Scum 4 (Patreon)

Scum
Chapter 4

-VB-

Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Because of how close the train ride deadline had been, I got three hours to pack everything I wanted, spent two hours in transition and paperwork, half an hour stop to get my wand that I didn’t even pay attention to, and then got dropped to take the train at the 9 ½ Platform.

The gaggling, giggling, and gasping crowd around me irritated me to no end. I gave Theodore one nod that I could before stomping into the Hogwarts Train with two hard luggage with expansion charms. 

I quickly picked out a room and holed myself up in it after using my not-so-insignificant magical might to toss the luggage up into the luggage rack above my head. 

Then I sat down and …

Grumble, grumble, grumble.

I spent a full fucking year in my house, and couldn’t work on it anymore, because the bloody cops were pulling the “law” ticket on me.

Grumble, grumble, grumble.

I thought wizards didn’t give a shit about national borders, only their “wizarding” ones!

I paused before waving my hand - wandless - at the door, and formed a shimmering, swirling, and nearly transparent blue barrier over the entrance.

This cabin was mine now.

-VB-

I woke up to the sharp train whistle.

The train was arriving at Hogwarts, soon.

Pulling myself up, I looked around and saw no one in the cabin. Good. I glanced over and saw the barrier still there, so I dismissed it with a wave of my hand.

I put on the Hogwarts uniform robe and stood up as the train came to a stop. I ignored the chatter of the children around me as I followed them out of the cabins and into the Hogwarts ground.

“First years here! First years here!” 

I followed the deep voice and came face to face with the famous half-giant of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid. 

“Hey, that’s the half-giant momma warned me about,” someone whispered behind me.

Hagrid obviously heard it, and he looked around to see who said it. He was upset, of course. 

So I took the choice to step out of the way, so that the kid who was still talking got a direct line of sight with Hagrid. 

The half-giant and the kid met eyes, and I swear I saw the kid freeze like deer in the headlights. 

Hagrid harrumphed.

“Four to a boat!” he shouted, and his irritation showed in his tone. 

I walked over to the boat at the far edge of the line-up, got in, and waited. 

To my surprise, the same kid that was shit-talking Hagrid just loud enough for everyone to hear stomped toward my boat and glared at me.

Blonde-haired, brown-eyed, a little on the short side, and freckled. 

I knew not a single person with those descriptions or her face. 

“What’s wrong with you?!” she hissed at me as she got into the boat. 

“What?” I asked irritably. Was she going to be bugging me over this?

“You made me look at him!” she hissed. To my surprise, the boat just took off on its own. How nice. Convenient. 

Actually, inconvenient, because I was now stuck with a baby banshee growling at me like a Grim.

If only Grims were this pathetic…

“You were shit-talking him behind my back,” I drawled lazily as I rolled onto my side with how much space we had in the boat. “Why the hell would I let the groundskeeper’s ire come my way when you’re the cause of it?”

“What?” she frowned. “Groundskeeper?”

“Your dumb parents didn’t tell you?” I asked rhetorically. “Rubeus Hagrid is the man Dumbledore depends on.”

Depend was a strong word for what was Hagrid’s position and value to Dumbledore. He was a pity case that Dumbledore used for an easy ally. 

‘I personally wouldn’t exactly call someone of Hagrid’s nature a good “ally,” though,’ I thought to myself. 

“You mean Dumbledore’s lackey,” she spat with a frown. 

“So?” I asked. “And that concerns you how?”

She hesitated and then faltered. “W-Well, momma said Dumbledore is trying to make people do stuff they don’t want to. And not allow people to do stuff we used to.”

“Ah, so it’s about politics, huh?” I grunted irritably. “I knew coming here was a mistake. Hogwarts is too fucking political.”

“Why are you so crass?” she whined.

“I’m American. Deal with it.”

She scrunched up her nose. 

“... Evelyn MacDougal. Pureblood.”

“Alan Marris. Related to Parkinsons. Not a pleasure to meet you.”

She glared at me, and our boat ride across the Black Lake to Hogwarts was blissfully silent afterwards.

I also made an enemy before I even got sorted. Woo hoo~... Hogwarts fucking special, everyone. 

-VB-

“What’s his problem?” Evelyn grumbled as she lined up with the other first year students of Hogwarts while the boy she shared the boat with lazily joined the end of the line. 

Where was the respect and awe she deserved as the daughter of a Pureblood family who gave much to the Wizarding World? 

This was the problem with mu- muggleborn. They were wholly unaware of the Wizarding World, unwilling to learn in many cases, and all of them uncultured! 

… He did, however, say that he was related to the Parkinsons. 

She had a letter to write tonight. 

She stared up at the castle as one of the professors, Professor McGonagall, led her and the rest of the First Years through the halls. 

And then the gate to the Great Hall opened, and she found herself staring up at the starry ceiling in wonder, and it was at this moment that her indignation and irritation lifted away as the wonder of being at Hogwarts settled in.

Then she saw the Sorting Hat. 

It would be what decided where she would go. 

She eagerly waited for her name as Professor McGonagall read down the list of students alphabetically. 

And then it was her turn!

“MacDougal, Evelyn!”

She stepped up, her heart pounding as she walked up the hall, then stepped up the raised dais, and finally, sat down upon the stool. She shivered a little, looking at all of the eyes set upon her, and then the professor finally put the hat down onto her head. 

“I-”

Hmm. It has been a while since I’ve had to sort a MacDougal. 

“I-”

A lot of spunk on this one. 

She frowned. “Are you going to interrupt me every time I try to talk?”

You speak as if you are even aware of what you want. 

“I do.”

…Well?

“I want to make the Wizarding World great again, and I don’t want to be mean about it.”

… A very good outlook. Now, not everyone will agree with you, you realize that?

“Doesn’t mean I won’t try my best!”

Then you deserve to be in … SLYTHERIN!

She smiled as she bounced out of her chair and walked over to the house in the right of the hall, who clapped for her. 

“Marris, Alan!”

Evelyn paused after she sat down, because there was a hubbub among the professors and older students. What’s going on? 

“Hey, why are all of you so focused on that meanie?” she asked an older student sitting right next to her.

He looked at her with wide eyes. “You haven’t heard yet?”

“Heard what?”

“Marris, related to Parkinson.”

“Yeah, I was in the same boat as him. What about him?”

“He’s from America. Already killed a bunch of muggles.”

She froze.

“K-K-Killed?”

“Yeah, and the American aurors told my uncle about how he was ready to kill them when they tried to enter his house.”

Her eyes widened as her stomach dropped. 

“He’s one to watch out for,” the older student went on as if they weren’t discussing a monster. 

Then the entire hall stiffened in surprise when the Sorting Hat burst out laughing, and then it quieted down and somberly announced its decision. 

“RAVENCLAW!” 

Everyone clapped politely, and the boy merely looked exasperated instead of excited or nervous like everyone else. 

“What’s so special about a murderer?” she grumbled. 

“Aside from apparently being able to cast wandless magic?”

She froze.

… Oh.

That was a big deal.