Before she knew it her precious free time had past. The day after Dumbledore had removed the binding spell, she had spent her time in the Leaky Cauldron for the most part. She had been engrossed in her Potions text and had talked with the twins who told her Dumbledore had gone back to Hogwarts.
Now, dressed in her Hogwarts uniform -minus her robes- and the twins flanking her with her luggage she walked through Kings Cross Station of London and approached Platform 9 and 3/4. She had never been in a large train station, so even this muggle site was new to her and Fred or George had to give her a tug to remind her to keep up with them as they hustled. They had cut it close, she only had three minutes to board.
It had been Fred's fault because he insisted in grabbing some sweets for Judith to take with her from Sherry's Sickeningly Sweet Sweet Shoppe.
Judith appreciated the gesture but was positive that if she didn't share the bag, she'd have to take the whole year to polish it off.
Finally with a minute before the train's departure the magical barrier came in view and she jogged through with her escorts.
The event was somewhat anticlimactic; she had passed through the barrier as though passing through air and the platform was empty but for parents. Perhaps it was best. If she had to wait for an extended period of time in a packed area an overload of sensory messages likely would have destroyed the fragile mental barrier she had produced to block out the noise.
She glimpsed Fred handing her luggage off to a uniformed man and felt George's hand on her back, guiding her to a car entrance.
He passed off a ticket to a train attendant who stood next to the entrance and the man allowed her on.
The train gave a shrill whistle of warning and her hands immediately covered her ears. Her mental barriers couldn't handle that! And then- it was over and she was being shepherded by a train attendant away from the view of her newest friends. She hesitated and waved.
The attendant secured the door and Judith moved up the hallway, looking through the car windows and open doors into sitting areas for a welcomed seat.
Full. Full. Full. Too mean looking. Full. Full.
Finally almost giving up hope since she'd reached the front car of the train, she glanced into the last room and found it be nearly empty. The only occupant was a cat and a small pile of books.
'The student who was in here must have left to talk to friends.' Judith quietly entered. Taking one of the window seats so she could look at the scenery while she waited for her company to return -she hoped the person wouldn't mind her joining them.
The cat gave a meow, almost in greeting, and Judith glanced over it. It looked like a mix of breads but she couldn't tell of what kinds. Judith generally liked cats. She could sympathize with their independent tendencies. When she made a move to pet it immediately hopped down from its padded seat. Judith didn't make any more moves to contact it. It was quite obvious that the animal wasn't interested and the girl respected that. She returned her attention to the window.
The cat however continued to watch her and moved into a position that allowed it to better observe the girl. Judith glanced at it but turned back to the window.
Suddenly the cat jumped into her lap and continued to stare up at her. Because of the encouraging move upon the animal's part Judith made a movement to pet it again but the cat pulled its lips away and its hackles slightly rose. Her hand immediately dropped. The animal stayed and stared.
After a few moments it peeked its ears and leapt into a comfortable position on the seat and watched the door. Obviously expected, the door opened and a callous looking man enter. He stared at her with black eyes and sick looking hair that was the same colour, slightly long, and oily.
The realization of whose compartment she was sitting in struck as quickly as professor Snape's glare. It wasn't until after he probably noticed she was a new student did it soften (if such a word could be used about Snape) into a more judgmental look.
Though she doubted he'd take her hand she rose and extended it in a semblance of formality and show of respect. "Hello I'm Judith Nichols," the steadiness of her voice surprised her. After a moment the potion master's hand surprisingly but painfully gripped hers, they shook swiftly and then his hand was immediately back at his side. He gave no mention of his name or position. His beady eyes boar into hers, and she stared back emotionlessly while her insides squelched.
"I take it you will be one of my professors?"
The answer was meaningless but the question was a part of playing the role of the new and ignorant student. His black eyes assessed her momentarily and then he gave a nod. His pasty features then dropped to look at the cat.
"Why do you insist on staying in that form?" He asked the creature in a tone that resonated darkness. "Maybe if you hadn't we would not have had this intrusion. Hum?"
After processing the cold quality of his voice Judith realized that the cat she had been sharing the compartment with was actually her Transfiguration teacher.
Ugh. she had almost pet her teacher. Yuck.
When professor Snape took a seat in the corner farthest from her and grabbed one of the books next to him the cat transformed into the strict, up-right form of Minerva McGonagall.
While appearing to engross himself in his book professor Snape's voice rose: "These are designated teachers compartments." Well that was a clear order to Get Out.
Immediately Judith's back was up. But she kept the insults her mind had immediately, supplied barely hanging on her tongue. She couldn't allow time for her temper while in the company of the one teacher that could most easily become her biggest pain in the neck. Hm... he was rumored to be a vampire...
Thankfully she bit back the giggle the thought caused and made her tone docile. "I'm sorry professor but I didn't know. I'm new to Hogwarts and when I got on the train all of the other compartments I looked in where full."
McGonagall's features though strict and aged with deep wrinkles, softened a little in compassion. "You may stay child."
Judith grinned, never missing a step in her charade of the ignorant exchange student. "Thank you professor...?"
"McGonagall. I teach Transfiguration and this man is professor Snape-- Hogwarts' Potion Master."
Judith nodded her thanks for the explanation and then returned her eyes to the rolling green hills. McGonagall soon left, most likely off to patrol the train for a little while. After she had been gone a little while Snape gave a disgruntle noise of sorts and then also exited. A sigh of relief soon after filled the compartment.
Feeling more at ease and not so worrisome about him judging her she pulled out her Potions textbook to do some reading and pulled a random sweet from her bag.
She was on page 354, just five pages into chapter 6: "Daring and Dastardly Drinks to Hurt and Heal," when the compartment door open again. All she needed was a peripheral glance to tell that the detestable professor Snape had returned.
"Trying to fool me into believing that you're interested in Potions?" Was the biting comment made.
Judith immediately shook her head. "No Sir. I'd heard that your teaching methods were strict so when I found out what text I'd require I visited Diagon Alley and-"
"Please cease babbling." Was the bored yet sharp reply.
Grrr! She hated him already!
The young woman's eyes defiantly snapped up, catching his. "I'll have you know that I've been reading this text book since I purchased it two days ago. I wanted to be somewhat prepared for class since I couldn't know what homework you have already assigned your returning students."
No reply was given to the words she said a little more vehemently than she should have. The remainder of the day's trip was spent in silence. Judith did not even wonder why no students passed by the compartment. Around lunchtime she took a drink and a sandwich from the woman with a food trolley who had timidly knocked on the compartment door.
The trip was longer than she had expected and sometime during the trip she had nodded off to sleep. Thankfully professor McGonagall woke her when they were close to Hogwarts. Outside the window it had gotten dark. She rose, leaving her book on her seat and exited the compartment with her carry on bag to change into her black Hogwarts' robes. Sure, she could have simply pulled them out of the bag in the compartment but she needed to be out of close range of Snape for a moment.
Moving down the hall, she stopped in an area that didn't have any compartment windows and pulled the carefully folded mass of black cloth out from her bag. She slipped into it quickly and glanced down, checking her appearance.
When she looked up she found Draco Malfoy, changed into his uniform, in front of her, leaning against a compartment door. The silver and green Slytherin snake crest was woven into the right lapel of his robe. His sneer was missing but one of his eyebrows was cocked at an amused angle.
Before he could say anything Judith turned her back to him and walked back to the compartment.
****
After the train gave it's final jolting stop Judith moved to rush out of the compartment. However she was stopped when McGonagall raised her voice.
"All Hogwarts first year students are to go with the Care of Magical Creatures professor: Hagrid, Miss Nichols. He will be outside calling to those students and certainly isn't too hard to miss."
Giving a quick nod she continued out of the compartment and off of the train. Now things were getting really exciting. A swarm of black robed students met Judith's sight and she stepped into it happily. She could do without the rising loudness but what an exciting way to begin her senior year!
Moving toward a group of shorter students Judith was watched momentarily by some of the older students. They could tell she was new. So when she happened to catch one staring she'd smiled and then moved her eyes elsewhere.
-was that a glimpse of a lantern?
Her posture became more pronounced as she straightened to her full six feet.
Yes it was a lantern and it illuminated a section of fur coat on the giant man that held it. With his other features in the dark she was almost fearful. But the emotion was quickly pushed aside. Instead she grinned as she remembered reading that this member of the Hogwarts' faculty could be intimidating, but he could also be a blundering softy.
"All first years come with me!" Hagrid bellowed ensuring all the little ones would hear. However it only sent some of the youngest ones trembling. Though the sound left her eardrums ringing Judith didn't cower; she gave encouraging looks down to her young companions. Motioning with his arm Hagrid started off toward the edge of the platform the train had stopped.
Taking the first step to follow she noticed the boats that awaited them. Behind her the first years began to follow her lead.
The ride was interesting. After they landed and trekked across the grounds, professor McGonagall was found waiting for them when Hagrid pushed open the doors.
The children that had been talking animatedly during the walk now quickly quieted.
"Come along children." McGonagall said in clipped tones and then swiftly turned and started walking. She led them to the Great Hall doors and then stopped to explain the proceedings. To Judith it was interesting to listen to even if she already knew what was about to happen. After McGonagall had finished she pushed open the doors and the new students filled behind her.
Judith waited till she was the last before entering. When she did it seemed as though the entire school was staring at her. She wasn't too far off in her guess either. As she walked between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor house tables there were few students who weren't staring, or pointing and whispering about her.
To commence the event, the Sorting Hat held began speaking its verse. Even though Judith couldn't imagine how it'd be possible for a hat to do so Judith headed every word it said. It spoke not of cheer but of banding together and hard times.
After it finally slumped lifeless, McGonagall announced the first name "Bethany Hodingwin," as though it had not just spouted a heavy forewarning. Completely contrasting the serious hat, a cheerful and smiling young girl took a seat at the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" A loud voice from the hat on top the child's head boomed. The resulting jubilation from Hufflepuff house sent Judith's hands immediately over her ears, where for the rest of the sorting they didn't move much.
While the sorting commenced she glanced at the bewitched ceiling which was currently allowing some moonlight in that happened to peak through the overcast clouds. When she dared to glance at a student at one of the four tables her look was met dead on.
"Judith Nichols, Seventh Year."
A swarm of mutated butterflies did belly flops in her stomach as she approached the stool as confidently as possible. There was no where else to go. Besides the seated teachers, McGonagall and herself were the remaining two at the front of the hall. The old leather hat was unmoving at the moment and appeared simply like a very old and cliché witch's hat.
When she sat down the hat was immediately dropped onto her head.
"Hello there." A soothing voice whispered around her.
"Hi." Judith whispered back softly.
The voice changed to sounding surprised. "My a student that actually talks back. Good good. Most of the younger ones are scared witless. But you... You are a peculiarity.
" Haven't sorted a Romanov in years... A hundred in fact."
"SHHH!" Judith whispered loudly. The students seated before her seemed kind of puzzled but all eyes remained glued on her.
"Oh this is a secret then! Do not worry, they can't hear me at the moment. I'm actually being quite quiet."
"Good." Judith hissed.
"Now where to place you? I recall a Boris Romanov went into Hufflepuff." The hat reminisced and Judith began to grow anxious; her schoolmates and McGonagall seemed antsy as well. Was it supposed to take this long?
"Loyal he was and I can see that in you too but you're far too cunning- good for a good Slytherin. But you have that bold headedness needed in a Gryffindor, and the bookish quality of a studious Ravenclaw. Why you have it in you to be in any house you want. Let us see then. Enny meany minny mo. Best to make you-
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A huge sigh went through Judith and the Gryffindor table exploded in cheers and clapping as soon as the first syllable of their house name was said. While her new housemates rose up in their jubilation the other houses settled back in their seats in disappointment. Even some of the Slytherins could be heard muttering: "Stupid Gryffindors...Bloody hat".
Everybody wanted to figure out the mystery of the moment that was Judith Nichols.
Judith, for the most part, ignored the mass of eyes that followed her to Gryffindor. She paid more attention to being polite to her new house, accepting hardy handshakes and smiles abound.
"Welcome to Gryffindor Judith!" A couple chorused.
"You're going to love it here."
"I'm sure I will," she answered. "Thank you."
"Hogwarts has some of the best professors!"
"Not if you count Snape." Another snickered lowly.
Finally a long-haired brunette said: "Over here Judith. Seventh years eat at this end of the table."
Judith gave her a thankful glance and nicely brushed off the younger students around her. When she finally settled into a spot the girl had vacated next to her Dumbledore rose from his chair at the front and the entire table immediately quieted.
She decided to wait till after the speech to look around and focused completely on what her new headmaster had to say.
"Welcome old and new!" His eyes briefly met Judith's. "To start off once again I would like to remind all returning students and inform new ones that the Dark Forest near the castle Iis/i Forbidden. First years, you have Prefects assigned to your houses to help you around the castle and I am most happy to announce that this years Head Girl and Boy are Miss Hermione Granger." With a gesture of his hand the girl beside Judith rose, slightly surprising her. So that was Hermione? She didn't even have the chance to guess.
The Gryffindor house was cheering once more with some of the table's young occupants (along with the odd, less mature seventh years) making mocking faces at the table behind Judith. She knew it had to be Slytherin.
"And Draco Malfoy." Dumbledore continued and Judith nearly dropped out of her seat. How could a horribly mean person like him be named Head Boy?
It seemed that most of her new house agreed with her as some of the students around her broke into groups that whispered conspiratorially about Malfoy ("there's a conspiracy!") and again sent glares past her back where Slytherin was now roaring.
She chanced a glance over at the Slytherins and Draco Malfoy was standing pompously with a firm smirk in place.
Dumbledore likely knew the trouble such an announcement would stir and continued on to say "I trust you all to respect both as they do have the authority to remove house points and give detentions. Please if you are in need of assistance do not hesitate to seek either of them or your house prefects out." Judith almost snorted. She'd been a Gryffindor all of twenty seconds but she knew Hell would likely freeze over the day a Gryffindor searched out Draco Malfoy for assistance.
"Now onto more serious matters: Holiwash, Pigerstine, lolipop and yorkem! Thank you!" After his last odd words Dumbledore returned to his seat. Judith made a funny face but in spite of the strangeness, laughed. She had expected something along those lines from the Sorting Hat.
Glancing over the empty table, a moment and a clap later it was laden with food. Cool! She pilled the food onto her plate and allowed her peripheral vision focus on Hermione at odd moments.
Her hair wasn't bushy like the books had said. It was more: very thick. Okay maybe Bushy was a good word for it. At the current moment it was pulled back with some of her hair in a ponytail at the top. She had no other distinctive characteristics that Judith could make out as she discreetly looked but a thick book did lie in her lap.
Somewhere near her someone asked: "Hey Harry how was your summer?" Judith's attention was immediately captured.
"Same as usual Dean." Was the reply Judith caught. "'cept I didn't have to slave away for my aunt and I swear my cousin has doubled in size." Judith looked up from her plate and found the famous black-haired and spectacle-wearing boy in front of her. Beside him was Ronald Weasley. The red hair she had become accustomed to thanks to the twins made him unmistakable. On the other side of Ron was the boy questioning Harry. All three of them were scarfing down food like it was their last meal.
"So how long do you think it'll take Trelawny to predict your death this year?" Ron asked
Next to her Hermione huffed. "You know you two could have chosen not to take that after fifth year-"
"Yeah yeah 'Mione." Ron mumbled with a mouthful of food. "Its 'orribly stoopid an the wuman's a crock but it's the eeeeziest marks!" To her right Hermione shot him a disgusted look.
Carefully she put down her fork. "Really Ron you're not a five year old are you?" The red head looked up at her and silently asked 'what?', while chewed beef nearly fell from his mouth.
Judith couldn't help from laughing but looked back to her plate. They all noticed though and Ron looked at her.
He swallowed before asking outright: "So Judith, why are you coming to Hogwarts for you senior year? Isn't that a bit… stupid?"
"Ron!" Hermione admonished in a horrified voice.
Judith smiled while her mind began ad-libbing. "Well I wanted to travel. The place I had been attending, Madeleine Truble's School for the Magical, was horribly boring. I had attended it for my previous 6 years and well…" She made a face thinking of her own non-magical High School. "I liked the teachers and I got along well enough but it was just too commonplace. I never had traveled before.
"And Hogwarts is extremely interesting. I've read so much about it," quite literary. "and I've only been here for half an hour but I'm already enamored with the place." In front of her Ron quietly groaned something about another person who like using big words but Judith just continued on and glanced sky ward.
"The ceiling is so pretty." She whispered.
"Yes it's bewitched you know. It's written in 'Hogwarts A History'." Hermione said.
Judith dropped her head and smiled again. "Yes, so I've heard."
"Oh have you read 'Hogwarts' as well?" The other said excitedly.
Ron groaned again. "Not that book again! 'Mione we've been here for how long and you still find a reason to read that thing? -let alone bring it up every year."
"She's a book worm Ron." Harry said in a staged whisper. "I've heard if they don't read a book at least twice they die or -heaven forbid- Turn normal."
"Oh be quite you two." Hermione huffed in good humor.
Swallowing another bite Judith said, "Your not alone. I love reading too."
"UGH! Their twins!" Ron made a face and Harry laughed.
"I wonder." Judith whispered. "If there isn't a spell somewhere in all of Hogwarts' library that could force them to read and read and read till they got sick of words."
"Too late we've already beat you to it." Ron said and helped himself to his 3rd - or was it his 4th? - plate already. Harry was close behind him while Judith and Hermione were barely half finished their first helping.
She guessed that Harry had been left to the poor meals of his relatives once again. He was a skinny boy. But then again Ron was too and Judith didn't doubt he ate the same disgustingly large amount of food at home as she witnessed him inhale tonight. Since she seemed to be on friendly terms with the three of them she decided to make the introductions needed for appearances.
"Seeing that you've," Judith pointed her fork toward Hermione, "already been introduced offhandedly to me by the Headmaster I was wonder who you two are?" She looked expectantly at the boys.
Ron straightened up immediately and smiled which seemed to make his smattering of freckles more visible, if that were possible. "Well I'm Ron Weasley! And my mate here," he wrapped his left arm around Harry who smiled but seemed a little subdued. "Is Harry Potter."
Judith smiled and politely extended her hand for a shake toward Ron. They shook firmly for a moment and then she expectantly turned toward Harry. She made no mention of his status of fame knowing it likely made him edgy. At the moment he seemed to be silently waiting for an outburst of: "Oh my gosh, you're the boy who lived!" When she silently made it clear that the cliche outburst was not coming he too grasped her hand and looked into her eyes. The simple dark green eyes seemed to be thankful.
TBC