☲☲☲☲⋇⋆✦⊛⋇⋆✦☲☲☲☲
"𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉, 𝑰 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆"
☲☲☲☲⋇⋆✦⊛⋇⋆✦☲☲☲☲
"May I?" Harry darted his gaze from the family, "Your bag is here. Of course, you can." He rolled his eyes whilst you chuckled sitting in front of him.
"So? How's the last month with the... old fouls?" You asked, wanting to converse more and get to know Harry. "Treated me like an invisible person." He snorted, laughing along with him. "At the end of the year, I would feel sorry for them. Just wait until you learn some spell."
"But Hagrid said it's illegal to do-"
"Outside of Hogwarts, I know, I know. But if they did something horrible, send me a letter and I'll send a myriad of hexes for you to use." Harry grinned joyously.
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest boy -- you've known as Ronald Weasley came in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to you. "Everywhere else is full."
You shook your head and Ron sat down. He glanced at Harry and you and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. The both of you saw he still had a black mark on his nose. He was too shy to speak to you because of his brothers' stunt earlier.
"Hey, Ron."
The twins were back.
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron.
"Y/N... listen I'm sorry for what Fred said earlier," George glanced at his brother before continuing, "I hope you're not mad at us?" You shook your head no with a smile. "I guess I just overreacted but no, I'm not mad." They smiled at you -- mostly Fred, thankful that you're not.
"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"Bye," said the three of you. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.
Then, Ron turned to you with a doubtful look. You raised an eyebrow, indicating that you can see his face that looks very much unsettled.
He then covers his mouth on the side and leans closer to your ear, wanting to know -- you faced your ears to him. "Are you really not mad?" You nodded, "then can you ask him if he's really Harry Potter?" You knit your brows together and moved away from him.
"If you want to ask him, ask him yourself. It's rude to talk about people secretly in front of them." You'll be honest, scolding Ron like you're Molly is the best thing. He looked back at you and Harry, being embarrassed. Whilst Harry just sat there, waiting for the question -- also patting your back inwardly.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh -- well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got -- you know..."
He glanced at you before he pointed at Harry's forehead.
Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.
"So that's where You-Know-Who -- ?"
Ron stops himself from furthering his questions as it felt like it's too insensitive of him to ask him with you.
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.
"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."
"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
You chuckled at this, earning a redness from him. "Harry, can I borrow your Magical Drafts and Potions book?" Harry answered a simple "Yeah" and went to get it from his trunk.
"Seriously Y/N? You've read that a thousand times! Even before summer!" You laughed at him -- opening the book to a chapter. "Amusing of you to think that you believe that I can remember it even after reading it a thousand times."
"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.
"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already."
The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"
"Horrible -- well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Five," you said, not looking up from the book. For some reason, he was looking gloomy.
"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."
You glanced up and half-smiled at Ron who is clearly not liking the way that he has to do great things like his older siblings.
You never had siblings that you've known of, but you know how he felt. You're under the care of the wisest wizard and the professors from Hogwarts, one of the finest schools of witchcraft and wizardry in the world.
So it is no doubt that you were to be expected to be as or much greater than them. You placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and smiled at him.
"Don't be so grim Ron, not everyone thinks you need to be like them -- nor will I not appreciate the things you accomplished just because they had done it. For example, me. Your best friend till the end of time!" You exclaimed with a big grin on your face that made the two boys in the compartment smile.
"Anyways," Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much because he went back to staring out of the window.
However, you eyed the rat warily. You never knew why, but there's something about this rat that you did not like. You thought of it as disgust but the second time you saw Ron, you went as far as to carry him in your palms.
And that suspicion did not leave your mind. You had told Ron about your apprehension towards the rat yet he would always shrug it off as an overreaction.
"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort--"
Ron gasped.
"What?" said Harry.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people--"
You gave your attention back to the two, leaving the little rat alone. You sighed at Ron's remark, feeling a little annoyed.
"Look, Ron, saying his name will do nothing. Call him You-Know-Who isn't gonna change anything either." Ron only looked at you sceptically.
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."
You agreed by nodding and continuing back to reading the book that you borrowed. It also helps to pass the time.
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?"
Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast and you who felt hungry, leapt to your feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. You and Harry went out into the corridor.
"Are you going to share with Ron?" You asked, seeing him buy lots. He nodded, counting his Sickles and Knuts. Then you remembered your promise to the twins.
"Is it okay if I buy the rest of the sweets? And is it okay if I take the trolley with me?" You almost jumped from excitement when the lady nodded. "You're going to buy... all of it?" Harry gaped at you, paying for everything and holding the trolley.
"Yes, tell Ron I'll be back in a minute. I'll just be in the twins' compartment," you gave Harry his book back.
With that, you walked off with the trolley. You were searching every compartment for the twins until you saw a girl with bushy brown hair in her Hogwarts robes already, and about the same year as you.
"Excuse me, but have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost one." You perked up at the name of Neville. "No, poor Neville. If I did I would bring him back to him." You smiled and she also smiled, with a nod following after.
"Aren't you a bit too young to be working as the trolley lady?" You let out a small 'oh' looking down back at the trolley and back at her. "I bought it and was about to go to my friends' compartment to have a little sweets feast."
"It doesn't look 'little'," she said whilst looking at the trolley. You chuckled at her -- "let me tell you, this is not half of what we eat." She also let out a small 'oh' as she turned and scanned your features before gasping.
"You're the descendant of the great Albus Dumbledore!" You smiled awkwardly before laughing it off. "Yes, I am. Y/N Dumbledore, you?" You held out a hand and she took it.
"Hermione Granger, it's nice to be your acquaintance." The both of you shook hands before letting go. "It's nothing really, I hope that you find Neville's toad." She smiled nodding, making a way for you and the trolley.
"See you at Hogwarts Granger, hope to be friends with you." You said before passing by her, "the same as you too." You then walked off to find your three friends' compartment.
As you found them, talking from the inside. You knocked softly at their door and changed your voice and said, "any off the trolley dearies?" The door swung open and there in front of you was Lee and the twins sitting in the back.
"Well, looks like the trolley lady had resigned from her position and a young princess like this takes her time to replace her," Lee said, prompting the twins to go with his escapades
"Wouldn't we be oh so disrespectful to not buy from the dashing princess' cart?" Fred stands up and leans on the door at Lee's left side.
"We would certainly be, my brother." George also stands up and leans on the other side of Lee. "All right, that would be ten Galleons for each candy-"
"WHAT!?" The three of them blurted, their eyes gouging out of their eyelids. "What? Aunt Molly said I need to save up money for the future, now I'm being responsible by getting your money and buying myself a good ol' broom," You smiled innocently as you handed them a small number of sweets. "Pay up now, come on."
You almost suffocated from prohibiting laughter as you scan their stunned expressions. "Come on now Y/N, you promised us these earlier" Fred pouted, George and Lee came after, with persuasive words that you can't help but uncross your arms at.
"Fine, you can have these for free." The three jumped in victory as they helped you move the trolley inside their compartment -- saying how they appreciate and are grateful for being friends with you.
Not long after devouring sweetened goods, chatting with the trio, and planning pranks, you went back to yours, Harry and Ron's compartment and stumbling on them talking about Bill and Charlie.
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.
"Oh yeah, he sent me a letter just a few days ago about that," you said, sitting down beside Ron again with a full stomach of honeydukes sweets.
"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault."
You and Harry stared.
"Really? What happened to them?"
"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
You steer clear of their attention, wandering off into your own world of questions. 'If someone went into a high security vault at Gringotts, surely they were there for something profitable. What? They just broke in to take a stroll? I don't think so...' your thoughts subsided as you think about what could their motives be.
"Oh wait, Y/N. Could yer, please go on by yourself for a moment and wait fer us at Madam Malkin's? I'll let Harry come with you but that would probably not be a good idea..."
"And why is that?"
"Nothing! Er- you could go and use the cart firs', we'll just wait fer another one."
Then a flash of an idea came jabbing your head. "Vault... uncle Hagrid sent me off before going to the last vault with Harry! When was it someone who broke in...?' You tried to recollect what you read before in the daily prophet.
'31st of July! The same day when we went to Gringotts! Could it be possible that Hagrid had something to do with it? I for sure somewhat heard that grandfather sent him to get it...' you were pondering whether to suspect your grandfather and Hagrid had something to do with the break-in.
'If Hagrid doesn't want me to know what he gets from whatever vault that was, how come Harry can?' You eyed Harry from the side looking away shortly, not wanting him to see.
'For sure Harry has to know what Hagrid got from the vault. I mean, he's with him the whole time for Merlin's sake.' You sighed softly in frustration, discontent with not being able to tie it down together.
"Y/N, you okay?" Ron, who is seated beside you, asks, hearing your soft sigh. "Yeah, I'm just full that's all." Ron nodded whilst you were thankful for your quick thinking.
You just now caught up on what they're talking about which is Quidditch. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again and surprised to see the trio that you didn't see earlier as you were planning to but became slothful to do so.
"Oh, hello Y/N." The blonde boy in the middle greeted you as you waved your hand, too worn to talk. "We were just about to look for you after, but it seems that we do not need to." You flipped your thumbs up, closing your eyes ready to take a short nap.
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
"Yes," said Harry.
Your eyes might seem closed, yet your ears are wide open.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."
Now, not only do your ears go mad, but your eyes went wide shot open, instantly glaring at this Malfoy friend of yours.
"Leave, if you don't have anything good to do with that voice of yours might as well shut it." Crabbe and Goyle certainly went cowardly from your voice, they always do. Draco did too but made an effort to be brave.
"Come on Y/N! You always take their side! Your mum is a Slytherin, remember!?" You scowled at his ignorant and prejudiced words, ready to slap the boy's mouth but before you could he turned back to Harry.
"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. Y/N, mostly I can help you there."
He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it, so you being enraged, you swatted it severely, not minding if it goes red.
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Harry said coolly.
Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."
Both Harry and Ron were supposed to stand up but before they could do so, a loud hit on the skin was heard throughout the compartment.
Draco was holding a hand over his left side of the face, eyes wide and startled with what you did. He did not know you could do this, and he wished he did.
Your pupils constricted as if it was ready to come out of your lids, lips tight together like it was holding a million words from coming out, fists clenched close to the point your knuckles were as white as snow.
"Never speak ill of the Weasley family. Never say that Harry would go the same way as his parents like they did unlawful stuff. And most importantly, NEVER compare my parents to a disgusting, insolent, dirty pile of people."
Crabbe and Goyle were backing up slowly, obviously scared of what would happen to them if they were to interfere. Draco was frozen to where he was standing. And Harry and Ron were stunned and amazed at what you did.
"The Weasleys are far greater than your hideous attitude and to say that they're MY family. Harry's parents and mine were such great friends as my grandfather would tell me. So if you were saying that he was off to be like his parents you were saying the same to me. And let me tell you, growing up to be them would be the most wonderful achievement we could have."
At this point Draco was trembling, his legs threatening to fail him and let him tumble on the ground.
"And uncle Hagrid... the last thing I want is for you to say awful things towards him." You were so full of resentment for the boy right now and you were not sure if you could hold it in.
"HE was the one who took care of me since I was a mere baby whenever my aunts, uncles and grandfather were busy! HE was the one who taught me how to keep my tolerance steady! So if it weren't for him, Malfoy, I would have done this a long time ago."
You can't help it. All those memories of him saying these things keep overrunning your mind and memories of how you just scolded him idiotically. You were repenting of not putting him in his place before.
So it ended up on you slapping him one more time, but this time, intenser and more furious.
Yes, he might be your friend for over a year but that does not make him have the right to speak awfully about your family and friends. No one does. So now, you fully regretted containing your anger for that year and just sodding him off like a bug.
they'd heard footsteps because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.
"What has been going on?" she said, looking back and forth from you and Malfoy.
Not answering Hermione you moved a step away from Malfoy.
"I would keep my promise to be friends with you. As tacky as it sounds I don't like broken promises. However, I would ask you to leave and don't speak to me for a while. And certainly do not show your face in front of me."
With that, he left with a hesitation in his movement, wanting to apologize yet he knows that if you wished for him to leave this instant, he needs to leave.
As you saw him walking away with his goons, a sigh flees your lips, your first coming undone from its grasp and your body flopping down the seat, too exhausted from what just happened.
The three just followed your form, not daring to speak a word.
Ron turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"They were the ones to pick a fight, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"
"All right -- I only came in here because your voices can be heard down the corridor," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"
Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered over to you, smiling as he remembers the way you also dismissed Malfoy for him.
You repaid the smile exhaustingly, trying to get yourself to stand up and get your robes. Once you did, you placed it over your clothes and the two boys did the same.
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."
"Seriously!? I can't even take a ten-minute sleep!? Do you think it's not tiring to slap someone!?" You complained and the two boys chuckled.