Harry Potter and the Locket of Trinity: Chapter Two
"Reluctant Partings and Equally Reluctant Introductions"
A/N: Wowie! A review already, after one measly intro chapter? *bows down* I AM NOT WORTHY!!
Moomood256: yah, the spell checker is my bestest friend, my spelling sucks before the red jagged line pops up. ;) thanx for reviewing!
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The Dairy Mart actually turned out to be an ice-cream shop, to Harry's delight. Although Harry would have gladly accompanied Jacie to the local dump if she would go with him.
"Buenos Tardes, Manalo." Jacie greeted the man behind the counter.
"Ah, hola Senorita Lag-ne." the man answered, mispronouncing her name. She simply smiled kindly at him though.
"One double dip peaches and cream on a waffle cone, por favor." she ordered. Harry had no idea what was going on, it was as if there were two languages being spoken at once. There was the Spanish, which the boy had trouble with already, but the double whatsit and huh on a diddly-doodle, thingymajig? As if the Dursleys had ever taken him to get ice-cream before! This was going to be his first (muggle) cone.
"An' for zee muchacho?" Manalo inquired.
"The same, please." Harry answered, taking the safe route.
"Por favor." Jacie interjected.
"Bad flavor? I got the wrong one?" Harry asked, terrified.
"No, I mean 'por favor.' Please in Spanish is 'por favor.'" Jacie corrected, laughing in her loud guffaw again. Harry blushed.
"'Ere ees dos peeches y cream-e." the man replied, handing over two towering desserts. Harry had no clue what it was he ordered, or what it was the man was saying, but Jacie handled everything beautifully.
"Mucho gracias, Manalo." Jacie thanked, handing the man a few pounds and getting her change. Harry felt bad for making her pay, but he didn't have any muggle money, and wasn't sure a Galleon would go over too well with the cashier.
"So," Jacie began, walking with Harry out the door. "What have you been up to for the last five years?"
"Growing up, mostly. I've made a lot of friends at school, now that Dudley isn't there to beat them all up." told Harry. In some way, he felt like he didn't have to put up appearances about being tough or guarded, like The-Boy-Who-Lived was supposed to. He could be sincere, tell his real feelings and thoughts, without caution to if he was playing the correct part. In fact, Jacie had never even heard of him, Harry Potter, as the famous boy he was. That was part of her charm.
"Funny, that git never scared me any." Jacie remarked with a triumphant grin.
"I think he was afraid of you, actually. But he teased you all the same, I always admired the way you took it."
"Oh, it's nothing. After growing up in a foster home full of older 'siblings,' you learn the art of ignorance."
Harry pondered this for a moment, licking his ice cream. The Art of Ignorance. this girl certainly had a lot of insight. "I had no idea ignorance was such an artistic form of expression. Just call me Picasso."
Her shameless guffaw rang out. "Just act like they're not there, Harry. Like you have no idea they're trying to make you feel bad, totally oblivious. Like you're much too caught up with living to deal with crap like that."
"That's a great outlook."
"Eh. If you spend enough time on the outside, like I have, you develop that sort of philosophy."
There was a soft silence, comfortable and friendly, until Harry had to ask. He simply had to, there was no stopping his brain. "So, how long have you been an, erm, outsider?" But the way he said it, you could tell he was referring to her appearance. The outfit did look really nice on her, but it just screamed so many things! Harry wondered what had prompted her to change from the little girl in cowboy boots and flowered leggings. well, come to think of it, she'd never really dressed according to normal style.
"Since about Stonewall. We've got a uniform, you know, but I've got my ways to work around it. Like buttons," she said, showing him the anti- fur and vegetarian pins on her shirt. "The school handbook hasn't outlawed those. Yet. And Herman. They haven't banned Herman."
"Who's Herman?" Harry asked, hoping against hope that it wasn't her boyfriend.
"They're my boots. I named them." she stated matter-of-fact. Well, not quite the answer Harry was looking for, but the same general outcome.
Actually, Jacie NEVER had quite the answer you were looking for.
(^*^)
The summer months flew by, with every day consisting of a trip to the Dairy Mart for an ice cream and a walk to the park, filled with conversations about life, school, and society. you can probably guess that Harry did most of the listening on Jacie's theories of society. She had a fair lot of them, too.
This was one of Harry's particular favorites. "This is just too true," she'd begin, and that's how you knew she was about to state a theory. "Men spend the first nine months of their creation trying to get out, and the rest of their lives trying to get back in."
Okay, so it wasn't Sophistication City, but they were a couple of kids. It was the closest thing to young love that Harry had yet to experience, and it was great. He learned so much about himself through her. That he preferred to wiggle his toes in warm sand over warm grass. That the color black wasn't depressing all the time, it could be viewed as steady and unchanging. And that not all girls were like Hermione; smart and eager, and bordering on annoying. In fact, Harry learned that girls were downright nice. Well, more like girl, considering the fact that he spent his time with just Jacie.
Being with her even made time with the Dursleys seem more bearable, with their daily recess to look forward to. Whenever Dudley began to torment Harry about being scrawny, or weird, or even once about the fact that his parents were dead, Harry just wielded the 'art of ignorance' and turned a deaf ear to whatever Dudley was saying that time. After all, who was the little 'pig in a wig' to tease Harry? Though maybe not valued in his own house by his own family, there were plenty of other people out there in his world that loved him.
Harry felt bad that he had to lie to Jacie the whole time about 'his world,' hiding the fact that he was a wizard. It was the most important thing in his life, and to not be able to share it with the person he cared about most. it was heart wrenching. Harry maintained that he attended boarding school in Sweden during the year, though he almost slipped up when she asked for a school photo. He was about to break out his wallet and show her pictures of his friends before a pair of Ron's moving hands inside the photograph stopped him.
"OH! Um, er, no, I left them at home. Aw shucks, guess that's too bad then. So, what about your school, huh?" Harry said quickly, changing the subject.
Jacie even gave him a birthday present, a little poem that she burned into a scrap of leather. It was entitled "Lightning-Bearer," the nickname she had called him when they were little because of the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. It was the most touching gift Harry'd ever received, which wasn't saying much because he got his first gift ever just five years ago.
So, as you can tell, come September it was very hard to leave his old/newfound friend. "You promise you'll write, won't you?" Jacie asked, her blue eyes glistening.
"Of course." Harry answered. Although, since his exit from the muggle world, he'd totally forgotten how the postal service operated.
And then, in a moment Harry would drag up through his memories in many of the nights to come, Jacie lurched forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't turn out to be a jerk, you hear? You know my theory on jerks." She whispered into his ear.
"That they're all really just scared but pleasant on the inside." Harry quoted.
Jacie looked confused, and pulled slightly away to look her friend in the eye. "No, the other one."
"That they should all either be shot, or start their own colony on another planet and leave us nice people alone?" Harry prompted.
"Yeah, that's it," said Jacie. "I'll keep you posted on new theories, not to worry about that."
"I'm on the edge of my seat, awaiting your owl." replied Harry, smiling.
Jacie's bellowing guffaw swirled around in Harry's memories, capping them all. "My owl? What are you talking about, weirdo?" she inquired.
"Nothing, just nonsense."
"Ah, you know how I love it when you talk nonsense to me."
After one last hug that ended up spanning about five, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat.
They had been standing in front of the train station for a full fifteen minutes, Harry's Uncle awkwardly watching the two and trying to make them uncomfortable. But if Jacie had taught Harry anything, it was 'the art of ignorance.'
(^*^)
"Oy! Harry, over here!" Ron called upon spying his friend emerge from the crowd climbing onto the train.
"Hey Ron!" Harry exclaimed, rushing over to his compartment. This was the first time he'd seen him in months. "How have you been?"
"Fine, I guess. a bit worried about you, though. What happened, did you fall off the face of the earth? You never answered my owls!" Ron complained.
"Oh, sorry about that, buddy," Harry apologized ineptly, trying to cover up his secret. "I had a rough summer."
Ron's face paled. "Y-you don't mean the Dursley's. did they beat you, Harry?"
Harry almost laughed out loud. "No, not that kind of rough. Okay, you win. Here," Harry said, leaning forward and lowering his voice to a whisper. Ron's face looking so worried over him made Harry give in. It wouldn't hurt to tell his best friend about Jacie, now would it?
"I met a girl over the summer." Harry explained.
"HA!!" was Ron's response.
"Wha. hey, now, c'mon!" Harry exclaimed. This was NOT very pleasant of him.
"Ha, ha, ha. ooh, Harry," wheezed Ron, wiping the corners of his eyes. "So, go on, tell me about the Lucky Lady."
Harry, however resentful of his supposed best friend's attitude, was driven on by the fact that he might just make the guy jealous. "Her name's Jacie Lagne, she went to primary school with me, before I went to Hogwarts."
"Before Hogwarts - but Harry, she's a muggle?" Ron rasped incredulously.
"Yeah, but you'd hardly even notice it with her. She's so amazing, Ron, she has theories on society and people and everything. Jacie was the only person that was ever nice to me with Dudley around, intimidating everyone else but her." said Harry.
"Aww, has ickle Harry-kins got a girlfriend?" Ron teased.
"Shut up! Jacie's a friend. a really good friend. yeah, I like her, but." Harry rambled, trying to figure out his feelings. Jacie just seemed so unattainable, just too friendly to be intimate.
"You never got any 'action,' did you Harry?" guessed Ron.
"Hey now! Don't go saying stuff like that!"
"But it's true, isn't it?"
Harry sighed. "Yeah. Gosh, I really like Jacie."
But the friend's conversation was cut short when a student walked by the compartment, then froze cold, peering inside.
"Can we help you, little girl?" asked Ron.
"Yes, I was just wondering if you could possibly be any ruder to a new student." the girl replied cuttingly. Ron clamped his mouth shut in surprise. She was kind of short, a full four inches below Harry, with tiny features besides her large, blue eyes, hidden behind thick black-framed glasses. Her cropped dark hair was sort of in a shaggy, unkempt bowl cut, pinned back with pink babyish barrettes. She obviously looked like a first year.
"Well, the other first years are in the back compartment huddled together, crying for their mommies, why don't you go join them?" Ron retorted, a full eight seconds after her statement. It was a pitiful comeback, and that must be why she began to giggle.
"First year, well, that's not quite my style." replied the girl, amidst giggles.
"Why?" Harry asked, and the blue eyes quickly turned themselves upon the boy.
"Harry Potter. my, I've heard a lot about you, is any of it true?" the girl asked, ignoring his question.
Harry cringed, remembering the scathing articles former journalist, current prisoner insect Rita Skeeter had published about him. Heaven knows what sort of impressions the girl had gotten of him from those. "Probably not, if you're a fan of Witch Weekly."
"So you haven't really come face to face with The Dark Lord?" she questioned.
"Well, that's true, but the other rumors are a crock." Harry told her knowingly.
"Like what?" she pressed. Harry felt backed into a corner now, like he was fighting for his reputation.
"Like, erm. I've never dated Hermione Granger, for one." explained Harry.
Then the girl began to giggle again, a bit uproariously. "Well of course I never believed that!" she said, like Harry was an idiot. His face began to burn.
"How do you know Hermione?" Harry sputtered.
"I've seen her picture before, with the article. and I saw her arguing with a blond-haired boy a few compartments down. You two just didn't seem the type." the girl described.
This remark infuriated Harry. "You think you know so much about me, do you? Well, I'll tell you, Miss. Miss." Harry searched for her name, and found that she hadn't shared it with them yet.
"Trinity Scarlet McGundron-Philips," put in the girl quietly. "But you can call me Trinny. All my friends do."
This conversation had just taken an extreme 360, from sarcastic enemies to nicknaming friends. Trinny sure had some nerve. "Miss Trinny." Harry breathed, at a loss for words. A menacing brat before, now the image had changed along with the nature of their talk, and standing before Harry and Ron was now an innocent-looking girl.
"Forgive me, that is my way of trying to make friends. Let's start over," said Trinny, sticking out her hand to Ron. "I'm Trinity Philips, a new Hogwarts fifth year. And you are?"
Harry saw Ron's eyes bug out, mouthing the words 'fifth year,' but he remained polite. "Ron Weasley, a Gryffindor fifth year." he stated, shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ron. And you are?" Trinny said, turning towards Harry now.
"Harry Potter." introduced Harry, grasping her tiny hand. She really didn't look his age, but maybe the tiny features, large eyes, and petite frame were misleading. Trinny certainly had attitude to make up for it, though.
Right after their introduction, in walked Hermione, looking put off and flustered. "Honestly, Draco is a grade-A prat, I simply walk by his compartment and he pulls out his wand on me. Luckily, I read ahead in the DADA book and learned how to block curses quite well, and defended myself while inflicting the attacker the necessary damage, oh hello, I'm Hermione Granger, who might you be?" Hermione explained in one long breath. Behind Hermione, Harry and Ron saw a red-faced Draco Malfoy dashing down the corridor, clutching a gigantic nose beneath his hands. They had a sneaking suspicion that an Engorgio Charm had occurred.
"I'm Trinity Philips, but you may call me Trinny. I'm a new student at Hogwarts, but a fifth year in age." said Trinny.
"Oh, what school are you transferring from?" Hermione asked as polite as can be.
"None, really. You see I just found out that I was a witch, I got the Hogwarts letter a few weeks ago. I'm to be regarded as a fifth-year, even though I'm at the level of a first-year." Trinny enlightened the others.
That reason didn't really click with Harry though; usually if you had any magical ability at all you got the acceptance letter, whether surprise or not, in time for first year. Something odd was afoot.
"I'm sure you're excited to begin learning!" Hermione remarked, and the girl giggled again.
"Ha, that's a good one, Hermione! Actually, the one thing I am excited about it The Sorting." said Trinny.
"Yeah, I remember my sorting. I was so terrified that I was going to be put in Slytherin, but thank goodness I got Gryffindor." Harry remarked.
"So you all are in Gryffindor? I sure hope I get in there, then." said Trinny.
After another awkward moment of silence, suddenly the new girl clapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I've forgotten to check in with Professor McGonagall! I'll catch up with you guys later, right?" Trinny exclaimed, with a special look at Harry.
"Of course." Harry answered, staring again into those blue eyes. they reminded him so much of Jacie's, and out of the blue his body actually convulsed with longing for his good friend.
The girl ran out the compartment door, her thin sandal flats clapping down the corridor. "Well, that was certainly interesting, hmm?" Ron commented after the footsteps ceased, raising an eyebrow at his friends.
"Yeah." Harry agreed softly, staring at the door she just exited. Her vibrance still seemed to linger in the room, and in his mind.
"So, we were just getting to the good part of Harry's summer." Ron continued.
"Ooh, did I miss something juicy?" squealed Hermione.
"Harry's got a girlfriend." Ron teased.
"Aww, how sweet! What's her name?" Hermione prodded.
"Jacie Lagne, she went to primary school with me. And yes, she is a muggle, and no, that does not bother me." Harry rattled off quickly.
"Well, it shouldn't. My Aunt Enid, whom I've recently discovered to be where I get my magical blood, married a muggle man, and their marriage worked out fine. Together fifty years before a chandelier fell on his head." defended Hermione.
"Erm. good for you?" Ron said, and Hermione shot him a look. He grinned broadly at her, and she gave in, smiling back.
"Speaking of summer love, Hermione, how did your visit to Bulgaria go?" Harry said, turning the subject on her now. It was an awful thing to do, but better her than him.
Harry saw Ron grit his teeth at the mention of Hermione's love affair with young Quidditch star Viktor Krum. "It's none of your business, but if you must know, I had a wonderful time in Bulgaria. Viktor behaved as a perfect gentleman, and he's going to visit me at my house during Christmas Break. So there." the girl said, blushing.
"Did you drop off Rita Skeeter while you were there, like you'd promised?" Ron asked.
"Yes. I figured a vacation in Bulgaria would do the little wanker some good. Before I let her out, I told her that if any stories leaked out about me, or the TriWizard Tournament, the Ministry would learn about her being an illegal Animagus. I think she'll keep her silence, don't you?" Hermione explained.
"Hermione, that's blackmail!" accused Ron.
"Well, Ronald, I was teaching the woman a life lesson. I think that constitutes some blackmail, in order to protect the innocent." spat Hermione, tight-lipped.
"Teach me to contradict the great Hermione Granger." Ron mumbled to Harry. Harry disguised his snickering amidst a well-timed coughing fit to avoid a beating from Hermione.
"What about your summer, Ron?" Harry inquired, not wanting to torture his friend any longer.
"Loveless, as usual," Ron explained bitterly. "Quite uneventful also, since both you and Hermione couldn't drag yourselves to Diagon Alley with me."
"Sorry about that, Ron, but I had. pressing engagements. Did you get my things for me? I really appreciate it." Harry apologized.
"Yeah, right. 'pressing engagements' my foot. I know what 'engagements' you're talking about, loverboy. Here, take your books." Ron said, shoving a bagful of supplies at Harry.
Harry winked at his friend. "Thanks, Ron."
In no time at all the train began to slow, and up ahead loomed the castle's impressive silhouette. Their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had begun.
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A/N: Ah, and chapter two is complete! Sure hope you like it! I'd hate to be working so hard on this story, and yet nobody is reading it. *sniff*
How do you like Trinny? She's another original creation of mine, and a pretty important character. *hint, hint, nudge, nudge.*
Well, talk to y'all next Saturday, and keep on reading! Thanks bundles!
Love from,
Saranimal
HaloGal5@aol.com (don't forget to write!)
"Reluctant Partings and Equally Reluctant Introductions"
A/N: Wowie! A review already, after one measly intro chapter? *bows down* I AM NOT WORTHY!!
Moomood256: yah, the spell checker is my bestest friend, my spelling sucks before the red jagged line pops up. ;) thanx for reviewing!
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The Dairy Mart actually turned out to be an ice-cream shop, to Harry's delight. Although Harry would have gladly accompanied Jacie to the local dump if she would go with him.
"Buenos Tardes, Manalo." Jacie greeted the man behind the counter.
"Ah, hola Senorita Lag-ne." the man answered, mispronouncing her name. She simply smiled kindly at him though.
"One double dip peaches and cream on a waffle cone, por favor." she ordered. Harry had no idea what was going on, it was as if there were two languages being spoken at once. There was the Spanish, which the boy had trouble with already, but the double whatsit and huh on a diddly-doodle, thingymajig? As if the Dursleys had ever taken him to get ice-cream before! This was going to be his first (muggle) cone.
"An' for zee muchacho?" Manalo inquired.
"The same, please." Harry answered, taking the safe route.
"Por favor." Jacie interjected.
"Bad flavor? I got the wrong one?" Harry asked, terrified.
"No, I mean 'por favor.' Please in Spanish is 'por favor.'" Jacie corrected, laughing in her loud guffaw again. Harry blushed.
"'Ere ees dos peeches y cream-e." the man replied, handing over two towering desserts. Harry had no clue what it was he ordered, or what it was the man was saying, but Jacie handled everything beautifully.
"Mucho gracias, Manalo." Jacie thanked, handing the man a few pounds and getting her change. Harry felt bad for making her pay, but he didn't have any muggle money, and wasn't sure a Galleon would go over too well with the cashier.
"So," Jacie began, walking with Harry out the door. "What have you been up to for the last five years?"
"Growing up, mostly. I've made a lot of friends at school, now that Dudley isn't there to beat them all up." told Harry. In some way, he felt like he didn't have to put up appearances about being tough or guarded, like The-Boy-Who-Lived was supposed to. He could be sincere, tell his real feelings and thoughts, without caution to if he was playing the correct part. In fact, Jacie had never even heard of him, Harry Potter, as the famous boy he was. That was part of her charm.
"Funny, that git never scared me any." Jacie remarked with a triumphant grin.
"I think he was afraid of you, actually. But he teased you all the same, I always admired the way you took it."
"Oh, it's nothing. After growing up in a foster home full of older 'siblings,' you learn the art of ignorance."
Harry pondered this for a moment, licking his ice cream. The Art of Ignorance. this girl certainly had a lot of insight. "I had no idea ignorance was such an artistic form of expression. Just call me Picasso."
Her shameless guffaw rang out. "Just act like they're not there, Harry. Like you have no idea they're trying to make you feel bad, totally oblivious. Like you're much too caught up with living to deal with crap like that."
"That's a great outlook."
"Eh. If you spend enough time on the outside, like I have, you develop that sort of philosophy."
There was a soft silence, comfortable and friendly, until Harry had to ask. He simply had to, there was no stopping his brain. "So, how long have you been an, erm, outsider?" But the way he said it, you could tell he was referring to her appearance. The outfit did look really nice on her, but it just screamed so many things! Harry wondered what had prompted her to change from the little girl in cowboy boots and flowered leggings. well, come to think of it, she'd never really dressed according to normal style.
"Since about Stonewall. We've got a uniform, you know, but I've got my ways to work around it. Like buttons," she said, showing him the anti- fur and vegetarian pins on her shirt. "The school handbook hasn't outlawed those. Yet. And Herman. They haven't banned Herman."
"Who's Herman?" Harry asked, hoping against hope that it wasn't her boyfriend.
"They're my boots. I named them." she stated matter-of-fact. Well, not quite the answer Harry was looking for, but the same general outcome.
Actually, Jacie NEVER had quite the answer you were looking for.
(^*^)
The summer months flew by, with every day consisting of a trip to the Dairy Mart for an ice cream and a walk to the park, filled with conversations about life, school, and society. you can probably guess that Harry did most of the listening on Jacie's theories of society. She had a fair lot of them, too.
This was one of Harry's particular favorites. "This is just too true," she'd begin, and that's how you knew she was about to state a theory. "Men spend the first nine months of their creation trying to get out, and the rest of their lives trying to get back in."
Okay, so it wasn't Sophistication City, but they were a couple of kids. It was the closest thing to young love that Harry had yet to experience, and it was great. He learned so much about himself through her. That he preferred to wiggle his toes in warm sand over warm grass. That the color black wasn't depressing all the time, it could be viewed as steady and unchanging. And that not all girls were like Hermione; smart and eager, and bordering on annoying. In fact, Harry learned that girls were downright nice. Well, more like girl, considering the fact that he spent his time with just Jacie.
Being with her even made time with the Dursleys seem more bearable, with their daily recess to look forward to. Whenever Dudley began to torment Harry about being scrawny, or weird, or even once about the fact that his parents were dead, Harry just wielded the 'art of ignorance' and turned a deaf ear to whatever Dudley was saying that time. After all, who was the little 'pig in a wig' to tease Harry? Though maybe not valued in his own house by his own family, there were plenty of other people out there in his world that loved him.
Harry felt bad that he had to lie to Jacie the whole time about 'his world,' hiding the fact that he was a wizard. It was the most important thing in his life, and to not be able to share it with the person he cared about most. it was heart wrenching. Harry maintained that he attended boarding school in Sweden during the year, though he almost slipped up when she asked for a school photo. He was about to break out his wallet and show her pictures of his friends before a pair of Ron's moving hands inside the photograph stopped him.
"OH! Um, er, no, I left them at home. Aw shucks, guess that's too bad then. So, what about your school, huh?" Harry said quickly, changing the subject.
Jacie even gave him a birthday present, a little poem that she burned into a scrap of leather. It was entitled "Lightning-Bearer," the nickname she had called him when they were little because of the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. It was the most touching gift Harry'd ever received, which wasn't saying much because he got his first gift ever just five years ago.
So, as you can tell, come September it was very hard to leave his old/newfound friend. "You promise you'll write, won't you?" Jacie asked, her blue eyes glistening.
"Of course." Harry answered. Although, since his exit from the muggle world, he'd totally forgotten how the postal service operated.
And then, in a moment Harry would drag up through his memories in many of the nights to come, Jacie lurched forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't turn out to be a jerk, you hear? You know my theory on jerks." She whispered into his ear.
"That they're all really just scared but pleasant on the inside." Harry quoted.
Jacie looked confused, and pulled slightly away to look her friend in the eye. "No, the other one."
"That they should all either be shot, or start their own colony on another planet and leave us nice people alone?" Harry prompted.
"Yeah, that's it," said Jacie. "I'll keep you posted on new theories, not to worry about that."
"I'm on the edge of my seat, awaiting your owl." replied Harry, smiling.
Jacie's bellowing guffaw swirled around in Harry's memories, capping them all. "My owl? What are you talking about, weirdo?" she inquired.
"Nothing, just nonsense."
"Ah, you know how I love it when you talk nonsense to me."
After one last hug that ended up spanning about five, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat.
They had been standing in front of the train station for a full fifteen minutes, Harry's Uncle awkwardly watching the two and trying to make them uncomfortable. But if Jacie had taught Harry anything, it was 'the art of ignorance.'
(^*^)
"Oy! Harry, over here!" Ron called upon spying his friend emerge from the crowd climbing onto the train.
"Hey Ron!" Harry exclaimed, rushing over to his compartment. This was the first time he'd seen him in months. "How have you been?"
"Fine, I guess. a bit worried about you, though. What happened, did you fall off the face of the earth? You never answered my owls!" Ron complained.
"Oh, sorry about that, buddy," Harry apologized ineptly, trying to cover up his secret. "I had a rough summer."
Ron's face paled. "Y-you don't mean the Dursley's. did they beat you, Harry?"
Harry almost laughed out loud. "No, not that kind of rough. Okay, you win. Here," Harry said, leaning forward and lowering his voice to a whisper. Ron's face looking so worried over him made Harry give in. It wouldn't hurt to tell his best friend about Jacie, now would it?
"I met a girl over the summer." Harry explained.
"HA!!" was Ron's response.
"Wha. hey, now, c'mon!" Harry exclaimed. This was NOT very pleasant of him.
"Ha, ha, ha. ooh, Harry," wheezed Ron, wiping the corners of his eyes. "So, go on, tell me about the Lucky Lady."
Harry, however resentful of his supposed best friend's attitude, was driven on by the fact that he might just make the guy jealous. "Her name's Jacie Lagne, she went to primary school with me, before I went to Hogwarts."
"Before Hogwarts - but Harry, she's a muggle?" Ron rasped incredulously.
"Yeah, but you'd hardly even notice it with her. She's so amazing, Ron, she has theories on society and people and everything. Jacie was the only person that was ever nice to me with Dudley around, intimidating everyone else but her." said Harry.
"Aww, has ickle Harry-kins got a girlfriend?" Ron teased.
"Shut up! Jacie's a friend. a really good friend. yeah, I like her, but." Harry rambled, trying to figure out his feelings. Jacie just seemed so unattainable, just too friendly to be intimate.
"You never got any 'action,' did you Harry?" guessed Ron.
"Hey now! Don't go saying stuff like that!"
"But it's true, isn't it?"
Harry sighed. "Yeah. Gosh, I really like Jacie."
But the friend's conversation was cut short when a student walked by the compartment, then froze cold, peering inside.
"Can we help you, little girl?" asked Ron.
"Yes, I was just wondering if you could possibly be any ruder to a new student." the girl replied cuttingly. Ron clamped his mouth shut in surprise. She was kind of short, a full four inches below Harry, with tiny features besides her large, blue eyes, hidden behind thick black-framed glasses. Her cropped dark hair was sort of in a shaggy, unkempt bowl cut, pinned back with pink babyish barrettes. She obviously looked like a first year.
"Well, the other first years are in the back compartment huddled together, crying for their mommies, why don't you go join them?" Ron retorted, a full eight seconds after her statement. It was a pitiful comeback, and that must be why she began to giggle.
"First year, well, that's not quite my style." replied the girl, amidst giggles.
"Why?" Harry asked, and the blue eyes quickly turned themselves upon the boy.
"Harry Potter. my, I've heard a lot about you, is any of it true?" the girl asked, ignoring his question.
Harry cringed, remembering the scathing articles former journalist, current prisoner insect Rita Skeeter had published about him. Heaven knows what sort of impressions the girl had gotten of him from those. "Probably not, if you're a fan of Witch Weekly."
"So you haven't really come face to face with The Dark Lord?" she questioned.
"Well, that's true, but the other rumors are a crock." Harry told her knowingly.
"Like what?" she pressed. Harry felt backed into a corner now, like he was fighting for his reputation.
"Like, erm. I've never dated Hermione Granger, for one." explained Harry.
Then the girl began to giggle again, a bit uproariously. "Well of course I never believed that!" she said, like Harry was an idiot. His face began to burn.
"How do you know Hermione?" Harry sputtered.
"I've seen her picture before, with the article. and I saw her arguing with a blond-haired boy a few compartments down. You two just didn't seem the type." the girl described.
This remark infuriated Harry. "You think you know so much about me, do you? Well, I'll tell you, Miss. Miss." Harry searched for her name, and found that she hadn't shared it with them yet.
"Trinity Scarlet McGundron-Philips," put in the girl quietly. "But you can call me Trinny. All my friends do."
This conversation had just taken an extreme 360, from sarcastic enemies to nicknaming friends. Trinny sure had some nerve. "Miss Trinny." Harry breathed, at a loss for words. A menacing brat before, now the image had changed along with the nature of their talk, and standing before Harry and Ron was now an innocent-looking girl.
"Forgive me, that is my way of trying to make friends. Let's start over," said Trinny, sticking out her hand to Ron. "I'm Trinity Philips, a new Hogwarts fifth year. And you are?"
Harry saw Ron's eyes bug out, mouthing the words 'fifth year,' but he remained polite. "Ron Weasley, a Gryffindor fifth year." he stated, shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ron. And you are?" Trinny said, turning towards Harry now.
"Harry Potter." introduced Harry, grasping her tiny hand. She really didn't look his age, but maybe the tiny features, large eyes, and petite frame were misleading. Trinny certainly had attitude to make up for it, though.
Right after their introduction, in walked Hermione, looking put off and flustered. "Honestly, Draco is a grade-A prat, I simply walk by his compartment and he pulls out his wand on me. Luckily, I read ahead in the DADA book and learned how to block curses quite well, and defended myself while inflicting the attacker the necessary damage, oh hello, I'm Hermione Granger, who might you be?" Hermione explained in one long breath. Behind Hermione, Harry and Ron saw a red-faced Draco Malfoy dashing down the corridor, clutching a gigantic nose beneath his hands. They had a sneaking suspicion that an Engorgio Charm had occurred.
"I'm Trinity Philips, but you may call me Trinny. I'm a new student at Hogwarts, but a fifth year in age." said Trinny.
"Oh, what school are you transferring from?" Hermione asked as polite as can be.
"None, really. You see I just found out that I was a witch, I got the Hogwarts letter a few weeks ago. I'm to be regarded as a fifth-year, even though I'm at the level of a first-year." Trinny enlightened the others.
That reason didn't really click with Harry though; usually if you had any magical ability at all you got the acceptance letter, whether surprise or not, in time for first year. Something odd was afoot.
"I'm sure you're excited to begin learning!" Hermione remarked, and the girl giggled again.
"Ha, that's a good one, Hermione! Actually, the one thing I am excited about it The Sorting." said Trinny.
"Yeah, I remember my sorting. I was so terrified that I was going to be put in Slytherin, but thank goodness I got Gryffindor." Harry remarked.
"So you all are in Gryffindor? I sure hope I get in there, then." said Trinny.
After another awkward moment of silence, suddenly the new girl clapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I've forgotten to check in with Professor McGonagall! I'll catch up with you guys later, right?" Trinny exclaimed, with a special look at Harry.
"Of course." Harry answered, staring again into those blue eyes. they reminded him so much of Jacie's, and out of the blue his body actually convulsed with longing for his good friend.
The girl ran out the compartment door, her thin sandal flats clapping down the corridor. "Well, that was certainly interesting, hmm?" Ron commented after the footsteps ceased, raising an eyebrow at his friends.
"Yeah." Harry agreed softly, staring at the door she just exited. Her vibrance still seemed to linger in the room, and in his mind.
"So, we were just getting to the good part of Harry's summer." Ron continued.
"Ooh, did I miss something juicy?" squealed Hermione.
"Harry's got a girlfriend." Ron teased.
"Aww, how sweet! What's her name?" Hermione prodded.
"Jacie Lagne, she went to primary school with me. And yes, she is a muggle, and no, that does not bother me." Harry rattled off quickly.
"Well, it shouldn't. My Aunt Enid, whom I've recently discovered to be where I get my magical blood, married a muggle man, and their marriage worked out fine. Together fifty years before a chandelier fell on his head." defended Hermione.
"Erm. good for you?" Ron said, and Hermione shot him a look. He grinned broadly at her, and she gave in, smiling back.
"Speaking of summer love, Hermione, how did your visit to Bulgaria go?" Harry said, turning the subject on her now. It was an awful thing to do, but better her than him.
Harry saw Ron grit his teeth at the mention of Hermione's love affair with young Quidditch star Viktor Krum. "It's none of your business, but if you must know, I had a wonderful time in Bulgaria. Viktor behaved as a perfect gentleman, and he's going to visit me at my house during Christmas Break. So there." the girl said, blushing.
"Did you drop off Rita Skeeter while you were there, like you'd promised?" Ron asked.
"Yes. I figured a vacation in Bulgaria would do the little wanker some good. Before I let her out, I told her that if any stories leaked out about me, or the TriWizard Tournament, the Ministry would learn about her being an illegal Animagus. I think she'll keep her silence, don't you?" Hermione explained.
"Hermione, that's blackmail!" accused Ron.
"Well, Ronald, I was teaching the woman a life lesson. I think that constitutes some blackmail, in order to protect the innocent." spat Hermione, tight-lipped.
"Teach me to contradict the great Hermione Granger." Ron mumbled to Harry. Harry disguised his snickering amidst a well-timed coughing fit to avoid a beating from Hermione.
"What about your summer, Ron?" Harry inquired, not wanting to torture his friend any longer.
"Loveless, as usual," Ron explained bitterly. "Quite uneventful also, since both you and Hermione couldn't drag yourselves to Diagon Alley with me."
"Sorry about that, Ron, but I had. pressing engagements. Did you get my things for me? I really appreciate it." Harry apologized.
"Yeah, right. 'pressing engagements' my foot. I know what 'engagements' you're talking about, loverboy. Here, take your books." Ron said, shoving a bagful of supplies at Harry.
Harry winked at his friend. "Thanks, Ron."
In no time at all the train began to slow, and up ahead loomed the castle's impressive silhouette. Their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had begun.
* * * * *
A/N: Ah, and chapter two is complete! Sure hope you like it! I'd hate to be working so hard on this story, and yet nobody is reading it. *sniff*
How do you like Trinny? She's another original creation of mine, and a pretty important character. *hint, hint, nudge, nudge.*
Well, talk to y'all next Saturday, and keep on reading! Thanks bundles!
Love from,
Saranimal
HaloGal5@aol.com (don't forget to write!)