The Chronicles of Sasha Leone & Trials of the Curse-Breaker (Hogwarts Mystery)

Chapter Three: A New Journey

The summer months had zoomed past her, and September had suddenly arrived. The morning of the first of September was crisp as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road toward the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.
Side by side, a mother and a daughter, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Sasha winced instinctively, but no collision came. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Sasha looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, which was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. She and her Mom had done it.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.
She could have just shrunk it and carried it in her pocket, but her Mom had said it would be best if she looked like a normal muggle student on the way to the train to boarding school. Cadmus's stand was in the third compartment of his trunk, Cadmus would join her on the platform. He disliked being in a cage, so she had given him the options to meet him once she had crossed the barrier and reached the platform or fly to Hogwarts on his own. He had taken the first option.  
Sasha was wearing clothes that could double as a school uniform in the muggle world. It was a relatively warm day, so she decided to wear her dark blue shirt that fades to white at the bottom, navy blue pants, and black sneakers with white soles and toes. But she decided to keep her dragon necklace during the ceremony. There were a lot of people assembled already, even if the train wouldn't leave before eleven, which was still half an hour away. She saw that most students were clothed in robes. She wondered how they got here without causing a stir with the muggles. Perhaps side-along apparition. She knew there wasn't a floo connection here as the coordination wouldn't be possible. Mom had made sure to pack her a nice lunchbox for the journey. Mom wouldn't tell her how the sorting went, it was part of the whole experience to not know it beforehand, but she said the students were called forth by name and then sorted while the rest of the school watched. Well, tonight she would find out. It couldn't be too bad. She watched as her mom took Sasha's trunk, tapped it with her wand and it shrunk to fit into Sasha's pocket.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" Sasha asked her mother immediately, but softly.
"Every day, if you want me to," said Mom.
"Not every day," said Sasha quickly. "Dad said most people only get letters from home about once a month."
"I wrote to Jacob three times a week during his first-year," said Mom.
But the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud, Sasha thought she heard a boy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad not to be part of the conversation.
Her mom gives Sasha a warm hug and kissed her forehead, while Sasha returned the embrace. When they both pulled back, her mom looked into Sasha's eyes. The same reflection of blue eyes that are both shared by the mother and daughter. "You must promise me, Sasha. Don't go looking for trouble. Just focus on your studies, make some friends, pass your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, and graduate safely. That's all I ask of you. Please promise me."
Sasha let out a weary sigh as she felt the weight of her mother's worried advice. They both wished to know what has happened to Jacob when he has disappeared without a single trace. She met her mother's eyes, steadfast. "I promise Mom."
Her Mom smiled at her, but a hint of worry and concern was still in her eyes. "Remember to say hello to Hagrid for me. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you're learned how. And don't let any bullies wind you up."
Sasha smiled at Mom and nodded a calm, but determined smile. "I understand."
But now the door were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred outlines of parents swarming forward for final kisses, last-minute reminders, Sasha jumped into the carriage and her Mom closed the door behind her. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. Sasha started waving bye to her Mom as the train started to pull out of the station.
After the train pulled out of the station, Sasha pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She brought her miniature trunk out of her pocket. She took out her trunk, tapped it with her wand and it enlarged to the size of a suitcase. She looked up and saw Cadmus swooping down to her. She held out her arm for him to land.
"Hey, Cadmus. Did you have a nice flight?" She asked him as she closed the window, she received a positive hoot from him.
Cadmus climbed on her shoulder while she sat down on one of the seats. The whistle sounded and the train began to move. Houses flashed past the window. Sasha felt a hopeful leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to — but it had to be better than being treated like an outcast in her hometown. She wished her older brother, Jacob, was with them and had watched her take off.
She immediately snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door of the compartment slid open and became tense when she saw someone approaching the compartment. A familiar face poked out of the doorway. Sasha sighed in relief and relaxed. The person was Rowan.
"Hey Row," greeted Sasha.
"Can I sit with you?" Rowan asked Sasha hopefully.
Sasha smiled and nodded to her new friend. She watched as Rowan put her trunk next to Sasha's trunk. Luckily, both of their trunks were of different colors. Sasha's trunk was black with hints of blue and Rowan's trunk was black too, but it has orange highlights and carried a large cage that held a beautiful Brown fish owl with bright amber eyes named Mira.
Rowan turned to face Sasha, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Can I ask where you live?"
"Me and Mom both live in the town of Dorset." Sasha nodded with a smile. "I think I'll miss Diagon Alley a lot more than I expected."
"You can still visit during the holidays," Rowan reminded her. "I don't think I'll miss home, though. I'm too excited for Hogwarts! Speaking of which..." She swiftly opened her trunk and pulled out a set of billowing black robes. "Let's get dressed!"
Sasha's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Let's do it!"
While they changed into the black work robes, Sasha couldn't help, but notice the difference between hers, Rowan's, and Jacob's. Jacob's old robes looked rather faded and worn. But compared to the two girls were much more sleek. At least the robes fit. A tad roomy, yes, but the length was perfect. It was quite ironic, considering how the nickname 'Pip' was a jab at her height.
Rowan noticed the look on her face. "Sasha? Is there something wrong?"
"Oh, just thinking about Jacob again. He always said I was a pipsqueak, but it looks like he wasn't any taller than me as a first-year," Sasha said, fastening the front of her robes. "I'm definitely going to rub that in his face when I find him!" She shook off her mischievous defiant side and became a tad bit curious about Rowan. "Quick question. How did you know what wood my wand was made out of?"
"I grew up on a tree farm. Hawthorn's my favourite, but acacia's a close second. It's easy to recognise," said Rowan with a dismissive shrug. "We supply high-quality magical woods for wands and broomsticks. Everyone in my family can recognise wand woods on sight and start spouting random facts about them. It's nothing special, really... more like a bad habit that needs fixing." But Sasha found it hard to agree with that statement.
"Well, trees aren't exactly a common area of expertise," said Rowan once Sasha told her. "They're not very... exciting. Some say they're fascinating, but most people just think they're dull."
Sasha gazed at Rowan with a calm, but fierce look. "I beg to differ." She felt like she had a tight knot in her chest and wanted to unravel it. "Trees are important. Wands come from trees. Brooms come from trees. Just imagine what we'd be doing without those inventions."
Rowan smiled brightly, loosening the knot in Sasha's chest. "It's alright, Sasha. I know what you were trying to say. I am proud of the family business, don't get me wrong. And I'm also used to dealing with the fact that everyone thinks I'm weird."
"I think that being different isn't a bad thing at all, and you shouldn't get down about it," Sasha stated fiercely. "And... just because you can put up with something, it doesn't mean you should have to do it."
Rowan blinked, taking that in. Sasha fiddled with her wand as she felt herself overheating. She was certain that there were more things she should have said, but had lost them in her nervous-brain moment. She wished she was better at speaking, like her dad.
After a moment of silence, Rowan spoke up. "Thank you, Sasha. That was... really nice to hear."
Sasha nodded with a serene look. "I only speak the truth to a friend." She gazed at Rowan with a soft smile. "I know I'm not great with words, but... I don't know how to explain it, but it's easier now. I'm not sure why."
Rowan giggled. "I think that's how being friends works." She smiled at her warmly. "I'm happy that you're my friend, Sasha."
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?" Her voice started Sasha and Rowan who were in the middle of reading "Magical Theory and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection." They hadn't realized it was time for lunch.
"No thanks." Sasha put away her book and pulled out the tightly-wrapped egg sandwich from her mom. It was still warm and crispy. She was quite eager to eat it.
Rowan produced a Galleon from her pocket, buying a bunch of almost everything. Her arms full of Sugar Quills, Peppermint Toads, Cauldron Cakes, Pumpkin Pasties, Chocolate Frogs, and Liquorice Wands, she sat back down and emptied her loot.
"That looks pretty sweet for a 'lunch'." Sasha raised an eyebrow at Rowan's choice of snacks and had an amused smirk. "Are you going to have enough room for dinner?"
"Shh... Don't question it, just let me live out my life's dream," Rowan said. "Having nothing, but a sandwich as an entire meal. Here, have some!" She held up four handfuls of Cauldron Cakes.
"If you think you can bribe me with Cauldron Cakes, you're absolutely right." Sasha graciously accepted the dark brown chocolate mini cakes, taking in the familiar smell.
Rowan was clearly enjoying her freedom and her money. But still, to spend an entire Galleon on sweets... Sasha wondered if Rowan was actually a lot wealthier than she let on. Then again, wands and brooms were expensive. It wouldn't be strange for the Khannas to be rich. Sasha always wanted a Quidditch broom of her own, but she was constantly taken aback by the abysmal prices whenever she checked them out.
She finished eating down her sandwich, which was as delicious as she expected, started eating a Cauldron Cakes in her mouth, and opened her book again. She was looking for anything on curses.
Rita Skeeter had been vague with her wording about Jacob's incident at school, which probably meant that the foul reporter didn't have all the juicy details. But from what Sasha could tell, curses had been unleashed onto the school while Jacob was searching for the Cursed Vaults, and... some people had died.
The most popular interpretation, spearheaded by Rita Skeeter's article in the Daily Prophet, was that Jacob had lost his mind, cursed the school, ran away from home, and joined the Death Eaters shortly before You-Know-Who's fall.
Sasha knew that was a load of rubbish. Her brother did put some more distance between them over time, but he was definitely sane the day before he went missing.
But the curses were undeniably real. They couldn't possibly be Jacob's fault, but they were real. If they were connected to the Cursed Vaults — which they probably were — Sasha had to prepare herself for them in case the curses could come to play.
She muttered counter-spells from The Dark Forces under her breath, but as she had no idea what kind of things might be waiting for her, the future seemed bleak. She glanced up at Rowan, who was poring over Magical Theory while happily sucking on a Sugar Quill. Sasha's eyes drifted from her friend to one of the large books she had beside her, noting that she's a stronger reader than she is.