Bab 3: Arrival at King's Cross, the Hogwarts Express and a Meeting
We, the Evans' and Snape's, have just arrived at the infamous King's Cross. It was also quite unsettling to run past that wall... I truly am a frog in a well, not knowing much about the Wizarding World's norms.
Severus stood beside me, slightly hunched, next to a thin, sallow-faced, sour-looking woman who greatly resembled him, his mother, most likely. They don't talk to me much.
Severus and I were staring at my family, a short distance away. The two girls stood a little apart from their parents. I already said my goodbyes to them, I'm not that close to them, anyway. You could even argue that I'm the black sheep of the family! I scratched my nose as I thought of that. I decided to stop, thus I looked back at my family.
Lily seemed to be pleading with Petunia. For me, I believe it to be a waste of time. Talking to that girl, that is.
"... I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen–" She caught Petunia's hand and held tight to it, even though Petunia tried to pull it away. 'Maybe once I'm there – no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"
Haha, sounds like a waste of time to me. I laughed as Severus chuckled.
"I don't – want – to – go!" said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of Lily's grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a – a –"
Her pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over the owls fluttering and hooting at each other in cages, over the students, some already in their long, black robes, loading trunks on to the scarlet steam engine or else greeting one another with glad cries after a summer apart.
"– you think I want to be a – a freak?" She continued. Hah! As if I'd ever think about your opinions on such an interesting society!
Lily's eyes filled with tears as Petunia succeeded in tugging her hand away. I glared at Petunia again. I was about to enter the conversation, but my inner thoughts stopped me. Maybe this is the time when Lily will finally stop caring about this girl. Thus, I calmed myself and continued watching.
"I'm not a freak," said Lily. "That's a horrible thing to say."
"That's where you're going," said Petunia with relish. "A special school for freaks. You, Nalesh, and that Snape boy... weirdos, that's what you three are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."
I don't really care about your opinions, though Lily is a different story.
Lily glanced towards our parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then she looked back at her sister, and her voice was low and fierce. Yet, I and Severus could still hear, albeit barely.
"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the Headmaster and begged him to take you."
Petunia turned scarlet. And I gagged.
"Beg? I didn't beg!" By then, I was holding onto my abdomen, while crouching, and was laughing. Gosh, they find out so many things while I nap!
"I saw his reply. It was very kind."
"You shouldn't have read –" whispered Petunia. "That was my private – how could you –?"
Lily gave herself away by half glancing towards the place Severus and I stood, nearby. Petunia gasped. I waved my hand and nearly stuck out my middle finger.
"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"
"No – not sneaking –" Now Lily was on the defensive. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of –"
"Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed. "Freak!" she spat at her sister, and she flounced off to where our parents stood...
I took this as my chance and walked up to her. Severus didn't follow as he entered the Hogwarts Express just as I had left. "Hey, Lily," I said. It caught her attention as she looked at me.
"Oh, Nalesh." She smiled and I did, too.
"Let's go!" I called out. I grabbed her hand and ran towards the Hogwarts Express.
Here I come, Hogwarts!
~
The Hogwarts Express is pretty comfortable. I and Lily stayed in one compartment; alone. No one dared to enter because of my glares. Speaking of which, I sat beside Lily. In front of us, not directly, sat a group of boys. I didn't dare scare them away as one of them was a Black. Also, they got here earlier. On my other side was the Hogwarts leaflet, which I had already read, and a sandwich bag.
Currently, I was reading a book. It was about the 'pure-blood families,' as they called it. I sighed. This must be why Severus hesitated then. It seems as though these families were practically royalty in this society. And they dislike 'mudbloods', 'half-bloods', and 'muggles'. Looks like we will run into some bullying in Hogwarts. I marked my page and shut the book.
I looked at the window, as the Express clattered through the countryside. I and Lily had already changed into his school robes. I looked at Lily. She was hunched in a corner seat beside the window, her face pressed against the windowpane. I couldn't stop her from sobbing, nonetheless.
Suddenly, the door slid open, revealing Severus in his robes. I stopped preparing and smiled at him. Though, he didn't notice it and sat down opposite Lily. She glanced at him and then looked back out of the window. She had been sobbing.
Well, let's enjoy the show, folks. I shrugged and took a bite of my egg sandwich. They'll be fine. I believe in them.
"I don't want to talk to you," she said in a constricted voice.
"Why not?" Severus asked.
"Tuney h – hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."
"So what?"
She threw him a look of deep dislike. "So she's my sister!"
"She's only a –" He caught himself quickly; Lily, too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed, did not hear him.
I'm not sure whether I should be happy or angered that Lily didn't hear him.
"But we're going!" he said, unable to suppress the exhilaration in his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"
Lily nodded, mopping her eyes, but in spite of herself, she half-smiled.
"You'd better be in Slytherin," Severus said. He seemed encouraged to say that, as she had brightened up a little. Though, I stopped for a moment.
Slytherin? Though, as far as I know, all the bad seeming people go there... It is labeled as 'people with ambition' but most are, as I mentioned, seemingly bad people. I looked at Severus, shocked.
"Slytherin?" Lily asked. Right, she hasn't even glanced at the leaflet...
I was about to explain, but one of the other boys in the compartment spoke up. His features were akin to Severus', except the air of being well-cared-for, maybe even adored, the one thing that Severus lacked. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked the boy lounging on the seat opposite him, and near my stuff. The boy didn't smile at that remark.
I looked at the first boy curiously. He didn't seem to be interested in us three until Severus spoke of Slytherin. While I do half-agree with him, I don't want to be associated with bad people, even if there may be some nice people in it, I still wouldn't say that to Severus. That would be insensitive. Especially right now.
"My whole family had been in Slytherin," the second boy replied.
"Blimey," the first boy exclaimed. "And I thought you seemed alright!"
Oh... this is quite... insensitive?
The second boy... grinned? What is wrong with these people?! "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?" He asked.
The first boy lifted an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor! Where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad." He recited.
Suddenly, Severus made a small, disparaging noise. The first boy turned to him, "Got a problem with that?" He asked Severus.
Oh, no... Time for the drama! ...Should I be excited or not? This is pretty interesting.
"No," Severus said, though his slight sneer said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"
He was cut off by the second boy. "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" He interjected.
The first boy roared with laughter. Lily sat up, rather flushed, and looked at the two boys with dislike. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment. You coming, Nalesh?" She looked at me. I shook my head. I don't want to ruin their alone time~ Plus, these two seem interesting. She showed a sad smile and nodded.
"Ooooo.." The two boys imitated her lofty voice; the first boy tried to trip Severus as he passed. I glared at him.
"See ya, Snivellus!" a voice called, as the compartment door closed.
I glared deeply at the first boy. "Hey! Don't call him that!" I snapped.
"Huh? You're in his side?" he asked.
"Duh, you some kind of idiot or something?" I scoffed, each word laced with dislike.
"Then why didn't you say anything earlier?" The second boy asked.
"I didn't want to interject. Plus, they handled it nicely," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
"Hahaha! You're pretty interesting, too." The first boy asked. "My name is James Potter." He smiled as he took his hand out. I smiled. Hey, is this a new friend? If socializing is this easy, then everyone in the world would have friends!
"Nalesh Evans," I replied, shaking his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise." He said.
The gears turned in my head slowly. ...Wait... Potter?!
"You're James Potter?!" I asked, in a panic.
He shrugged. "That's what I just said, Nalesh!" He laughed.
"So... you're a pure-blood?!" I flailed my hands around. I don't want to die yet! Mr. Potter looked at me weirdly.
The second one frowned and said, "yes. And I am too. What of it?"
I shivered. "It's nothing... It's just... don't pure-bloods hate 'mudbloods'?" I quoted the word mudblood. Honestly, I don't care much for what they call us. It may hurt, but what is so wrong about being born by a non-magic user? It's just an unfair term and said in a disgraceful and disdainful tone... Yeah, I understand now... Though, this is just my opinion.
The two frowned. "Yeah, they do... But don't worry, Nalesh! We're not like them." Potter said. He seemed to dislike it to a certain degree, too.
The second boy grinned. "Yeah!" I smiled and we all chuckled. "By the way, my name's Sirius. Sirius Black." He took out his hand. I shook it, but I also had questions. Also, hah! I knew he was a Black.
"Excuse me, but isn't the Black family always strict?" I asked. This seemed rude, but I guess... I was curious and asked too quickly. I should fix this part of myself.
"Yeah... But, they gave up on me! They keep focusing on my 'great' younger brother, anyway." His voice trailed off, and he seemed a bit dispirited.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." I bowed my head as I said so.
He waved his hands. "No, don't worry about it!" I smiled and mouthed thanks.
"So, Nalesh, which house would you enter, if you had the choice?" James asked.
Though, he was interrupted by the compartment door opening; revealing a trio of children.
There were a girl and two boys. The girl looked awfully similar to Sirius, must be a twin sister. James smiled and said, "great! Nalesh meet Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Nora Black! You must've haven't noticed, but they were here a while ago when you and the girl entered. They left earlier. Oh, and this is Nalesh Evans." I blinked. Huh? How did I not notice? Must've been the book...
I shook my head and focused on greeting them. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew, and Miss Black," I bowed my head. Don't want to offend them...
The boy at the front grinned. "No need to be so formal, Nalesh! You can call me Remus. I am just a half-blood, too!" Remus said. I smiled at him and nodded my head.
I looked behind him to see a weak-looking boy. Beside him was a girl, around my height. Maybe smaller by an inch or two? Peter squeaked as he noticed my stare. The girl nodded her head to me and sat down beside Sirius and I. Peter and Remus sat near James.
Thus, we started chatting.
~
Well, I bonded with the people who bad-mouthed my best friend and twin, plus their friends. Great. Though, they merely imitated Lily's voice. And Severus... he also shouldn't have scoffed... But at the end of the day, what happens, happens. We'll probably forget it in the future, anyway... I hope.
Anyway, the Express stopped. Currently, I sat with the four; talking. We talked for a very long time, and it didn't seem to end. Until the Express stopped, that is. We stopped chatting and looked out the window. The sky was dark, but the castle had lights; illuminating it and it's surroundings. The castle was huge!
I smiled as the rest did, too. We were excited!
Well, I guess here it goes!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone