My Guide

The Train Ride

"It's a rather Gloomy day out," she said to no one particular in her mouse-like tone, knowing well enough that either the sound of the train railing or drowning rain would beat out any attempt to listen in. The young girl leans against the window of the Hogwarts Express looking outwards as the rain hits the window at a relatively fast pace due to the storm but the cold window is very soothing to the warmth of her cheek from an aggressive smack of yet another Bully among her peers, it's her third year at Hogwarts yet not a single friend to be had thanks to being a muggle-born in the house of Slytherin, the ringleader of the bullying towards the young witch quickly Appeared in the doorway of her Compartment

Draco Malfoy

"Awe is the little Mudblood all alone?" He laughs which causes the boys behind him to snicker, "As with every year, Montgomery will just be a disappointment to all Slytherins in history." She rolled her eyes and kept leaning against the window hoping he would just let her off with a few insults for now. Back in the day, his insults used to sting and leave me feeling low all day, but after years of the same thing, it is almost lovely just having someone talk to me, even if he is a pompous little brat. "What's wrong with the Mud Blood?" Malfoy spat "Enjoying the View? Let me help you get a closer look." as he said that he motioned to one of his dull-headed cronies Goyal who quickly followed his boss's orders and pushed her to the side and opened the window allowing the Freezing Rain and blistering winds to fill the Compartment before they left slamming the door shut behind them. Since she didn't have much of a jacket and a light sweater the freezing rain just made it feel like knives were hitting her and seeping through her clothing which caused her to try to reclose the window quickly "It's been like this for three years now," She said while working up all the strength in her body in an attempt to Dislodge the rickety old window from its now stuck position halfway up its frame. "I still remember the day it all Started. The worst day of my life." She thought to herself as she began getting lost in thought. "It was the sorting ceremony; they placed that massive Old hat on my head. I still remember every word it said to me that day." She thought, thinking back to that exact moment that felt so long ago. As the hat touched her head it sprang to life animating and reaching Into her mind and grabbing at her barely formed thoughts "I see," he said quietly to himself "Intelligent but without much drive to learn, Caring but with no capability to confront aggressors, but you are cunning aren't you," It said with a growing smirk and a deepening rattle in its voice "Quite cunning indeed, With your words you could manipulate quite a few people If you chose to use them" it said settling its expression into a half smirk before quickly yelling out "SLYTH-" She was jolted from her memories trying to repress the torment returning her mind to the window but it wouldn't budge so she moves herself slowly to the Door of her private compartment as she reached the door she noticed Malfoy had locked the door when he left, as she began pulling on the door the train was lurching as it came to the stop, the lights flickered before completely shutting off, she could see the strange sight of fog coming out of her mouth to show how cold the air has become.

A Dark figure moved closer to the glass The thing black like a void in light glided silently into the carriage, its body Lith and emaciated but wrapped in a black silk-like cloak only allowing a small bit of its gnarled maw to poke through the air caught in its presence almost as if time itself was afraid to move the only sounds were the crackling of ice on glass and the slow building feverous beating in her chest. Moments Felt like hours as the indescribable creature Crept towards her, a frozen breath caught in her throat in a blink the beast was on top of her. Suddenly the breath caught in her throat had been ripped out as the monstrosity's mouth opened wide. With an ethereal force, all the remaining warmth in her body had been pulled from her along with something else, something more. With a frantic breath, her knees buckled as what felt like her soul was being ripped from her still beating form

Memories Swam through her head like a rapid and violent torrent cutting the edges of her frail Psyche. Was this what it felt like to die? Each distinct memory ripped through her mind at a blinding pace

"Slytherin!" Yelled the hat to the deafening cheers of her soon-to-be tormentors

She remembered Harry's face as he was sorted into Gryffindor with a giant smile on his face, but he never looked at Maria, they didn't speak to each other not even once before Harry's birthday, last she knew that he was being punished just for getting dozens of letters that he wasn't allowed to even open

She gazed into the bathroom mirror looking at her freshly swollen eye, bending down to pour cold water onto her face a strange sound of hissing played behind her as her gaze met the mirror.

Her memory lapsed once more, to the hospital wing, Cold and alone she awoke to no one's fanfare but the nurses looming over her frame with worried expressions on their faces "You're awake"

Suddenly she was back in the present face to face with the 5th-year Slytherin prefect named Stellan Nott, but he didn't speak to her just gave her an intense gaze with his light blue eyes. Not only was the creature gone, but she noticed that her robes were now dry. but she was still shivering uncontrollably. "Here eat this," says a man coming from around the prefects' frame "It'll help lessen the side effects," he said before pulling out a piece of chocolate from his robe