Only Skin Deep

The rusted blue pick-up truck clattered noisily into a parking slot just as Emily felt she could take no more. A wave of carsickness had hit her about a mile back and hadn't left since.

"Why do you insist on driving this piece of muggle junk?" She asked, kicking the dashboard with her boot. Her father glared down at her.

"Now, we can't have a nice wizarding car zooming about all of London, can we?" he said, turning to face her. "Sorry about all the bumps though, Em. I guess I forgot to apply that easy ride spell you looked up on." Emily stared coldly at her father. She hated how forgetful he was and he knew it.

She sighed heavily before hauling herself out of the truck. Her trunk lay in the bed of the truck, along with her new pet rat, Pyotr. Her father came toward the bed with a trolley on hand and helped Emily lift the trunk onto it. Easing the trolley onto the platform, they both slowly started to make there way toward platforms nine and ten. They stopped just feet from the brick barrier.

"Now have fun at school," her father muttered under his breath so that no one would hear him. "Be good, and owl your mother and I as soon as you get the chance." Emily nodded in approval before giving her father a hug good-bye.

"Tell mother not to worry about her pudgy little girl. I'll be fine," Emily said, smiling. Her father frowned but dismissed her comment rather coolly.

He looked around to be sure that no one was paying much attention to them, and when he'd thought it was safe, he waved his hand to Emily. She shot through the barrier quick as she could. She was now safe in her own world.

Emily looked behind her just to be sure she had really gotten through. Only the brick wall stood before her eyes, so she allowed herself a grin. I really do love the magic world she thought, heading toward the scarlet steam train.

She rushed down the corridor looking for any empty compartments, or at least one with a friend or two in it. No such luck bestowed her today. She did, however, find a compartment with a few people who looked generally good natured, so she knocked.

The door came open and a tall, rather gangly, young man answered. He just stood there, didn't utter a word, just stood. He glanced back to his friends.

"Do any of you know her?" he asked plainly. Their heads peered around to catch a better look at her. The blonde near the window spoke.

"Of course I do. She's one of my friends." Emily looked to see who had spoken. She sighed with relief. "Well, come on, let her in," she ordered. Emily wedged her trunk inside and the boy who had greeted her helped her hoist it up. She sat next to her friend.

"Hey, Luna, I didn't realize you had become so popular." Luna was a year below Emily but still was one of her best friends. Luna shrugged.

"They came in after me. They needed a place to sit," she said, searching her worn gray bag for her latest issue of the Quibbler. Emily didn't know anyone inside the full compartment.

"Um, hi," she greeted nervously, "I'm Emily Miller." The faces stared at her. Finally, one spoke.

"Hi, I'm Harry," he smiled. He nudged the tall boy to make him speak.

"I'm Ron, by the way," he said weakly. Emily was glad that they weren't being too standoffish. Luna peered up over her magazine.

"All of them are in your year," she said flatly. "I don't know why they came in." She delved back into her article as Emily went to speak.

"So, you're all seventh years then?" They nodded. "In what house?"

"Uh, Gryffindor," Ron said, with a rather confused look on his face. "Haven't you ever heard of Harry? You've attended all six years, no doubt." Emily studied Harry's face. She'd heard of a Harry before, but was this him?

"Harry..." Emily mulled the word in her head. Then it struck her. "Are you Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, that's me," he muttered. Emily glanced at the boy sitting next to her.

"And who are you?" she asked rather bluntly. He looked up shyly at her.

"Neville," he mumbled quietly. He looked over at Harry. "Why are we always the ones to take in the loners?"

"Hey, you were a loner, remember?" Harry asked him. Emily sure did feel like a loner most of the time. Even she was surprised that they had let her in. The door sliding open broke her thoughts.

"Food Trolley," the witch said, as Harry pulled out several galleons. After purchasing what Emily thought was a year supply of sweets, he handed some to Ron and Neville. Then, to her surprise, he offered some to her.

"Umm, no thanks. I really shouldn't," Emily declined politely.

"Aww, come on, Ems," Luna said, putting down her magazine, and picking out a pumpkin pastry. Emily patted her little bulge of chub, and shook her head. "Fine, suit yourself."

As everyone munched happily, another person came to the door. She knocked, then opened it.

"Hi guys," she greeted, bringing a smile to Harry and Ron's faces. She sat down next to Harry and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Have a nice summer?"

"Yeah," Harry said almost breathlessly. She nodded to Neville then her eyes set upon Emily.

"I don't believe we've met," she said, "Hermione Granger." Emily smiled.

"Emily Miller." Hermione gave another nod and turned back to Harry.

"You guys better change into your school robes," she instructed, getting up. Emily reached up and pulled hers out of her trunk. Hermione had left before she spoke.

"I'll go change," she said, looking at Luna.

"I'm fine thanks, you go," she muttered with out looking up. Emily shrugged and walked out of her compartment. She had just started down the corridor when a cold voice hit her ears. She turned to face the icy tone.