Chapter Three - The Hogwarts Express
Bree was repacking her trunk for the seventh time, every afternoon for the past week she had emptied everything out onto her bedroom floor, checked she hadn't forgotten or lost anything and then filled the trunk up again.
"Are you getting nervous?" Her mother asked from the doorway watching the ritual with a curious look on her face, "There's nothing to be scared of."
"What if people find out? Or no-one likes me?" These worries had been playing on her mind ever since her meeting with Dumbledore and since that boy saw her in the Apothecary her worries had multiplied.
"Don't be silly, you're going to make lots of friends. What about those people you meet at Diagon Alley? They all liked you."
"Hmm." Bree wasn't convinced, over the years she had lost many friends when they discovered her in mysterious places. Elsie Tyson had found Bree hiding under the stairs with her fangs firmly locked into a rat's neck and Gerry Erickson ran from the house screaming when he realised Bree's reflection was pale and ghostly. There were stories like this were scattered throughout Bree's childhood, each one ending with tears and memory charms, hopefully there would be no similar stories in her future.
The next day was the first of September and Bree and her mother were hurrying through Kings Cross Station trying to balance a heavy trunk and a case containing a very fidgety cat on a trolley with a very wobbly wheel. The trolley had a habit of veering wildly off course and bashing into the legs of busy looking businessmen.
"Here it is!" Nora said excitedly standing in front of the barrier between platforms nine and ten. "Just run straight at it."
"Really?"
"Yes." Nora nodded, "I'll be right behind you."
Bree's feet wouldn't move, she looked around at the crowded station and then at the wall in front of her and shook her head. Nora gave her a shove and Bree went running through the barrier and her eyes tight shut, when she opened them it felt as though she was in another world. A scarlet steam train billowed thick smoke and the station was packed with people, some of which she recognised from Diagon Alley. Hermione was hugging her parents and Neville was looking around desperately presumably Trevor was missing again, Bree caught his eye and waved he smiled in return.
Nora checked her watch, the train would be leaving in ten minute, she swept Bree into a hug, "I'll write to you everyday!" She promised with tears in her eyes, "I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, Mum."
Nora helped Bree onto the carriage with her trunk and then handed her the case containing Cressida. After another hug Nora hopped off the train and waved goodbye. Bree was totally alone and had absolutely no way to move all her things, she sighed and attempted to pull the trunk along the carriage.
"Do you need any help?" A smiling blond boy asked her, Bree nodded and the boy called over his shoulder, "Justin, come out here a second."
A dark haired boy emerged from the compartment, Bree got hold of her cat case and Justin and the blond boy each grabbed one end of the trunk, "Why don't you sit with us?" Justin asked, "Our compartment is just along here."
"Sure!" Bree agreed happily as they carefully manoeuvred into the compartment and stowed the trunk away in the luggage rack.
"We should introduce ourselves," Justin suggested.
"Good idea! I'm Ernie MacMillan" The blond boy said proudly.
"Bree Roberts." The pair shook hands.
"And I'm Justin Finch-Fletchely." The dark hair boy said as Bree leant over to shake his hand as well.
"Would either of you mind if I let my cat out? She's been cooped up in there for hours." Neither of the boys had a problem with and so Cressida stretched and then curled up on the floor. Somewhere outside a whistle blew, doors slammed shut and the train started to move.
"Isn't this exciting?" Justin remarked, almost bouncing with joy.
"Have you been looking forward to going to Hogwarts?" Bree asked, she had been dreaming about the school since she was about six.
"I'm a, err, what do you call it, muggleborn. I only found out about Hogwarts a month ago. I've got so much to learn!"
"We're all in the same boat Justin. None of us have done magic before." Ernie pointed out.
"Excuse me?" A blonde girl in pigtails stood anxiously by the door, "Could I sit in here?"
"Of course!" The three of them said and they got up to help her with her trunk, the group went through their introductions again, the new girl's name was Hannah Abbott. Ernie was trying to explain Quidditch to Justin who looked quite bewildered Hannah and Bree pitched in where they could. It took about ten minutes but Justin couldn't wait to go to the match of the season.
Green fields flashed by outside the window and the sun rolled in and out of the clouds, Dumbledore had explained in a letter that a sun-light reflecting spell had been cast on the windows so it would be safe. A smiling woman slid upon their door and asked "Anything from the trolley?" Justin had never had any wizarding sweets so the four of them put their money together and bought a little of everything.
"So, which House does everyone think they'll be in?" Hannah asked as she bit into a liquorice wand.
"Well, my father's family have all been Hufflepuffs." Ernie said thoughtfully, "And my mother's side of the family are almost all Ravenclaws."
"My mum was a Ravenclaw too." Bree added.
"What's the difference between the Houses?" Justin asked curiously.
"Well Ravenclaws are really smart, Gryffindors are brave and courageous, Hufflepuffs are loyal and hardworking and Slytherins-"
"Are the best." Everyone looked up to see who had interrupted, it was the boy from the Apothecary, Bree tried to ignore him and fiddled with a loose thread from the sleeve of her cardigan. "I'm Draco Malfoy, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle." He gestured to the boys stood either side of him, Bree recognised one of them from Madam Malkin's. Draco looked around the compartment, his eyes flashed with recognition when they rested on Bree. "Can I speak to you outside?" He asked, somewhere on the floor Cressida had awoken and let out a hiss.
"I'm fine in here, thank you." Bree said coldly. The boy smirked and his friends looked to him for direction.
"You don't want to be hanging around with the wrong sort." His eyes rested on Justin as he said this, "Well, we'll be going. Come and find us if you see sense." The three boys left.
"What did he mean by that? 'The wrong sort,' did he mean me?" Justin worried and looked for reassurance.
"It's because you're muggleborn." Ernie said knowledgably, "Wizards like Malfoy don't think you should have the same rights as…purebloods. Most wizards aren't like him, trust me."
Five minutes later and the compartment had another set of visitors, a much more welcome pair. "Neville's lost his toad. Has anyone seen it?" Hermione asked with a bossy tone.
"No, sorry. No toads." Hannah said with a sorry smile. Ernie had got up and was looking in the luggage racks, he shook his head.
"Nothing there. I'm sorry Neville."
"I'm sure he'll turn up," Bree offered hopefully, "He's probably just exploring."
"Maybe, thanks for looking though." Neville looked rather glum.
"Why don't you two stay for a while? Justin is just about to have his first Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean!"
Hermione and Neville took a seat and watched as Justin plunged his hand into the paper bag and pulled out a purple one, he popped in in his mouth and grimaced, "Urgh! I think that was liver." He offered the bag around and everyone took one. "One the count of three, we'll all eat one. One, two, three!"
"Cheese." Ernie grimaced.
"Parsnips!" Hannah replied.
"Oooh peppermint." Hermione, reached for another but judging by her expression wasn't as lucky the second time.
"Marzipan." Neville looked extremely thankful
"Yuck, ink." Bree spat reaching for some pumpkin juice to take away the taste, anyone listening in would really wonder what that conversation had been about. "Well, I have to go look for Trevor. Bye everyone." Neville and Hermione left and Bree started to wonder why she had been so worried, she was having a great time. The conversation flowed and the sky got darker. Ernie and Justin stood outside while the girls changed into their robes and they did the same for them. The train began to slow down and everyone pushed and shoved their way out of the train and onto a cold, dark platform, Bree heard a voice calling "Firs' years over here!" and followed it. A giant man lead them down a steep path, Hannah clung to Bree's arm for extra balance as they stumbled in the dark.
There was a loud gasp, Bree looked up in wonderment. On the over side of a huge lake, perched on a hill was a beautiful castle. The giant man told them to get in a boat, Hannah pointed out Justin and Ernie and so they quickly joined them. Bree felt butterflies in her stomach as the boats glided towards the looming castle.
AN- Thanks to everyone for their thoughts regarding ships, I've taken everyone's input into consideration! The Sorting will be in the next chapter, where do you all think Bree belongs? All reviews are appreciated so let me know your thoughts!
