A/N: Hey, there! I'm Athena and this is the first fanfiction I've written on this shared account. I've had this idea for about a year now and I've finally decided to put it up. I hope you enjoy and leave a review, if you like, especially if you've got a question, or leave us a PM. :) Enjoy.
CHAPTER ONE: All Aboard
Parents waved their children goodbye as they boarded the train with large smiles on their faces, mothers embarrassing their children by kissing them before they leave them for months, teenagers running around the station as they threw magical sweets at each other, laughing loudly. Among these happy students was a very nervous eleven-year-old. Artemis Tenson, with her pixie-cut blonde hair and stormy blue-grey eyes, gaped at the magical, eye-catching red-coloured train that was slowly being boarded. She turned round to look at the clock; ten-fifty-five. Five more long, dragging minutes to endure before being ridden off to a school she'd been told stories about for almost a decade...and it frightened her. It frightened her so much. You see, Artemis- or Arty, as she likes to be called- was a witch. She was about to go to an incredibly prestigious wizarding school called Hogwarts. Her adoptive father told her stories about the castle, stories about things he'd experienced whilst being a student there. Her father, Joe, was a wizard, too. Arty's parents had died, and she was an orphan at a young age, and so taken into foster care at the tender age of five. Soon, though, Joe came along. He had noticed something special about her; she was different. She could move things without thinking about it or touching it. So that's why he chose her- and there was an instant connection.
Ever since their first day together, the two were as close as they could be. She was homeschooled by him, until now. The day she'd been waiting for since she was five years old. Breathing heavily, fidgiting with the zip of her green hoodie, she felt a cold hand on her neck.
"Are you ready, sweetie?" Joe asked, his voice low. He, too, was nervous. Why wouldn't he be? His daughter would be gone for four months.
"Er...I think so..." Arty replied nervously, sighing. "Look," Joe bent down to be face-to-face with Arty. "It may seem scary at first- Heck, I felt exactly the same when I was your age. You're not the only frightened one. You see all of these other kids-" he gestured to the other small children, staring at the Hogwarts Express in fright. "-so are they. You're not alone. I guarantee you will make a friend by the end of the week. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Also, Hogwarts is really pretty...much like someone I know." Arty smiled. He always knew how to do that, no matter the situation. "Now, remember, Arty, send me a letter every week, I want to know everything." Joe told her, in a lighter tone.
"I will. But, dad..." there was a question insesantly itching her brain. "...What if I'm not in Gryffindor, like you were?"
"I don't care what house you're in. I know you're a wonderful person and I know you'll benefit whatever house you get put into. I'll still love you." Joe said.
"I love you, dad." Arty said, beaming.
"I love you, too, sweetheart." he replied, kissing her cheek. "Now, get on that train before it leaves otherwise you'll be stuck with me."
Arty pulled her trunk to the train and waved at her father. Just then, she bumped into someone else, causing her trunk to fall onto the platform.
"Bye-Oh, my goodness, I'm so sorry!" the girl said. Arty looked up- the girl had wavy, brown hair and dark brown eyes. She seemed to be already in her uniform- everything but her robes. She helped Arty pick up her trunk and put it back onto the train.
"It's fine." Arty said, smiling at her.
"I'm sorry. I'm Imogen Clarke." the girl held out her hand and Arty grabbed it and shook it.
"I'm Artemis Tenson, but call me Arty." she replied.
The two girls dragged their heavy trunks with them as they searched for an empty compartment. Arty noticed one and pointed it out to Imogen but was pushed aside by a tall Slytherin boy who was followed into the compartment with his three other Slytherin friends. The girls scowled, but carried on looking for an empty compartment. Thankfully,they finally found one. Two helpful Hufflepuffs put their trunks on the shelf above the window.
"So..." Arty started the awkward conversation. "Where are you from?"
"London. You?" Imogen answered.
"Me, too. Are you a Pureblood?" Arty asked.
"No, I'm Muggle born." Imogen replied.
"Oh, okay. I'm Pureblood but I don't care about blood types. I learnt that from my dad. He's pretty cool." Arty couldn't help smiling.
"Ah, that's nice." Imogen said. There was an awkward silence.
The train started moving. Arty and Imogen jumped up and opened the window, eager to wave their parents goodbye. Imogen noticed her parents and little sister and waved violently, almost hitting Arty in the face, making the two laugh. Arty waved at her father, but in what felt like an instant, they'd left Platform 9 3/4. They were alone.
"What are you looking forward to at Hogwarts?" Imogen asked, as the two sat back down opposite each other on the soft red seats.
"Well, my dad told me that when he went there, everybody really liked Defence Against the Dark Arts and that sounds really interesting. You?"
"Defence Against the Arts, too, but I like the look of Herbology. Oh, and Charms. Potions seems interesting, too. I can't choose, I'm really excited. What house do you want to be in? I can't choose them either!" Imogen said excitedly.
"Oh," Arty was taken aback by her enthusiasm. "I don't mind. My dad doesn't seem to be so bothered, either, so..."
"Yeah, I get it. Have you read any books? At Diagon Alley, I basically just went all out at Flourish and Blotts. I got Hogwarts: A History and I've nearly finished it. It's amazing. Did you know the ceiling in the Great Hall is enchanted to resemble the sky outside?" Imogen chuckled. Arty couldn't help it, but that was interesting.
"Really?! How did they do that?"
For the first hour, the two girls spoke about Hogwarts and their families and the two had become fast friends.
"Anything from the trolley, dears?" a sweet old lady opened the compartment door, with a trolley full of sweets. Arty and Imogen gave each other a look.
"Can we have Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and some Chocolate Frogs, please?" Arty asked. The lady gave them two packets of Every Flavour Beans and two boxes of Chocolate Frogs before giving them a sweet smile and leaving, closing the door behind her. Imogen unpacked the beans and tasted a green one. Arty watched in amusement as Imogen screwed up her face and started coughing. "It's like...like ear wax!" Imogen said, laughing. Arty tried a yellow one and started choking before spitting the bean out, chuckling and wiping her mouth. "What was that one?" Imogen asked, giggling.
"Vomit!" The two started to laugh harder than before and could barely breathe after their laughing fit.
"How old's your sister?" Arty asked, after finishing her Chocolate Frog almost an hour after their fit. "She's seven. And really annoying." Imogen replied. "I didn't ask you this before, but what did your parents do when they found out you're a witch?"
"A woman called McGonagall came and explained to them and after about two days of trying to convince them, they came round to it. Eventually, my mum tried to make me ignite the stove and cook the food." Imogen laughed. "My dad's a doctor so he was more sceptic about it than my mum. My mum works as a florist at a shop at our local high street. She was...open-minded, I guess you could say."
"Cool. You could work as a Healer. A magical doctor, that is." Arty said.
"I'm not into medical things. I don't really know what I want to do after school." Imogen replied.
"Me too!" Arty said. "I wanted to be Quidditch player but a couple of years ago, I broke my leg after stealing my dad's broom. That was it for me."
"Oh, no!" Imogen said, supressing a laugh.
"Oi! I know you're pretending! You big meanie!" Arty giggled, throwing beans at her face. Imogen gasped and threw them back at her. Arty threw more at her, hitting Imogen's nose. This went on for a while.
Needless to say, they had made friends quite quickly.
A/N: I hope you liked that. The next chapters will be better, I hope. Next chapter will be the Sorting! Oooh, exciting...Have a nice week!