The Prodigy (Harry Potter fanfic)

Platform 9 ¾

Harry watched as people bustled about around him.  He had just encountered the Weasley family and had been introduced to Ron, who was also having his first year at Hogwarts.  They were talking and waiting for Fred and George to go through the portal to platform three and four quarters when he suddenly heard a bunch of chaos sounding from behind him.

Both he and Ron turned their heads around at the same moment and their eyes widened a bit.  A short girl who looked to be about their age, was running full speed away from something.  After looking behind her, a man who looked similar to her was chasing after her with a very angry look on his face.  

This seemed to catch the attention of everyone around her.  Mrs. Weasley hurried the boys through the invisible portal before we could as any questions.  Once they were shoved into the wall they appeared by a train, and sure enough a sign just above them said 'Hogwarts Express.' Harry looked at Ron in confusion. "What was that all about?" Ron shrugged in response. "People are mental these days." He said as he shook his head. Not knowing entirely what to do they found Fred and George.  They all hurried on the train and went into a random compartment.

Once the train finally took off Harry and Ron settled in their seats across from each other and introduced themselves.  "I'm Harry, Harry Potter." Ron looked at him in shock. "You're Harry Potter." Before Harry could respond the compartment door opened and a girl stepped in. It was the same girl who had been being chased from the train station.

"May I sit here." The girl talked in a very quiet timid voice.  Harry and Ron responded with "that's fine" at the same time, in which they laughed afterwards.  The girl however just nodded and muttered a quick "Thank you" before sitting down on Harry's side, as far away from him as possible.  After a few moments of awkward silence, Ron tried to make conversation with her.  "Um, I'm Ron Weasley and this is... Harry Potter. What's your name?"  He paused before saying Harry's name, as if he still couldn't believe it. 

The girl looked up at both of them. She looked awfully skinny with dark circles under her sage green eyes.  Her light brown hair was noticeably long, going all the way down her back.  She didn't have a trunk, but instead a withered looking backpack with her.  Her eyes were tired, and she had a natural frown on her face. "My name? Willow Trotuem." She said quietly. Ron nearly choked on his own spit and took a moment to catch his breath. 

"Willow Trotuem? Willow Trotuem and Harry Potter in the same compartment, with me?"  Ron looked at the both of them, still trying to process what was just discussed.  Willow looked at Harry. "Harry Potter?" Her face or tone didn't change at all. Harry looked at Ron in confusion. "What's wrong? Is something wrong with her?" Ron looked at Harry like he was mental. 

"You don't know who Willow Trotuem is? What, have you been living under a rock?" 

"Kinda." Harry muttered before turning his attention back to Ron.  Willow has said nothing else and is now looking at her feet.  "Willow Trotuem, a.k.a "The Prodigy?" Seriously not ringing any bells?" Ron asked in amazement. "Nope." Ron sighed and looked at Willow. "She's the only witch ever to exist that can make magic without a wand! Like create fire and lightning and stuff?" Ron said as if it was obvious. "Really?" Harry said in amazement as he turned to look at Willow.

She simply nodded her head. "I can't control it very well." She said quietly. Ron sits back in amazement. "I can't believe the two most famous people in the wizarding world are sitting in the same compartment as me..." He says, still not quite believing it. Ron looked back at them.  "So, Harry... do you remember uh, You-Know-Who?" Ron says, lowering his voice as if someone else is listening besides them. "Oh, well I was a baby. So, no." Harry replies.  Ron nods and turns to Willow. "So, Willow... what was that at the train station?" 

Willow looks up from her feet. "Oh, that was my dad. He didn't want me coming to Hogwarts." She speaks quietly and avoids eye contact. "Really? But you're "The Prodigy?" 

"I don't know why, he just doesn't."  Ron continues to interrogate the both of them for the rest of the train ride. "Willow, where's your trunk?" She looks up again. "I don't have one, just my backpack." Ron and Harry look at her in confusion. "But how are you fitting everything you need in their? All of your books? Your wand? Robes?" Willow looks a little nervous as she speaks. "I don't. I have a pair of gloves, 'The standard book of spells' and a tiny telescope." 

"That's all? That's not even half of what you need!" Ron said in disbelief. "I know, but hopefully it will be enough." Harry couldn't understand why Willow didn't buy the rest of her materials in Diagon Alley but decided not to ask, since Ron was already asking her enough.  Suddenly, the compartment door opened and a girl walked in. 

"Have any of you seen a toad?" She said. Willow immediately looked back down at her feet. "No, we haven't." Ron said in an annoyed voice, trying to get her to leave so he could go back to questioning Harry and Willow. "Are you sure? You sound suspicious." The girl said, stepping further into there compartment. "What's that supposed to mean? We haven't seen any toad!"

"Hm, fine. Well I'm Hermione Granger." She said in a bossy voice. "I'm Ronald Weasley, and this is Harry Potter and Willow Trotuem." Hermione instantly ignored Ron and turned to Willow and Harry. "Really? The Boy Who Lived and The Prodigy in the same place?" She said in amazment. Harry sighed, knowing he would have to answer 100 more questions while Willow did nothing but stare down at her feet. 

"Hm, Willow? You're looking rather, informal for going to Hogwarts for the first time." Hermione said in a judgmental voice. "No offense." She added. Willow looked up for a moment. "It's fine. I guess I'm not entirely prepared for Hogwarts."

"Well, that's a problem. It's essential to be prepared for everything, especially for something like this!" Ron rolled his eyes and could already tell he didn't like this girl. Before he could say anything though, the train slowed and came to a stop. "Oh, looks like we're here!" Hermione said quickly, before rushing back to her own compartment. Harry looked at Ron and Willow. They had arrived at Hogwarts.

{Let me know if you have any tips, and please try to go easy on me 😭}