Chapter 7: Conversation

After Draco stormed out, conversation resumed as if he had never been there.

"So Raven, where did you go to school at before?" Harry asked.

"Oh, Durmstrang," she said with a grimace. "My father was friends with the old headmaster."

"I'm sorry," Hermione began slowly, "but your father was friends?"

"Yes, my father died during my 6th year."

"I'm sorry," they all said but she dismissed their apologies with a wave of her hands.

"It is quite okay. He's dead. I've accepted that. Anyways, my mother decided to bring me here to get me away from the 'evil of Durmstrang.'"

Everyone looked at her. No one could think of anything to say. But Raven merely smiled happily at them. "Anymore questions?"

"No, not at the moment," Harry said.

"Could I ask you guys some questions then?" Raven asked.

Ron shrugged and Hermione said, "Sure."

"What house are you guys in and what is the difference between the houses?"

Hermione chose to answer. "Well, we're in Gryffindor. But there are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Gryffindor and Slytherin are rival houses. Slytherin only takes pure blood wizards. Everybody that has ever went bad was in Slytherin. Every other house accepts anybody. It's all in Hogwarts: A History. I'll let you borrow it."

Raven tried to smile, "No, that's okay. I'll take your word for it."

Harry and Ron chuckled. "Anyways," Harry began, "the sorting hat will explain it farther."

"Sorting hat?" Raven asked uneasily.

"Yeah," Ron started, "it's this old hat that you put on your head. It sort of reads what is inside you and sorts you into your house."

"Oh."

"My brothers had me scared silly when I came here my first year. They told me I had to fight a troll."

Raven laughed, "I bet you were relieved when you found out all you had to do was put on a hat."

"You will never know how much," Ron said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Do you have many brothers?"

"Loads," Ron said. "Five actually. I'm the sixth and the youngest boy. Then I also have a sister. She's a 6th year."

"You must have a charming home life."

"Hey, it's never boring," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.

Raven turned towards Harry and Hermione. "And do you two have any siblings?"

"No," Harry said sadly.

"Not yet," Hermione said and everyone looked at her. "My mum and dad is trying to have another child."

"Do you want a brother or sister?" Raven asked.

"I haven't really thought about it," Hermione said honestly. "But anyways, do you have any siblings Raven?"

Raven scoffed. "Me? God no! My parents had a handful with me so they were satisfied with only one child. I'm happy though. I'm not the big sister type."

Everyone looked at her, not saying anything. Finally Hermione broke the silence. "We better get changed no. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

The boys left while the girls changed. Then the girls left while the boys changed.

Just as they finished, the train pulled to a stop.

"I need to go get my trunk," Raven said, rising from her seat.

"Oh don't worry about it. They'll take it up to the school," Harry told her.

Hagrid was waiting they got off the train. "First years this way! Any transfer students this way. Come on now, we don't have all night."

Raven turned to them. "Well I guess I'll see you guys later."

As she walked away, she turned to look at a certain blonde hair boy that was watching her very closely. Smiling maliciously at him, she walked on.