Chapter 16
I had to redo this chapter-I made a mistake with the math and Ginny's age. If Meredith is 11 then Ginny would be about six
Meredith held tightly to her cart as her father led her through King's Cross Station to platform 9 3/4. Her heart was pounding in her chest. This was it. In just a bit she would be on the train to Hogwarts. She held tightly to her cart so her father would not see her trembling.
"Over here," Dora called. Andromeda and Ted had an engagement that morning, and had asked Remus if he could take Dora with him when he took Meredith. Remus had whole heartedly agreed, hoping that having Dora with them would make parting a little easier for Meredith. Not that it would help him any. Merlin, the years had flown so fast. Had it been six years since he brought her home from the orphanage? He shook this off. He knew this day had to come. He just thought he would be more prepared for it. They strode up to the pillar between platforms nine and ten.
"You first Dora," Remus said. "So Meredith can see how to do it." Dora nodded. With a glance around her to see that no one was looking she pushed her cart toward the barrier at a run and disappeared.
"You next love," Remus said. Meredith took a deep breath and ran toward the barrier. SHe felt a funny tingle as the barrier gave way and she stepped onto the platform. Her eyes widened as she saw the big red Hogwarts express. The entire platform was crowded with young witches and wizard pushing carts and saying good bye to their parents.
"Let's get your stuff on board," her father said appearing at her shoulder. Meredith nodded and they made their way through the crowd.
"Oh there's Charlie," Dora said suddenly. "I"m gonna go say hello."
"Just don't miss the train," Remus said. "Your mother will kill me."
"I won't," Dora said running off. Meredith looked and saw Dora running up to a broad shouldered young man with red hair.
"Remus?" a female voice said beside them. Meredith turned and saw a short woman with red hair and a round friendly face. She held the hand of small child wearing a purple dress while four boys all with red hair hovered around her.
"Molly," Remus greeted the woman. "It's been a long time. Meredith this is Molly Weasley. Molly my daughter Meredith Lupin."
"Hello," Meredith said shyly. The woman smiled at her kindly.
"Oh my, look at that pretty red hair. Why she could be one of mine?"
"Looks like you've got more than you can handle," Remus said guesturing to two of her boys, identical twins by the look of them, were tormenting the youngest boy, who looked no older than three.
"FRED! GEORGE!" At the sound of their mother's voice the torment ceased and all three boys stood obediently still.
"Yes, these are all mine. These two rascals are Fred and George, twins. Give me more gray hairs than anything else. This is Ron and this is Ginny." She waved two more boys over. One of them was very tall, at least seventeen. His red hair was a bit long, nearly to his shoulder. The other boy was about Meredith's age and he held tightly to a rat who was sqeaking madly in his hands.
"This is my oldest Bill," Molly said proudly. "Head boy this year."
"That's very impressive young man," Remus said shaking hands with the young man.
"Thank you sir," Bill said politely.
"This is Percy," Molly said placing her hand on the boy with the rat. "This is his first year at Hogwarts as well."
"Hello," Percy said struggling with the rat.
"Percy will you get that rat still," his mother said.
"I don't know what's wrong with him," Percy said helplessly. Molly shook her head.
"That's Charlie over there talking with Nymphadora. Lord what has that girl done to her hair this time? Charlie's Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor this year. I'm sure he's enjoying telling Nymphadora all about it." Remus nodded. The whistle blew signalling it was time. Remus helped Meredith wheel her things over to the luggage compartment. Remus groaned as he lifted Meredith's trunk. THe full moon was in couple days.
"Let me give you a hand," Bill said grabbing one end of the trunk.
"Thank you, Bill isn't it." Meredith stood very still looking at her feet. Bill was very handsome. He lifted her trunks along with the cage that held her owl, whom she'd named Bianca, in to the luggage rack. He gave Meredith a wink and headed off to the prefect's compartment.
"Well love, it's time." Meredith stared at the train.
"Dad," she said. "I'm scared." Remus smiled and knelt before her. He hugged her tightly.
"You've got nothing to worry about, love. You're gonna do great."
"But what if I'm no good at magic? What if no one likes me?"
"Listen to me," Remus said. "There is nothing to be afraid of. Just keep your head up, and learn everything there is to learn. You're gonna be fine."
"But what if..."
"Meredith," Remus said. "Trust me. You're gonna be fine. You're smart, you're brave and you're clever. I'm very proud of you my daughter."
"I love you daddy," Meredith said.
"And I love you," he said hugging her again. "Now hurry." Meredith took a deep breath and got on board, pulling the trunk with her school robes behind her. She looked around for Dora, but she didn't see her friend anywhere.
"Meredith," a voice said behind her. She turned and saw one of the red haired boys she'd met earlier poking his head out of a compartment.
"In here," he said. "The rest of the trains getting full up pretty quick." Meredith was relieved to step inside and sit down.
"You're Percy, right?" Meredith asked.
"Yup, Percy Weasley. And this is Scabbers." He pointed to the rat sitting on the seat beside him.
"You have a lot of brothers," Meredith said.
"Yeah," Percy said. "Bill's head boy this year and Charlie's Quidditch captain for Gryffindor. I guess you could say I've got a lot to live up to."
"Um, excuse me." Both turned and saw a girl with long blonde hair standing at the door.
"May I sit here? Everywhere else is full."
"Of course," Meredith said guesturing to the seat beside her.
"Thank you," the girl said sitting down. Meredith smiled at the girl who smiled back shyly.
"I'm Meredith Lupin and this is Percy Weasley."
"Patricia Patterson. It's my first year."
"Ours too," Percy said.
"Ah, finally a seat," another voice popped in. Without waiting for an invitation a tall boy with dark hair plopped down next to Percy who managed to snatch Scabbers away before he was sat on.
"Oliver Wood," the boy said.
"Meredith Lupin."
"Percy Weasley."
"Patricia Patterson."
"Pleasure," Oliver said. He glanced at Percy. "You related to Arthur Weasley?"
"My dad," Percy said.
"He got my uncle out of some trouble last year."
"Dad works for the Ministry of Magic," Percy explained. "Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office."
"Uncle Rupert has a fascination with those muggle toaster ovens. Likes to bewitch them so the toast will fly across the kitchen and land on his plate."
"Are you a pure blood then?" Patricia asked.
"We have a couple of squibs here and there, but yeah. All magic for ten generations."
"Same here," Percy said. "Well, we have a cousin whose an accountant, but we don't talk about him much. What about you Patricia?"
"Oh, both my parents are muggle-borns. Mum and dad were afraid I wouldn't be magical. But wouldn't you know, my sixth birthday my mum brought out the cake with the candles. I was so excited that I blew on the candles before my mum had lit them. And they lit up. Mum and dad were so excited. They both work for the ministry. Mum works in the Department of Magical Transport, and Dad works for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. What about you Meredith?" Meredith was quiet. She didn't quite know what to say.
"Well, um, my dad is half blood. But he's not my real dad, I'm adopted. My dad says that my real dad was pure blood and my mum was half. But I don't know, he doesn't like to talk about them." The quartet sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. The conversation then turned to Hogwarts.
"If I'm not in Gryffindor, I don't know what I'll do," Percy said. "Both my parents were in Gryffindor plus Bill and Charlie."
"Gryffindor is the best," Meredith agreed. "Dumbledore himself was a Gryffindor."
"I don't think Ravenclaw would be so bad," Patricia said. "I've heard the smartest go in Ravenclaw."
"I don't either which way, as long as I'm not in Slytherin," Oliver said. "There's not a single witch or wizard gone bad that wasn't in Slytherin."
"Anything off the trolley," a witch pushing a cart full of sweets popped her head into their compartment. Meredith had brought a small pile of gold with her and bought a box of Bertie Botts every flavor beans and a small pile of cauldron cakes. Patricia bought six chocolate frogs and some pumpkin pasties. Oliver bought some of everything. Percy bought nothing and stared dejectedly at the corned beef sandwich his mother had packed him.
"With so many of us, mum doesn't have much time. Plus we don't really have much money. We had to buy my books and my robes secondhand." Meredith felt bad for him. She didn't even know she had money till she saw her mother's vault. She offered him a cauldron cake, and Patricia and Oliver followed suit. The rest of the journey passed quickly as they ate and talked about their families and the classes they were most looking forward to.
"Bill and Charlie both say potions is the hardest. The instructor is really tough."
"I just can't wait to learn how to fly. It's rubbish that first years aren't allowed brooms." Meredith drifted off as Percy and Oliver got into a discussion of thier favorite quidditch teams. She looked out her window and gasped as she saw a huge castle in the distance. Hogwarts! She was finally here. The train stopped and everyone got off. She saw a bunch of carraiges with no horses being piled into by the students.
"First years, over here!" a familiar voice yelled. Meredith smiled as she saw Hagrid.
"Oh my goodness," Patricia said beside her. Meredith hooked her arm through Patricia's and led her over to where Hagrid stood.
"That's Hagrid. He's real nice." Patricia looked at her as though she didn't believe her.
"Hullo Meredith," Hagrid said. "You've grown quite a bit since I last saw ya." Meredith smiled weakly. The last time she saw Hagrid was during the wolfsbane fiasco.
"Well into the boats you lot." Meredith climbed into one boat along with Patricia, Percy and Oliver. The boats carried them toward the castle. At the door they were met by a stern looking witch in green robes.
"Thank you Hagrid," the witch said. "I'll take it from here." They were led through the halls towards a set of tall doors. The witch turned to them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am your deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall. I will also be your Transfiguration teacher, and head of Gryffindor house. Now we are about to go into the feast, but first you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Huffepuff, and Slytherin. While you are here you're house will be like your family. You will have class together, eat together,and spend free time in your house common room. Your accomplishments will earn your house points. Rule breaking will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the house cup. Now if you will all follow me." She opened the doors and Meredith felt all breath leave her body. The older students were already seated at their house tables. The ceiling looked like the night sky. At the front of the room Dumbledore and all the professors sat at the high table. McGonagall led them to the front of the room where there stood a stool with a battered old hat on it. Meredith and several other first years jumped as the hat began to sing. It sang of Hogwarts and the four houses. When it was done everyone clapped.
"Now," said McGonagall. "When I announce your name you will step forward and I will place the hat on your head. The hat will announce your house and you will join your table." She waved her wand and a scroll appeared. She unrolled it and read the first name.
"Emma Avery." A short girl with two black braids stepped forward and sat on the stool. The sorting hat was silent for a moment then shouted
"GRYFFINDOR!" The gryffindors applauded as their newest member joined them. The next two boys went to Ravenclaw, then a girl went to Hufflepuff, a boy named Marcus Flint was the first new Slytherin. Another girl and two boys went to Gryffindor and a boy went to Hufflepuff. Then it was her turn.
"Meredith Lupin!" Meredith took a deep breath and stepped forward. She climbed up on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on her head.
"Hmm," a voice said. It took a moment for Meredith to realize it was the hat.
"Bravery yes. A deep inner strength. A good head on your shoulders. Quick thinker. Hmm...where to put you. I think it had better be...GRYFFINDOR!" She saw the gryffindors applaud and jumped down and ran to her table. Dora grabbed her in a hug.
"I told you you'd get in Gryffindor," she said. Meredith smiled and sat down. Another boy and girl went to Slytherin, and to Hufflepuff. Another girl went to Ravenclaw and then it was Patricia's turn. Meredith crossed her fingers hoping that her new friend would be in her house. The hat was silent for a very long time. Patricia was starting to look nervous finally the hat made it's decision.
"Gryffindor!" Meredith clapped as Patricia ran over to sit by her.
"I'm so glad we're in the same house," Patricia said.
"Me too," Meredith said. They watched as more students were sorted till finally Percy and Oliver were the only two left. First Percy stepped up. The sorting hat barely touched his head before it shouted "Gryffindor". He strode over proudly where his brothers patted him on the back. Finally Oliver stepped up. After a few moments the hat shouted "Gryffindor."
"We're all together," Patricia said to her. "This is going to be great." As the feast began Meredith was feeling a sense of complete happiness. She was in a good house with people she knew. Things were gonna be okay.