In the enchanting world of magic, where wands cast spells, and owls deliver life-changing letters, Willow embarks on a journey that will challenge her and unravel the mysteries of her family's past.
Haunted by the supposed demise of her parents, Wi...
The rhythmic clatter of the train wheels echoed through the compartment as Ron took a seat beside Harry. Willow, still feeling a bit nervous, decided to break the ice.
Willow: Ron, this is Harry. He's also starting his first year.
Ron: (extending his hand) Hi, I'm Ron. Are you Harry Potter?
Harry simply nodded, and Ron's eyes widened with curiosity.
Ron: Oh, well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes when they told me they met Harry Potter.
He pointed at Harry's forehead.
Harry pulled back his bangs, revealing the lightning scar. Ron and Willow shamelessly stared.
Willow: (musing) So that's where You-Know-Who — ?
Harry: Yes, but I can't remember it.
Ron: Nothing?
Harry: Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.
Ron and Willow: (amazed in unison) Wow.
After a few moments, as if realizing he was staring, Ron quickly shifted his gaze, looking out of the compartment window.
Harry: Are all your family wizards?
This sparked a lively conversation as Ron shared the Weasley family's wizarding heritage while Willow spoke of her Aunt Deirdre and Aunt Sarah's Muggle family.
Ron: (explaining) Er — yes, I think so, except my mum's second cousin, who's an accountant.
Willow told Harry and Ron about her Aunt Deirdre and her Aunt Sarah's Muggle family.
"No way, I didn't know Miss Blackwood had a squib aunt," Ron exclaimed
"What's a squib?" Harry was curious.
"A squib is a wizard who can't do magic. They are almost a muggle, born in Wizarding families, like how some Muggle families have a wizard child, some wizarding families have a Muggle child." Willow explained to Harry. Now she turned to Ron and added, "Well, most wizarding families don't talk about their squib relatives, so maybe that's why no one in the wizarding community knows about Aunt Sarah. That's why we are also blood traitors."
Ron: (nodding) That's why. I never thought about it. So your aunt married a Muggle...
Ron was lost in his thoughts when the compartment door opened.
"Hey, Ron. Hey Harry!"
The twins were back.
"Oh, Hi, Willow" one of the twins greeted Willow when they saw she was also there, "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron. Willow greeted the twins.
"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. See you later, then."
"Bye," the trio chimed together. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.
Harry wanted to know more about blood traitors, so Ron and Willow explained the term to him as best they could. Ron was curious about Muggle's schooling. When Willow told him she attended a Muggle school, he wanted to know more about what they were taught. Now, Harry and Willow told Ron about their respective schools.
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Harry was surprised that Willow's family consisted of death eaters, blood traitors and a non-magic person.
"You told him about your parents, " Ron was surprised.
Willow: "Yeah, I can't hide it. From what my aunt told me, it's common knowledge, and I would rather people talk about it in front of me instead of behind my back."
Ron: After we met you in Diagon Alley that day, Mum told us all not to talk about your parents when we were at Hogwarts so I - I wasn't sure. I thought your aunt had asked Mum to tell us. And your aunt is scary. I wouldn't cross her."
This made Willow smile, "Yeah, she is a bit scary."
Ron Now turned to Harry, "I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"
"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle, and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. He summarised his five brothers and how he rarely got new clothes or anything and took out his rat, Scabbers, from his pocket, who was dead asleep and actually looked dead. He added how he got him from Percy after Mr Weasely had bought him an owl.
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much because he went back to staring out of the window. Willow felt weird now, and her aunt had subtly hinted about Weasley's financial situation after they had met in Diagon Alley.
Harry also seemed to think nothing was wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron and Willow all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up. Willow told Ron that she never had new clothes except on her birthday. All her dresses and school uniform were her cousin's handed-down clothes.
". . . and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"
Ron and Willow both gasped.
"What?" said Harry.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed.
Willow added, " I mean, I'd have thought you, of all people —"
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn. . . . I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that seemed to have been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London.
Now, they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. Willow felt like she might fit in with other first years after all.
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Around half past twelve, there was a great clattering outside in the corridor, and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
