Rakkaus
Chapter 4
Hours later, just as it started getting dark, Sage tossed the book to the side, groaning as she stretched. The boys, having tired of Exploding Snap, sat around the compartment, discussing Quidditch. She listened in to James’ plan of trying out for Chaser on the Gryffindor team.
“You’ll get it. You’re an amazing Quidditch player.” Sage said with authority. James looked at her and grinned.
“I dunno. You’re only a second year. Typically, they go with older students.” Sirius said and she shook her head.
“Doesn’t matter, he’s been playing for years now. His reflexes are impressive.” Sage stood and climbed over Remus, who was skimming one of the textbooks.
“Where are you going?” James asked immediately, watching her.
“The loo, is that okay?” She snarked, softening the words with a smile. He waved her on and she entered the hallway. Students were no longer running up and down the aisles, having retired to their compartments for the remainder of the trip. Still, there were small groups chatting that she had to push her way through.
After finding the loo and doing her business, she picked her way back to her compartment. Midway, there was a commotion coming from a group of older students blocking the aisle. Sage slipped through a small opening in the crowd to see a kitten being bounced midair as a small girl stood, pleading with the boy holding his wand aloft.
“Stop! You’re going to hurt her!” The girl screamed, eyes filled with tears of rage. The boy laughed, continuing to flick his wand as the kitten yowled. “Let her go!”
Sage watched as her compartment door open and James, Sirius, and Remus filed out to investigate. The boys’ faces hardened as they watched the show. Sirius and James pulled out their wands and advanced towards the cruel boy.
“Let the cat go, Macnair,” Sirius growled, pointing his wand at the boy’s face. Macnair laughed, keeping his gaze on the cat.
“What exactly are you planning to do about it, Black?” Sage used the distraction to push her way to the front and promptly kicked the boy’s shin hard. Macnair roared in pain but dropped his wand to clutch at his shin. The cat dropped from the air and James grabbed her just before hitting the ground.
“See? Impressive reflexes.” Sage told Sirius with a grin as the girl quickly scooped her cat from James’ arms. The corners of Sirius’ lips twitched as he glanced at Sage before turning his attention back to Macnair. Macnair grabbed his wand from the ground and pointed it at Sage, face crimson with anger. Sirius grabbed Sage’s wrist and pulled her behind him, still aiming his wand at Macnair’s face.
“What’s going on here?” An authoritative voice called. A student, older than anyone already there and wearing a badge that read “Head Boy”, pushed his way to the front and stood between Sirius and Macnair. Macnair eyed the student unhappily, lowering his wand and muttering, “nothing.”
“Well, let’s keep it that way. Back to your compartments, all of you.” With a groan, the crowd dispersed.
Sage turned to the girl, who was stroking and cooing to her kitten. The girl shook her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes and addressed Sage and the boys. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” James said, following Sirius back into the compartment. Remus and Sage shared a glance.
“What’s your name?” Remus asked kindly.
“Kylie,” The girl said, staring up at Remus with flushed cheeks.
“First year?” He asked and she nodded. “Well, Kylie, I’m Remus and this is Sage. Would you like to join us?”
“Okay,” Kylie said, following him into the compartment. James had settled himself opposite of Peter on the floor, who had evidently found a Wizard’s Chessboard while Sage was gone. Sirius sat near a window, watching. He threw a questioning glance towards Remus as he saw Kylie sit down at the far end, towards the door. Remus shrugged and took a seat opposite Sirius. Sage made the remaining introductions as she settled in her seat across from Kylie, next to Sirius.
“Your kitten is really cute. What’s her name?” Sage asked as they watched one of James’ knights clobber one of Peter’s pawns.
“Lumos,” Kylie said, “Because she's--”
“All white?” Sage finished and Kylie nodded. “Clever.” Kylie’s cheeks turned up into a small smile.
“What are you playing?” Kylie asked James.
“Wizard’s Chess. C’mon, Pete, that’s cheating!” James looked up at Kylie as Peter moved his piece back. “You’ve never played?”
“I’ve played chess but I didn’t know there was a wizard version. My parents are muggles.”
“Really?” Sage asked excitingly. “What was that like? Growing up with muggles?”
“I don’t know, what was it like growing up with wizards?” Kylie shot back with a laugh.
“Touche,” Sage giggled.
“It was strange though, finding out that I’m a witch. I mean, weird things always happened around me but I never knew why, until Professor Dumbledore showed up.” Kylie paused and bit her lip. “Do you think I’m at a disadvantage though? Being muggle-born?” The four boys glanced at each other before James spoke.
“Not at all,” James hedged. “They start out with basics anyway, the professors. There’s no reason you can’t be top of your class. Look at Evans.” The other three groaned at James.
“Merlin, not Evans again,” Sirius said, throwing his head back.
“Who’s Evans?” Sage asked quickly, looking from her brother to each of his friends in turn. James stared resolutely at the chessboard, though she could see his cheeks turned slightly pink.
“James’ girlfriend.” Peter teased, earning a glare from the boy in question.
“He wishes.” Sirius snorted.
“Lily Evans is in our year. She’s Muggle-born and pretty brilliant. James is obsessed with her and she hates him.” Remus explained. Kylie glanced at Sage, who stared at her brother, looking like Christmas had come early.
“I’m not obsessed with her,” James muttered, eyes still downcast.
“You never mentioned her in your letters.” Sage giggled. The other four watched the siblings bicker in amusement, noting how red James became as Sage pushed.
“There’s nothing to mention! I’m not obsessed with her!”
“I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted a sister!”
“Shut up, Sage.”
“Lily Potter. It has a nice ring to it.”
“SHUT UP SAGE!”
The six children spent the rest of their ride bickering, joking, and laughing. Sage and Kylie bonded over their worries of Hogwarts and their excitement to learn magic. Neither girl realized then that they had created a life-long friendship, one that would stand true against adversity and prejudice.
“You’ll get it. You’re an amazing Quidditch player.” Sage said with authority. James looked at her and grinned.
“I dunno. You’re only a second year. Typically, they go with older students.” Sirius said and she shook her head.
“Doesn’t matter, he’s been playing for years now. His reflexes are impressive.” Sage stood and climbed over Remus, who was skimming one of the textbooks.
“Where are you going?” James asked immediately, watching her.
“The loo, is that okay?” She snarked, softening the words with a smile. He waved her on and she entered the hallway. Students were no longer running up and down the aisles, having retired to their compartments for the remainder of the trip. Still, there were small groups chatting that she had to push her way through.
After finding the loo and doing her business, she picked her way back to her compartment. Midway, there was a commotion coming from a group of older students blocking the aisle. Sage slipped through a small opening in the crowd to see a kitten being bounced midair as a small girl stood, pleading with the boy holding his wand aloft.
“Stop! You’re going to hurt her!” The girl screamed, eyes filled with tears of rage. The boy laughed, continuing to flick his wand as the kitten yowled. “Let her go!”
Sage watched as her compartment door open and James, Sirius, and Remus filed out to investigate. The boys’ faces hardened as they watched the show. Sirius and James pulled out their wands and advanced towards the cruel boy.
“Let the cat go, Macnair,” Sirius growled, pointing his wand at the boy’s face. Macnair laughed, keeping his gaze on the cat.
“What exactly are you planning to do about it, Black?” Sage used the distraction to push her way to the front and promptly kicked the boy’s shin hard. Macnair roared in pain but dropped his wand to clutch at his shin. The cat dropped from the air and James grabbed her just before hitting the ground.
“See? Impressive reflexes.” Sage told Sirius with a grin as the girl quickly scooped her cat from James’ arms. The corners of Sirius’ lips twitched as he glanced at Sage before turning his attention back to Macnair. Macnair grabbed his wand from the ground and pointed it at Sage, face crimson with anger. Sirius grabbed Sage’s wrist and pulled her behind him, still aiming his wand at Macnair’s face.
“What’s going on here?” An authoritative voice called. A student, older than anyone already there and wearing a badge that read “Head Boy”, pushed his way to the front and stood between Sirius and Macnair. Macnair eyed the student unhappily, lowering his wand and muttering, “nothing.”
“Well, let’s keep it that way. Back to your compartments, all of you.” With a groan, the crowd dispersed.
Sage turned to the girl, who was stroking and cooing to her kitten. The girl shook her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes and addressed Sage and the boys. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” James said, following Sirius back into the compartment. Remus and Sage shared a glance.
“What’s your name?” Remus asked kindly.
“Kylie,” The girl said, staring up at Remus with flushed cheeks.
“First year?” He asked and she nodded. “Well, Kylie, I’m Remus and this is Sage. Would you like to join us?”
“Okay,” Kylie said, following him into the compartment. James had settled himself opposite of Peter on the floor, who had evidently found a Wizard’s Chessboard while Sage was gone. Sirius sat near a window, watching. He threw a questioning glance towards Remus as he saw Kylie sit down at the far end, towards the door. Remus shrugged and took a seat opposite Sirius. Sage made the remaining introductions as she settled in her seat across from Kylie, next to Sirius.
“Your kitten is really cute. What’s her name?” Sage asked as they watched one of James’ knights clobber one of Peter’s pawns.
“Lumos,” Kylie said, “Because she's--”
“All white?” Sage finished and Kylie nodded. “Clever.” Kylie’s cheeks turned up into a small smile.
“What are you playing?” Kylie asked James.
“Wizard’s Chess. C’mon, Pete, that’s cheating!” James looked up at Kylie as Peter moved his piece back. “You’ve never played?”
“I’ve played chess but I didn’t know there was a wizard version. My parents are muggles.”
“Really?” Sage asked excitingly. “What was that like? Growing up with muggles?”
“I don’t know, what was it like growing up with wizards?” Kylie shot back with a laugh.
“Touche,” Sage giggled.
“It was strange though, finding out that I’m a witch. I mean, weird things always happened around me but I never knew why, until Professor Dumbledore showed up.” Kylie paused and bit her lip. “Do you think I’m at a disadvantage though? Being muggle-born?” The four boys glanced at each other before James spoke.
“Not at all,” James hedged. “They start out with basics anyway, the professors. There’s no reason you can’t be top of your class. Look at Evans.” The other three groaned at James.
“Merlin, not Evans again,” Sirius said, throwing his head back.
“Who’s Evans?” Sage asked quickly, looking from her brother to each of his friends in turn. James stared resolutely at the chessboard, though she could see his cheeks turned slightly pink.
“James’ girlfriend.” Peter teased, earning a glare from the boy in question.
“He wishes.” Sirius snorted.
“Lily Evans is in our year. She’s Muggle-born and pretty brilliant. James is obsessed with her and she hates him.” Remus explained. Kylie glanced at Sage, who stared at her brother, looking like Christmas had come early.
“I’m not obsessed with her,” James muttered, eyes still downcast.
“You never mentioned her in your letters.” Sage giggled. The other four watched the siblings bicker in amusement, noting how red James became as Sage pushed.
“There’s nothing to mention! I’m not obsessed with her!”
“I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted a sister!”
“Shut up, Sage.”
“Lily Potter. It has a nice ring to it.”
“SHUT UP SAGE!”
The six children spent the rest of their ride bickering, joking, and laughing. Sage and Kylie bonded over their worries of Hogwarts and their excitement to learn magic. Neither girl realized then that they had created a life-long friendship, one that would stand true against adversity and prejudice.
♠ ♠ ♠
So, part of the reason it took me so long to update is that I wrote a much better version of this chapter and promptly lost it. Seriously, I have no idea where it went. So after agonizing over getting it back to the level it was, I said "Screw it" and cranked this out and moved on. That being said, I am a bit ahead chapter-wise so it shouldn't be too long before the next chapter is up. Thanks for sticking with me, guys!