Raiko curled closer to herself in a fetal position and opened her eyes. It was very dark. All she could see was herself.
She looked out into the darkness and heard a noise in the great expanse. "Somebody, help me!"
Raiko scrambled up as fast as she could and sprinted towards the voice. "Somebody, help me!" She ran as fast as her body would let her, but still she felt herself slow. She looked up again and found a boy standing next to her holding a golden light in his palms. "I don't want to be alone anymore," he cried.
Raiko put his hands in hers and focused on the light. She put her light into it and saw the light grow. It was still fading!
"Who are you?" asked the boy in a whisper. "How come I can't see you?"
"My name is Raiko Hattori. We haven't met yet, but I have seen you before, although I don't know your name."
"Are you going to help me? I don't want to be in the dark."
Raiko stood on her tip toes and put her face next to his. She nodded and told him with her mouth next to his ear, "I will help you very soon."
-
Draco Malfoy stepped into the scarlet train that would take him to Hogwarts. He looked into each box to see if he could find an empty seat, or someone to bully a seat out of. Or just someone-Potter, Weasley, Granger- to bully.
And here they were sitting in a little box of their own. "Potty, Mudblood, Weasel. It's a shame you haven't succumbed to Voldemort yet. I was hoping to get some new material, but the old stuff will do just as well I suppose." He walked off so he didn't have to be witness to Potter and Granger hold Weasley down.
-
Six cars from the back of the train he found an almost empty box. In it, a girl was sleeping. He closed the sliding door behind him and winced at the click- he really did not need this girl to wake up. It would be better if she would just sleep until they got to Hogwarts. He sat down and peered at the sleeping girl. Was she crying?
The girl suddenly woke up and buried her head in her hands. "Never seen someone so sad. Never, ever, ever. Have to find them soon," she mumbled. The girl groaned and looked up at him. She stared at him for a moment before fully comprehending he was there. She stood up and bowed slightly to him. "Oh. Gods, I… don't know you. Can't remember." She looked at him strangely and asked him, "Do you need this room?"
"Well-"
"Ah! It doesn't matter. I'll just go."
Before she left Draco told her. "Your vest is wet."
She looked down at her self, and told him "Arigato, Malfoy-san," as she ran out the door.
That was weird. He thought she had said she didn't know him.
-
Raiko walked down the hall and tried to find an empty seat. She looked into the last box and found a young lady sleeping on one of the seats. The lady had chestnut colored hair and a voluptuous body. She was wearing a dark purple robe that had a similar design to the students' uniforms except the sleeves were much wider. If Raiko had to guess she would say the lady was maybe twenty six or seven; and probably the new DA the DA teacher. Raiko followed the teacher's example and fell promptly asleep, this time she had no dreams.
-
"So who was that girl, mate?" asked Ron now that the girl had left.
"Seriously, Ron. You don't remember?" reprimanded Hermione.
Ron thought for a bit and then chirped, "Not a bit. So tell me."
Hermione sighed and said, "It's the girl who asked us about Harry a week after our night at the Ministry. She's a Ravenclaw fifth year, although I'll admit to not remembering her name."
"Her name is Raiko." Harry told them. "She helped me sort some… problems I had. We talked about Sirius." He said the last part in a whisper almost to quiet to hear.
"How are ya doin' then?" prodded Ron.
Harry smiled in a way that Ron and Hermione had forgotten existed. It was one of those million-watt smiles that clear the clouds. "Much, much better."
The tension in the room visibly eased, which was just as well, for a moment later Ginny and Luna appeared. It was going to be a good year, no matter what Malfoy, Voldemort, or the new DADA teacher did.
-
Draco heard the door open and shut as he looked out the window. It was Crabbe and Goyle, the epitome in stupid henchmen. "Go away. I don't want to talk to either of you until tomorrow." They dutifully left and Draco sighed. He needed to find someone to talk to who could actually keep up a conversation and maybe even play wizard's chess. Not that he wanted to be beaten by someone other than his father, but he needed to find someone who could actually give him a run for his money. He needed someone who didn't just laugh whenever a piece destroyed another.
At least he had found a new victim to bully, she seemed awfully nervous around him.
Father had not visited the mansion all summer. He did not know where Voldemort and His stooges were hiding, but that was definitely what they were doing. They were waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike down DUMBledore and then Harry Potter.
This was going to be a long, nervous year.
-
"Miss? Excuse me, miss?"
Raiko opened her eyes to see the lady with the candy-cart shaking her awake.
"It's still a few hours until the train stops, and I think you should get something to eat."
Raiko shook herself awake and then thought about what she wanted. "I'll take a strawberry soda and three chocolate frogs. Plus a cauldron cake."
"What was the first item, miss?
"A strawberry-oh… A strawberry fizzy."
"Very good, miss. That will be a sixteen knuts."
Raiko paid the lady the money, received her purchased food, and looked at the sleeping woman who shared the room with her. It seemed only fair to try and wake her. Raiko knelt down beside the woman and asked gently while shaking the lady's shoulder, "Sensei? Do you want to get anything to eat, sensei?" The lady stirred but seemed to fall into a deeper sleep than before.
"It's all right, miss. I'll be at the front of the train if the professor comes around. You can tell her that-"
"No," the professor groaned. "It's alright. I'm up, I'm up." She looked blearily up at the woman with the cart. "D'you have anything substantial?"
"Well, ma'am. I've got sandwiches, but that's about it.
"How big are they?" The cart woman motioned and made a triangle with her forefingers and thumbs. "I'll take eight."
The cart woman bent down to get the professor her food when Raiko said, "Please sensei. You don't need to buy so much. I have lots of extra food that my mom packed for me and a potential friend. I'd love to share. It's Japanese, but it s really good."
The professor thought for a moment and said, "Make that four, but I will share with you too if you are going to be so gracious."
"That'll be eight knuts," said the cart-woman. She was paid, gave the sandwiches to the professor, and left.
Raiko got out her bento boxes and untied the handkerchief around them. She opened both and then handed one to the professor. "The chopsticks and napkins are in a compartment on the bottom." Raiko broke her chopsticks apart and asked the professor, "What is your name, sensei?"
"Sensei is teacher, right? I am Professor Apperson. I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. What's your name?"
"Raiko Hattori. I really hope you'll be the one who breaks the curse on DADA teachers. You seem very nice."
Professor Apperson laughed. "That better not be flattery. This food is really good."
Raiko smiled. "That's because my mom is the best cook. She taught me everything I know about cooking."
"Well, if you can cook half as well as this, I won't mind the flattery at all!"
Raiko and Professor Apperson talked until the train was almost to Hogwarts. It seemed that they had a lot in common when it came to food and travel. As Raiko left the little room the had stayed in for the past seven hours, she turned and said goodbye to Professor Apperson.
"I look forward to seeing what kind of student you are, especially since you are a Ravenclaw. I was one too in my time."
This was going to be a fun year.