Vanish [book 1 Harry Potter]

Ch. 1

Connecting the raindrops on the window of the Hogwarts express with my finger, I smiled a little, watching James Potter snore in the seat next to me. "James!" I hissed, fighting back a giggle. "Wake up! Your going to miss the train!"

James's eyes flew open, a squeal of horror issuing from his lips- a very girly one, it might be added. "Mum, bloody 'ell, why did you let me sleep in, then?!"

Then, upon spotting my face, James let out a disgruntled mutter, rearranging himself so he was sitting up in the seat. "Really, Natalie? How mature." He muttered with a roll of his mischievously glinting eyes.

I laughed a little, glancing around the large, airy compartment. While James sat directly across from me, Ellina Adkins, my close friend and fellow Gryffindor, sat next to me, sleeping peacefully, her straight auburn, red-tinted hair sprawled out around her, limbs twisted in a flexible way only she could manage without pulling something.

Although dainty and rather short, Ellina could hold her own in a fight, as she was extremely skilled and somewhat dangerous with her long, 13 and a half inch oak and Phoenix feather Ollivander wand. Although she was still growing into her wand, she still handled it well, and although she confided in me that she felt slightly awkward with it, you would never be able to tell otherwise.

And then there was Madge Montgomery, with silky straight raven hair like a curtain, glossy and hanging perfectly over a pale, unblemished and perfectly heart-shaped face. With pale blue eyes, a mysterious smile and a straight, perfectly lined up nose, Madge was also very pretty, strong and sure looking. Sitting up in her seat, absently staring out the window, none of us were brave enough to ask the pretty, tough Ravenclaw girl what was wrong.

Last, but certainly not least, came my best friend, Albus Potter. With a charming smile, emerald green eyes, inky black hair and an around intelligence about him, he was slightly intimidating, not like his older brother James. While Albus, Madge, Ellina and I were all fourth years, James's was a fifth year, and never failed to remind us he was older, therefore more superior, in his tainted, immature eyes.

Awakening with a snort as James's accidentally shifted and smacked his forehead on the glass compartment door, Ellina rapidly sat up, her soft olive green eyes wide. "What's happening?" She yawned loudly, failing to stifle it and looking a tad bit embarrassed.

"We're almost to Hogwarts." Madge replied distantly. "You lot better go and change into your school robes."

With a start, Ellina pulled her robes from her Hogwarts chest, and I followed suit, trailing after her out of the compartment to go and change. On the way down the aisle, however, we were intercepted by two Slytherin snobs, also known as Emory Diaz and Corinna Roberson.

"Do you smell something?"Emory asked, putting her nose in the air with a flourish of a dainty hand, fingernails neatly painted cherry red. "Fishy scent almost, like...Gryffindor."

Corinna snorted with laughter, raising her own nose gingerly upward. "Hm...I smell it to!"

"Oh, how mature." I muttered sarcastically to Ellina, who began to grin and giggle.

"What did you just say, Mudblood?" Emory hissed, flicking straight, blonde-high-lighted hair over her shoulder, brown eyes flashing with rage. "I'll show you, you stupid gits!"

"Everte Statum." Emory spoke quite calmly indeed, giving a simple flick of her hickory wand, and instantly, my entire body flew backwards as if hit with something large and solid. Slamming into one of the compartment doors with a groan, I sat still for a moment, pretending to recover, while inwardly racking my mind for a useful spell.

I momentarily gritted my teeth, then drew my wand from my pocket and hissed angrily, "Furnunculus!" instantly covering Emory in angry, vengeful red boils and pimples.