Everything has got a price tag

Chapter 1:

a new start

"It always was just me actually, I never had a close family or friends to care for me, but I was fine that way. It was all good, I liked being on my own a lot and those few times I did want someone to talk to I had the teachers. I'm not going to lie here and say I'll miss you when I am gone. But I'll tell you this. I'll think of you fondly, all fakes and posers. Goodbye" And with that Alicia Beckinsdale walked out of the classroom, knowing she would never see any of those losers again. Gasps were heard as she walked straight to the big oak doors located at the entrance of the school. She pushed them open and made her way out on the streets, into the rain, smiling brightly.

She loved the rain! Normally the rain would resemble her tears and all the feelings she felt. Today however it resembled something completely different, it resembled the refreshing feeling she felt. Primary school was over and she was about to leave this city. At the age of 11 she was to be expected at Hogwarts the school for witchcraft and wizarding. Or whatever name the school had. Her mother had only informed her of it's existence quickly and Alicia knew nearly nothing of it at this point. It didn't matter to her though, she greeted the change with open arms.

Ever since she was a girl at the age of 6 she wanted nothing more then to leave for that school, hence the fact she wasn't very popular, but she was determent to make it a different experience then Primary school. She would be popular even if it killed her. Well so to speak of course. Her life was her dearer then her popularity...or the lack of it.

Alicia strode home and didn't care for the stares which were directed to her. She knew what they were saying, she knew what they were thinking and she also knew it didn't matter anymore.

"Hello Honey, ready to go?" Rowena Beckinsdale said to her daughter as soon as she got home from school. Although Alicia was soaking wet she looked happy for the first time in a long time, Rowena was glad to see her daughter smile this brightly.

"Yes, mom. Can't wait to see our new home!" Alicia replied while smiling up at her mother. "Good let's see how far your father is. He was putting the last things in the car." Giving her mother a smile Alicia walked out to the garage only to find her father putting in the last box.

"I think we're ready to go, sure you don't want to say goodbye to anybody Ali?" asked her father, Angelo Beckinsdale.

"I'm sure. Let's go" she said and already climbed in the backseat.
"By the way, why aren't we just going by the flooing network? Or apparating. I know you could do that..." Alicia asked her parents as they were about half an hour on the road.

" We would cause suspicion to arise" Rowena stated while turning around slightly to look at her daughter.

"Right...like our neighbours would even notice we were gone?" Alicia retorted and Rowena smiled a little before looked towards Angelo for a reply on that.

"well..." her father began but knew not what to say to his child. He never did really know, he loved her as did his wife, but they found it quite hard to raise their daughter with their busy lives. Maybe in the new environment it would all get better.

"Never mind why darling, just accept" said her mother with a smile.

"fine" Alicia replied and took out her notebook seeing if she could write something.

Soon she drifted of to sleep.

It took them nearly five hours to get to their new home but it was well worth it, Alicia thought to herself. Her parents had moved her to an all wizard community now and she was quite happy there, she learned a lot before she had to got to school, which would make things probably a lot easier for her to understand in classes.

The new house was much larger then their old one and she finally could start afresh. New neighbours, new acquaintances. New chances for friends. Even the fact that she was getting a new room made her feel more joy then she had felt in a long time.

And soon school would start. A new school where she could show what she was made of without anybody being even the slightest bit judgemental. They had no knowledge of who she was after all.

"Goodbye sweetheart, Be good" Angelo said while hugging his little girl close.

"I will daddy. Bye now, see you at Christmas" Alicia replied before stepping aside to hug her mother.

"Write me as often as you can alright..." Rowena muttered with a strained voice.

"off course I will. I want to know all about the progress at home as well" She replied now to her mother with a big smile as she drifted off a little to the memories of the summer.

Her house was fabulous and her parents were redecorating and all, the top floors were even completely redone. Yes it was a big house, more like a mansion but then again Alicia never had to worry about money, yet they never really flaunted it like that before. Her parents always stated that money wasn't everything, love should always be more important. And Alicia could not agree more. She loved love as crazy as it might sound.

The summer had been wonderful really, there were so many things as she had never seen before since she had always lived in a muggle village and her parents were convinced people would notice if they used to much magic. Now those boundaries didn't exist anymore.

A loud high whistle shook her out of her thoughts.

"Oops I really have to run now. Bye mom, Bye dad!" she yelled and ran to get in the train at the last minute.

After searching a little while she was happy to find an empty compartment. She quickly settled down and looked out the window to wave at her parents one more time before they were gone from her view.

A soft knock on the door made her change her attention from the window to the door.

"yes?" Alicia said hoping not to sound anything but nice.

"Could I sit here" A boy with brown hair and dark eyes asked and she nodded quickly, hoping to make a friend.

"I am Alicia Beckinsdale." She said reaching out to shake his hand.

" I know that name...don't know what from though. I am Blaise Zabini"

"Well nice to meet you Blaise and I have no idea where you could have heard my name to be honest" she replied a little confused. She had only just moved to this side of England after all.

"Oh well who knows it will come to me" Blaise replied with a smile.

"yeah..."

"By the way, could I ask you something?" He asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"what?" she replied gladly accepting the offer of conversation.

"are you a pure blooded witch?" he asked her and Alicia felt a little taken aback.

"well yeah I am told that we come from a long line of pure blood wizards and witches. Haven't met many of my family though. What about you?" she replied, hoping to have given him the right answer.

" yeah I'm pure blood. Maybe I could ask my mom, she mostly knows all pure blood families" Blaise stated and Alicia nodded before replying.

"well then I'll be happy to hear what she has to say then"

"do you really not know much of your family then?" Blaise asked a little confused. Why would a family not keep in touch?

"no but that's alright I am told I will get to know everyone at Christmas" Alicia replied beaming up at him, truly excited for that moment already.

"oh that sounds like fun"

"yes it does" Alicia replied with a smile.

"Hello Zabini, see you've made a friend" said a blond boy from the threshold an hour later.

"Alicia this is Draco Malfoy, Draco this is Alicia Beckinsdale" Blaise said while pointing from one to the other.

"Nice to meet you Alicia" Draco said, though no emotion was shown in his face nor in his voice.

"likewise" Alicia replied not really knowing what to say. Draco nodded and then motioned at Blaise for him to follow.

"Well I've got to go but I'll talk to you at school." Blaise said with a smile before walking after Draco. She smiled back and for a moment felt disappointed. That Draco boy made her feel quite unwelcome. She hated that feeling and was trying to get away from it, not face it again with different people.

After a few silent moments she decided to go change. So she grabbed her school robes form her trunk and thought of how ridicules it was to be wearing those, but then again everyone would be and therefore she would be no different from the rest of the school.

"oh sorry" a girl exclaimed as she almost bumped into Alicia and Alicia looked up.

"No need to say sorry, no harm is done right." Alicia said smiling at the girl who seemed extremely nervous somehow and yet so stable.

"Oh okay" the girl said now looking up to meet Alicia's eyes with a small smile on her face.

"I am Alicia Beckinsdale, pleasure running into you" she said with a small chuckle with the hopes of getting the girl to relax.

"I am Hermione Granger. Nice meeting you" the girl replied and Alicia gave her a big bright smile.

" well I was about to go change, could you show me where? Or do you have to find that out still yourself?" Alicia then quickly said, hoping to get herself a guide through the long train.

"well I know where it is ...somewhat. But I haven't changed yet so I'm not sure" Hermione replied and looked around again before looking over a little map she had drawn herself it seemed.

"well..., want to look with me?" Alicia asked.

"Yes, that would be great" "Hermione said very enthusiastic, "sorry it's just not many have spoken to me yet today" Hermione added slightly blushing.

" Well I've met two boys so far but that's not half as fun as meeting another girl I think" Hermione smiled as Alicia said this and together they began to walk on, talking about everything that came to mind.

After changing Hermione grabbed her stuff from the full compartment she shared with many uninterested faces, so she could join Alicia in her compartment.

"Now we've been talking for quite a while and there is one thing I have not heard you asking" Hermione said.

"And what is that?" Alicia asked a little puzzled. She thought she'd asked any possible question.

"well if I am pure blood or not" Hermione stated simply and Alicia raised an eyebrow.

"well it doesn't really interest me much" she then said while shrugging.

"really? People have been asking me that before even saying anything else!"

"well then if they find it of any importance that's their problem not mine." Alicia smiled.

"are you?" Hermione asked.

" A pureblood? well yes but I have been living among muggles for a large part of my life, so I don't really care"

"Really that's great because I am a muggle born" Hermione replied relieved and then the conversation got back to other things until the train reached the station.

A new idea of mine! What do you think of it so far? I'm writing as quick as I can. Without neglecting "You couldn't care less..." of course!