Talon Black and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 1 The Scarlet Engine

     Talon Jade Black had just finished receiving her Head Girl duties from Professor McGonagall; normally, Professor Snape would have been the one to talk to Talon, seeing as he was her head of house, but he refused to take the scarlet train to Hogwarts.

     Everywhere she went Talon walked with a purpose; some say she was a bit full of herself but she had good reason to be. At seventeen years old she was the youngest recipient of an Order of Merlin, second class for her creation of the Wolfsbane potion in her sixth year. She received top marks in everything but excelled in potions and transfiguration above all else. She would never admit it out loud, but Professor McGonagall was more than a bit jealous that Talon had been sorted into Snape's house.

      Talon didn't only possess an exceptional mind, oh no, she made heads turn everywhere she went. Her thick, waist-length, raven, hair was the envy of every girl at Hogwarts; her big, blue, eyes made men weak at the knees. Standing at only 5'1", she was often mistaken as second year but you would know your mistake as soon as she lashed out with her sharp tongue and deducted house points.

     Talon walked quickly down by the compartments, her long black cloak trailing behind her. She had almost made it to Slytherin territory when she noticed a boy, probably a first year, crawling around on the floor and shouting, "Trevor," every so often.

     She squatted down and when the chubby boy looked up he was eye level with her knees. Startled, he screeched and fell back on his backside. Talon let out a rare chuckle and extended her hand. "Have you lost something?"

     "Y-yes my toad, Trevor." He hesitantly reached his hand out. Talon grasped it and pulled him up to his feet.

     "What's your name, little one?"

     "N-Neville Longbottom."

     "Hi Neville. I'm Talon and I'm Head Girl. Do you want me to help you find your toad?"

     "Yes yes please! Gran will kill me if she finds out I've lost him again."

     "Well we better hurry then."

     So started Talon's hunt for Trevor. Along the way she gave two detentions (Two fifth year Gryffindors were snogging.) and met several intriguing first years. A pale boy with a pointed face and two large boys were being quite rude to a gangly red head and a small boy with round glasses and messy black hair. Interested, Talon leaned against the open compartment door and watched the scene unfold before her.

     Messy hair had just informed the little vampire that he," Could sort out the wrong sort for himself, thanks."

     The ginger had noticed Talon looming in the background and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when he noticed her green and black tie. Talon couldn't help but roll her eyes. Hasn't even been sorted yet and he already had the wrong impression of Slytherins. Talon put a slim finger to her naturally pink lips. If he let slip she was there she probably wouldn't be able to catch the blondie doing anything.

     Almost as if on cue he pulled out his wand. "As if a first year could do any real damage," Talon scoffed.

     The three troublemakers whirled around at the sound of her voice. The two large ones were practically drooling. Disgusting. Blondie actually had enough courage to speak up.

     "And who do you think you are?"

     "Head Girl, so, over you. I suggest you put your wand away before I give you a detention for trying to duel. What's your name?"

     At this question, he smirked. "Draco. Draco Malfoy."

     Marvelous.

     "Hm. Now why in the name of Merlin are you trying to attack these two, unarmed, boys?"

     All three were silent.

     "Just as I thought. Off with you before I change my mind about that detention."

     Reluctantly all three turned to leave but Malfoy just had to make one last remark. "My father will hear about this!"

     Talon had finally had enough of his nonsense. "You're damn right he will! He'll hear all about it when he receives my owl this afternoon! You don't know me but I know you and your family all too well. I'm personally acquainted with your father and your mother for that matter. Now get out of my sight."

     Terrified, the three ran down the train and yelling about a mad woman.

     "Pft. Little pansy. Just like his father he is. So, who are you two?" Talon promptly sat down beside the small boy with glasses; she was afraid the ginger would faint if he got too close to a Slytherin.

     Surprisingly enough, it was the ginger who spoke up first. "I'm Ron Weasley."

     "Hey Ron. I'm Talon Black. Quiet mouse, are you planning on telling me your name or am I gonna have to hex it out of you?"

     Both his and Ron's eyes grew wide and he scooted further away from Talon.

     "Only joking of course. Sorry. Sometimes I forget how scary it was when I was a first year. So, what IS your name?"

     "Harry Potter."

     Alright so I REALLY wasn't expecting that.

     "I guess the rumors were true, then. The Boy Who Lived has come to Hogwarts."

     Talon glanced over to gauge the young boys' reactions. Ron still seemed transfixed on her House tie and Harry looked genuinely surprised that she knew him.

     "Yes yes I know all about it. Nasty business but who doesn't know you??"

     The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was spent eating sweets that Harry and herself had bought from the sweet old trolley lady and the two first years grilling her about everything at Hogwarts. Once, they were interrupted by a bossy girl with bushy chocolate brown hair demanding to know if anyone had seen a toad. Upon hearing that they had not, and seeing Ron's utter fail at his "spell," she left but not before embarrassing Ron by telling him that he had dirt on his nose.

     Talon glanced down at her tough black wristwatch; the little emeralds floating around told her that they would arrive at Hogwarts in a matter of minutes. "So sorry to cut this short but we'll be arriving soon. You two need to change into your robes and I need to meet with the teachers in their compartment. I'll see you guys later."

     Talon slipped out of the compartment and slid the door shut so they would have the privacy to change. She sashayed down the narrow walkway to front of the train and the teachers' compartment. The last few minutes were spent talking to Professor McGonagall about the difficult process to become an animagous; Talon was seriously considering it. As McGonagall was detailing the excruciating pain that's involved, Talon glanced out the window and saw the castle's huge turrets in the distance and she smiled. She was home again.