Chapter 5: Journey to Platform 9 and 3 quarters
Warning: This Fic will contain Triggering content such as PTSD, Child Assisains, Torture, Child Abuse, and other potentially triggering topics. Please if you are sensitive to triggering materials, please DO NOT READ.
Andromeda's final month before she started school, was strange, to say the least. At that time, she had two appointments with her therapist, who deemed her fit to be around other kids as long as she is under some sort of supervision. She has been in some contact with her aunt Amelia Bones, but it is hard when Owls seem to hate her guts, but it did make sense. After all, she is a daughter of Poseidon.
Speaking of Poseidon, she has examined the axe he gave her, and by the gods, it is nothing like she had ever seen before. The axe is made of a green-like material with bronze-like streaks in it. On the handle of the axe, the words storm bringer was carved in Greek.
But that is not the only thing that was strange about the axe. It radiated a magical power as if it can be a second conduit for her magic. To try that theory, she channelled in some of her magic and cast a simple stupefy using the axe, and she was amazed at what she found. Not only did the spell channelled through the axe, but it was also a lot more powerful than casting it normally.
On the week before she was to go off to school was when things got really weird. One day waking up, she found a young bird with a snow-white underbelly and magnificent feathers that were icy blue that faded into snow-white. It had long tail feathers, and underneath the bird was a note. Apparently, the bird is an ice phoenix, and it is from Hecate. Petting the soft feathers of the phoenix, the bird flew and nudged her with its head. Naming the bird Hedwig, she felt a bond with it and decided to initiate the familiar ritual.
The rest of the week went by quickly until Phil decided to go a day early to London so she could get used to the jet lag that she was likely to experience.
Madam Bones had kindly offered to host Andromeda for the night at her manor in Central Wales. Andromeda waited patiently at the front door until a girl around her age opened it. This girl had beautiful, flowing, fire-red hair that reached down to the middle of her back. Andromeda couldn't help but smile when she saw her.
The red-haired girl greeted Andromeda with a warm smile and said, "Hello, Heiress Potter, welcome to Bones Manor. I am Susan Bones, the Heiress of House Bones."
Andromeda was taken aback by Susan's friendly and welcoming demeanour. Not knowing how to respond, she simply said, "Um... hello, Susan Bones. I am Andromeda Potter, and this is my guardian, Phil Coulson. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Susan shook her head disapprovingly, causing Andromeda to glare at her. However, seeing Andromeda's expression, Susan quickly apologized and explained, "I'm sorry. I know a bit about your past, but my mom is keeping everything a secret from me. I didn't realize that you didn't know how to greet someone from a noble house properly."
Andromeda responded with a shrug, "It's okay, I guess."
Susan then invited Andromeda to follow her into the manor, leading the way with a friendly smile.
Andromeda and Phil entered the grand dining room, still feeling slightly disoriented by their sudden arrival. They followed Susan, who led them to a table where Amelia Bones was sitting with another young woman.
"Mother, Heiress Hannah Abbott, I introduce to you Heiress Andromeda Potter and her guardian Phil Coulson," Susan said, making the introductions.
Andromeda was taken aback by the formality of the introduction. She had never been referred to as an "heiress" before, but now Susan had referred to her as "heiress" twice and was not sure how to respond. The pink-faced girl, Hannah, smiled politely but did not say anything.
Andromeda looked around the room, trying to make sense of the situation. It was a large dining room with high ceilings and ornate decorations. The walls were covered in tapestries depicting scenes from magical history, and a long table was set for a formal meal.
Amelia noticed Andromeda's confusion and explained, "We are practicing wizarding noble etiquette, my dear. It is a tradition in our society that you will need to learn."
Andromeda still felt lost and asked, "What does that entail?"
Amelia smiled kindly and said, "It is a way of conducting oneself with grace and dignity while respecting the traditions of our community. We will teach you all about it in due time. But for now, let me give you these books to help you get started."
Andromeda looked at the books Amelia had brought over. One was on wizarding noble etiquette, another was her father's journal, and the remaining three were grimoires.
"What are these?" Andromeda asked, gesturing to the grimoires.
Amelia explained, "They are books on your family magic. Every member of the family is expected to add spells to them. The top one is the Potter family grimoire, the middle is the Peverell family grimoire, and the last one is the McKinnon family grimoire."
Andromeda was impressed by the family legacy. These grimoires represented and thanked Amelia for the thoughtful gift. She carefully examined the books, feeling a sense of pride and responsibility toward her family's magic.
Amelia then turned to the matter at hand and said, "Now, Andromeda, let's talk about your situation and how it will affect your time at Hogwarts."
Andromeda braced herself, knowing this would not be an easy conversation. She had been appointed a probation officer and a mind healer, and she was not sure how that would affect her schooling.
"As you already know, I appointed Mad-Eye Moody as your probation officer. He has told me that your first visit with him will be on Friday, September 11. Now, your mind healer will be Andromeda Tonks. She will see you on September 11 and 25 and every other week soon after. I instructed her to give her reports to Moody and me," Amelia explained.
Andromeda nodded, taking in the information. She knew that her behaviour in the past had caused concern among some members of the wizarding community, and she was determined to prove that she could overcome her mistakes.
"What about the headmaster?" Andromeda asked, knowing that the Hogwarts headmaster was a powerful figure in the wizarding world.
"He will not see any of these reports," Amelia replied firmly.
Andromeda felt relieved at this news. She had had a dream recently where Lady Hecate warned her not to trust the headmaster, and she was not sure what to make of it. But for now, she trusted Amelia and was glad to have her support.
Andromeda woke up early the next day and immediately got ready for her morning run. She pulled on a blue skin-tight long-sleeved shirt that hugged her slender frame, paired with grey leggings and black combat boots. After a few stretches, she headed outside for her run. The cool morning air felt refreshing as she jogged down the street, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.
When she returned home, Andromeda took a quick shower and dressed in her Hogwarts uniform - a white blouse with a grey skirt. She knew she couldn't wear her outer robes just yet, so she put them away until they were on the train. Andromeda didn't want to risk breaking the statute of secrecy.
As she walked into the kitchen, Andromeda greeted Phil and Amelia, who were already up and about. "Good morning, Phil, Aunt Amelia," she said, her smile lighting up her face.
"Good morning, Andromeda," Amelia replied, casting a tempus charm to check the time. "It's currently 9:30 am. You and Hannah are ready, but Susan is not."
Andromeda realized that she still needed to eat breakfast, even though she had already gone on her morning run. "Well, technically, I'm not ready yet. I haven't had breakfast," she admitted.
Amelia gave her a warning glare, silently reminding her to be careful about what she said. Andromeda knew that her aunt didn't want anyone to know about their plans to leave for Hogwarts.
Amelia then asked about Andromeda's bird, curious if it was a Phoenix. "It's an Ice Phoenix and my familiar," Andromeda replied with a smile.
Shortly after, Susan emerged from the bathroom and noticed the bird perched on Andromeda's shoulder. "Andromeda, is that a Phoenix?" she asked in amazement.
Andromeda chuckled softly to herself, noticing the resemblance between Susan and her mother. "No, it's an Ice Phoenix, and it's my familiar," she replied.
Hannah walked into the kitchen dragging her bags behind her, looking excited about the journey ahead. "Andy, is that a Phoenix?" she asked, pointing at the bird on Andromeda's shoulder.
Groaning in frustration, Andromeda said, "No, it's my familiar Hedwig, an Ice Phoenix."
Amelia quickly changed the subject, reminding the girls that they needed to leave in 30 minutes to avoid any unwanted attention on the train. "Eat quickly so that we can go," she urged them. Susan protested, pointing out that the train didn't leave until 11 am, but Amelia insisted that they leave early to secure an open booth and avoid any fans of Andromeda Potter.
Realizing the wisdom in Amelia's plan, Susan muttered, "Oh," and quickly finished her breakfast. The girls gathered their bags and headed out the door, excited for their journey to Hogwarts.
The group used Floo powder to travel to kings cross station. Amelia led them between Platforms 9 and 10. Walked them through the pillars, then stopped.
Susan, Amelia, Andromeda, and Hannah were standing at the entrance to the train station, preparing to board the Hogwarts Express to begin their journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As they approached the platform, Susan asked why they were stopping.
Amelia explained that to enter the platform, they needed to walk through a pillar straight ahead. Andromeda froze for a moment when she heard a familiar voice in her head - Lady Hecate, the goddess of magic, who instructed her daughter Lou Ellen Blackstone to enter the same booth that Andromeda picked.
Andromeda reassured herself that everything was okay and watched as Susan and Hannah walked through the pillar first. Andromeda closed her eyes and walked straight through the platform, feeling the magic around her release. She called out to Susan and Hannah to meet her in a booth.
As Andromeda looked around, she saw a scarlet steam engine waiting on the platform, packed with people. A sign overhead reads, "Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock." She looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.
The platform was crowded with students and their families and cats of every colour wound in and out between their legs. Owls hooted at one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. Andromeda pushed her cart down the platform in search of an empty seat.
She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again." Andromeda overheard the old woman sigh in exasperation. She also saw a boy with dreadlocks surrounded by a small crowd, showing off something inside a box in his arms.
As Andromeda continued through the crowd, she finally found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put her snowy owl, Hedwig, inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk toward the train door. She struggled to lift it up the steps, and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot.
Suddenly, a tall, black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes offered to help. Andromeda gratefully accepted his assistance, and he lifted the heavy trunk with ease.
"Mind if I sit here while I'm at it?" he asked.
"Sure, I don't mind," replied Andromeda, relieved to have found someone to sit with. "Sorry for my manners," she added with a smile. "Hello, I'm Andromeda Potter. Nice to meet you. And if you're here to gawk at me, I'll ask you to leave."
"Well met, Ms. Potter. I am Blaise Zabini," the boy replied, kissing her hand. "And don't worry, I'm not here for your fame." Andromeda laughed, feeling a bit more at ease with her new companion. She settled into her seat, surprisingly looking forward to her first year at Hogwarts.
As Andromeda sat in the booth, she observed the people who walked in. The first person to arrive was a tall, thin, and weakly-built boy who smirked at Blaise. From his confident demeanour and playful attitude, Andromeda could tell that he was a friend of Blaise's. "Hello, Blaise. How are you this morning, and who is this lovely lady you have seated across from you?" he asked, nodding toward Andromeda.
Blaise grinned back at his friend. "This is Heiress Andromeda Potter. Andromeda, meet Scion Theodore Nott," he introduced, indicating towards the boy.
Theodore rolled his eyes at Blaise's showmanship and turned to Andromeda. "Blaise is always such a drama queen," he said, smirking. "I'm Theodore Nott, but you can call me Theo," he added, taking a seat next to Andromeda.
Andromeda smiled at the boy's easy-going nature. "Nice to meet you, Theo," she replied.
Just then, a girl with dark hair and green eyes walked in and sat next to Andromeda. She spoke in an American New England accent. "Hello, I am Lou Ellen Blackstone, an acquaintance of Andy," she said, offering a friendly smile.
Andromeda felt relieved to have another girl in the group. "Nice to meet you, Lou Ellen," she said, returning the smile.
As they settled into the booth, Hedwig, Andromeda's Ice Phoenix, flew out of her cage and perched on her head. Everyone in the group stared in amazement as the beautiful bird settled down and fell asleep.
Andromeda noticed the looks of curiosity and fascination on their faces. "Before anyone asks, this is my familiar, an Ice Phoenix," she explained, giving them a small smile.
After a few more minutes, the door opened again, and three more girls walked in. Hannah, Susan, and a girl with strawberry-blonde hair, blue eyes, and aristocratic-like cheekbones. The last girl had a cold expression, but Andromeda could tell from experience that it was just a mask.
"Andromeda, this is our friend, Daphne Greengrass," said Susan, introducing the girl with blonde hair. "Daphne, this is my cousin Andromeda Potter," she added, smiling warmly.
Andromeda nodded in acknowledgment. "Nice to meet you, Daphne," she said, returning the smile. "This is Lou Ellen Blackstone, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, and Hannah Abbott," she added, indicating each person in turn.
Andromeda felt relieved to have found a group of people she could relate to. They were friendly, and she could tell that they genuinely cared about each other.
A few minutes had passed since Andromeda had settled into her booth on the Hogwarts Express. She was enjoying her time with her friends Susan and Lou until the door suddenly swung open, and a boisterous, redheaded boy with freckles walked in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he boomed, pointing to the space in between Andromeda and Lou. "Everywhere else is full."
Andromeda clenched her fist, feeling annoyed at the loud and obnoxious boy. "Susan, tell us, is he telling the truth?" she asked, hoping to confirm that there were other empty booths on the train.
"No, on my way here, I passed about twelve booths..." replied Susan, confirming Andromeda's suspicions.
But before they could continue their conversation, the boy interrupted them again. "Are you really Andromeda Potter? If so, I am going to be your best mate. I can help you make the right sort of friends," he blurted out, completely disregarding the fact that he was interrupting their conversation.
Andromeda scoffed at his offer. "Oh, well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said the boy. "And have you really got—you know..." He pointed at Andromeda's forehead, where the famous lightning bolt scar was located.
Andromeda glared at the boy, her patience wearing thin. Susan and, surprisingly, Daphne, who had been sitting quietly beside Lou, saw the anger building in Andromeda's face, and their eyes widened in surprise.
Ron, the obnoxious boy, stared at Andromeda, waiting for her response. "So that's where You-Know-Who—?" he trailed off, his eyes widening in fear.
The temperature in the booth seemed to drop several degrees. Years of experience had taught Andromeda that this boy could not be trusted, and his useless questions caused her to snap. With an icy tone of voice that sent shivers down everyone's spine, she sneered, "Oh, what do you know about me? Who are you to tell me who I should make friends with?" As she spoke, water and ice began to dance around her, and her eyes started to glow a bright sea-green colour.
Ron started to shake in fear as Andromeda's eyes radiated nothing but pure power. Everyone else in the booth looked at Andromeda with wide eyes and shock. "Leave now," she ordered, her voice even colder now, her full attention on the boy.
"Yo...you...you're making a mistake. The girl who lived cannot befriend snakes," stuttered the boy, hoping to reason with Andromeda.
This caused the dance of the water and ice to go even crazier. Andromeda's voice getting colder with each word, thundered, "Who are you to judge my friends? You don't even know me. I've never seen you in my life, and I am telling you to leave, or you will know why I am called the black widow."
When the boy refused to leave, there was a sharp tug in Andromeda's gut, and like water from a fireman's hose, water and ice forced their way toward the boy, sending him flying out of the booth. While everyone else in the booth was dry, the boy was so soaked that he looked like he had been caught in a torrential downpour.
Seconds later, a boy with brown hair, hazel eyes, and yellow Hufflepuff robes with a badge that had a "P" on it walked by. With authority in his voice, he asked, "Hi, I am Gabriel Truman, a 6th-year Hufflepuff prefect. May I ask what in Hades' name is going on here,"
"A powerful accidental magic burst by this lady here, but the boy who is injured was the reason for the burst," said Susan.
The prefect grabbed the boy and moved him away from the group. All the while, Andromeda placed her head on the table and fell asleep as the train began to move.
Flashback
The Red Room 1987
Andromeda stood in the center of the room, the only source of light coming from the dim bulb above her head. She was dressed in a black and blue uniform that was now ripped in several places, revealing patches of skin that were covered in bruises and dried blood. Her nose was crooked, and her lip was split, with a large bruise under her left eye.
On either side of the room, thirteen girls stood motionless, their eyes fixed on Andromeda. They wore the same uniform, and their hands were clasped behind their backs. Each girl was waiting for the order to begin, to fight for their life in the infamous red room.
Andromeda was one of the youngest in the room, only seven years old, but she was determined to win this fight. She knew what was at stake; if she lost, she would be killed.
Across from her, a girl stood, a few years older and much bigger than Andromeda. She was looking at Andromeda with a smug expression on her face as if she knew she was going to win. Madame B, the woman who ran the red room, snapped her whip, and the fight began.
The older girl rushed towards Andromeda, sending a swift push to her chest. Andromeda quickly flipped over the girl, landing gracefully on her feet. But the girl wasn't finished yet. She twisted around, sending a kick into Andromeda's abdomen, and a grunt left her lips.
Andromeda twisted around, grabbing the girl's ankle and twisting it so she was facing her. The girl winced in pain as Andromeda pulled back, making her fall backwards. The girl kicked her other leg at Andromeda, but her ankle snapped, and she screamed in pain.
Despite the pain, the girl smashed her heel into Andromeda's face, making her fall back. She slid across the floor before landing in a crouched position.
The fight continued, both exchanging hits, kicks, and blocks, each trying to gain the upper hand. Andromeda was holding her own against the larger girl, but she was starting to tire.
Finally, the older girl managed to get a tight hold around Andromeda's throat. Andromeda could feel her grip getting tighter, and she started to panic. She looked down and saw the fear in the girl's eyes.
Andromeda smirked, knowing what she had to do. She slammed her foot down on the girl's broken ankle, causing her to scream in pain. Andromeda then twisted around, wrapping her free arm around the girl's neck, forcing her down. The girl couldn't move, and Andromeda had won.
Most people would see this as a simple win-or-lose situation, but not in the red room. Madame B stood in the corner with a smirk, looking proudly at Andromeda. Andromeda's eyes flicked to her in dread. She knew what was coming next.
Madame B walked over to Andromeda and whispered in her ear, "Do it." Andromeda shook her head slightly in response. "Kill her, or she kills you. Make your choice."
Andromeda's eyes flicked down to the girl struggling beneath her as she took a deep, shaky breath. She didn't want to be a killer, but she knew what she had to do.
She reluctantly grabbed the girl's neck and effortlessly snapped it. The room fell silent as Andromeda stood up, her eyes glazed over, her mind racing.
Andromeda's heart was pounding in her chest as she stood over the lifeless body of her opponent. She had never wanted to hurt anyone, let alone kill them, but the brutal training in the red room had taught her that it was necessary to survive.
Madame B approached her with a cold smile on her face. "You did well, Natasha," she said. "You've proven yourself to be a valuable asset to our organization."
Andromeda felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe what she had just done. The image of the girl's broken body was burned into her mind, and she knew it would haunt her for the rest of her life.
But there was no time to dwell on her emotions. Madame B gave her a nod, and two men in suits entered the room to dispose of the body. Andromeda was instructed to clean up and prepare for her next mission.
As she scrubbed the blood off her uniform, Andromeda's mind was racing. She had always known that the red room was a dangerous place, but she had never realized just how far Madame B and her organization were willing to go.
Andromeda had been recruited into the red room at the age of one, trained to be a killer. She had no memories of her life before the red room, and she didn't even know her real name was Andromeda. She had been given the name Natasha by Madame B, and it was the only name she had ever known.
But now, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she saw a stranger staring back at her. She didn't know who she was or what she wanted anymore. All she knew was that she had to survive.
Andromeda was assigned to her next mission soon after, and she will carry it out with the same efficiency as always. But the weight of her first kill never left her, and she found herself questioning her loyalty to the red room and Madame B.
That was her first kill, and she knew it wouldn't be her last. She had just taken a life, and she would have to live with that for the rest of her life.
End Of Flashback
Andromeda jolted awake with a gasp, only to find everyone in the train compartment staring at her. The train had left London and was now rushing past lush fields filled with grazing cows and sheep. For a while, they were all quiet, watching the countryside scenery whizz by.
As the clock struck twelve-thirty, a cheerful, dimpled woman appeared in the corridor with a clattering sound, asking, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Andromeda, who had only had a light breakfast, quickly rose from her seat. However, Susan noticed and muttered something about sandwiches. Andromeda left the compartment and walked into the corridor.
Although she was not one to indulge in sweets, she suddenly craved a Mars Bar. Sadly, the woman did not have any. Instead, she offered Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and an array of other unfamiliar treats that Andromeda had never seen before. Eventually, she settled on a box of chocolate frogs and paid for one silver sickle and seven bronze Knuts.
"Hey, Andy," Susan called out. "Mom made sandwiches for Hannah and us. You can choose from ham and cheese, tuna, or roast beef. What do you want?"
"I'll have tuna, please," Andromeda replied. "You can take a chocolate frog if you'd like."
Susan handed Andromeda a sandwich while she picked two chocolate frogs. As Andromeda nibbled on the frog, a card slipped out of it, which she picked up. The card displayed a man's face with half-moon glasses, a long crooked nose, flowing silver hair, a beard, and a mustache. Below the portrait was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"So, this is Dumbledore!" stated Andromeda curiously.
"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" asked Daphne, to which Andromeda nodded. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —" A turned over his card and read:
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
"Daphne, it's not that I haven't heard of him. It's just I have never seen him before, and I don't exactly trust him. He did, after all, leave one-year-old me on the front step on a cold autumn night with just a letter. It's how I ended up in the red room," stated Andromeda.
Susan just nodded to that while the rest of the group looked confused. Andromeda picking this up looked at everyone and sighed, "this is something I don't want to talk about; give it time, and maybe I will eventually talk about the red room and what it is, but for now, just give me time."
Everyone nodded in understanding, but Hannah decided now is the time to ask, "Andy, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but isn't Dumbledore listed as your magical guardian? How come you never seen him."
"Simple, he lied on each report he gave about me, and I don't like it one it one bit," muttered Andromeda.
As the train chugged along, the scenery outside the window became increasingly wild and untamed. The once neatly tended fields gave way to dense forests, twisting rivers, and rugged hillsides. It was a stark contrast to the urban landscape they had left behind just hours ago, and the beauty of it all was not lost on any of them.
Lost in thought, they were interrupted by a knock on their compartment door. It was the round-faced boy they had seen on platform nine and three-quarters, and he looked on the verge of tears. "Sorry," he said, his voice quivering, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
The group shook their heads in unison, and the boy let out a mournful sigh. "I've lost him!" he exclaimed. "He keeps slipping away from me!"
Theo, always the voice of reason, offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm sure he'll turn up."
The boy looked at him with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You really think so?" he asked.
Theo nodded. "Absolutely. And if we happen to come across him, we'll let you know."
The boy's face lit up with gratitude, and he thanked them before leaving the compartment. As he closed the door behind him, Hannah leaned in and whispered, "That boy is kinda cute."
Andromeda, who had been lost in thought, shot her a perplexed look. Blaise, always quick to jump in with a quip, said, "Well, we all know what kind of guys Hannah likes."
Rolling her eyes at Blaise's comment, Andromeda retorted, "Yes, and it's definitely not you."
"HEY!" protested Blaise, placing a hand over his heart. "That hurt. It hurt right here."
Theo chuckled at their banter, enjoying the easy camaraderie between his friends. "Sorry about him," he said, motioning towards Blaise. "He's always like this."
As the compartment door slid open again, the group of friends turned their heads to see who was coming in. To their surprise, it was the toadless boy from earlier, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes, and her bushy brown hair made her stand out in the crowd.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said in a bossy voice.
Susan replied, "We've already told him we haven't seen it."
Theo added, "Maybe if you ask a prefect, they may be able to use the summoning charm to summon the toad."
Daphne chimed in, "If you can't find a prefect for whatever reason, you should check any moist place in the train."
The girl wasn't listening, however. She was looking at the wand in Blaise's hand and asked, "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
Blaise replied, "How about no, I just pulled it out so I can get more comfortable," before sitting down.
Everyone was taken aback by the girl's behaviour as she continued to speak at a rapid pace. "I've tried a few simple spells just for practice, and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course; I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
"I am Lou Ellen Blackstone," stated Lou.
Blaise confidently declared, "I am Blaise Zabini, the most beautiful man on this train."
Susan smacked Blaise's back of the head and said, "Sorry about him. I am Susan Bones."
"I am Daphne Greengrass," stated Daphne.
"I am Theodore Nott," muttered Theodore.
"I am Hannah Abbott," said Hannah, staring dreamily at Neville.
Andromeda Potter, who had been quiet up until now, stated firmly, "I am Andromeda Potter."
"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
Andromeda's mood shifted abruptly. "Do you?" she asked coldly, causing the temperature in the room to drop. "You don't know anything about me. You don't know where I live. You do not know my personality. You don't know what happened that night. I don't even know, and I was the only survivor and only witness of that night, so shut the fuck up before you start school covered in your own blood."
"You are a rude girl, you know that," said Hermione.
"Am I the RUDE ONE!" yelled Andromeda as her eyes began to glow a bright sea green colour. She lifted up her hand while charging the hidden widow bite underneath her robe, her voice shaking with anger. "You need to look at your own actions. You didn't ask if you can enter. You simply entered. You didn't knock, and you started to demand things. Now my threat stands. LEAVE."
Neville and Hermione ran right out of the compartment, both shaken up by Andromeda's outburst. Neville had tears streaming down his face as he went to search for his lost toad.
"I feel sorry for Neville; you really shook him up," stated Hannah.
"I am sorry," started Andromeda, but it was interrupted when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville, the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.
Three boys entered, and Andromeda recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Andromeda with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Andromeda Potter's in this compartment. So, it's you, is it?"
"Yes," sneered Andromeda. She looked at the other boys with a smirk on her face. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.
"Oh, this is Crabbe, and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Andromeda was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Daphne, Susan, and Hannah all rolled their eyes at the boy. Draco looked directly at Daphne as if he wanted to say something but refused.
He turned back to Andromeda. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
He held out his hand to shake Andromeda's, but Andromeda didn't take it. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly.
Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks as if he was blushing. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer, you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff. It'll rub off on you."
Andromeda stood up and immediately got into a fighting stance. "Say that again," she fumed.
"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.
"Unless you get out now," demanded Andromeda as her eyes began to glow sea green; the shadows began to dance around her on the ground, and water and ice formed rings around Andromeda. Although Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than Andromeda, she had experience taking down men who were a lot bigger than her.
"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food, and you still seem to have some." Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Hannah — Hannah moved to the side, but before he'd so much as touch anything, Goyle let out a horrible yell.
Looking down, his finger was bent in an awkward position with Andromeda in full control of his other hand. Everyone looked in awe at how quickly she moved. Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung punches at Andromeda, each missing as Andromeda was both too fast and too flexible for him. Howling in pain, Andromeda sent one decent kick to his belly, and Goyle flew, slamming into the wall. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle then fled.
As they fled, everyone looked at Andromeda with awe and admiration. Daphne spoke up first, "Where did you learn to fight like that, and can you teach us?"
"I could teach you, but I will not tell you where I learned to fight like that," stated Andromeda before she looked directly at Blaise and Theo, "Boys, Lou, Hannah, and Daphne need to change. Would you two kindly give us ladies some privacy as you go to the bathroom to put on your uniforms?"
The boys left and the rest of the girls changed when the boys knocked on the door. Lou opened the door to them.
A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."
The train had been moving steadily along the tracks, the gentle rhythm of the wheels and the soft hum of the engine lulling Andromeda into a drowsy state. She was lost in thought, staring out the window at the passing scenery, when suddenly the train jolted to a stop. It was as if they had hit a wall. People around her began to stir and rustle, pushing and shuffling their way to the door.
Andromeda got up from her seat and followed the crowd out onto the tiny, dark platform. It was a chilly night, and the cold air made her shiver. Looking around, she saw that the platform was deserted, save for a few other students who had also disembarked from the train. They huddled together, rubbing their arms for warmth.
Suddenly, a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, illuminating the darkness. Andromeda heard a deep, gruff voice that seemed to rumble through the air. She turned and saw an enormous wizard with thick black hair and a beard. His name was Hagrid.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid bellowed, his big hairy face beaming over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Andromeda thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much, lost in their own thoughts.
Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. Andromeda placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Sorry for earlier." He looked up at her, surprised, and gave her a small smile.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!" from the students as the narrow path opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Andromeda, Lou, Daphne, and Susan sat in one boat, while Theo, Blaise, Hannah, and Neville sat in another.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads, and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge oak front door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
To be Continued
This is the longest chapter I ever wrote.
Thank you for all the favourites, Follows, Bookmarks, kudos, subscriptions, and comments; this fic is the most popular fic I ever wrote.
now a question for everyone should I go with the original idea and have this a series or just one fic that covers about 13 books?
Also should Andromeda be a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? I am not exactly sure. Please state your reasoning in the comments.