02 | PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS

ALEXIA HAD ALWAYS LOVED RUNNING THROUGH THAT WALL, because for her it was something like a ritual. It meant she could leave the old Alexia behind, the one she had to be at home, and find out who she really was for a whole year.

The first thing the brown-haired, green-eyed girl saw when she opened her eyes on the other side, on that other world hidden at plain sight, was an ocean of red standing out from everyone else at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Weasleys. They never came in single pair.

But it was only after reaching her two friends that Alexia allowed herself to look around her, to get immersed in the chatter and the smoke, the people and the sense of all things beginning once again. September first was her favorite day of the year, because it was the start of all of her favorite days. As long as she was at Hogwarts, every day was a good day.

"Look at all these first years." Kendra said, marveled eyes at the young kids who stared at the bright red train in awe. The Hogwarts Express was still new for them, everything was, and Alexia felt a tinge of jealousy in her, of not being able to experience the magic of Hogwarts for the first time as well. "Which House do you think they'll be sorted in?"

It was a game the three of them played, trying to guess in which House the Sorting Hat would put them in. One thing Alexia had learned from playing that game for five years now was to never judge a heart by its face. There had been some surprises over the years, people that clearly looked Slytherin and had been placed into Hufflepuff, and vice-versa.

Albus Severus Potter was one of them. Vaguely hearing Kendra and Noah making bets again, Alexia's eyes darted to the Weasleys, inevitably drawn to the closeness between them, how parents tightened the coats around their children, how they smiled to one another. Alexia didn't understand. She didn't understand how in that family blood didn't mean privilege; it meant love. It meant they'd keep each other safe and be there for one another whenever needed. Looking at them had always hurt Alexia; they were a constant reminder of what she wanted and could never have. She wondered to herself, if it had ever crossed their mind that for some people, they could be a living Mirror of Erised.

"Alexia, are you sick?" Noah's voice brought her back to reality, that tone of sarcasm and mockery he especially used with her, because he knew she could take it. "You've been staring at the Weasleys for more than two seconds, clearly something's wrong with you."

"Thanks for stating the obvious, I realized that when I was five." Alexia replied, forcing her voice to smirk when her lips couldn't. "No, I was just seeing if there's more of them this year. There's always more of them."

"No, it's the same as before. I counted the heads." Noah replied, his eyes wandering over the ginger heads with mild curiosity. "I wonder who's the Kevin out of them? The forgotten one, like in Home Alone?"

"Probably Albus." Alexia commented, her eyes stopping on the blue-eyed, brown-haired boy whose head was snapping in every direction but his family's, probably trying to spot familiar platinum blond locks and bluish-grey eyes among the crowd. "I'm under the impression sometimes even he forgets himself."

As if he had listened, Albus's head turned their way and their eyes locked, blue against green. Albus moved his chin up slightly in a silent nod, which Alexia returned to him. It had been a surprise when he had been placed into Slytherin, to his family and the general public at least, but Alexia knew what it was like to carry the burden of parents' names. She knew what it was like to crave being seen for herself, not for those before her. In a way she understood him; that's why they got along. They were both trying to escape the cage that came with legacy. Besides, they were both sixth years and prefects; there was a sense of camaraderie between them none of them had asked for.

"That Potter guy is looking at you again." Noah commented, and for a second Alexia thought he was referring to Albus, but he had already returned to his relentless quest of finding Scorpius Malfoy amidst the crowd. Then her eyes found James Sirius Potter's, whose quirked eyebrow and mischievous stare were directed at her through the curls of his brown hair. He should have been out of Hogwarts already, but he failed his N.E.W.T.s on his seven year and was forced to repeat it. Some said it was because he hadn't studied due to being more interested in Quidditch and girls; others said it was because he didn't want to leave his reign of popularity behind, that he wanted to enjoy his status as Harry Potter's Golden Son as much as he could; Kendra believed it was honestly just because he didn't want to let go of his siblings just yet. And Kendra was the best reader of character Alexia knew.

"Let him." Alexia said, offering James a sly smile. "Everyone deserves some art in their life."

"Not all art is beauty." Noah replied with an annoying little smirk but quieted down upon receiving one of Alexia's famous death glares that had granted her the title of Slytherin Ruler when she was thirteen.

"He's still the captain of the Gryffindor team?" Alexia asked Kendra, who always knew everything. Sometimes it felt like she had an encyclopedia instead of a brain.

"Yes. I can't wait to see all of your arguments on the pitch." Kendra retorted, edges of her mouth curved up. "Still not regretting being the captain of the Slytherin team?"

"No, I can handle Potters." Alexia replied simply, before her eyes started roaming over the giant family. Next to James and Albus was their sister, Lily Luna, with hazel eyes and hair as red as her mother's. Harry and Ginny Potter stood with them, and Alexia couldn't help but think of them as the center of the hurricane since most eyes were on them. And yet they were extremely calm and casual, like they were used to all of that attention. Like it didn't bother them at all. Alexia could feel some of the stares on her too, because of her surname, because of her parent's past. All her life had been about proving she wasn't her parents' mistakes, that she didn't have to be like them. But most people refused to see that, to go beyond the surface, so Alexia showed them what they wanted to see. She picked up a mask and became who the world expected her to become. She used her reputation against others so others wouldn't use it against her.

Lily was a Gryffindor in fourth year and was talking to her cousin, Hugo, who was also a fourth year redhead, but a Hufflepuff. Alexia didn't know much about him, except that he looked too good and innocent to be part of the world. Hugo's older sister, Rose, was a different case. She was in the same year as Alexia and her friends but was a proud Gryffindor and prefect and Alexia's biggest competition. She was as clever as Kendra when it came to theory and books, and as good as Alexia when it came to practical spells. Her mother and father, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, seemed to be bickering about something, Ron looking confused while Hermione sighed of exasperation. And yet even in that quarrel there was more love than Alexia had ever seen between her parents. Between them and her.

The sight was too much for her to handle, so she looked away and her eyes landed on Roxanne Weasley, the only other Slytherin in the family other than Albus, but a year below. Her dark hair was braided and her light eyes shined in contrast with her dark skin. Alexia was under the impression Roxanne thought she didn't notice her much, but Alexia noticed everyone, especially if they were in Slytherin. Slytherin was her home; and people protected their homes.

Roxanne's older brother, Fred Weasley II, was teasing her by playing with her hair, his strong muscles flexing beneath the chocolate skin he had exposed. He was James' best friend and also a Gryffindor in seventh year. The two of them were pure troublemakers, Kings of Mischief, a trait both of them had inherited: Fred from his father George and his late twin Fred, and James from his grandfather James. Weasleys and their confusing names.

They could be great at many things, but not when it came to choosing their children's names.

Seriously, who named their son Albus Severus? Poor Albus. No wonder he was always trying to find a place to hide. If she had a name like that, Alexia would be too.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing with the presentation of the Potters/Weasleys. Any doubt or question, just ask :) and leave your comments and votes so I can know if you're liking it ♥