Chapter Seven:

If one were to try and summarize the mental state of Hailey Potter as she waited for the Hogwarts Express to leave the station, the word 'bored' easily came to mind. Something that was evidenced by the fact that she was reading a book (more specifically a copy of Miranda Goshawk's Book of Spells) upside down while being upside down herself. Feeling something rather wide, flat and hard bump against her arm, Hailey turned her unusual eyes to the side and was greeted by the sight of something most people would consider strange and out of this world.

It had a resemblance to an already strange animal, an Ornithorhynchus anatinus, or a duck-billed platypus. Despite the resemblance however, it wasn't actually a platypus, or even a proper animal, being something closer to a plant than an animal. Nobody was sure what it was exactly, but one thing was sure. It was definitely Hailey Potter's weird pet. She called it Jenkins and referred to the platypus-like plant-thing with male pronouns. In the places where it would have been flesh and blood on a normal platypus, there was vines and chlorophyll. Where it would have been bones, it was wood-like material. In the place of fur, there was something similar to blades of grass. In the place of a relatively soft, smooth and rubbery bill of the creature it resembled, Jenkins' bill was rough and hard like wood with a zigzagging pattern resembling sharp teeth around the edge of the bill, which made it easier for him to consume his source of nutrition. Other plants. Jenkins had gotten his name in response to a comment Lily Potter made when she and the rest of the family witnessed the platypus-like plant-thing recklessly and viscously attack a Venomous Tentacula and successfully snatch and devour one of its tentacle-like vines, namely Lily absentmindedly calling Jenkins (the platypus-like plant-thing) a Leeroy Jenkins.

Giving Jenkins a couple of pats on what could be considered his head, Hailey turned the page to the introduction of the Wand-Lighting Charm as she felt that the train started to move. About halfway through the pages regarding the incarnation and wand movements for the Wand-Lighting Charm, Hailey heard someone knocking on the door of her compartment. Taking an upside down glance towards it, Hailey made a gesture that could and was interpreted as a 'come in' by the people on the other side of the door. A pair of fellow soon-to-be first-years by the looks of things. One bushy haired girl and a bit chubby boy.

"Why are you reading that upside down… while being upside down?" Asked the girl in a tone that made her confusion obvious.

"I was bored." Replied Hailey nonchalantly as the two newcomers entered the compartment, not seeing the problem with what she was doing. "Could the two of you take the other side? I wouldn't want you to accidentally sit on Jenkins."

"Who?" Asked the boy, earning a strange sound that sounded like something in between a gurgle and some kind of wind instrument from the platypus-like plant-thing in question, causing both the boy and the bushy haired girl to notice Jenkins lying on the bench next to Hailey.

"Him."

"What in the heck is that!?" Exclaimed the bushy haired girl, loudly.

"Jenkins, duh."

"Okay? But what is it?"

"I dunno, but frankly I don't really care what he is. To me, Jenkins is Jenkins. And… eh, what did you say your name was again?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Right… Please stop calling him an 'it'. He has a name and it's Jenkins."

"Like Leeroy Jenkins?"

"Just Jenkins, but yes."

"I'm so confused right now. I'm Neville by the way. Neville Longbottom." Said the boy, now known as Neville Longbottom, honestly.

"Name's Hailey. Hailey Potter. Nice to meet ya." Replied Hailey casually as she sat up in the more normal way.

"Did you just imitate me?" Asked Neville.

"Maybe." Replied Hailey before releasing a giggle, which somehow sounded more like a creepy chorus of girls giggling in unison. Much to the discomfort of the other occupants of the compartment.