The Other Potter

Part 3

Hogwarts was an appallingly average place Harriet mused as she sat on the train taking her home from her first year. The classes had on the whole been good, some like History of Magic and Potions were deceptively poor, yet Charms and shockingly Herbology, had been better than expected. Still the year had been average, yes, she had come out at the top of her classes, made a few acquaintances and spent time with her family but that was it, it wasn't an overly fantastic experience. Then again Harriet's opinion was biased, she really just wanted to go home and see her mother, who had taken ill over Yule but had recovered well according to her letters.

"What's wrong little star?" Bella asked, pulling Harriet out from her thoughts and back into the present.

Harry was sitting with her cousins; excluding Sirius who was off with James, no doubt making somebody's life miserable and Andromeda who had snuck off to go flutter her eyelashes at her not-so-secret Hufflepuff boyfriend. Joining them was also Lucius Malfoy, who Narcissa had tentatively started to date, and the Lestrange twins, the elder of whom Bellatrix was engaged to and Barty who Harriet could admit was a good friend and ally.

"Nothing Bella, just hoping next year will be better, Hogwarts wasn't as magical as I had wished," she admitted honestly.

Lucius nodded, "I agree, the school has lost some of its grandeur in recent years."

Bella cooed and pulled at Harriet until she ended up cuddled in her arms. Sending Narcissa who was giggling an exasperated look, the emerald eyed 11 year old gave up trying to escape and accepted her fate. She did however send a stinging hex at Barty when he had the audacity to try and take a photo. Harriet loved the fact that behind closed doors these people trusted each other enough to allow their masks to drop.

"She isn't a kneazle Bella," Rodolphus commented, watching his betrothed in amusement.

Bella laughed and kissed Harriet's head before letting her get back into her seat.

"No, but if I tried it with her kneazle I would lose an eye."

The fact Bella sounded impressed by that made Harriet laugh. Bella was odd but Harriet couldn't help but love her all the more for it. Although it did make her wonder if it was Bella who had been training Bia to attack Hufflepuffs whenever they fell over, a horribly common occurrence it would seem. The rest of their compartment shuddered at Bella's words; Bia had made herself quite the reputation at Hogwarts.

"Are you excited to be leaving?" Harriet asked the twins once everybody had finished shooting Bia's travel container wary glances.

Rodolphus pulled as face whilst Rabastan smirked.

"My father is bestowing on me the noble task of working under him at the ministry and taking a more active role in our family businesses," Rodo explained, "I'm to be a glorified house elf until he deems me suitable."

Lucius sent him a look of understanding; he as the heir to the Malfoy family could relate to such tragedy, whilst everybody else simply smirked, Bella adding a manic giggle at his seemingly terrible fate.

"Unlike my dear older brother," Rabastan said with a smirk, winking at Rodolphus who looked mutinously at his twin, "I have the honour of actually doing something I want. I've secured myself the position of apprentice under Remy Levant, depending on my NEWT results, studying wards and curses. So hopefully within the next few years I will be a qualified ward master and curse breaker."

Harriet would admit she was envious, she wanted to study warding and curses, and eventually go onto their creation.

"Impressive," Regulus commented, "Mr. Levant is a formidable curse breaker, you're lucky to have such a renowned teacher."