"ANIKA, IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN IN TEN SECONDS-"
I hurried down the stairs, standing face face with my mother. "I'm one step ahead of you, Mum."
My mother sighed, adjusting her navy blue robes as she grabbed her matching purse. "We'd better get going-the Ministry doesn't like stragglers using the car service..." I matched pace with my mother, which should have been relatively easy, considering the fact that she was in heels. She was, however, a Ministry official, and Ministry officials could walk speedily even in hazmat suits. So, as usual, I was sprinting to keep up with my mother, grumbling under my breath.
"Mrs. Patil-Evans! Miss Evans! You both look lovely, as always," commented the balding man standing by the sleek BMW which would actually take off into the air. My mother nodded politely. "Thank you, sir." He nodded warmly at her, taking in the clothes she wore, bold and imposing as always. In comparison, I wore a pair of blue acid-washed skinny jeans and a black spaghetti top, paired with a cropped white jacket reading 'American Dream'. Ironic, since I'd never been to America.
"So, sir, is it fun?" I inquired, leaning forward in my seat as the car took off, soaring above an expanse of suburban England.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Miss Evans."
"I mean, is it fun, zooming about in your flying car?"
The man chuckled, keeping his eyes firmly on the land below us. "It certainly changes your perspective on things."
"Can I have a go driving it?"
My mother slapped the back of my hand, giving me a pointed look. "Actually, never mind." I slumped in my seat, annoyed. "I assume you're a Gryffindor, Miss Evans?"
"Yeah. Hang on, how did you know? Are you, like, psychic? Can you tell me which house is going to win the Quidditch Cup this year?"
"You do ask a lot of questions. I'm not psychic-it was just a guess, based on your enthusiasm about my rather mundane life."
"No way! I would kill to drive-no, fly-around in a BMW all day! Of course, I would probably crash it like Mr. Weasley from the joke shop did in his second year, but that's the fun of it! The rush of crashing into the Whomping Willow... now that's what I call living life to the fulle-"
"We're here, Anika. Get out of the car." My mother tugs on my hand and I reluctantly bid the driver farewell, realising I never asked for his name.
Turning toward the boot of the car, my mother whipped out her wand, checking to see that no Muggles were watching, before whispering, "Wingardium Leviosa." My luggage floated overhead before landing neatly in a trolley. "Well, what are you staring at? Hurry!" she demanded, bustling along toward the entrance to Platform 9 and 3 quarters. Once we'd passed through the gateway, the Hogwarts Express let out a final toot, the steam engine still not changed to a more modern train. My mother groaned, sending my luggage zooming toward the compartment in which all the students' luggage was kept. She handed me a duffel bag containing all the items necessary for the train ride.
"Run, Anika! You'll miss the train!" I jumped onto the Hogwarts Express, frantically waving goodbye to my mother. She waved back, a relieved expression passing across her face as she turned and left. I hurried down the aisle, looking for my friends when someone screamed, "Taser!" from behind me, sticking their index fingers into my sides. I let out a high-pitched scream, earning me some very irritated glances from some fifth-year Ravenclaws. I turned around to see my best friend, Patrick Finch-Fletchley, laughing along with James Potter, another friend of ours.
"You idiots!" I yelled, laughing. Patrick put an arm around me, grinning. He had grown about a foot during the summer, looking lankier than ever. As usual, Patrick's golden blonde hair fell across his eyes in a Leonardo DiCaprio-style wave, his brown eyes twinkling and his already bronzed skin layered with freckles from his family's vacation in Bali. "What else are friends for?" James replied, smirking. James had always been exceptionally tall, which was why it didn't surprise me to see he had also grown quite a bit over the summer. I pushed back James' messy brown-black hair, allowing for his chocolate brown eyes to glitter in the dancing rays of sunlight.
We walked along the corridor, looking for our other friends (Konjit Kaffrey, Madeline Thomas-Finnigan and her twin brother, Matteo,) when James shared some news. "Guess what? I saw Teddy snogging Victoire." My eyes widened. "As in Teddy Tonks?"
"Yes, as in Teddy Tonks! He might as well just propose to her, he'll finally be family and they can move in with us, even though Dad thinks that's a rubbish idea-"
"HEY! ANIKA! PAT! JAMES!" I turned toward a screaming Konjit, bouncing up and down in her seat. I laughed as we filed in, taking a seat next to Konjit, who turned to play with the tangle of curls I called my hair. "They've gotten even curlier!" she remarked, laughing.
"You're one to talk, Kaffrey." Konjit, too, had out-of-control curls. Her chocolate brown hair chose to arrange itself into a tightly-knit curly mess, giving her an all-natural, never-fading perm. She'd gotten blonde highlights over the summer, which went perfectly with her dark complexion. Madeline snorted. I mock-glared at her as she flicked her sleek sandy blonde hair out of her eyes. She really did look like Seamus Finnigan, one of her dads. Her twin brother, Matteo, on the other hand, had the same curls as Dean Thomas, the twins' other dad. The twins had been born through surrogacy, which was the fact they'd introduced themselves to me with. The woman who had carried them was a very lovely Ministry official called Susan Bones.
"Well, how was your summer, Anika?" Matteo asked, boredly tapping along with the rhythm of the train on the pop-out table in the compartment. "Well, we visited the Evans property, and Grandma Evans finally told me the story of my dad's adoption."
"Well, what did they tell you?" Madeline asked, leaning in excitedly.
"Apparently, the Evans took him in since his mother, an Indian villager, died giving birth to him. The father had abandoned them. My grandparents felt the magic inside him, so they adopted him."
"So your biological grandfather just left the woman he got pregnant? That's real low," Konjit remarked. "Exactly! I mean, what kind of guy just leaves his pregnant girl in the dust like that?" Patrick added. James nodded in agreement, somehow deep in thought. Knowing James, he was probably busy thinking about how to ridicule Teddy for sucking face with Victoire on the train.
"Anything from the trolley, dears?"
"I'll have two chocolate frogs and a pumpkin pasty, thanks." I handed the Trolley Witch my money.
"A packet of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavoured Beans. And please send down a packet of licorice snaps for my brother, Albus." James handed over his cash, smirking. "He has no idea they bite." Typical James, pranking his little brother before the poor bloke had even attended the Sorting Ceremony.
"Two chocolate frogs for us," the twins echoed, taking out their money.
"I'll take two pumpkin pasties," Konjit added, counting her coins.
"Pat?" I asked. "Nothing for me, thanks," he replied. "I'm saving up for a broom."
I nodded as we collected our food from the Trolley Witch, Patrick biting into my pumpkin pasty before I could object. I rolled my eyes, popping a Chocolate Frog into my mouth without a moment of hesitation. Opening up the packet, I pulled out the trading card, seeing a picture of James' father, Harry Potter, as a teenager plastered onto the front. Harry stopped to shrug before walking off, looking worried. The card read:
Arguably the most famous wizard of our time, Harry James Potter defeated Lord Voldemort at age 17, having spent his years at Hogwarts uncovering secrets about him with Porffessor Albus Dumbledore. Harry embarked on a quest with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, as a 7th-year at Hogwarts to search for Horcruxes, items containing part of Lord Voldemort's soul. His most notable achievements are: killing Voldemort, forming Dumbledore's Army, winning the Triwizard Tournament, conjuring a full-bodied Patronus in his third year and finding the Chamber of Secrets, killing the Basilisk in his second year.
FUN FACT: Harry Potter was a talented Quidditch player, being made Gryffindor house's Seeker in his first year at Hogwarts.
Seeing all the things Mr. Potter had achieved for the thousandth time made me think: what had I ever done that was so special? Apart from playing Chaser on the Quidditch team two years in a row (first years were now allowed to try out on Headmistress McGonagall's orders) I had barely done anything commendable. I'd never been the Chosen One. The one to touch a large group of people and change lives.
Oh, how I wished that I could save the world.
"-of course not, he's far too smart for that." I turned my attention back toward the conversation. James and Matteo were deliberating over some prank they intended to play on Professor Longbottom when we got to Hogwarts. Of course, I wanted in. "Mum said Professor Longbottom passed out after hearing a baby Mandrake's cry in a Herbology lesson. We could try to re-enact that scene..."
James turned toward me, intrigued. "How do we do it, An?"
"Well, first off, we have to steal Professor Longbottom's earmuffs right before the Herbology lesson on Mandrakes-you know, the recap at the start of the third year where we ave to tend to the Mandrakes. Then, we'll use that penknife your dad gave you for Christmas to cut holes in the earmuffs and cover those holes with some black cloth. We stick the cloth to the earmuffs, and put the earmuffs where we found them before Professor Longbottom shows up, and the moment he pulls out the baby Mandrake from its pot, voila."
Patrick whistled appreciatively, clapping my back. "And that, my friends, is Anika Evans." James frowned, seeming to have found some fault in the plan. We all stared at him cluelessly, urging him to say something.
"I love this plan, I really do, but the only thing is, we've gotta be careful with that penknife. You know how my dad's godfather, Sirius, gave him that pen..." I nodded, knowing that Sirius Black, the man whose name was James' middle name, had lost his life defending Mr. Potter. Of course Mr. Potter wouldn't want a present gifted to him by someone so important to him destroyed.
"Don't worry, James. We'll be super careful. Besides, we all know how to use Reparo." Catching sight of James' horrfied expression, I rushed to add, "Not that we're going to need it." James' smirk returned as he leant across the compartment to fist-bump me. "You are a mastermind, An. You'd make a great Slytherin."
"Shut up!" I laughed, James making a hissing noise. "Well, my brother Al is definitely going to Slytherin. You should see how tidy his room is." Madeline snorted, turning to look at James. "Well, I'm sure your room is a dumpster."
I considered Madeline's perfect side profile enviously, thinking about how my own nose had a noticeable hook. Jealous, just like a Slytherin. I shook the thought out of my head. I was perfect, just as I was. My nose wasn't ugly-it was beautiful and imposing. Just like my mother's. Groaning internally, I turned my thoughts away from my insecurities, punching Patrick in the arm as he finished off my Pumpkin Pasty.
"It was going cold!" he complained before moving into my Chocolate Frog, downing the whole thing in one bite. "Patrick!" I groaned as Konjit let out a mirthless laugh. "What? I've gotta eat, or I'll stop growing!"
"You're tall enough, Pat!"
He chuckled, flicking his hair out of his eyes as he put his arm back around me. "It's okay, An. We can't all be perfect."
Scoffing, I shrugged his arm off of my shoulders, earning me a pout. A knock at the door told us that it was time to change into our robes. We all headed to the change rooms, filing into the cubicles before the first-years could barge in before us. Pulling on my skirt, I worked my hair into two thick braids, attempting to hide the hook in my nose with some loose strands of hair. When had I become so self-conscious? It must've come with meeting my father's incredibly vain adoptive family.
Setting out confidently, I power-walked back toward the compartment, only to find that the train had come to a halt. Patrick handed me my duffel bag, unzipping it as I thrust my clothes inside. Taking my hand, he pulled me along with him, clearing through the swarm of first-years. We hopped out onto the platform, hurrying onto a carriage where our friends had already sat themselves down. We sat in silence for once, enjoying the new ride up to the castle. We arrived within moments, led up the stairs by Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher. The Great Hall looked grand as always, candles soaring high above our heads, the midnight-blue sky spattered with stars.
We took our seats the Gryffindor table as the first-years filed into the Great Hall, eyeing the area with a nervous curiosity that could only be described as anticipation. Headmistress McGonagall, sitting in the middle of the faculty table, beamed at the first years, a stern warning behind her smile. Professor Chang, the Transfiguration teacher, took her place beside the stool on which the Sorting Hat rested. "Welcome, first years, to Hogwarts. Before you can be seated, you'll be sorted into your Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor-" Our table began to cheer wildly, my voice the loudest as usual. Professor Chang shot a glare toward us, silencing everyone.
"Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Your house will be your family here at Hogwarts-win together, lose together. Remember our discussion about house points and Quidditch teams earlier. Well, without further ado, the Sorting Hat's song!"
The room burst out in cheers as the Sorting Hat began to sing.
"I've done this job for centuries,
On every student's head I've sat,
Of thoughts I take inventories,
For I'm the famous Sorting Hat.
I've sorted high, I've sorted low,
I've done the job through thick and thin,
So put me on and you will know,
Which house you should be in..." (taken from The Cursed Child)
The room burst out in raucous applause when the Sorting Hat boomed, "Rose Granger-Weasley!"
A bushy-haired girl stepped forward and I recognised her as the Minister of Magic's daughter. She took a deep breath as Professor Chang placed the hat on her head. Almost immediately, the Sorting Hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!" I rose to my feet, a little too excited for our house's newest addition. To be fair, most of my house shared my energy, applauding a flustered Rose. "Scorpius Malfoy." A blonde boy with glasses took his place on the stool, his pallid face suddenly flushed with colour. Draco Malfoy's son. "SLYTHERIN!" Scorpius smiled nervously as the Slytherins cheered for him as loudly as they could.
"Albus Severus Potter."
Murmurs spread through the Great Hall. James smirked at Albus, shooting him a thumbs-up. "Guys, make room for my br-"
"SLYTHERIN!"
James' eyes widened as Slytherin cheered even louder, loud enough to shatter the walls of the Great Hall. "A Potter in Slytherin?" Whispers spread like wildfire, all eyes on poor Albus as he made his way to the Slytherin table, where Scorpius earnestly patted a spot next to him. "Well, James, you should definitely take Divination next year," Patrick whispered. "You've got the Sight!" James did not respond. Instead, he stared blankly at his younger brother, who seemed to be on the verge of tears.
I thought back to two years ago, when I had been sorted, remembering how I had sat on that stool for about 6 minutes, the Sorting Hat arguing between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I remembered the solitary tear that had gathered by my eye as I had pushed my every thought toward my longing to be placed in Gryffindor. After the most agonizing tenth of an hour of my life, the hat had called, "GRYFFINDOR!" I'd been famous as the first-year Hatstall. I'd never told anyone, save for Pat, that the hat had been deciding between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The words of the hat the moment it had been placed on my head resonated in my head: The heart of a lion and the mind of a snake. Where to put such a divided student?
The smell of roast chicken drumsticks greeted my nose, snapping me back to reality. "You okay?" Patrick asked, putting two drumsticks on my plate for me. "They were nearly finished."
"I'm fine," I replied. "Thanks, Pat." I loaded my plate with some gravy when I felt someone tapping my shoulder. Oh-hello. Rose, right?" Rose nodded, grinning. "Yeah. I sat by you because I heard you were a Chaser. And in both your first and second year, too!" I smiled at Rose. "Well, I was never much good at anything, save for flying, Defence Against the Dark Arts and, well, Charms." Rose's eyes widened. "Flying and Defence Against the Dark Arts! Just like Uncle Harry!"
I let out a laugh. "Well, I am one-of-a-kind, if that's what you mean."
"Do you have any tips for acing those three classes?" Rose asked. For a first-year, she was surprisingly outgoing.
"Well, just pay close attention to the intonations in Charms, and constantly practice the wand movements. I was really restless, so I would just lie in bed, practicing my swishes and flicks until I fell asleep. And, well, I guess it's just a matter of will in Defence Against The Dark Arts and determination in Flying. You should ask my friend, Patrick, if you want help with anything else-he was the top of our year last year!" Rose gasped, tapping Patrick's shoulder from behind my back.
"Hey, I heard you were the top of your yea-"
The food disappeared and we all turned to the front, where Headmistress McGonagall stood, ready to address everyone. "Quiet, please."
"Welcome, or welcome back, to Hogwarts. I turst that you all had a lovely break, and that you were able to rest and rejuvenate. As we begin yet another year here at Hogwarts, I advise you all to engage fully with all of your classes and explore the many extracurriculars we offer. The wizarding exchange program is now open for students in the fourth year and above. Professor Hagrid once again offers the Magizoology Club to all students. This year, he will be starting off with Hippogriffs."
Excited whispers flooded the room. I smiled up at Professor Hagrid, knowing that I would be returning as one of the (unfortunately) few members of the Magizoology Club-the idea fascinated many, but most weren't brave enough to sign up. He returned my smile with a wink, his greying, bushy hair sticking up as always.
"The Duelling Club, supervised by Professor Chang, is always looking for new, talented recruits! Third-years and above may apply to join. Please note, you need a letter of recommendation from Professor Flitwick for admittance. Quidditch trials will be held soon. Your captains are as follow: Fred Weasley for Gryffindor, Teresa Macmillan-Abbot for Hufflepuff, Angel Zabini for Ravenclaw and Maverick Davies for Slytherin. First-years may try out on recommendation from myself or, as an addition this year, Madam Hooch. Unfortunately, I cannot cover every opportunity available to you during this address. Please keep your eyes and ears open for more information on extracurriculars.
"With that being said, I'll let you all off to your common rooms. First years, please follow your Prefects. Have a lovely first night."
The room burst into applause as first-years were led from the room by the Prefects. Patrick let out a deep breath once Rose was gone. "Gosh, that one's going to be a handful for her year. Already looking to get ahead!" I laughed as we rose from our seats, Patrick once again placing his arm around my shoulders. Of course, second-years desperate for gossip stared, but I didn't pay them any heed. It had always been like this-Patrick's arm around my shoulders, my head falling into the nook between his shoulder and jawline when we were relaxing in the common room. We were best friends, and something told me we always would be best friends.
And so began my third year at Hogwarts.
I prayed it would be a good one.
Hey readers!
I'm so glad you stopped by to read Another Chosen One! If you've seen my profile, you'll see that I am an avid Potterhead and that I love to write fanfics. Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter and are excited to read on about Anika's second year at Hogwarts! I began writing this ancfiction after reading many HP fanfics and feeling that there was a lack of Asian representation. That's when I thought of Anika and started writing.
Please like, comment and add this book to your reading list-it would mean a lot!