Chapter 1:The Hogwarts Express

Valerie's POV

I heard a loud crack, and promptly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. As if I hadn't been awake for hours, trying to stop being so nervous.

"Miss Valerie, wake up! Miss must hurry! Mister Albert can't take you to the station!"

I groaned. Of course my dad couldn't take me, no surprise there. Not that I cared, of course.

I stood up and stumbled towards the full-length mirror, standing there just staring at my reflection. My hair was a mess, a big black knot, and my eyes were still squinting as they adjusted to the light.

Thirty minutes later I was standing at exactly the same spot, but looking infinitely better. My black curls now looked shiny, covering my whole back, and my dark blue eyes were wide open.

I was wearing dark blue jeans and a cream colored blouse. It had taken me quite a while to decide on my clothes but hey, I was nervous okay?

I looked at myself once more in the mirror. Kind of pale, but then again, I always was.

Walking down the stairs I grinned at the house elf Minnie waiting for me.

"Morning Minnie"

"What does Miss Valerie want for breakfast?" She squeaked, smiling at me fondly.

"I don't really feel like eating much" I say, at which Minnie frowned, her smile disappearing.

Three pieces of toast and a cup of coffee later, Minnie came down the stairs with my huge trunk and my beautiful Snowy owl, which I had bought at Diagon Alley a week before.

She apparated me to a corner in the King's Cross Station, gave me a quick goodbye hug and disappeared with a loud crack, without even giving me time to recover from the dizziness of apparating.

"Great." I muttered, taking in the situation. There I was, an eleven years old girl in the middle of a train station, with a huge trunk and an owl hooting loudly in its cage. Oh well, I sighed. I was used to being independent.

Eleven thirty found me dragging my trunk behind me down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express.

Why couldn't I find an empty compartment, or at least one where someone looked like my age?

Eventually, I came across one where a slimy haired boy sat talking to a redhead, both looked about my age. Trying to look confident, I slid open the door.

"Hi er... can I sit here?"

The redhead looked up and smiled sweetly.

"Of course"

That smile is all it took for my shyness to evaporate.

"You have beautiful eyes" I heard myself telling the girl. She smiled again.

"Most people comment on my hair first" She answered, a bit quietly.

"Well, I'm not like most people" I said winking at her. "By the way, I'm Valerie, but please just call me Val, I hate my name"

"I´m Lily" She said, a bit less timidly. "And this is..."

"Severus" The boy said.

"Awesome. I'm assuming we're all first years"

"Yep" a voice answered, and I looked up to see a tall boy with glasses.

"Hi, you are..."

"James" he announced. "Can I sit with you guys?"

Lily shrugged and James took that as a yes. Severus and Lily kept talking, and I blocked out their conversation quickly, turning on my iPod and closing my eyes at the sound of music.

Sirius' POV

So, there I was, walking down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express. I couldn't believe it! Trying to keep myself from screaming, I looked through the windows of a compartment to see a redhead talking to a boy with weird hair, she looked like she was crying, and a boy with extremely messy hair looking at the guy with dirty hair with a disgusted face. I know, it was a weird hair combination right?

That was when I noticed a girl leaning against the window with her eyes closed. I silently slid the door open and, gesturing to the others to keep quiet, tip toed towards the girl, sitting opposite to her.

Then, I noticed she was singing quietly, with a wonderful voice.

Forever young,

I wanna be forever young

Do you really want to live forever?

Forever

Or never...

Weird song. Anyway, I put my face close to hers.

"HELOOOO" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The others jumped, but she just opened her eyes lazily, and I tried to keep my mouth from falling open.

This girl had the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They were a really dark shade of blue, with long black lashes and a small sparkle in them.

Snap out of it, I told myself.

Valerie's POV

I opened my eyes when someone screamed, and found myself drowning in a pair of stormy gray eyes, which were surrounded by a curtain of black wavy hair. I sat there, staring at the gray eyes in silence. Get a grip Val, I told myself.

"Hi" I said quietly.

The boy pouted "Why didn't I scare you?"

"You're not scary" I answered, smiling cheekily.

Looking around he said "Sorry for coming in without saying anything. Wanted to scare her." James shrugged, grinning.

"I'm Sirius by the way"

"James"

Both boys looked at me expectantly.

"Valerie"

"Sounds like a royal name" Sirius said

I frowned slightly. "Call me something else then"

"Will do." he said, smiling at me.

All three of us turned to look at Lily, who was talking to Severus.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore" She was saying, sniffling.

Tactful me. I hadn't even noticed she was crying when I got there.

"So what?" Severus said. James rolled his eyes at us.

"So she's my sister!" Lily said angrily.

"She's only a-" Severus began but closed his mouth quickly. "But we're going! This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!" At that, Lily smiled slightly. "You'd better be in Slytherin" He added.

"Slytherin?" James interrupted "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave wouldn't you?" He asked Sirius, who grimaced.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin" Sirius said, and I didn't miss the bitterness in his voice.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!" James said, surprise in his face.

Sirius smiled "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?" He asked. James adopted an air of such pride that both Lily and I smiled at his childisness.

"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!" He said, brandishing an imaginary sword. "Like my dad".

Severus made a small noise.

James, disgust on his face turned towards him. "Got a problem with that?"

"No" said Severus, smirking "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy..."

"Where are you going, seeing as you're neither?" Interrupted Sirius.

James roared with laughter, and even I found myself chuckling. Lily, however, stood up and said rather angrily "Come on Severus, let's find another compartment"

"Ooooohh..." both boys said at once, though James looked a bit disappointed, as he put his leg trying to trip Severus.

"See ya Snivellus!" Sirius said, at which both boys started roaring with laughter.

"So, which house do you want to be in?" Sirius said, looking at me.

"Well...my father was a Ravenclaw, but I do not like studying, I am not a pureblood maniac, so Slytherin is out, I'm not brave either, and Hufflepuff sounds plain boring. So maybe they'll make a new house just for me."

Sirius chuckled slightly "What's with the accent?"

"Australia" I answered

.

"Are you serious?" James asked, gasping.

"Hey, that's me!" Sirius said, feigning outrage.

The three of us burst out laughing, and only stopped when the door opened, revealing a big boy with an arrogant expression, with three other boys behind him, looking equally arrogant.

"Hi" he grunted, looking us up and down. "I'm Avery. What are you?" He asked, looking at me.

"I'm a witch" I said, my voice cold. "This train does go to Hogwarts doesn't it?"

Avery rolled his small, beady eyes and said, sounding irritated "I meant blood status"

"And why is that important?" I asked, disliking him more every second that passed.

"You see, my parents don't allow me to date ugly mudbloods, and you're good looking but I wanted to know if you're a pureblood."

I was surprised that he had managed to say such a long sentence, as he didn't look too bright, but mainly I was furious because of his pureblood obsession and his use of the word mudblood.

"Well, I don't allow myself to date big-headed, ugly, pureblood-loving gits, so I guess you're out" I said calmly, and stood up, while Sirius and James gaped at me and Avery clenched and unclenched his fists.

"See ya!" I waved at James and Sirius, who were by now shaking with laughter, looking at Avery's face as I walked out.

Still angry, I found a compartment with two girls that looked like my age, and asked if I could sit with them.

I got to know Mary, kind of shy but very sweet, and very pretty too, with straight blond hair and gray eyes, and Alice, who was a bit more outgoing and very friendly, with short brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes. We all agreed that Gryffindor was the best house, but none of us were very sure we would manage to get in.

Talking to Mary and Alice was extremely easy, and in a few seconds we were already friends. As the train slowed down I sighed contentedly. Whatever happens now, at least I have friends I thought.