The rest of the summer was rather peaceful. Aunt Petunia took charge of Chloe's wand and Dudley's as well, not wanting them to get over-anxious about trying out some of the spells they had read about in their text books. They spent a lot of time that way, reading together and sharing back and forth interesting little things they had learned. Chloe didn't really have any friends to mention, as the old Dudley had always kept them away with his bullying ways. Dudley didn't seem to have any friends anymore either. When Chloe wondered about that one day, he said he thought it was because the friends he used to have wouldn't have wanted to be friends with the person he was now. He said he was glad to have Chloe, and Hedwig and Mirabella, who were their constant companions.

During this time, Chloe found herself often wishing that she knew a witch or wizard to write to, as Aunt Petunia had told her that Hedwig would deliver mail for her. She even thought a time or two about sending Pansy Parkinson a letter, since that person was the only witch she could put a name to, but decided not to. They had only met for just a few minutes, after all. Even so, she thought she would look for the other girl when they got off to school in a few days' time. It was nice to think that there would be someone there that she had met, even if only a little.

When she told Aunt Petunia about how much she wanted to send someone a letter by owl, Aunt Petunia said that she would be able to send a letter home as soon as she was at school. When this didn't come close to satisfying Chloe, Aunt Petunia suggested she might write to Hagrid, whom she was sure would be glad to hear from her. He had been a friend to Aunt Petunia when she was in school and had always had a soft spot for Chloe's mother.

Even without anyone to write to, Chloe had been trying to practice writing with a quill and ink. She set to work early one evening after dinner, trying to write a letter that was as neat as she could make it.

Dear Mr. Hagrid,

I'm writing to see how you are. Well, of course, why would anyone write to someone if they didn't want to know that...

Chloe thought about scratching this out and carrying on, but she had used up almost all her parchment practising and a lot of Dudley's. Aunt Petunia was going to get her some more just a day or two before school started, so she wouldn't use it all up in the meantime. Chloe carried on with her letter.

It was nice to meet you the other day in Diagon Alley. My Aunt Petunia says you were a dear friend to her when she went to Hogwarts, and that you knew my mum and dad, too. I was hoping you might have some time to meet with me after school starts and maybe tell me some stories about when you knew them. As you know, Aunt Petunia is the only family I've ever known... And Dudley, of course... Well that's kind of a long story. I'll be glad to tell it to you if you'd like. I'm looking forward to starting school. I've been reading my text books like mad, but Aunt Petunia says there's a law that I can't practise any magic until I'm at Hogwarts. She says my mum was pretty powerful, and Aunt Petunia seems pretty impressive herself if you ask me. I hope it's the sort of thing that runs in families and I can be just as good! Someone told me you're likely to be in the same school house as other people from your family, is that true? Aunt Petunia says she and my parents were in Gryffindor, but I don't really know what that means. Is that good?

I'm looking forward to meeting you again at school.

Sincerely,

Chloe Euphemia Potter

Chloe rolled up her parchment and went to open Hedwig's cage. The owl looked at Chloe and held out her leg, but would not take the letter with her talons no matter how Chloe tried to coax her. The way the bird was looking at her, Chloe would swear her feathered friend thought she was quite mad. She went to Aunt Petunia for help after a frustrating few minutes. Aunt Petunia smiled and told her she had to fix the letter to Hedwig's leg and gave her a little leather strap to do just that.

It wasn't long before Hedwig was off out the window. Chloe watched her until she was out of sight and then instantly began to wait for Hagrid's reply, though she did not know that she was doing it.

It was the day before they would be leaving for Hogwarts that such a reply arrived. A short message from Hagrid, unable to assuage any of Chloe's curiosity about the Hogwarts houses, for sometimes every witch or wizard from a family might be in the same house or they might all end up in different houses. He told her that he would be glad to have her visit his hut on the Hogwarts grounds for tea and that she could bring Dudley with her if she liked. Chloe was quite pleased with the news. She thought of Hagrid's large but cheerful face and it made Hogwarts seem a little less intimidating. This was to be the first time she was ever away from home, and she would be gone for months. She tried to show only her excitement, not wanting to upset Aunt Petunia with her worries. Aunt Petunia seemed to think she would be fine, and she'd have Dudley with her. Chloe was surprised at how comforting this idea had become.

She was telling Dudley about Hagrid's reply before they went to bed on that final night at home.

"Do I have to go with you to see him?" Dudley gave the faintest of pouts. "He's so... Big." Chloe had the feeling he had refrained from calling Hagrid scary.

"He can't help what size he is any more than you can! Your mum told me it's because he's half giant. I think that's interesting!" She showed him Hagrid's note. "I think he seems quite nice, and he knew my parents. I won't make you come, but I'd be happy if you did. He can't be that scary, Dudley. He sent me a belated birthday cake after we ran into him at Diagon Alley. How scary can someone who bakes cakes really be?"

Dudley shrugged. "I'll come with you, but you'll be the one writing my mum if he accidentally squashes me."

"Platform 9 3/4? That can't be right... Aunt Petunia, I think there's been a misprint with the tickets..." Chloe narrowly avoided running into a woman with her cart at the train station the next day, trying to examine her ticket as she walked. The woman gave her a good glare and scurried out of her way, and Chloe committed more of her attention to paying attention to where she was going.

"No, that's the right platform. You'll see in just a moment, Chloe. Be patient."

They were passed on their way by a red-headed woman who had five equally red-headed children in her charge. Chloe was pretty sure she heard the woman say something about muggles before she stopped with her children in front of the barrier between platform 9 and platform 10.

Petunia smiled to the family as she, Chloe and Dudley came up behind them. "Would you mind if my son and niece observe you going through the barrier? It's their first time."

"Certainly!" The woman's response was cheerful. "Alright, let's make sure we don't make these two any more nervous than they might be already." She turned to Aunt Petunia. "It's Ron's first year as well, but he's been through with my lot for just about as long as he's been alive. My two eldest aren't in school anymore, so we've been doing this for years now. Alright Fred, George. You two go first."

Chloe watched the two boys, whom were twins that were so alike she couldn't tell them apart. They strolled casually towards the barrier between the platforms. Chloe felt like she must have blinked and missed something, for they were gone from one second to the next with no trace of them to be seen.

"Just walk through like you would going through a door." The woman smiled down at Chloe and Dudley. "Oh, where are my manners. I'm Molly Weasley." Introductions were made all around.

"You next, Percy, and then we'll get the three first years through. You, Ginevra Molly Weasley, will not so much as think of letting go of my hand." The only girl of the Weasley group appeared to be the youngest among them as well, and she made the face of one who feels very hard done by.

Aunt Petunia was going to go through with Dudley, so Chloe was left to go ahead with the youngest of Mrs. Weasley's boys, who was called Ron. Though he must have been the same age as she was, he was already rather tall. He offered her a shy smile that gave her a bit of comfort, as she was sure her own smile often looked that same way.

Even though she was almost completely certain she wouldn't crash into the wall, it didn't stop her from getting a little nervous as they got closer to the barrier. Just as soon as the butterflies started to flutter in Chloe's stomach, making her think bizarrely of the small winged books she had seen in the book shop in Diagon Alley, she was through. There had been a moment of silence and then she was once again surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a train station, with a little more animal noise thrown in. There were many cats weaving this way and that around the cloaked figures of witches and wizards and owls in cages rustling about. She saw a boy chasing down the platform after a toad which he was able to catch and stuff into his pocket without ceremony.

Ron went looking for his brothers and Chloe trailed after him as soon as she saw Dudley and Aunt Petunia come through the barrier. Fred and George helped Ron and then Chloe load their things onto the train. It was then that Chloe heard a not quite familiar voice calling her name. She spun around to find her aunt and cousin approaching, but a few steps away from them was Pansy Parkinson. She seemed much more pleased to see her than Chloe would expect.

"How was the rest of your summer? Mine was absolutely brilliant, I'll have to tell you all about it on the train, we simply have to sit together. Is this your mother? I'll let you say your goodbyes and go find us a compartment on the train." As she watched the other girl disappear into the train, Chloe remembered what Aunt Petunia had said about her being a celebrity. She couldn't think of any other reason why Pansy would be acting so nice with her.

Aunt Petunia and Dudley were saying goodbye to each other. Dudley had the look on his face that Chloe was fairly certain meant he was trying not to cry. She had seen that face a handful of times over the summer, something new that came with this new Dudley. When he had still been a Dursley, Dudley hadn't seemed to have much of an emotional side. For her part, Aunt Petunia wasn't trying to keep herself from crying at all, and kept wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Dudley stood off to the side to wait when it was Chloe's turn. Aunt Petunia brought her into a crushing hug.

"See you at Christmas, dear. You and your cousin look out for each other." She gave Chloe another hug. "You look so much like your mother when she was starting at school..." She gave Dudley another hug for good measure. "Write often!"

She let them get on the train then, though Chloe thought she was tempted to keep them to herself by hugging them until after the train left without them.

She wandered through the train, Dudley close behind her as she looked into the train's compartments trying to spot Pansy. They found her just as the train started moving. She was in a compartment alone until Chloe and Dudley arrived. They had only just stepped through the door when it slid open again and Ron Weasley poked his head through.

"Can I...? Everywhere else is full." From the look on Pansy's face, Chloe thought she was about to send the boy off. Chloe intervened before that could happen.

"We've room enough left for you, I'm sure." She felt it was her job to make the introductions, for as far as she knew she was the only one among them that knew them all. "Ron, you've met my cousin Dudley, and this is Pansy Parkinson who I met over the summer..."

Pansy and Ron were looking at each other wearily. "We've met. Parkinson."

"Weasley."

With that, the four of them took their seats. Chloe caught Dudley pulling a face at her out of the corner of her eye. She hoped Pansy and Ron would be able to warm up to each other. She didn't fancy spending the whole train ride with all of them looking around at each other awkwardly.

"So, you were going to tell me about your summer?" Chloe thought it was best to get Pansy talking. The other girl seemed to lighten up a bit when she had a good story to tell.

As it turned out, Pansy had a few stories to tell. Apparently she had enjoyed the company of the boy Chloe had encountered in Diagon Alley on more than one occasion. Chloe learned that the boy's name was Draco Malfoy. Chloe gathered that his family was affluent among wizard families, and Pansy seemed almost to idolize him.

They were all able to start getting along when Pansy mentioned that her father had taken her to a professional quidditch game over the summer. Ron became very interested when she told them it was the team from Chudley, whoever they were.

"You saw the Cannons play in person?" This information was much more impressive to Ron than it was to Pansy herself, and he got her to tell him what she could remember about the match even though she wasn't much of a quidditch fan. It was after that when Chloe and Dudley had to inform the others that they had no idea what was being talked about, as they didn't know what quidditch was. This sent Ron into an explanation of what he called "the most important and incredible game played by wizards," and then Chloe and Dudley shared exactly why it was that they didn't know very much about the wizarding world. They were sure to leave out the details about Vernon Dursley and his part in their earlier lives. The longer Chloe was without him, the less important he seemed. It was if he was becoming as imaginary to her as he turned out to be, a nightmare that kept fading over time.

All of this got Ron talking about what it was like to be one of the youngest in such a large family of wizards. This was fascinating to his three companions, as both Chloe and Dudley had experienced their own personal kinds of isolation before the summer that they had just passed together. Pansy revealed to the group that she was an only child and that she had always wanted a brother or a sister.

"You're welcome to take your pick of mine, I have enough." Ron grinned. "Chloe and Dudley met them out on the platform, and there's two more besides them. Five older brothers and one younger sister. Any of them free to a good home, as far as I'm concerned.

This made Pansy laugh in a tinkling sort of way that seemed more genuine than anything Chloe had heard from her so far.

As someone who had often times been lonely, Chloe thought she recognized the quality in Pansy. It was no wonder she was so excited when she related her stories about that Malfoy character, even though he didn't seem very nice. From the sounds of it, Chloe would guess he didn't think nearly as much of Pansy as she did of him.

It was much easier for all of them to talk together after that. The earlier animosity between Pansy and Ron seemed forgotten. The four of them enjoyed a lunch purchased from the nice witch who brought a trolley of snacks by. Ron had looked at his bagged lunch with a pout, but his three companions had bought a little of just about everything the witch had to offer. They ended up with so much that they shared it all amongst themselves. Chloe was full before she had tried everything, which was a shame since wizarding sweets were a lot more interesting than their muggle counterparts. They spent a time after lunch trying to make a list of all the different every-flavour beans they came across. This was made difficult by the fact that it was hard to tell what some of the more awful ones were supposed to be.

Chloe could see from the view outside the window that it was starting to get dark when the compartment door slid open for the first time since they had been visited by the trolley witch. In came Draco Malfoy, looking no friendlier than Chloe remembered him. He was flanked on either side by a large, mean looking boy. The two of them reminded her on sight of how Dudley used to be. She had trouble not liking them, though neither had so much as said anything. One of them was eyeing some of their leftover sweets.

"They're saying up and down the train that Chloe Potter's down in this car. That's you, is it?" Draco looked Chloe up and down. If he remembered meeting her in Diagon Alley, he didn't let on. His cool gaze slid over to Pansy. "I see you've already met Parkinson, and this must be one of the Weasleys, no doubt about it. What are you girls doing down here slumming it with the likes of him and... Whoever this is?"

Apparently Draco didn't think very much of Dudley. Maybe he did remember their encounter in Diagon Alley, after all. Chloe could tell from the look on Dudley's face that he certainly hadn't forgotten.

Chloe was itching to use her wand. She wished she felt confident in using any of the many jinxes or curses she'd read about in her text books. Since she had also read that spells could go terribly wrong if they weren't performed correctly and the memory of Uncle Vernon wasn't all gone from her mind, she kept her temper in check.

"That's my cousin Dudley." Chloe informed Draco with as much ice in her voice as she could muster when her temper was feeling so heated.

Draco gave no response to that. "Why don't you two collect your things and we can go back up the train, where my friends are waiting. We can leave this riffraff to do whatever riffraff does when important people aren't around."

Before she knew it, Ron was in a tangle on the floor of the compartment with Draco. Much to Chloe's surprise, she was quick to join him. Pansy tried to pull her away from the boys while Dudley joined in the fray, none too enthusiastically. There were several moments of confusion where they all tried to rough each other up and Chloe couldn't tell who it was she was trying to kick or who was punching her. Somehow she, Dudley and Ron seemed to get the upper hand over Draco and his cohorts and the three boys made for the door. Draco turned just as he was leaving.

"Coming, Parkinson?" Draco was the worst for wear out of the lot of them, sporting a bruise on his cheek. Chloe couldn't imagined how that had happened, given the size and strength of his friends. Though, thinking about it, she was pretty sure one of them had been more concerned with shoving as many of their leftover sweets in his pockets as he could than helping in the scuffle.

The two large boys had disappeared down the corridor. Pansy looked around at the rest of them unhappily. She started to make towards the door, as if she were going to follow Draco.

Chloe grabbed for her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "Pansy... You don't have to go. You don't."

Pansy looked between Chloe and Draco, who was still standing expectantly in the doorway. He didn't try to offer his hand. After a long moment and a couple deep breaths, Pansy turned her back on Draco.

"Just go, Draco. I'm staying."

The blonde boy scowled at her back, not seeing as Chloe could the tears dampening Pansy's cheeks. "Suit yourself."

He nearly got his fingers caught when Chloe came around Pansy and slammed the compartment door in his face.

"You ought to respect your betters," she shouted at him through the door, giving it a kick for good measure.

Thinking he had gone, she was just about to sit down next to Pansy when the door to the compartment started to slide open again.

"WHAT IS IT NOW?" Chloe barked as she spun around to face the door once more.

It was not Draco back for another round at the door, but a bushy-haired girl who jumped a little at Chloe's harsh tone.

"Er... Has anyone seen a toad?"