Chapter 5 - New Friends and Old Enemies
Meissa sat quietly in her room, packing all her things in a small trunk. She was already halfway through her Potions textbook 'Intricate brewing'. She placed it fondly on a pile of black robes and closed the trunk with a snap, locking it. She felt quite dizzy, overcome with tiredness, and slumped on the floor.
Someone's hands were holding her shoulders. Her forehead was slick with icy sweat and her hair was sticking to her face uncomfortably. Remus Lupin was crouched over her, looking quite bewildered. She saw Lucien peering over his shoulder. 'What happened?' she whispered, her voice seemed to have died in her throat. 'You were mumbling and thrashing around in your sleep' Lucien told her quietly.
So now Remus and Lucien knew about her nightmares, without her having to tell them. She felt quiet relieved. They kept up a healthy stream of conversation all the way to Kings Cross station the next morning and seemed even more understanding now that they knew what was bothering her. She had trouble believing that there was in fact a station called 9 ¾. 'If it's three quarters then why do we have to walk through the middle of the stone barrier' she pointed out. Lucien just rolled his eyes and Remus chuckled. But as they walked down the platform and stared in awe at the beautiful scarlet steam train, Meissa felt butterflies start in her stomach. She found that she had been so used to having Remus and lucien around that she would be lost without them.
'Whenever you need me, I'll be there' Lucien told her as he squeezed her hand. Remus hugged her and then she was being pushed forwards onto the train. She grimaced as the carriage door swung shut with a loud thud behind her and the steam engine started to move as whistles shrieked. She stumbled, off-balance, managing a small wave at Lucien and Remus from the misted window in the carriage door. She took a deep breath and grabbed the handle of her trunk, whish was slick in her sweaty palm and lurched through the carriage. As the train rounded a corner, leaving Platform 9 ¾ far behind, Meissa felt her trunk slide madly and smack against the wall of the carriage, which gave way.
'Ouch! That sounded like it hurt'
A face loomed above her as she untangled herself from the leather handle of her cursed trunk and let out a small moan. 'Yes, it did'
'I guess you weren't planning on dropping in' laughter accompanied these words and Meissa felt her cheeks flush.
She turned to study the girl staring down at her. 'I'm Claudia' the girl said, looking expectantly at Meissa, who was pulling herself up and kicking her trunk into a corner of the carriage before hastily finding a seat as the train rounded another corner.
'Hey, Claude … you gonna introduce us?' said a boy. He flicked back his fringe of dark, wavy hair and flashed Meissa a smile 'Hi, I'm Tabby' he said, holding his hand out. Meissa didn't shake it, nor did she seem all that interested in his sure expression. 'Meissa… Lestrange' she said, watching his smile falter slightly.
'He thinks he's a comedian' Claudia said, obviously choosing to ignore his slight stutters
'That's Alex' she said, cocking her thumb at the boy sitting next to Tabby, who had short white-blond hair and a vacant expression which told Meissa he was just as dumbfounded as Tabby was. He noticed her watching him and quickly went back to the textbook in his lap, raising his wand and muttering, though nothing seemed to be happening. Meissa made a mental note to keep out of the range of that wand, it seemed a bit unsure of what it was doing. 'And that's Seth' Claudia finished, pointing at a dark haired boy in the corner who had not yet looked up to register that Meissa had entered their carriage.
'What year are you in?' she asked, hesitating slightly. '3rd year, and I am a very successful comedian' Tabby stated indignantly, seeming to have snapped out of his surprise. 'I'm in Gryffindor with these two Muppet's, but Seth is in Slytherin, though he won't admit that to you' Claudia said, ignoring the dark look Seth shot at her over the top of his book. Meissa realised he was reading 'Most Potente Potions'.
'Hey isn't that book banned' she enquired. He glanced up for a moment up stared at her with inquisitive emerald eyes before mumbling quietly 'Yes, but so is drink-flying, but that didn't stop Darren O'Hare'. Everyone apart from Meissa laughed. Seeing the confusion on her face, Tabby leaned forward 'He's captain the Heidelberg Harriers, an Irish Quidditch team' he informed her. She raised an eyebrow. The sound of their carriage door being swung open made her turn to see who was coming in. A large group of boys were crowded at the entrance of their carriage, the smallest and squattest of them staring at Meissa with an expression that would have rivalled Tabby's.
'Hayes! What did you do to get in here?' she hissed incredulously, raising herself up instinctively.
Standing to her full height she was a few inches taller than Hayes. Its always the short ones…
'Clearly without the use of mass murdering parents - from what I've heard' he said with a smirk, his eyes glittering with spite. Meissa narrowed her eyes as once again her cheeks flushed, so intent on towering over Hayes with intense dislike that she did not notice as one of his cronies advanced on her. 'Meissa!' she heard Claudia warn her quietly. Hayes was looking past her now, almost craning to see over her shoulder. His eyes widened slightly as four 3rd years stared back at him, all looking quite ready and willing to challenge him. 'Come on guys' he mumbled resentfully, and soon they had filtered out of the carriage.
'Who was that?' Tabby asked as Meissa flopped back down into her seat. She said nothing, a look of disgust on her face enough to make Tabby quit his line of questioning.
The boat trip was quick but drenching as she clung to the rusted side of her shared vessel as the sea violently swayed them. She shook her head, peeling her wet hair of her face as she trudged into the Entrance Hall. This. Was. Typical. She had no time to smarten herself before the doors to the Great Hall opened and a strict voice led them in. Her eyes roved the crowds for a sign of Claudia or Tabby and she was startled when her name was called. 'Lestrange, Meissa Saith' the strict voice called. She tripped to the front of the line and headed up the steps to where a stool sat with a black pointed hat perched upon it. Trying not to tremble, flicking back her damp hair and straightening her shoulders, she heard whispers and hisses erupt in the crowds as the black hat slipped over her eyes. 'Hmm…you're in a bad mood... let me see... intelligent, witty, ambitious I see, I know where to put you – SLYTHERIN!' the hat shouted aloud. Her stomach turned over as she stood up. Glaring fiercely at the crowds of students gaping at her, she traipsed over to the end table, startled when a hand clutched her wrist and she overbalanced, dropping into a seat beside Seth. He was still intent on reading his book, though she noticed with a grin he had slipped a dust-cover with 'Quidditch Through The Ages' embellished on it's front.
When the sorting had finished, the silver-haired wizard Meissa recognised as Professor Dumbledore made a speech about respecting and accepting people, no matter what their background, which Meissa thought was particularly directed at her. She stared into space, not noticing the food appear on the table in front of her until Seth prodded her. She smiled at him and studied the spread but found that she wasn't at all hungry and glanced at her new found friend, who had also given up trying to eat, instead twiddling his scarlet and black hair between his fingers. It must've been dyed, she thought offhandedly. 'So… you're the Lestrange girl' he said quietly. She nodded, avoiding his eyes. He smiled briefly. 'Your interested in Potions right?' To this he got a shy nod in reply. 'Cool, c'mon lets get out of here'. His cold hand gripped hers and pulled her through the crowds of sleep-deprived students. The castle was even grander than she had expected, every corridor lit with torches, every corner occupied by a suit of armour.