petrichor ☆ fred weasley

z e r o

f i r s t y e a r.

1 9 8 9.

The young brown haired girl pressed her face against the sparkling glass window of the train as she looked out over the unusual platform of 9 & 3/4's. With her hands still clutched around the thick cream coloured parchment, her large blue eyes took in every detail they could from the platform.

Persephone Lupin had always been fascinated with the world she grew up in. Ever since she could talk, she begged her father to tell her stories about the world she had been separated from.  Stories about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the foolish pranks and jokes performed by him and his three best friends. Three best friends Persephone had never met.

She didn't know much about the school that would become her home for the next 7 years. Her father had briefly informed her about the house system, and the manky old hat which would determine her fate within the school. Persephone pondered for a while, and took the opportunity to reflect upon what house she may end up in. She was known to be quite creative and intelligent, often found with her freckled nose tucked into a muggle novel. Even as a small eleven year old, she was never afraid to stand up for what she was passionate in, often causing mishaps with the local muggle children in her home town of Brighton. Despite this, Persephone greeted every person she met with kindness and love, never letting anything but the persons own behavior cloud her perspective. She was honest when it counted, and protective of all she loved.

Her eyes quickly focused upon a large family of red heads, briskly walking across the platform, being led by a plump looking woman with a young girl in tow. Six boys trailed behind her, 5 pushing along trolleys piled with trunks.

Persephone had always wondered what it would be like to have a big family. A loving mother, a teasing brother and a clothes stealing sister, as well as her fun yet neurotic father. She heard a whiny voice and turned her attention back to the family, beginning to giggle as she watched two identical boys, presumably twins, use their wands to flick blue sparks towards their older brother, who held a very stiffened expression.

The two identical boys noticed her laughing from within the carriage as their brother's hair started to turn a vivid blue, and they both looked back at each other before shooting her a smirk, obviously both very proud at the blue tinge they had managed to develop on their brothers head. With a look of concentration, Persephone laughed again, as her own hair began to turn a bright shade of royal blue.

Persephone, was a metamorphmagus. Other than a few photographs, and her memories, her gift was the only thing left that connected her to her Mother. It reminded her that she did indeed have a mother, and that she wasn't just a name, occasionally muttered by her Dad before he changed the subject. Her gift made her special, made her like her Mum.

Persephone rarely changed her appearance, only transforming when necessary, or when she wanted to impress people like what she was doing now. She had smooth, pale skin with small freckles sprinkled about like confetti. Her eyebrows curved in swooping arches over her crisp blue eyes and her small button like nose completed her wide forehead and blunt chin. She wasn't perfect, but quite plain. Intentionally wanting to blend into the crowd, escape the rumors of her past. Her eyes on the other hand, were like the stars. Unique and ever-changing. Swirling pools of sapphire blue and grey with flecks of dotted green.

Her transformation was interrupted by the sound of the compartment door opening, revealing to her three people, a boy with tanned skin and a mop of brown locks, a girl with kind eyes and a great grey owl in hand, and another pale boy, who even at age eleven, was tall and broad. Her hair slowly faded back to the light brown as the other three children watched in amazement.

"Woah," said the tall blonde haired boy, his eyes lingering on Persephone's hair.

Persephone giggled and shrugged, not wanting to reveal her skill this early in a potential friendship; it had a habit of scaring off others in the past.  She glanced back outside to the unknown twins, who's looks of amazement were still focused toward her. She sent them a smile, before focusing her attention back onto the two new students at the entrance to the compartment.

The girl next to him smiled, a smile that was kind and deep. "Can we sit in here? Everywhere else is full".

Persephone nodded, and quickly jumped up to move her fat and fluffy cat, Salem, from the seat.

"I'm Cedric." one boy said, before nodding towards the girl next to him, " this is Klara, and then this is Augustus. We are all from the same village, St Catchpole. Is it your first year too?"

Persephone smiled at the other children, and even outstretched her hand to the owl, letting it affectionately nibble at her finger. "Yes it's my first year as well!"

The four continued to chat as the train's engine began to whir into life, soon transporting them through the beautiful English country side.

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The group of the four newly acquainted friends glanced up in awe as they made their way through the large doorway and into the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Persephone was immediately lost in the dangling white candles and the glittering night sky, embellished with the numerous constellations and the milky way.

Four tables, each full of students, stood in the middle of the room. The famous sorting hat took prize position at the end of the room, seated upon a large wooden stool. All the first years came to a halt before the stool, all looking in amazement and wonder towards the old hat.

A tall woman, with emerald green robes and a pointed hat directed students to the stool, which then shouted out the house of the student it had been placed upon.

Due to their last names being before hers in the alphabet, Persephone's new friends, Cedric, Klara and Augustus, were sat together at the Hufflepuff table. The boy currently on the stool, Lee Jordan, got up in a frenzy of cheers as the echoes of the hat's "Gryffindor" play out in the hall.

"Persephone Lupin" called out the slightly intimidating witch, and a few eyes at the staff table turned to face her curiously. She knew why, she knew it was because of her mother.

She bravely took a step towards the stool, before she took a deep breath and continued forward. She took a seat, and let the hat be placed upon her loose curls by the professor.

The hat made a contemptuous noise which echoed through Persephone's head. "Hmm, very interesting.."

Persephone froze, nervous at the outcome.

"A very witty brain, you could do good in Ravenclaw. But that sense of bravery, Gryffindor for sure... I am picking up on a very kind heart, mixed with a great need to protect your friends, aligning with Hufflepuff..."

She looked forward at the hopeful eyes of her three new friends at the Hufflepuff table, wanting nothing more then to be with them.

"Well," the hat began, "it'll have to be... HUFFLEPUFF!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Persephone almost couldn't contain her excitement, jumping off the stool and running to sit with her new family.

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Hey guys,
welcome to the first chapter!
will be slow irregular updates due to year 12 and hsc. but I hope you enjoy!! i'm very excited for what this will bring xx
- tilda x