Disclaimer: Look, you know I don't own it.
Chapter Two! Here it is- Won't keep you waiting.
So it was that, as Harry and Ron tried and failed to get through gate nine- and-three-quarters, they missed seeing a family standing on the platform, bemused by the scampering and scrambling of the students trying to get themselves and their luggage onto the Hogwarts Express. Professor (for this half-year, at least) Okino took it all in with his usual good humor; his wife Kokiri was equally calm but was glancing about every few seconds, half-expecting someone or something to come crashing into her at high speed.
And, facing the prospect of spending several months living among the girls of Hogwarts and attending classes when she'd never received a day's worth of formal magical education in her life, with a carpetbag in one hand, a broom in the other and a giant red bow in her hair, was their daughter Kiki.
Kiki waited until the family was settled in a compartment and the train was actually underway before she opened the carpetbag she carried. Her black cat, Jiji, jumped out of the bag, shook himself all over, and curled up in a corner of the seat, his back deliberately toward the others. They left Jiji alone, since he was clearly in one of his moods. It wasn't until Okino and Kokiri went to explore the train that Jiji turned his head toward Kiki. "Explain to me one more time why we're going with your parents." Kiki had been reading a fashion magazine she bought in the station. She folded over the page and set it down. "You know how they are about witchcraft. Mother says some magical bits are always getting lost, so they want me to try to pick up something besides flying." "And you think your mother's right?" "It's funny. I never used to think so."
"What about the business? Do you really think Tombo is going to keep things running smoothly?"
"We both know he's better organized than I am. If he didn't have to go to school, I probably would have brought him into the business by now anyway."
"And so you'll let him boss you around?" "It's still my delivery service. I'll remind him when we get back." "Well, you're far more patient than I am. I know that if I had to hear your mother going on about your being 'a witch of a proud and ancient bloodline' one more time."
The door to the compartment was pulled open, a hand threw what looked like some beans against the window, then shut the door again. A second later, the beans exploded, not with a bang but with loud barking. Jiji reflexively jumped up to the luggage rack. Kiki was too startled to move at first, but she glanced at the door and saw two identical faces laughing uncontrollably. Her temper flaring, she pulled open the door, rushed into the hall, and collided with someone bigger. This older boy had a head of violently red hair, as did the two boys running along the corridor, still laughing. "Sorry about that," the boy said, a little formally. "My younger brothers. They live for practical jokes. I'm Percy Weasley, Prefect at Gryffindor. Which house is yours?" Kiki glanced back into the compartment to check on Jiji; he was still up on the luggage rack. "I don't know anything about houses. I'm with my parents. They're teaching for a few months."
"Ah, the Herbology substitute. Well, I hope you realize we're not always like this. These first-day hi-jinks. . ." Percy never finished his sentence, as Fred and George ran past, throwing more beanbombs at his feet. This time, they made a noise like a lion's roar. Percy may have been used to his brothers' antics, but Kiki almost jumped up next to Jiji.
***
R/R!!! NOW!!!!
Chapter Two! Here it is- Won't keep you waiting.
So it was that, as Harry and Ron tried and failed to get through gate nine- and-three-quarters, they missed seeing a family standing on the platform, bemused by the scampering and scrambling of the students trying to get themselves and their luggage onto the Hogwarts Express. Professor (for this half-year, at least) Okino took it all in with his usual good humor; his wife Kokiri was equally calm but was glancing about every few seconds, half-expecting someone or something to come crashing into her at high speed.
And, facing the prospect of spending several months living among the girls of Hogwarts and attending classes when she'd never received a day's worth of formal magical education in her life, with a carpetbag in one hand, a broom in the other and a giant red bow in her hair, was their daughter Kiki.
Kiki waited until the family was settled in a compartment and the train was actually underway before she opened the carpetbag she carried. Her black cat, Jiji, jumped out of the bag, shook himself all over, and curled up in a corner of the seat, his back deliberately toward the others. They left Jiji alone, since he was clearly in one of his moods. It wasn't until Okino and Kokiri went to explore the train that Jiji turned his head toward Kiki. "Explain to me one more time why we're going with your parents." Kiki had been reading a fashion magazine she bought in the station. She folded over the page and set it down. "You know how they are about witchcraft. Mother says some magical bits are always getting lost, so they want me to try to pick up something besides flying." "And you think your mother's right?" "It's funny. I never used to think so."
"What about the business? Do you really think Tombo is going to keep things running smoothly?"
"We both know he's better organized than I am. If he didn't have to go to school, I probably would have brought him into the business by now anyway."
"And so you'll let him boss you around?" "It's still my delivery service. I'll remind him when we get back." "Well, you're far more patient than I am. I know that if I had to hear your mother going on about your being 'a witch of a proud and ancient bloodline' one more time."
The door to the compartment was pulled open, a hand threw what looked like some beans against the window, then shut the door again. A second later, the beans exploded, not with a bang but with loud barking. Jiji reflexively jumped up to the luggage rack. Kiki was too startled to move at first, but she glanced at the door and saw two identical faces laughing uncontrollably. Her temper flaring, she pulled open the door, rushed into the hall, and collided with someone bigger. This older boy had a head of violently red hair, as did the two boys running along the corridor, still laughing. "Sorry about that," the boy said, a little formally. "My younger brothers. They live for practical jokes. I'm Percy Weasley, Prefect at Gryffindor. Which house is yours?" Kiki glanced back into the compartment to check on Jiji; he was still up on the luggage rack. "I don't know anything about houses. I'm with my parents. They're teaching for a few months."
"Ah, the Herbology substitute. Well, I hope you realize we're not always like this. These first-day hi-jinks. . ." Percy never finished his sentence, as Fred and George ran past, throwing more beanbombs at his feet. This time, they made a noise like a lion's roar. Percy may have been used to his brothers' antics, but Kiki almost jumped up next to Jiji.
***
R/R!!! NOW!!!!