Chapter 2 - part 2

Chapter 5: chapter v: the train goes?Summary:In which we ride a train, make some friends and get sorted.

Notes:This one is b i g. Over 8k, and I considered chopping it into 2 parts, but c'mon,,,, it's just the choo choo train ride and sorting and meeting our protagonists, I wouldn't do that to yall. Besides, WE FINALLY HAVE CONFIRMATION OF OC'S FAMILY PLUS PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION! (I feel like if you read The Chronic Hero Perspective by niklitera you get a wee big spoiler about s o m e t h i n g, I know he didn't come up with it, but it was the first time I read it, so-).

ANYWAYS.

Thank you all for reading and commenting and leaving kudos! (also, if you like SI/OC stuff, you should prob read The Stars Incline Us (They Do Not Bind Us) by Sparks_o7. The writing is 1000 times better than mine so have at it!)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter TextI shuddered once I crossed the barrier, letting the magic wash over me and blinking in awe at the sight. The train was a little more old-looking than depicted in the movies, but it had a presence. I only moved because a warm hand pushed my shoulder gently, making me jump and look up at a ginger woman with a round face and kind eyes. 

"First year, dear?" Nodding shyly, I gulped back my surprise and fluster at having missed the ginger family staring at me from a little away. "Do you need help with your trunk?"

Even before I could answer, two identical gingers were already hoisting my trunk, blinking down in surprise at how light it was before smiling at me in sync. 

"Well, Gred. It seems-"

"-That the ickle firstie is-"

"-smart enough to not-"

"-need anyone!" 

I blinked in a daze.

"I am shaking in my boots, do you two practice lines like that and wait for the perfect opportunity?" There were some good five seconds of silence until both boys burst into laughter while I was still dizzy trying to keep up with the two parts conversation. It was genuinely scary. 

"Did you hear that, Forge?" 

"I did, Gred! Maybe we should practice lines!"

"These firsties just keep getting better and better! First Harry Potter and now this!"

"I know! Maybe this year can be saved yet!"

Their mother sighed and patted my shoulder again, smiling down at me amusedly as one of them carried my trunk inside, both still talking between each other about me. 

"Up you go, dear. Don't want to miss the train, do you?" 

"No, ma'am! Thank you for… I- Well, I think I would've kept blocking the passage if you hadn't…"

"It's ok, sweetie. I was the same way when my oldest went to Hogwarts, if your mum is still outside I'll be sure to reassure her, you don't worry." 

I felt myself melting for this woman who saw a mother and daughter in pain and decided to help, just because. I promised myself that I'd hug her one day, but for now, I settled for smiling widely. 

"Thank you!" She patted me again and made a shooing motion, and I followed her twins up the train, smiling up at them once I realized they were waiting for me with my trunk. 

"Come on, firstie. We'll leave you with our brother if you want." 

"He's a little slow, but he means well." I snorted, shaking my head and trying to temper down my excitement at being around two of my favorite charac- People. They weren't characters. Not anymore. "Went ahead instead of waiting for a lady, the fool."

"Again, he'll get there one day-"

"-hopefully." They finished in sync and I smiled up at them.

Looking between them as they chatted about Hogwarts, I silently promised myself to do everything I could in my power to keep their bond alive.

"Ah, here he is. Hey, Ron." I looked between both boys, sticking my head between their arms as the three of us were half inside the compartment.

That was when I had my first glance at both protagonists. 

Harry was a small little guy, too skinny, crooked glasses, horrendously messy hair, green eyes that if were a tone more vibrant would look fake, but most surprisingly? 

KID WASN'T WHITE!

I swear to God I nearly choked, but that would've been rude and I had too much control over my expressions to let that happen. 

So. Harry's South Asian. I can live with (and love) that. It made sense, all the talk about his eyes being striking, though. With his darker skin, they were just so… well- striking. 

Ron was tall and gangly, and he slouched on himself to seem smaller, his hair was a tad darker than the twins, and his eyes were brown while his brothers' were blue. 

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there. We'll leave this firstie in your care." I felt a hand messing with my hair and I used both hands to pinch their backs, snorting at their yelps as Ron blinked at the noise. 

"Right…"

"Harry, did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. This is Ron, our brother. And this is… Wait, who are you?" 

"Just picked me up without asking, ey?" I snickered, squeezing between them to get inside the compartment as one of them followed me to put my trunk in place. "Lils or you can call me Star."

"Well, you looked so very helpless-"

"-crying all over the place-"

"-making mum almost cry with you by being sweet. We-"

"-just couldn't leave you-"

"-to fend for yourself!" They finished in sync, and the only one who didn't seem spooked by the act was their brother, who was growing more flushed the weirder they became. 

"My heroes." I deadpanned, making them snicker and wave their brother and Harry away. 

"See you later, then." 

"Bye," The door closed in front of me and I turned around to smile tentatively at the two boys staring awkwardly at me. 

"Is it really ok if I stay here? I think the rest of the train is all full." Trying not to wring my hands, I relaxed when Harry sent me a hesitant smile and when Ron nodded slowly. "Wicked!"

Sitting next to Ron, I blinked as the boy blurted out before I could even situate myself. 

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Oh boy. When Harry nodded, Ron's eyes went as wide as saucers, eyes flicking up to the boy's forehead even as I coughed uncomfortably. "Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes… And have you really got - you know…"

Ok, I wanted to cut this painfully awkward moment, but- Shit, I also wanted to see the famous scar. 

When Harry lifted his fringe, we stared. 

It was a perfect lightning shape, like someone had slowly cut it up. It was puckered and still somewhat red as if it was inflamed, like it still hadn't healed. 

"So that's where You-Know-Who-?" 

"Yes, but I can't remember it." Harry touched the scar lightly and I frowned in worry. 

"It doesn't hurt still, does it?"

"Only sometimes." 

"Nothing ?" The ginger asked eagerly as a follow-up from his previous question, and I pursed my lips at the lack of tact, but Harry didn't seem bothered by it. 

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

"Wow-" I elbowed the boy lightly when he continued staring, Ron jumped in surprise and flushed, looking out the window as Harry stared between the two of us, seeming a little embarrassed when I smiled at him. 

"Are all your family wizards?" 

His eyes flicked between us and I made a so and so motion as Ron responded. 

"Er - yes, I think so. I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"My mum's not a witch, but I had an aunt and grandparents that were- you know… magical." Harry blinked confusedly while Ron flushed even harder, seemingly embarrassed by not having contact with the squib of his family, even if I didn't really care about it. 

"She's not a witch?" Ron made a whimpering noise at Harry's question, making the boy flustered and stutter an apology as I laughed and waved it away. "I'm- I- I'm sorry, I didn't know it's-"

"It's alright, Harry! I don't care. She's called a squib. A child without magic born from magical parents. She had it easy, compared to what more stuck-up pureblood families do with their squibs. As it was, mum was treated the same as my aunt, she just went to college while aunt Lene went to Hogwarts. They had to keep their distance during the war, though. Especially with me around, mum said she was a target when I was born."

I smiled at Ron, who slowly turned to look at me again, relaxing when he didn't see any judgment, sagging even more as I crossed my legs on top of my seat, getting more comfortable when Harry smiled shyly and thankfully. For what, I didn't know. 

"But you should be careful asking things like that, though. I don't care, and neither would mum, but some families are just… Bad, you know?" Ron nodded at my words, looking between us to make sure Harry understood even as the boy himself nodded thoughtfully. "But since we're all good here, you can ask away. I personally don't mind."

"Right, neither do I."

"Er- So you two must know loads of magic already." 

Our talk was surprisingly nice, both boys made sure to include me and I was more than a little touched at it as I chirped my answers, making them laugh a little at my responses until Ron went on talking about his family and oversharing his insecurities, and I tensed at the sight of the fucking sleeping fat rat. 

His ears were red once he realized just how much he overshared, I nodded in time with Harry as the boy reassured him that there was nothing wrong with not being able to afford an owl, telling his own story and what he went through with the Dursleys, leaving me glaring angrily at the floor. 

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

I scowled harder while Ron gasped, lifting my eyes to see Harry looking between us confusedly.

"What?"

"You said You-Know-Who's name! I'd have thought you, of all people-"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name. I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet." I felt myself shift at the lowering of his voice, insecurity seeping on his words as he whispered embarrassedly. "I bet I'm the worst in class."

"You won't be, Harry. Plenty of other kids will be either muggleborns or muggle raised. We'll all learn at the same time, don't worry! And if you really need it, we can help each other, regardless of what house we end up." I smiled reassuringly, looking at Ron again and smiling softly. "And you don't need to measure up for your brothers or try to surpass them. I'm liking Ron just fine, I know you'll be remembered for being yourself." 

The boy flushed hard, but sent me a grateful smile before I shrugged. 

"I'm really scared of… not finding friends… you know? Being alone. I- Well, it was always just me and my mum. My aunt and my grandparents were killed when I was a baby, so it's just us and-" I shrugged, fiddling with my ring and trying not to cry at my own words. But- Well, they shared their fears, you know? I can't do them the disservice of pretending I don't have one (more like twenty) too. "I've never been away from her for long. I never needed any friends with her there, but now…" 

I felt an awkward and hesitant pat on my shoulder, and I looked at Ron, who was smiling tentatively down at me. 

"We can be friends, right?" 

"Right, I'm also afraid of not having friends." Harry muttered silently and I returned his smile, blinking away my tears and nodding. 

"I'd really like that." They beamed at me and I returned the gesture, and the three of us fell again into a more light conversation. I shouldn't have been surprised when Ron asked about our quidditch teams, and while Harry said he had only recently found out about the sport and therefore didn't have a team yet, I smiled. 

"Curupiras." Ron moaned as I laughed, nudging his arm with my own as I wiggled my brows. "Lemme guess, Chudley Cannons?"

"They're so much better! And that's not even in our league!"

"Don't care! They have Letícia Alves! Did you not read about their last game? She scored three-fourths of the points and forced the other team to catch the snitch just so they could save a little of their dignity!"

"But the curupiras?" I snickered again, both at his pronunciation at the Brazilian team and at his face, rubbing my cheek and smirking, nudging him again as Harry watched amusedly. 

"Just admit you're bitter that they beat England last year at the Quidditch World Cup."

"Well- Scotland destroyed them!"

"Good! I'm Scottish!" Harry joined me in laughter as Ron huffed and crossed his arms, even if there was a smile twitching on his lips. "Urgh, it was a bitter ending to lose to Canada at the finals, though." 

"Tough luck." The green-eyed boy teased and the three of us fell into laughter again. While Ron explained to Harry the sport and all its wonder, I got up on the seat to get to my trunk, opening it enough to snatch one of my books, plopping back on my seat and getting more comfortable to read. It was the one about the magical history of other countries. 

Harry eyed it curiously but continued to pay attention to Ron's excited explanations.

It was clear to see that the boy didn't really have anyone to tell things like that to, and he thoroughly enjoyed teaching about something he knew that someone else didn't.

Only the sound of the door opening had me snapping back into reality with how immersed I was in my reading, blinking at the trolley witch and watching Harry leap to his feet at the prospect of food. 

Mum had packed me a few sandwiches, and I knew Harry would buy plenty, so while Harry stepped into the corridor, I got up on the seat again after handing a confused Ron my book to get my packed food. It took a little maneuvering and a few jumps, but I was successful in retrieving them in time for Harry to plop everything into the empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?" I snickered at Ron's voice, crossing my legs again as Harry smiled.

"Starving." 

Ron took out his sandwiches, and I tilted my head at it when he sighed.

"She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"Swap you for one of these." Harry held one pasty, and I looked at Ron's sandwich. For real? That looked nice. "Go on-"

"Swap with me too? That looks good." 

"You don't want this, it's all dry. She hasn't got much time, you know, with five of us." while he tried to hastily explain, I reached over and plucked a sandwich from him, ignoring his 'hey!' and giving him one of mine before handing one to Harry as well, pretending I didn't see the glinting of happiness on Harry's eyes as he also took of Ron's sandwiches and replaced it with a pasty. 

"Sharing is caring, Ron."

While the boys promptly ate the cakes and pastries, I contented myself with Mrs. Weasley's and mum's sandwich. 

"Hm! Ron! Your mum's food is so good!" The boy flushed again, but smiled proudly when I eyed the remaining sandwich on his side. "I don't have anything to exchange for." 

"Oh, you- Well, you can have it, if you want." Like the little gremlin I was, I accepted without dolly dallying, squirming happily on my spot as the boys laughed. 

"Seriously, your mum has mad cooking skills!" 

I was too full to ask for any other sandwich, but I joined them in tasting the sweets. 

"I'm like Harry, I've never had these before."

"But didn't you say your family still kept your mum around?" Ron asked hesitantly, and I pretended not to notice his hesitation as I nodded, looking fascinated at the Morgana card, watching her stare me down before leaving to the side in a haughty huff. 

"Well, yeah, but they died in the war, mum didn't have any connections so I grew up muggle. She didn't even tell me about magic until I caught myself accidentally setting my things on fire." I shrugged, smiling reassuringly at Ron before handing the card to Harry. "I never knew my dad. Don't even know his name. I think he was a wizard, though. I don't look like my mum, she's white, you know, so all of this must've been from him." I took one of the Liquorice Wands after pointing at my face as Harry nodded. 

"Though the blonde comes from mum's side of the family. It's weird. Mum said the family knew whether or not a kid was going to be a squib by their lack of blonde hair." Ron 'huh-ed' and I shrugged again. "I don't know how family magic works, but I've seen a few pictures, and it's crazy weird how every witch or wizard born into the family had blonde hair, but squibs take after the parents that married into it. Mum looked like my grandma, she had brown hair." 

"That's really cool, though, isn't it?"

"I guess." 

"I wonder if I have this family magic." I looked at his messy hair and striking green eyes and smiled knowingly. 

"We have the ginger hair too," Ron spoke through a mouthful of chocolate, looking up in thought before shrugging. "Dad always did say something about it…You want to be careful with those." 

I watched Harry pull an Every-Flavour Beans and scrunched my nose as he raised a brow at Ron, waiting for more explanation and only receiving a shrug in response. 

"When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor - 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 bogey-flavored one once." 

I giggled, watching him pick a green one and sharing a laugh with Harry when he bit into it only to spit it out with a disgusted sound. 

"Blaaargh - see? Sprouts! " Ron shuddered and I laughed harder, shaking my head and reaching for a bean pink bean myself, scrunching my face and forcing a swallow as they laughed at my face. 

"Green Beans. Urgh." 

We had a fun time trying them, and Harry seemed to pick that time to ask about my forgotten book, and he listened in awe as I told him about the different practices of magic from other countries and cultures. 

"I don't know how updated the book is, but apparently Latin America has both best and worst with muggles reacting to magic."

"Yeah, Charlie had a friend from Castelobruxo once, he said that there you either have muggles that see magic as heaven-sent, or as devilry." I nodded excitedly and flipped my book to show Harry a rough sketch of the Brazilian magical school. "Their muggleborns are guarded very seriously."

"Must be because they're still heavily Christian. Latin America does have a higher Obscurus count, though." 

There was a painful moment of silence from the boys as Ron grimaced at the information and Harry waited for an explanation. I tried my best to do so, and with how Harry paled, I could only imagine the connections he was making in his head.

"Do we have many of those?"

I looked at Ron for information for Harry's question, ignoring the way he puffed a little at the attention before he shrugged. 

"We haven't recorded one since Grindelwald, I reckon. Dad, he works at the Ministry of Magic, he said that kids showing signs of becoming a… you-know-what, show up for the Ministry and they intervene." I huh-ed in surprise before setting my book aside again, reaching for another bean and choking at the taste of pepper. 

The tension was promptly broken by the boys laughing while I reached for a Chocolate Frog to try taking the heat off my tongue. 

"You two… Are no help." I took another hefty bite as they cackled again. 

I was starting to wonder how much I had already changed things just by being there, like a butterfly batting its wings, when finally - finally - the door of our compartment opened after a knock interrupted the boys looking over their new cards and my reading. 

Neville looked like he had been crying and was holding on very bravely to ask for something. 

So bloody cute.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" He wailed when we looked at each other and shook our heads. "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"Do you have an enclosure for him?" Neville sniffled and shook his head, and it took everything in me not to leap out of my seat to squeeze the daylights out of him. Adorable. So adorable. "Well, you should find a Prefect, they should know how to deal with escapees."

"He'll turn up." 

I nodded at Harry's words, trying to reassure Neville while he squirmed and sighed miserably. 

"Yes… Well, if you see him…" 

And he left. Like a sad sad puppy. Urgh, my heart. 

"Don't know why he's bothered, if I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." I made a face at the fat rat on Ron's lap, what a disgusting piece of shit. "He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look-"

I was frozen in horror when Ron plopped the rat on my lap to rummage around in his trunk for his wand. Harry seemed a mix between worried and amused at my face, and I widened my eyes when he woke up, probably sensing he wasn't on the previous lap.

There was a moment of silence as we stared at each other and Ron was just about to reach for him again after grabbing his battered wand when Pettigrew squealed like a little pig and shot away from me, squealing again when he saw Harry. Ron yelped and grabbed his fat body in an ease that showed practice as Harry and I exchanged looks. 

"Right, he's also a bloody coward." I snorted and tried to relax at the prospect of being around the rat, cursing myself for not having a plan for this son of a bitch. The only thing I knew was that I couldn't tip him off, and that I was too scared of revealing him too soon and either him escaping and not giving Sirius a chance of escaping Azkaban, or revealing him and the Ministry of Magic not doing shit. That part of changing things scared the shit out of me, the circumstances of Sirius escaping were so specific that I was afraid of changing it for the worst. "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-"

My eyes snapped at the compartment door, Neville was back with a certain bushy-haired witch wearing her new Hogwarts robes. I quailed my excitement by smiling at Neville, who looked rather tearful, still. 

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." My brows raised even as I was expecting it, when she was depicted as bossy, I didn't think it was bossy bossy you know. 

Her voice was haughty, like she was shaming us for Neville's loss and the boy himself seemed to flush with it, though she didn't seem to realize (or care). 

"We've already told him we haven't seen it-" 

"Oh, are you going magic? Let's see it, then." If I gaped a little at how mocking she sounded, it wasn't anyone's business. I shared a look with Harry again when she sat down in front of Ron and me, completely ignoring me to stare at Ron waitingly. 

"Er - all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow," When nothing happened, Ron frowned in a blush, staring down at Pettigrew's sleeping form. How the hell did he sleep like that? Was he even sleeping?

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it?" The rest of the compartment watched in a mix of fascination and annoyment as Hermione spoke without taking a single breath, telling us about learning of magic and how every spell she tried worked and wow- I think she just broke like three social etiquette rules without breathing once. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

The boys shared a look and I cleared my throat, it was a little unnerving having her judgy eyes on me. 

"I'm Ron Weasley."

"Star." 

"Harry Potter." 

"Are you really?" I slowly looked at Ron, checking if he was just as offended as I that she made a 90º to face the boy, promptly ignoring us as we gaped at each other. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." 

I wanted to stop her, hell, I tried. But every time I spoke up to interrupt her fast-talking, she just carried on as if she hadn't heard me. I took a moment to watch her, looking at Harry's uncomfortable face before returning my eyes to her eager expression. 

"Am I?"

"Ah, Granger." My louder voice seemed to have finally caught her attention, and I smiled slowly when she turned back at us, seemingly realizing what she had done and waiting for me to speak up. "All books written on Harry were done without consulting him, so I doubt the Harry you expect is the one he'll be." She tilted her head, blinking and frowning at me confusedly and glancing at Harry for confirmation as he nodded, still dazed.

"Oh, well… I suppose I should've checked their sources before reading. Do any 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 one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." 

With that, she left, taking a flustered and regretful Neville with her. 

I was still in a daze as the boys talked with each other. Damn. That was… A lot. 

Sighing and shaking my head, I searched for my robes while the boys discussed the houses they'd be in. 

"Well, I don't know if the whole "all Slytherins are evil" thing is real, anyone can be evil, no matter their house. But I hope I don't end up there." For all that every test I've ever taken always sent me to the snake house or Hufflepuff.

"If it's not evil then why don't you want to go there, huh?" Raising a brow at Ron's annoyed voice, I let it slide off my back when the tip of his ears turned red at my look from over him, still trying to get the bloody skirt I stupidly packed underneath my books. 

"Mum's a squib, if I go into that house I'm just asking to have a hard time." Shrugging, I made a noise of victory for successfully grabbing the whole thing before dropping back to the floor. "I'm going to change and walk around a bit, I'll be back." 

They waved me off as I packed the clothes inside my messenger bag, finally feeling the lack of sleep catching up to me as I made my way to the bathroom to put on my uniform. Argh, maybe I would have a sugar crash. Shouldn't have stuffed myself with all that candy. 

Once in uniform, I looked at the stained mirror and tried to come to terms with what I learned from the main characters. Harry was as subdued and shy as I had expected, though he seemed to have warmed up to me easily enough, but by God, he was a tiny little thing, all sharp boned and short. He was clearly malnourished, and the clothes three sizes too big only accentuated it.

Ron was surprisingly more pleasant than I had expected. I distinctly remember always being pissed off when reading about him, but oh well, we'll still have time to see if he's as bad as I remember and it did me well to remember that the books had been from Harry's point of view. 

And Hermione had no social skills what so fucking ever and seemed less interested to acknowledge me than the boys, which I just knew would bring me a headache in the future.

Staring at my face in the mirror, I, for the first time, wondered who those features came from. They definitely didn't come from mum, and I never traveled enough to recognize its origins, only that it was from Asia.

Idly, I wondered if he was still alive, or if he had been killed during the war before I was born. 

It was an odd- no, not odd, just… Rare (?) combination. Asian with grey eyes and light golden hair. I remember only seeing it when people dyed their hair and wore contacts, but I suppose magic finds its ways to keep the family genes, like Harry with his eyes.

The face was so different from my last one, my nose more delicate and weirdly straight and somewhat pointy from the McKinnons even though it was more characteristically flat a the bridge, my lips plumper, my brows with less arch than my Before face, I had a few spots, one on my cheek near my right eye, one above my left brow and another lower by my jaw, cheeks high and sharp under my baby fat.

All in all, it was a pretty face, I thought. Definitely more like my father, whoever he was, than mum with her more sultry beauty. Not that I should care about that at 11 years old, but it was what I was. I perhaps wished I looked more like her, but there was still some of mum there, my smile and mannerisms were all her, even my voice!

Blinking away the daze, I broke eye contact with my reflection to search for a Prefect. Poor Neville needed his emotional support toad and damn it if I wasn't going to help, better than contemplate my own ancestry.

It was just my luck that a ginger Prefect was walking down the corridor. 

"Hi! Excuse me?" Percy stopped, looking over his shoulder and blinking down at me waiting. "You're a Prefect, aren't you?"

He turned around, chest puffed in pride and a glint in his eyes as he nodded seriously. 

"I am. Do you have any questions?"

"Ah, actually I need help? A friend lost his toad. I know there's a charm to find things, but I don't know how to cast it. Could you help me find him, please?" The boy looked like I was the Queen and had just asked him to protect me with his life, as if finding a toad was the highest honor one could have. "His name is Trevor."

"Sure, here. Point Me Trevor." Percy waved his wand, and watch with interest as it turned on his hand, pointing at the front of the train. He cocked his head for me to follow and I did so, discreetly looking at him and being slightly surprised how much Ron looked like him in comparison to the twins, though he wasn't as lanky as his youngest brother. "This way." 

It took less than three minutes to find Trevor hiding under a seat in a compartment with a bunch of fourth years Ravenclaws. With various 'thank you's', I set out to find Neville, holding the toad as if he was a giant burger and keeping him away from my clothes as he croaked and screamed. 

Luckily, most compartments seemed to have already been visited by the searching boy, so they mostly sent me amused looks as I peeked inside, introducing myself when I recognized the first years, or when they seemed nice enough.

"What you doing here, Star?" I smiled at one of the twins, nodding in greeting at Lee, recognizable by the dreadlocks and the box on his lap. 

"Are you running from Ronniekins?" 

"That must be a record, George! Not even a whole day and a Weasley made a girl run!"

"I think so too, Fred!" Snickering, I shook my head and smiled at Lee. 

"Tarantula?"

"In the box. Wanna see?"

"Yes, please!" Handing one of them Trevor, so he wouldn't accidentally try to eat the pet. The twins laughed when I gasped at the spider, it was massive. Not in a normal way! Its hairy leg poked out and I shrieked when one of the twins pinched my side, noticing how focused on the tarantula I was. Jumping away from them, I glared before turning back to look at the spider. "Is it a magical breed? I don't think normal ones are supposed to look like that." 

They were still snickering when Lee closed the box again with a nod and a laugh, he told me a little about it while I took Trevor back, still holding it awkwardly, but thoroughly paying attention to the boy's short lesson of magical spiders. 

"Spooky. Good luck sneaking that into Hogwarts."

"I'm two for two, should be ok." Snorting, I said my goodbyes and ignored the twins' calls for their own goodbyes as I moved back to the corridor, sighing in relief when I found Neville and Hermione in a compartment next to the twins, smiling when Neville cried a happy ' Trevor! ' at the loud scream the toad gave before I could knock on the door. 

"Asked for a prefect for help finding your buddy." Happily handing him the fat toad, I waved away his thanks when he clutched the animal to his chest as if it was a teddy. "He liked to be under the seat, maybe ask for someone to send him an enclosure? He'd be comfortable hiding." 

I didn't stick around, deciding to see if I could meet any other first years and stopping at a compartment with a lone boy reading a thick tome. He didn't pay any mind when I knocked on his door, only snapping his head up as if startled when I poked my head inside before his surprise quickly shifted into defensiveness and a mean sneer. 

"Hi, I'm Lils-"

I blinked at his mouthed "I don't care, leave." 

Pursing my lips, I watched the way he clutched the book harder, sneer still in place. Nodding, I smiled apologetically, tucking away in my mind how he curled on himself and turned more towards the door on his seat as I closed the door again. How odd, he closed in on himself but still stood in position to watch the door.

Hm.

Moving back to my compartment, I blinked in surprise down the corridor at the yells followed by three kids leaving the compartment, making me snort when I recognized Malfoy's red face as Hermione raced past them scowling and breaking inside when the three had left. 

Hermione was leaving the compartment when I deemed it safe to get back. 

Ron had the biggest scowls and Harry looked more embarrassed than anything. 

"What's this I heard about Scabbers fighting someone?"

"That Malfoy prat came in here with his cronies and started a fight! And then that girl comes in here and- and- Argh!" I snorted, putting my things away as 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."  

Snickering at the boys' palling faces, I tucked a few of the sweets into my pockets with them before joining the crowd of kids nervously, caging Harry between the two of us and stepping in front of the few that kept turning around to gawk at him. He might've tugged my robes in thanks, but with the tight fit around us, I couldn't be sure.

Then the train slowed down and we pushed our way out towards a dark and cold platform. 

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry?" I gaped at Hagrid's size, he was easily over three meters, it wasn't possible! Gigantic. I blinked away the spots in my vision from looking at his lamp before huddling closer to the boys to avoid the cold. 

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

When Hogwarts came into view before we got on the boats, I froze on the spot by Harry's side. It was- It was… 

It was beautiful. 

Tall, and bursting with magic and I swore it glittered. 

I had seen grand architectures before, but it wasn't thatthat made Hogwarts so impressive and awe-strucking. It reeked of magic, the walls seemed built on it and I had a feeling that if it could talk, it would be welcoming us.

"Star." I snapped out of my awe-induced gaping and allowed Ron to tug on my sleeve and help me inside one of the boats we shared with a detached girl, she paid no mind to us and we extended her the same courtesy. 

When I looked to the side, Neville was sharing a boat with Hermione and the Patil twins, Trevor was firmly in his grip and he sent me a tiny smile before I returned my eyes to the castle, gripping the sides of the boat and trying not to think what was under us as I marveled on the magical barrier washing over me, a tug on my chest made me breathe out a sigh. 

Home. 

It felt like home. 

We kept Harry between us, a silent agreement that people wouldn't look at us, that this tiny boy would be the one everyone had their eyes on, and that he was in equal parts terrified and excited. 

Walking up the steps, we all stared up at the giant doors, Hagrid seemed to make a silent headcount before raising his huge fist to knock on the door.

By the time Professor McGonagall had us following her into the Entrance Hall, the whole group of us first years had huddled together at the chattering sound of the voices and audience waiting for us inside the Great Hall. 

She went on to talk about the four houses and how they worked, and it was then that I felt like my breakfast and the sandwiches might make an appearance very soon. 

God, what if they send me back? No, that's not a stupid reaction, what if they find out I'm not supposed to be here?! 

What if Dumbledore knows I'm an impostor and that I probably took over some kid and that I'm wearing them as a meat suit?! THERE HADN'T BEEN ANY LILIUM IN HARRY'S YEAR, AFTER ALL!

Oh God, they're going to send me to Azkaban. They were going to wipe me dry of all my knowledge and then they were probably going to have me kissed, oh God. Oh Morgana. 

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." 

Her eyes moved through us, and there was a moment where she paused in our group, eyes moving between Harry and me, pausing and narrowing them, and I shit you not, I almost turned tail and ran out to beg the Express to take me back home.

Harry, the poor boy, tried to flatten his hair down while Ron scrubbed his nose hard and I- Well, I just made sure to freeze to stop myself from running out. 

Professor McGonagall finally walked away, leaving me with two nervous boys discussing how they'd get sorted, and frozen like I was about to walk to my death. I didn't even startle at the ghosts' appearances, I only tuned back in once they were interrupted by the animagus' sharp voice again. 

Turning hastily at Harry and Ron, I reached out both hands, using one to try to flatten Harry's hair down, as if he hadn't been trying to do the same before, brushing my thumb against Ron's nose. Neither tried to bat me away, and honestly, Harry even lowered his head more in apparent hopes that I could do something he couldn't. 

"The Sorting is about to start. Now, form a line and follow me." Harry fell into step behind me and in front of Ron while a boy in sandy hair walked in front of me. I felt like I was always coming short with words to describe how magnificent everything was; it felt like a dream to look up to the ceiling and see the sky and the candles, the tables, and the students all chittering excitedly while we followed the transfiguration professor. 

When she pulled out the hat, I made an effort not to grimace. The thing was old and looked dusty and dirty, if the Gods were good I wouldn't get lice from it. I was so lost in my stupid attempt to distract myself by begging not to get lice, that I missed the hat singing, only returning to my body once the applause broke out in the Hall, looking over my shoulder at the stunned boys. 

"So we've just got to try on the hat! I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll ." Foreshadowing, anyone?

It was only when the names started to get called that I thought about which house I'd be sent to if the hat doesn't scream about me being an imposter. With all the years since I've learned about magic, and about how I'd come to Hogwarts, I never gave much thought about which house I'd be sent to, I only knew it wouldn't be Slytherin. 

For all of my planning and ambition, I know it lacks in me the cunning needed and I don't care about greatness. 

If anything, I seriously considered Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, more the former than the latter. I'd keep getting stuck outside the common room with all the fucking riddles, no, I'd probably end up in Hufflepuff. 

No problem there, Cedric was- is from Hufflepuff and the Goblet of Fire chose him, didn't it? It deemed a Hufflepuff as the one with the greatest chance of success, out of everyone else from the school.

I just hoped I could still be friends with Harry and Ron even if we didn't share a common room. 

"Malfoy, Draco!" In true fashion, the hat had barely touched his hair when it shouted his house. I shared a humorous snort with Harry before steeling myself, knowing I was soon to come.

"McKinnon, Lilium!" I took a deep breath and marched up the stairs under the staring from the high table and the students. I was sure I heard the twins shouting something about 'their' firstie. To be honest, I couldn't really see anything, I had tunnel vision on the stool and hat, smiling nervously at Professor McGonagall before taking a seat. 

I nearly jumped again when the hat covered my eyes and my sight of the Hall.

"My, my. This is a mess!" I clutched the stool under me, ignoring the way the hat laughed in my head as my heart thundered against my ribs. "Settle down, Miss McKinnon, you are not in danger from me. I am merely an old hat and I can't tell anyone but yourself what I've seen inside your head, do not fret." 

Oh goody. Oh shit. Ah. I think I was going into cardiac arrest. 

It laughed again as I relaxed, and I swore I felt like there was a little gremlin scurrying around in my head looking around. An image of it chest deep inside my trunk of memories, legs up and dangling as it snickered, looking through everything like a little shit burned behind my eyes.

"Ohohoho, it's been a while since I've had one of you. Ah, you think Hufflepuff, do you? "

Well, I am loyal and hardworking, and I'd keep getting locked out of Ravenclaw common rooms. I'm shite at riddles, let me tell you. And Slytherin is a no go, don't wanna. So yes, Hufflepuff. Also, what do you mean by one of-

"Yes, yes, you are missing one house, though, aren't you?" I felt myself stiffen, it wouldn't be that easy, would it? "Yes, it would. After all, isn't it your family motto? audentes fortuna iuvat. Fortune Favours the Brave, Miss McKinnon. What you seek, what you'll do, it is nothing short of brave, in the end. Wouldn't you agree?"

Is it?

"Yes, I reckon you'd achieve what you want better in GRYFFINDOR!" 

The sound returned to me once Professor McGonagall lifted the hat from my head, making me blink and hold back a laugh at the twins' shouts as I sent Harry and Ron big smiles and two thumbs-ups. Smiling up at my new Head of House as she gave me a tight one in return, bowing her head before I skipped to the table making a ruckus. 

Before I could reach Neville and Hermione, two arms shot out and snagged me into a seat between them. 

"I knew that spunk was all Gryffindor!" Twin 2 teased as I still tried to situate myself and understand how I found myself in that situation. "Didn't you know, George?"

"I did, Fred! You, Miss McKinnon, just won us two galleons!" 

"For -?" I smiled at Percy, who nodded my way when I looked over to wave at Neville and Hermione as the sneering lone boy from the train was called up to the stool.

"You see, dear Liliu-"

"Call me that and I'll make sure you can only shit your teeth for the next few months." Fred paused his speech, blinking at me owlish as I clapped for the quiet boy making his way to Slytherin. Theodore Nott. Did he have any role in the books besides being a Death Eater kid? I finally turned back to the twin in my right when I realized he was torn between being thrilled and horrified. "Lily, Lils, or Star. Do not call me Lilium." 

"Dear Merlin." George muttered from behind me, and his twin was halted from giving me what I knew was a very excited response if the way he looked downright gleeful when Harry was called to the stool. 

It would've been hilarious how you could hear a pin drop, but at the same time, how loud it was (like everyone was collectively whispering) if that wasn't a scared eleven-year-old causing it. 

I smiled reassuringly at him when he searched for me in the Gryffindor table, and if there was ever any sway in my decision to protect him, they were demolished and shattered when he looked at me the way he did. I didn't remember reading how terrified he felt, but when he searched for me, I knew.

I was suddenly reminded of that day in 81', when mum held me and cried the night away the day after finding out I was the last family she had. The feeling of being needed, of wanting to protect . It clawed on my chest the longer he sat, hunching on himself and arguing that he shouldn't go to an 'evil ' house, that the hat is telling him about his ambitions to prove himself- 

"GRYFFINDOR! " The ruckus was so loud it felt like the table shook, but seeing as I was up on my feet shouting just as much as the twins by each of my side, I didn't begrudge my new house for it.

Harry was beaming as he jogged in our direction, his eyes shining at being received with opened arms, he ended up sitting between George and me, everyone peering around to greet the boy as I nudged him gently when his eyes moved to the high table, waving at Hagrid before we whispered in excited low tones, watching the rest of the sorting. I shouted just as hard when Ron was chosen to our house, whistling and clapping loudly.

"Well done, Ron. Excellent!" I shared a look with Fred before breaking into snickers, beaming at Ron and his elated expression.

"We're all together!" Both boys smiled widely at my words before turning to Dumbledore when he got to his feet, beaming and with his arms out as if he wanted to hug everyone.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" 

There was a pause in the first years as we tried to make sense of his words, I tried to recall if they had actually meant something, or if he was just… Taking the piss. 

"Is he a bit mad?"

"Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?" I snickered again at the boys' flabbergasted expressions at the sight of the food, and I pilled my plate before turning to look at Fred again. 

"So. Two galleons?" 

"Why, yes, Starlight-"

"Star."

"-with the way you went around the train greeting everyone, people were betting on Hufflepuff!" He carried on as if I hadn't interrupted him, actually moving to keep placing sausages on my plate even as I kept putting them back. "But not us, oh no. We-"

"-recognize Gryffindors when we see them, that we do!" George spoke over Harry's head, seeing as the boy was talking with Nearly Headless Nick, who had just thrown his head back into place (thank the Gods). 

The conversation flowed between everyone, even Hermione, who was telling her own experience when Professor McGonagall showed up at her house and transfigured the center table into a pig.

By the time dessert was served and I was helping myself to unhealthy amounts of ice cream, the topics had turned into families, making me scowl when Neville told how his first accidental magic happened. 

"Well, that's not ok." Harry nudged me at my mutter, but I shook my head and smiled when Finnegan turned to ask me about my family. "Well, I don't know if I'm considered half or not? Mum's a squib, but I think my father was a wizard. Don't know, never met him." There was a moment of silence as I held in a snort at them not knowing what to say to that, until I couldn't hold it in and shook my head. "I don't care, mum doesn't either. I only learned about magic when I had my first accidental magic, though. And although mum told me about magic, I was raised muggle." I shrugged and the conversation moved on from me.

I followed Harry's eyes and had my first look at Quirrelmort and Snape. Did he not feel the twinge in his mark being literally by his old master's side? I would've asked what was the problem when Harry hissed and clasped a hand to his forehead if Snape's expression hadn't frozen me to the spot.

Absolute hatred glinted on his eyes, his lip curled over his teeth and I had a feeling that he had snarled, if the way Quirrel flinched away had something to say about it. I looked at Harry as he asked Percy who Snape was, but when I looked back, the Potions professor wasn't looking at us anymore. 

Trying to ignore the feeling of foreboding, I exchanged a look with Harry and shrugged, trying to smooth the worried crease between his eyes. 

"Maybe he got a really bad stomach ache?" The boy laughed quietly and I nudged him gently, smiling as the dishes finally disappeared in sync with Dumbledore getting up again. 

His warning of certain death was met with the twins starting to plot over Harry and I's head even as Hermione sent them a grave glare, and I had to bite back a snicker at their idiotic plans. 

To be honest, I don't remember much of what happened after- I should've ! Especially considering that Percy was showing the way to the Gryffindor tower and I'm sure he was giving us important notices, I just remember ducking from Peeves, the password was- Well something Draco, then four of us girls were guided up our dormitory. 

I remember waving at Lavender and Parvati, helping Hermione with something, and then I was out cold.

Notes:Did ya know the family motto is actually real for the McKinnon Clan? It was totally a coincidence but damn if it wasn't a good one! 

Alright, I think I'll so into exact posting days, now that we're out of the more filler chapters and now that we know she's a McKinnon. A few of you were on the right track and one of you even guessed correctly.

As we go further into the story, the McKinnon family attack and Star's rebirth will DEF be discussed, she accepted being reincarnated, but there IS some stuff to unpack about her circumstances.

Oh, yeah, I also feel like I should say that I'm Brazillian and English is not my go-to language, so if something feels odd or just, you know... wrong, let me know? I'll often use phrases that make sense in portuguese but sound weird in English, so... Yeah. 

Posting days will be: Wednesdays and Saturdays (or Fridays).

Chapter 6: chapter vi: fire burn and cauldron bubbleSummary:In which we have classes and get ourselves an enemy.

Notes:As per usual, thank you for the comments and kudos! 

I've just finished writing chapter 9 and I can't wait for you guys to read it!

English isn't my first language, so if you see something odd or wrong, please let me know!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter TextThe first week of class happened without much fuss, the only big things for me was that Harry and Ron tended to follow me around like two lost duckling when they quickly realized that I seemed to remember the paths and classes better than them, and that I was very trigger happy with my stinging jinxes for peepers. 

Harry especially had taken to walking to my left while Ron flanked his other side, both smartly out of range from my wand as I worked the students like they were Pavlov dogs; talk about or stare at Harry like he's an animal in the zoo, get stinged. 

It was still a work in progress, but as the week progressed, people seemed to be getting the memo. 

The classes were good, and surprisingly, both boys had taken to look into my pre-taken notes after classes, the theory was a brain fumble and they wholeheartedly agreed with me. I was slightly surprised that they weren't lazing about it, and I knew I must've done something that made them at least more interested than book Harry and Ron, what it was, I wasn't sure. 

Maybe because I explained it after? So they didn't get too frustrated and dropped them? Don't know.

I mean, I had an idea. 

It felt like Ron was just following Harry and I's wave, and decided that 'hey, explaining basic stuff I grew up knowing to these two muggle raised friends who have no idea what I'm talking about feels pretty good.'

And Harry- well, I think canon Harry just followed Ron's actions and with how overbearing the one person who demanded that he studied was- yeah. 

What I did know was that Hermione was on her way of either approaching me to have a study session and be my best friend or on her way to make me her arch nemesis. In my defence, I hadn't acted like her, jumping to answer everything, so it's not like I was cutting her short, but she still seemed peeved when the professors called on me. 

Astronomy was ok, I supposed. Having a hyperfixation with constellations and planets helped, but it still grated on me waking up early as hell the day after midnight classes, even more so by the fact that I stupidly ignored the upper years hints of taking naps before Astronomy, only thinking they were teasing us for being younger. 

Professor Sprout was an angel and she seemed to happily accept staying a bit after classes to explain more difficult questions, and the woman was just genuinely- nice. Herbology was surprisingly interesting, and Harry seemed mighty impressed with all the magical plants, though I was pretty sure the novice of it was going to die out soon seeing I don't remember reading anything about him being mad about plants in canon.

History of magic was as expected, most people drooled, my friends included, while I read and took my own notes from the book, tuning out Binns' voice, knowing that if I tried paying attention I'd just fall asleep, like Ron. I tried bribing the twins to give me their old exams so I'd know what we'd study, but the boys only laughed about me thinking they'd actually save that rubbish. (Note, ask if Percy had saved his. He seemed the type.)

Speaking of the menaces, they had taken to proclaiming that I was under their jurisdiction… I don't think they knew what that meant and I was too scared to ask if they did or what they interpreted as someone being under their jurisdiction. I didn't really care, though, they were funny as hell and always down to have arguments with me where we ended up offending each other (lovingly, of course). So as long as I didn't end up on the end of their testing, I was chill being "under their jurisdiction".

Charms was the one I had the best time. Even if it wasn't for how I knew I had an affinity to it, Professor Flitwick was just great, and he explained the theory in such a way that made me keep writing and writing and putting post-its and drinking everything that came out of his mouth. In short: I loved it. It was pure art, even if we had yet to try anything, I just knew, and it seemed that professor Flitwick picked on how eager I was on his class and kept sending me indulging smiles every time my hand shot up to ask something.

Transfiguration on the other hand… It's not that Professor McGonagall was a bad teacher, but I had a small inkling she just didn't like me very much. Even if I did change the damn match into a needle. I had practiced before, but the woman just hummed at it, twisted her lips and then carried on to showing Hermione's transfigured needle to the class. Even if I did transfigure mine first- You know what, whatever! Yes, I was a little bitter but whatever! I didn't need her approval...

It was a challenging class and by the Gods would I make it my bitch even if it kills me.

Charms came to me naturally, while Transfiguration, I was learning, had more to do with visualization, something harder for me to do. Not impossible, but if I don't practice beforehand or learn how to not be utter shite at visualizing, Harry would very soon be surpassing me. 

There was a reason it had taken me years to sort through my memories of the books in what I was starting to believe was a bastardized version of Occlumency. Intention, which was needed for Charms, I had plenty, but visualization? Hell no. 

Disgusting, absolutely foul. It wasn't easy for me to imagine that it was still fucking wood, even if it seemed like metal, even if it broke like metal, EVEN IF IT PRICKED LIKE METAL. And you're trying to tell me, it will go back to looking like wood, AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT HAS BEEN WOOD THIS WHOLE TIME? Fucking lies. 

And I have to believe it's metal even if I know it isn't?! 

ANYWAYS.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was a fucking joke and I kept making faces at Quirrel's turban whenever he turned his back. Being in the class and knowing what was there made it very easy to know why most people were on edge (even if everyone thought it was because the professor himself was skittish), the smell of garlic barely concealed the stench of necrosis coming from his turban, and more than once I had to genuinely stop myself from gagging at both the smell and the knowledge of what lay underneath.

It also took a lot in me to not throw things at Voldemort's face. 

Oh well, I coped by playing pretend and whispering mean things about the professor under my breath that always made Seamus snicker and when Lavender caught, she'd give the cutest fucking giggle. I kept it about his lack of teaching skills and the smelly turban, sometimes about how shiny his head must be and how he must've use the turban so it wouldn't distract us from his lessons, not that they were eye-catching to begin with, like ok asshole you have a Dark Lord growing in the back of your head, but at least be a proper teacher! 

Urgh. Useless. 

Either way, I wasn't really holding hope for it and I was making proper plans to drill Remus about going over the more important things from first and second years; I would resort to blackmail if I needed to. 

So, Friday finally arrived. 

It was stupidly easy to convince the boys to memorize a few things about potions, I had been trying ever since we got our timetables under the whispers of hearing that every Gryffindor year had someone who was singled out, and that maybe if we were called on, we could escape it by knowing something. 

They whined a little, but after a fourth year who overheard me at the table nodded his head and leaned in telling us about how he escaped that fate by the skin of his teeth, the boys agreed to sit with me every day while doing our homework to memorize a few things before eventually doing something else. 

It was a little interesting seeing Ron studying. It was clear he would rather be doing something else, but I think after charms where he won Gryffindor a point by asking about something I had pointed out the day before, he took a little begrudgingly liking to it. Besides, after, I would force him to teach me chess and he seemed to enjoy talking about something he knew, so it was a nice balance. 

And surprisingly, Harry seemed to enjoy Potions (at least in theory and before Snape throttled on his dreams), when I asked about it, he whispered about how he likes cooking, how it was just following instructions and unlike all the new things about magic, that he knew how to do. 

I tried saving my judgement about Snape and made a very big effort to push away all my fanon memories of him, it would do me no good to think about fake redemptions or bashings. As I had been quickly learning throughout the week, these people were not mere characters I could fit in their boxes, they had minds and lives of their own and it would do me good to remember that they existed and had opinions outside of Harry's orbit. 

For instance: Dean Thomas was funny as shit and on a mission to troll wizards and witches about the muggle world, and how they actually invented their own hovering transports, explaining in detail a skateboard that floated with science. He had the best fucking pokerface whenever Hermione would shriek that it was a lie, that he took the idea from Back to the Future.

I shit you not, even I started to wonder if I just "hadn't seen it yet". That boy was terrifying and I loved him and I started to back him up whenever someone asked about a hoverboard. 

It got so bad that the Muggles Studies professor quietly approached us to know if it was actually true and if we could have someone send one for her to show in her third year class after too many Gryffindors asked if it was real or not. 

He still somehow maintained the great poker face while explaining (TO A PROFESSOR) that only a select few had the hoverboard and that they were still testing to manufacture for real while I had a hard time not whimpering from around my fist. 

The Weasley twins were very proud.

Parvati had some crazy knowledge about clothing and fabrics, and I had to stop Hermione from scoffing when the girl started info-dumping about it, because every knowledge and hobbie is fucking valid, alright, Granger? Apparently her family had a fabric producing and exporting empire, and as the oldest she was going to inherit it, but had plans of sharing it with her twin, even if Padma was more interested in working with searching how to better the products. 

There were even people I didn't know the name in canon but that were just genuinely fucking nice.

Like Marcia Railmare, who always herded the other sixth years away from the couch so us firsties could have our turn in it. 

Or Matthew Goldlie, the other dorm mate of the twins and Lee, who was everyone's inside man to avoiding the pranks by being a great eavesdropper. He didn't discriminate against houses and would often be found receiving sugar quills as payment for warning the snakes about an incoming prank.

Hell, even the twins had personalities besides the pranksters Harry always thought of them. 

Of course, they were both geniuses, that I knew already, but I also learned that both were unapologetically sweet. 

They often could be found with a homesick firstie (no matter what house), bugging them until they laughed. I was one of them, and the fact that they also spent the entire first week of classes sticking around the common room at night to wait for the inevitable sad firstie- I just loved them, alright? 

The Weasleys were my babies and that included Percy too. It's a wonder how the twins hadn't noticed that their older brother turned a blind eye to their harmless actions, or how Ron hadn't heard how much he gloats about how his youngest brother is a chess prodigy. 

I really needed to stop being surprised by the fact that I was not receiving information from Harry's point of view. 

Breakfast was a light affair, both boys were more confident on making their way to the Great Hall and they didn't ask once if they had taken the wrong turn, nor did I have to pull them away from the wrong stairs, so they started in a good mood even if I was rather quiet, contemplating how the class might go with Harry knowing the answers (I had drilled the three infamous questions a lot on both of them, lying about hearing one of the Slytherin prefects having chosen those for Snape to use on the first year of Gryffs).

"We have Double Potions today, right?" Ron asked, pulling his timetable as I slid on Neville's side, smiling sleeply at him while the boys settled in front of me. "We'll see if Snape's as bad as Star has been saying and if all that nagging had any use." 

Harry snickered as I rolled my eyes.

"You laugh at me now but just you wait until he calls on you and you know why Antimony can only be used molten because-"

"It's property is of high acidity and having it molten allows one to neutralize the toxicity of it, I know, I know." Ron grumbled, piling food on his plate and missing the blinking surprise on his older brother's face a few ways down the table. Percy smiled proudly before turning, still smiling, to his own book. 

"I'm feeling some foreboding, Ron! I just know it's one of us." He snorted, stuffing his face while Harry shook his head almost fondly at my loud whisper, and I only sighed before turning to Neville as I made my plate. "And you, Nev? Have you studied too?"

"A little." His face was red and he squirmed a little on the spot, still not completely used to us addressing him, even as I made it clear that I very much enjoyed his company and plant info-dump. "I just don't want him to see me."

"I think if you don't get too nervous, you'll do just fine. You're great at Herbology, and that's really close to potions, isn't it?" 

He flushed even more, but was saved from having to respond to my praise as the owls swooped with the morning mail. I kept my promise to mum by writing every other day, and since we're in Scotland, it didn't take long for her to get my letters, not that we needed with my ring and her bracelet, but it was the act of sending letters. 

She seemed very happy that I had been sorted into Gryffindor, and told me that McKinnons were famous for constantly being sorted into that house. Not that she had told me that before, what with how she kept anything of our family close to her chest.

I cooed at Hedwig when she swooped down to drop a note for Harry and a letter for me with a thick package and a thin gift box. My lack of owl had been solved by Harry graciously allowing me to use the pretty girl to send mum my letters. 

While Harry opened his note eagerly, I smiled down at my letter, not a lot to say, since it was her second letter and most of it she either sent me through my ring and it had only been a few days since my first letter about my new friends and my new house. 

...I hope you're having fun and not causing much chaos, my little Star. 

Happy birthday, my love. I miss you plenty! Mr. Sullivan thinks you'd like the book he picked out, and my gift for you should be arriving within the week, I didn't want to overwhelm poor Hedwig. Do you think we should invest in an owl? 

Try not to hex too many people for Harry, please. 

Speaking of, when you told me what you did about Harry, I remembered that your aunt had been in the same house as his parents, and she had plenty of pictures with them. I think he'd have better use for those instead of letting them gather dust in our vault. 

Tha gaol agam ort, mo rionnag bheag. 

Ps: Have I told you that your aunt named you? I think you can guess who she paid homage to. 

My eyes boggled at her letter, eyeing the package I had been opening and shooting a look at Harry, who had been writing a reply to send back to Hagrid. Stuffing my letter and the package in my bag, I promised myself to give it to him after classes, he'd need his wits about him for Potions, and I think it'd be a good distraction to his disappointment when Snape inevitably tried to pick on him.

Being named after Lily Potter was a little surprising. 

Actually a lot surprising, seeing as I was born before she turned into a hero for the Wizarding world, I had only assumed it was a coincidence. And what was that about my aunt naming me? 

I knew mum and aunt Lene were close, but with how I was kept away from them- well, let's just say I'm surprised, alright?

"Mum says hi, Harry." He quirked a bemused smile and I shrugged, smiling softly and pushing a few fruits into his plate even as he sighed exasperatedly at it, but allowed me to do so. I tried to forget about the pictures on my bag, and it wasn't hard when I looked at how eager Harry was for Potions and when I opened my gift.

"What's that?"

"Mum's future boyfriend sent me a birthday gift."

"It's your birthday!?" They hissed in unison and I shushed them, glaring and looking around to see that only Neville and Percy seemed to have heard him, the latter raised his eyes to me and bowed his head respectfully. 

"Happy birthday, Lily."

"Thank you, Percy." My cheeks were on fire as other people started to shoot me congratulations, picking up from whoever was closest, by the time I was able to finally look at my 'Great and Silly Charms and their uses', it was already too late for me to start the reading, especially with the twins loudly singing happy birthday by my other side and making me pull Neville with me so I could escape the attention as they laughed.

Ron was the only one matching my sour mood, like we were walking to our deaths while Harry was more excited than he probably had been in canon, especially after he had actually taken interest in it when reading about potion making.

It was a good thing we decided to arrive a little earlier, it gave me a little insight on how the Slytherins worked. 

All of them were there, while only a few of us had decided to arrive earlier. In consequence, the baby snakes took most of the walls in what looked like a strategic placement. Which, fair, if you're at a table near a wall, you only have to worry about sabotage coming from one side of you. 

Harry was quietly "woah-ing" at everything around while I shuddered at the sight of pickled animals floating in the jars, pulling the sleeve of his robe so we could seat near Zabini, Nott and Greengrass instead of where he probably sat in canon, near Draco and his ilk. 

I smiled at the Slytherins as I sat, ignoring their suspicious raised brows as I turned to chat with Neville, who sat behind me, while the boys entertained themselves with pointing out all the ugly and disgusting things in the jars. 

Neville seemed more than happy to answer my questions about plants, relaxing little by little as he info-dumped about the magical herbs more commonly used in potions and their properties.

One day I'd have a talk with him about the best ways to use them. 

"How do you know all of that?" We jumped at the female voice, turning to look at Greengrass as she blinked at Neville, cheeks slightly pink at her outburst before she cooled her expression. Zabini had his eyes narrowed assessingly, sizing up Neville as the boy started to sweat nervously again. 

"I-I-I- I like p-plants." I straightened to my full height to stare them down, daring them to say something mean about my friend's interest to his face. 

Nott rolled his eyes as Zabini snorted, making me narrow my eyes when Neville flinched. 

"Oh, puff down, McKinnon. We're not going to hurt your boyfriend." He scoffed, Neville was now a worrying shade of red and my posture attracted Harry and Ron's attention. The boy ignored the extra two glares he was receiving to turn to Neville again. "Are you already in charge of taking care of the Longbottom's greenhouses?" 

There was a few seconds of stunned silence before Neville cleared his throat and tried not to squeak his answer out. 

"A few - er - Gran's letting me care of the ones for perfumes and- cosmetics." He cleared his throat again and I raised my brows, turning to him in surprise. 

"Your family manufactures perfumes?"

"No- we just, you know, export… ingredients…" I huh-ed, tilting my head in thought. That's a little- well, that's new.

Families exist outside of Harry's orbit, Lilium. 

Right. 

"You're a McKinnon and you didn't know that?" I turned back to Daphne Greengrass, studying in her baffled expression before I shrugged. 

"Should I?" By their faces, I had my answer. "What? Did the McKinnons and Longbottoms have something?"

"That's- No, you're- How-" She took a deep breath, looking over me at Harry. "At least tell me you knew about it."

"Er…"

"Dear Merlin." 

I couldn't help but snicker at her exasperated face and the way Zabini pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Are you telling me Harry Potter, grandson of Fleamont Potter, didn't know the Longbottoms export ingredients!?" We all blinked at her and I shared a look with Harry. 

"My grandfather's name was Fleamont?" 

There was a moment of silence as the Slytherin trio stared at us with blank faces, and I had to bite back my guffaw the longer they seemed on the brink of giving up ever talking to us. 

"We sell the ingredients for the manufacture of your grandfather's Sleekeazy hair potion, Harry." Neville supplied quietly, and if anything, Harry's eyes shone even more than before. My heart broke at how he lit up at every crumb of information about his family, smiling at the thought of how he'd react at my mum's gift for him. 

Harry leaned over my side to look at Daphne, a beaming smile on his lips and I bit back a snort at her reddening cheeks, even as she kept her face carefully blank. 

"Do you know much about my family? Will you tell me later?" Ron made a choking noise, slapping a hand over his mouth at the Slytherin's face, and I pursed my lips trying not to laugh when her eyes grew bigger and bigger. "Did anyone else make potions? Are there any alive-"

"Are you sure you want to be seen with us evil Slytherins?" Zabini cut him off and we all watched as the trio tensed, turning defensive and I had to wonder just how bad it had been for them already when we were just a week in. 

"Are you going to say your family is better than others? Will you tell me I need to align myself with the right sorts?" My friend challenged back, narrowing his eyes at them when they raised their brows. 

"...It was Malfoy, wasn't it?" Greengrass grumbled, rolling her eyes and waving her hand away dismissively. "He's a git, don't mind him."

"We're sure he was dropped as a baby." Ron guffawed at Zabini's words and I followed soon, trying to tamper the noise down as I took notice of the rest of the houses staring at us with various degrees of suspicion and bafflement. Thankfully, the only ones that cared about the stupid house-rivalry (besides Ron and Seamus to a degree) were the Slytherins and the trio simply didn't seem to give a shit about the glaring from their own house. 

"See? You're not so bad." 

"Don't say that, Harry. They have a reputation to uphold." The trio snickered and slowly started to relax again, even Neville (who was still a little nervous), was getting comfortable to laugh quietly.

"Yes, Potter. People can't know we have souls."

"No one would believe that, don't worry." Zabini's smile slowly stretched showing his pearly white straight teeth and I got a little dizzy at the sight of it. That's a blinding smile. Nott snickered while Daphne rolled her eyes, but a little smile was pulling at the end of her mouth. 

"My, my. What is this? Does the Gryff have some claws, afterall?" 

"There's two of them." Ron whined from his spot, and we were stopped from laughing at the door slamming open. We all quickly turned to the front, backs straight and eyes wide at the dramatic entry. 

Snape was… A big bat. His black cloak snapped as he power walked all the way to the front of the class, and it took a lot in me to not make a face at the antics. 

He started the register, voice quiet and cold, and I felt a shiver roll up my spine when he hissed my name, his dark eyes flitting up at me for a moment, and I knew I hadn't imagined the disgusted sneer on his face when he did so. 

Harry exchanged an alarmed look with me and I shook my head, still baffled. 

While he continued to whisper the other names, I narrowed my eyes at him. I knew why he hated Harry, he saw James on the boy and the reminder that Lily didn't love him the way he thought he deserved. So what the fuck was that about me? 

I took a moment to think it through, what did he see when he looked at me? A sneer formed on my lips as it dawned on me. 

He saw my aunt. 

He saw the McKinnon built, my nose and hair and he saw Marlene McKinnon, friend of Lily, who I'm named after.

My aunt, who he probably fought against. 

Was he there when they massacred my family? Is that why he already hates me? Is he being reminded of his mistakes, and as the pathetic man that he was, he couldn't deal with facing me, so he'd bully me into submission?

I bet that was it, or in the best case scenario, my aunt bullied him too. 

Still, not fucking enough of an excuse to look at me like I had spat on his face.

Snape was a difficult character for me to describe, all I knew about him came filtered from Harry's point of view, and since the boy hadn't had a good vision of him, it's not like I could trust it, but even with all the technical information I had of him, and even at his "redemption"... I just- I just always fucking hated him. 

To me Snape had been the epitome of a "nice guy". He thought Lily owed him something because she was his friend, then when she made it clear it wouldn't happen, he literally turned into a muggleborn killer. And I wasn't fucking blind about the fact that he only turned sides because she was in danger, not because he knew what he was doing was wrong.

I knew that were it not for the skewed memory he had of her and whatever hold Dumbledore had of his balls, he would've probably ran tail right back to his fucking Lord. 

It always disgusted me how he treated Harry, the literal fucking memory of the woman he supposedly loved, like literal trash. 

"Ah, yes," My eyes sharpened again at his soft voice, and Harry tensed by my side. "Harry Potter. Our new celebrity." 

What a fucking snivelling cunt.

Harry frowned and I glared at Malfoy and his friends when they sniggered behind their hands, taking quiet notice that the only time he had looked up was at my name. 

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," my friend started squirming on his spot, still excited despite the terrible start. I had to give it to him, though, the man had presence. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic." Fucking nerd. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…" 

I had to clamp a hand down on Harry's knee when he started to excitedly shake his leg. Oh boy. Did I just create a Potions crazy boy? And I'm sure the tie it had with his family that Daphne and Neville told him just made him even more interested in it. "I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." 

Again. Snivelling cunt.

Hermione was at the edge of her seat, and I exchanged looks with Ron over Harry's head when he wasn't that very far off. 

Oh boy. Oh boy  I was scared. Oh fuck. What if him liking potions fucked everything up? Ah shit, who knew what the little changes made! Fuck! 

"Potter!" The three of us jumped, and I noticed that Harry's eyes grew wider at being called, though there was an edge of challenge and excitement on him. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" 

Regret you're not showing, Snivellus. 

"They're part of the ingredients needed to brew a sleeping potion, sir. Um- The Draught of the Living Death?" I smirked when Snape paused, eyes narrowing and lip curling in a sneer that only made me smirk even more. Everyone ignored Hermione's halfway up hand, and I wanted to snort at the way her hand slowly came down, but I was too elated at his distrustful face. 

"McKinnon!" I blinked at being called, and had to actually bite on my lip to not laugh in anger. Oh my fucking God. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"In the stomach of a goat," There was a moment of pause as I smiled slowly, his cheeks flushing in anger at the Gryffindor snickers before I finally added. "Sir."

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" His eyes were glinting victoriously, but this pathetic little bitch had another thing coming. 

"They're the same plant, sir… Also called Aconite." 

His lips curled in a snarl and my smile widened again, I had trained these boys well , you fucking bitch. 

"What potion has use of Rose thorns, McKinnon?" Oh is this fucking bitch really asking me about sixth-year potions?!

"Amortentia, sir." I didn't bother hiding my smug smile, the chittering was starting around us, and it only made me even more petty. The fact that I only knew that because of the beauty spells and potions book didn't need to be said, for all he knew I had read far ahead. 

"Three ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion."

"Shredded Boomslang skin, powdered bicorn horn and a bit of the person you want to turn into." Bitch, I had to know how hard it was that Hermione was so fucking smug for doing it.

"What can I use from a Chizpurfle?"

"Fang for wiggenweld potion, carapace as antidote for uncommon poisons." That was right under Bezoar and a footnote on what other part of the magical pest was usable for potions. 

Holy shit, was the universe just helping me troll this fool?

"Name all the ingredients of the Shrinking Solution." Spoke too soon.

Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck. you.

"Wormwood, cowbane, minced daisy roots, one- rat… spleen… and-"

"And?" This son of a bitch looked downright gleeful at me not knowing something. This is it. 

Fuck. Severus Snape. 

"Leech juice… and…" I gritted my teeth, glaring at him before sneering. "I don't remember the rest, sir." 

"Tut, tut - clearly some of you aren't as smart as you think you are. You've missed peeled Shrivelfig and Sliced caterpillars, Miss McKinnon."

I- 

Alright. 

Alright, Snivellus. I hope you choke on the venom you spit at my name.

He snapped at others, asking why they hadn't been copying that down, as I took a fortifying breath. 

"I'll never doubt you again, mate." Ron whispered and I snorted, glaring holes at the professor when he turned and smiled coldly. 

Disgusting.

Stop it. 

"Two points will be taken from Gryffindor for all your cheek, McKinnon." 

Arse.

Harry elbowed me when I licked my lips, ready to argue before he turned around and had us pairing up. The three of us looked between each other before I shrugged and turned around to pair with Neville, but the boy already had been dragged by Seamus. 

Twisting my lips, I turned to the Slytherins, raised a single brow as they also looked between each other, trying to decide who paired up.

"Who wants to toss the Galleon to pair with the Undesirable number 1?" I drawled, making them snort before Greengrass shrugged and jumped to her feet, moving to my table as I smiled at her. 

"Undesirable you might be, but you know your stuff, McKinnon." Daphne smirked and I mirrored it, before turning back to Snape. 

The Potion making went very well, actually.

Daphne also had a good memory, she was a little shite at mincing things, so I took the job of preparing the ingredients while she poured them. We worked well, and with her good memory, there was no stopping to check how many times we needed to swirl. 

I, thankfully, avoided Neville's accident. Which made Snape look at me as if I had actually sabotaged Neville instead of stopping the boy from getting hurt, it also didn't help that I was paired with one of his Snakes and that we made an actual good job, so there wasn't much he could talk about, and I think Harry kept surprising him by making good questions about the ingredients whenever he went to hover over their cauldron. And the little shit picked on that if he asked questions, Snape would begrudgingly not criticize his work or stop going all together if only to avoid having to answer them. 

He would've made a good snake.

Then, because he was a petty little bitch, he gave Daphne points for the perfect potion, and completely ignored me, which caused a few angry hisses from the Gryffindors, but I was planning. 

"Hey, which sound do you think is funnier, a duck quacking or a frog croaking?" Daphne blinked at me before narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Why do you ask?"

"For nefarious reasons." I smiled softly, as if I wasn't this close of screaming a big fat 'FUCK YOU, YOU SNIVELLING BITCH!' "So, duck or frog?"

She stared at me for a little before sighing tiredly, still putting down her own notes. 

"Duck." 

"Good choice." I waved at the Slytherin trio once I finally joined my own, slumping against Harry and groaning loudly on our way out. "What did I tell you? My foreboding is never wrong."

"Cheer up, you told us it was going to be bad. You knew, and Fred and George are always losing points, it's not that bad." Ron patted my shoulder as Harry snickered and tried to walk with my weight pressing down on him. 

I was almost our ginger friend's height, being the second tallest in our year, losing only to said friend. I didn't really care, maybe if this was my first time around growing up, but since it wasn't, whenever someone had coughed an insult, I'd either just ignore it, or shrug at it. 

"What did you think, Harry?"

"He's a git, but I liked making the potion." Humming, I smiled down at him before finally pulling away so we could make our way to our next classes.

Ron and I accompanied Harry to Hagrid's hut when the time came, it went pretty much as I expected, the only odd thing was that Hagrid would sometimes look between Harry and I like he was seeing ghosts, and I had to wonder just how much chaos had Aunt Marlene caused that most professors kept a wary look on me. 

But oh, just they wait until I'm big enough to use her leather jacket. 

Whatever my aunt had caused, was quickly forgotten with my cooing over Fang, who happily slobbered over me while the boys told Hagrid about our classes. I was too busy pressing kisses on Fang's big head to care about Harry trying to grill the half-giant about the vault he had emptied. 

"Stinky boy! So stinky!" I baby talked the huge dog, cooing again and again just to see his tail wag even harder. 

Soon enough, we were leaving with pockets full of cake rocks and dog drool. 

It was only when they collapsed on a table with chess that I finally plucked mum's letter and package from my bag, fiddling with them and trying to find the best way to bring it up. Pursing my lips, I just decided to do it. 

"Harry?" The boy made a noise, biting the tip of his tongue in concentration for his next move as Ron raised his eyes at me, not as serious about the game seeing as he could throttle us blindfolded. Actually, that might be a good idea one of these days. "So, I wrote to mum about you and Ron, and she told me something interesting."

He finally looked at me after making his move, starting to get good at ignoring the angry shouts of the pieces, eyeing the letter and package curiously before peering up at me. 

"So, my aunt named me, right? I didn't know that. But, she named me after a flower constellation, the Lily." His eyes lit up in recognition and a smile stretched on his face as I grinned at him. "My aunt was really good friends with your mum, so much so that I'm named after her and anyways- Mum found these, and we think you should have it." 

I extended the package, and their game was all but forgotten as Harry slowly took the package from my hands. 

"What is it?" 

"My aunt had a bunch of photos from when she was in Hogwarts, and well…" I shrugged nervously, pointing at his hands with my chin. Harry paused, eyes big and wide and I swore they turned misty as he slowly lowered his eyes back at his hands. 

"What're you waiting for, mate? Open it!" Ron eagerly pushed the forgotten game to the side as I approached to crowd the table when Harry gently tipped the pictures into it. 

There were so many. 

Some were regular muggle ones, the polaroid kind. 

I pressed a hand on Harry's back when he tightened his hold on a moving one of James and Lily. 

It was clearly a picture taken sneakily, they were under a tree, she had a forgotten book on her lap and her head rested on his shoulder, laughing as he talked excitedly, hands making grand gestures, a tiny smile on his lips that made it clear he was revelling in her laughs. 

They were beautiful together. 

There was writing behind it: 1976, James finally makes Lily laugh. 

The rest was mostly Lily and her friends.

They were best friends, aunt Lene and Lily, it was clear. There were a few taken in the infirmary where aunt Marlene has a cast in her arm and is cheering with an equally hurt James while Lily looks absolutely done.

There were some of just Marlene and James, mostly doing dumb things, even out in the muggle world. It was quite clear mum had avoided sending any with the rest of the Marauders in it, not that Harry would know, but I doubted my aunt, who looked like the perfect picture of punk rock, chaos embodied, didn't run along with them. 

"Thank you." I pressed myself against his side, circling his shoulder and looking down at the same pictures as him. "Are- Are you sure you want me to have it? Your- Your aunt's in them too."

"I'm sure, Harry." The boy was shaking a little, tracing a skinny finger on a still picture of his mother sitting on the armrest of the very chair Ron was sitting on, that once James Potter occupied, circling his girlfriend's waist with his arm while moving a piece of chess, mid-laugh. 

With them so close it was easy to see how Harry looked like his father. It truly was like seeing a ghost, a darker copy of the boy I was squeezing. 

I poked his side gently, a smile curling on my lips as I spoke softly. 

"Remember what you asked on the train? His hair and her eyes, there's your family magic." 

The boy's smile was enough for me to forget all the trouble that was to come. 

Looking at a picture of James and Lily Potter, I made a quiet promise to myself, Harry would not carry the weight of saving the world by himself. He'd have a childhood besides solving mysteries and saving Hogwarts over and over again. 

I'll watch out for him, I promise.

Notes:I feel like a should remind: We're seeing this from Star's POV, she's very much an unreliable narrator.

And there's some hints about smth in this chapter, lemme know if u catch them heheheh. wink wink wink.

See y'all Saturday!