Harry, Ron and Hermione raced to get onto the Hogwarts express, as it was
just about to leave the platform. They stopped for a moment to catch their
breaths, and then set off to find an empty compartment so that the catching
up could begin. It had been a long summer, and none of them had been able
to see the others; Ron had been visiting family in some strange place that
had a name that was constantly changing, Hermione was holidaying with her
parents, and Harry had been stuck at home, waiting for the day that school
begun.
All of the compartments that they passed were full of other students, already laughing and chatting. At the end of the carriage was the compartment that the trio usually used, and Ron, being in front, opened the door to go in, not even bothering to see if it was full. But halfway through the door, he stopped in his tracks, causing Harry to bump into him.
Sitting by the window was a girl they had never seen before. She was sitting on the right side of the compartment, staring out the window, watching the scenery as it passed. She slowly looked over at the intruders and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"All the others are full. Do you mind?" Asked Ron, indicating the other seats.
The girl gave an uncaring shrug of her shoulders, to say do what you want. So the three friends sat down, but there was no talking between them, only the silence full of tension between them as they didn't want to say anything in front of this new stranger.
After 10 minutes, Harry could not stand it any longer. He cleared his throat in an attempt to get the girl to look at him, but it was in vain. He tried again a second time and, rolling her eyes, the girl looked away from the window and at him and gave a fake little smile.
Harry held out his hand. "Hi, my name's Harry. Harry Potter."
But all the girl did was give another little fake smile, and returned to gazing out the window.
The friends were shocked by this rudeness, and looked at each other, their silent glances saying so many things.
Ron took another look at the girl. She was sitting straight-backed, with her arms folded in her lap. Her black dress went down to her knees, with long fitted sleeves and a high neckline. Where her black hem ended, black stockings began. And then, dainty little black lace-up ankle boots with a little heel. Her black hair was gathered at the nape of her neck in a silver hair net, the pale face emerging from it looking startlingly lifeless. Her pale skin looked like it had never seen the sun, her thin arched eyebrows, red pouty lips, wide eyes and small nose made her look like a porcelain doll. And with all the black, a porcelain doll going to a funeral.
The trip to Hogwarts passed slowly, the three friends not wanting to say anything, the silence awkward while the girl was near them. They couldn't help but feel it was not right to talk around her, like it would be embarrassing for them. And so the whole time, she ignored them, staring out the window at the changing countryside, and they stole glances at her, and made meaningful glances between themselves.
The only interruption to this behaviour was when Malfoy and his two sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, peered into the window and, upon seeing the three people who they loved to torment, grinned amusedly opened the door to the compartment.
"Why lookie what we have here, Potty and his two faithful dogs. And would you look at that, they even have a new playmate. Hey Potty, who is your new girlfriend?"
Harry opened his mouth to retort that he was surprise Malfoy knew what a girlfriend was, as he was sure to never have had one, when the girl changed her gaze from the window to Malfoy.
Harry saw Malfoy's eyes widen in shock, and he quickly backed away from the compartment.
"C'mon, they're not worth it" said Malfoy in a quavering voice. The tormenters quickly rushed off, followed by the strange girls gaze.
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared with open mouths at the girl, never seeing anyone who could, with just a look, scare off Malfoy and his cronies.
"How the bloody hell did you do that?" demanded Ron, wanting to know the secret powers she held over Malfoy.
But the girl just looked back out the window, ignoring them again.
All of the compartments that they passed were full of other students, already laughing and chatting. At the end of the carriage was the compartment that the trio usually used, and Ron, being in front, opened the door to go in, not even bothering to see if it was full. But halfway through the door, he stopped in his tracks, causing Harry to bump into him.
Sitting by the window was a girl they had never seen before. She was sitting on the right side of the compartment, staring out the window, watching the scenery as it passed. She slowly looked over at the intruders and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"All the others are full. Do you mind?" Asked Ron, indicating the other seats.
The girl gave an uncaring shrug of her shoulders, to say do what you want. So the three friends sat down, but there was no talking between them, only the silence full of tension between them as they didn't want to say anything in front of this new stranger.
After 10 minutes, Harry could not stand it any longer. He cleared his throat in an attempt to get the girl to look at him, but it was in vain. He tried again a second time and, rolling her eyes, the girl looked away from the window and at him and gave a fake little smile.
Harry held out his hand. "Hi, my name's Harry. Harry Potter."
But all the girl did was give another little fake smile, and returned to gazing out the window.
The friends were shocked by this rudeness, and looked at each other, their silent glances saying so many things.
Ron took another look at the girl. She was sitting straight-backed, with her arms folded in her lap. Her black dress went down to her knees, with long fitted sleeves and a high neckline. Where her black hem ended, black stockings began. And then, dainty little black lace-up ankle boots with a little heel. Her black hair was gathered at the nape of her neck in a silver hair net, the pale face emerging from it looking startlingly lifeless. Her pale skin looked like it had never seen the sun, her thin arched eyebrows, red pouty lips, wide eyes and small nose made her look like a porcelain doll. And with all the black, a porcelain doll going to a funeral.
The trip to Hogwarts passed slowly, the three friends not wanting to say anything, the silence awkward while the girl was near them. They couldn't help but feel it was not right to talk around her, like it would be embarrassing for them. And so the whole time, she ignored them, staring out the window at the changing countryside, and they stole glances at her, and made meaningful glances between themselves.
The only interruption to this behaviour was when Malfoy and his two sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, peered into the window and, upon seeing the three people who they loved to torment, grinned amusedly opened the door to the compartment.
"Why lookie what we have here, Potty and his two faithful dogs. And would you look at that, they even have a new playmate. Hey Potty, who is your new girlfriend?"
Harry opened his mouth to retort that he was surprise Malfoy knew what a girlfriend was, as he was sure to never have had one, when the girl changed her gaze from the window to Malfoy.
Harry saw Malfoy's eyes widen in shock, and he quickly backed away from the compartment.
"C'mon, they're not worth it" said Malfoy in a quavering voice. The tormenters quickly rushed off, followed by the strange girls gaze.
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared with open mouths at the girl, never seeing anyone who could, with just a look, scare off Malfoy and his cronies.
"How the bloody hell did you do that?" demanded Ron, wanting to know the secret powers she held over Malfoy.
But the girl just looked back out the window, ignoring them again.