The Lion, Toad, and Snake

"Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

- J. k. Rowling

Lux soon discovered that Ron Weasley had absolutely no tact. When the twins were in the compartment he glared at them until they announced they would met their friend Lee. Once the twins were gone, he started asking Lux personal questions.

"Do you really have the scar?"

Lux wanted to say: Yes, I do. In fact it is common knowledge among the wizarding world. Thank you, for reminding me of my parent's murder by a homicidal psychopath.

Instead she simply blew her bangs out of the way, in order to reveal her lightning shape scar. Then she simply went back to reading the book and hoping that Ron would take the hint. However, he didn't.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

Lux wanted to say: They are the kindest people I know and I count the seconds that we are apart.

Instead she said, "Normal."

Ron started rambling about his family. "I have five brothers and one little sister. I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Lux noticed how gloomy he sounded and thought, poor Ron he has a family that loves him.

She instantly felt guilty for her thoughts and took a deep breath. Lux could understand he stood alone in the giant shadow cast by his five older brothers. She decided that she would try be friendlier.

Eventually, the trolley lady stopped by their compartment, "would you like anything off the trolley dears?"

Lux leaped to her feet, excited about trying wizard candy. Ron's ears however went pink and muttered something about sandwiches as Lux went out into the corridor.

She was excited by the fact that she had pockets full of gold and silver in order to buy as much candy as she wished- but the woman didn't have any candy brands that she was familiar with. What the lady did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of new foods that Lux had never seen before. She got a few Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and packets of Bettie Bott's Every Flavor beans.

As soon as she paid the woman she headed back to the compartment and put most of the candy in her bag. She turned back to Ron, who was muttering about how he didn't like corned beef while unwrapping his sandwiches, and tossed him one pack of everything that she bought while keeping a Chocolate Frog and Pumpkin Pasties to herself.

Ron looked up at her in surprise.

Lux nodded at the candy she tossed in front of him, "I got that for you."

"Why?"

"I've been rude," Lux shrugged. "It's just you barged in and then glared at your brother's until they left. Then you proceeded to ask me personal questions when I don't even know you. Needless to say you didn't make a very good impression."

Ron's ears got redder and he opened his mouth to resort. But Lux continued.

"Yet, that doesn't excuse the way I acted to you. I know how it sucks to be ignored and I shouldn't have been that rude towards you. I'm sorry."

Ron looked out the window for while before turning back to Lux, "I forgive you, but only because you got me Candy."

Lux smiled, and then started laughing and Ron soon joined her.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and a round-faced boy came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Lux.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him …"

He left. Lux wanted to follow in order to help him, however Ron spoke up and held her attention.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

The rat was snoozing on Ron's lap and Lux glared at the rodent. Lux had a special hate for rats. She wasn't sure why, she just did.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down, while Lux wondered if it was common for people to burst through the door without knocking. It's very rude.

Ron looked taken aback."Er — all right." He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

Lux raised an eyebrow, "impressive."

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? 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?"

She said all this very fast.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Lux Potter," said Lux.

"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."

Lux was a little offended by the statement. Hermione made it sound like she depended on the books rather than use them for context information. Lux thought she mean enough today, so she would play nice.

"I only read The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts because I only wanted the reason why my parents died," Lux's polite smile turned to a frown. "Unfortunately, I didn't find the answers I was looking for and turned my concentration to learning theory and spells."

"I have tried out a few spells of my own, too. They have all worked for me. For example," Hermione pointed her wand at Lux's face and she tried not to flinch. "Oculus Reparo."

Lux was very uncomfortable by the wand in her face and swiftly knocked it out of the way, "I don't like that you used magic on me without my permission."

Hermione looked flushed, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to show…"

"…how smart you are," Lux finished dully, before smiling. "I understand. This world is new to me to. You just want to prove your worth. I would just refrain from using magic on me. I'm like a rattle snake; I'll warn you once, but after that I will strike if I feel threatened."

The compartment was silent as everyone looked that the 'girl-who-lived' before Hermione stared to fill the silence.

"Do either of you know what House you'll be in," Hermione asked. "I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. … Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. Lux gave Ron a look before following them out the door. She, like Hermione, wanted to prove her worth. Finding Neville's toad will help her.

As she ran down the corridor she shouted, "Neville! Hermione!"

Both paused in front of another compartment door and waited for Lux to catch up to them. When Lux got to them she announced, "I can find your toad."

Neville perked up, "really?"

He then calmed down and blushed. Hermione was excited, "That's great you can start at the back of the train and we will work back, while you work forward. Then we will be able to find-"

"Hermione," Lux interrupted, "I meant by a spell."

She pulled out her wand and faced the corridor, "Inquisitio Neville's Toad"

A pure white smoke emerged from Lux's wand and flowed down the corridor. Lux followed without hesitating and Neville followed her without hesitating. Hermione was staring at the smoke from Lux's wand with a confused expression, "I've read all the school books and that spell is not in it."

"That's because it is not in the school curriculum," replied Lux. "I found this spell in a book filled with spells, hexes, and charms from the Dark Ages. Although they are from a different time, doesn't mean they are not useful."

The smoke trail stopped in front of a compartment door near the end of the Hogwarts Express. Once the group reached the door, the smoke disappeared. "Your toad is in here somewhere."

Neville yanked the door open and was met with cold stares. Neville shyly stepped back, "He-Hello, I –I – I…"

Observing the room, Lux noticed that the boy from the Book Store along with the boy from Madam Malkin's were present. She ignored them and noted the other occupants of the compartment. Two were girls her age.

One girl was a blonde haired beauty, while the other has a striking resemblance to a pug. However, both had facial expressions frozen on their faces. The pug had a scowl and looked amused at Neville's stuttering. The beauty showed no emotion which Lux found unnatural and it creped her out a little bit.

Two of the other four boys that were in the compartment were to burly ones that looked more like bodyguards by the way that they sat on either side of the blonde. Lux was willing to bet that they weren't too bright either. One boy next to the window, didn't even react when they came into the compartment. he had dark hair and brown eyes with look that told Lux that he was far away from the Hogwarts Express. The last boy in the compartment was very handsome with black hair and olive skin. Lux would guess that he had Italian heritage.

Lux stepped up from behind Neville to try and save him from further embarrassment, "we are looking for Neville's toad. After using a searching charm we were lead here."

The Pug spoke up, "We don't have any toad here."

Lux raised an eyebrow at the Pug, "Did you miss the part where I said a searching charm lead me here?"

The Pug scoffed, "Like you have the skill to cast a spell like that, Mudblood."

I don't know what that meant, but it seemed that it was really offensive judging by Neville's gasp and the handsome boy's look of disapproval towards the Pug. Lux decided that she did not like the Pug and wanted to get what she came there for, "Inquisitio Neville's Toad"

White smoke once again irrupted from her wand. The other occupants of the room looked mildly impressed as Lux watched the smoke move into a bag at the rack at the top of the compartment. Lux stood on top of the seats in order to reach the bag.

"Stop," Pug stood up. "You can't just go through my stuff for some toad that's not even there!"

Lux unzipped the bag and before she opened it she looked down at Pug, "want to bet?"

She opened the bag to find the object of her search. After she picked the toad up and handed him to Neville, she smirked down at the contents of the bag. Lux turned and jumped down in front of Pug, "Neville's Toad peed in your bag."

Lux ushered Neville and Hermione out of the compartment, giggling at Pug's shrieks. As far as Lux was concerned, she deserved it.

"Hey!"

When Blaise Zabini walked on to the platform with his mother all the Pure-blood families turned to them with disapproving looks. His mother was famously known as the black widow because his stepfathers died mysteriously and left a large fortune to his grieving mother. So, he would get a lot of attention from his peers, if not because of the looks that he inherited from his mother, but for the large fortune that his family had.

However, as he was about to board the Hogwarts Express Train his mother pulled him aside. "Try to find some true friends."

Blaise looked confused, "what do you mean, mother?"

Regina, Blaise's mother, gave him a sad smile. "There are times in your life were you need good friends to support you. I know you, I know that you grew up isolated and that might be my fault. Hogwarts is a chance for you to grow and gain people you can trust. Please, Blaise promise me that you will try."

He nodded.

Blaise boarded the train, while pondering over his mother's strange request. Once he spotted a compartment with Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, and Rigel Black. All people that he would spend the next seven years with. They were obvious allies, but friends?

He couldn't see himself tolerating Parkinson for more than necessary. Crabbe and Goyle didn't make for interesting conversation. Daphne, Theodore, Draco, and Rigel could all be potential friends.

However, Daphne has been avoiding him as much as possible since the incident at the yule ball last year. She was unlikely to get over it soon because she held on to grudges well. Draco could be a great friend, but he was always trying to prove he was superior to everyone. Rigel had many family issues, but he could be a good choice. Theordore was always interesting to talk to and he could stand to be with him more than ten minutes, so he was also a contender.

Blaise decided that he would try to be friendly to the people in the compartment and at least tell his mother that he tried. Then the door slide open and he recognized Neville Longbottom, but the other two girls with him were unfamiliar to Blaise.

He noticed how the dark-haired one analyzed all of them, while Neville tried to state his purpose. Blaise saw a spark of recognition in her eyes when she looked at Rigel and Draco, she was probably a pure - blood from Scotland that was acquainted with the Blacks and Malfoys. He was proven wrong when she spoke with an English accent, but if she was pure-blood from England than Blaise was sure he would have met her before.

Strange. New. Interesting.

This girl mocking Parkinson was going to be his friend. So when she left Blaise swiftly stood up to follow, "Hey!"

The Italian boy approached Lux and held out his hand, "Blaise Zabini."

"Lux Potter."

Lux saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes before he quickly recovered as they shook hands, "nice to meet you, Miss Potter."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Zabini."

The stood there awkwardly for a moment before Lux broke the silence, "why did you stop me?"

Blaise blushed a little bit, "well, my mother told me that it would be beneficial. After the display in the compartment I decided that I would like you as my friend."

He was as stone-faced as the beauty in the compartment, but there was anxiety in his eyes. He probably was never this open or never had a friend or both. Not that she could judge because she never had a friend either; due to her lovely family members.

Lux smiled at Blaise, "I would like that."

They stood in the hallway for a while getting to know each other. They soon noticed that the train was slowing down and agreed to met after the train stopped, so that they could change into their robes.

When she got back to the compartment that she shared with Ron, he was already dressed. Ron stood up and waited outside while she changed.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."

Lux's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. They joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Lux shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Lux heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Lux?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed 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 Lux thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Blaise then joined her side and she smiled at him, while Ron scowled.

"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!"

The narrow path had 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. The castle was beautiful and Lux was excited to stay there for the next seven years.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Lux and Blaise were followed into their boat by a boy from the compartment who introduced himself as Theodore Nott and Ron. Ron was not pleased with the other to boys joining them, but when he saw Hermione in another boat and away from him he cheered up.

"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 harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

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?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open and revealed a woman in an emerald robes. She had a stern face and a tight bun, Lux would guess that this was the famous Minnie that Uncle Moony told her about.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

Well, that was very dramatic, thought Lux. She whispered the same thought to Blaise and let out a short laugh in return. Theodore looked at them curiously and Lux smiled at him.

Minnie pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble stair case facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Minnie across the flagged stone floor. Lux could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Minnie showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. However, Lux felt very uncomfortable and broke off the group, drawing Minnie's attention to her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Minnie. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Minnie. "Please wait quietly."

As soon as Minnie left, Lux turned to Blaise, "Which house are you going to be in?"

"Slytherin. It's the house my mother was in and I am more cunning than smart, brave, or loyal. What about you?"

"I want to be in Gryffindor. It's the house of my parents... besides bravery is kind of my thing," Lux said before whispering. "I don't like to be afraid. What house do you want be in, Ron?"

"Gryffindor," Ron said. "All my family has been in Gryffindor. It is the best house by far."

Blaise chose to ignore the jab meant for him. Lux rolled her eyes at Ron and ran a hand through her hair, unknowingly revealing her scar to others. "Is it true?" he said. "They're saying that Lux Potter has come to Howgarts. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Lux in a very controlled tone. She was looking at the other boys that she recognized as his bodyguards and the boy from the bookstore. As soon as they approached Ron left muttering about 'too many slimy Slytherins'.

"We never got to introduce ourselves when you came into our compartment earlier, this is Crabbe, this is Goyle," said the pale boy with a hint of annoyance in his voice, noticing where Lux was looking. "This is my cousin Rigel Black."

Lux looked at the boy from the bookstore as he nodded. He didn't seem to recognize her, probably because he believed she was below him.

"And my names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," the pale boy finished introductions.

"Pleasure."

Malfoy nodded at Blaise and Theodore, "I see that you got to her first Zabini, Nott."

Lux crossed her arms, "Excuse me? Got to me first."

He turned back to Lux, ignoring her question. "I heard that you lived with Muggles and are unaware of wizarding customs. The first thing you should know about the wizarding world is that 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 Lux's, but Lux didn't take it.

"I don't need some entitled brat telling me what to do. Thanks, but no thanks."

Theodore and Blaise exchanged smirks, happy that Lux (unknowingly) accepted them into their friend circle.

Draco opened his mouth to retaliate, but someone cleared their throat behind the group. They faced Minnie as she said in a sharp voice, "the Sorting Ceremony is about to began."

Penny is Wise- Thank you for reviewing and I'm glad you liked the small change in Ron's character.

THANK YOU ALL YOU FAVORITED AND FOLLOWED!

Please review and tell me what you think

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