The Last of the Malfoys (on hiatus)

Chapter Five

As Jeanine came home from Diagon Alley, she had found that the package with the books for Hogwarts had finally arrived. The large sized Wings (they were wings that carried packages wherever they were meant to go) were lying on the top of the brown paper wrapped around the box.

The girl tore off the paper and opened the box. Inside were piles of textbooks. They were piled up on each other as if they were a tower. Nothing moved. It seemed they were stuck together.

She took out one of the books and read the cover. It was a textbook called "Transfiguration for Younglings" by Usher Keeley.

Jeanine opened to the first page and the strong smell of fresh ink and new paper emerged. She scrunched up her nose as the smell found her nostrils. Most found it pleasant, but she hated it. She preferred the smell of leather or of old, dusty book pages. She found it comforting, in a way.

She closed the book shut and placed it back onto its pile. Opening a large trunk, which had belonged to her mum when she was going to school, Jeanine began packing for Hogwarts. She folded her new robes and put them carefully inside, covering them with piles of muggle clothes she wanted to bring.

***

In the evening, Jeanine had finally closed her trunk after making sure everything she needed for school was in it. The young wizard flopped onto her bed and closed her eyes, imagining the beautiful Great Hall full of floating candles decorating the enchanted ceiling. She thought of the infamous Hogwarts elf-made food during the feasts.

Personally, she had never seen Hogwarts or even been there, but she heard stories from her grandparents and parents of the best times they had at their second home. Her favourite stories had been about the Sorting. It felt exciting and Jeanine couldn't wait to be sorted into one of the four houses herself.

She had always imagined herself as a Gryffindor. She found the idea of living in a tower exciting. There weed also the stories her grandmother told her. The stories of the hilarious encounters with the Fat Lady and the nights next to the cosy fireplace.

"Jeanine, darling, come downstairs! Dinner's ready!" The voice of her mum shook her out of the daydreaming phase into the reality.

"Coming, mum!" She shouted back and jumped out of bed, heading towards the kitchen.

Jeanine's mum and dad were sitting at the kitchen table. A delicious smell of meat stew cirlcled around the steaming pot in the middle of the table. She sat down and smiled as her mum scooped her some food onto a plate.

"Thank you." she smiled and started eating.

"Are you excited for Hogwarts, Jeanine?" Dad asked after swallowing a spoonful of the food.

"Yes, but I'm still nervous." she replied shyly, biting her lip

"There's nothing to be nervous about, swetheart. You have your friends and many of your schoolmates will go to Hogwarts too." Mum reassured her.

"I know. I'm just worried that Lyla and Angie might stop being my friends. What if they start hanging out with someone else?" Jeanine muttered.

"Then you'll find fantastic friends too. I believe in you, darling." Mum smiled.

After Jeanine finished her meal, she thanked her parents for the food and quickly walked to her room. She closed the door behind her and sighed, plopping onto her bed.

***

Jeanine arrived at King's Cross half an hour before the departure of the Hogwarts Express. She and her parents reached the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Jeanine's stomach twisted in fear of what might happen if she wasn't able to go through the barrier. What would my parents think? What would my friends think? Would that mean that I'm not magical enough?

She closed her eyes shut until it hurt. She felt a drip of sweat run down her forehead. Jeanine took a deep breath and ran at the wall.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, thoughts ran through the girl's mind. Did I stop before the wall and now my parents are dissapointed? Did I not make it through? She opened her eyes and smiled, seeing the happy families in wizard robes waiting for the Hogwarts Express to depart. She looked up at her mum's face and gulped, knowing what was going to come next. She would have to go. She had her friends, of course, but that changed nothing about her constant worries. Would everybody accept me?

Jeanine sighed, She hugged her parents and nervously walked towards the Hogwarts train.

"Good luck, Jeanine! Have fun!" Dad called after her.

"Send messages every day, darling!" Jeanine looked as red as a tomato.

She climbed inside the train, after putting her trunk in the baggage compartment.

***

The Hogwarts Express was about to leave and Jeanine couldn't find Angie and Lyla anywhere. Her chest was burning and she just wanted to sit down and cry from frustration and worry. What if they decided to go to Pottem instead and not tell me because they didn't actually like me?

Jeanine opened the door to an empty compartment and ran inside, closing the door shut behind her. She sat on the seat closest to the window and curled up into a ball. On the verge of tears, she dug her nails into her arm until a deep dent showed. She bit her lip until she could taste her blood. She didn't even notice her heart was racing until she tried to calm down.

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breath out. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Breathe in, breathe out. Why am I feeling like this?

The door of the compartment opened and Jeanine wished she was able to do the Vanishing Charm and vanish herself off the face of the Earth.