Chapter 2: Go to Hogwarts
Finally, September 1st arrived. King's Cross was filled with Muggles and wizards alike. It was strange to be around regular people when she was so used to magic. It was even stranger to watch the Muggles totally ignore the wizards that vanished into Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Amelia had work today, so she went with Susan's family. Her aunt didn't really pay her any attention, but that was okay. Susan could easily fill the awkward silence with her chattering, and soon enough Acora felt comfortable enough to keep up with Susan. Her uncle added in every so often, but he was more at ease listening.
"So, what did you do this summer?" Susan asked.
"I read ahead in the books," Acora admitted with a laugh, though the truth was that she devoured a book a day. "Um, I flew around on my broom, too, but other than that, I didn't do much."
"I wish I could read as often as you do. It gives me a headache to read for so long."
"Well, what did you do, Susie?"
She perked up with a grin. "I've been practicing drawing. Daddy got me art lessons for my birthday, and I've been learning so much! When I grow up, I hope that I can be an artist. Or a lawyer, like Aunt Emily."
Acora laughed. "Being a lawyer sounds boring though. I want to be an auror, or a curse breaker. Something that involves danger…"
Her cousin laughed. "I can picture you as a dragon tamer or some kind of dangerous creature breeder."
"That sounds so cool!" Acora squealed, jumping up and down as she pictured adorable baby dragons. She would have to be friends with Hagrid. He could be her other uncle, who just wasn't related to her.
"We're here, girls," her uncle told them, stopping with the trolley in front of the platform. Acora took a moment to stare at the brick wall as Susan volunteered to go first. Her mother went with her, vanishing into the platform with her own trolley that she took from her father. Acora rushed in next with her uncle by her side. She flinched as she neared the bricks, and then felt a strange sensation that she could only describe as weird as she passed through the barrier.
The first things she saw next was the Hogwarts Express. She was hard-pressed to control herself from squealing and jumping up and down again. Beside her, Susan was grinning from ear to ear and couldn't stop looking at everyone and everything.
"Come on, girls. We have to put your things on the train first!" Susan's father called, taking his daughter's trolley and pushing it towards the train. The two girls struggled to catch up, and then loaded their luggage on the train the Muggle way.
Acora's uncle chatted with someone that he knew while they were loading their things, and when she turned around she saw that the man had distinctive red hair. Her uncle, noticing that she and Susan had finished, waved them over with a motion of his hand.
"Susan, Acora, this is Arthur Weasley. Arthur, meet my daughter and my niece."
They all shook hands, and when that was done, the man was whisked away by two twin boys. They had quickly introduced themselves as Fred and George before they left, and Acora tried not to laugh deviously. She might die after she did it, but one day she would prank them. Someday.
After all the hugs and tears on Susan's part were over, the two girls hopped on the train, Acora's grin growing with each minute while Susan's nervousness grew. They frantically waved as the train pulled out, and she herself tried to keep from thinking of the dangers of the future.
She told Susan to go find her other friends, and settled in to reread Hogwarts, A History for the rest of the journey before she had to change. She was just starting to read about how the Goblin Wars affected Hogwarts when suddenly the door to her compartment opened. A girl with bushy hair and front teeth just a bit too big for her mouth stood there, along with a nervous boy who was wringing his hands. Hermione and Neville, then. She had been expecting them.
"Hello, have you seen a toad? Neville has lost his," she said, quickly glancing around the compartment.
"No, I haven't. Maybe ask one of the upper classmen? They'll likely know a charm or spell that you can use to help find him," Acora replied, closing her book.
"Oh, that's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that?" Hermione muttered, frowning.
Neville gave her a small smile. "Th-thank you…"
"Your welcome." Acora sensed the start of a brilliant friendship. He was so adorable. And his cheeks were so squishy looking…
Without noticing, she had stood up and acted on her urges, poking his cheeks and squealing. His face turned bright red and the other girl was giving her a weird look, but Acora couldn't help it. How his grandmother could be so strict she didn't know. His grandma was pretty cool though. She took on a couple of Death Eaters at her age and came out of it fine. Seriously, Acora hoped that she would be a kickass grandma too. Just one that also pinches cheeks and spoils her grandkids.
She finally stopped prodding and pinching his cheek and sat down, finding her place in the book again. By this point, Neville looked like he might randomly turn into a tomato and Hermione was gaping.
"What?" Acora asked, giving them a cheeky grin.
Hermione grabbed Neville and walked out without another word.
"I wasn't that bad. Was I?"
x~x~x
Acora changed into her robes at the last possible moment, and tucked her book into them. They were plain at the moment, simply black. She decided against wearing pants today. She didn't want to stick out, but she wasn't all that comfortable in a skirt. Especially now that she knew people could turn invisible in this world, she felt like someone would try to look up it. At least they were knee length.
She stumbled off of the red train into Hogsmead Station and followed the group of students. She followed a path towards the lake, not having to look long to see the looming figure of Hagrid as he called for first years.
"'Cora!" she heard a shout as Susan slammed into her, stumbling just a bit under the extra weight. Two Indian twins followed her cousin at a much more sedate pace, who Acora knew were in the books and movies but couldn't put a name to. She thought they might have also attended one of Susan's birthday parties, but she could only vaguely remember that.
"Susie, are you trying to tackle me?" Acora asked, grinning.
"Oh, sorry! You remember Padma and Parvati, right?" she asked, gesturing towards the pretty twins.
"Um, not very well," she admitted.
"Oh, that's alright. We've never really hung out or even talked," one of them said with a shrug, flashing a brilliant smile. Acora smiled back, and hoped no one noticed the pink of her cheeks. They were already quite beautiful, and Acora just knew that at some point she was going to have a full blown crush. On the Ravenclaw one, probably. If she remembered correctly, the Gryffindor one was kind of ditzy. She would try to withhold judgement until she actually got to know them both.
"Come on," the other twin said, walking towards the boats. "We need to get in a boat before they leave without us."
After being comfortably settled in a boat, Acora couldn't help but admire the scenery. It really was a beautiful picture. The darkness surrounded, being pierced by the lanterns and the dim light of Hogwarts. The lake was still, and the moon was bright in the sky. She tried to look for the Giant Squid in the water, but it wasn't called the Black Lake for no reason. She probably couldn't even see half a foot under, especially in the dark.
Soon enough, they were passing through a curtain of ivy into a cave hidden on the cliff side, and for several minutes they passed through the tunnel, which thankfully was well-lit with oil lanterns flickering every couple of feet, until they reached a large underground harbor. The harbor was beautiful in the glow, ivy twining about the rocky walls and around the rough stone steps leading upwards.
Stepping out of the boat and almost straight into the water, she grabbed her cousin to stabilize herself. Ah, yes, clumsiness appears again.
Susan started giggling at her, and Acora snorted while trying to uphold a glare. "Stupid sense of balance," she muttered to herself, causing the twins to giggle as well.
Once everyone was out of their boat, the half-giant led them up the stairs and onto the sloping lawn. Everything was well maintained and beautiful from what Acora could see in the shadows. A couple of lanterns were held on posts here and there, but not many. The best source of light was from the windows of the castle, though, which shone bright and cheerful. Already, this place felt like home, despite the massive size and grandeur.
Hagrid led them to the huge oak doors, and Acora stepped forward with the others into their new home.
