AU: Oliver Wood has fallen for his new neighbor, who happens to be an American witch. Romantic fluffy fic taking place during CoS, but from the p.o.v. of Oliver's love interest, Laura.
Oh, and J.K. Rowling owns everything in the wizarding world, I've just set my character, Laura, into it. So please let her stay for a little while, she (and the author) mean no harm.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. The fun finally begins, as Laura arrives at Hogwarts in this one. Enjoy!
Chapter 7
A Peck on the Cheek
The weeks until the new term at Hogwarts slipped by amazingly fast. I still spent a lot of time with Oliver, and we had taken to going for walks around the neighborhood, hand in hand, just talking about stuff.
On the morning of September first Mom woke me much earlier than I would have liked and hassled me as I moved groggily around the house, collecting a few last minute things. Dad heaved my trunk down the stairs and shoved it into the trunk of his car. Thanks to a little magic from Mom I had managed to pack everything into it. I carried Plymouth down in her cage, the cover pulled over it, while she slept inside. As I slid into the back seat of Dad's car I saw Oliver being pushed out of his own house to go catch the school train as well.
Oliver and I arrived at the same time at King's Cross Station, and he grabbed a cart for us to share. Our parents talked together as we walked through the busy station until we got to platforms nine and ten. It was only then that I actually did stop to think how strange it was to have a platform 9 ¾.
"Um, Oliver, where exactly is the platform?"
He pointed to the solid brick wall separating platforms nine and ten.
"That's a brick wall," I blurted, thoroughly confused.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the wall, pulling the cart with his other hand.
"Trust me on this," he said, gazing at me sternly, his brown eyes staring into mine. He put my left hand on the cart, which he was holding onto with his right hand. Facing each other he said, "on the count of three act like you are leaning against the wall. One, two, three."
I put my right hand up to lean on the wall, but to my utter shock I didn't touch anything solid. Instead I was sliding through the barrier, pulling the cart along with me. Steadying myself, I looked around and found myself on a long wooden platform. Parked next to it was a huge, steaming, red train, and a hanging sign that said Platform 9¾ .
"Cool!" was the only thing I could say. We moved away from the arched doorway so our parents could come through, as I continued to stare at the crowded platform. There were parents and students everywhere, and with a pang I realized that I recognized no one. Would anyone want to make friends with me? What if they shunned me because I wasn't from Europe, or saw me as an intruder?
I was really starting to believe that Oliver was a mind reader when he briefly squeezed my hand and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll introduce you to lots of people. Plus I don't think there has ever been an American witch or wizard at Hogwarts, so you'll be a kind of commodity. People will want to know you."
"But what if I don't end up in your house?" I asked as we were shunted across the platform.
"You're a Gryffindor. I could tell that from the first time I met you."
I blushed from his comment.
"Come on, we'll find a compartment on the train and then come say good-bye to our parents."
I dragged my heavy trunk behind me, while carrying Plymouth's cage in the other. I was grateful when we found an empty compartment near the front of the train. It took us both to stow my trunk in the overhead racks. I put Plymouth down gently on a seat and we struggled back off the train.
I don't think Dad had ever seen so many wizards in one place before in his life. He didn't seem to know what to do, and kept very close to my mother.
"Write us and let us know how you're doing," my mom instructed. "We didn't buy you that owl for nothing."
"And don't break any rules. Obey your principle, err, headmaster, or whatever you have at this school," continued my dad.
"Don't worry," I answered. I hugged each one. Mom was mumbling something about her little girl growing up and going off to boarding school.
Oliver and I re-boarded the train and sat down together on the same bench seat. The engineer blew the whistle several times, and from my window I could see even more steam billowing past. A few last minute stragglers were boarding the train, and with a final blast of the whistle the train began inching forward. Slowly it began to gain speed and very soon the English country side was whizzing past my window.
"Wouldn't you rather be sitting with your friends?" I asked.
"They'll come find me," he replied with a grin, "beautiful."
"Yeah, the country side is really…"
"I wasn't talking about the country side."
I blushed bright red and hid my face in my hands. Regaining control over my pigment I finally looked at him. "How do I know you're not this smooth talking with all the girls?"
He laughed, "I'm the captain of the Quidditch team, I have more of a rough and tough reputation that that of a sweet talker."
"So I'm seeing a side of you that not many people see?"
"You're seeing a side of me that would probably get me taunted by half my team, especially Fred and George Weasley."
"Did we hear our names?" Two tall red headed guys walked into the cabin, identical down to every detail.
"Hello, now who is this," said the one on the right. "I don't remember seeing you around Hogwarts before, and you're definitely too pretty to be a first year."
"Wood, is she your secret weapon for Quidditch this year?" asked the other twin, obviously joking.
"Laura, meet the two best beaters to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts, Fred and George Weasley. Errr, I think Fred is the one on the left, and George is the other. Not that it matters, they usually come as a pair anyway."
"Ahh, Fred did you hear that?" asked the one on the right. "He said we were the best beaters to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts. Does that mean we don't have to get up before dawn to practice this year, since we are so good already?"
"I didn't say you couldn't improve though," retorted Oliver. "Anyway, Laura here is from the United States. Her family moved here this summer, so she will be going to Hogwarts now."
"From across the pond?" said the one who Oliver thought was Fred. "I don't think I've ever met anyone from there."
They both sat down opposite Oliver and myself and began asking me questions about what being a wizard was like in America. A few minutes into the discussion a young girl with bushy brown hair walked into the cabin.
"Sorry to disturb you, but have any of you seen Harry or Ron, I've been up and down the train twice and haven't found them yet?"
"No," replied Oliver at once.
"Last we saw of them was at the barrier to the platform. We were really late, so after we got through we never had time to look back for them. Sorry, Hermione," answered George.
"They must be here somewhere," added Fred. "Did you check up with the prefects, maybe they got in some trouble already and Percy has them holed up there, lecturing them."
"I didn't think of that," replied the girl as she turned to leave.
"Hang on, we'll come with you," shouted George. "It's always wise to be in numbers when dealing with Percy, that prefect badge has him so inflated…" He and his brother hurriedly exited the car.
"Prefect?" I said to Oliver.
"In fifth year a girl and a guy from each house are chosen to be prefects. Basically it means they are responsible for keeping order in the house and setting a good example for others, though they can also report bad behavior to house supervisers. They get a badge to wear on their robes so everyone knows they are a prefect. Percy Weasley is one of the Gryffindor prefects and he's kind of a stickler for rules and stuff; nice, but very studious and very strict."
"This is going to be so different from what I am used to," I moaned. "I'm taking all these NEWT classes, but what if I get there and find out that what I've learned at Salem Institute isn't what they expect me to know here? That would be so embarrassing. I can just hear it now, 'look at the dumb American, she doesn't know anything.'"
"No one is going to say that, and if they do, I'll hex them," replied Oliver. "And well, the Slytherins make fun of everyone who isn't in their house, so just ignore the whole lot. They are a bunch of bad eggs if you ask me."
Just then a whole troop of people marched into the room. At the front were the bushy haired girl, Fred, and George. Behind them were two more people with bright red hair, a small girl and a tall boy, who was already dressed in his robes.
"Still no sign of Ron or Harry?" asked the tall boy. It was then that I noticed a shining badge on the front of his robe with a lion crest on it.
"Sorry Percy, still haven't seen them," answered Oliver.
"They must have missed the train," said the small girl quietly.
"Don't be silly Ginny," retorted Percy, "as long as they got on the platform the train would have been held for them."
"Then they must not have gotten on the platform," said Hermione logically.
"Let's just have one more look around the train," Percy decided, "and if we still don't find them I will send a note to Mum and Dad and one forward to Hogwarts."
As word spread around the train that an American was going to be attending Hogwarts that year, curious people stopped by the compartment to introduce themselves and generally to find out if the rumors were true.
"See, I told you were would be liked," Oliver reminded me.
The train ride was longer than I expected and I was thankful when a plump witch poked her head into our cabin and asked if we wanted anything off her food cart. I was digging through my luggage to find my money, but Oliver stepped in and paid for my chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes, on the condition that I would share with him.
"So how much longer till we get there?" I asked as dusk was falling outside.
"Not long now," said Oliver, checking his watch. "It's usually fully dark by the time we get there; Hogwarts is very isolated from the Muggle world, for obvious reasons. We should probably change into our robes, though."
We pulled on our robes over our clothes and stuffed our wands in our pockets. It was the first time I saw Oliver in actual wizard clothes, and to my pleasure he looked even more handsome.
The train slowed to a stop, and I squinted out the window, trying to catch a glimpse of anything. All I could see were the dark shapes of the students who had gotten off already, milling around the platform.
I started to lug my trunk off the rack, but Oliver stopped me and told me that they would be transported to our rooms by the school, same with my owl. So we joined the quay in the corridor, waiting to get off.
The wooden platform, of what I later learned was Hogsmeade Station, was vibrating from all the students walking over it. I the saw the huge form of a massive man up ahead, holding a lantern high and yelling, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
"All first years take a boat across the lake to get to Hogwarts," Oliver explained. "That man is Hagrid, he's the grounds keeper."
We scooted around the mass of frightened looking first years and headed for a line of horseless carriages along with most of the other occupants from the train. We grabbed the first open one we could find, and shortly after, Fred and George Weasley joined us. The carriage began to trundle along, up a winding path.
"You should get your first look at Hogwarts as we round this bend," whispered Oliver.
And sure enough, as the line of carriages rounded a right hand bend, in the distance I could see the many torrents and towers of a medieval castle. It took my breath away and my eyes were fixed out the window. As we got closer I could see the lighted windows and complexity of the structure, the rolling grounds, and an immense lake. "This is so cool," was all I could say.
The carriages let us off in front of a set of stone steps and a pair of huge wooden doors. Oliver gave me a reassuring smile as he helped me out of the carriage and we climbed toward the doors. Inside was the biggest rotunda I had ever seen. There was a huge stone staircase that led to a second floor, where more stairs could be seen, portraits lined the walls, and the tall ceiling seemed to disappear from view. The flow of the crowd was taking us toward another large room, which I could see was lit with candles that floated in midair. However, before we got there I heard someone calling my name. Turning I saw an older woman, a professor by the looks of it, standing off to the side. She beckoned me to come to her, and Oliver and I stepped out of line.
"Ms. Keaton, I am Professor McGonagall," she said. "I am afraid I am going to have to borrow you for a few minutes, as you will need to be sorted with the other new students. Please follow me," she turned and began walking away.
"She has to go meet the first years from the boats," Oliver explained. "I'll save you a seat next to me," and then he did something very unexpected, he bent down and kissed me quickly, just a peck really, on my cheek. I managed to keep from squealing with delight and hurried after Professor McGonagall so I wouldn't get lost, but when I turned to look back Oliver had vanished back into the multitude of students.