarding world stands on its own but it's not physically separate from the Muggle world. We have to hide in plain sight.
Some wizards don't know how to do that. Dad reckons it would be healthier for some pureblood families too." Said Ronnie but she paused when she saw the confused look on Halle's face.
"Oh right you don't really know what I'm talking about, well I'll explain in a moment, but first back to the point….wait what was I saying? Ah yes it's nothing personal. Not teaching unaware Muggleborns/ Muggle raised is a way of allowing Muggle parents, Muggleborns and Muggle raised to keep their Muggle nature so that their not out of touch. Dad says it's happened before and has ruined lives to the point of high alert levels. So they only get told once their meant to go to Hogwarts seeming as Hogwarts will either way teach full wizard curriculum. Dad says they should be told beforehand but it more depends on the Muggle than the Muggleborn. Not all Muggles can handle it apparently. It's sad. Dad says that some cases end up in the wizard having to be removed from the Muggle world or the Muggle having to be in dark about the wizarding world but only in extreme cases. Dad says that 85% of Muggles who have wizarding children adjust well to the truth." Said Ronnie Thoughtful again.
Halle thought about Her own aunt and uncle who had not taken well to the news and chose to punish her, her entire life about it.
Halle Grimaced.
"Same applies to Muggle raised which can be any blood status even Pureblood's if they have no wizarding family to take care of them.
If they do have wizarding family in their life but are still raised the muggle way then they will only get taught wizard basics as Muggle schools apparently teach more substantial Maths and English. So for example if two Muggleborns have wizard children, they're also entitled to wizard basics but their parents may still teach them muggle teachings." Said Ronnie pausing again to see if she was following anything.
Halle had a very rough idea of what Ronnie was talking about but asked her to clarify nevertheless.
"Right. Muggleborn is born to two Muggles, unless two Muggleborn wizards have kids either way they're still Muggleborns. Pureblood's that's me, are all wizard since the start of their bloodline. Half bloods of course are in between but they can have any pairing essentially. Most common is Muggle and Wizard but you for example are…"
"Halle Potter."
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