Illusions

Elsarinxzarlas Calsarracktik sat down, pulling her long black cloak around her. Why did they use a train? It was too crowded, too full of people...nosy, stupid kids, making it even worse. Hopefully her mysterious self under the black cloak would be able to scare few people off. She pulled out a book (One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore) and began to read. She'd never been hot shots at magic, although potions, which people thought were difficult, came quite easy for her. It was pretty cool how one could age themselves, walk through fire, or even stopper death.

She continued to read when a small boy walked in. he seemed alarmed and said, "Sorry...didn't know you were here, or I would have knocked...sorry, I'll just go, unless you let me stay...I won't make much noise, I just don't know people here and hate being watched." Well, she could sympathize. She said nothing, but motioned slowly for him to sit.

"Thanks," he said. She didn't inquire his name, and he didn't inquire hers. Every once in a while he'd glance over, and eventually he said, "Soo...you're a first year? Or are you just reviewing the book?"

She hesitated, and then grunted, "First year." She wasn't really pleased about it; she was supposed to be in 3^rd or 4^th.

"Oh. I don't know any magic or anything...I was hoping you might be able to tell me a few things.

Well, some conversation she didn't mind. However, if he didn't know about magic..."Muggle Born?"

"Wha-? No, I'm a pure-blood."

"Ok. Doesn't make a difference, just wanted to know. You'll be explained about Hogwarts once we get there. Magic doesn't come well for me yet, however potions-" she raised her book "-does. And a divination teacher at my old school said she saw good promise for my inner eye."

He stared at her, and mumbled "Oh."

He looked out the window again, and again she felt a tingling sensation, this time she had to know. "What's your name, kid?"

"Harry. Harry Potter. And I'd prefer you don't call me kid."

"Harry? Harry Potter? No jokes?"

He sighed. "No, no jokes. I should really get a pen name, everyone always staring at me..."

"I'm sorry, it's just that my entire family was killed by Voldemort-sorry, You-Know-Who- and I'm glad to have finally met the person who's responsible. Quite a pleasure."

He seemed sad. "Sorry about your family...and don't worry about You-Know-Who when you're around me. I say his name anyway because I don't know better." She rolled her eyes, not that he could see, but because she was amused. "And...what's your name?"

"Elsarinxzarlas Calsarracktik." He blinked, mumbling. "Or, Xzar Cal if you wish."

"Ok. Thanks-it's a lot easier to say. You foreign?"

She shook her head. She wasn't about to tell him about herself, not yet anyway.

"Oh. Oh! Hey, I must be really annoying, I'll stop now." Xzar grinned, turning back to her book. There's a potential alley, and a good one at that. If only that preppy Fleur could see her now, chatting quite nicely with Harry Potter like it was no big deal. She'd hate Xzar for a long while. Well a long while more than she does now anyway.

How she wanted to stretch her wings and tail...they were quite cramped up against her back and the seat.

She was just about to ask him if he remembered anything about his family when a boy with red hair came in. He saw Harry and said, "Sorry, but there's no where else to sit...you don't mind, do you?"

Xzar nodded at Harry, giving him a thumbs-up under her robe. He noticed and said, "Not at all...take a seat."

"Name's Ron by the way...Ron Weasley."

"I'm Harry...Harry Potter." Ron had a similar reaction to what she did.

"No way! I mean...do you...you know, have..."

"Have what?"

"You know...that scar."

"Oh yeah." He grinned and held his bangs off of his head, and Ron grinned.

"Wicked."

Xzar shook her head with a tut and went back to reading.

"Holy-jeeze, I didn't see you!" Well, that was a pleasant first. "Sorry about the ignorance, I really am...so, my name's Ron as you heard. What's yours?"

"Elsarinxzarlas Calsarracktik. Or, Xzar Cal."

His eyes went wide. "Xzar? Xzar Cal? My brother Charlie's mentioned you!"

"Charlie? Charlie Weasley?"

"Yeah!"

"That's...that's...wow. I met him a while ago...he was really nice to me, told me everything and more that I wanted to know about dragons. He even gave me this book, here..." She marked her page is Fungi and pulled out a very old book that was very thick, labeled 1001 Dragons facts.

"Wicked." *Sigh* was nothing not wicked with this kid? Oh well...at least they were talking more amongst themselves, not bothering her.

___

A lady came around with a cart. Xzar wasn't hungry, but the others bought a heck of a lot. She eyed the chocolate frogs, however said nothing. Her stomach gave a loud grumble, and they looked at her. It grumbled again, and she grunted, "Haven't eaten breakfast and I haven't any money."

"That's ok. Care for a treat?" Harry motioned to the pile.

She nodded and took a frog. She had a new card-Salazar Slytherin. She grinned and remembered somewhere hearing how rare the four founders were, and she held it up. Ron spit out the tart he was having and said, "No way! He's really rare-I haven't any of the founders, you're really lucky!"

Lucky? Lucky? She didn't think she was lucky at all-this was the best bit of luck she'd ever had. Still she turned the card over and read

Salazar Slytherin is best known for his co-creation

of the school Hogwarts. He believed that pure bloods

(Wizards or Witches with no Muggle blood) to be better

than Muggle-ancestored witches or wizards. This eventually

led to him leaving the school. He was also one of the best-

known Parseltounges, such as to why the Slytherin symbol

is a serpent. He was also fabled to be the creator of a

'Chamber of Secrets', of which only his blood line can

use. This is proven to be myth however, and it is not

known as to whether he has any living relatives or not.

Xzar grinned. She knew not of the legend, but shrugged. It was a useful little card, especially if she would be sorted into Slytherin. He family ran quite far back as a pure-blooded line.

Eventually a bushy brown haired and relatively short came to the door. She looked around, but then kept watched Xzar. She didn't appreciate this too much and glared, stiffening. The girl couldn't see her glare, but she could see her stiffen and it looked rather intimidating.

"Hello, you three. Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

"No."

"Nope."

Head shake.

"Oh, well then-oh, are you doing magic?" She saw Ron with his wand out. Xzar sighed. She was in no mood to have a little boy blow up the compartment. She walked sideways out of the compartment, and the girl took her seat.

She heard Ron say, "You think we annoyed her?" before she got out of hearing range.

___

Walking through the compartments, her mind elsewhere, she bumped into a boy who was short and pudgy. "Sorry, kid," she grunted.

"Oh no, it's my fault...sorry, I was looking for my toad, I've lost him."

"Got a toad have you? Neville, are you?"

"Y-yes. How did you know?"

"Girl with brown hair told me. He'll turn up-probably got lost on the big train. He'll find you soon enough."

"Alright. Sorry again."

She grunted in reply. Stupid little kids...and they would all probably be in her year. Too nosy or too scared for their own good. No confid-oof!

She bumped into a boy who was short with blond hair. They were all short anyway, but this one seemed doubly so next to his surly companions. She was about to grunt a sorry when he sneered. "I suppose you're blind then as well as deaf? We aren't that hard to spot-"

"Not with that fat arse of yours, you aren't. Nor are you to hear, with that ungraceful swagger of yours."

"Oh, I'm the one with the big arse? At least I don't have a lumpy one, god look at the size of it-"

"Are you say, little boy, that I have a big arse? That I ought to watch where I'm going? You have a few lessons that need to be taught, and I could easily give them to you through a quick duel." He paled and seemed to realize how much larger than him I was, and he also seemed to think I was in another year and knew more than he did. The latter part of that was correct, anyway.

"Never mind. Though you might be some goody-goody Gryffindor, but I was clearly mistaken...quite sorry."

"Yes, you had better be. Now, get out of my way or I'll make you get out of my way." She didn't usually like to terrorize people, but this one she was sure she could have fun with. He brushed past her with his friends and she decided to follow him to see what he was up to.

___

Her persistence paid off as he came to the compartment he was in earlier. Ron, Frizzy, and Harry were all in there, though it looked as though Frizzy was about to leave.

"So, it is true, what they've been saying...Harry Potter's on this train. And here he is. Although, I never thought he'd hang around with riff-raff like this. The Weasleys and Hagrid, and-dear me, who's this?"

She saw Ron turn red and get up, while Harry gritted his teeth.

"My name's Hermione Granger. And, what's yours?"

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Ron snorted, and Xzar herself had to work hard to hold in a snigger. Malfoy, the bigheaded git...she hadn't talked with Lucius for a while, thickheaded numbskull.

"Think my name's funny, do you? Well, Mr. Weasel, you should shape up too. Oh, and these are my friends, Crabbe and Goyle." Ahh, more of her old friends...well, she'd need to chat with them too. Little idiotic version of their parents, not that there was much of a difference.

"And you...I've never heard of the Grangers. You're a Muggle Born, aren't you?" She nodded, and Xzar knew where this was heading. Trust little Malfoy to say something big Malfoy would.

"Well now, Malfoy, I hope that isn't a problem." She said this in an icy voice, hoping to scare him. "And if it is, I do hope you shall survive my wrath, the wrath of Elsarinxzarlas Calsarracktik. Though, not many have, and when they have it's not been a pretty site. So, pretty boy Malfoy" She smiled as she thought of the fun rhyme, "along with crappy Crabbe and Goony Goyle, beat it." They glared at her. "As in, NOW." They scampered and she clenched her fist.

"Knew where that was headed-could smell it a mile away. Hermione and I have to get changed into our school robes-yes I'm a girl, don't look at me like that-so we'd best go." She was back to her usual grunt-every-word-and-be-unsocial mood, and they nodded. Ron looked quite happy, and Harry was grinning.

"I suppose, but that's really dangerous! You shouldn't go threatening students or you'll be in trouble before the term starts!"

"Malfoy and his cronies can go suck a raw egg." She looked shocked and Ron and Harry now looked very happy. She grabbed some robes and nodded, slipping sideways out again into the hall, then into a bathroom. She was incredibly nervous, what would people think? However, she removed her cloak and her robes and put on her school ones. She was an excellent seamstress by now as she had to adjust holes for her wings and tail, and something that she could move around in with her leg. She pulled them on, and then threw her cloak on over her robes, though the hood down this time. She heard a voice saying they would arrive in Hogsmeade soon and she sighed, She had a few minutes, so she pulled out some shine and shimmied up her tail spikes and her hair, along with the wing spikes. She now looked rather decent, and she'd washed just before she went onto the train, so she decided to head out.

The train gave a lurch just as she was about to head into the compartment, so she decided to follow them and not let them see her until she was ready.

___

She followed them and saw that they headed towards a huge person. He was very tall and wide. He was calling for the first years. She felt the eyes of many on her, but those in front of her paid no attention-she heard Harry mumble about his hatred of being a celebrity, how he was always getting stared at.

To her surprise she saw the great man was Rubeus Hagrid. She hadn't seen him in ages!

"Firs' Years! C'mon Firs' years. All right there, Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Hagrid saw her as well and called out, "'Lo there Xzar! Been all right, have ye?"

"Never better, Hagrid."

"Thas' good. Firs' year, over here now!"

She saw a few people turn and stare at her. Ron turned around, then turned back. Then he turned around slowly, blinking a few times. He grabbed Harry's arm and he said, "What?" he continued to get his arm punched however, and then Harry turned to Ron. "Ron, what's wrong?" He then turned to what Ron was staring at-namely, Xzar-and his eyes got wide.

He tapped Hermione on the shoulder, who said, "What?" impatiently. She saw Xzar and stared, before snapping out of it and says, "Harry, don't stare! It's quite rude!" They stopped, but she saw Ron glance over his shoulder every once in a while.

"Yeah, best listen to yer friend. Les I tear you apart fer bein' rude." They froze, and I grinned. "Kiddin, chaps. God, pre-teens have no sense of humor."

Hermione turned. "That wasn't very nice! You could get into trouble for threatening a student."

"This times it's you that can go suck a raw egg."

She stared, and Harry and Ron laughed. "I thought you sounded familiar...but, why aren't you with the other group? And if you're a first year, why are you calling us a little kid."

Shit. Slip up. Think fast, Xzar. "Because, you ARE very little. You not so much as you friends here." It was true-she was at least a good eight inches taller than Harry, and she wasn't done growing yet.

"Oh. Well, I suppose." He climbed into a boat, while Harry followed. Hermione joined a few other girls. Harry and Ron were joined by two other boys, who watched me curiously. Harry gave a slight nod and a thumbs-up, followed by a small smile. Trust him to imitate her.

Xzar climbed in and looked at the lantern, watching the flames. She looked to the other boats, and saw that she was being watched. A quick kill look sent them all staring and talking elsewhere.

It was quite uncomfortable, sitting in the boat with her tail in the away and her being watched, but the boats quickly moved off and through the water. She saw Hogwarts and leaned backwards, staring at the highest towers; she nearly fell in and decided to stare instead and the large entrance doors.

A shout came when Toadless Boy became Toadful Boy. She sighed. What was with toads, they were so dull. Not that she was one for pets anyway. She supposed they were nice, but it was rather mean having them not be outside where they belong.

She was jerked out of her thoughts-and nearly out of her wings-when the boat hit shore. She climbed out and helped Toad Boy out, who almost fell in. He seemed surprised by her strength; she had easily lifted him out of the water, about half a foot off the ground, with one hand. Now it seemed that everyone was staring at her. She hid behind Hagrid the rest of the way to the castle.

___

After a long walk, full of embarrassing stares and evil kill looks over her shoulder, Xzar saw that Hagrid FINNALLY stopped.

"Got the firs' years fer yeh, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid." He nodded and left. "Please gather around, and make sure you can hear me."

When everyone was settled, she said, "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly. However before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your respective houses. The Sorting ceremony is very important because, while you are staying here, your house will be something like you family here in Hogwarts. You will have classes with them, sleep in your house dormitories, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points, and your rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house cup will be awarded to the house with the most points. It is a great honor, and I hope you all will be useful to whatever house you are in.

"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the rest of the school. Excuse me a moment while I go and see if they're ready."

Xzar watched her go, and felt a few eyes return to her for a moment. As neither an adult nor teacher was here, she decided to get something straight with these kids.

"Ok, look. I know you're all probably," here she gave Malfoy and co and direct look, "good people and all, but I want to tell you a few things.

"First-no, I am not part, half, or otherwise related to, a dragon. Nor a Wyvern.

"Second, as to such, I will not tolerate dragon or half blood or whatever jokes aimed at me.

"Third, I don't want to hear anything dirty coming out of your mouth about any specific groups of people-around me or otherwise. If I hear someone saying you've been calling them a dirty little Muggle born-yes, you know what I'm saying-you'll be lucky if I don't curse you to next week.

"That said, I hope you have a nice year and try not to cause trouble." There were a few murmurs, and they continued to watch her.

"Oh yes- AND QUIT STARING!" This made everyone immediately turn in another direction, the murmurs getting more resentful and louder. She saw Harry looking at her as though she was crazy, and she gave him a wink and a nod. He understood what it was like-he didn't like being stared at either. Leaning against the stair railing, Xzar saw the door open again.

"They're ready for you now."