Numinous [A Wizarding World Story]

i.

Thursday, September 1st, 1994

Fourteen year-old Adelaide Hayes liked very much to mind her own business, and preferred it if others did the same. It was rare to see her make exceptions to this rule, which was why one might be surprised at her choice of close friends.

Wilbur Dornington and Ava Morley, at first glance, could not have been more different from the other member of their little trio.

Dark-haired, pureblooded Ava was a Defence Against the Dark Arts prodigy, consistently displaying a profound proficiency for learning - and occasionally, for a select few unlucky bystanders, casting - new hexes and jinxes, oftentimes explaining that the key to their execution was through learning the counter-spells first. Her teachers, though understanding of just how wickedly bright she was, thought she was certifiably mad.

Wil, on the other hand, was the human equivalent of a golden retriever. His shaggy blonde hair and goofy lopsided grin only served to emphasise this point, and though he appeared rather thick - at least, that was most certainly what other people assumed - he was, conversely, a top-scoring student in Potions and Charms, and a sure shoe-in for Head Boy when seventh year finally rolled around.

The key trait that the three of these otherwise incredibly different teenagers shared, was in fact their keen intelligence, and appreciation of one another's fields of interest. They understood that in areas in which they lacked, they were able to help one another, lifting their grades academically, providing emotional support regularly, and strengthening their friendship astronomically.

This being explained, one might understand why the trio sought each other out on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of their fourth year, as they had done the three before that.

Adelaide was first onto the train, as often was the case, and as she hunted for an empty compartment - being pushed further and further back through the carriages - she found the two bargaining with a somewhat frightened-looking second year at the door to his compartment. Wil was waving around a large box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and Ava was deep in saleswoman mode, gesturing to the empty space behind him, and then to a compartment two doors down, containing a single, small, red-haired girl.

As Adelaide drew closer, she caught the tail end of Ava's pitch.

"... so not only do you get this jumbo box of Bertie Botts free of charge, but you also get to make a brand new friend! All we ask is to have the compartment behind you." She flashed him her perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth. "Sounds like a pretty good deal, hey?"

The second year boy's eyebrows drew together in consideration, glancing between Ava's schooled expression and Wil's smiling, friendly face.