Apples and Snakes

Mara Jade

I stepped onto Platform 9 and 3/4, feeling conspicuous despite the fact that no one was looking at me. Then again, I'd transfigured myself to look taller, to have this short red hair, and big feet, and a prominent nose. I had chosen a rather attention-drawing disguise, but as Mara, I'd have to draw a bit of attention, so why not? I was more conventionally attractive, for one thing, and I had a more commanding presence, for another, in my opinion.

I'd also used a spell to modulate my voice, to a lower range, with a Scottish accent. You'd never know that I was Alice Potter. I really did seem like the home-schooled Mara Jade.

I dragged my trunk, which had some stickers removed and replaced with travel ones, and looked a bit more beat-up, into the luggage rack, and grabbed the files I'd kept with me. This part made me a bit nervous. Integrating myself into the chain of command.

I walked into the compartment where I'd seen my former co-leaders, and I knocked. Hayden stood and opened the door.

"Yes?" She asked, a bit annoyed as to being interrupted.

"The name's Jade, Mara Jade," I said, and I leaned in. "Alice wanted me to talk to you," I whispered.

Hayden nodded, and let me in, and all of them drew their wands as Hayden shut the door behind me.

"How do we know that you aren't lying?" Luis demanded.

"I'll explain everything. Alice can't come back to school, so since attendance is mandatory this year, she established me as the new leader in the school. She gave me these." I held up the files.

"Makes sense so far," Teddy said.

"How do we know that this isn't a trap?" Luis continued. "Excuse me, but we've had a few betrayals." He glanced meaningfully at Lux.

"Hey, don't blame me for my bone-headed brother's relapse!" Lux snapped. "He's cut off the twin connection, and stopped contacting me and my sister! All I know is that he's going to be teaching at Hogwarts this year, and I've got a few choice words for him."

"You'll have to just trust me," I said, not missing a beat. "I promise, you'll find it worthwhile. It's all you can do. Besides, this is a message from her." I had my titanium wand, which had disguised itself as a regular wand play out a message I'd recorded.

"Hello, Hayden, Teddy, Korr, Lux, Luis, Alex, Ellie. If you're seeing this, you've met Mara Jade. I appoint her as the one who will lead the army at Hogwarts. I didn't tell you sooner because I needed to keep this a secret. And a good thing, too, since Ky betrayed us," my recording said cheerfully. "Send a Patronus to me with a message if you need it. Potter out."

The translucent form of me vanished. "Are you willing to give me a chance now?" I asked. They all nodded, and I put my wand in the sleeve pocket inside my denim vest.

"Let's start working on our plans," I suggested.

At Hogwarts, it took everything I had not to put one of the green ties that I had back on. I couldn't let myself go into Slytherin again, though. I had to get a different house to lead from. Gryffindor preferably. It had more of a reputation, so maybe people would listen to me even better from there.

The older kids who had been home-schooled, like the girl I was impersonating, lined up with the first-years. I noticed that Ky was leading this instead of Hagrid.So the giant's already on the run or he's been demoted, I noticed. This ought to be interesting.

"Follow me," Ky said in a cold voice. I, like some of the others, nodded, and put on a nervous, wonder-filled expression. I got into a boat, with three of the other seven home-schoolers, and got ready to go. The view of the castle from the boats were just as dazzling as it was during my first year, but my heart pounded at the idea of this infiltration. I was going deep into enemy territory- one slip-up, and I'd be deader than Wesley.