The Hellish Life of Helia Potter

“The Journey From Platform Nine And Three Quarters” Madam Bones read.

Ron exchanged smiles with Helia this chapter was about their first meeting and the start of their friendship.

Helia's last month with the Dursleys wasn'tfun.

Ron snorted at that, did she ever have fun there?

True, Dudley was now so scared of Helia he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Helia in her cupboard, force her to do anything, or shout at her -- in fact, they didn't speak to her at all. 

“That’s called child endangerment, child slavery and child abuse. The damn list goes on!” Lily hissed, her flaming red hair raising in her anger.

Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Helia in it were empty.

“You must have been, so lonely.” Luna sighed sadly, Helia just smiled sadly back at her. She didn’t need to give them any more reasons to pity her.

 Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while. 

“But it’s better than the alternative.” Ron muttered to Hermione, who agreed.

Helia kept to her room, with her new owl for company and books for company – she already read all her books back to front until she memorized them.

James laughed quietly, Helia was a perfect mixture of both him and Lily, but also wonderfully herself too.

She had decided to call her Hedwig, a name she had found in A History of Magic as the person struck a chord with her. 

“Really? Who was it?” Lily asked her daughter, wanting to make up for freaking out about her wand.

“Umm, it’s Hedwig th —” Helia was cut off.

“Saint Hedwig of Silesia, The Patron Saint of Orphanages.” Draco interrupted, he saw how hard it was for the green-eyed girl to say it, so he took over, he could at least do that much for her.

Everyone was quiet at that, it was hardly surprising that Helia would gravitate toward the name of someone famed for caring for people who'd lost their parents.

Her school books were very interesting. She lay on her bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.

Molly wrinkled her nose at the thought of dead mice littering her floors, while the burrow was eighty-five percent chaos there weren’t dead animals lying about.

Every night before she went to sleep, Helia ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first. 

Snape could remember how he used to do the same thing, desperately counting the days until he was at Hogwarts away from it all. 

On the last day of August she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day,

“That was rather cunning of you, Potter.” Blaise smirked.

Ron bristled angrily, thinking the Slytherin was making fun of Helia. “And how’s that.”

Blaise gave the youngest Weasley boy, a droll look as if to say it-was-obvious. “She waited until the last minute so her relatives couldn’t change their minds. Keep up, Weasley.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Susan had to hold Ron back from lunging at the smirking Slytherin.

so she went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. She cleared her throat to let them know she was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room. 

“Well, we know what house he wouldn’t be in,” Snape sneered.

“And Thank Circe for that.” McGonagall huffed.

"Er -- Uncle Vernon?"

Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening. 

"Er -- I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to -- to go to Hogwarts. "

Uncle Vernon grunted again. 

"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

Grunt. Helia supposed that meant yes. 

“You know I think our little Helia not only speaks, parseltongue, but also troll-speak.” George mused.

“I believe, it’s because she was raised to interpret her uncles troll-speak.” Fred joked, before they both cracked up laughing.

"Thank you. "

She was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke. 

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

“How else would we get there?” Neville asked confused. “Besides Flying carpets are illegal.”

“He was just being sarcastic, Nev.” Padma explained. “It’s too bad Flying carpets aren’t allowed in Britain, back home me, Parvati and our parents had a lovely carpet we love to take flying around our grounds.”

Helia didn't say anything. 

"Where is this school, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Helia, realizing this for the first time. 

“You didn’t read the pamphlet, you were given, Miss. Potter.” McGonagall scolded.

“I wasn’t given a pamphlet, Hagrid just gave me my ticket.” Helia tensed, at the scolding tone being directed at her for something that wasn’t even her fault.

Everyone gave Dumbledore dirty looks.

She pulled the ticket Hagrid had given her out of her pocket. 

"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read. 

Her aunt and uncle stared. 

"Platform what?"

"Nine and three-quarters. "

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters. "

Lily seethed in anger. “Petunia knew, she’s been there before.” 

James rubbed his wife’s back to comfort her, he was getting really fed up with his disowned sister-in-law.

"It's on my ticket. "

“Which Petunia knows…” Snape muttered.

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. 

“No, I’m only howling once a month.” Remus said with a straight face, as everyone groaned at his pun.

Nobody noticed Sirius and James high-five Remus behind his back, they we’re Marauders after all.

You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother. "

"Why are you going to London?" Helia asked, trying to keep things friendly. 

“You’re still trying to keep the peace!? Why even bother, after everything they did?” Madam Bones asked.

Helia shrugged. “It was the first conversation I had in a month, I was pretty desperate for some human interaction.” 

A dark look crossed Draco’s face, he knew the feeling of being starved for any human interaction.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings. "

“But it matched his personality so well.” Sighed Ginny in disappointment.

Helia woke at five o'clock the next morning

“Helia was always an early raiser, that’s if she even goes to sleep in the first place.” Hermione said.

 and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and pulled on her new jeanshorts with tights underneath, a nice soft green sweater with her new favourite combat boots that had studs decorating them — she didn't want to walk into the station in her wizard's robes -- she'd change on the train. 

“Smart thinking.” Moody said approvingly, if only every witch and wizard had that kind of sense. Constantly obliviating Muggles That witnessed the careless magic users was excessive — not to mention dangerous. What was the point of enforcing the Statute of Secrecy if no one followed the laws.

She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours later, Helia's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Helia, 

“Bribed him more like it,” Helia scoffed.

and they had set off. 

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Helia's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for her. 

Theo’s shoulders tensed; there must have been a catch in there somewhere, there always was.

Helia thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face. 

"Well, there you are, girl. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

Growls filled the room, but Helia calmed them down by saying. “It’s okay, I had a family help me get on the platform.” She shared a smile with the Weasley family.

He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all. 

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word.

Jaws dropped.

“He just left you there? An eleven-year-old girl in a crowded train where anything could happen to you! Why you could’ve been kidnapped!” Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, she should’ve known something was wrong when she saw Helia alone all those years ago.

“Oh James, our baby!” Lily cried.

 Helia turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. 

“Those bastards.” Theo gritted through his teeth, he knew there was a catch.

Draco was clenching his fists so hard that his palms bleed from his nails breaking the skin, he hated those muggles. If he had the chance they would never hurt her again, not on his watch.

Helia's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was she going to do? She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. She'd knew it would be a bad idea to ask a non-magical person about platform nine and three-quarters. 

She decided it would be safer to as for a train that was leaving at eleven.

“Smart, Potter, very smart.” Moody approved.

She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters —like she already decided not to — or Hogwarts. When Helia asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, the guard said there wasn't one. He asked what part of the country she was traveling to, but when Helia couldn’t answer, the man got annoyed with her. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters.

“Oh I wish Hagrid, told you how to get on the platform.” Lily said, feeling stressed from hearing about her daughter being left alone with no one to help her. 

Helia was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and she had no idea how to do it; she was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell her something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. 

“He did, forget to tell you.” Sirius muttered, on edge worrying about Helia even if it had happened years ago.

“It’s not Hagrid’s fault, he wasn’t ready to have to explain everything to Helia.” Susan frowned at the Headmaster. “You should sent a teacher that was familiar with explaining magic to kids that weren’t aware they had it. Prof. McGonagall could’ve done it, hell Prof. Snape would’ve been a better fit.” She ranted, while she loved Hagrid, the negligence towards her friend was unacceptable.

She briefly thought of getting out her wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten, but she stopped that line of thought before it formed. Her relatives always said she had no sense, and if she did that, she would be proving them right.

“They never been right about anything before, that won’t change any time soon.” The Twins said together.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind her and she caught a few words of what they were saying. 

"-- packed with Muggles, of course--"

Helia swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Helia's in front of her -- and they had an owl. 

“And here enters the Weasley family!” Helia announced, as the Weasley kids cheered.

Heart hammering, Helia pushed her cart after them. They stopped and so did she, just near enough to hear what they were saying. 

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother. 

“Why would you ask that? You know what’s platform number.” Kingsley asked confused.

“I know some family’s aren’t quite sure about where to go or need to ask questions, so I ask that or talk a bit louder.” Mrs. Weasley said, “So they can hear me and know they can approach me if they are unsure.” She smiled at Helia, she had seen the desperation and relief on her face with she approached them for directions.

“I thought Mum always talked like that.” Fred whispered to George.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go. . . "

“Oh, Merlin…” Ginny groaned in embarrassment as she hid her head in her hands. She remembered how she acted so love sick about the famed Helia Potter, she didn’t want Helia to know how she acted when the Twins came back and told them who that little black-haired girl they helped was.

But by the twitch of Helia’s lips, she got a sinking feeling that Helia already knew how she acted on the platform.

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first. "

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Helia watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it -- but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. 

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said. 

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

“Honestly, women you call yourself our mother.” the Twins said shaking their heads at their mum.

"Sorry, George, dear. "

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. 

“Oh, I wish we could’ve done that in our time at Hogwarts!” Sirius said as he and James laughed to kill themselves.

While McGonagall looked like she was thanking the goddess of magic herself that they weren’t able to do that. 

His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone -- but how had he done it?

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. 

“Sorry for not going slower, Helia.” Fred and George apologized, but Helia just held up a hand to stop them.

“I’m not, I got to meet one of my best friend” 

Ron grinned at Helia, a blush covering his freckled cheeks.

There was nothing else for it. 

"Excuse me," Helia said to the plump woman. 

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too. "

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose. 

All the Weasley siblings — except Ron burst out laughing.

“That’s an attractive description to give your best mate.” Ron said sarcastically.

“Your welcome.”

“Well it could’ve been worst.” Ron sighed at his best mate.

"Yes," said Helia. "The thing is -- the thing is, I don't know how to--"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Helia nodded. 

“Thank you, Molly.” Lily said.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron. "

"Er -- okay," said Helia. 

She pushed her trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. 

Both Helia and Ron winced, remembering crashing into the very solid wall of platform of nine and three quarters.

She started to walk toward it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. Helia walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that barrier and then she'd be in trouble -- leaning forward on her cart, she broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- she wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control -- she was a foot away -- she closed his eyes ready for the crash –

Neville shook his head, Helia really didn’t know how to think positive.

It didn't come. . . She kept on running. . . She opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Helia looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, She had done it. 

Sirius and James hooted loudly.

“You did it!” Lily cheered happily.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. 

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Helia pushed her cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again. "

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh. 

Neville turned beet red as McGonagall, Snape and all his year mates sighed at him. He was always losing Trevor! Neville wished Helia wasn’t so perceptive. He had a feeling he would be wishing in that more and more the further they got into these books.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. 

“Lee!” The Twins cheered, the third part of their three pranketeers.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on. "

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. 

Ron shuddered. Fred and George gave him apologetic looks — they felt horrible about turning his teddy bear into a spider, truly they did.

Helia pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk toward the train door. She tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot. 

“Ouch.” Sirius hissed, as he felt the phantom pain.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier. 

Mrs. Weasley smiled proudly. No matter how much the boys caused trouble with their pranks and jokes, it was nice to know they would still stop to lend a helping hand to those that need it.

"Yes, please," Helia panted. 

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

“Wow, you guys can be helpful?!” Ginny exclaimed in fake shock.

“Hardy har har.” The Twins deadpans.

With the twins' help, Helia's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. 

"Thanks," said Helia, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes. 

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Helia's lightning scar. 

Mrs. Weasley stopped smiling to scold the Twins about how pointing is rude.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you -- ?"

"She is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Helia. 

"What?" said Helia. 

"Heliantheae Potter. " Chorused the twins. 

"Oh, her," said Helia. "I mean I go by Helia, but yes, I am. "

“Very elegant, Potter.” Draco teased.

“Oh, her?” Padma echoed, looking at Helia as if she was off her rocker.

“I wasn’t used to being famous, okay!” Helia defended herself.

“Yeah, because you’re so much better now.” Ron said sarcastically.

The two boys gawked at her, and Helia felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door. 

“Sorry, Helia-Flower.” The Twins said with sheepish grins.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom. "

With a last look at Helia, the twins hopped off the train. 

Helia sat down next to the window where, half hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. 

“Eavesdropping, Potter.” Snape said, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

“It’s what I do best, sir.” Helia said, with a smirk. She kept the real reason to herself, she just wanted to see how a real family act and looked.

“We just might turn you into a prankster yet.” Fred said with a grin.

Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. 

"Ron, you've got something on your nose. "

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. Helia watched, fascinated, wondering if all mothers wiped spit on their children’s faces.

Mr. Weasley winced, as his other sons snicker at their younger brother who was beat red. “Molly dear, we’ve talked about giving the kids’ space as they got older, especially in public.” He told his wife gently.

Ron looked at his father thankfully.

"Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free. 
"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins. 

"Shut up," said Ron.

“Nice come back, Ronnie-kins.” George cooed at his younger brother.

Fred nodded in agreement with his twin. “Classic, really very original.” Both Fred and George looked at Ron in fake seriousness.

“Shut up.” Ron said, rolling his eyes.

The Twins burst out laughing. It had been four years since then, but that was still his go to come-back.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother. 

"He's coming now. "

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Helia noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it. 

“The P stands for prat.” The Twins said, still sore from Percy’s behaviour lately.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves--"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea. "

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once--"

"Or twice--"

"A minute--"

"All summer--"

“Now who does that remind you of?” Remus asked sarcastically, looking pointedly at his two best friends with just smiled innocently back at him.

Percy blushed in annoyance, he forgot how much the twins used to tease him.

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect. 

“Oh, that’s where you get it from.” the Twins chorused. Ron did not look happy being compared to Percy the used to be Perfect.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins. 

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly, Helia was hit with a feeling of distaste for the plump women who helped her. Sadly another example of favouritism and neglect, seems like even the Wizarding World wasn’t above that.

Mrs. Weasley felt her heartbreak at the thoughts of the girl she loved as another daughter. “Why would you think that.”

Helia while she cared for Mrs. Weasley a lot, she was also not above calling her out. “Mrs. Weasley, I have grown up seeing how the Dursleys favoured, spoiled, and made it out as if he could do no wrong while also praising him for his bad behaviour.” 

Mrs. Weasley opened her to deny the statement, but Helia cut her off continuing. “No, Mrs. Weasley, the way I see it is if you don’t have enough to buy all of your kids new robes, then you don’t buy any of them new robes.” Many people stared at Helia, but she held firm in her beliefs. While Mrs. Weasley had been nothing but kind to her, she didn’t like her parenting skills half the time. 

Mr. Weasley wrapped an arm around his wife in comfort as she was rattled from the hard truth, Bill and Charlie couldn’t help but agree with Helia it was not fair their mum kept throwing their achievements in the Twins and Ron’s face.

 "All right, dear, well, have a good term -- send me an owl when you get there. "

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins. 

"Now, you two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've -- you've blown up a toilet or--"

Sirius turned to Mrs. Weasley. “You’re just giving them more ammunition, saying stuff like that.”

“You never give a prankster, voluntarily anyway.” Remus said in his Professor voice.

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet. "

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom. "

James waved his hand as if presenting something “Exhibit A.”

"It's not funny. And look after Ron.”

Ron threw his head back with a groan, he was always being treated as if he was helpless. He can’t wait until his family finally sees how well he faced all their adventures, the troubles and dangers he survived. But then again, his mum might kill him.

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us. "

"Shut up," 

The Twins threw a look at Ron that said really-is-that-all-you-got, Ron pressed his lips together so not to say shut up the Twins would never leave him alone if he did.

said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it. 

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Helia leaned back quickly so they couldn't see her looking. 

“A prankster in the making after our own hearts, Georgie.” Fred sighed, clutching his heart as if hit by Cupid’s arrow. He noticed that the ferret glaring at him, this could get interesting he thought to himself.

Helia smiled to herself, Fred and George had no idea how much of a prankster she could be. They still didn’t know that her father, godfather and honorary uncle were Prongs, Padfoot and Moony, and they weren’t going to find out until it was found out in the books. She couldn’t wait to see their faces.

"You know that little black-haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who she is?"

"Who?"

"Heliantheae Potter! Prefers Helia though."

Helia heard the little girl's voice. 

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see her, Mom, eh please. . . "

Lily frowned, her daughter was not something to be gawked and gaze at. 

"You've already seen her, Ginny, and the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo.

“No, she just sets large animals free at zoos.” Luna said, with a uncommonly knowing smile.

“Third book.” Helia said as she, Luna and Sirius shared a grin.

 “Is she really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there -- like lightning. "

"Poor dear -- no wonder she was alone, I wondered. She was ever so polite when she asked how to get onto the platform. "

"Never mind that, do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Helia tensed, as flashes of Voldemort’s revival ran threw her head, but she quickly put on a fake grin. “If you have asked me that I would’ve punched you in the face.” She freely admitted. “But now I would tell you he’s one ugly son of a bitch.” 

Everyone laughed, but Theo noticed the fakeness of her act, however he didn’t call her out on it simply letting her have a little privacy.

Their mother suddenly became very stern. 

Sirius snorted at that, when wasn’t that women stern.

"I forbid you to ask her, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though she needs reminding of that on her first day at school. "

"All right, keep your hair on. "

A whistle sounded. 

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry. Helia was once again hit by the facT she had nobody to kiss, hug and say goodbye to. The Dursleys were probably still laughing at the fact the abandoned her at King Cross, not giving her a second thought or care. 

James pulled Helia into his side, and pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead resting his chin on top of her head, as she burrowed her face in his chest. The scent of fresh crisp air, pine, and broomstick wax filled her nose— the scent of her father calming her in ways only Sirius has. Lily ran her fingers through her daughters messy shoulder-length hair, humming softly, she hated that her daughter never knew how much she and James loved her.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls. "

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat. "

“You know I never did get that toilet seat.” Ginny said, pouting at the twins.

“It was donated—” George said in a grave tone.

“—To a noble cause.” Fred continued, as the both look to Helia who just stealthy winks at them. They grin mischievously at her, they should’ve known Helia wouldn’t spoil their fun.

Ginny just stared at them blankly “I’m not even going to ask.”

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom. "

The train began to move. Helia saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. 

Bill reached down and pulled his baby sister into a side hug, smirking when she whined and half-heartedly tried to escape, only for Charlie to ruffle her hair roughly blocking her vision.

“Aw baby Ginny, missing her big brothers.” Cooed the twins as the both pinched Ginny’s freckled cheeks.

Ron was just happy he wasn’t the one being picked on this time, but he did feel a pain shoot through his heart when Percy avoided looking at his siblings joking with each other without him.

Helia watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Helia felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to -- but it had to be better than what she was leaving behind. 

Helia still agreed with her eleven-year-old self, anywhere was better than the Dursleys.

Theo frowned, Potter was so desperate to get away from her relatives she didn’t care where she was going as long as it was far-far-away. Just what else did they do to her? He glanced over to the girl sitting next to his friend, he had to admit her mask was near impossible to see through.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in. 

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Helia. "Everywhere else is full. "

Blaise scoffed, shooting Ron a look of disdain. “Are you sure everywhere was full, Weasley? Or did you just want to sit next to Heliantheae Potter?” He asked, his voice filled with contempt.

Ron turned red in what everyone thought would be an explosion of anger, but Helia and Hermione knew it was embarrassment and guilt he was feeling. 

“Your right I did say that just, so I could sit with what I thought was the girl-who-lived.” Ron admitted, “However, I didn’t find the girl-who-lived on that train, I found my best friend.” Ron pours his heart out, never looking away from the laid-back Slytherin. “We might have our ups and downs with us both being stubborn gits. But I wouldn’t have It any other way because if she can keep forgiving I can make sure I never make the same mistakes twice.”

Everyone is silent at Ron’s declaration, but Helia doesn’t think twice before rushing to hug her best friend as tightly as she can. Over Helia’s head Ron sees Zabini nod letting him know that he understands now.

Helia shook her head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Helia and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Helia saw he still had a black mark on his nose. 

“And you didn’t tell!” Ron exclaimed with a fake look of betrayal.

“I think you would look very distinguished with soot on your face” Luna told Ron dreamily. “It helps you to blend in with Susuwatari.” She clarified, Ron gave her a nervous look, but nether the less smiled at the tiny Ravenclaw.

“What are Susuwatari, that Japanese right?” Charlie asked intrigued.

“Why Susuwatari, are soot sprites their name can also be translated to wondering soot.” Luna informed. “Their tiny, round balls made from the soot that dwells in old and abandoned housed, they are very messy creatures leaving black dirt in their wake.”

“Does that mean their habitats are disturbed, when people move into the houses they dwell in?” Charlie asked, looking heartbroken for the small creatures he never heard about before.

“If the house becomes inhabited again, and the inhabitants are nice people they will leave in peace to find another abandoned building.” Luna reassures the dragon keeper, she liked Charlie very much his brain was incredibly sharp the wrackspurts must not like him very much.

"Hey, Ron. "

The twins were back. 

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there. "

Ron shuddered, Susan reached over and rubs his back in comfort.

"Right," mumbled Ron. 

"Helia," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then. "

“Do you two ever slow down.” McGonagall sighed at her Twin lions.

“That’s the Twins for you, they’re not one to make idle chat. They say what they want to say and the go and come where they want to do. You either go with their flow and pace or get swept right off your feet.” Helia said offhandedly as if everyone should know this, the Twins felt touched that she knew them on their base level so well.

"Bye," said Helia and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them. 

"Are you really Heliantheae Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Helia nodded “But I got by Helia.”

"Oh -- well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. 

The Twins pretended to act like they were offended.

“Why we would never, do you really think we would joke about that?” George said, in a scandalized voice. 

Everyone looked at them “Yes.” was the unanimous answer.

“And you people call yourselves our friends.”

"And have you really got -- you know. . . "

He pointed at Helia's forehead. 

“RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY!” Mrs. Weasley screeched, making Remus double over covering his ears in pain, to the worry of Tonks, who tried to help, but ended up tripping over herself in her rush to help.

Helia sighed, but brushed back her bangs to the side show the lightning scar. Ron stared. 

Ron winced, he knew how much Helia hated it when people stared. “Sorry about that, mate.” Helia just waved him off it was a long time ago.

"So that's where You-Know-Who -- ?"

"Yes," said Helia, "but I can't remember it. " She lied through her teeth.

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly. 

“Ronald! I told you not to ask!” Mrs. Weasley yelled, her voice loud and shrill.

Ron flinched, trying to make his tall form smaller. “But Mum, you told Fred and George not to ask, you never told me not to.” Ron corrected, he cursed himself when he saw his mother’s lips thin in her fury. Helia’s snark and sass towards adults was rubbing off on him.

“I meant everyone!” Mrs. Weasley screeched again.

“Mrs. Weasley, it was fine.” Helia said, as much as she like Mrs. Weasley, she was a bit too much sometimes.

"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else. "

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Helia for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again. 

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Helia, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found her. 

“Really?” Ron asked, the surprise clear in his voice.

“Of course, I did Ron.” Helia said, gently knowing how self-conscious Ron really was.

"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him. "

“Why wouldn’t you talk about him?” Hermione asked, confused the Weasley’s were usually very family oriented.

“He doesn’t want any contact, he’s very jealous and bitter that he doesn’t have abilities, and we do.” Mr. Weasley explained.
"So you must know some of magic already.”

The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about. 

Draco scowled, he hated that moniker “Will you stop calling me ‘the pale boy’….please.” Draco whined.

Helia just smirked and said “I will once I learn your name.”

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible -- well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers. "

James and Lily’s hearts broke with how easy Helia called her life with the Dursleys horrible.

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. 

Ron flushed, from the stares he was receiving from his family.

"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first.

“You don’t need to be like us, Ron.” George said quietly, he didn’t know his younger brother felt that way.

“Yeah.” Fred agreed in the same tone as George. “We don’t need another Bill, Charlie, Percy or even another Ginny, you can just be you and we’ll be happy as long as you’re happy.”

 You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat. "

Charlie was speechless, before horrified disbelief took over. “You gave him my old wand? But I gave that to you to give to Ollivander to be destroyed, when I got my new wand because it was unsafe to use.” He stared at his parents as if they lasted their minds. “The bloody core was poking out of it, how could you possibly think it was safe for Ron to us?!”

Bill looked at Ron in shock, grabbing his shoulders to make Ron face him. “You never hand any problems with it? You weren’t ever hurt using it?” Bill question his brother worriedly.

Ron quickly shook his head, he wasn’t hurt using it. Not in first year anyway.

“Mum!” Charlie exclaimed, when his parents avoided meeting his eyes.

Mrs. Weasley sighed. “We had no choice, our finances were really low that year. We couldn’t afford to get him a wand one of his own.”

Bill looked at his parents shocked, shaking his head. “You could’ve of asked us! We would’ve been glad to help out, we’ve been trying for years, but you never let us!” Bill said, before a sudden thought hit him. “You got Percy new robes, over getting Ron a new wand.” 

Charlie looked at his parents in anger. “There never should have been the choice of new robes or a needed wand, for Merlin’s sake wands cost cheaper than school robes!” He roared, looking as he would start spitting fire like his dragons. Mrs. Weasley stared at her eldest sons, before breaking down in tears.

Bill sighed at his crying mother in his father’s arms. “Mum, Dad were not trying to be mean, but no matter how much you didn’t want to take our freely given money. Ron could’ve of gotten seriously hurt or killed using a defected wand. Pride should never outweigh safety.”

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep. 

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead. "

Charlie opened his mouth to rant again, when a quiet voice piped up.

“I actually bought Hermes, Dad just went with me to get him. I’ve been saving up for a while, and by my fifth year I finally had enough.” Percy was uncomfortable, he didn’t know Ron’s wand was defective or else he would’ve bought him one himself he could’ve waited another year to get an owl.

Ron looked at Percy surprised, he didn’t know Percy bought Hermes, he always thought their Dad did.

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

“I couldn’t care less about that, I like you for you.” Helia told Ron brashly, as Ron smiled at Helia’s tough but loving ways.

Helia didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, she'd never had any money in her life until a month ago, and she told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up. 

Ron quickly explained. “Not in the way I was happy for her suffering, more along the way that we had something in common.” He muttered, annoyed at the scandalized looks being thrown his way.

". . . and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort--"

Ron gasped.

Everyone flinched, except Helia’s group of friends who were used to Helia throwing around the name like it was Halloween candy and expecting everyone not to flinch.

"What?" said Helia. 

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people--"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Helia, "I just never knew you shouldn't. I've definitely got a lot more to learn," she added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her a lot lately. The thought that no matter how much she studied, or how much information she collected it wasn’t going to be enough. "I bet I'm one of the worst in the class. "

Neville shook his head with a joking smile on his face. “Sorry, Helia, That title belongs to me.”

“You just need some confidence, Nev.” Helia disagreed. “And maybe your own wand.” She added.

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough. "

“That’s quite right, Mister. Weasley.” McGonagall hummed, because while Helia tried to hide it, she and Hermione were always topping each other for top marks.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. 

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Ron felt a fond smile light up his face, looking over to Helia he saw a smile mirroring his own.

Helia, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to her feet, 

Everyone glared, it wasn’t clear if Helia just didn’t eat out excitement or if the Durleys didn’t let her have anything.

but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Helia went out into the corridor. She had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that she had pockets rattling with gold and silver she was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as she could carry

“What are Mars Bars?” Astoria asked. 

 “Muggle candy.” Helia answered. “I can get you some to try if you want.”

Astoria nodded her head after checking with her older sister if it was alright.

-- but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Helia had never seen in her life. Not wanting to miss anything, she got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts. 

“Oh, don’t eat all of that at once, Heli, you could get sick.” Lily said worriedly.

“Lily-pad, my love, my light of my life, you’re talking to a book.” James comments teasingly.

Ron stared as Helia brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Helia, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. 

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef. . "

Mrs. Weasley looked regretful. “Then, which one likes corned beef?”

Bill raises his hand and Mrs. Weasley just covers her face with hands. “I like corned beef Mum, while Charlie likes grilled cheese, Percy likes egg sandwiches, the Twins only eat Peanut butter and Jelly, Ron likes bologna sandwiches and Ginny loves her weird creation of cheese and pickle sandwiches.”

“My favourite sandwich is peanut butter and banana.” Luna declares, breaking the tension.

“Mines a pepper and egg sandwich.” Helia piped in.

"Swap you for one of these," said Helia, holding up a pasty. "Go on--"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us. "

“There’s no way I can eat all of this by myself, Ron.” Helia told Ron. She may like to think she could eat as much as she now she was away from the Dursleys. But from the medical books she read, from going to prolong amounts of time without food, her stomach shrunk and could not handle copious amounts of food.

Lily felt her lips tremble as she tried to suppress the urge to cry at the unfairness of it all, Helia was supposed to grow up loved and safe far away from the war.

"Go on, have a pasty," said Helia, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Helia's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten). 

Mrs. Weasley, wasn’t offended in the slightest at her sandwiches being forgotten. She just smiled at her son and the girl she loved as family bonding over candies talking and laughing as if they been friends all their lives.

Hermione shook her head with a fond roll of her eyes. “Leave it to you two, to become friends over food.” Hermione sighed at her best friends.

“How’d you three become friends, then? You’re not sitting with them, did you join them later?” Bill asked Hermione curiously, Ron never told him how he became friends with Helia and Hermione.

The Golden Trio shared a secret smirk. 

“You’ll see.” They said cryptically.

"What are these?" Helia asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him. 

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa. "

“Oh I have a couple of him, you could have one if you’d like.” Remus told Ron, who looked as if all his troubles were gone.

“Really! Hey do you have Ptolemy too, if I get him too then I will have a complete set.” Ron said with pleading eyes. 

Remus just laughed and agreed to give him a Ptolemy too, while Sirius muttered how Remus had a chocolate addiction and how he needed help.

"What?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy. "

Helia unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore. 

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Helia. 

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks--"

Helia turned over her card and read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel.

The Golden Trio all groaned loudly.

“The whole time, it was on that bleeding card.” Helia muttered to herself.

“Heli, How could you not remember.” Hermione said, shaking her friend’s shoulders, much to the shock of everybody.

“All that time in the library, all those books.” Ron moaned.

“Um wha—” Daphne was going to ask, only for the twins to stop shaking their heads saying with a look that you did not want to know.

 Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. 

Helia turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared

“Why is that so weird?” Draco asked confused.

“Non-Magical pictures don’t move.” Helia answered.

“Oh.”

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her. . . do you want it? You can start collecting. "

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. 

“Ron you have your manners, be polite and ask.” Mrs. Weasley said.

"Help yourself," said Helia. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos. "

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed.

 "Weird!"

Helia stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on her card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Helia couldn't keep her eyes off them.

Snape could tell she was so fixated by the simple cards, because she wasn’t allowed to have anything of her own to collect before.

 Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Dzou Yen, Bowman Wright, Circe, Paracelsus, Cliodna and Merlin. 

“That a great start, Pup.” Sirius said as he gently ruffles her already mess of curls hair.

She finally tore her eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. 

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Helia. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once. " 

“Terrible that was.” George said, gagging just from the memory.

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner. 

"Bleaaargh -- see? Sprouts. "

All the Weasley kids made a face at that, sprouts are disgusting. Their mother shot them a look, she didn’t care how disgusting they thought they were. They were going to eat them and like it.

They had a good time eating the Every Flavour Beans. Helia got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. 

“Oh you got lucky, those aren’t so bad.” James mused. 

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. 

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Helia had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful. 

Neville blushed, he was such a crybaby in his first year.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

“Still does.” Neville admitted.

"He'll turn up," said Helia. 

“He always does.” Helia said trying to comfort Neville.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him. . . "

The tearful boy turned to leave, when Helia’s face lit up with an idea “Hey” she called out. The boy stopped, and turned back towards her. “I’ve read about a spell that can call thing that are in your vicinity to you. Maybe you could ask one of the older students to do it, a Prefect could help.” Helia offered, and was rewarded when the boy’s face lit up in happiness.

“That was very kind of you, Miss. Potter.” McGonagall said, like she was surprised.

Helia looked insulted, and as did her friends on her behalf. Helia was one of the kindest people they knew, sure she was blunt and attracted trouble, but she always lends a helping hand or was a confidant when her friends needed it. For her head of house to say it with such a tone of surprise it had to cut deep.

“Thanks, I will!” He turned, slid the door open, and hurried out of the compartment and down the hall in search of a prefect that could help him.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. 

“Ronald!” Mrs. Weasley said sharply.

Ron winced, and apologized to Neville, not that he need his mother to tell him it was a git thing to say.

Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk. "

Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Ron and Helia scowled at the book, that damn rat caused a lot of problems.

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. 

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust.

 "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look. . . "

Fred and George burst out laughing. “You actually tried that?” They asked through their laughter, as Ron turned red from embarrassment. While Helia just shook her head at Ron, for someone who grew up Fred and George he was very easy to prank.

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. 

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway--"

Charlie felt another flash of anger, but it was quickly snuffed out when a petite hand grabbed his and started to trace patterns on his palm.

“My mother used to do this when I had a nightmare, I believe it will suffice in calming anger too, Lytta must have cursed you.”

Charlie just felt speechless as he watched the tiny witch trace a pattern, that he now recognized as the algiz protection rune that gives the bearer of the symbol divine protection and the feeling of sanctuary. He could feel his heart lighten and race at the same time at the gentle smile on her face as she traced her protection runes in his skin.

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. a girl was standing in the doorway, and she was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. 

Hermione blinked, before slumping down in embarrassment, she hadn’t made the best of impressions, had she? 

She looked up when two arms were slung over her shoulders, on either side were her two best friends who were showing her that the past didn’t matter. She had them, and that wasn’t going to change.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth. 

“Hey.” Hermione whined, she was always very sensitive about the size of her front teeth, she didn’t feel an ounce of guilt for having Madam Pomfrey shrink them smaller then they really were after the spell incident.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it, and she told him to get an older student to cast a spell that would summon the toad to him" said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. 

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then. "

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback. 

Lily blinked, oh wow this girl really didn’t know how to hold back, did she?

"Er -- all right. "

He cleared his throat. 

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow. "

Fred and George started laughing again, and didn’t stop laughing for a full minute much to the annoyance of Ron.

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. 

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course,” Helia was impressed.

Hermione who was still safely sitting between her two best friends, looked towards Helia with shining eyes. “Really?” She asked, voice sounding stunned.

Helia smiled kindly, nodding.

“Why?” Hermione asked perplexed.

“You’ll see.” Helia said, instead of answering.

She had memorized some course books — and all of her extra books she got, too — but not all them. “I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast. 

“Did you even breathe?” Bill asked amused, as Hermione blushed a pretty pink much to the delight of the curse-breaker Weasley.

Helia looked at Ron, and was shocked to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all or any of the course books by heart. 

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Helia Potter," said Helia. 

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. "

“Background reading?” Ginny asked, looking at her friend.

Hermione blushed, “Well I didn’t want to not know anything because I was from a non-magical family.” She exclaimed.

"Am I?" said Helia, feigning feeling dazed. 

She already knew all about the books, she read them at Flourish and Blotts. She was shocked and slightly cross claimed to have an ‘accurate recounting’ of the night that Helia was the only survivor, and she was only a baby. And no way they would’ve been able to get an interview, from a baby like The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts claimed.

Everyone in the room looked embarrassed, they hadn’t thought where the books got their sources and information. They just took the books as the truth.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. . . Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon. "

“I’m surprised Miss. Granger that you didn’t end up in Ravenclaw with that attitude.” Madam Bones pondered.

“I’m more stubborn than I am smart, I guess.” Hermione said, shrugging it didn’t matter to her she loved Gryffindor and what it stands for.

And she left.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. Helia thought she would be a nice housemate, she was probably high-strung from going to a new school and would relax more when she got better acquainted with everything.

“That was four years ago Hermione!” Ron exclaimed as he failed to dodge a well aimed slap to the back of his head.

“It was well deserved Ronald Weasley!” Hermione hissed. “At least Helia is nice.”

 He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud. "

“You think?” George said sarcastically, smirking at the irritated glare Ron sent him.

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Helia. 

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin. "
"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

Everyone who knew Helia, really knew her looked at her like she grew two heads and spouted fire.

“What?” Helia said, glaring at the looks she was getting.

“You didn’t say his name.” Susan said, with wide eyes.

Ron snorted. “Don’t get used to that, it didn’t last long.” Everyone sighed, everything was right in the world again. Helia rolled her eyes at their dramatics.

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed. 

“You know we would still be proud of you, even if you were in Slytherin.” Mr. Weasley said, trying to reassure his youngest son, but Ron didn’t look like he believed him. Nobody looked like they believed him actually.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Helia, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

“Why are you asking?” Astoria asked.

“I was curious about what a witch or wizard could do after school. What sort of jobs were available, that sort of things.” Helia shrugged.

Helia was wondering what a wizard did once she'd finished school. 

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.

“Wow Ron thanks for that description, I thought you liked hearing my stories about work.” Bill said, teasing Ron a bit. Ron tried to reassure his eldest brother he did like his stories, not noticing His brothers amused look.

Draco sighed longingly, he always found Curse-Breaking to be fascinating. His father though, would say it was beneath a Malfoy to go digging through the dirt and socializing with goblins was a big no with his father.

 "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault. "

“Wait someone actually tried to rob Gringotts!?” James exclaimed shocked. “I thought Kingsley was kidding!”

“I never kid.” Kingsley deadpans, much to the amusement to the others.

Helia stared. 

"Really? What happened to them? Have they been caught, yet?”

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. 

“Why do I feel like this, main plot stuff.” Lily said.

Bill frowned. “I remember hearing about that in Egypt. They called me and a couple other specialists back to England for a few days, to test the bank’s security.” 

McGonagall and Snape stared down Dumbledore, because they both blamed first year on him. He never told any of the teachers about what happened to the stone, or how Helia stopped Quirrell from getting.

My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it. "

Helia turned this news over in her mind. She was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. 

Everyone shot surprised looks at her, it really wasn’t in Helia’s nature to fear anything.

She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying. 

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked. 

“Wow, I almost got whiplash from how fast the subject was turned.” Sirius whistled.

"Er -- I don't know any. " Helia confessed. 

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -- " And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. 

“Nimbus 2000.” Ron and Helia said in sync remembering all the talk about brooms, if their younger selves knew about Firebolts.

He was just taking Helia through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time. 

Draco winced in dread, people were not going to be happy with this part. God why did he have to be such a prat.

Severus looked at his godson suspiciously when he saw the guilty look on his face. Why did he get the feeling he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear?

Three boys entered, and Helia recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. 

“Ah, a wild ferret enters with his gorilla sidekicks.” George said in a nature documentary voice.

He was looking at Helia with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley. 

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Heliantheae Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"It’s Helia," said Helia getting fed up with people calling her by her full name. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean reminding Helia of Dudley more in shape then personality like the pale boy. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. 

Snape couldn’t help but snort in amusement, that really all Crabbe and Goyle were to his godson.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Helia was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. "

“Bond, James Bond.” Helia said in a sophisticated voice, making Hermione and Tonks burst into giggles.

Neville looked at the girls cautiously. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s a Muggle film, the main character— James Bond— introduces himself that way.” Hermione explained, wiping the tears from her rosy cheeks. The Pure-bloods who never took Muggle studies were still dreadfully confused.

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him. 

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford. "

All the Weasley’s even Percy made sound of anger and protest, while Draco sank down in his seat looking highly apologetic.

He turned back to Helia. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there. "

He held out his hand to shake Helia's, but Helia didn't take it. 

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," She said coolly. 

Severus couldn’t help, but winced as he compared Helia behaviour to Lily’s coldness after he called her that dreadful name.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. 

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. 

Sirius growled at his distant cousin. “You slimy litt—”

But Helia cut him off before it could go too far.

“This happened years ago Sirius, I’m over it, he’s over it, so I would like to continue with the reading okay?” Helia said, staring into her godfather’s eyes, so he could see how serious she was.

“Ok Pup, I’ll let it go.” He said, but Helia could hear the for now in his voice.

Draco couldn’t help, but look at his ‘rival’ in astonishment. He couldn’t believe she was forgiving him, he could feel a bit of hope spark in his heart.

They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you. "

Both Helia and Ron stood up.

Before Ron could say anything Helia looked Malfoy in the eyes, with a vicious look shining from her emerald eyes. “Do you want to repeat that? Because I’m certain I didn’t hear you correctly.” 

James and Lily looked at their daughter in surprise.

“If you push the right buttons, you best be ready for Helia to get vicious.” Hermione said, seeing her friends parents looks of surprise.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered, But he seemed shocked that she was talking back to him. 

“I mean, in Madam Malkin’s you barely spoke. Then suddenly you’re challenging me to a fight with more attitude than anyone I’ve ever met.” Draco mused.

Helia felt heat bloom on her cheeks, her heart was racing which was odd she was fighting for her life or being threatened at all so what could be making her heart race like this. Then it suddenly hit her, she was slowly falling in love with Draco Malfoy the only thought that went through her head at that moment was oh crap.

"Unless you get out now," said Helia, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron. 

Ron snorted. “That’s true, but everyone was bigger than Helia. I mean she’s the smallest in our year, while they’re the largest.” 

“Yeah, Helia’s was even smaller than some of the first years in her second year.” Fred said.

"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some. "

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron -- Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. 

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle

“Only useful thing he did.” Ron muttered, to the confusion of his family they thought he loved Scabbers. 

 -- Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. 

Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, 

“Aw a couple of Snakes, scared off by some itty bitty rats.” the Twins cooed, making all the Slytherin glare in indignation.

or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in. 

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. 

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Helia. 

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Weasley said, hoping the rat was hurt Ron adored that rat.

He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep. "

And so he had. 

Remus and Sirius snorted. “Typical.” They muttered, much to the confusion of everyone who didn’t know who the true culprit that betrayed and killed James and Lily Potter and thirteen Muggles. 

"You've met Malfoy before?"

Helia explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley. 

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side. " He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

“I must say Mister. Weasley, Miss. Granger, I don’t know how you two could become friends with this much hostility between you two.” Madam Bones said.

Hermione and Ron just laughed, it did take a big event for them to accept each other and their faults. It helped that Helia was a good buffer or just didn’t pick favourites among them.

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, 

“I thought you were joking when you said your rat had been fighting.” Hermione giggled.

scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

Theo looked at Ron bemused “You do realize she’s a girl right?” 

“She was more a friend, than a girl.” Ron defended, not realizing he was sort of insulting Helia. 

Helia didn’t look insulted though, she just stared at her friend in amusement.

"All right -- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. 

“But you were children, Miss. Granger.” Dumbledore said to the Muggle-born witch gently.

"And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. Helia peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. 

Helia waited out in the hall for Ron to change, while he did the same for her— she drawn the curtains for even more privacy— she knocked on the door when she was done. Ron's robes were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them. 

“Why do you have to be so bloody observant.” Ron mumbled.

“It’s a part of my charm.” Helia deadpans.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately. "

Helia's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. 

“Aw, is ickle Ronniekins, feeling nervous.” The Twins cooed.

“Shut up.” Ron huffed his usual come-back.

They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor. 

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Helia shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Helia heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Helia?"

A smile lit up Helia’s face, letting everyone know just how much she cared for the half-giant.

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. 

"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Helia thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad— he told them that a helpful Ravenclaw Prefect named Penelope helped him find Trevor,

 Helia noticed that Percy stiffened, and blushed when the Ravenclaw Prefect was mentioned.

but then not even ten minutes later the disappearing toad went missing again.— sniffed once or twice. 

Everyone looked at Neville with wide eyes. 

“I told you he likes to disappear.” Neville said.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here. "

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

“It really takes your breath away the first time you see it, doesn’t it.” Bill said, smiling.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Helia and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. 

“You know who ever you sit with on the boat across the lake, are destined to become lifelong friends.” Remus said with a smile.

While Neville and the Golden Trio shared a grin because they were the closest to each other out of all their year mates.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. 

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face.  

Remus chuckled quietly as he remembered how James and Sirius hadn’t heard Hagrid’s warning until it was too late.

They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. 

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them. 

“I wonder how Hagrid, knew it was your toad, Neville.” Padma wondered out loud.

Hermione blushed again, because she was the one who told Hagrid about Neville’s lost toad hoping that he would find him.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. 

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. 

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

“Ugh!” Neville groaned jokingly. “Stop noticing me.”

“Trevor seems to love exploring, I wonder if he would like to go on an expedition with daddy and me.” Luna wondered.

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

“That’s the end.” Madam Bones announced as she snapped the book shut. “Who would like to read next?” 

Sirius’s hand shot up. “I’ll read next!” He shouted excitedly.