The Tale of One Such Person

The Tale of One Such Person

(or persons if you will)

~~ONE~~

Rachel Dartmouth sat at the back of her class in Langston Secondary School, her legs propped up on her desk, her feet crossed at the ankles, and her arms draped casually in front of her. She smirked, brushing a bit of auburn hair from her green eyes, watching as Stacey Lane gave her presentation on groundhogs. A warm June breeze swept through the classroom, making it even more stifling. Thankfully, they only had two more days of this and then school would be done.

"Can someone possibly be any more pathetic?" Rachel whispered to her good friend, Elane Bakers.

Elane snickered. "Never know, Margaret could be up there telling us a tale of her dolls."

"Simply smashing!" Rachel said sarcastically, watching as Stacey got red-faced and nervous. Mrs. Antone watched from her desk, giving Stacey an encouraging smile.

"Looks like Stacey is cocking up yet another essay," Rachel heard Michael snicker over to her left. "Though it looks like Pat is still enamored with her."

"Give over, Mike, I don't like her," Pat said, rolling his eyes. Mrs. Antone looked sharply at the back row and the four of them looked back at her with angelic eyes.

"Sure you don't," Elane said, smirking over at Pat, who just gave her a 'look'.

Rachel shut their voices from her mind, just watching Stacey. She looks like an overgrown rabbit up there, what with her big teeth and flightiness. I'm sure Michael and Pat will cook up something later, what with their constant pranking. And of course, I'm sure they'll be asking me for help. Cute but rather dozy, they don't exactly think on their own.

Finally, they were excused from class and the quartet of friends slipped out, heading home. "So, with the fake chairs, are you going to help us?" Michael asked as they walked.

Rachel looked over at him. "I'm the one that thought it up, Mike, obviously I'm going to help." She rolled her eyes.

"I was just checking."

"Oy! Dartmouth!" Rachel stopped and turned to see a short chubby boy walking down the sidewalk towards her. Stacey stood farther back. Rachel recognized the boy as the sidekick of Stacey's.

"I don't have any food, go to the local slop for that," she said coolly. Her three friends stood behind her, giving the boy cold looks.

Despite the boy's chubbiness, Rachel knew that the boy could throw a punch when needed. But she had her friends right there, and even if Mike and Pat were slow, they were strong. "You had no right in going and making Stacey nervous."

"Is it my fault that her little speech was poxy?"

"It was rude."

"Go off and play with your dowdy friends, I could care less about what you think."

"Better calm down, halfpint, before your head explodes," Michael snickered, which only made the boy's face turn redder.

"Y-You have no right!" the boy cried, flustered now.

"You've said that," Elane said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go."

The four turned, walking away, and leaving the boy standing there. Stacey walked up to him, setting a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't have to do that for me," she said quietly.

He looked at her. "It wasn't fair the way they were getting on."

Stacey smiled a little, brushing a strand of her blond hair from her blue eyes. "It happens. I'm used to it by now, Brad. There's no sense in getting narked."

Brad sighed, the red from his face disappearing. "I just don't like seeing you treated like that."

"Next year we're going to high school; it'll be better and we won't have to deal with those four. I doubt they'll even graduate."

Brad had to smile lightly. "Probably not."

"See, there we go." Stacey smiled and slung her arm around his shoulders and they began walking. "Besides, you know I could have handled them."

"Oh really," Brad arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, oh really." Stacey laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Now you've done it, messing with the hair. Better run, Stacey Lane!" Brad laughed and chased her down the sidewalk.

Meanwhile, Rachel had just parted with her friends at the gates of her home. She sighed and headed up the long walk. Pausing at the circular driveway, she looked up at her house, or rather, mansion. Her parents were very prim and strict people and never liked anything out of the ordinary. Her mother thought her fascination with animals was disgusting and her father was never happy with her grades. Rachel tried, but school just wasn't her thing. She'd rather have fun.

Entering her house, she noted the silence and headed up to her room, checking the plant she was attempting to grow. Much to her dismay, it was brown and shriveled in its pot. Yet another out the window. She sighed and dumped the dirt and plant into the trash. No green thumb, that's for sure. Changing out of her school uniform, she dressed in a black skirt and a dark purple top. Tossing her uniform into a pile on the floor, she took her books out of her bag, grabbed a pencil and paper, and headed outside to work on her homework.

She sat in the gardens at a white table and spread her books across the top. She flipped open her history book (her worst subject) and skimmed the text to find information on the Hundred Year War. She set to work, writing her essay or at least attempting to.

Unfortunately, just as she went into thought, her brother, Aaron, came bursting out the back door, running over to her. He was ten and always needed help on projects. Since their parents were never around or when they were, didn't seem to care, Aaron always came to her. Unlike how she acted with her friends, she cared a lot about her brother and took care of him. They were extremely close.

"Rach, I have to do a collage. You have any ideas?" Aaron asked, plopping down in a chair across from Rachel.

Rachel looked up at her brother. "What's the collage for?"

"Art."

Her favorite subject. Rachel smiled. "Alright, what do you have so far?"

"This." Aaron held up a big blank white sheet.

Rachel laughed. "There's nothing there."

"Exactly. Help?"

"Okay, okay, why don't you go up to my room and get my box of art magazines from my closet. You can cut pictures out of there."

"Really?!" Aaron jumped up, grinning. "Brilliant!" He raced back into the house and Rachel smiled, looking back at her essay and continuing to write.

Down the street, where the houses were smaller, and the families larger, was where Stacey lived. Currently, she was sitting on the swing in her back yard, humming softly and holding her doll. The doll's name was Elizabeth and was very special because Stacey's grandmother had given it to her before she died. Stacey wasn't good at a lot of things, she didn't many friends, but she liked reading and writing. Her family was very close and supportive, quite an endeavor actually because she had three older brothers and a younger sister. Everyone always wondered why she didn't make friends easily, since all her brothers had had no problem. But she just wasn't a people person and she definitely did not like speaking in front of people. That afternoon in school had been humiliating, what with the Fearsome Four as a lot of people called them. She hated that she couldn't stick up for herself and that Brad had been the one to go after them. Why couldn't she, for once, be brave?

Though she may appear to be sweet and a push over, she wasn't, not at all. What with growing up with three brothers, she had learned the rules of engagement. She had lied when needed and if she wanted something, she did what she had to get it. Her parents were oblivious to that side of her nature, and she didn't really want them to know about it. They were both proud of her with what she had accomplished and they had in their mind the image of the perfect daughter. So she tried to fit that and if she had to do some smooth talking to keep that image for her parents, then she did.

She heard a noise and turned, looking around the back yard, but didn't see anything. Then, suddenly, an owl swooped down towards her. She shrieked, tumbling back out of her swing and barely caught Elizabeth before the doll hit the dirt. Her feet still lying on the swing, she stared up at the owl which had perched by her feet. She stared as it stuck out its leg. Something was tied on it.

"Oh! Look at the pretty birdy!" Stacey looked over to see her six year old sister, Diane, running towards the swing and the owl.

"Don't touch it, Diane!"

Diane froze, looking at Stacey. "But its got something on its leg."

"Be careful." Stacey slid her feet off the swing. "Strange, an owl in daylight. I thought they were night birds." The owl stuck its leg out, looking very impatient. Stacey slowly reached towards its leg, untying the letter. The owl flew off and Stacey just watched.

"What's that?" Diane walked over, taking the letter from Stacey. "It's for you." She handed it back to Stacey.

"Who would write me and have an owl deliver it?"

"Open it! Open it!" Diane bounced up and down in excitement, her pigtails rising and falling with her. She loved reading mail.

Stacey flipped the letter over and a confused look came upon her face as she read it. Her lips moved silently as she read. "Back yard? What sort of address is that?" She looked at the backside of the envelope, running a finger over the wax seal. "Who does wax seals anymore?"

"What's it say? What's it say?" Diana asked excitedly next to Stacey.

"Let's see." Stacey broke the seal and pulled out the letter. She read over it and it only made her more confused. "This doesn't make sense. It says I've been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But I'm not a witch and I certainly don't know magic."

"Ooh! Magic! Wicked!" Diane was bouncing in excitement. "Let's tell mummy and daddy!"

"Tell mummy and daddy what?" a voice said behind them.

Stacey and Diane turned to see their mother, Charlotte, standing there, with a smile on her face. "Nothing, Mum," Stacey said, hiding the letter.

"Mummy! Stacey gots to go to a wizard school!" Diane cried, running into her mother's arms.

"A what?"

"Thanks for keeping that a secret," Stacey muttered and looked at Charlotte. "It's just some joke, it's nothing."

"Let me see."

Stacey sighed and handed the letter to her mother. Much to her surprise, her mother just nodded. "Come with me, Stacey." Stacey followed.

At another place in Langston, Rachel received the exact same letter, except addressed to her. Aaron hadn't come back from the house yet and Rachel had just been working on her essay when the owl landed on the table. She was surprised, naturally, but took the letter, reading it.

Unlike Stacey, her mother wasn't around to help and so Rachel just shoved the letter into a book, not really caring. She figured it was just one of Aaron's pranks. He had learned from the best, of course, but she had already done the letter tied to a bird's claw.

Aaron came out a few minutes later with pictures and Rachel looked at him. "Aaron, did you send me a letter attached to an owl's leg?"

Aaron shook his head. "I already did that earlier this month. You said never to repeat tricks, because they get old."

Rachel smiled. "That I did. To your project then. Did you find pictures?"

He grinned. "Tons!" He set the pile of pictures down.

"Brill. Let's start then." Rachel slid her chair over, her essay forgotten as she helped her brother with his collage.

Later that evening, Rachel and Aaron sat alone at the long dining table, eating dinner. Their parents were never around and so they always resorted to each other to have fun and to pass the time. "This is what I got earlier," Rachel said, tossing Aaron the letter.

He looked at it and then up at her. "You reckon it's a joke?"

Rachel shrugged. "What else would it be? It can't be true. It talks about witchcraft, and I know that's not real."

Aaron was looking over the letter. "It says to go to the Leaky Cauldron, like I know where that is." He suddenly looked surprised. "Would you look at that, it just gave me a map. It's right by that joke shop in South London on Market Street."

"Are you serious about checking this out?"

Aaron looked at her. "We don't have school tomorrow, Mum and Dad won't be around, the nanny's too daft to know we're gone. And you know none of our friends ever want to come over here. So why don't we go? We can catch the tube in the morning."

"I guess. At least it would give us an excuse to go to London. I'm sure there's something interesting there."

Aaron nodded, grinning. "Wicked. I can't wait!" He stood, tossing her the letter and ran out. Rachel sat back, looking at the letter, and then the list of supplies. It's not real, but it's an adventure none the less.

Stacey, however, had just received the biggest shock of her lifetime. Her mother had taken her into the parlor and told her that she was a witch and that it had been very likely that Stacey or Diane could have that blood. After getting over the initial shock, Stacey felt her excitement build. A witch! Magic! Bloody brilliant!

"So you mean, I can do magic and all that?" Stacey's eyes were wide and she was grinning.

Charlotte laughed. "Yes, Stacey."

Then Stacey looked at her curiously. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because we didn't know for sure and I didn't want to get your hopes up."

Stacey nodded and then looked back at her letter, literally shaking with excitement. "Where do we get all this?"

"We'll go into London tomorrow and to Diagon Alley. It's a place full of wizarding shops. You'll find everything you need there."

"I can't wait!" Stacey hugged her mom and then ran up to her room, flopping onto her bed and looking at the list. She grinned, rolling onto her back, closing her eyes. This will be so much better than going to high school! And best of all, I won't have to put up with Rachel and all her nasty friends.

***

The following day, four people headed to Diagon Alley. Rachel and Aaron had managed to catch the tube and stood in front of the decrepit building that was supposed to be the Leaky Cauldron. Rachel looked up at the sign, seeing that it, indeed, read 'The Leaky Cauldron', though Aaron couldn't see it. So she took his hand, opened the door, and entered.

A few minutes later, Stacey and her mom arrived, heading into the Leaky Cauldron and immediately to the back courtyard, opening the entrance to Diagon Alley. Stacey looked around, fascinated, and the look didn't fade as she purchased her things.

Rachel and Aaron, however, were still stuck in the Leaky Cauldron. "This has to be a joke," Rachel muttered, looking around at the people dressed up in robes.

"Getting' supplies for Hogwarts?" a friendly voice asked and they turned to see an older man smiling at them from behind the bar.

"Yeah, sure." Just play along and we can leave, Rachel thought.

"Then you both be needin' to go to Diagon Alley."

"You know, I forgot exactly how to get there, can you show me?" Rachel asked, forcing herself not to be sarcastic.

"Of course! Anythin' to help." The man smiled another nearly toothless smile and stepped out from behind the bar. He led them to the back courtyard with overgrown weeds and a brick wall.

"There's nothing but -" Aaron began but Rachel elbowed him and he shut up.

They watched as the man pulled out a stick and tapped the bricks in a pattern. Suddenly, the bricks began moving and they stared, open-mouthed as it revealed a long alley full of robed people and shops, all the way down to a tall Roman looking building.

"There you be. If you be needin' anything else, just ask me, I'm Tom." The man patted them on the shoulders and went back into the pub.

"Did you see what I -"

"Blimey, the wall just moved like -"

"I know! I can't -" Rachel and Aaron stared at each other.

"Should we go in?" Aaron asked.

"I guess we can." Rachel took a cautious step out onto the walkway and Aaron followed. They heard a noise and spun to see the bricks closing up.

"How are we going to get back?" Aaron looked around nervously.

"We'll ask when it comes to that."

"So what do we do now?"

"Look around."

"Wasn't there a list with that letter?"

"What of it?"

"Why don't we buy the things on it."

"First, we don't have any money. Second, why buy things we're never going to use? And third, we have no money. Did I mention we have no money?" Rachel looked at him, rolling her eyes.

"You have to use those things for school."

"I'm not going to some stupid school, Aaron. It's just a joke."

"Then this is a pretty good joke," Aaron said, looking around at the alley as they began walking.

Rachel didn't know what was going on, but she managed to keep a cool and calm face. She heard people talking about Hogwarts and newts and cauldron sizes as they walked by and she began to think they were in some sort of dream. Either that or a mad house. What were these people, witches?

Then she saw something that made her stomach churn. A man walked by with a jar full of wriggling things with eyeballs and Rachel nearly lost her cool, and her breakfast.

"Wicked!" Aaron cried, running up to the man. "What are those?"

"One eyed newts. Good for brewing in potions," the man said.

"Can I hold one?"

"Aaron, no," Rachel grabbed Aaron's hand, dragging him away. "Don't touch anything!" As she was pulling Aaron away, she bumped into someone. Turning around to apologize, her mouth nearly dropped open. There stood Stacey with her mother. "What are you doing here?"

Stacey made a conscious effort not to groan. Of all people to run into...why did it have to be when she was so happy? "I should say the same thing."

Rachel smiled sweetly at Stacey's mother. Might as well milk this for all it was worth. "We got lost, could you help us please?"

Charlotte smiled. "Of course. Stacey's here buying her school things. Are you going as well?"

Rachel nodded, slinging an arm around her brother. "I am, and my brother here is just coming with me right now."

"You're welcome to join us. Did you get your money out of your vault?"

"I don't have a vault. We don't have this sort of money."

"Oh, poor dear," Charlotte simpered. "We've got more than enough right now. Why don't you come with us and we'll get your things." She began walking and the three kids followed.

Rachel just smirked at Stacey who glared and turned away. "That's one way to get that stuff," Rachel muttered to Aaron, who snickered.

"That's the best way."

Stacey was walking with her mother up ahead of them. Charlotte looked at Stacey. "How come you've never mentioned this girl before, Stacey? She seems like a sweet thing."

"Mum, that's Rachel Dartmouth, one of those four kids that always pick on me."

"Oh, she doesn't seem that bad. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding."

"Then it was nine years of that," Stacey muttered, throwing a glare back at the smug looking Rachel. "Why do they have to come with us? Her brother's just as horrible."

"Now, Stacey," Charlotte gave Stacey a stern look. "You know I believe in second chances and when these two might have been mean to you, they obviously are not right now. Maybe they've changed, maybe not, but I'm not going to leave them stranded in the wizarding world. From the looks on their faces, they've never even heard of it."

"But I hadn't until you told me."

"That is true, but you have me with you here. They don't have anyone."

Stacey sighed and crossed her arms, none too happy. "Fine."

Charlotte turned to Rachel and Aaron. "We've purchased all of Stacey's things, so why don't we start with robes for you and go from there."

Rachel shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Charlotte smiled and they followed her to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Moments later, Rachel came out with packages that contained her school robes. Looks like I have costumes now, she smirked inwardly.

Buying everything else was a breeze and when they entered the book shop, which was last on the list, Rachel actually smiled. She loved books, especially if they were on art. She walked around, looking at all of the books and actually found some very interesting books. She took a book called How to Make Your Paintings Move and flipped through it. She nearly dropped it in shock when she saw a painting of a man and his daughter and they were moving. The little girl waved up at her from the floor and she just stared.

"All wizarding pictures move like that," Charlotte said and Rachel looked at her.

"So this isn't a joke?"

Charlotte laughed, shaking her head. "I'm afraid not. This is all very real."

And for the first time since they had arrived in Diagon Alley, Rachel believed it. She stared down at the picture. Real. It's real. What do I do? "So - I'm really going to that school?" Rachel asked, swallowing.

"If your parents agree, then yes."

"That won't be a problem; they hardly notice I'm there anyways," she muttered, bending down and picking the book up, placing it back on the shelf. "So what do I do now?"

"Go home, get some rest," Charlotte smiled. "On September 1^st, I'll pick you up at your house to take you to Kings Cross."

"Okay," Rachel managed a smile but was feeling quite nervous. I'll wake up any minute now. It's all a dream, it's all a dream.

"Stacey," Charlotte called and Stacey walked over. "I want you to stick with Rachel on the train. She doesn't know the wizarding world at all and you can help her."

"Of course, Mum," Stacey said, smiling. When Charlotte turned away, Stacey glared at Rachel. "Better hope I don't leave you on the platform." She turned, walking away and Rachel had to smirk.

"Better hope I don't make your life a living hell," she snickered, not at all intimidated by Stacey. Rachel had been in enough foreign places to know how to get around, even if she didn't know the place. This would be no different.

"So you're going?" Aaron asked and Rachel looked at him.

"I'll go to King's Cross, but I hardly believe there's going to be a train there waiting to whisk me off to some wizard school," Rachel said nonchalantly, but inside, she knew that there was a good chance this was true and she'd be leaving.

"But what if it's not a joke, Rach. What if you really go to that school?" Aaron looked worried. "What's going to happen to me? And all of our pranks?"

Rachel ruffled his hair, smiling. "It'll be fine, you'll see."

"If you say so," but Aaron didn't look convinced. He was silent as they left with Charlotte and Stacey.

***

When they had returned from Diagon Alley, Rachel and Aaron had easily slipped back into the house. Their nanny, Martha, had never even realized that they had left. A few days later, a special visitor arrived at Rachel's home. Aaron was at his friend's house and therefore Rachel had the house to herself. She was currently lying on the front lawn, flipping through a book when a man in a black business suit strode up the front walk. She looked at him curiously. For one, he was wearing a suit, and for two, it was extremely hot outside. This guy's a real winner, she thought with a smirk as he dabbed his balding head with a handkerchief. The man spotted her and walked over.

"Hello, are you Rachel Dartmouth?" he asked, his voice a little squeaky.

"Depends on who's asking." She stood. "Why?"

"Are your parents home?"

"They never are."

"Oh," the man looked startled. "Well then, um, I'm here from the Muggle Entrance Division of the Ministry of Magic. We come to talk to pending Hogwarts students and their parents to help ease the worry and answer any questions."

"I don't care. It's all one big joke anyways," Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Oh, oh, you're quite mistaken, Ms. Dartmouth, this isn't a joke. You will be attending Hogwarts in the fall."

"Look, whoever you are, I've already been in this wizarding world of yours, seen Diagon Alley and I could really care less. I've got an adult that's taking me to King's Cross and yes, she's a witch." Right, whatever. But whatever makes this guy go away, he's weird. "So I know what I have to know, and you can go on to whatever you were doing."

"It's not quite that simple. We have to make sure you know at least about Hogwarts."

"If I have questions, I'll ask the adult."

"And who is this adult?"

"Mrs. Lane, alright? She lives right down the road."

"Oh, oh, I know of her, yes, yes, her mother was part of the Ministry. Alright, very well then. I will speak to her to make sure she gives you everything you need." The man looked shaken now that this eleven year-old obviously had no respect for authority and seemed to outturn him every time. He walked back down the walk, disappearing a short while later.

Rachel just rolled her eyes, returning to her book, shoving what the man had said to the back of her mind, not really caring.

***

On the eve of September 1^st, Rachel stood in her room, packing all of her things into the trunk Charlotte had let her have. Her parents had come back for a few days but had left a few weeks ago to Vienna.

She heard a knock on her door and looked over to see Aaron stepping inside. "Rach..." he said quietly.

"Look, if I really go to this school, then I promise to write you every day, okay? And I'll be home for the holidays."

"But it's going to be so boring around here."

"Go stay with your friends. I don't think Martha will notice, much less care."

Aaron slipped his hands into his pockets, shrugging lightly. He toed the floor, not looking at her. She thought she could see some blush on his cheeks. "But I like spending time with you. I'll miss you."

Rachel smiled. "You'll be fine, tough guy."

Aaron looked at her. "You'll write, all the time?"

"Promise."

"Okay." He slipped out, closing the door and she sat down on her bed, looking at her packed trunk. She hadn't told her friends where she was going. She knew they wouldn't believe her. Though Mike and Pat were gone on some trip and Elaine had come down with the flu, so she hadn't seen much of them lately.

She played with a strand of her hair, thinking. This new school. That means I have to make new friends. And that's hard for me. I got lucky with the three I have right now and sure, everyone in our year is intimidated by us. But that's not friendship. I'm no good at the friend thing. It's one thing to go to another country where I still have my parents and Aaron with me. It's another thing to go to a completely new place with no one that I know. Stacey doesn't count. I wouldn't be friends with that over-achiever if my life depended on it.

She lay back on her bed, closing her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Stacey lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, with similar thoughts running through her head. I was so excited to go to a new school with no one I knew so that I could start over. And here comes Rachel to ruin it, as usual. Why is it whenever something good happens to me, she's there to ruin it? Like that art project we had to do and she and I had to work together. I had worked really hard on it only to find out she turned in something else to the teacher, telling her that I had done nothing. It's not my fault Rachel's the teacher's pet half the time. She sure knows how to coax people into believing what she wants them to believe. All I'm seen as is the quiet shy girl that doesn't have any friends.

She had spoken to Brad a few weeks back and told him that she was transferring. It had been a hard goodbye, but she told him she'd write. He was her only true friend. Tomorrow she'd be leaving for a while but at least she'd be back for Christmas. It would be hard to be away from her family, but she'd make new friends and hopefully that would help.

A knock on the door made her look towards it. Moments later, her father stepped inside. He smiled, walking over and sitting on her bed.

"How's my little girl doing?" he asked.

"Good, Dad, but I'm not that little."

He laughed. "I know, but you'll always be my little girl. Are you excited about going to Hogwarts?"

Stacey nodded. "It's going to be exciting!"

He grinned. "I hope so. When your mother told me she was a witch, I had a rough time dealing with it but now, I love it. And now that my daughter is following in her footsteps, I'm excited too. I'm very proud of you, Stacey, and I know you'll do well in the new school. Get top grades like you do in Langston, and you might even become a Prefect."

"Dad, my grades aren't top."

"They are for me." He ruffled her hair and she laughed, squirming away from him.

"Dad!"

"Stacey!" he mocked and began tickling her.

"D-dad! S-stop!" Stacey cried, laughing. Tears were coming out of her eyes and her face was red from laughter.

He stopped, smiling and kissed her forehead. "Be good, Stacey. I expect owls."

She nodded. "Don't worry, Dad." She hugged him and then he stood.

"Night."

"Night."

Stacey watched as her dad left, shutting the door behind him. She smiled, settling into her pillows. I do have one advantage over that two faced git. I have a family that cares. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

***

The next morning, a van with Stacey, Rachel, Aaron, and Charlotte set out to Kings Cross. It was a silent trip since all the kids were still half asleep. It was a good four hour drive to the station and they had had to get up early to do last minute packing. Charlotte had made goody bags for Stacey and Rachel so that they'd have something on the train, other than the sweets that they'd be sure to get.

Both their owls sat on the backseat with Rachel and Aaron. The birds had stayed at Charlotte's until September because Rachel knew that the servants would have a fit if a bird was in the house. Also, she had no clue how to take care of it. Chestine, Ches for short, was Rachel's snowy owl. Stacey's owl, Drake, was an eagle owl and quite proud of himself. He was always ruffling his feathers and puffing out his chest.

Finally, they arrived at Kings Cross and soon found themselves standing between two platforms: 9 and 10. "So what train are we looking for?" Rachel asked, looking around. "I don't see anything."

"That's because you have to go through the barrier," Charlotte explained.

"The what?" Rachel looked at her.

"This." She tapped the brick wall next to her.

Rachel just looked at her incredulously. "You're joking. That's just a brick wall."

"Not everything is as it seems," Charlotte smiled and walked over to them. "Now come along, we have to get you to Platform 9 ¾. The train is due to leave any minute."

Rachel turned, looking for Aaron. She saw him standing next to her trolley, reaching through the bars to pet Ches. She walked over and ruffled his hair. "I've got to go now."

He looked up at her. "You'll write?"

"Of course, silly." She smiled and went to hug him but he pulled away.

"Rach," he whined slightly. "No hugging, be cool."

Rachel laughed. "Okay, fine." She ruffled his hair once more before taking her trolley and wheeling it to the barrier. Stacey was waiting and just ignored Rachel, which was fine with her. The less she had to talk to Stacey, the better.

"Onward," Charlotte said. "Best do it at a running start, Stacey."

Stacey nodded, drawing back from the barrier and then ran for it. Much to Rachel's shock, Stacey disappeared through the brick wall. "Whoa."

Charlotte smiled. "Your turn."

Rachel gulped, hiding her nervousness and backed up her trolley. She had shut her eyes and was about to run for it when she felt arms around her. She opened her eyes to see Aaron hugging her. She didn't say anything but hugged him back. When he finally pulled away, all he said was, "Bye, Rach," and ran to a bench, sitting down and not looking at her. She knew it was his way of saying goodbye and she did feel bad. Their parents had basically left them, and here she was, leaving him alone, with no one but Martha in the huge house. At least he had his friends.

She sighed, turning back to the barrier and ran for it, shutting her eyes tight and bracing for impact. But the impact never came and when she reopened her eyes, she stood somewhere completely different. A huge scarlet train was blowing steam and she saw kids of all ages with their families, saying goodbye and boarding. What is this place?

Spotting Stacey up ahead in the crowd, Rachel followed. She wasn't going to talk to Stacey, not now, not ever. She'd find her way around. She didn't need Stacey's help, not like Stacey would give it to her in the first place.

Following the line of students, a man took Rachel's trunk, sliding it into a compartment beneath the train. Rachel carried Ches' cage onto the train, looking for an empty compartment. Finding one near the back, she sat down and was shocked to see that her trunk was now right beneath her booth. How'd they do that?

She set Ches down on the seat and sat back, looking out the window. I don't know anyone. What am I supposed to do? At least Stacey's mom told her everything about this world. I know nothing. And I don't like it.

She closed her eyes, settling in for the long ride.

Stacey had found a compartment with three other occupants: Ginny Weasley, Harmony Quinn and Natalie McDonald. Nervous around these new girls, she looked around shyly, sitting on the seat next to Ginny.

"So this is your first year? Brilliant," Ginny said, smiling warmly.

Stacey nodded. She was always nervous around new people. That was part of her problem making friends, because she didn't talk very much. Though she had a big family and was fine around them, she never knew how new people would treat her. School hadn't been fun for her and Brad had been her only friend. She missed him, a lot.

"Where do you live?" Natalie asked.

"Langston," Stacey said quietly.

"You're by Little Whinging then! By Harry Potter," Harmony said, her eyes wide.

Stacey shrugged. "I guess."

The three girls continued to chatter and Stacey tuned them out, playing with a fold in her skirt. Popular girls, no doubt. They won't want anything to do with me after awhile, after me being a new girl fades. It always happens like that.

" - and that would be interesting, I think. Ginny's dad works with Muggles," Natalie was saying. "What do you think so far?" The girls looked at her and Stacey realized they were talking to her.

"What? Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Natalie smiled. "I was just asking how you liked the wizarding world so far?"

"Oh, my mum is a witch, so I knew some beforehand," Stacey said. As in, she showed me her pictures from Hogwarts and playing Quidditch. And she told me about Harry Potter and what he had done. But that's about it. Though, if I want to fit in here and try to be part of the popular crowd, I better at least pretend I know what they're talking about. Especially if I can rub it in Rachel's face that I've made friends and she has none.

"That's good," Harmony said.

"Always good to know a little beforehand, makes it easier," Ginny added, smiling.

The compartment door opened and the four girls looked up to see a tall boy with ruffled brown hair. "Do any of you have extra owl treats? Meri's already eaten all that I have."

"Sure, Neville," Harmony said, reaching into her trunk and pulling out a bag full of treats. "Use as many as you need. My mum always sends me with too many."

"Thanks, Harmony." Neville smiled, taking the bag and left.

"Who was that?" Stacey asked.

"Neville Longbottom," Ginny explained. "Meri is his owl that his grandma got him after what he did at the Ministry."

"Oh, okay." Stacey had heard roughly what had happened with the Death Eaters from her mother and she wasn't quite sure what to make of these girls yet. They seemed nice enough, but that could always be deceiving. Rachel, after all, acted like a sweetheart to Charlotte, but could turn around and be a prat.

Though at that moment, Rachel wasn't acting too much like a prat. Foolish, perhaps, brave, probably, but not a prat.

Rachel held onto the bars of the ladder, looking around as the wind whipped by her. Why am I doing this? Oh, right, because I was bored. One of the other first years, a little girl, had lost the scarf her deceased grandmother had made for her when she was little. The girl had been in tears when she ran by Rachel's compartment and when Rachel had asked her about it, the girl had told her that the scarf was now on the roof on the train, but it'd surely be lost if it remained up there much longer.

So Rachel was now climbing the ladder, glad she had worn pants and that she had climbed a lot when she was little. She peeked over the top of the train and spotted the blue scarf whipping in the wind. It had caught on some sort of small pole but with the heavy wind, it was about to blow off. With the train clattering below her, rocking and making it difficult to hold on, Rachel flattened herself to the roof. She finally reached the scarf, grabbing it and nearly fell off when the train rounded a corner. But she grabbed the metal where the scarf had been, hauling herself to the middle.

Taking a deep breath and wrapping the scarf around her wrist she shimmied across the roof, grabbing the ladder. A sudden gust of wind made her lose her balance, sending her tumbling head first off the edge of the train.

Stacey was just looking at Neville like he was crazy. "She is not."

"She is! That first -year lost her scarf and this girl named Rachel just went after it. She's on the roof of the train!" Neville exclaimed breathlessly. He had just come running into their compartment, opening them up to the sound of chattering voices in the hall.

Stacey couldn't believe this was Rachel he was talking about. It had to be another girl. The Rachel she knew would never have risked her life for another person...well, maybe if she got something in the end and it was a thrill. Rachel and her gang had always been the pranksters and the risk-takers. Foolishly brave, some might call them.

"She fell!" someone yelled and the four girls and Neville all ran out in the corridor.

"What?" Ginny cried.

"Look!" the person yelled, pointing. They ran, which was hard since there was a crowd filling the corridors.

"Break this up, break this up!" one of the Prefects was saying, trying to restore order. The Head Boy and Girl were also trying to break up the crowd.

Rachel had, indeed, fallen, but at the last minute, she grabbed the bars of the ladder, preventing her death. She hugged tight to the ladder, breathing hard, closing her eyes momentarily. When she felt she was stable enough, she climbed down the rest of the ladder, going back into the corridor. She was stunned to see an entire crowd waiting for her and they cheered when she entered. In the spotlight that she always craved, she grinned.

"Thank you, thank you," she gave a little bow.

The first-year girl ran up to her, clutching the scarf and then hugging her, sobbing. "Thank you so much!!"

"Sure." Rachel patted her back, a little uncomfortable with the show of affection. She pulled away and looked up as the Head Boy walked up to her.

"While I'm sure you liked the thrill, that wasn't smart," he said.

She shrugged. "I was bored."

"That's not an excuse. You could have been killed."

"We could all die any day. Why is today any different?"

The Head Boy looked at her for a few moments, as if not quite sure how to handle this girl. Then he spoke, "You can talk to a professor about that when we get to Hogwarts. As of right now, stay in your compartment." He turned, walking back into the crowd.

"Stay in your compartment," she mocked under her breath. "As if." She headed back to her compartment, however, shutting the door on the group of people that had followed her. Lying on the booth seat, she closed her eyes. That had been exhausting and she needed sleep. Before she knew it, she was sound asleep.

A sleepy Rachel managed to get off the train and gather with the rest of the first years as they were led to the boats. She didn't even register they were moving and finally awakened fully when they were climbing out of the boats and going down a long corridor. Someone bumped into her and she looked over to see Stacey. She glared.

"Watch it," Stacey snapped.

"Watch it yourself," Rachel retorted, shoving past Stacey and getting up farther ahead. She looked around at the first years, who were chattering excitedly amongst themselves. It felt like they had already made their groups of friends and for once, Rachel felt completely alone. She missed Aaron more than ever in this strange new place.

They halted before a huge door and Rachel watched as the older woman turned to face them. Professor...McGonagall I think that's her name, Rachel shrugged. Rachel didn't pay attention as the lady spoke to them, more interested in looking around them. This place was amazing. It seemed so old yet there was something within the walls that made it very magical. Though Rachel still had yet to believe in magic.

She felt people brush against her and realized they were moving. She turned back to the front and began walking through the great doors.

If you choose that Rachel and Stacey are both Sorted into Gryffindor, go to Chapter TWO

If you choose that Rachel be Sorted into Slytherin and Stacey into Ravenclaw, go to Chapter THREE