A young girl sighed as she made her way threw Kings Cross station. As she limped towards her destination she pushed a heavy trolley loaded with a trunk.
This was Raven Quinn, known purely by her last name to all who weren't close, and she was heading for platform 9¾ to catch the train for her second year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry.
"Quinn, wait." She stopped and turned to look at the boy running up behind her, leaving his parents with his own equipment. "Why are you pushing that by yourself? Where's your mum?" Quinn stepped to the side and pulled a pair of crutches from the trolley, resting her left leg. She allowed the boy to take the metal cart.
"Thanks Oliver. Jamie isn't well and she had to get back."
"Hey it's no problem. You seen the Weasly's yet?"
"Only just arrived. They'll probably be late, Ron, the youngest lad, is starting this year."
"Bet the twins are going to have fun then."
"You don't care as long as you can still have a team for the quidditch."
"Can't have a team with out a seeker. Really need to try to find one or we have no chance of winning. Need a new chaser too."
"You'll find one. Some of them in my year were talking about trying out before we broke up for the summer."
"You one of them?" Oliver Wood looked down at the girl next to him. He was 3 years older then Quinn yet had dated her for a brief period during her first year. Smiling he already knew the answer.
"That's not funny." She looked up with her emerald eyes and frowned at him. At the age of 7 she had fallen 10 feet from a broomstick on to concrete and broken her hip. Her adopted mother had never been good at healing and did a poor job on it. Resulting in Quinn having to use crutches to aid her walking ever since. It still amazed her how simple bits of muggle technology could be so useful. Also she was terrified of the concept of flying.
They carried on walking to the platforms. A smile breaking across Quinn's face as she heard some very familiar voices.
"Honestly women you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George."
Oliver frowned. "Is it?"
"Nah. I don't think. I'll go catch up with them and let you get back to your folks." She placed her crutches back on to the trolley and took it off the elder boy. "I'll see you at the feast." She walked towards the family at the barrier.
"Hey Mrs Weasly." The elder women turned around and looked the girl up and down.
"I take it you are Quinn. The boys have told me a lot about you. You've just missed them."
"Excuse me." They turned to look at a boy stood near them. He was around the same height as Quinn, but the oversized clothes made him seem smaller. She glanced at the messy black hair and green eyes. Even without the scar on his forehead she knew that Harry Potter stood in front of her
"I'll see you later Mrs. Weasly." She disappeared through the barrier between platform 9 and 10.
Quinn emerged on to the busy platform where the bright red steam train was located. She walked over to a boy with dread locks and a large box.
"Hey Lee. What you got?"
"Tarantula."
"Wow. Let's have a look."
"This coming from the girl who won't go near a broom." He opened the box slightly and she smiled at the sight of a hairy leg poking out.
"Cool. Right, I'm going to find the twins." She walked off and pushed her way through the crowd of students and trunks.
"Yo. Quinny. Still as cute as ever I see."
"And don't you know it."
Quinn couldn't help smile as she walked towards the weasly twins. She hugged Fred briefly then clung to George.
"Missed you this summer."
"Missed you too. Just met your mum."
"You haven't. Did she say anything embarrassing?"
"Yeah. Showed me the baby pictures and everything." She raised her hand to her mouth in mock embarrassment and laughed. Since Quinn had first met the twins she had got along with both of them. They shared the same sense of humor. Ironically it had been Fred who had helped her when she fell getting off the train on her first day, yet she had started to date George after she split up with Oliver.
At the sound of a loud bang George turned to look at the young boy Quinn had seen talking to Mrs. Weasly.
"Want a hand?"
"Yes. Please." The boy panted after the effort of trying to lift his trunk on to the train.
"Oi Fred come and help." Quinn watched as the boys disappeared in to the compartment and listened to them talk.
"Hello again dear. Do you know where the twins are?" Quinn pointed over her shoulder and started to look for someone to help her get her trunk on the train.
"Fred, George are you in there?"
"Coming mum." The twins emerged from the train and George immediately laid his arm across Quinn's shoulder. She laughed as they tormented their younger brother and joined in when it came to Percy.
Quinn followed the twins on to the train. They had already taken her trunk on and dumped it somewhere. She made a mental note to find them later so she could get her robes. She yelled out of the window to Ginny Weasly as the train pulled from the station. Once they were out of sight George passed Quinn's crutches to Fred and pushed her against the wall. He kissed her gently.
"You going to sit with us?"
"No Way. Lee has a tarantula and they freak me out a little. Don't tell him though. I think I'll keep your brother company. Get to know him." She grinned.
"Yeah. Can't let him forget what it's like to be around us." Fred handed her the crutches back and they walked towards the compartment the youngest boy had been in.
"Hey Ron."
"We're going to head down the train. Apparently Lee Jordan has a giant tarantula. Quinny is going to stay in here with you. She doesn't like spiders. Ow." George clutched his side where Quinn had slapped him. He pulled the metal sticks from her hand and placed them in the overhead baskets.
"You git. You know I can't reach up there."
"Ron will get them if you need them." Quinn pushed in and collapsed on to the seat next to Ron.
"Harry did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasly. This is Ron, our brother, and this pretty little thing is Quinn. See you later then."
George stepped forward and quickly hugged Quinn. "Be careful. Find me if you need anything."
"Bye." The twins disappeared and Quinn pulled a magazine out of her shoulder bag and half listened to the conversation the two boys started. Quinn sighed. She really didn't want to know about the wonderful Harry Potters life.
XxX
Quinn stepped of the train in her robes and climbed in to a horseless carriage with the twins and their friends. She had hated the two months of the summer break. She didn't really get along with her adopted family since she had started Hogwarts and been sorted in to Gryffindor instead of Slytherin like the rest of them. They were pure blood who believed that that was the way the wizarding race should stay that way. Her elder 'brother' wasn't that bad, but her mother was a pain, and Quinn was the one who got the blunt end of most of her rants, as her birth mother had been muggle born.
She walked in to the great hall using George as support as she had left the crutches on the train with their luggage. She sat at the gryfindor table and sighed as she found herself between the two boys.
"Do you have to do that?"
"Yup." They spoke in unison and carried on having the argument in to Quidditch teams.
The hall fell in to silence as the new arrivals walked towards the teachers table where the sorting hat had been placed. As it burst in to song the remaining talking students also fell silent.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty.
But don't judge on what you see.
I'll eat my self if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep you bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat
And I can cap them all.
Theres nothing hidden in your head
The sorting hat can't see
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryfindor
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and Chivalry
Set Gryfindor apart;
You might belong in hufflepuff
Where they are just and Loyal.
Those patient hufflepuffd are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap
Ypu're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a thinking cap!"
Quinn clapped boredly along with the rest of the students and placed her hand on Georges knee as the students started to be sorted.
At the first call of gryffindor the table exploded in cheers. Quinn included. The young girl sat across from her and the twins looking nervous. It wasn't long before more students joined the table, including Hermione Granger. A rather annoying girl that Quinn had met on the train while sitting with Ron and Harry.
As Harry's name was called the silence was broken by whispers. Even Fred and George joined in, just to add to the amusement. As he was sorted in to gryfindor the uproar was louder than that of any other student. Quinn was sure she would end up deaf as both the twins screamed over her head. He walked to the table and sat a few seats away from them so that he was opposite nearly headless nick. Eventually Ron joined the table and soon after the sorting was over.
Dumbledore stood from his place at the middle of the table. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you." He sat back down and Quinn burst out laughing along with the twins. She clapped and started to grab food as the dishes on the table magically filled.
She listened in on the conversations but remained silent, yet the people who knew her didn't push. She answered any questions asked by the new students. Every so often her eyes wondered to the boy sat a few seats away. Especially when the talk turned to families.
After pudding Quinn leant against George and turned to look at the head table as Dumbledore started to talk again. She was sure that if he wasn't fast then she would fall asleep in the great hall.
"Ahem-just a few more words now you are all watered and fed. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should know that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all students. And a few older students would do well to remember that as well." His eyes flicked over to where Quinn was sat with the twins. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Ouidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." Quinn shoved her elbow in to George's ribs as he playfully suggested that she tried out. "And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Quinn sighed. This was the part of the night that she hated. She half-heartedly joined in with the rest and tried the hardest she could to not laugh at the twins either side of her who were singing to the tune of the funeral march.
They stood up and started to file up to the Gryfindor common room. Quinn was barely managing to keep her eyes open as she walked with her arm around George's waist.
XxX
Quinn sat on the rug in front of the common room fire. Around her was spread sheets of parchment. It was only Thursday of her first week back and already she was confused. She muttered under her breath, it was all the twins fault. Whenever she planned to do work they distracted her. If only she hadn't got herself banned from the library on Monday then she would not be having this problem.
"Seen the team?" Oliver sat in the armchair to her side.
"Nope. Why?"
"Got a new seeker. Was going to tell them."
Quinn looked up. "Thought tryouts weren't till next week."
"Worried you missed your chance? Ok ok. Special case. McGonagall found him. Only a first year, yet his first time on his broom he managed the most spectacular catch ever apparently."
"Who is it?"
"Harry Potter."
"HARRY POTTER IS THE GRYFFINDOR SEEKER?" The twins emerged from the boy's dormitory and started to question Oliver. Quinn gave up on sorting the notes and threw them back in her bag. Preparing for what was going to come next.
"You coming Quinny?"
"I'm hungry." She stood up and took the crutches that Oliver held out for her. "Thanks."
"We'll go look in the great hall first then." She watched the twins disappear through the portrait; pulling a face at Oliver she followed them.
The twins spotted Harry almost immediately as they entered the great hall. They sped up leaving Quinn behind. Eventually she made it to the table and sat opposite Harry and Ron. Pulling food on to her plate. George leant over her shoulder and stole a few chips from her plate. "Well done. Wood told us. We're on the team too – beaters." Fred appeared on the other side and did the same as his twin. Quinn sighed and grabbed more food.
"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year. We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."
Quinn started to choke and swallowed the mouthful of Pumpkin Juice she had just tried to drink. "He was sat down."
"Picky. Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."
"Oh that's right. Distract me, bring me for food which you eat half of, then piss off."
"Yup." George leant down and kissed her cheek, stealing another chip. Standing back up he turned to his twin. "Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our fist week. See you." Quinn watched them go and looked back to the table to see 3 boys stand near Harry. She recognized them as some Slytherin first years that had introduced themselves on the train.
"Having your last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the muggles?"
Quinn rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked from the room and headed back to the tower with the intention of getting some work done.
