Part 3

The two girls had little difficulty in finding an empty compartment on the train for it was still rather early. Stowing their bags above the seats, they sat down opposite each other.

"So," Siren began. "First off, I want to apologize for everything that those two buggers just did. You're not your father. And those two were very wrong for assuming that you were." She paused, noticing the shaken look still on the other girl's face. "You okay?"

"Was he really a murderer?" Vanessa asked quietly.

Siren bit her lip. "Unfortunately, he was. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry for what happened to you parents. He ruined you and your brother's lives."

Siren cracked a small smile. "Actually, my little brother is in a situation much like yours only, among us magical folk, he's more of a celebrity. Harry is currently living with my muggle Aunt, Uncle, and cousin. I'm rather glad the Weasley family took me in. I can't imagine how much of a shock it's going to be to him when he gets his letter. You said you talked to Dumbledore?"

Vanessa nodded, grateful for the change in subject. "Yeah, he showed up at the orphanage and nearly gave the headmistress a heart attack."

Siren laughed. "Sounds like something he would do. Do go on."

"Well, I was sent to my room before I could eat my breakfast, which was actually a good thing because that food was terrible. Right before Dumbledore came in, Ms. Mahay, that's the headmistress, told me not to do anything weird and that the old man was making a mistake. But then Dumbledore came in and I totally disregarded everything Ms. Mahay had told me, but that was only after the flowers came back."

"Huh?"

Vanessa smiled. "There were these dead flowers on the windowsill, Dumbledore walked in and said, 'That simply won't do,' pulled out his wand and tapped them and all of a sudden they weren't dead anymore. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen…"

~Flashback~

"How'd you do that?" Vanessa asked, scrambling off of her bed where she had been sitting to look at the now suddenly alive flowers.

"Magic, Miss Black." The old man smiled.

"Are you a travelling magician?" she asked.

He laughed. "No, I am not. I am a wizard."

"A wizard?" Vanessa gave him a look of absolute disbelief. "More like a loon who's learned a few tricks. Who dresses like that? And what's with the hat? You look more like an old Santa Claus. Who are you really? The doctor? I'm not mental. All those things really did happen."

"I am not the doctor, Miss Black. My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore and I work at a school for remarkable children just like you," Dumbledore said. "Witches and wizards, in fact."

Vanessa felt, for some reason, she could trust this person-this "Albus Dumbledore" who claimed to be a wizard and a professor at a magical school. "Am I a witch, Professor?"

"Yes, Vanessa, you come from a long line of Pureblood witches and wizards, a very noble house some call it. Very noble and ancient."

"So, does this mean I get to go to this magical school?" Vanessa asked.

"Of course, all magical folk are welcome, be they Muggle-born, Pureblood, Halfblood, or Squib."

"What's a Squib?" She asked, feeling questions too numerous to count bubble up inside of her.

~End Flashback~

"And here I am." Vanessa said, finishing her story.

"Wow." Siren said. She looked out the window. "We should be leaving any moment now. The only people I see out there are parents and other family members."

The door to the compartment slid open. A fair haired girl with big light brown almost gray eyes stood in the doorway.

"Is there room for more, Si?" She asked, addressing Siren.

"Of course, Leah. Not Fred and George though."

"Nope, just me, Hanna, and Sammy-"

"Don't call me that!" came a voice from behind Leah who simply smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Get in here, you three. Besides, I want you to meet someone!"

Leah bounded in, her hair bouncing around her in an almost childlike way.

Behind her were two other girls, a brunette whose hair barely touched her shoulders and a blonde with one green eye and one silver eye.

"Hi! You must be who Siren wants us to meet! I'm Leah Lupin!" the pale haired girl said with excitement.

"Vanessa." She offered, a small smile on her face.

"This is Hanna Riddel," Leah said, gesturing to the brunette, "and Miss Grumpy-Pants over there is Samantha Sommers."

"Hi."

Siren frowned. "Thanks, Leah. Now I have nothing to do." She said sarcastically.

"You could get a bag of Bertie's and we could play a game!" Leah suggested.

"I am not playing 'Guess-The-Bean'!" Samantha said.

Leah frowned. "Aw, come on, Samantha!"

"No." The blonde plopped down in a seat by the window and proceeded to stare outside.

"Well, does anyone else want to join Miss Grumpy-Pants over in 'No-Fun' Zone?"

Siren giggled. "Calm down, Leah. We'll get plenty of candy. The Trolley Lady should be coming by soon after we leave King's Cross."

"Candy?" Vanessa perked up.

"Oh! You've never had magical candy before, have you?" Siren's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Wait, you're not from a magical family? Are you a muggle-born?" Hanna asked in a soft, calculating voice.

"She's from one of the most noble pureblood families, but she was raised in a Muggle orphanage." Siren explained.

"You don't mean…" Samantha trailed off, looking Vanessa over for a long minute.

The compartment was silent.

"Well, she has his face…" Samantha paused. "But she's definitely not him."

Siren smiled. "Good, cause candy's on me."

Vanessa grinned.