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Part II: The Goddess of Ravenclaw

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Nobody was there to hold my hand. Nobody was there to walk me up to the platform. I was greeted away by the wind coming softly from the north and it too, whispered meaningless goodbyes in my ear.

I wanted to sing for absolution whenever I was alone because I was alone.

I stood by myself on this cold plain and I hated it.

Where was life if there was no love? I asked myself this question a million times in my head for every star I counted in the Milky Way.

And how do the stars shine every night with nobody there with them?

...To tell them they are indeed beautiful?

...Do they even know how people, like me gaze up to them and wonder?

I took the metro through London until I got to King's Cross. I was used to it all, but I too used to it. How would things be like in the grand castle?

The hospital was always just there, sterile and white. The castle on the other hand was deep and mysterious. It could never be explored in one day. I woke up this morning earlier than I usually would so I could take one last look at St. Mungo's. I styled my auburn locks in a simple ponytail and kissed my mother goodbye; I never looked back once.

Even at 11 years old, I gained a lot of life's lessons in solitude; without the disturbances of my peers trying to leap into my silvery lake.

And what a lake it was.

I was on the train now, with about less than half an hour to spare. Managing the platform was trickier than I thought it would be but I got through it by following the last couple who went through. All of the cars in the train were empty making me the first and only one in there.

I didn't mind; I found it enjoyable to look out the window to my left and see all the families crying not to be parted. I suppose it was a good thing I didn't have anyone to cry for; it made the leaving process much less tearful.

I didn't want to waste any tears for something that didn't deserve it.

Being the first one on the train, I had my pick of seats. I just chose the one I saw first; I don't think people were too happy about that.

"Hey!"

I turned from my position at the window to the voice that seemed to be calling me.

"What are you doing here?"

The voice came from a boy who looked much older than me. He had the look of a wolf with dark eyes and black hair. His dark hair was worn in messy long locks covering his forehead and neck and parts of his face. He was quite tall and lanky.

Beside him was a girl who was just as tall as he. Her look ringed a bell in my head somewhere, I knew her. Her hair flowered softly around her chest in a spring of dark blondes and light browns but was almost black at the roots. Her eyes suggested friendship in that pool of green.

For a moment, I almost drowned in her.

I also noticed the two were holding hands.

"I-I-…"

I must have looked like a mouse because that was how I felt. I stumbled on my words out of fear of the two.

"Hey…I've never seen you before. You're a first year aren't you?"

He was now walking toward me with a grin on his face and wand in his hand. I shrunk even lower into the chair. What did he want with me? I shouted at him to go away in my head so many times but the words never came out. The girl by his side watched only for a moment before reacting.

"No! Louis, no. She's only a first year." she said this dangerously with such a tone that it took a while to register that it came from her. She had her hand gripped on his wrist. I realized I had not closed my eyes once the whole time.

"Which would make it all the more fun! Nobody would ever find out," he was facing her now.

Their faces were intense and made me anxious. I swore, you could have cut through the tension with a butterknife.

"Why do you care anyway? It's not like you aren't used to it. Hell, you even do that to your own sis-" he was cut off abruptly by a word by her uttered as if it were the worst you can do to another.

"Bastard," she had her wand out now and stuck against his neck.

"Don't you dare talk about my family in front of somebody else. And you know better than that." she said so powerfully it deserved some sort of award. The boy just stomped away with a scoff and a bitter look in his black eyes.

She turned to walk to me now and knelt down to where our faces were at the same level. I was still shrunken in the chair. I must admit I was afraid of her now.

"I'm sorry he had to be like that to you. It's just…he's not a very nice guy at times. I really am sorry you had to go through that. Hi, I'm Mischa. What's your name?"

"I…I'm Jennie."

"Jennie, hmmm? Is this your first time on the Hogwarts Express?"

"Yes."

"Of course it is, look at you. You look so small. Didn't anyone tell you that this is where the prefects sit?"

"No"

"Why are you on the train so early?"

"Because I came early,"

"Shouldn't you be saying bye to your mom?"

"My mom's in the hospital,"

"What about your dad?"

"I don't know,"

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh, alright then. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No." I don't get why she was asking so many questions.

"Any friends?"

"No." I just thought she was being a bit nosy now, but I answered anyway because I had no reason not to.

"You don't?"

"No."

"Well you can be my friend."

"Will you?"

"Of course, hey I'll introduce to you my sister who is going to start school this year too. Would you like that?"

"Okay,"

"Here. I'll show you two together,"

She got up now and made her way toward the cart door with a clip clop noise from her boots. I was still in my seat, nearly petrified.

"Come, don't be scared. I swear she's a nice girl. It'll be good to get her away from me too."

She stretched her hand out in a nuturing fashion and I hesitated. Was she playing a trick on me? What if she's really like that boy but even sneakier? I don't know what it was but I decided to go with her.

I'm glad I did.

Stepping outside of the train was different now because I had somebody holding my hand. I had somebody that coaxed me gently and caressed my hair. And everything was beautiful.

I couldn't help but feel longing for someone. Even though I had Mischa now, I wanted my own mother. Too bad that would only stay a fantasy.

She introduced me to her younger sister. She was standing with her face transfixed into something I could not see. I knew it was in the ground because her neck was stuck downwards. Her hair was a dull brown as opposed to her sister's vibrant blondes. My first impression was that she was an odd girl.

"Tila...TILA!"

"...What?" she never moved from her position.

"I have someone for you to meet."

"Is it someone from a famous quidditch team?"

"No."

"Then I don't want to meet them right now."

"Oh stop being such a little boy!" I was there holding her hand tightly. Mischa went over to her sister and turned her around to face me. I immediately recognized her as the girl in the wand shop. My face lit up and all my worries flew away.

"Tila, this is Jennie. Jennie, this is Tila. Now go be friends or something." Tila grabbed my arm and pulled me to where she was standing and pointed to somewhere in the lake nearby.

"Aren't they beautiful? Autumn is dancing in the wind."

She was apparantly watching the crisp leaves fall from the trees nearby and drift into the icy blue waters.

"I suppose so."

We spent the next few minutes just standing there, watching the leaves fall from the trees and into the lake. I never felt so tranquil in my life, standing with somebody else and watching leaves. I don't know where Mischa went but she must have been gone for a long time before we noticed.

I soon found out that Mischa had been a 6th year in the Ravenclaw house, and her sister was the youngest girl in a somewhat large family. Her name was Tila and we were the same age.

We spent the rest of the train ride talking about things that 11 year olds would talk about. It really wasn't until when I was sorted into my house that I realized that I would be surrounded by people my age that probably had normal lives. I related to Tila because she didn't.

And it scared me.