Tanya Degurechaff’s Hogwarts Adventure

Tanya Degurechaff

Clothes shopping was not an activity I ever derived much joy from. In my first life I had purchased quality items that needed replacing infrequently with traditional cuts that would not go out of fashion quickly. During my second life, I wore uniforms and while for a time that meant I needed to have them tailored due to being very small, eventually I was able to just purchase standard uniform items. Even after leaving the military, I found myself regularly employed in positions with specific requirements that made my choices simple with little consideration to looks.

For the first years of this life, I had little choice in my outfit due to the limits of the orphanage's funds and the generosity of donated clothing. For the first time in multiple lives, I was given a chance to build my wardrobe to my preferences and I found the experience exhausting. Asking Professor Burbage why there was no standardized sizing to the clothes that would help me find clothes appropriately sized, she explained that most of the magic users had spells for minor alterations and that most clothing made in the Magical World was made to order.

Which meant I had to try on every article of clothing that caught my eye. Thankfully my day uniform for classes was already included with the robes we would be wearing, but for casual wear outside is classes and the weekends I was left to my own devices with only a few general guidelines from the Professor. Reasonable restrictions like not being too short or showing too much skin. Restrictions that I was comfortable following because I did not have to conform to gender outfits.

Was it too much for clothes designed for women to include pockets? To include a place to hold house keys, a wallet, maybe a bag of candy coated chocolates. While bags, purses, and satchels have their uses, a casual exertion to get a coffee at the corner shop or a regular day at a job should not require such a bulky object to hold a few items. Especially with how easy such bags were to steal or lose somewhere.

While I did not know how much I would need pockets during the weekends, it was better to have and not need than need and have a bulky bag getting in my way. To that end, I needed to go back to Diagon Alley to see if a few items were available. Briefly looking through my schoolbooks, it was clear wand work was a major part of most of the lessons. While the foci was different and the methods unusual, the analogue to the orbs from my second life was an apt comparison. Magic could be performed without an intermediary, but the output was significantly lessened to the point certain spells were rendered unusable. As such, my wand was an important equipment item that needed care and maintenance. Care and maintenance that I did not have supplies or training for. Perhaps these items would be provided and plentiful at the school, but I did not survive my second life by being unprepared and with equipment in poor shape. I would not let it occur in this life either.

Asking for permission to leave because some items were forgotten was a simple endeavor. Particularly as I was left with the remainder of my first year orphan funds, the point was simplified that I would not require any funds from donations and my meals for the day could go to the other children who would not be able to purchase a meal out of their own pocket. I was made to promise that I would be careful, but a smile and some assurances that I would be fine saw to it that the Head Matriarch aloud me to leave on my own.

The trip over was just as uneventful, though I had to walk as I did not have a pass this time for the underground and had no pounds to purchase one. I would see to it that a few galleons were exchanged just in case something turned up while I was in the 'Muggle' world as Professor Burbage called it.

After a quick meal at the Leaky Cauldron, I began wandering my way through Diagon Alley, looking for a shop that might have the items I was looking for. Spotting a household cleaning supply shop, I decided to check in there first. At the very least, one cleaning shop would likely be able to point me towards a different one that has the goods I needed.

"Hello Deary," the elderly lady running the counter greeted me as I stepped in. "Did your mother send you in to get her some supplies?"

"Mom is dead," I answered crisply, correcting an incorrect assumption. "I was actually just coming in to see if you could direct me to where I might find a kit or supplies to take care of the wand I just got."

I ignored the expression on the lady's face and the apology she gave. Not having a mother was nothing new for me. After her apology was made she gave me the directions I needed and I thanked her.

Following the instructions, I found the shop and was able to procure a wand servicing kit, which amounted to items to clean and polish the wand as if was just a fancy wooden decoration, but was surely more useful than just keeping the wand looking pretty. They also had a few holsters marketed as a way to not blow a buttock off in case of misfiring while in a back pocket. A sensible reason for purchasing one. The salesperson tried up selling me on all sorts charms that could be included for only minimal fees, but I was able to avoid all that by explaining I was only looking for a basic model for my time at school and whatever was cheapest would be fine. I did make mention of returning at a later time when I was prepared for an upgrade, which seemed to perk the man up some.

Having achieved my shopping goal, and spotting a cafe, I decided that I could afford a treat before returning to the Orphanage and preparing for my trip to school. The nuns don't need to know about one little cup of coffee.

—-

On September 1st, bright and early, the Head Matriarch drove me to King's Cross Station where I followed Professor Burbage's instructions for locating Platform 9 3/4, where a large red train was waiting.

—-

Harry Potter *

Having made it to the platform, Harry Potter began to make his way down looking for an empty seat. Getting towards the back, he spotted a cabin that only had a single girl that looked to be his age in it.

"Um, excuse me, would it be ok if I took one of those seats?" Harry asked the girl.

A pair of bright blue eyes stared down at him. Harry felt like a mouse in front of a snake, the hairs on the back of his neck raising. With a nod of her head, the tension broke.

"You going to need some help getting your trunk up?" She asked.

Harry gave her a smile. "Yes. Thank you."

The girl stood and met him at the back of the carriage. With her help the trunk was put up into the storage rack and Hedwig was safely secured.

"Thank you. I am Harry."

"Tanya," the girl said as she took up her seat again. Harry did not feel she was simply looking out the window, her gaze seeming to sweep the platform. "We should be leaving shortly."

"Are your family full of wizards?" Harry asked, curious about his traveling companion.

"Don't know. Dead as far as I know. You?"

Harry looked at his hands, his cheeks reddening as he knew how hard it could be dealing with dead parents. "My parents are dead. Both were apparently magical, but my aunt and uncle are not."

A sardonic smile appeared on Tanya's face. "A pair of orphans, huh? I take it you live with your relatives though?"

Harry frowned as he thought about his relatives, and the mutual dislike they all shared. "I wish I didn't. They are horrible."

Tanya looked at Harry again, the hairs on his neck raising again. Looking back, Harry refused to break eye contact.

"Perhaps we should drop this topic," Tanya said.

"Yes," Harry agreed after a moment.

The staring match was broken when the train started moving.

"Do you know how long the ride will be?" Tanya asked.

Harry shook his head, trying to think of Hagrid had mentioned anything.

"We should probably go ahead and put on our uniforms then. Best to make a good first impression with the faculty."

Tanya got up and began to dig through her trunk, quickly grabbing her clothes. As she was closing her trunk, the door opened up.

A young redheaded boy, the youngest boy of the family that helped Harry into the platform, was looking in. "Is anyone sitting there? Everywhere else is full."

"You can have it, but first the two of you need to wait outside while I change."

Harry's face flushed red as he pushed the other boy out and closed the door behind himself.

"Hey Ron," an older redhead, one of the twins of the family, called out.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train," the other said.

"Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," Ron mumbled.

Harry kept his head down, staying close to the door.

"What are the two of you doing outside that cabin?" One of the twins asked.

"A girl is changing in there, so we are waiting until she is done," Harry said, his cheeks flushed. The twins looked at each other with grins beginning to grow. As one was about to open his mouth, the door slid open and Tanya wearing her black school robes strode out, her hat sitting neatly in her spot.

"Your turn," she said as she traded places with Harry.

"I'll need to get my uniform," Ron said with a blush.

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Go." Her voice came out like an order. Full of confidence that she will be obeyed without question.

"You heard the little lady little Ronnikens," One of the twins said, putting an arm around his brother.

The other did the same and began dragging the young boy away. "Indeed. We have to get you all dressed up right."

With the redheads heading off, Harry went into the cabin alone, dug out his uniform, and got dressed. Opening the door, he let Tanya back into the cabin. Following her gaze, he saw that they were out of London now and beginning to pass through the hillside of the country.

"This is my first train ride. Did you get much chance?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Tanya's hand balled into a fist that she placed on the window. Harry did not think she didn't hear him, but the silence dragged on for a moment before she turned to look at him.

"I've been on a few trains. It was always the best part of the trip."

"Really? Why?"

Tanya looked out the window again, her eyes looking unfocused. "Peace."

Harry could understand why someone would enjoy a bit of peace. His family rarely gave him any, but those quiet moments where they left him alone was better than when they gave him a lot of attention. A little depressing at times, but still better in a way.

Harry joined her in watching the scenery pass by until the door opened again and the Ron came back. His eyes were a bit watery.

"Are you alright?" Tanya asked, her eyes focused again. Harry's arm hairs closest to Ron raising.

"I don't like spiders," Ron answered with a shiver. Shaking his head, Ron snapped himself out of his funk. "Anyways, I'm Ron. Ron Weasley."

"Tanya Degurechaff."

"Harry. Uh, Harry Potter." Ron's eyes grew wide at hearing Harry's name. Tanya's eyes narrowed at Ron's reaction.

"No way. You're him? Do you, do you have the…?" Ron trailed off as he indicated his forehead. Harry lifted the bangs of his hair, showing the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Pardon me for interrupting whatever this is, but how do you know Harry and that he has a scar if you have never met before?" Tanya asked, her glare at Ron causing all of Harry's hairs to stand on end.

"You don't know who Harry Potter is?" Ron asked with glee in his voice.

"I am an orphan and have not exactly had a chance to keep up with the news in the Magical World."

"Oh." All the excitement left Ron as he realized he seemed to have made a mistake. Looking over at Harry he flinched slightly as he seemed to piece together he was the only one in the compartment with a family. "Well, Harry defeated You-Know-Who."

"Who?"

"Voldemort," Harry answered Tanya's question.

"And who is Voldemort?"

Harry could see Ron was gaping and was not ready to answer. "A dark wizard who killed my parents when I was a baby. Apparently I defeated him when he tried to kill me and got left this scar."

Tanya scoffed at Harry's story. "More likely your parents and this Voldemort person killed each other and you got hit by shrapnel."

Harry raised his hands, acknowledging the point. "You are probably right. I don't remember anything of it other than a green light."

After a moment of silence Ron spoke up. "You two said his name."

"I'm not trying to be brave saying Vold- You-Know-Who's name. I just never know you shouldn't," Harry explained, shifting in mid-sentence at Ron's gasp.

"Why shouldn't we say Voldemort's name?"

Ron flinched at the use of the name. "It is bad luck."

Tanya took on a thoughtful pose. "Normally I would write such superstitions off as an illogical flight of fancy, but considering our textbooks not only mention, but will teach us curses, I suppose there could be a curse tied to the name." Tanya looked at Harry and the hairs on the back of good neck raised again. "It would be wise of us to take caution and follow the social norms until such time we are certain about the validity of such superstitions."

Harry nodded in agreement as he adjusted himself in the seat.

The three children took a moment to sit in silence until Harry started asking about Ron's family, the conversation beginning to meander around various topics as Tanya asked a few questions about various things Ron brought up.

At a bit past noon, the clattering of a cart coming down the corridor heralded the arrival of an elderly lady pushing a food cart. "Anything off the cart dears?"

Ron's ears went pink and he muttered he had sandwiches. Harry had not had breakfast and leapt to his feet. Tanya stood up and looked over the options briefly before asking about coffee, getting a shake off the head.

Harry was not used to having any pocket money and not seeing any candies he recognized, decided to buy some of each. Harry dumped the lot onto an empty seat as Ron pulled out a lumpy bag that had several sandwiches and Tanya pulled out a wrapped sandwich of her own.

"She always forgets I don't like corned beef." Ron complained.

"How do you feel about turkey?" Tanya asked showing her sandwich off.

"I like it better. You want to trade?"

"Yes."

"I'll trade for one too," Harry said, offering a pasty he had just bought.

"You sure?" Ron seemed skeptical. Harry has never had anything to share or anyone to share with and was enjoying the feeling.

"Yeah, take one. You too," Harry tossed both of his traveling companions pasties as he bit into one of his own.

"Thank you," Tanya said. Her eyes watching Harry carefully as she bit into the pasty. Again, her focus raised the hairs on the back of Harry's neck as he was being studied.

Harry waved the thanks off and the three of them got to work eating Harry's pile of snacks, Ron explaining what all the different snacks were.

After some time and a large dent made into the pile of treats, a round faced boy opened the compartment door.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" He asked.

When the three shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"Didn't you say your brother is a perfect?" Tanya asked Ron.

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

"Come along, your brother should be able to help. It is one of his responsibilities," Tanya said, bringing the two other boys along with her, leaving Harry alone in the compartment.

He looked out a window, watching the scenery that was forests and rivers now. A smile appeared on his lips as he thought that he had made his first two friends and there was no Dudley around to scare them away.

As he was thinking on that, a bushy haired girl opened the compartment door. "Have you seen a toad? Neville has lost one."

"No, but Tanya and Ron went with him to find Ron's brother. He's a prefect and should be able to help."

The girl bit her lip with her slightly oversized teeth. "I should have thought of that," she said angrily to herself as she closed the door and wandered off.

Harry went back to watching the scenery go by until Ron and Tanya returned, having successfully helped Neville get his toad back through Ron's brother. They went back to talking, mostly Ron explaining things about the Wizarding World with Tanya and Harry mostly just asking questions about things Ron mentioned.

The sun was nearly set when the announcement they were five minutes from arriving came into the intercom system and that all students should leave their belongings on the train. With that warning, the three students began putting away Harry's leftover snacks into pockets.

* Read the first book up to Harry arrives at the platform. I am not recapping all of that when nothing important changes.