Chapter 2

All of Lucy's school supplies were hidden in their home's attic. Only the cat 'Mr Filch' was allowed to roam around. He followed Lucy around everywhere and slept on her bed at night, occasionally looking up when Eric moved. She was worried about attending this school called Hogwarts. The family had lied to their muggle family and friends, saying she was merely going to a boarding school somewhere in the countryside on a scholarship. She was currently sat on a wall near her home. Mr Filch laying on the grass not far from her as she was reading 'The Hobbit'. She still had to make out she was a muggle to her old friends you see. Two of her friends were here now as they waved at her, both stroking her cat who simply purred. These friends were called Polly Meadows and Jane Roberts. Both muggles as they pulled themselves up either side of her.

"Are you going to tell us this name of the boarding school?" Polly asked her friend. A question she always asks her.

"What do I always answer?"

"I don't know why you're being so secretive, Luce...I would be bragging if I was going to some posh boarding school in the countryside" Jane cut in.

"Well I'm not you, am I? Listen! It's nothing special. Besides, you should be glad you're only going to a normal day school. You get to go home and play at the weekends. I don't get to do any of that until the summer holidays"

Polly and Jane both sighed at the same time. They could tell their friend was just downplaying the excitement for their benefit. Trying to make out she wasn't going to a brilliant school but they saw right past her. Lucy was too nice for her own good and would never brag. Mr Filch stretched his paws out before going right back to sleep. Lucy smiled as she watched her cat, the only link to her magical roots she was allowed to bring out to her old friends.

"I can tell you one thing about my new school I suppose. It won't hurt. I met one of the students called Argus Filch. He's got an older brother who enjoys playing sports" Lucy said.

She really did think Argus was a wizard and was attending school with her. She was going to be so sad when she realizes he's a squib who's only role at Hogwarts will be helping out the caretaker. Out of sight and out of mind. The sport in question being Quidditch of cause. She knew Filch's brother was good at playing that game.

"Ooh...Argus Filch. Sounds like somebody has a crush" Jane cooed; making Lucy tut.

"Don't be stupid, Jane. I only met him once. I'm just saying it's nice to know somebody who's attending the same school as me. I'm going to miss you two, you know? Only seeing you on holidays, it won't be the same" Lucy spoke in a sad tone of voice.

"We can write...tell us the name of the school"

"Nice try, Jane"

"Urgh...Okay. Race you to the swings!" Jane suddenly shouted.

As she jumped from the fence and ran straight to the park. Polly, Lucy (and Mr Filch) running after her. Polly and Lucy laughing as they chased after her with the summer's wind blowing their hair. Lucy still holding onto her book. Mr Filch meowing as the cat ran past all the girls with unusual quick speed like it was a little cheetah. He looked proud of himself as he was already sat near the swings as the three girls got there seconds later.

...

It was the night before she attended Hogwarts. Lucy's things and clothing were now packed away in a suitcase in her wardrobe. Her cat Mr Filch was laying peacefully at the bottom of her bed as he usually did. Though the sudden movement coming from Eric's bed on the other side of the room alerted the cat. Mr Filch looked up to see his owner's muggle brother climb out of bed. Pausing to look towards his sleeping sister before tiptoeing to the wardrobe. Eric opened the wardrobe and quietly took out her suitcase. Unzipping the case and getting out her wand. Holding it in his hands as if it was the holy grail as he just stared at it for a few moments. He was about to break it in two but Mr Filch gave a hiss and jumped from the bed onto the muggle boy's back. He dropped the wand and yelled out in pain as Mr Filch sunk his claws into the boy. Lucy woke up with a fright as she looked at the scene...

"Eric...What are you doing?" Lucy asked as she got out of bed; switching on the bedroom light.

"You can't go that to that school, Lucy! You belong here with me...with us...You aren't a witch. You are just a normal girl"

"Eric. Professor Kettleburn..."

"Sod Professor Kettleburn! You are my younger sister and I want to protect you. I cannot do it when you're there!" Eric spat, he looked close to tears.

Lucy knew he was jealous already but she didn't realize how scared he was as well. He didn't hate her because she was a witch. He just hated her having to go away. She was such a nice girl and he was horrified at the thought of some witch or wizard using that to their own personal gain. He couldn't fight her corner when these people could easily kill him with one spell. Eric would be hopeless and powerless against them.

"Eric. They are good and bad witches and wizards such as they are good and bad non-magical people" Lucy tried to assure him.

"I could defend you against a non-magical bad person though"

"Not always and I won't be mixing with bad magical people I hope. I'm scared too but it's in my blood. How can it be bad when we have magical ancestors? I promise to write to you every weekend"

"Really?"

"Really"

For the first time since she returned home. He allowed Lucy to hug him as he held onto his little sister with a tear running down his cheek. Mr Filch was back on the bed now asleep as the problem with the muggle boy had been solved in the cat's eyes. The siblings were very close. They were like best friends really.

...

With her smart clothing and muggle red coat. Lucy Norris and her parents were on their way to King's Cross Station as instructed by Professor Kettleburn weeks prior. Lucy's friends were meanwhile walking to the normal muggle school as they gave her a wave for they walked with her all the way the train station. They lived in St Albans. Lucy waved goodbye to her friends until they were out of sight. Her brother Eric waving with them as they all stood in their muggle school uniform. Lucy wiped away a few tears as it came to her now how new she was going to be to this new school and way of life. Her mother giving her a tissue as she thanked her. It did look slightly odd for a child to have all this luggage and a pet cat. Though her mother just nodded at them and said

"Boarding school"

Making them all go "Oh" in response.

Her father Edwin pulled a trolley out as he helped his daughter place her luggage on it along with her pet cat whom was asleep in his cage. Lucy felt a bit odd until she seen a black haired-boy and a white-haired boy both walking together. One of them had a black cat in a cage on his trolley. Lucy's parents said goodbye to her for she now had to make her own way onto the platform. As they gave her a hug before making their way back onto a muggle train going back towards St Albans. Now she was truly alone. She nervously pushed her trolley as she stood besides the two boys. They looked at her with a nod. Not knowing she was muggle-born, the white haired-boy put his hand out to shake her hand and she gladly accepted...

"Isn't this awful? Using muggle transport. My father and grandfather refused to use it. Only reason I'm using it is because the headmaster made it mandatory" the blonde-haired boy pompously declared.

The black-haired boy nodding in firm agreement. They were eleven like her however they were pure-bloods. Another first-time student came into view, a girl this time. Eileen Prince (mother of the future Severus Snape). She was another pure-blood however she had a nasty look to her. She had black hair however unlike Lucy's hair, hers was long and down. Like she hasn't had it cut for two years. Lucy giving the first witch she ever met a smile however Eileen looked at her like she was insulted.

"Eileen Prince...Your father is friends with my father" the blonde-haired boy announced. As if she didn't already know; he then turned towards Lucy and asked..."What wizarding family are you from?"

"I...I'm not" Lucy nervously replied; making the three pure-bloods suddenly move away from her.

"Mudblood" the black-haired boy muttered under his breath in disgust.

"We wasted enough time talking to that...Let's go and wait on the platform" the blonde-haired voice declared.

They all suddenly made a run into the brick wall and disappeared. Lucy was left there feeling upset. She didn't even know what a mudblood was but it sounded terrible nonetheless. She knew these must be the magical people who dislike her kind. The only thing keeping her going was the fact the lovely boy Argus Filch would be there. So she too made a run for it and landed on the magical platform. She looked around in amazement. As she pushed her trolley towards the train. One of the Hogwarts train staff helping her unload her suitcase onto the train. She picked up her cat and watched as her trolley was pushed to the wall. She was helped onto the train a by a slightly older boy. She could see a 'Prefect' badge attached to his robe and before she could thank him. This older boy was already helping somebody else get onto the train. She nervously made her way through the train as she looked to see where she could sit.

"I can't believe I shook the hands of a mudblood" she heard that same blonde-haired boy from before say in disgust.

He was sitting with the black-haired boy and Eileen Prince in a nearby train compartment. They had put a sign up on their closed compartment reading 'Only Pure-Bloods'. A student not far behind Lucy saw it too. They weren't allowed to put signs like that up but they did what they want. This student behind her was only slightly older and was in her second-year at Hogwarts.

"Ignore that. The Malfoy family are always like that. The sign shouldn't be up there" this girl assured a sad looking Lucy.

"Oh. In my old school, it was based on class; not blood" Lucy responded.

"Pure-bloods are like the first-class of the wizarding world. Look, don't pay attention to anything those three say in there. Abraxas Malfoy is trouble especially. My name is Euphemia"

"Lucy"

"Nice to meet you Lucy, come and sit with me"

Euphemia led her towards the empty train compartment. This was indeed Harry Potter's grandmother (mother of James Potter). Long before James or Harry were even thought of. She was pure-blood but didn't mind anyone who wasn't. Another girl came into the carriage not long after; a girl with black hair and pigtails, she wore glasses. She was called Myrtle Warren (later known as 'Moaning Myrtle'). She was a muggle-born like Lucy as she nervously sat besides her.

"Hello...I'm Euphemia and this is Lucy...What's your name?"

"Myrtle Warren but you probably won't like me. Being a muggle-born and all" Myrtle spoke in a tone that sounded as if she was seconds from bursting into tears.

"I'm a muggle-born too" Lucy quickly responded; making Myrtle suddenly perk up.

"Oh...Finally. Here I was thinking I was the only one. Only pure-bloods allowed signs have been seen on dozens of carriages, did you know?"

This question made Euphemia stand up as she excused herself. She didn't like that idea at all. Obviously Abraxas Malfoy has began to encourage other pure-blood students to do this. Either as a nasty prank or to try and scare muggle-borns into not entering the train. Lucy and Myrtle could hear Euphemia telling the prefect about this 'cruel act of unwelcome' taking place. The prefect was heard pulling the signs down and giving a warning to the giggling pure-blood students to stop bullying the muggle-born students. This was a school which accepted both as they all should know. A ginger-haired pure-blood wizard popped his head in and said...

"It was just a joke girls...honest"

Though he was pulled back by some unseen friend of his. 1938 students were different to students in Harry Potter's time you see. Not quite as accepting of muggle-borns as they would be in decades to come. Lucy and Myrtle just looked at each other. Not knowing what to say as both of them were quite upset and overwhelmed. Myrtle began to sob into her hands.

"It's alright...I'll be your friend, we can stay together as one" Lucy tried to comfort her but the girl wouldn't stop sobbing.

"I should have gone to the muggle school!"

Lucy keeping her arm around her. Euphemia had returned to the carriage as she sat down on the opposite side again. Her and Lucy spent most of the journey trying to assure Myrtle that the three of them will stick together. The girl only began to perk up once the train began moving as she looked outside at the lovely countryside. Lucy letting her sit by the window, anything to stop her crying. Nobody else wanted to come in this compartment as Abraxas had managed to put up another sign; saying 'Only crying muggle-borns' on her compartment curtain. It was taken down by the annoyed prefect minutes after it was put up.

"Are you excited? Have you been reading your books?" Euphemia asked Lucy.

"I have been reading some of my books. I enjoyed reading about Merlin, I always thought he was made-up"

"Do you know about the houses?"

"I think so...I know what they are called but not really what they are about. I'm scared I won't be sorted"

"Oh you will, Lucy. Don't worry about that. I'm in Gryffindor" Euphemia paused slightly, looking towards Myrtle who was now calm and enjoying the view from outside her window and so she asked her..."Do you know enough too?"

"About Hogwarts? Why yes...I've been reading all my books. Not having friends gives you more time" Myrtle muttered; her lip wobbling again.

She was going to be a handful for them. They would never admit it but the two girls were already regretting their promise of being friends to her. For the rest of the journey, Lucy and Euphemia just spoke to each other. They didn't bother buying anything from the shop trolley as they wanted to save themselves for the feast.

...

TBC