There was something eerie about sitting in a confined space by yourself with the distant chatter of people dotted all around you.

That was what Robyn thought. Though, she didn't quite know why. Maybe it was because she was isolated? But she soon brushed off the idea and shook her head at her own stupidity, her hair shaking with her as if the single strands agree with her.

She has been isolated her whole life and she doesn't even know why. She didn't know what she did for everyone to hate her. And it infuriated her. It confused her. But as her eye's followed the lush green grass and the trees zooming past through her compartment window, it calmed her down, stopped the nagging thoughts in her head. Made her feel content. She brought her knees up to her chin and sighed. Not a sad one nor a happy one. Just a sigh.

She wasn't happy here. She shouldn't be here. She should be allowed to enjoy her school year happily, laughing with people. Having friends. But that never seemed to happen. Not even after three years. How pathetic.

Robyn let out a little chuckle at herself. Anyone else would have thought she was insane if they saw her, but she was completely normal. Too normal. Nothing exciting ever happened in her life. The first actual exciting thing to happen to her was magic but even that got normal eventually. She just wanted to feel something more than loneliness and sadness. That's what Robyn has felt most of her life. The only time she is really happy is when she is with her family. But her parents are always away on work trips and her brother is always at the Ministry. Her whole family is magic, so when Robyn did eventually get her letter, it didn't come as much of a surprise as she had been around magic since she was little.

She wanted to feel like any other student. She wanted to feel loved, happy. She wanted to feel like she had a meaning to this world. She wanted to feel adrenaline. She wanted to feel a rush of fear run through her veins. She wanted to feel anything. But all she has ever done is watch from a distance as everyone else felt what she so desperately wanted. She couldn't even start a conversation without stuttering. She couldn't do anything. She was useless. Pointless.

Robyn squeezed her eye's shut, trying to block out the words that were running around her head at rocket speed, trying to remind her that she has no place in the world. But instead of clearing her head of the nagging thoughts, a tear trickled down her cheek and onto her knee. Another followed after and then another. She was crying. She was all alone.

She wanted someone to wrap their arms around her and tell her soothing words. But nothing but coldness surrounded her as if trying to remind her of how alone she is. Robyn cried and cried, her body physical shaking and the inside breaking. But after crying for what Robyn thought was hours and was only about thirty minutes, she felt her eye's start to droop. She soon found herself fast asleep, dreaming of freedom.

>>>

Turbulence awoke Robyn from her restless slumber as the train jolted about, causing many students from other compartments to poke their heads out in curiosity and try to find out what's going on.

Robyn stood with a groan, stretching out her limbs as some of her joints cracked with happiness. She rolled her head around, feeling a tight knot in her neck. Once the knot loosened, she let her own curiosity get the better of her and ended up poking her own head out of her compartment but another jolt in the train shook her as it began to slow down.

Things went spooky as Robyn tried to look for any clue to the unexpected stop but after not finding anything, she began her journey to see if the driver had anything to do with it. The chatter of the train rose as people's curiosity and confusion began to spark. Robyn kept her head down as she passed the ongoing compartments, not wanting to make any eye contact. But as luck is never on her side, another shudder racked through the train as a loud screeching sound could be heard.

The sudden sharp movement in the train caused Robyn to loose her footing. The compartment doors slid open as the train tried to find it's balance. Robyn let out a squeal as her feet got tangled in midair, not finding anything to hold onto. Her hands flew around her frantically, trying to grip onto something, onto anything. Nothing but air greeted her and she cursed herself for her own clumsiness and lack of coordination. She tumbled into a compartment and fell straight onto the floor but as she was falling, she tried to grab onto something and that something was the luggage compartment, so as she tumbled to the floor, the bags fell on her too. She let out a groan as her eye's stayed locked shut, too embarrassed to open them.

This is why you have no friends Robyn.

The thought ran through her head but a gasp caused her to shoot her eye's open and jump slightly.

"Are you okay?"

Three people looked down at her in concern, curiosity and amusement. Robyn just stared back at the three people like a deer caught in headlights. Her face slowly heated up as she let out an awkward cough, too embarrassed to do anything else. She nodded mutely.

"Are you hurt?"

This question came from the same boy who asked her the first question. Her eye's locked with his. His piercing green eye's locking with her soft hazel ones. The question caught Robyn off guard as no one has ever checked to see if she was okay. No one has ever cared or looked concerned for her. She felt like she could burst into tears at any moment.

Robyn wanted to reply to Harry's questions but all that came out of her mouth was a squeak. That was when Robyn broke the eye contact with him, once again embarrassed. Hermione and Ron also stood over her and Robyn was beginning to get quite uncomfortable. So, she shifted. And the trio seemed to get the hint as they jumped a bit and then started to apologise, trying to push all their luggage off of her.

Once Robyn was finally free from the heavy luggage, she felt so guilty but happy. She felt guilty for intruding on them and messing up their luggage but she felt happy because some people actually felt concern for her. And not only that, Robyn has been sitting on the sidelines her whole life. She knew everyone but no one knew her, so she was happy because she got to meet the people she wishes she could be like. But as Robyn stood in the compartment, the others had sat down after putting all their luggage away, Robyn helped obviously, she felt heat rise to her cheek's again.

She wanted to ask a million questions. She didn't know where to start. But nothing was coming out of her mouth. Nothing was escaping her lips. Once again, her shyness had got to her. The whole ordeal had got to her and her troubling shyness managed to get to her again, leaving her silent. She wanted to stay but knew she had to leave but she didn't want to leave without apologising.

So, her feet started to creep there way to the door and in seconds she felt the compartment door pressing against her back. Her hand felt for the handle. But when she found it, she didn't open it. She wanted to but her arms and legs wouldn't move.

"I-I'm sorry," The words flew out her mouth in a rushed mess and the trio looked at her in astonishment and shock. Everyone knew she never talked. All her life Robyn thought no one knew of her existence but yet they did. And they knew she was very shy.

"Pardon?"

This time it was Hermione who talked, and Robyn looked at her feet as Hermione did a double take. Robyn's hand rubbed the back of her neck as she looked up timidly.

"I-urm....I-....I-I said I was s-sorry." Robyn stuttered, sighing in frustration, wishing she could be more confident.

Robyn slid the compartment door open but once again as she was leaving, the train shook again, shooting Robyn back into the trio's compartment, her back hitting the far wall.

"Oww!" Robyn let out a groan, though there was humor in her voice.

"Are you alright?"

Robyn nodded, smiling at the irony of the situation.

Robyn had now remembered why she had left her compartment in the first place; to see what was going on. But she had completely forgot from the events that followed shortly after. A chill ran down her spine as the atmosphere turned spooky once again and the sun decided to hide behind a cloud, making outside worse than inside the train.

A dozen bursting noises made everyone jump as the lights in the train exploded, leaving darkness to surround them. A hand suddenly grabbed hers and Robyn took in a sharp intake, goosebumps travelling up her arm. The hand pulled her into a seat, and Robyn felt grateful for it as Ron let out a whimper, as he stared out into the dark of the outside.

Robyn soon found out it was Harry who pulled her into a seat and she felt something weird ignite in her stomach.

"What's going on?" Ron finally spoke for the first time.

"Dunno... Maybe we've broken down?" Harry shrugged, having no idea what was going on. Darkness continued to surround them and Robyn wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to keep warm. Their breaths came out in clouds as they all struggled to keep warm.

"Ouch! Ron, that was my foot!" Hermione exlaimed, shifting away from Ron but Ron was too busy looking outside, a terrified look spread across his face. Robyn felt a sick feeling in her stomach as fear ran through her veins. Maybe there was a reason why she never got caught up in these situations. All her life she dreamed she would be able to go on a life threatening situation with Hermione, Ron and Harry but now she wasn't so sure if she was ready.

"There's something moving out there. I think... people are coming aboard." Ron squeaked, his voice an octave higher than usual. Robyn let out a shaky breath.

"O-okay....T-This is scary." Robyn looked around cautiously, not embarrassed by admitting she was scared. She took out her wand in one swift movement and whispered:

"L-Lumos."

A blinding bright ball of light appeared at the end of Robyn's wand and everyone let out a sigh of relief. She waved her wand by the window, squinting to see something out there. Something to make Ron seem less delusional. A flash of black and a face was all Robyn needed to let out a scream and retract her wand. She stared at the window in shock.

"Y-yeah, definitely s-something out there."

Robyn's stuttering didn't bother her anymore as the shock of today and what was happening built up on her. But although she was terrified, one thought ran through her mind and one thought only ....

F I N A L L Y