First Encounters
It was almost a couple of hours into the journey to Hogwarts.
Harrie couldn’t help but wonder why the train ride had to take
almost an entire day when there were so many faster ways to travel
in the magical world. She thought of all the other methods she had
read about—Portkeys, the Floo Network, and even Apparition. Why
would they opt for something as mundane as a train ride? But as the
rhythmic clattering of the train on the tracks filled the compartment,
she realized she didn’t really mind the journey. The scenery outside
the window was captivating. As soon as they left the bustling city of
London behind, the landscape had transformed into something quite
beautiful, with rolling hills and patches of forest stretching out as
far as the eye could see. Harrie knew that as they ventured further
north, crossing into Scotland, the scenery would only become more
breathtaking.
Harrie sat alone in her compartment, the soft hum of her portable
record player in her lap. The headphones over her ears filled her
world with music, a comforting escape from everything that had
happened recently. The melodies made her feel a little lighter,
almost happy, as they transported her to a place where she could
forget her troubles, if only for a while. She sat cross-legged on the
seat, gazing out the window at the passing scenery, lost in the
beauty of the changing landscapes. The rolling hills and distant
forests seemed to dance along with the music, creating a serene
backdrop for her thoughts. Just as she was beginning to feel at ease,
the door to her compartment slid open, interrupting her moment of
peace.
There was a boy standing at the door, mischief practically radiating
from his features. His messy black hair seemed to defy any attempt
at taming, and his brown eyes sparkled with a playful glint. A wide
grin stretched across his face, and the glasses perched on his nose
added a touch of oddity to his otherwise lively appearance. Harrie
found herself taken aback by his energy. The boy looked directly at
her, his grin widening even further. "Hello there," he said, his voice
carrying a tone of cheerful curiosity.
Harrie looked up at the boy, still standing in the doorway. "Hello,"
she replied cautiously.
"Are these seats empty?" the boy asked, his eyes scanning the
compartment.
"Yes," Harrie answered, a slight unease creeping into her voice.
"Can me and my friends sit here?" he asked, a hopeful grin on his
face. Harrie raised her eyebrows, curious about this sudden request.
The boy quickly continued, "Look, we already have a
compartment, not too far from this one, but there's a boy and a girl
sitting with us. And the girl, well, she doesn't know how to shut up.
For two hours, she's been going on about how excited she was to get
her letter, how she didn’t even know the magical world existed
before that, how she’s already read all her books, and she just keeps
talking and talking and never shuts up."
Harrie couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s exasperated tone.
"And the boy," the boy added dramatically, "his hair is so greasy,
your eyes start to water."
Harrie chuckled again, finding the boy's candidness amusing.
"Please, can me and my friends sit here? We won’t bother you, I
promise," he pleaded, his wide grin returning.
Harrie gave the boy a big smile. "Sure, you and your friends can
sit here," she said warmly.
The boy's face lit up with excitement. "Thank you, thank you!" he
exclaimed before quickly closing the door to go fetch his friend.
Harrie watched him leave, surprised by how quickly the
interaction had unfolded. She hadn’t expected to meet anyone on
this journey who would make her feel at ease, but this boy had
managed to do just that. He was nice and funny, with a kind of
energy that made her feel comfortable, even in this unfamiliar place.
As she sat there, waiting for him to return, Harrie found herself
thinking of Tommy. There was something about the boy's infectious
enthusiasm and easy manner that reminded her of her brother. The
thought warmed her heart, and for a moment, she felt a pang of
sadness mixed with a hint of nostalgia.
The boy returned, carrying two school bags, though his friend was
nowhere in sight. He struggled clumsily to place the bags on the
seat in front of Harrie, fumbling a bit before finally managing to set
them down. "He's gone to get us some chocolate," the boy
explained, sounding a bit out of breath.
Once he had everything situated, he sat down across from Harrie,
near the window. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his
nose and gave her a wide grin. "The name's James," he said,
introducing himself with a confident nod.
"Harrie," she replied simply.
"Harrie? That's a nice name. I really like it," James said, his tone
genuine as he settled into the seat.
Harrie gave him a smile. The boy was really something, she
thought to herself.
"What's that?" James asked, pointing to the record player in
Harrie's hand.
"It's a record player," Harrie explained.
"A record player? What does it do?" James asked, clearly
intrigued.
Harrie chuckled. "Well, it plays records."
James looked at her with a puzzled expression before laughing.
"Fair enough," he said. "But what is a record? And who's playing
the record?"
"It plays music," Harrie clarified with a smile. She couldn’t stop
smiling she realized.
"Music?" James asked, his curiosity piqued. "Muggle music?"
"Yeah, Muggle music," Harrie confirmed.
"How interesting!" James exclaimed. "Can I listen?"
"of course," Harrie said, handing him the record player along with
the headphones. "Put those on. The big parts go on your ears."
James did as instructed, though he managed to put the headphones
on backward. Harrie chuckled and stood up to fix them for him. She
pressed the play button, and the music began to flow through the
headphones.
James's eyes widened in surprise and delight as the sound filled
his ears. After a few seconds, once his ears adjusted to the
unfamiliar sensation, he started to bob his head and move his arms
in time with the music. Harrie couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
The compartment door swung open just as James was trying to
sing along with one of the songs. He was really bad at it—like,
really, really bad—but it was so amusing that Harrie couldn't help
but laugh.
She looked up to see another boy standing at the door. Harrie
assumed this must be the friend James had mentioned. He was
shorter than both Harrie and James, with a slightly chubby build. He
had blonde hair and light brown eyes, and his face was dotted with
freckles.
His hands were overflowing with various types of chocolates that
he had clearly just bought from the trolley on the Hogwarts Express.
He locked eyes with Harrie, his gaze lingering for a moment before
he blurted out, "Wow, you’re really pretty ."
"Pete!" James exclaimed, quickly taking off the headphones and
handing the record player back to Harrie.
The boy’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "Oh, sorry, sorry, I
just..." He trailed off, embarrassed, and hurried into the
compartment to sit next to James, dropping all the chocolate he'd
bought onto the seat between them.
The boy, Pete, gave Harrie a shy, almost apologetic look. James,
eager to shift the conversation away from Pete's awkward comment,
glanced at the pile of chocolates. "Nice job!" he said with a grin,
giving Pete a playful punch on the arm. He picked up a chocolate
frog and quickly tore open the package, popping the frog into his
mouth as he examined the card inside. "Grindelwald ? Who knew
he had a card," he mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate.
James turned to Harrie. "Do you want one of these?"
Harrie hesitated, her eyes lingering on Pete. For some inexplicable
reason, she felt a wave of discomfort just from his presence. She
tried to shake it off—why should she dislike someone she'd just
met? But the feeling persisted, gnawing at her.
"No, thank you," she finally said, still watching Pete out of the
corner of her eye.
"They’re really good, though," James said, his mouth full of
chocolate. Harrie couldn’t help but laugh.
"Alright, I’ll have one," she relented. James handed her a
chocolate frog, and she unwrapped it, popping it into her mouth
while glancing at the card inside. "Hmm," she muttered. "Is this
Newt Scamander someone important?" she asked, passing the card
to James. "This chocolate is really good, by the way," she added,
her mouth full.
James studied the card for a moment. "I think so. I think he wrote
a book on magical creatures or something," he said, handing the
card back to Harrie.
"Hmm," she murmured, reading the description on the back. "It
says he was a Hufflepuff," she noted, her curiosity piqued.
"I think I'll get Hufflepuff," Pete mumbled, almost to himself. "I
mean, I'm nice and kind and loyal," he added, sounding both
hopeful and a bit resigned.
"Yes, you are," James agreed with a nod. "But I hope I'll get
Gryffindor. My parents were Gryffindors. All the brave witches and
wizards were Gryffindors. Dean Scoots was a Gryffindor," he
added, his voice brimming with excitement.
"Who's Dean Scoots?" Harrie asked, genuinely curious.
James looked at her in mock shock, placing a hand over his heart
and pretending to have a dramatic heart attack. "You don't know
Dean Scoots is?" he exclaimed. "He's just the best Quidditch player
this world has ever seen!" he said, his enthusiasm almost
contagious.
Harrie smiled, amused by his antics. She had read a little about
Quidditch and knew it was a popular sport among wizards, though
she hadn’t realized just how passionate some could be about it—
like James, for instance.
Harrie continued conversing with James and occasionally with
Pete for the next few hours. She was genuinely enjoying herself,
feeling a connection that she hadn’t expected. Deep down, she
hoped that James would get sorted into Slytherin so they could
become friends and share their classes together. However, she
couldn't help but silently wish that Pete would be sorted into
Hufflepuff, far away from her.
The sky outside the window was gradually darkening when the
compartment door burst open again. "Oh, there you are," came the
voice of the girl standing in the doorway. She was looking directly
at James, but Harrie’s eyes were fixed on her.
The girl was beautiful, with long red hair that shone even in the
dim light, and large, sparkling green eyes. She wore a flowy blue
dress that complimented her fair skin perfectly. Freckles were
sprinkled across her face, giving her a charming, almost ethereal
look—quite the contrast to Pete’s freckles, which seemed to work
against his features.
James groaned quietly and muttered under his breath, "Oh, not
her."
"I've been looking everywhere for you," the girl said as she
stretched out her hand, holding something that looked like a
magazine. "You left this in the compartment," she added, handing it
to James.
James glanced at the magazine. "Oh," he said, a bit sheepishly,
"thanks." He stood up to take it from her, and Harrie couldn't help
but notice the shy smile he was trying very hard to hide.
"We're almost at Hogwarts. You should get changed into your
robes, you know," the girl continued, her gaze shifting from Pete to
Harrie. "Oh, hello there," she said, noticing Harrie for the first time.
She stepped into the compartment and sat down next to Harrie. "I'm
Lily, Lily Evans," she introduced herself warmly. "This is going to
be my first year. Is it yours too?"
"Yeah," Harrie replied, feeling a bit unsure.
"Great!" Lily beamed. "And what's your name?"
"Harrie," she answered.
"You can't be just Harrie," Lily teased. "Harrie what?"
"Harrie Radcliffe," Harrie replied, noticing the quick glance that
James and Pete exchanged with one another.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Harrie Radcliffe. I'm going to go
change into my robes and tell Sev to do the same. See you all later!"
Lily said with a cheerful wave as she headed out the door.
"Wow," Harrie said with a smile on her face, her eyes twinkling
with amusement. "She was stunning," she added, glancing at James
with a mischievous grin.
But James wasn't looking at her; his attention was fixed on the
magazine in his hands. "And she smells really good too," he blurted
out. Suddenly realizing what he had just said, his face flushed. "Oh,
uh, I mean, all girls smell good. You smell good too, Harrie," he
added in a bit of a panic.
Harrie chuckled, clearly entertained by his awkwardness. "Yeah,
thanks, James," she replied, her smile widening.
After changing into their robes, the train eventually slowed to a
halt at a place James called "Hogsmeade," a village Harrie had
never heard of before. As they stepped off the train, Harrie felt the
cool evening air hit her face, carrying with it the earthy scent of
pine trees and the distant, comforting smell of wood smoke. The
platform was crowded with first-year students, all equally wide-
eyed and awestruck by their new surroundings.
James had mentioned that Hogsmeade was a small village right
next to Hogwarts. He explained, with a hint of excitement in his
voice, that starting from their third year, students could visit the
village on certain weekends to shop, relax, and enjoy what the
village had to offer. As they moved along with the throng of
students, Harrie noticed how the darkened sky above seemed to
enhance the charm of the quaint village. The lights from the
cottages and shops twinkled invitingly, promising warmth and
comfort.
A loud, booming voice suddenly cut through the night, calling the
first-years to follow. Harrie turned to see a giant of a man standing
near the edge of the platform, holding a large lantern that cast long
shadows on the ground. His bushy beard and wild hair gave him a
slightly intimidating appearance, but his eyes twinkled with warmth
as he smiled at the group.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" he called out, waving them
over with a large hand.
"That's Hagrid," James whispered to Harrie as they joined the
crowd of first-years moving toward the giant man. "He's the
groundskeeper at Hogwarts. Really nice, even though he looks a bit
scary."
Harrie nodded, feeling a little more at ease. There was something
comforting about Hagrid's presence, despite his imposing size. She
followed the group as they made their way down a narrow, winding
path that led them to the edge of a vast, dark lake.
"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called out as the students began to pile
into small, wooden boats that bobbed gently on the water's surface.
James spotted a boat with only one person sitting in it. “That one”
he pointed to the boat and the three of them started to walk towards
the boat.
As James, peter and Harrie approached the boat, Harrie’s heart
sank when she recognized the person sitting inside. It was Sirius
Black, his brooding expression still in place. The last thing she
wanted was to be stuck in an awkward situation with him,
especially after he had made it clear on the train that he didn’t want
to have anything to do with her. Harrie couldn’t help but feel it was
because of her supposed father, Edward Radcliffe, who associated
with Sirius's parents—people Sirius was clearly trying to distance
himself from.
Just as Harrie was debating internally whether to stay with James
or find another boat, another boy approached the boat. It was the
same boy Harrie had noticed at King's Cross Station, the one with
the silver scars that had caught her attention. His presence made
James hesitate.
"Oh, well," James said, scanning the boats. "Let me look for
another boat."
Harrie felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Before she could
say anything, she spotted Lily Evans sitting in a nearby boat, with
an empty seat in front of her.
"No, that's fine, James," Harrie said quickly, pointing towards
Lily. "Over there, do you see Lily Evans? They have a spot. I'll just
go sit with them."
James looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Are you sure?
You can sit with Pete, and I can go there."
"No, no, it’s fine," Harrie insisted, having James alongside her to
face Sirius Black was bearable but Pete and Sirius? "I'll see you on
the other side of the lake." Harrie said, offering a reassuring smile.
James nodded, though he seemed slightly unsure. "Alright, see
you on the other side."
Harrie turned away, feeling a small wave of relief as she headed
toward the boat where Lily was sitting. As she approached, she
noticed the boy sitting next to Lily—the one with the big nose, pale
skin, and the greasiest hair Harrie had ever seen. She remembered
what James had told her about the boy and couldn’t help but
chuckle to herself.
She climbed into the boat and took the empty seat next to another
girl who was sitting opposite Lily and her friend. The girl smiled
warmly at Harrie as she settled in. Harrie couldn’t help but notice
how beautiful the girl was, with dark skin, striking black eyes, and
long, thick black hair. Her facial features were stunning—full lips, a
beautifully shaped nose, and eyes that seemed to sparkle in the dim
light.
"Hi, I’m Mary McDonald," the girl introduced herself with a
friendly smile.
Harrie returned the smile, feeling instantly at ease. "Hi, I’m Harrie
Radcliffe."
Mary’s smile widened as she nodded. "Nice to meet you, Harrie."
"Mary is also a Muggle-born," Lily said with a smile as the boats
started to move, nodding towards Mary. Harrie returned the smile,
feeling a sense of camaraderie with these two girls.
"Oh," Lily continued, turning slightly in her seat. "And this is
Severus, Severus Snape. He's my friend; we lived in the same
neighborhood our whole life."
Severus didn’t return the smile or greeting. He just stared at
Harrie with an expression that was hard to read, his dark eyes
narrowing slightly. Harrie felt a twinge of unease under his intense
gaze but managed to offer a polite smile.
"Hello, Severus," Harrie said, hoping to break the ice.
Severus only responded with a low growl, his face remaining
impassive. Harrie’s smile faltered slightly, but she kept it in place,
determined not to let his cold demeanor affect her.
Lily, seeming to sense the tension, suddenly looked over Harrie
and Mary’s shoulders, her expression turning from friendly to
exasperated. "What the hell are those idiots doing?" she muttered,
pointing towards something behind them.
Harrie and Mary turned to see what Lily was referring to. A
couple of boys were goofing around in another boat, pushing and
shoving each other, causing the small vessel to rock dangerously on
the water. Harrie recognized one of the boys as James, who was
laughing loudly, clearly enjoying the chaos he was causing.
"Oh, for Merlin’s sake," Lily sighed, shaking her head. "They’re
going to end up tipping the boat over if they’re not careful."
Mary chuckled softly, but Harrie found herself watching James
with a mixture of amusement and concern. Even though she had
only just met him, she could already see that James was the type of
person who thrived on excitement and a bit of trouble. It was both
endearing and a little worrisome.
"Don’t worry, they’ll be fine," Mary said, noticing Harrie’s
worried expression. "Boys are always like that, aren’t they?"
Harrie nodded, but her eyes remained on James and the other
boys, watching as they continued their playful antics. Severus,
however, didn’t seem amused at all. He was glaring at the boys,
particularly at James, with a look of pure disdain.
"Idiots," Severus muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with
contempt. Lily shot Severus a look, but said nothing, clearly used to
his attitude.
At that very moment the inevitable happened—the boat with the
four boys tipped over with a loud splash. It hadn’t been two minutes
since they’d started the journey across the lake, but the boys'
roughhousing had finally caught up with them, sending them all
tumbling into the chilly water.
Harrie watched in stunned silence for a moment, her eyes wide
with shock, before a snort of laughter escaped her. She quickly
clamped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late—she couldn’t
stop the giggles that bubbled up from deep within her. The sight of
James, flailing in the lake, his glasses askew and his hair plastered
to his forehead, was just too funny.
Lily gave Harrie a surprised look, clearly torn between her own
amusement and disapproval. But Harrie’s laughter was infectious,
and soon enough, Lily was chuckling too. Mary followed suit, her
laughter ringing out across the lake as she wiped away the tears
forming at the corners of her eyes.
Harrie turned her head back to look at the other boys. Sirius, ever
the defiant one, surfaced with a wide grin on his face, shaking his
head like a dog to fling the water from his long, dark hair. He
looked more exhilarated than annoyed, as if the icy plunge was just
another thrill in his endless quest for adventure. His eyes gleamed
with mischief as he glanced at James, clearly unbothered by the
mishap, rather fascinated.
Peter, on the other hand, was floundering in the water, his chubby
limbs flailing as he desperately tried to find something to grab onto.
His round face was a picture of panic, his cheeks puffed out as he
spat out a mouthful of lake water. Despite the clear discomfort,
there was something endearing about his struggle, a clumsy
determination that made Harrie’s heart soften, even as she stifled
another laugh.
The boy with the scars, surfaced more gracefully than the others,
his curls now plastered to his forehead. He looked slightly
exasperated but not surprised, as though he had half-expected this to
happen. With a resigned sigh, he began swimming toward the boat,
his sharp eyes already scanning for the easiest way to get them all
back on board. Even in the chaos, there was a steadiness to him that
Harrie found reassuring.
“For heaven's sake," Hagrid grumbled, pulling a pink umbrella
from his pocket. With a precise flick of the umbrella, Harrie noticed
that all the boats were heading back to the shore. When the boats
came to a stop, Hagrid stepped out of his and addressed the first
years. "Nobody move," he commanded, and everyone obediently
stayed put as they waited for the four boys to swim back to the
shore. The boys emerged from the lake, soaked to the bone. The boy
with the scars seemed thoroughly annoyed, and Peter looked utterly
terrified of what Hagrid might do to them. But James and Sirius
were too busy laughing to care, their amusement clearly unbothered
by their drenched state.
"You know Professor McGonagall will hear about this," Hagrid
said sternly, his eyes narrowing at the troublemakers. Then, pointing
to each of the boys, he added, "Now, off you go, each to a separate
boat." And he started pointing each boy to an already full boat.
Much to Harrie's dismay, Sirius Black was assigned to their boat.
Reluctantly, she scooted closer to Mary to make room, and Sirius
took the seat next to her.
At first, Sirius didn’t seem to notice who was on the boat with
him, still chuckling to himself as he tried to wring out his soaked
hair and robe. Drops of water splashed around with every
movement, adding to the puddle forming at his feet.
“You’re dripping all over me,” Harrie said in annoyance, scooting
even closer to Mary to avoid the cold water.
"Oh, sorry," Sirius mumbled, his voice barely audible as he raised
his head to find Harrie sitting beside him. His face, which had been
full of amusement just moments before, immediately hardened into
a cold, unreadable expression. The sudden shift in his demeanor
only added to Harrie's irritation.
“Well, saying sorry isn’t enough, is it?” Harrie snapped, her tone
sharp with annoyance.
Sirius gave her a long, fixed look, his expression unyielding.
“Well, there’s not much I can do about it, can I? I don’t know any
drying spells, and I don’t have any other clothes to wear right now.
You’re just going to have to deal with it,” he said, turning his head
deliberately, causing more water to splash onto Harrie.
Harrie’s frustration boiled over. She knew drying spells, she
thought to herself. But how could she cast magic without even
having set foot in Hogwarts yet? But then, an idea struck her.
Determined to prove a point, she drew her wand and pointed it
directly at Sirius.
“Hey, hey,” Sirius said quickly, raising his hands in mock
surrender, his tone wary.
Harrie didn’t want to hurt him, obviously. She just wanted to dry
him off—and make it look like she was performing magic like a
typical witch. Not knowing any incantations that would help, she
mumbled something under her breath, concentrating hard on the
image of Sirius Black being dry.
To her relief, that’s exactly what happened. Sirius’s clothes and
hair began to dry, and Harrie ensured a faint light emitted from her
wand, making it appear as though she was casting a standard spell.
Sirius looked down at himself in surprise, then back at Harrie, his
expression shifting from bewilderment to something akin to
grudging respect.
"Wow, that was amazing!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide with
admiration. "How did you know how to do that?"
Harrie shrugged modestly, trying to downplay her feat. "Just...I do
a lot of reading at home, I suppose," she replied, her voice steady.
For the next 20 minutes, both boys on the boat remained quiet as
the girls continued their conversation.
"I'm just really worried about being a Muggle-born," Lily was
saying, her voice tinged with concern. "You know, Sev told me how
recently some pure-blood wizards are hating on Muggle-borns and
half-bloods. I'm just afraid that this prejudice will only grow and
make life hard for us at Hogwarts." She glanced at Mary as she
spoke, her words hanging heavily in the air.
Harrie was quiet for a moment, her thoughts swirling with anger
and resentment toward her father, Edward Radcliffe, and everyone
else who called themselves Death Eaters. They were the reason this
kind, nice, and beautiful 11-year-old girl in front of her was so
worried, so concerned about something that should have been the
last thing on her mind.
"Lily," Harrie said firmly, breaking the silence, "those people are
bigots. They're idiots. You don't have to concern yourself with them.
Their stupid little pride is hurt because Muggle-borns like you and
Mary here have proven to be so much better than them at
everything." She spoke with a conviction that made Lily and Mary
look at her with a mix of surprise and admiration.
Harrie noticed a fleeting glare from Sirius Black, one that seemed to carry a hint of respect. Though he remained silent, the look in his eyes conveyed a subtle acknowledgment of her words. Harrie felt a small wave of reassurance wash over her, knowing that even someone like Sirius Black, who had seemed so distant and unapproachable, could recognize the truth in what she had said. It gave her a sense of quiet satisfaction, knowing she had made an impact, however small.
Severus Snape let out a low, disdainful snort, clearly mocking Harrie's earlier words. He shifted in his seat and finally spoke, his voice dripping with contempt. "Of course, pure-bloods are better," he sneered. "Muggle-borns have polluted the wizarding world, diluting the strength of magic with their inferior bloodlines. It's no wonder the old families look down on them. They don't belong here, trying to play at being witches and wizards when they can't even begin to understand the true heritage and power they’re tainting."
The boat grew tense with the weight of his words. Sirius Black's expression darkened immediately, his earlier calm replaced by a fiery anger. He turned sharply towards Severus, his grey eyes blazing with fury. "Shut your filthy mouth, you stupid son of a bitch!" he snapped, his voice low but seething with rage. "You're no better than the lot of them—those pompous, inbred bigots who think blood means anything. You think being born into a so-called pure family gives you the right to judge others? It doesn't. It just makes you as twisted and narrow-minded as they are."
Severus bristled, but Sirius wasn’t done. He leaned in closer, his voice like ice. "People like you are the reason the wizarding world is so messed up. You think it’s about blood, but it’s not. It’s about who you are and what you do with the magic you have, not where it comes from. And if you’re too blind and full of hate to see that, then you’re no better than the scum you claim to despise." Lily looked between the two boys, her eyes wide with concern. She reached out a hand to Severus, hoping to calm him, but he shrugged it off, glaring at Sirius with a look of pure venom. "Keep thinking that, Black," Severus hissed. "We'll see who comes out on top in the end."
Sirius smirked, though the anger still simmered beneath his cool exterior. "Yeah, we will. And I can promise you, it won’t be the likes of you."
Severus Snape gave a distasteful smile to Sirius, his voice dripping with malice. "Are you a blood traitor, Black?" he taunted. Sirius didn't respond, but Harrie noticed his fists clench tightly, the muscles in his jaw tensing as he fixed an intimidating stare on Snape. It was clear to Harrie that being called a blood traitor was a trigger for Sirius.
Severus, sensing the tension, pressed on, his voice full of venom. "Do your parents know their son is defending filthy Mudbloods?"
That was it. Harrie couldn’t take it any longer. In a flash, she drew her wand and pointed it directly at Severus. Mimicking the motions for a Silencio charm, she muttered under her breath, "That's enough."
But that wasn’t enough. She wanted to hex him, to make him feel the weight of his cruel words, but she stopped herself from doing any real harm. Instead, she focused on Severus's large, hooked nose. Muttering something under her breath and waving her wand, she willed his nose to start growing and sniveling uncontrollably.
To Severus's horror, his nose began to expand, swelling with each passing second. He tried desperately to push the gunk back with his hands, but the more he attempted to control it, the larger and more unruly it became. His once mocking expression turned to one of panic as his nose continued to grow.
Sirius Black couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, a grin spreading across his face despite the tension. Harrie had acted out of sheer anger, fueled by the use of the word "Mud-blood," but seeing Sirius laugh, even just a little, made her feel a twinge of pride.
Harrie focused her gaze on Mary and Lily. "Girls," she said firmly, "you two belong here. You are here because you belong here. You're as good as any of us. Do you understand me?" Mary nodded, her expression filled with gratitude, while Sirius also nodded in agreement, his earlier amusement fading into a serious, supportive expression.
But when Harrie turned to Lily, she saw something unexpected—a look of unease on her face. "Could you please stop it?" Lily asked, her voice soft but resolute. Harrie was taken aback, confused by Lily's reaction. Why was she defending Severus after what he had just said? It didn’t make sense to her, but the sincerity in Lily's eyes made her pause.
Reluctantly, Harrie agreed and mumbled, "Finite Incantatum," waving her wand to end the hex. She wasn't using traditional witch magic—she didn't know how—but she focused on Severus's nose and the disgusting substance coming out of it, willing it to stop. Slowly, the swelling subsided, and his nose returned to its original size.
However, Harrie made no move to remove the silencing charm. She had heard enough of his venomous words for one night, and she wasn't about to let him spew any more hate. Severus glared at her, his mouth opening and closing in silent fury, but no sound came out. Harrie met his glare with a calm, unyielding stare, feeling a strange mixture of satisfaction and weariness.
The boat continued to move gently across the lake, the cool night air brushing against their faces as they glided through the dark waters towards the towering silhouette of Hogwarts Castle. Harrie felt a strange mix of emotions—excitement, nervousness, and a bit of curiosity about the people she was sharing this journey with.