Disclaimer: We all know Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and certainly not us; however, Aria Sinclair belongs to us and we love her.
Sorry we took so long to update. Life happens sometimes. We will try not to let it happen again.
Ch. 7 Trouble with Trains
Early the next morning, a voice could be heard calling softly down the halls.
"Usha … Usha … here kitty kitty … where are you? Please tell me you didn't eat the little owl."
Harry heard a soft knock at his door. He groggily cracked the door; Aria stood fidgeting with the end of her new robe ties.
"Harry, Is the little owl Pyg still in his cage?"
"Yes," Harry said patting his unruly hair, "why?"
"Well, I got up in the night to go to the loo and I must have left the door cracked because Usha is gone."
"Usha?"
"Yes, well you see that's what I named her, my cat."
"Oh, I see, and you say she's missing. Where have you looked?"
"I just realized she gone, you see she's terribly quiet, and she hadn't really left her carrier, so when I woke up I checked on her, and well…"
"Hold on just a tic, I'll get my robe and we'll both look."
"Thanks Harry, I'm getting worried, I mean she has to be here somewhere, right?"
At about this time Harry noticed Ginny walking up the stairs. Aria felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around.
"Aria, have you lost something?"
"Yes, Usha is missing, why?"
"Usha, is that what you named it? Well we found her, or should I say Mum found her… ears deep in the breakfast sausages."
"OH NO!"
Aria turned and started running down the stairs toward the kitchen. As she entered the foyer she heard a bell ringing. Usha was running out of the kitchen with a small-belled collar around her neck. Aria scooped up Usha and walked back up to her room. She past Harry on her way upstairs and he was walking downstairs to breakfast. Ginny was trying to wake Ron up.
"Ron, mum told me to wake you up," as she shook him.
Ron kept muttering, "five more minutes, Ginny leave me alone."
Aria put Usha back in her carrier and began to head back down stairs. Ginny had walked out of Ron's room.
"Fine, I'm telling mum and you'll miss breakfast."
Aria looked at Ginny, "does he always have to be woken up?"
Ginny laughed, "always."
"Is your mum really mad? How many did Usha get?"
"I don't think she is, but mum is really funny about cats in the kitchen. Ever since Crookshanks chased the mouse across the table while we were eating. It was quite funny but mum didn't think so."
"Crookshanks, whose cat is that?"
"Hermione's."
"Hermione has a cat then?"
"Yes, and don't tell I said this but a rather ugly one at that."
"Were is he at, I haven't seen him."
"Hermione said something about shots and her parents meeting us at the station today. So I guess they are bringing him to her."
Aria and Ginny walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley turned and looked at Aria.
"That cat of yours needed a bell, so I gave her one."
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, I'm so sorry she got into breakfast."
"No harm done dear just a sausage or two less."
Everyone sat down to start breakfast when Ron finally stumbled into the kitchen followed closely by Hermione.
"I found him leaning against the wall outside his room, I was proud to even see him up."
Ron looked blearily at everyone, "Morning"
Mrs. Weasley turned to the table and said, "Hurry up and eat and then check your things, the cars will be here soon."
Aria paused in eating her breakfast and turned to Harry, "Cars, we're going in cars, that's so normal."
"How did you think we were going to get to the station?"
"Oh I don't know broomsticks or maybe just "Poof" there."
Harry turned in his seat and looked at Aria with a smile.
"You know in all my years at Hogwarts I don't believe I've intentionally "Poofed" anywhere."
"Well how would I know this is my first trip to the "wizarding world"?"
Harry laughed and started eating again.
Soon everyone was finished with breakfast. They all went upstairs to finish packing last minute things and checking to make sure they had everything they needed. Before long Molly stood at the bottom of the stairs and called up to the kids.
"The cars are here, let's start getting things loaded."
Ron, Hermione, and Harry started down the stairs, their trunks floating in front of them. Ginny pulled hers down the stairs muttering to herself with every step. Ron was stepping up to help Ginny when Aria came puffing around the top of the stairs. Ginny stepped passed Ron as he levitated her trunk the rest of the way down the stairs. Aria was having trouble. She stumbled and quickly jerked around to find her footing, unfortunately the trunk was pulled off balance and started sliding down the stairs toward Ron.
Aria called out, "Ron look out, my trunk!"
Ron looked up to see the trunk thumping down the stairs toward him. Harry turned and saw the accident about to happen.
He pulled out his wand, "Impedimenta," and the trunk stopped inches from Ron.
He turned to Harry, "thanks mate."
Then Ron turned back to Aria, "you're a bloody accident waiting to happen. Did someone put a bad luck jinx on you at some point?"
Aria who was a looking very surprised said, "I'm sorry Ron."
Ron opened his mouth to again and Ginny broke in, "Ron, like you have room to talk."
As Ron and Ginny were about to get into an argument Mrs. Weasley said, "were going to be late, get your things in the car, you can argue latter."
Harry levitated the trunk the rest of the way down the stairs. As everyone got their belongings in the car Aria looked back at Ron, "Ron I'm really not trying to kill you I swear."
"Yeah, I can't ruddy tell."
"Ron," Harry growled.
"What! I can't."
Harry shook his head and got in the first car. Aria feeling really bad got in the car with Harry. Ron decided to get in the second car in hopes that nothing would happen to him there. Molly and Hermione got in the second car while Ginny got in the first car.
Aria was sitting next to Harry looking down at her lap. She thought to herself, "I'm not a klutz, why am I acting like this?"
Harry looked at her, "don't worry about Ron. Like Ginny said he really has no room to talk."
"Harry I really am not a klutz."
"I know your not. There are a lot of new things for you to deal with right now that's all."
Aria suddenly realized that Mrs. Weasley had not gotten into the car. Aria looked at the driver and gasped.
"What's wrong, did you forget something?"
"Uh, no … Harry who driving and what is he wearing."
The driver was wearing a bright blue shirt with green and yellow flowers, a pink tie with purple polka dots and a large black silk top hat.
The driver spoke, "Harry, good to see you again. How's the apparating going?"
"Good Mr. Roncheta."
Aria looked at Harry with the same puzzled look she had lately.
"Well Aria, apparating is when you travel from one place to another with magic. As for what he is wearing, when a wizard or witch goes out among the muggles he or she tries to blend in and well sometimes they don't quite get it."
"Oh so apparating is like poofing?"
"No, there is no poofing involved."
"Well its sounds like poofing to me but go ahead."
A voice from the passenger seat said, "we will be at the train station shortly."
Harry looked up and saw Mad-eye Moody sitting there.
"Alright then Harry?"
"Hello Professor Moody, it's good to see you."
"You must be the girl Albus has been talking about, your just bit of a thing aren't ye."
Mad-eye turned his head to look at the three of them. Ginny scrunched down in her seat a little, Harry smiled and Aria sat with her mouth slightly ajar.
Harry turned and looked at Aria's face.
"Yes sir this is Aria, Aria meet Professor Moody."
"N.. Nice to meet you.. Sir."
"Ahh don't sir me just call me Moody."
"Yes Sir.. I mean Mr. Moody."
"Well, here we are, we will get out and head toward the station as a group. That makes it harder to pick us off one at a time."
Aria looked at Harry alarmed.
"Pick us off."
"Yeah well he can be a bit paranoid," Harry said quietly. He thought however, "but that's a good thing right now."
They gathered their things from the cars and headed toward the station. Aria asked Harry where platform 9 3/4 was. Harry smiled and said, "Oh your gonna love this, you see that wall just ahead, it's through there."
"Your kidding right, through a solid brick wall."
"Yeah, it's easier if you go at a run."
"Oh that's not going to happen."
"Come on we'll go together."
Harry started to pick up speed, and Aria followed. The wall got closer and closer. Aria braced for the impact, she squeaked out, "Harry!"
When she opened her eyes she was looking at a large shining crimson train. She looked around and saw that there were younger kids running around, animals making noises, and parents saying goodbye. She turned and looked as Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley came through the wall.
"Let's get everyone on the train, it's almost 11."
Aria looked at the large train and turned to Harry.
"Harry, there is something I should tell you about me and trains."
"Really, what?"
"Well, you see, the trouble with trains is, well they make me kind of ill. I hadn't really thought about it till I saw the actual train, I mean I read about it so I knew it was coming but, but..."
"Calm down. What exactly is wrong with the train?"
"I GET SICK ON TRAINS, you know BARF."
"Well maybe you'll be ok, I mean you've never been on the Hogwarts Express. I've never heard of anyone getting sick on the train."
"Maybe, I will try."
Molly got every one on the train and said her goodbyes.
"Now you be careful and try not to get into trouble."
Ron and Hermione headed up to the front car. They were the head boy and girl and needed to give direction to all the prefects.
"Harry, Ron and I will find you in a bit."
Ginny set off to find Dean while Aria and Harry settled into an empty car. Before to long Neville and Luna entered the car as well.
"Hello Harry How was your summer? How did you do on your apparition test? I passed mine on the first try. My Grams was so pleased."
"Who is this Harry?" Luna asked.
"This is Aria, Aria this is Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. My summer was good and yes I passed my test."
Aria looked at the two of them and said, "nice to meet you."
"I've never seen you before are you new?"
"Yes, she she's new she is um …" Harry stammered.
Aria broke in, "I was at a private school for a while and when things started to get bad my parents decided I needed to be at Hogwarts."
Harry looked at Aria a little surprised at her response.
"Harry's really been helping me out a lot."
"Oh, that's nice. Harry's awfully helpful," Luna said airily.
Luna sat down and like her normal pulled out a copy of the Quibbler and began reading it. Neville sat down next to her.
"You'll like Hogwarts it has some really good professors. What was your private school like?" Neville asked.
"Busy," she said with a slightly off tone.
Aria was getting a little green. The constant swaying of the train was starting to get to her. Aria leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Neville and Harry were discussing their apparition test and other things they had done over the summer. About an hour latter Harry looked at Aria and she had turned an even darker shade of green.
"Aria are you alright?"
"Shut up Harry!"
"What?"
"I'm concentrating on not barfing."
"Oh."
About that time the compartment door opened and Ron and Hermione came in.
"How is everyone? Hello Luna, Hello Neville."
"Hermione I think Aria is sick can you take her to the loo."
"Yes, of course, come on Aria."
Aria got up unsteadily and walked with Hermione out of the car.
Ron sat down and said, "what's going on."
"Aria gets train sick."
"Oh, ewww."
Aria walked to the sink and washed her face and mouth out. She thought to herself, "I hate trains, I really hate trains."
She walked out, looked at Hermione and said; "I don't think I'm going to make it to Hogwarts."
"I think I know a spell that will help."
Hermione grabbed her wand.
"A spell? That can't real help, can it?"
Hermione pointed the wand at Aria and said, "Narvosa Nauseam."
Aria closed her eyes and winced as Hermione said the words. She was thinking of what she had done to Ron with her wand. When she opened her eyes she instantly felt better.
"Thank you so much, I think I am going to like magic."
They turned to walk back to the compartment and Hermione stopped.
"Oh, no, Malfoy."
"What's a Malfoy?" Aria asked.
"That's a Malfoy," as she gestured to a tall boy with slick blond hair and a pointy face.
Malfoy was now standing in front of the girls with Crabb and Goyle at his side.
"Hello mudblood, I guess it helps knowing precious Potter then you get to be head girl. Who is your friend?"
"She's none of your business Malfoy."
Malfoy ignoring Hermione reached his hand out to Aria, "I'm Draco Malfoy."
Aria looked at Hermione then back to Malfoy, "I'm Aria Sinclair," as she took his hand.
Aria quickly jerked her hand back and started yelling, "you evil, loathsome, slimy, dark hearted, son of a …"
Hermione grabbed Aria and began pulling her away but Malfoy stopped them.
"Who do you think you are to call me that?"
About this time Harry and Ron stepped out into the hall. They quickly ran towards the group and pushed past Malfoy to stand in front of the two girls.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry snapped.
"If it isn't Potty and Weaselby. Is she your new girlfriend Potty? She's pretty but someone needs to teach her some manners."
Harry pulled out his wand and Ron did the same, "you stay away from her Malfoy, don't touch her, don't even talk to her. Do you understand me?"
"Potter, maybe I just want to get to know her better and maybe teach her some manners, myself."
Harry flung his wand at Ron and lunged at Malfoy but was stopped by a firm grip on the back of his robes.
"What is going on here is there a problem? Malfoy, shouldn't you be patrolling the train?"
"Yes, Professor Lupin. See you around Potter and you too, Aria. Hope to see you real soon."
Professor Lupin led them back to their compartment. Aria sat down, her color was no long green, but slightly pale.
Lupin asked, "I want to know what happened, you know better than to draw attention to yourselves especially with Aria."
Hermione spoke first, "well you see professor, I was bringing Aria back from the loo when Malfoy stopped us in the hall. Malfoy was being a prat as usual, I told him to leave us alone. He insisted on meeting Aria. She shook his hand and then she jerked away and seemed, well very irate. Harry and Ron came out about that time and well you know the rest."
Aria looked up at Professor Lupin and just stared at him.
After about a minute she said, "there were men in cloaks with hoods, death eaters I think, a green glowing shape of some sort, like a snake, and eyes, red eyes. He is really an evil boy."
Everyone in the compartment exchanged looks. Lupin looked at Aria and asked if she was all right. Aria only nodded yes then turned to stair out the window.
Lupin said, "ok, well I need to go, Harry don't leave her side till we get to school," then he turned and walked out.
Harry did not know what to say or do so he gazed out the window as well but he kept one eye on Aria. Ron and Hermione left to patrol the train. The rest of the trip was done in silence.
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