Chapter One:
September 1, 1979
Cloudy Skies had greeted the first students and their families, who had arrived at Kings Cross Platform 9 ¾ this day, and it was not getting better. By 10.55 heaviest rain was pouring down on London, shortening the goodbyes of most families that had found their way to the Hogwarts Express, although, every now and then, you could see students, especially first years, that already got soaked to the skin, because their mothers would not let them go.
Kate Vale, in contrast to everybody else it seemed, was rather happy that it was raining. Maybe it was because she was not as stressed as everybody else, because her suitcase was already on it's way to Hogwarts, or maybe she was just generally in a better mood than the others, but her smile was contagious.
The conditions concerning her seventh year were not exhilarating, but she had promised herself to make the best out of it. Most of her friends had graduated last year, and to her own surprise she had been made head girl, even after– what did they call it - her 'unauthorised stroll' in the woods, in company of Damian Delune, a handsome Hufflepuff. As if Damians kisses were not punishment enough, she had also got 3 weeks of detention back then.
Gently, she pushed her way trough a bunch of chattering third years and entered the train. Only 2 minutes, and 1 waggon later, the train finally began to move. In a nearby compartment she heard a little girl cry, and although she had also promised herself to stay out of others business, she entered the compartment.
"Hey, what's up with you?" She asked and looked at, what seemed like, 4 completely newcomers. First years... she sighed, while she awaited an answer. A little boy with flaming red hair, and freckles spoke up.
"The suitcases ar' too 'eavy, we can't get 'em up there." He pointed at the luggage rack. Katie rolled her eyes. "Good lord, that's no reason to cry." She handed the little girl a handkerchief and then reached for her wand. With a little 'swish' the trunks arranged themselves in a pile. "Thaaaank you." The little boy exclaimed, and Kate could not help to smile on how cute he was.
"Have you ever heard of the restrictions of sorcery of underage wizards?" The voice that came from the small corridor had startled her, and Kate now whirled around too see you had the nerve to put her in such a shock. Surprisingly she did neither recognise the voice, nor the quite good looking guy, as she had to admit, who was standing in the 'door-way'. "I'll think of them next time..." she answered in a rather sulky manner of speaking.
"I suppose there won't be a next time!" The boy or rather say man, with the blue-green eyes and blonde hair, suggested. "Yeah. Of course. Next time I'll wait 'til someone gets hurt, then I'll recite the laws to them. " She answered sarcastically, a smile on her face, before she turned to the first years. "Have a good year, kiddos. Excuse me." The man still not stepped aside, and blocked her way out of the compartment. "I said; iExcuse me./i" She repeated. Finally he let her trespass, but she could feel his eyes on her all the way down the small corridor, until she finally vanished in the prefects compartment. Looks like the Slytherins can come up with new idiots every single year.
"It's excuse me, professor." The guy muttered to himself and briefly drew a hand trough his hair. He could not help but smile. That girl had a nerve.
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The heavy rain had even got worse, as the had left London behind and the Hogwarts Express moved through the endless winded vales and hills. Thunder and lighting struck the landscape and intimidated especially the young students.
When they had finally arrived at Hogsmeade she was feeling a bit sorry for them, as they still had to make their little trip across the lake. While everybody else was hurrying to the carriages, Katie took a moments time to take a mental picture of the castle and its surroundings. She had seen it a hundredth times over the holidays, being a resident of Hogsmeade, but the atmosphere was different if you were arriving by train. It was her seventh year, her last year – even though she did not know how literally this thought could become. - Voldemort was on the rise.