CHAPTER 1: The Hogwarts Express

"Platform 9 ¾" Renee pondered as she examined the ticket in her hands. She eyed the platforms around her with frustration.

"I must be missing something." She thought, shoving the ticket into her pocket and shouldering her duffle bag. She leaned back against a post and surveyed her surroundings. For a long while she was alone in the corridor and then she saw it; a family of strangely dressed wizards trying their best to fit in with the muggles in the station. Renee watched intently as they steadied themselves and ran straight through the column she was leaning against.

"There it is." She smirked. She grabbed her suit case and tugged it about ten feet in front of the column. "Here goes nothing."

She ran as fast as she could and the transition between the musty air of the station and the brisk chill of the open platform trapped the air in her lungs. She steadied herself and took in the sight of all of the families hurrying to get their children settled; the excitement of the returning students and the fear of the first years that didn't know what to expect.

She moved silently through all of the commotion and tugged her suitcase on to the train, wandering down the passage in search of an empty compartment. She reached the very back of the train with no luck before a door slid open behind her.

"Hello love, I don't think I recognize you."

She turned to see a boy about her age with a head full of dreadlocks.

"You wouldn't. I'm not from around here." She replied.

He stepped forward, "Well, we have an open seat if you'd like to join us." He gestured into the room behind him. "We can fit your bags."

Renee thought for a moment and then offered him a smile. "Sure. Thank you!"

He reached out and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. "I'm Lee!"

"Renee."

He beamed at her. "Pleasure! Come on."

She followed him into the compartment and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear as she drew the attention of the other inhabitants. They were identical twins with hair as red as a setting sun and mischievous grins.

"This is Fred, That's his brother George." Lee nodded over to the twins and then turned to hoist her luggage into the overhead compartment.

They both rose and extended their hands, nudging each other out of the way to greet her first.

Renee tried to avoid a furious blush as she introduced herself and shook their hands.

The slightly taller twin that she understood to be Fred gave his brother a rough shove, tripping him into the seat across the way.

"Have a seat!" he smirked, motioning to the spot beside him.

"Thanks." She laughed and accepted.

George narrowed his eyes at his twin and crossed his arms as Lee sat beside him.

"So if you aren't from around here, where are you from?" Lee enquired.

"Well, I was born here. I've been abroad for the past six years." Renee sighed. "I just finished my term at the Salem Academy of the Magical Arts in America."

"So what brings you to Hogwarts then? You aren't going to be a teacher are you?" George asked, "You seem too young, and not nearly uptight enough."

"No, no…I'm no teacher." Renee replied earning a sigh of relief. "My mum is though." She shrugged.

George's eyes grew wide and Fred stifled a laugh as George offered a swift apology.

"Who is your mum then?"

"Professor Minerva McGonagall." Renee replied.

Fred's eyes lit up. "McGonagall has a daughter? You've got to be kidding me? Why didn't you go to Hogwarts?"

"Would you want to have your mum at school with you all of the time?" Renee leaned in, "Knowing all of your friends, knowing all of your girlfriends? I would have loved to go to Hogwarts and follow in mum's footsteps but just…not with her there."

Fred smiled and Renee shook her head.

"I know how horrible that sounds."

"Not horrible at all, we love our mum but the best part of school is that she has no idea what we get up to." Fred replied. "Well, mostly no idea."

"Oh, and I bet you get up to a lot." Renee said with a devilish expression.

Fred leaned closer to her; "We get in to enough!" he winked.

George and Lee looked to each other and shook their heads.

"Happens every time, doesn't it Georgey boy?" Lee laughed.

"I'm sure I'll find a girl after he's married." George sighed.

"So, can we expect the pleasure of your company for a while or are you just stopping by?" Fred asked.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. Mum doesn't know I'm coming." Renee shrugged.

"Well, can't wait to see the joyful reunion. Hopefully you can still find time to allow us to give you the patented Weasley tour of the castle." Fred smiled, "Fully loaded with all essential secret passageways, of course."

"I'd like that." Renee smiled.
She looked down and studied her hands in her lap for a moment. Would it really be a "joyful reunion", she wondered.

The four of them spent the remainder of the ride getting to know each other and swapping stories of their school years. Renee told them about Salem Academy, with its houses named after spectacular breeds of dragon. The twins remarked on how their brother Charlie should have gone there. They discussed Quidditch and the boys were all impressed to hear that Renee played the position of Chaser on her house's team.

As the train roared into the Hogwarts station Renee could feel her heart begin to pound in her chest.

They all grabbed their bags and she gasped at the beauty of the castle as they made their way off of the train.

"Is it anything like Salem?" George asked, noticing her look of awe.

"Not at all." She shook her head. "Our campus was very solemn due to the nature of Salem's history…the witch hunts. This though, this is…"

"Beautiful?" Fred offered.

She smiled at him. "Yes."

"The castle isn't bad either." He winked. "Now come on, let's get to the carriages."