"Bye, Mum!"
Kara waved one last time to her mother and escaped into the whistling red train, embarrassed at her sentimental mother's sniffles. As she climbed the stairs and actually realized she was on her way to Hogwarts, her stomach lurched along with the train, which had set into motion. She already felt so nervous about her new school. Not that she didn't believe it – she had seen proof with her very eyes – but what if she failed? What is there had been some mistake and they had the wrong Kara?
No, she told herself firmly. This is where I belong. I deserve to be here.
She pushed on through the crowd until she found a relatively quiet compartment. She slid open the door, wincing as it squeaked, and peered inside. Two boys were sitting there, both immersed in their own books. On the left, there was a lean, bored-looking kid with dark skin and a messy robe, holding some booklet on world football records. Sitting across from him, suit neat and ironed, hair perfectly combed back, an Irish boy was reading about… psychology. He had an air about him, one of wealth and superiority.
"Mind if I sit…" She faltered as the Irish boy's gaze pierced into her. "Mind if I sit here?"
The other boy looked up and gave a noncommittal grunt, making room for her on his bench.
A little put off by the two boys' cold attitudes, Kara frowned. "What's your name?" she asked the dark-skinned boy next to her, slightly afraid to address the other.
"Blaise Zabini," said the boy in a tone that expressed superiority. "Yours?"
"…Kara Dallas," she replied. She noticed the Irish boy watching them out of the corner of his eye.
"You're not a pureblood, I can tell." The boy said this in a disparaging sort of way.
Kara looked at Blaise. "How would you know?"
The boy snickered. "If you were, you'd know who I was and you'd be falling onto your knees by now."
Kara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? So famous, are you?"
"That's right." He nodded toward the Irish boy. "Maybe you know him. Artemis Fowl, he says he is. Apparently he's famous in the Muggle world."
Artemis perked up at his name. "I wouldn't say famous, just well-known."
Kara's eyes widened. "I think now is the time I start falling onto my knees," she said, earning a laugh from Blaise.
"I suppose you've heard of me, then?" Artemis said pointedly, and not to say a little smugly.
"The Fowls, at least. My Mum's from Ireland – the Fowls are quite notorious for their wealth and status. I mean, just look at the manor!" Kara gushed. She blushed in embarrassment as she realized she had been gushing.
"Looks like you've got yourself a new admirer," Blaise said to Artemis, but something about his snicker seemed off. Maybe it had something to do with the look of jealousy and hatred that followed.
Artemis simply raised an eyebrow and was about to speak when the door opened once more. In the doorway stood a thin blonde boy, dwarfed by two chubby goons who looked like there was more air than anything else in their heads.
The blonde boy and Artemis recognized each other at once. The blonde's mouth, which had possibly been prepared to spew a few taunts, promptly snapped shut. "Malfoy," Artemis acknowledged, nodding coolly.
The Malfoy in question stepped back, as if trying to escape, but he glanced at the goons on either side of him and realized he would look like a wimp. And Malfoys were not wimps. "Fowl," he muttered, all previous swagger gone and replaced by uneasiness. The two goons, quickly introduced as Crabbe and Goyle, looked worried at their friend's lack of insults. And Artemis, too, realized that this Malfoy was different from the one he remembered, although he made no comment.
Blaise looked at the quick exchange quizzically. "You two know each other?"
"We met at Diagon Alley," Artemis stated matter-of-factly. He closed his psychology book and set it down beside him.
"I see you're wearing your custom three hundred dollar robes," Draco sneered, his macho returning to him.
"Indeed I am. And what are you wearing? The average, I see. Perhaps your father scolded you for being so arrogant?" Artemis replied, referring to the short scene he had witnessed at Madam Malkin's.
Draco hid a wince, although Artemis, being skilled at reading body language, detected the tensing of his muscles.
"I am a Malfoy. I have reason to be proud," Draco said, lifting his chin. "Father works at the Ministry of Magic. He says that even Cornelius Fudge respects the Malfoys. I bet your father isn't as important, is he?"
A sudden jolt hit Artemis at the boy's comment. "As you said, the Fowls are greatly respected, both in the Wizarding and Muggle communities," he said in a carefully aloof tone. "I hope you have the sense not to mess with us." The vampiric grin had found its way back onto Artemis's lips, and it fulfilled its purpose effectively. No further comments were made on the subject.
Thoroughly irritated, Draco spun on his heel. "Well, I'm leaving. They say Harry Potter's on the train." He walked off hurriedly, flanked by his two bodyguards.
Kara shot a glance at Blaise. "Harry Potter?"
"The One Who Lived. Haven't you heard of him? You must be the only one who hasn't."
"No, I have. But he's here? On this train?"
"He is no hero, only a victim of luck. Don't sound so astounded. If you're looking for a child wonder, look no further." The last part was thrown in with a smirk.
"Don't be so cruel. I'm sure he misses his parents," Kara chided him.
"Of course he does," Artemis said. "Any boy, no matter how famous or brave, needs his parents." An odd look flickered across his face.
Kara glanced at him. "Are you all right?"
"I am, by all means, all right," Artemis snapped. "I assure you, miss, that the history of a wrongly esteemed boy does little to change my mood."
"Oh, I was only being kind!" Kara muttered. Trying to change the subject, she said, "So what House are you all hoping for?"
"Slytherin," said Blaise immediately, glad for normal conversation. "My family has been in Slytherin for generations. I'm not about to break the tradition."
"I think Ravenclaw would be okay," Kara admitted. "Isn't Slytherin where all the Dark wizards go?" She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth.
"Oh. Well, they usually come from Slytherin, yes, but I have no intention…" He gave the girl a slightly hurt look.
"Oh, sorry!" Kara said awkwardly.
The awkward silence that ensued was interrupted by someone sliding open the door once again. Artemis frowned in annoyance as a bushy-haired girl came in.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost his," she announced, in a bossy sort of voice.
"A toad?" Kara giggled. Blaise smirked.
"I see that the option of bringing a toad was not completely dismissed," Artemis said mockingly. "No, I have not seen a toad, or it would've been reduced to chocolate by now."
"Oh – it's you." Apparently this girl knew Artemis too. "Well, that's not very nice, is it? I'm sure Neville wouldn't appreciate that. It's his grandmother's toad, you see, and he doesn't want to lose it."
"If that is all you have to say, would you kindly shut the door? I am getting headaches from all the noise," Artemis said crisply.
"Oh, all right, if you insist." Before the door closed, she popped her head back in and said, "You might want to consider changing. We're almost there."
And she left.
Kara glanced down. "I suppose she's right." She grabbed her bag and rummaged around, finally pulling out a crumpled robe. With a sheepish grin, she pulled it on over her shirt. "There. I hope that wasn't too weird, was it?" she said to Blaise, who was looking at her with a slight smile on his face.
Just in time, Kara felt the train slowing down. 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."
Kara peered out the window, and to her surprise, saw her own reflection staring back. So it was dark already. Her stomach did a few flips and she took a deep breath to calm down. "We're here!" she burst out, unable to restrain herself.
Blaise was trying to act like it was no big deal, but Kara could see he, too, was nervous. "Let's start moving. I want to be the first one out."
They stepped out into the aisle and looked back at Artemis. "You're not coming?"
Artemis glanced at them coolly. "I see no reason to hurry."
She shrugged and set off down the aisle. Unfortunately other people had the same idea, and there was already a crowd thronging the corridor. She and Blaise were pushed out the door.
Kara shivered. "It's cold," she muttered to Blaise.
He nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
A voice broke through the crowd. "Firs' years, firs' years over here! C'mon, follow me!"
The source of the voice was a gigantic man, his head bobbing above the sea of students. He held a lamp, and gestured with it. "Any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now – this way!"
They followed him to the end of the narrow path, which suddenly opened onto the edge of a great black lake. A chorus of "Ooooh"s ripped through the throng of people. For before the lake was a mountain, and perched atop the mountain was a vast castle, complete with turrets, towers, and sparkling windows.
Hagrid, pointing to a fleet of little boats off to the side, yelled, "No more 'n four to a boat!"
Kara and Blaise stepped into one cautiously, followed by an Asian girl and her blonde friend. Artemis was nowhere to be found.
Hagrid settled into his own boat. "Everyone in? Right then – FORWARD!"
The boats started to move smoothly across the crystal surface of the lake with no visible prompting. Kara gasped as they neared the castle – or rather, the cliff that it stood on. They continued toward it, and then under it through a little curtain of ivy, which hid an opening. They were carried along this dark tunnel until they reached a little harbor made of rocks, and everyone clambered out.
"Just like a dream," whispered the blonde girl. Her friend giggled.
They followed Hagrid up a passageway in silence until it opened out onto a large field, right in the castle's shadow. He walked up to the grand oak door and beckoned. "C'mon, y'all, it won't bite'cha."
With that, everyone crowded the door.
"Ready, ever'one?"
Hagrid raised his fist and knocked.