03 | MUGGLE REFERENCE

"Bloody hell, is it just me or is Molly Weasley even more beautiful this year?" Kendra blurted out all of a sudden, her eyes widening slightly upon seeing the seventh year Ravenclaw smiling at her younger sister Lucy, who was a Hufflepuff in fifth year. Molly had strawberry blond hair and blue eyes while her sister's hair was a darker shade of red, and her blue eyes held more uncertainty to it, less confidence.

"You say that every year." Noah replied, and behind his sarcasm there was a hint of affection he only used with his two girls. "You know I would talk to her for you if you'd ask me. But she's a Ravenclaw too. Why don't you?"

"It's not as easy as that." Kendra muttered, looking down at her snowy owl called Elsa. It was strange for everyone, even for them, that two of the most intimidating Slytherins had welcomed a Ravenclaw into their group, but it had happened naturally. Kendra had always felt an outsider, even among her fellow Ravenclaws, and both Noah and Alexia knew what it was like to feel like we didn't belong. So they gave her a place to belong, not even considering their different houses. If anything, house pride was even better if we had some opposition to it.

Standing slightly away from his family, talking to his fellow Hufflepuffs, was Louis Weasley, the Golden Boy of the school with a kind smile permanently glued to his face as if he was incapable of having any other expression. His older sisters, Victoire and Dominique, were no longer at Hogwarts. Victoire had been in Ravenclaw and had left quite the impression in Hogwarts, due to both her looks and achievements. Dominique had been a more reserved Gryffindor, but just as brilliant, and Louis, with those blond strands falling to his forehead, was following in their footsteps. He was going to start his seventh year and everyone appointed him as the certain Head Boy.

"Alexia!" A voice called from behind her, and the girl turned around to be met with Scorpius's graceful angles, his blond, almost white hair all ruffled. Behind him stood Draco and Astoria Malfoy, reserved but not rigid. Over the years Alexia had noticed how the tension eased from their shoulders, how it became easier for them to face a crowd without fear of being judged or punished for Draco's past. "Have you seen Albus? I've been searching for him and..."

"He's over there with the Weasleys." Alexia said with a small smile, gesturing towards him. A deep sigh of relief escaped Scorpius' lips, as if seeing his best friend instantly made everything easier.

"Thank you! See you in the train?" Scorpius asked in a rush, though he didn't wait for her answer and immediately started making his way towards Albus.

"Alexia, your parents didn't come?" Draco asked, his voice careful and neutral. Alexia's grandparents had been friends with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and her father, Theodore Nott, had been a classmate of Draco and former Death Eater. After the Battle of Hogwarts, they parted ways, like all followers of Voldemort had done, and still Draco cared about Alexia, it was obvious, especially because he knew she kept an eye on his distracted, fragile son whenever he couldn't. Scorpius had a heart of gold, and there was a lot of people that wanted a piece of it, that tried to use it to their advantage. Draco implicitly trusted Alexia to make sure he kept it to himself.

"They did, they're just standing so incredibly still you can't see them." Alexia deadpanned while beside her Noah burst out laughing. Every Muggle reference she knew was because of him.

"I'm sorry, what?" Draco asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Muggle reference, never mind." Alexia replied while Draco's eyes widened. It shocked everyone, really, that as a pure-blood, Alexia's first and for some time only friend had been a muggle-born and that because of that she knew so much from that world. Draco's and Astoria's eyes moved to Noah, who faced their stare with that statue-like expression he always put when others were observing him. He had to be made of stone if he didn't want people to break him and crush him. But Draco and Astoria had no judgement in their eyes, just a sense of nostalgia, perhaps, for not being like Alexia when they were young. And Scorpius' parents, along with Scorpius, had always been kind to her, even perhaps when she didn't deserve it, so she forced a smile and said in a more amicable voice, "why would they come for a goodbye when they already said it to me a long time ago?"

"I..." Draco started, but he didn't have anything to say that could possible erase the weight on her words, so he closed his mouth and let Alexia walk with her friends through the crowd. It was close to eleven now, and the station was crammed. Someone bumped into her and her eyes narrowed, shooting them a death glare without even seeing who they were.

"I'm sorry." A quiet voice said immediately, looking down to the floor. It was Lysander Scamander, a Ravenclaw in her year, accompanied by his inseparable twin Lorcan, who was a Hufflepuff. Their parents, Luna Lovegood and Rolf Scamander, were animatedly talking to Neville and Hanna Longbottom. Alexia could stand a lot. But there was something about those two blue-eyed, brown-haired guys, the curls of their hair almost covering their eyes that always set her off.

"Do that again and you will be." She retorted harshly, while Noah snickered and Kendra shook her head in disapproval.

"You could be kinder to them."

"I could." Alexia said, at the same time as Rubeus Hagrid's voice boomed to reunite the first years. Soon enough the whistle of the train would fill the air and everything would be okay. "But life could have been kinder to me as well and it wasn't."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Ok, these first three chapters were just to introduce some characters. Next ones are the real thing - they'll get more exciting, with even more characters and of course the returning to Hogwarts! As always, feel free to leave your feedback and constructive criticism :)