Annoyed but Excited

Laura slid into one of the few empty compatments, hoping that this train-ride would be quikc and painless...like a plaster or a cut. She really did not want to be sitting here for hours, in the rather loose set of robes.

How could she fight in these clothes? She much prefered her cargo-pants and t-shirt to these. And SHOES?! Come on, she was going to be completely hopeless! She was glad that she had brought her fencing sword with her, at least then she would get to practice....

She had to admit, though, she was excited. Annoyed, yes, but rather excited. With emotions pulsing through her, she relaxed into the train-seats. Hopefully, she was going to be just fine....

Natalie walked in and noticed the girl sitting there.

"Oh, I'm sorry, most of the compartments are taken. Do you mind if I join you?" She asked, happy that she had a chance to make some new friends, though she would rather just read.

"Sure," she replied, gesturing for her to sit. "My name is Laura Nickel, what's yours?"

"Thanks." Natalie smiled and sat down. "I'm Natalie Richter. This is my first year at Hogwarts. I have a really good feeling I'll get Gryffindor though. That's where my Dad was sorted. My Mum's a Muggle though. What year are you?"

"Nice to meet you," she greeted, before explaining about her family. A strong twinge of sadness sparked in her heart at the mention of her late family. She usually wouldn't talk about them, but after what had been going on; she was beginning to learn that it was better to talk.

"My mother was in Ravenclaw and my father and godfather were in Gryffindor. I have a strong feeling that I'm going to be in Gryffindor." she said, smiling dryly.

Of course she would be in Gryffindor! After all of the things she's been through-and is still going through-how could she not?

"I'm a first year," she added.

"Nice to meet you too. That's cool. Maybe we'll get the same dorm and stuff. If I'm not a Gryffindor, I want to be a Ravenclaw. Besides bravery and all that, I'm pretty much one. I love reading. Its probably the only thing I'll do at Hogwarts since electionics don't work. I honestly don't know how I'll survive without my ipod, if you know what that is." Natalie said laughing. As a Half-Blood, her Mum tought her about Muggle things. Natalie came around easy, but it took her Father longer to master Muggle things.

She laughed. "I love to reading too! And I also couldn't live without my ipod, so I put an enchantment on it! If you have yours, I could put one on it too...?"she left it as a question, before talking further.

"My mother was a muggleborn, so she taught me all the wonders of the Muggle world," she trailed off sadly. "Too bad that I couldn't stay in that world for long..."

Natalie gasped. "What happened? If you don't want to talk, I completly understand..."

Laura blinked out the memories, coming back into the present and just started talking-she couldn't stop. . "All my family's dead, they were killed by Death Eaters when I was six. They tried to get me too; managed to use two Cruciatus curses before I could run away."

Sh pulled back her sleeve to reveal an ugly, red scar going from her wrist to her elbow. "Barty Crouch jr left his mark, of course. And, I've been on the run ever since."

"That's horrible!" Natalie gasped, tearing up slightly at the ugly scar. Child-cruelty and killing always got to Natalie. She didn't have much experience with it, but it killed her hearing of it. "That's so terrible. Know what, I don't care what happens this year, your staying with us this summer." Natalie told her, her voice sounding as if it was already decided.

Laura's face broke into a surprised smile. "Wow...I don't know what to say...I-um, thanks, but what would your parents say? And, um, I know that I can fight Death Eaters but...I don't want to put your family at risk..."

"Oh hush," Natalie said flicking her hand. "My parents are happy to give. And don't worry about the risks, my Mum's a Muggle, were already in hiding." She smiled back.

"Oh," She said simply. "T-thanks, that's very nice of you."

She started to babble; "I used to live in a treehouse, then I started living in the Shrieking Shack...Funny, how one minute you could have everything and then the next you have nothing? One minute your fighting your mother to go in the bath, the next your fighting a deranged werewolf."

She snorted; life was weird.

"Oh hush, you. Mum's Canadian, shes always doing things like that. She nursed a bird back to health once. Wouldn't even let Dad use magic. She was scared it might upset the poor thing." Natalie then looked at the other girl amazed. "You fought off a werewolf! Wow! Your not even suppose to use magic outside of school!"

"In life-threatening situations, you're allowed," She pointed out, but then shook her head. "Nah, I didn't use magic. But, what about you? What have you done before coming to this school?"

Natalie nodded. "That's true. But really? You beat out a werewolf without magic!? That's amazing!" Natalie grinned. "Me? Well, Mum sent me too Muggle school. Dad had too help his brother out a lot. He use to fight for Voldemort, you see. We got attacked once or twice. No big deal." She said quietly.

Natalie took her ipod out of her pocket and went to find the family picture, but it died. "Oh... We must be getting close. My ipod doesn't work anymore..."

Laura looked at the ipod. "I'll sort that out; Prtoem Majj!"

The ipod gradually came back to life. Laura grinned; the one spell that she was perfect at wouldn't help her against Death Eaters at all! It was kind of funny actually!

"Whoa thanks!" Natalie grinned excitedly. "Do the teachers know about this?"

Laura looked at her sheepishly. "Noooo....They think that Muggle devices are distractions..." She snorted. "So what did you want to show me?"

Natalie laughed. "True." She turned her ipod on and scrolled through the pictures, clicking on the one of her Mum and Dad. Then showed the other girl.

"That's my Mum, there. And my Dad is the man with his arm around her."

Laura grinned at the photo. "You look a lot like them. Are you an only child then?"

"Yeah. Mum wanted another but Dad said it was too risky."

"Oh," Laura said. "I completely understand; I didn't talk to anyone from six-years old to nine because it was too risky. Then I just went 'stuff it, I'm getting lonely'. Do you think they'll do that sometime? Life isn't worth living if there is no risks."

Natalie nodded. "Yeah. I mean, Mum really wants another, and Dad was never really one to say no to her..."