"Why can't you see me off too, daddy?" Evie pouted as her father put on his travelling cloak.
"You know I'd love to, Evie. But with all that's going on I couldn't get the morning off. The office is getting more and more to deal with. You'll be fine going with your mother and the Potters." He smiled apologetically at his only child.
"But you won't be there. And I won't see you until Christmas. Can't they do with one less auror for an hour?" she complained. Her father was indeed a very notable and successful auror. He'd worked his way up through the ranks until he was second in command to Alastor Moody. He'd had to miss quite a few family parties and occasions to spend time on the ever growing trouble there was at the office. And with the Dark Lord on the rise, he seemed to be spending less time at home with his wife and daughter, and more time in the field. He knelt down in front of her cupping her rosy cheeks and giving her a warm smile.
"It'll go by faster than you think. And you won't have time to miss me. I have a gift for you," he said taking a small velvet box and opening it to reveal a silver locket encrusted with three small rubies, with the letters EB engraved on the front in an elegant script, "Now, it's a tradition in my family to give a young witch or wizard a gift on their first day of Hogwarts."
"Like the ring grandpa Algernon gave you?" she asked as her eyes widened at the locket.
"Yes, like the ring grandpa Algernon gave me," he said as he put the locket around his daughter's neck, "And you can put whatever pictures you want inside. There's a small latch that opens so you can have three pictures instead of two. Do you like it, princess?"
She gave her father a teary hug, not because of the gift, but because they'd be parted longer than they'd ever been for any one of his missions, "I love it, daddy. Be careful, will you? Those fanatics are getting deadlier and more reckless out there."
"You're starting to sound like your mother." He said wiping her tears.
"Somebody mention me?" asked Evie's mother as she walked into the foyer.
"Just noting how Evie is starting to act more and more like her gorgeous mother." Said the auror walking over to his wife to give her a kiss.
"Of course you were, Aldion. Now get a move on or you'll be late to the office. Last time you were on your way to work fifteen minutes late, Alastor Moody barged in demanding what had happened to you." Said his wife lifting an eyebrow.
"Yes, dear. It won't be a problem for you to go to with the Potters, will it, Metrodora? You'll be fine, right?" he asked with slight anxiety. After what their family had suffered three years ago, Aldion Bloxum never felt right about leaving his family on their own.
"I'll be fine. Charlus and Dorea said it's no problem." With a final kiss to his wife, and another hug to his daughter, he left for work without another word.
"When are we leaving, mum?" asked Evie following her mother into the kitchen.
"As soon as you bring your trunk down, Evandra." Replied her mother as she took off her apron.
"Alright. I want to show you something first!" exclaimed Evie before running up to her room. The walls of the room were a light yellow color while the trim, bedding, and much else was crimson. Posters of Quidditch teams, Wizarding rock bands, and pictures of Evie, her family, the Potters, and the Prewetts covered much of the wall space. She had a large queen size bed with stuffed quaffles, snitches, bludgers, and dragons sitting at the foot. She had a small desk in one corner of the room, next to her balcony window that was littered with old quills and parchment. Her once stuffed closet was now void of most of the clothing it once held as it was now packed away in the trunk in the center of the room.
Evie took out her wand, a 12 ½ inch Mahogany with a dragon heartstring core, pointed it at the trunk. "Wingardium Leviosa." She said with a swish and flick. To her delight the trunk hovered off the ground. She ran down the stairs, trunk in tow, into the kitchen. "Look, mum! See I've been practicing."
"Well done, love. I have to say I'm impressed," said her mother with pride, "But you can't be doing this next summer. We don't want to get any letters from the ministry, do we?"
"Yes, mum." Muttered Evie as they walked out the door and over to the Potter's house. Charlus and Dorea Potter greeted them warmly and invited them in. James, it appeared was sitting cool and collected on his trunk, a grey owl caged next to him, with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Was about time, Evie. I thought you'd changed your mind." Teased James as he playfully ruffled her hair.
"James, that's no way to behave towards a lady." Scolded Dorea to her son as they gathered around the large hearth in the center of the sitting room.
"Evie's not a lady, mum. She's a Quidditch player." Said James, earning a smack on the back of the head from his friend. When their group made it to Platform 9 ¾ the pair of first years were stunned into silence by the scarlet train that would take them to Hogwarts. They'd never before seen so many witches and wizards around their own age. Much of the anxiety Evie- and James in secret- had been feeling evaporated as it was replaced but utter excitement. They bid their mothers goodbye and were escorted to a compartment by James's father. Once they were settled into their seats with their luggage sorted, Mr. Potter tossed each of them a pouch full of galleons.
"Some pocket money for the both of you. Don't spend it all in one place." He said giving each of them a tight hug. They gave their thanks, James giving his father a final hug, before saying goodbye.
"Can you believe we're here? I'm so excited I feel I could fly without a broomstick." Laughed James. Evie shook her head at her friend.
"Felissity said there's a witch that comes around every now and then with a trolley full of sweets." Said Evie enthusiastically.
"Well I know what I'm spending my money on." Said James as the train began to move.
"I thought your dad said not to spend it all in one place." Said Evie lifting an eyebrow. Just then the compartment door came open. A pretty red haired girl entered, followed by a sallow looking boy with unkempt stringy black hair.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" asked the girl, motioning to the opposite seat.
"Go ahead." Answered Evie kindly as she noticed the girl looked a bit upset. James hadn't noticed their presence as he fingered through the pouch of galleons before pocketing it. The compartment door opened again revealing a boy with long black hair, pale handsome features, and grey penetrating eyes.
"Got room for another?"He asked looking at James and Evie. "Everywhere else is full."
"Sure." Said Evie as she and James scooted over. The boy took a seat on the other side of Evie, looking around uncomfortably as he did so.
"I'm James. James Potter." Said James extending a hand to the newcomer.
"Sirius Black," said the boy shaking James's hand, "And you are?"
"Evie Bloxum." Said Evie with a smile.
"Evie Bollocks?" said the boy with a grin. Evie narrowed her eyes.
"Bloxum. Like Beatrix Bloxum. The author of The Toadstool Tales." Said Evie pointedly at the boy. Most people made the connection between her and her famous great grandmother.
"Isn't that the book series that causes whoever reads it to vomit? If I were you I'd stick to Bollocks. It's much safer." Replied Sirius, earning a hardy laugh from James. Evie threw him a scathing look.
"It's a right start better than Sirius Black. Your name literally means black dog, you know?" said Evie lifting a brow in challenge. Sirius smirked.
"Yeah I know. My whole family's named after constellations and stars. I've got a cousin named Narcissa of all things. She lives up to it in full though, so I guess literally being named conceited suits her." Said Sirius with a bark-like laugh.
"So, Sirius, play any Quidditch?" asked James, diffusing the situation.
"Yeah. I usually play beater. What about you lot?" asked Sirius as he leaned back in his seat.
"Yeah. I play chaser. Evie here's a keeper. It's a good way to keep each other up to speed." Said James putting a brotherly arm around Evie, who shrugged him off and stuck her tongue out.
"Are you two an item?" asked Sirius looking between both Evie and James. At that the two started laughing.
"Me and him? No, no. Too good of friends." Laughed Evie clutching her sides.
"Yeah, Evie's like my sister. We've literally known each other since birth." Added James.
"Thought I'd ask." Said Sirius, sending a sly smile toward Evie. At the feeling of heat rising to her cheeks she quickly turned toward the window.
"You'd better be in Slytherin." They suddenly heard the other boy in the compartment say to the red haired girl. Up until that point, James, Evie, and Sirius had pretty much forgotten about the other occupants of the compartment.
"Slytherin?" Evie noticed James's eyes rest a little longer than normal on the red haired girl before looking back to the boy, "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
"My whole family's been in Slytherin." Answered Sirius.
"Blimey. And here I thought you seemed alright." Said James, earning laughs from both Sirius and Evie.
"Maybe I'll be the first to break the tradition. Where are you going? If you've got the choice?" asked Sirius to his seat mates.
"Gryffindor." Smirked Evie.
"Where dwell the brave at heart, just like my dad." Said James as he wielded an invisible sword. They heard a snort come from the greasy haired boy across from them.
"Got a problem with that?" asked James in a cold tone. Evie gave a smirk, knowing what the boy had coming.
"No, not if you'd prefer to be brawny than brainy." Said the boy- what he thought was a clever response.
"Where are you going? Seeing as you're neither." Smirked Sirius. Evie chuckled as James started shaking from the vigorous bouts of laughter.
"Let's go find another compartment, Severus." Said the girl, throwing a scathing look at James and Sirius. They boys mocked them as they walked by, James attempting the trip the boy named Severus.
"See you later, Snivellus!" called James as they exited the compartment.
"Really, James? Did you have to be rude to her as well?" asked Evie as she stood and moved to the now unoccupied seat.
"Whatever do you mean, Evie?" asked James with a mischievous grin.
"Don't 'whatever do you mean, Evie,' me, Potter. I saw the way you looked at her. You'll have a lot of catching up to do if that's how you intend to start off with girls." She answered with a knowing smirk.
"When did you develop the knowledge for this type of stuff?" gawked James.
"I've been writing Felissity a lot this summer. She's quite insightful. I did ask Fabian and Gideon, but they refused to tell me anything. They act like I'm still five with pigtails." Muttered Evie.
"You wore pigtails yesterday, Evie." Said James as Sirius began to laugh. Evie flushed a bright shade of scarlet.
"That's not the point!" she said heatedly.
"Alright, if you say so. Speaking of which, where are the Prewetts?" asked James.
"I don't know. I'm going to go get changed. Maybe I'll find Tilly somewhere around here." She said as she left the compartment. After changing into her plain black robes that had yet to bare any house affiliation, Evie bumped into the girl that had been in their compartment. She looked at Evie and began to walk away.
"Oi, red! Wait!" called Evie as she marched up to the girl. The girl turned around. Up close Evie noticed that this girl was indeed very pretty. Her stunning green eyes and red hair absolutely warranted James's attention. Evie just hoped her friend would learn when to keep his mouth shut.
"Yes? What do you want? Come to tease me some more?" snapped the girl.
"No. I just wanted to apologize for my friends teasing you. Not necessarily for teasing your friend. But you hadn't said anything and it was unnecessary." Said Evie politely. The girl looked at her skeptically for a moment.
"Did they send you to do this?" she asked.
'I do think for myself, you know. And no, they didn't. I doubt their brains have the capacity to be anywhere other than Quidditch long enough to understand what their blabbering." Smiled Evie.
"What's…What's Quidditch?" asked the girl in a small voice.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were a muggleborn." Said Evie with a sheepish grin.
"Is that a problem?" asked the girl suddenly.
"Not at all. I don't discriminate. Quidditch is a sport played on broomsticks. I'm a player myself. I take it you're a first year, too?" asked Evie.
"Yeah. To tell you the truth I'm a little nervous. I don't really know anything other than what I've read and heard from Severus." Said the girl. Evie lifted an eyebrow. Of course this girl was the bookish type. Evie tried her best to be active and not limit herself to only pursuing academia. She figured she would have probably done the same thing if she were the girl's position.
"Don't be. It's just like any other sort of boarding school. Except we do magic." Laughed Evie, as the girl giggled.
"I'm Lily Evans." Said the girl extending her hand.
"Evie Bloxum. It's nice to meet you, Lily." Said Evie as she released Lily's hand.
"I'd better get back to my compartment. Severus will be wondering where I've gone." Said Lily in clearly higher spirits.
"Alright. I'll see you at the sorting." Said Evie before parting ways with her new friend.