Black Widow

Chapter 1

  

     On Platform 9 3/4's a lone figure weaved through the crowd, practically drowning in an oversized jacket.  However despite her ragged and dirty clothing Imogen Lancaster drew all eyes to her.  In awe of her fiery red curls that almost seemed to change color as she walked.  She boarded the train quickly and sank down into a compartment.  She hated the stares that constantly followed her.  Minds reached out for hers, most were unaware they even did it but one-one mind brushed up against hers so violently that she knew it must have been intentional.  She peered outside only to catch they eye of an older student, he grinned pressing his mind against hers with renewed fervor.  He had been the same last year, and the year before, and the year before.......she wished he would just stop.  She pushed away his mind but he only smiled, that was exactly what he wanted.  The feeling of her mind against his, even if it was done out of anger-especially when it was done out of anger.  He loved getting a rise out of her.  His mind brushed up against hers again slimier than an eel, begging for her to react once more.  Imogen clenched her fists her nails beginning to draw blood as tears welled up in her eyes.  She tried to shrink in upon herself and ignore him but it was hard.

"Are you okay?" a soft but concerned voice asked.

Imogen looked up to see fellow fourth year Lily Evans staring at her, "I-y-yeah I'm okay." she said hastily drying her eyes.

"You don't look very okay." Lily said sitting down.  "Do you mind?  Marlene and Mary fell asleep and Dorcas is getting dropped off in Hogsmeade by her parents so I'm a bit lonely."  Lily wasn't technically lying, Marlene and Mary were asleep and Dorcas was getting dropped off but by no means was she lonely.  She had simply gotten up to go to the bathroom and on the way seen her fellow fourth year in a ball.  

"Well M-Mary and Marlene fell asleep pretty quick huh?" Imogen said with a shaky laugh.  Lily frowned, she wasn't sure what was wrong but she knew something had happened.  And judging by the look on Imogen's face when she walked in it was bad.  

"Yeah, they always did fall asleep quickly.  I wish I could." Lily paused before adding, "Are you sure you're okay?"  Imogen thought about telling her about the Slytherin boy who had so vulgarly pressed his mind against her then shook her head.  Lily wouldn't understand, no one would understand and how could they?  Lily sensing the girl's hesitancy changed the subject, "You're a Ravenclaw right?"

"Yes."

"What's the common room like?" Lily asked coming up with the question on the fly.

"Very blue." Imogen laughed.  "We've got the best view in Hogwarts you know?" Imogen said proudly.  "You can see the lake and mountains and everything, it's great.  Oh and we have this teapot that is always full of tea, sometimes it's mint or lemon or even chocolate.  It's really nice."

"I'll have to take your word for it.  The Gryffindor common room's great too-not that I see a lot of it."

Imogen cocked her head, "What do you mean?"

As if on cue James Potter burst into the compartment his three friends looking in behind him.  "Hello Evans, I checked your compartment and you weren't there."

"Yes well that's because I was avoiding you." Lily snapped and Imogen let out a laugh.  

This unfortunately brought the attention to her the boys, except surprisingly James stared at her, their jaws slack.  But what really caught her eye was that James didn't seem affected by her presence in the slightest, he barely even looked at her.  "Who are you?" Sirius Black asked pushing his way further into the compartment and sitting down.

"Imogen Lancaster."

"You are breathtakingly beautiful." the boy said smiling. 

Imogen frowned bringing Lily to frown too, "Leave her alone Black.  You too Potter just go."

James smiled as if she had just said something mildly funny, "Why would I do that?"  

Imogen snapped her fingers bringing all the boys to look at her, she stared into their eyes and began to speak.  "Go back to your compartment and fall asleep." the boys, in trance, did what she said without a word.

Lily gaped at her, "How did you do that and will you teach me?"

Imogen blinked, "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"I'm...I'm a monster.  I can influence people."

"Come off it." Lily said not believing her.

"It's true.  Monsters can be any living thing and they're identified by their unnatural color.  Monsters-at least those with a brain-can influence other living things.  And monster humans are kind of like Veela in a way, though unrelated."

Lily nodded impressed, "Wow that's amazing!"

"Yeah..." Imogen replied.  In all honesty it was less than amazing.  There were MAJOR drawbacks; one being creeps, another was that other monsters craved her flesh-almost as much a she craved theirs.  It wasn't exactly fun to wake up with bug bites because some monster beetle had found it's way into her bed.  Nor was it fun to be the only student with a strange dietary needs.  "Anyways why do you hate James so much?"

"It's not that I hate him-he just-he won't leave me alone.  No matter how many times I say no he keeps pestering me."  Imogen thought back to the way Rabastan's eyes raked over as if she were property.  Something to be acquired-to be owned, James hadn't looked at Lily like that.  But then again he should have quit bothering her once she said no.  "And he's always around, it's like he pops up out of thin air!  You know?"

"Yeah I know what you mean."

"Anyways," Lily started standing up, "we should get our robes on, I expect we'll be arriving soon.  I'll be back once I've got my robes on-I've got to tell Mary and Marlene to change too."

Imogen smiled and waved.  For the first time since she started Hogwarts she felt as though she made a real friend.  Not someone who was bewitched by her hair and looks.  "Alright!"  Imogen quickly shut the door and locked it and pulled down the blinds before putting on her uniform and throwing the dirtied clothes into her rucksack.  She could hardly believe it.  She-Imogen Lancaster-had made a friend!