Defiance (Harry Potter)

Chapter 1 (*)

    "Come on Sky! If we're late, it'll be all your fault!" My older brother, James yells. He's only older by ten bloody months. "I'm coming James! Don't get your panties in a twist!"
    I hear a stomping up the steps. "Skylar Mariana Potter! I do not wear panties! I happen to wear boxers." James yells. "Too much information!" I yell back and close my trunk.
    I pick up my trunk and take it downstairs, and then I come back upstairs to grab Delilah, my owl's, cage.     Sirius and James are waiting downstairs. Sirius always stays with us during summer.
    We floo over to King's Cross and walk through the wall. James and Sirius immediately look for their friends, while I tell mum and dad goodbye as quickly as I can manage.
    I don't manage it very quickly because they insist on their yearly lecture. They tell me not to get in trouble, don't disgrace them, don't annoy James, basically don't do anything except breathe, and then only when it's necessary. They have a favorite child and it's not me.
    After they finally let me go I head for the train to find my friends. Even though I'm in Gryffindor, I have Slytherin friends. It started as a plot to annoy James, but I found that they were actually pretty cool. Sometimes they make me wish that I was in Slytherin.
    I walk to the to the Slytherin part of the train, lugging my truck and Delilah behind me, and go into the compartment with my friends. In the compartment is Severus (Sev), Regulus (Reggie), Lucius (Lucy), and Narcissa.(Cissy) Unfortunately for me, Bellatrix is also there. She absolutely hates me because of my family and house.
    I hug my friends and sit next to Reggie. Sev asks me how my summer was. I let out a humourless laugh. "My summer was horrendous. It was always 'James, you're so perfect!' Or, 'James, your exam grades are excellent!' Or maybe, 'Skylar, clean the bathroom even though I could do it with magic. James, don't you lift a finger.' Or the one I heard the most, 'Skylar, why can't you be more like James?'"
    When I finish my little rant I see everyone in the compartment starting at me in concern except for Bellatrix, who's laughing up a storm. Okay maybe I did go a bit overboard. Cheeks flushing in embarrassment, I get up and run out of the compartment.
    I walk into a new compartment and shut the door. I sit and wallow in my sorrow a bit before pulling out a book and starting to read. After a few minutes I hear someone say, "A good book that is." I look up and see Remus standing in the doorway of the compartment. I nod. "I know, I've read it before."
    Remus sighs and sits across from me. "James finished telling us how much fun he had torturing you this summer. I'm sorry." I look him square in the eye and say, "I do not want your sympathy, especially  since you're one of them." My words are a growl.
    "I know you don't want my sympathy. That doesn't keep me from having it though. I scowl at the bookish boy. "I don't need pity. I needed someone when I was constantly being told I wasn't good enough all summer!"   Remus looks at me, like he's trying to figure out a puzzle.
    "You can't keep your emotions bottled to forever, Sky. It'll be better if you let them go soon. Trust me, I would know," He says softly. I shake my head. "I'm fine Remus. Don't worry about me," I say with a fake smile. I'm sure he doesn't know it's fake and I don't think he would care even if he did.
     Remus sighs and walks out of the compartment a moment later. Finally alone, I try to go back to my book only to find that I can't concentrate on it any longer. Why would Remus have sympathy for me? I thought he enjoyed the torment my brother gave me. He's a  Marauder!
    None of my friends gone and find me and that makes me grateful. They know when I prefer to be alone and they usually respect my boundaries. They only ever come after me if they think I need someone.
    When the train reaches Hogsmede Station, I get off and begin to walk towards the carriges. Unfortunately I trip over something and fall into a mud puddle. The thing I tripped over was James's foot. He laughs along with Sirius and Peter. "Did my baby sister fall? Well maybe she needs to learn to watch it!"
    I scramble to get onto a carriage, my checks burning. On the carriage are my Severus, Lucius, Regulus, and Cissy. I assume Bellatrix went off to torture muggleborns or something. My friends look at me with pity in their eyes.
    Sev points his wand at me and mutters a spell, freeing my robes of mud. "Thanks Sev," I say. He nods in acknowledgment.
    In the Great Hall, I have nobody to sit with, as my friends are in Slytherin. A certain sandy blonde hair boy looks at me and smiles. I return his smile before leaving and heading to the kitchens. Immediately, a small house elf hugs me.
    "Lulu missed Skylar! What can Lulu get for Skylar?" I think about what I want for a moment and then tell the house elf to surprise me. Lulu nods and scurries off. I walk over to the table in the corner and sit. I can't believe I'll be sixteen in a few months, although it's not like many people care.
    I can imagine it already. I'll be down here in the kitchens with Sev, Reggie, and maybe Cissy. We'll have a tiny little cake with a single candle in it. They'll sing happy birthday and I'll blow out the candle like I'm happy to be a year older. Then Lulu brings me my plate and I begin to eat, daydreaming about a different life.