One Year Later

"I can't believe mum and dad. Keeping a secret like magic from us." Alyssa said grumpily. She didn't understand. I was muggle born. My mum, who had died years ago, was a muggle, like my father. Alyssa's mother was a witch and her father was a wizard, who died bravely in a battle for Hogwarts. She was going to be praised at Hogwarts, like always. I nodded, staring down at my bleached jeans. "Platform nine and three quarters, is everything in this world this cryptic?" Alyssa complained. Honest, she had a point. Middle School did me dirty, was Hogwarts going to be any different? "Your mum said we just have to walk through the divider of platform nine and ten." I said. "She's your mum too." She mumbled under her breath. A quick squeal erupted from Alyssa as she jolted away. A dirty brown rat was running loops around her legs. "Sorry 'bout that." A tall gangly boy with orange hair and freckles said, scooping the rat up into his arms. "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley." He said, giving Alyssa a goofy grin. I flinched. "Yeah we didn't need to know that." Alyssa said, stalking off. "Sorry." I mouthed at the boy, before I hurried to catch up with Alyssa. "Dad said we shouldn't split up." I told her. "Yes yes I know, now follow me." Alyssa said, a wicked grin framing her perfect face. Then, as quick as it appeared, it vanished. I nodded reluctantly and stopped beside Alyssa. She gulped a breath of air and stuck her hand through the barrier. "I swear to the lords above-" She exclaimed when it went right through. "Move it!" A boy from behind us said. Alyssa turned her head and glared fiercely. Her face turned from anger, to interest. She scoffed and walked through. I turned around to see what the whole platform was gawking at. A tall boy with hair so blond it almost looked white, scowled at me. His piercing grey eyes sent a chill down my spine.

I bit back my words and stepped through the barrier. A gasp parted my lips as I stared at the train station. It was packed with witches and wizards, pushing around carts with exoctic animals and eager faces. My own wand, made of yew and unicorn hair strings, 12 inches and slightly pliable was thrust in the crevice of my cart. Someone bumped into me from behind, slamming their cart into my hip. I held back the shock of pain and saw a flash of the mysterious boy's glare. "Are you coming?" Alyssa smirked. "Yeah." I said, biting my lip and following her. "Ticket?" A nasally voice asked. Alyssa snatched my ticket and slapped them in the man's hand. "You may enter." He said, waving his hands as the doors slid open. "Are you going to be like this every time a new thing happens." Alyssa asked irritably as my face constructed into a look of awe. "I guess so." I said, still in shock. Alyssa opened a compartment door and sat down on one side, taking the whole bench up. A girl with a pinched nose and a bob of dark brown hair pushed past me to sit on the other side. "Sorry. No space." She said, her eyes squinting devilishly. Eventually I found a compartment with a ravenclaw girl. "Hello. May I sit here?" I asked her. "Sure. I'm Cho Chang." She said. "Im Bella." I replied, twisting a strand of hair behind my ear. A nervous habit. "Why haven't you been sorted yet? First year?" Cho asked. I blush. "No. We're enrolling here starting at year three." I said. "We?" Cho questioned. "Me and my.... step sister." I informed, looking away. "I see. Well, welcome to the Hogwarts express. Lovely isn't it." Cho said. "I'm starting-" I started. "Anything from the trolly dears?" The trolly lady interrupted. "May I have a licorice wand?" Cho asked. "I'll have a sugar spun quill." I said shyly, passing over my sickles. The trolly lady handed us the candies and closed the compartment door. "I'm starting year four." Cho told me. I nod. Suddenly the train lurches to a halt. "Whats going on?" Cho asked. "I'm not sure..." I said in a shaky voice. Things like this don't normally happen. Unless some rich kids mom complains her son needs to barf, but this was different. Suddenly everything went black. Ice coated the windows and frosty air surrounded my face. "Cho?!" I screamed, but no sound came out. A black cloaked figure neared the door. Fear pinched my nerves. Slowly the cloak opened a little to reveal a mouth. The figure rested a decayed hand on their cloak, bunching it around them. Memories flashed through my mind, me on the ground, tear stains on my cheeks, by my mother, a soft voice telling me everything was going to be ok. Then a voice pierced through. "Avada Kedavra!"

And everything went silent. That was when my mother died. "Wake up! Bella wake up!" I jerked up in a cold sweat. "W- what happened?" I asked Cho. Her face turns deathly pale. "I don't know. One minute you were awake. The next you were out, mumbling about something... someone. Bella... who is Laila Hawthorn?" Cho asked. "I don't know." I stuttered. The train picked up speed and the windows returned to their normal state. "I don't know what that just was. But it certainly wasn't normal." Cho said, flicking away her silky black hair. "No. It certainly wasn't." I replied. And solemnly at that.