Font:  VerdanaTimes New RomanCourier NewGeorgia10pt12pt14pt

My grandparents always dropped me off early for the train back to school. It always seemed to me like they had tired of me before I went back to school and wanted to drop me off as soon as possible. That’s why I sat, playing with the plastic of my red flip-flops in an empty compartment on an empty Hogwarts Express.

I closed my eyes and pulled my hood down past my eyes. My jean shorts were torn and worn from the summer, where I had worn them almost everyday. My toenails were bright pink and I was peeling the navy blue polish from my fingers. The summer had been long and dull, with it’s minor excitements. My grandparents were old and a bit loony, so sometimes they were quite fun. The not fun part came when the Pettigrews, my grandparents’ neighbors down the street – also magical, would leave on business trips and leave their pathetic son, Peter in the care of my grandparents.

Peter was extremely awkward and I really couldn’t stand him. My grandmother and I usually stuck him with my grandfather, who was too daft to really notice. I didn’t understand it, at school Peter was friends with some of the most popular kids in our year but he truly was a complete idiot. And he was creepy, he was always asking for cheese and crackers like a little rat.

So needless to say, I wasn’t ready to brag to the world about my summer spent with two eighty year old loons and Peter Pettigrew. Not that I really had anyone to tell. I had been able to go through my years at Hogwarts without making any friends. My teachers really liked me and I got good marks, so I spent most of my time in the library doing homework. Everything was pretty ok in my book. It’s not like I was lonely or something, I was just antisocial. I always had been, ever since first year. Now it was sixth and I wasn’t really in the mood to change anything.

I napped as students filled the train so I barely woke up when four boys entered my compartment. They ushered in loudly as I blinked my eyes open to glare at them. I rolled my eyes when I saw Peter stumble in behind his three best friends. James Potter had a hand in his hair, trying to either fix the mess of hair or mess it up more. Remus Lupin’s sandy hair and blue eyes looked nice against the tan that he had accumulated during the summer and then there was Sirius Black.

To say that the majority of girls at Hogwarts were obsessed with Sirius Black to the point of stalkerdom would be a major understatement. He had dated about 3/4ths of the female population of the school and I think for fun he even flirted with some of the guys to throw them off. He was absolutely gorgeous at that, messy black hair, grey eyes and those aristocratic cheekbones. Plus the name, who names their kid Sirius and expects him to just be normal?

Ok, I’m not saying that I had a crush on Sirius Black. I wasn’t blind though, I noticed a good thing when I saw it. Though I had hooked up with a few muggle boys during my summer and Christmas breaks, I couldn’t deny that during Charms I would often wonder what it would be like to be with Sirius Black. Jesus Christ, Sirius. I need to stop this whole “first name-last name” thing.

So back to the point, Sirius Black – shit! Sirius -- trapsed in behind James and Remus. His eyes were glistening with excitement (about going back to school? Freak.) and his hair hung in a shaggy, wonderful mess around his face. His skin was tan and he was smirking that trademark smirk.

“Oh! Hi Hope.” Peter turned a bright pink when he saw me. Seriously, what was wrong with this kid? And why the hell did he have to come into my life. Not fair.

“Hey Peter.” I said, painfully. James, Remus and Sirius all swivled their pretty heads to look at me.

“Who are you?” James demanded. Remus shook his head at his friend’s faux-pas and Sirius laughed loudly.

“I was sitting here first.” I answered him.

“That doesn’t really answer the question, love.” Sirius spoke up. My eyes grew large at the sound of his voice. Oh Jesus, maybe I was beginning to understand why everyone was obsessed with him.

“This is Hope Khol.” Peter of all people spoke up, proudly. “She’s the girl whose grandparents I stayed with during this summer.” The three boys nodded. I got the feeling that they didn’t really listen to Peter’s stories about his summer.

“You said she was shoddy looking.” James said with a raised eyebrow. Peter blushed brilliantly and I frowned. So I wasn’t a tall, blonde and sexy Ravenclaw slut but I wasn’t shoddy looking. I pushed a long strand of jet black hair behind my ears.

“Thanks Peter.” I glared at him and he made some strange noise of nervousness. I think it was “eep!”

“I didn’t say she was shoddy!” Peter exclaimed. “Stop it Prongs! You’re making it up!”

“No way, Wormy. You said the girl was shoddy looking.”

“That’s because she was always hiding so I never got to see her!” James and Peter argued between themselves. Peter was turning redder by the second as James continued to laugh to himself.

“Needless to say, I think it’s obvious that you’re not shoddy looking.” Remus Lupin said kindly to me. Sirius nodded.

“Not at all.” He looked at me. Even though it was Sirius Black and he was gorgeous, he was being a complete pervert. Remus obviously noticed and hit Sirius in the stomach.

“Cut it out Padfoot.”

“What’s wrong Moony?” Sirius fake pouted. (an example of the whole flirting with guys thing) “So you don’t mind if we sit here, do you Hope?” Oh! The flirting had come back to me. I shook my head and Sirius smiled.

“Great! Boys, take a seat!” Sirius plopped down right across from me. Remus sat next to him and I would up next to James, with Peter close to the door. He was probably looking for the trollly witch. Shoddy, shoddy. Stupid.