Chapter 3

Badoura climbed out of the fireplace in the kitchen of the Lestrange house. Before she had any time to speak Mrs. Lestrange had a firm grip on Badoura's shoulder. She couldn't even move. "Oh hello mother, good to see you too," she said mockingly.

"Why did you leave this house without our permission," said Mrs. Lestrange looking furious, "Your father and I were worried sick!"

Badoura's father was reading the Daily Prophet at the dining room table, clearly not paying any attention to Badoura, as usual. "WEREN'T WE, darling?" Mrs. Lestrange said loudly.

"Oh, yeah, right, terribly worried," her father said, "don't do it again."

"Great, can I go now?" Badoura said impatiently.

"I suppose," said Mrs. Lestrange said disappointed with his response, "And tell Sarah to clean your room, it's filthy."

Badoura went up the grand staircase, struggling slightly with the large packages under her arms. "What," she said to the picture of her great grandmother on the staircase, which had been looking at her through her nostrils.

"I didn't say a word," the portrait said stuffily.

"I didn't think so," Badoura said straightening her back and letting all the boxes roll down the stairs.

Badoura's great grandmother clucked her tongue as Badoura slowly went to pick up the packages.

Badoura awoke the morning of the first day of school far too early. It was 4 o'clock am on her wristwatch. She rolled groggily out of bed and stretched out. Her room was freezing. She moved toward the fire, letting her eyes focus on the light. She stifled as scream as her eyes focused on a head that was looking around the room. The face was horrible, with red eyes and a snake like face. The face made eye contact and smiled at her shocked expression and then vanished. Badoura sank to the floor. She did not scream. She watched the fire, waiting for it to reappear.

It was 5:00 when she finally gave up her watch and she got up to get ready. Who had that been? Perhaps it was a friend of her parents, Badoura thought, but why then was it staring into her bedroom at 4 o'clock in the morning. Badoura made her way to the kitchen fully dressed, with all her bags packed by 7 o'clock. Mrs. Lestrange stood in the kitchen in a ridiculous pair of robes that showed far too much of Mrs. Lestrange. Badoura burst out laughing when she saw her. She was still a little shaky from what had happened that morning that her laugh barely came out. Mrs. Lestrange looked up at her. "What," she demanded in her lacey pink robes.

"Nothing," Badoura said snorting into her pumpkin juice, "You look cute, that's all."

"Hm, well you sure don't," Mrs. Lestrange said looking at Badoura's slight figure in a t-shirt and jeans, "You look like a house elf and you ought to eat more. It makes you look like you just were released from Azkaban."

Badoura rolled her eyes, and headed towards the ministry cars waiting outside to take them to the train.

The Lestrange family arrived at Platform 9¾ right on time. Everyone from Hogwarts seemed to be there. Badoura smiled at the familiar sight. She glanced around eagerly. "DOORS," yelled a group of familiar voices from a train compartment window. Badoura looked up at Jules, Nadine, and Lily. They all were smiling broadly.

"Come on you loser, you are going to miss the train," said Jules with a wink. Badoura didn't have words to express how happy she was to see them all.

Mrs. Lestrange came cautiously up behind Badoura, "WELL, dear," she said awkwardly, "I suppose I will see you at Christmas. Please try and be good." Mrs. Lestrange grabbed Badoura around the waist and pulled her into a tight armed hug. Badoura tried very hard to keep back the tears that were now threatening to come. Her mother had never hugged her in her entire life. Jules, Nadine and Lily looked on incredulously.

"Bye, mum," Badoura said straightening up. After all Mrs. Lestrange was much shorter than she.

Badoura struggled slightly with the weight of her large trunk. "Here let me help you," William Nott said taking her trunk and managing it quite easily himself.

"Um, thanks, but I really don't need your help," she said trying to regain control over it, but her strength was no match for William's.

"Oh, come off it, Badoura," William said stopping suddenly, "You like me and I like you. Why don't we just get it over with and go out?"

Badoura was outraged. She had never in all the time that she had known William Nott, ever liked him. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but your assumption is one sided. Excuse me," she said grabbing her trunk with all her might and trudging off in the direction her compartment.

When she arrived in the compartment, her heart was pounding a mile a minute. She suddenly could not seem to catch her breath. "Something wrong, darling," Jules said exaggerating her words. Jules was watching her carefully.

"Nothing," Badoura said placing her trunk above the seats.

Jules looked at her questioningly, but said nothing. Jules was a very pretty witch. Her eyes were dark brown and her hair was bright blonde. Jules was the one who all the guys looked at. She smiled slightly at the sight of Badoura's clothes, but said nothing. Jules always looked nice. "So, I hear you have a thing for William Nott," she said sitting back in her seat.

"What," Badoura said letting her head fly over to Lily, "It's more like he likes me, or is trying really hard to annoy me."

"Whatever you say," Jules said crossing her arms. Badoura looked out the window of the compartment. This was going to be an interesting school year.