"Larkynn! Get up right now, or you're going to miss your train!"

The loud voice wakes me completely like a splash of cold water. I look at the clock and see Gary isn't joking.

"No! I'm up!" I yell, more to myself than Gary and jump out of bed, my fingers automatically peeling away my blanket and run to the bathroom, do my business quickly and get out.

Apparently having anticipated that I would get up late, I had everything packed the night before and ready to go. Quickly donning my outfit and pulling on my shoes, I grab my trunk and two bags and run out the door.

"Gary, thank you so much!" I say, about to run out when he stops me.

"Lar, stop for a second. Here," he hands me a parcel and continues, "I packed some food for you. Good thing you're ready. There's a cab outside waiting for you- he knows where to go, and he'll go there fast, so don't worry. Now, if you've forgotten something here, write me a letter and I'll post it to you. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir!" I salute him and thank him again before rushing outside.

I hop into the cab and we pull off. I hurriedly fit the parcel Gary gave me into one of my bags and put all the spare stuff back in.

And, before I know it, we're nearing the station. I take out my wallet to pay the driver when he says Gary already paid. I have to thank him a lot!

"Okay, thank you so much!" I say and rush off, pulling my trunk and, of my other two bags, one hoisted on my shoulder and the other's handle in the crook of my elbow.

When I reach King's Cross, I face a dilemma- which is the way to platform nine and three quarters? I quickly rush between the pillars, searching for the one, but I can't make it out.

Fortunately, a woman is standing nearby who notices my quandary and asks me if I'm trying to get to platform nine and three quarters. When I reply in the affirmative, she points out the way. Quickly thanking her, I run through and to the platform, where the train is already chugging, implying that it's about to leave any moment.

I pause near the entrance and jump in, pulling my trunk up after me. The feeling of relief that follows is wiped out when I realise I dropped the bag I held in the crook of my elbow on the platform when I paused to pull up my trunk.

The train's already moving, so there's nothing I can do but watch- and catch it when a woman tosses it to me. I shout out a quick 'Thank you', to which she smiles and waves at me. I barely have time to notice her neatly styled hair and a girl probably three to four years younger than me standing by her side.

Now that I have everything inside the train, I hook both bags securely onto my shoulder and search the train for empty compartments, dragging my trunk behind me. But nearly all the compartments are full, some even overfilled. Then I come across one with only three people inside and decide to ask them if I can stay there. If not, I can always go on top of the train...

I open the door and step in, all three of them looking up at me.

"Hey, everything else is full, so, if you don't mind-"

The girl with mousy brown hair cuts me off, "Join us?" I nod and she continues, "Sure, come on in!"

The two boys on the opposite seats smile at me. Nodding, I enter and stow my trunk before sitting down next to the girl and thanking them.

"That's alright. I'm Tracey Davis." she tells me, her eyes warm with friendliness and hospitality.

"Daphne Greengrass," the girl next to the window says, shaking my hand before thoughtfully adding, "The One."

"That's Millicent Bulstrode." Daphne says, pointing to the other girl who snorts in greeting. Tracey gives me a small weak smile before going back to looking outside the window.

"She's unusual, to say the least." Daphne says in a mocking tone, pushing her untidy mop of jet black hair back on her head and away from her face.

Millicent scowls at her as he says, "And she can hear you, Bluesky."

"Greengrass."

"Whatever."

"Oh, Milli, we could make some other friends too!" Tracey pleads.

"Oh, I don't know, she doesn't exactly seem like a Slytherin and you know Pansy's obsessive about that." Millicent eyes me up and down.

"She does have some Hufflepuff sort of vibes, but for all we know, she could be sorted into Slytherin too!" Daphne attempts to coerce the stubborn girl as a girl slides open the compartment door.

"Replaced me already, you gits?" she yells, glaring daggers at me.

The air seems to be charged as everyone tenses up. I stand up and mumble, "You must be Pansy?"

She gives me a lopsided grin and pats my arm, "'Course you know me, I'm bloody famous!"

I laugh with the others and Pansy brushes me aside so she can enter. I move to sit by the window while Pansy sits where I had sat earlier. Quite soon, we're all relaxed and making easy conversation.

"Say, I saw you run across the platform just seconds before the train started to move. Why were you so late?" Daphne asks me.

"Well, I have this awful habit of oversleeping, so I woke up pretty late. Luckily, I'd already packed my trunk and everything so I got ready quickly and rushed to King's Cross and made it in just the nick of time. Well, I nearly left one of my bags outside but this nice lady threw it in to me, so I got it. Come to think of it, her hair was the same shade as yours!"

"Oh, then that could be my mother." She goes on to describe her mother, and it seems to be the same person.

"Oh, and does she have a daughter or niece maybe three years younger to us?" I remember and ask Daphne, who by now, insists I call her Daph.

"Yes, that's Astoria, my little sister." she says, her face lighting up at the mention of her sister. I've always wondered what it would be like to have a sister and if it does bring as much joy as I can see emanating from Daph, I do envy her for it.

"Well, the next time you speak to her, give her my thanks, will you?" I ask her, attempting to break the awkward stretched out silence.

"Definitely!" she says with a small laugh. I suddenly realise something and smack my forehead.

"Oh, where are my manners? Sorry, my name is Fenella Larkynn." I say.

Pansy and Millicent stop quarreling over which clothing brand is better and Tracey looks up from the box she's been picking at since Pansy entered and look at me with curiosity writ large on their faces.

"That's a unique name!" Tracey coos.

"I've never heard any others like that." Pansy says quietly, her thoughts seemingly drifting somewhere else.

"What do people call you? I mean Fenella is a long name!" Daph asks me.

"You can call me whatever you want to- people have many different nicknames for me." I say.

Tracey wants to call me Ella, Millicent Fen and Pansy Fella.

"I like all of those nicknames, but Ella!" I say, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Aww, but I like that!" Tracey whines.

"How about Fennie?" Daph suggests.

"That's alright!" I nod my head and begin to set about fixing my hair that I didn't even bother combing in the morning. Why even bother with that when there are beanies to cover it all up?

After some more playful banter, I ask them about what Hogwarts is like, and they fill me in on what they've heard from others.

"Seems like a magical place!" I exclaim, loving what I'm hearing so far.

[Notice the pun??]

"We sure are going to have fun!" Tracey squeals.

- - - - - - -

Hey, and here is the second chapter!

Sorry for the slight delay!

Also I made a random cover for this one which kinda seems like a mess now...

Nevertheless, here it is, featuring Jayne Wisener as Fenella Larkynn...

The next chapter will be up by Friday at the most...

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