1 I looked curiously through every one of my books, reading about spells and potions– I wanted to know them all. Also, I read stories about famous witches and wizards, learning their names. I spent much of my time gazing at my owl, whom I named Constellation since she always seemed to be stargazing at the edge of my window.
Constellation was scarcely ever in the same room as Charlotte because I wanted to keep the magical side of me secret. I kept all of my books hidden on my side of the room, and only at night would I dare to read them by flashlight. Quidditch was a sport that appealed to me, and I read about it often. Racing around on broomsticks with all these different balls flying around seemed exhilarating. Perhaps, when I became older, I would join a Quidditch team– that is, if I were any good.
September first came quickly enough with all of my books and materials to keep me busy. On the night before my departure, I told Miss Margaret that I needed a ride to Kings Cross Station to go to my new school. Miss Margaret obliged without questions or comments.
At seven o'clock in the morning, I gathered my luggage and owl and snuck through a sleeping orphanage with Miss Margaret who never commented on the strange owl. We entered her car– the older girl would watch the younger while we were away– and headed off, both of us munching on bagels for breakfast.
"Axelle," Miss Margaret turned towards me seriously. "I've always known you were different– from the moment you arrived at the orphanage. You possess this unnatural yet natural, glowing beauty about you that I can't explain. Be smart, though. Choose your friends wisely and work hard. Don't let your sheltered life make you naive."
Miss Margaret's small yet warm eyes were sincere, and I nodded seriously back.
"Thank you, Miss Margaret. I won't let you down." I managed a small smile through the butterflies raging in my gut.
We arrived at Kings Cross Station with plenty of time to spare. The entire place was packed with people hurrying towards their desired location. For a moment, I was overwhelmed, but Miss Margaret led me through the crowd, and before we reached platforms nine and ten, I gave her a hug farewell. With a sudden nostalgic feeling, I watched her walk away, and once she was out of site, I approached the space between platforms nine and ten. Another family with a large amount of luggage and an owl was walking towards platforms nine and ten as well. A tall man in his thirties with white-blonde hair and a receding hairline stood with a shorter woman and their son who also possessed white-blonde hair.
"Um, hello there," I said shyly. "Could you tell me how to get onto platform nine and three quarters?"
The man turned around with surprise and smiled warmly.
"Of course," he said. "We were just about to head onto the platform ourselves. You see, it's Scorpius's first time at Hogwarts, too." The man gestured towards his son whose vivid hair was slightly disheveled.
"Hello, what's your name?" Scorpius asked, his brilliant blue eyes shy and cautious. His whole family seemed shaken as if some tragic had recently happened.
"Axelle. Axelle Summers." I smiled warmly at the boy.
The woman spoke this time. Dark bangs nearly concealed big, brown eyes.
"What you'll want to do, Axelle, is simply run straight at that pillar and don't slow down," she explained, gesturing towards a solidly built brick wall. "Watch."
Scorpius stepped forward and sprinted lithely towards the wall and simply disappeared. I swallowed hard and jogged lightly after him with closed eyes. Although I expected to crash right into the wall, there was no impact. When I opened my eyes, I beheld a great steaming, red train with billions of families bidding their children farewell as they boarded the train.
Without a second thought, I rushed towards the train and onto one of the carts. My golden eyes scanned the halls for an empty compartment. Finally, I settled, setting Constellation on one of the seats and placing my luggage overhead. As I watched parents hugging and kissing their children good-bye, I began to wonder where my mum was at and if I would ever see her or if I would ever say by to her like that here. Suddenly, the sound of the compartment door opened, break me out of my thoughts. Rose had entered the compartment, followed by two boys of about my age, both with messy black hair. One was obviously older while the other was small, very wide-eyed, and nervous.
"Hello there, Axelle! Thought I'd join you. You looked a bit lonely here by yourself," Rose said, grinning widely.
"Hello." I returned her smile. "How've you been?"
"Pretty fair, I'd say." Rose sat down across from me. "There are my cousins, by the way. Albus"– she gestured towards the smaller boy– "and James."
James sat rather close next to me and said, "Something about you reminds me of our cousin, Victoire, but I can't put my finger on it."
Rose explained, "We have quite a few cousins, you see, so there's always someone to compare to." She laughed and I joined in, feeling more at ease with every passing moment.
"So, Rose, what house do you think you'll end up in?" James asked, his voice possessing an obvious arrogant tone to it, and due to that, I decided straight away that didn't particularly like his attitude.
Rose answered calmly. "Well, I sort of hope to be in Gryffindor because of my father, but Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad, either."
"What about you?" James turned towards me, his bright, green eyes shined with curiosity.
Shrugging, I replied, "I honestly haven't thought about it."
"Well, I'm ini Gryffindor, and it's probably the best house." James grinned.
As the train began moving, a blonde head peered into our compartment.
"Excuse me, but is there room for one more?" Scorpius asked.
"Hi, Scorpius," I said. "I think we can make room. You guys don't mind, do you?"
Albus and Rose shook their heads, though James remained still.
"Thanks." Scorpius smiled shyly and sat next to James once his luggage was secure overhead.
A small silence hung over the compartment as the train gained speed, but it wasn't long before James spoke:
"So, we were just talking about Hogwarts houses. What house do you want to be in, Scorpius?" A sneer was evident in his voice.
"Well, my father was in Slytherin, but I kind of want to be in the house that my mother was in: Ravenclaw, since the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons," Scorpius explained innocently.
James was evidently caught off-guard so the conversation turned to other matters. Rose was a very honest girl with a quick wit about her that I admired. Albus and Scorpius both shared a shy personality that I assumed was a result of first-day nerves. At around mid-afternoon, a trolley full of treats and candy came slowly down the aisle way. Rose, Albus, and James all leapt up to purchase some snacks while Scorpius and I stayed within the compartment. He hesitated, looking unsure for a moment. Then, at last, he seemed to have plucked up some courage.
"Axelle? Can I ask you something?" Scorpius inquired, his vibrant blue eyes wide.
"Um, sure," I replied, suddenly weary.
Quickly, Scorpius said, "You're not fully human, are you?"
My heart rate jumped suddenly, and I whispered, "No. How did you know?"
"Well– you look like you– um– part veela? F-from what I see, anyway." Scorpius looked uncomfortable as a faint blush touched his pale complection.
I nodded. "Don't tell anyone, please." My face conveyed much anxiety.
Scorpius nodded in agreement, still staring at me with an odd expression as the others returned with exotic treats positively overflowing from their arms.
"You got to try this, Axelle!" Rose exclaimed, handing me an odd-looking little box.
Cautiously, I opened the box to have a small, brown creature leap at my face. I gasped, glancing at a chocolate frog dangling off my nose. Rose giggled.
"Don't worry! It's not real– you can eat it."
The compartment was filled with laughter as I slowly and carefully took off a chunk of the frog's leg and ate it. Rose was telling the truth– it was only chocolate. The chocolate frog wasn't the only strange candy they had. Rose also showed me Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans which boasted several different flavors– some very conventional while others not so much. I tried sticking to ordinary flavors like cherry and blueberry, avoiding the ominous vomit-flavored one that James swore he'd eaten once.
I enjoyed talking to these people, though by late afternoon, my heart began racing as it was nearing time to change into my school robes. The boys left the compartment to let us change in private, joining some other boys in order to change as well. I felt as though my heart were about to leap out of my chest as the train began to slow.