Chapter 3.
A month later, on 1st September, Magnolia and Harry were stood in Kings Cross Station looking at their tickets in confusion. The tickets clearly said platform 9 ¾, but as Uncle Vernon had so happily pointed out, there didn't seem to be a platform 9 ¾. Magnolia stood with their trolleys holding their trunks, Hedwig and Kaida in their respective cages whilst Harry asked a guard.
"That didn't go well." Harry said sheepishly as he returned. "He's never even heard of Hogwarts. What do we do now?"
As Magnolia was beginning to contemplate getting her wand out and waving it around like Hagrid did with the wall to get into Diagon Alley, a large family walked past them, all of them had hair similar to Magnolia's own red hair. And one of the children had an owl.
"It's the same every year," The elder lady said, "Packed with Muggles of course."
Magnolia hit Harry's arm to get his attention and pointed at the family as the eldest looking boy walked towards the wall between platform 9 and 10. She hit her brothers arm again, this time in excitement, as the boy disappeared through the wall. Magnolia pushed her trolley over to the family as two of the boys, obviously twins, were speaking to the elder lady.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George. Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother."
Magnolia looked between the two twins; they were practically identical in every way. Magnolia wondered, if her parents were still alive, would her and Harry be being dropped off to the Hogwarts Express by them like these children? Playfully talking to each other and joking with each other. The twins, who their mother had actually got the right way round, had disappeared through the wall now too.
"Excuse me." Harry had approached the family and was talking to the mother who introduced him to her son, Ron who was in the same year as Harry and Magnolia.
The fire haired lady looked at them warmly, explaining how to get through to platform 9 ¾ with a motherly tone. Magnolia looked at the wall, just run through, easy enough, just run through. She stepped ahead of Harry who still seemed dubious and smiled at him before pushing her trolley towards the wall hoping, mainly for Kaida's sake that she'd go through.
Magnolia closed her eyes and braced herself for the hit just before she got to the wall, but instead she felt a small draft and suddenly, all around her she could hear children's voices. Opening her eyes, Magnolia looked on in amazement at the train stood in front of her. She'd made it.
After Harry made it through the barrier, the pair set off down the platform trying to find an empty carriage. They walked past so many people; some saying goodbye to relatives on the platform, some hanging out of the train's windows, some were showing friends things they'd brought from home. When the twins eventually found an empty compartment, they put Kaida and Hedwig into the compartment and went back to get their trunks. Harry tried to lift his trunk onto the train but dropped it twice onto his foot and wouldn't let Magnolia help.
"Want a hand, fair maiden?"
Magnolia turned to see one of the red-haired twins walking towards her.
"Please, my brother has tried but our trunks are so heavy." Magnolia smiled in reply to the kind boy.
"Oi Fred! Come here and help!" The boy shouted for his twin, "I'm George by the way."
"Magnolia." She replied, as his brother ran up to them and lifted Harry's trunk onto the train and into the compartment.
George took Magnolia's trunk for her, placing it next to Harry's in their compartment.
"What's that?" Fred asked, interrupting Harry's thanks for the help, pointing at Harry's forehead.
"Blimey. Are you-?" George gasped.
"He is. Aren't you?" Fred replied, looking from his brother to Magnolia's.
"What?" Harry asked, confused.
Magnolia knew where this was going though. This was the beginning of Harry's fame at Hogwarts.
"Harry Potter. He's Harry Potter." Magnolia replied, sounding too bitter for her liking.
As the twins gawped at Harry, Magnolia made a mental note to not act so bitterly towards her brother for this. It wasn't Harry's fault that he was well known, and Magnolia wasn't known at all.
"But- then, who are you? You said he was your brother." George asked Magnolia.
Magnolia felt herself go bright red in that moment. No, she was right. She would definitely treat Harry better, she was already blushing at the attention, and this was one person. Harry couldn't enjoy this at all. Magnolia was about to answer, but a voice floated through the train's door, the voice of the boy's mother calling them.
The twins left quickly, glancing once more at Magnolia and Harry before though. Magnolia flopped into the seat as Harry shut the door to the compartment and let Kaida out of her carrier. The part Kneazle kitten immediately crawled onto Magnolia's lap and curled up, promptly falling back to sleep as Magnolia stroked her. The train started moving shortly after that, so Magnolia got comfy for what she imagined would be a long ride.
"Anyone sitting here?"
Magnolia glanced up to see another of the red-haired children, Ron, at the compartment door. As Harry replied, Ron came in and sat down, staring at Harry's forehead and quickly out of the window when he noticed Magnolia watching him. The three sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while after that. Magnolia was starting to think that maybe she should say something, anything, to end the silence but was beaten to it when Ron seemed to explode.
"AreyoureallyHarryPotter?"
He spoke so fast, Magnolia imagined he must have been having an internal battle about whether to ask or not. Next to her she saw Harry nod with a small smile, he must have been thinking the same as Magnolia who was trying not to laugh at the outburst. Ron turned red in front of their eyes with embarrassment.
"Oh. Sorry. I thought it was just one of Fred and George's jokes. They do it all the time. I didn't realise-." Ron glanced up at Harry's forehead again. "Have you really got the... the you know."
Harry pushed his fringe back with his hand, showing Ron his lightning bolt scar. Magnolia didn't think she'd get used to people being so curious about her brother's scar, she was so used to it before and now it just meant something completely different. Now it was the scar he received from the maniac who killed her parents. It wasn't so innocent as it used to be and now it made her uneasy every time she saw it.
"This is my sister, Magnolia." Harry introduced.
"Yeah, George said you had a sister. It was weird, my mum looked so shocked I thought she was going to cry!"
After that, conversation became a lot easier for the trio. Harry asked questions about how Ron grew up; all the Weasley's were wizards so he had a very different upbringing then the twins. Especially as Ron had six siblings. Magnolia couldn't imagine what that would have been like. It had always been her and Harry, they were so close that they didn't even have to speak to know what the other was thinking or feeling. Is that what it was like for all siblings, no matter how many of you there were? Or was it a twin thing? Or was it simply because of how they'd grown up?
At lunch time, there was a knock at the compartment's door and a small older lady open it. She was pushing a trolley full of sweets like the ones Magnolia had seen in the sweet shop window in Diagon Alley. Ron look down when she came in and produced a squashed sandwich from his jacket pocket when asked if they wanted anything. Magnolia glanced at Harry, who sent her the same look and pulled a handful of coins from his pocket.
They brought a bit of everything; Magnolia and Harry feigning hunger and that they needed to try everything to know what they liked. It didn't take much coaxing from the twins before Ron agreed to share some of their sweets. Harry picked up two Chocolate Frogs, passing one to Magnolia, before asking Ron what they were. He was turning out to be very useful, Magnolia thought.
"They're not really frogs, and besides, it's the card you want."
Magnolia ripped into hers after Harry and managed to catch her frog before it got too far away. Unlike Harry who lost his frog after it jumped out the window. Magnolia giggled as Harry read his card; Albus Dumbledore. Magnolia looked over at the card, wanting to finally put a face to the name that Hagrid so respected. Then she turned back to her own and saw that she had Merlin.
"Oh! Even we've heard of Merlin!" Magnolia cried, happy for once to know something.
The three fell into an easy chat about the sweets and Ron's pet rat, Scabbers after that. Although, Magnolia wasn't sure she was very fond of the rat, when Ron told them about a spell that one of his brothers had told him about to turn the rodent yellow she leaned forward in anticipation. Sadly, they were interrupted by their compartment door opening again.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." The bushy haired girl standing their doorway asked in a bossy voice.
"Hi, nice to meet you too. I'm Maggie. Amazing to be going to Hogwarts isn't it?" Magnolia replied sarcastically as Harry put his hand on her knee to shush her.
"We've already told him we haven't." Ron replied to the girl, smirking at Magnolia.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then."
Magnolia gaped at the girl as she sat down next to Ron. Magnolia couldn't believe this rude girl, interrupting and then inviting herself into someone's compartment. Ron was saying the spell now and waved his wand, with no result. The girl frowned at Ron, before launching into her own magical attempts. God, Magnolia thought, she would not be able to stand having this know it all in class.
"I'm Hermione Granger by the way, and you are?"
Magnolia glanced at her brother and Ron's dumfounded faces before replying to Hermione herself.
"I'm Magnolia Potter, this is my brother Harry, and that's Ron Weasley." Magnolia introduced the boys, hoping that would give them time to pull themselves together.
"Are you really?" Hermione asked Harry, "I know all about you, of course. I got a few extra books, you're in a few of them."
"Are we?" Harry asked, looking at Magnolia perplexed.
"Well, you are." Hermione replied. "There isn't anything about a sister though."
Magnolia looked down to Kaida, still sleeping, in her lap. It was one thing for people to forget you, but for Harry to be written about in books and Magnolia to be completely overlooked in those as well? Magnolia was starting to wonder why this was happening at all.
"Do you know what houses you'll be in?" Hermione started talking again, "I for one hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds the best by far. I hear even Dumbledore was in Gryffindor. Anyway, I'd better go. Neville needs help looking for the toad."
Magnolia, Harry and Ron sat for a moment in silence, feeling like a tornado had just blasted through their compartment. Magnolia couldn't help but think that she wouldn't want to be in the same house as that girl. Before Magnolia could properly recover from Hermione's visit, the door opened again. This time three boys entered: two large boys and one slimmer with white blonde hair.
"Is it true?" The blonde asked, "They're saying that Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts, that must be you."
"Yes." Harry replied shortly.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle. And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron sniggered at the boys' name, causing Malfoy to look over at him with a sneer. Harry prodded Magnolia, whispering that that was the boy from the robe shop. Magnolia nodded; she recognised his voice now. No wonder Harry said he didn't seem nice.
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you two are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles and more children then they can afford." Malfoy sneered at Ron and Magnolia. "You'll soon realise that some wizarding families are better then others, don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
Malfoy stuck out his hand to Harry, obviously thinking he was doing him some favour. Harry's hand put pressure on Magnolia, keeping her sitting down and silently telling her not to say anything to the boy like she was itching to.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thanks, especially when they're rude to my sister." Harry responded, coldly.
Malfoy stared at Magnolia in shock, before seeming to pull himself together, "I'd be a bit politer if I were you Potter. Before you go the same way as your parents."
Magnolia jumped up this time, not even Harry tried to keep her down.
"Say that again Malfoy." She spat, Harry and Ron standing either side of her.
"What? Are you going to fight us?" Malfoy laughed.
"Unless you get out of here right now." Magnolia gripped her wand in her pocket and pulled it out.
Harry grasped her arm, pulling her back behind him, when he noticed she had her wand out. Magnolia might not have known how to do magic perfectly yet, but she had been reading some of her schoolbooks whilst at the Dursley's and thought she could at least send something Malfoy's way. Suddenly, Goyle yelped and threw his hand around. Magnolia looked around Harry and saw Scabbers, Ron's rat biting his hand and Kaida hissing at Crabbe who was slowly backing out the compartment.
As Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle retreated from the compartment, Magnolia crouched to Kaida who had calmed down and jumped onto Magnolia's shoulders purring. Ron was holding Scabbers who had been launched from Goyle's hand before he ran out of the compartment.
"I think he's been knocked out- oh. No, I can't believe it." Ron looked back at Harry and Magnolia laughing, "He's gone back to sleep."
*
After a boat ride over the lake and into the Castle that was led by Hagrid, the rest of Magnolia and Harry's year were waiting outside the Great Hall having just heard Professor McGonagall's welcoming speech about the houses being like family. Ron didn't seem to know how the students were sorted into houses when Harry had asked him. Magnolia worried, what if it was some sort of test? What if she had to do magic in front of the school?
The door in front of the group opened again as Professor McGonagall walked through, telling them to follow her for the Sorting Ceremony. Magnolia grasped Harry's hand, he also seemed to have trouble moving straight away. As they walked through the door though, Magnolia's mind was instantly distracted.
The Great Hall was amazing. Looking up, Magnolia saw a ceiling was the same as the night sky outside and heard the know it all Granger tell someone that the ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky outside. Magnolia rolled her eyes; anyone could've guessed that. As the group made it to the front of the Great Hall, they all stopped.
In front of them, a long table sat with who Magnolia guessed were her teachers. Yes, there was Professor Quirrell near the end watching her again, and Albus Dumbledore sat in the middle. In front of that table though, was a small stool with an old looking wizards hat sat on it. Magnolia glanced around the room, trying to figure out what they were supposed to do with it.
She gasped in fright as a large rip opened near the brim of the hat and it started singing. Magnolia looked at Harry next to her and saw that he was enthralled by the hat too. Once it stopped singing the entire room burst into applause, until Professor McGonagall stepped forward. She was holding a large roll of parchment and started to read names from it.
Each student called stepped up to the stool and sat for Professor McGonagall to place the hat on their heads. Some were incredibly quick; some barely had the hat placed on their head at all before it shouted out the House they were in. Granger was sorted into Gryffindor fairly quickly but Neville Longbottom, the boy who had lost his toad, was sorted into Gryffindor after minutes of thought from the Sorting Hat. Malfoy, of course, didn't even have the hat touch his hair before it shouted Slytherin.
Then it was Harry's turn. Magnolia squeezed his hand in encouragement as he sent her a small smile before taking his place on the stool. All around them, Magnolia could hear the whispers of the students who couldn't believe that the one and only Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts. Magnolia kept her eyes on Harry though, the hat seemed to be taking its time with him, almost deliberating. Magnolia bit her lip anxiously.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Hall seemed to erupt in cheers, much louder then for any other student, as Harry practically ran to the Gryffindor table and sat near Fred and George Weasley. He sent another smile to Magnolia, this one wasn't nervous though, this smile was encouraging. As the Hall quietened down, Magnolia took a deep breath, knowing what was coming.
"Potter, Magnolia."
Professor McGonagall's words sent gasps through the Hall, not just with students but with the teachers as well. As Magnolia walked to the stool she looked up and down the teachers table, noting the shocked and confused looks. Turning to sit down, Magnolia felt the Hat sit upon her head, but couldn't help seeing the confused faces of her school mates and hear their whispers.
"Magnolia? Did you know he had a sister?"
"I thought there was only one Potter?"
"Another Potter? I've never heard of her?"
Meanwhile, the Hat on her head had also been talking to her.
"Ah yes, Miss Potter. I must say you're much easier to place then your brother. Easy, this one."
Magnolia tensed, ready to jump off her seat and take her place back beside her brother like they had been for the past 11 years. She glanced over to Harry, who sent her a thumbs up and moved a bit on the table, making space for her. And then the Sorting Hat delivered its verdict.
"SLYTHERIN!"