1. THE GIRL WHO FEARED

"You'll be a good girl, won't you?"

"..."

"Did you hear me, darling? Daddy is trying to say something important."

"..."

"Answer me, Alexandra Persephone Worthington."

"You don't have to use my whole name, Father. I'm listening."

"Fine. Alex."

Alex, sighing, gave her father a curt nod to show that she was indeed paying attention. He smiled from ear to ear, revealing teeth that were a bit too perfect and white. She could almost see her reflection in them.

"Come here for a moment. I think you've got some of this morning's breakfast stuck between your teeth."

"It's fine, Father," she said quietly. "You're embarrassing me."

Not that the numerous families swelling platform nine and three-quarters could hear their conversation over the whirring engines of the Hogwarts Express. Powerful spurts of steam shot out the top of the scarlet train, which rared to begin another voyage to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alex hoped she would soon join it if it meant getting away from the man fiddling with her clothing.

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Father. You don't have to..."

"Ah! I was correct. Let me just get that out of your teeth while I'm here."

"F-Father! No! Please, you're—stop it!"

Too late. Nigel Worthington, giving no mind to the curious glances thrown his way, put his fingers into his daughter's mouth and retrieved a piece of cabbage stuck between her incisors. He took another look to make sure he didn't miss anything. Mortified, Alex tried to shove him off. Being a scrawny, eleven-year-old girl had its disadvantages.

"All better," chimed Nigel with a chuckle. Patting his daughter's straight, black hair, he added, "Now then, time for you to hop on the train. You'll be on your way to Hogwarts in no time. Remember to brush your teeth at least three...scratch that...four times a day, floss, don't eat any abrasive foods, use plenty of mouthwash and..."

"I get it, Father!" Alex shouted much louder than she meant. Drawing stares again, she lowered her head. "Please! I'll be fine."

Her father always did have an unhealthy obsession with teeth, really unhealthy. He liked to study them, prod them, watch as they chewed food. The Worthington basement was filled with magical posters of teeth and famous witches and wizards who Nigel claimed had 'the kind of choppers everyone should aspire for.' Whatever that meant. He always stated that if he was born a Muggle, he would be a 'dentist' or whatever in the world that was. Alex usually tried her best not to ask as it would get her father started on a lengthy tirade on proper dental hygiene.

For once though, his insane ramblings wasn't the worst of her worries. Gulping, her amber eyes returned themselves to the Hogwarts Express. All her life, she had been preparing for this day. Like maintaining strong gums, being a Witch was her destiny.

Unlike all the smiling faces around her, however, she couldn't say she was one-hundred percent thrilled with the prospect of going to an unknown place and being expected to use magic on the spot. What if she screwed up? What if she didn't live up to everyone's expectations? Worst of all...

"Do you have your wand, Alex?" asked Nigel, checking his daughter's suitcase for any missing items.

"Of course, Father," replied Alex in exasperation. "I've got my toothbrushes as well."

All twenty-seven of them, in fact.

"Very good, darling. Oh, I'm so proud of you!"

Alex, on the receiving end of a tight hug, grimaced. Even more people stopped to check out the display of affection. Squealing, Alex broke herself free and made a mad dash for the train, putting her fears behind her for the time being. Her father was far scarier than learning to wave a wand around.

"Good luck, sweetheart!" Nigel said with a wave. "You'll do just fine once getting sorted into Hufflepuff!"

There it was, the thing Alex dreaded the most about today. Hufflepuff. The house of everyone in her family. Her father. Her mother. Her grandparents, maternal and paternal. Her great-great aunt who had a bad hip and awful temper. Everyone.

Hufflepuff was also the 'house of losers' if her prior research of Hogwarts was accurate. She could count the number of famous witches and wizards from that house on one hand. Nothing good ever happened to a Hufflepuff, so maybe that's why nothing good ever happened to her.

She pulled herself and her hefty suitcase onto the train with a loud grunt and shook the idea out of her mind. She wasn't going to be a Hufflepuff. No way, no how. She didn't know how Hogwarts determined which house she would end up in. Regardless, she would beg and even plead to be put in Gryffindor. Heck, even Slytherin sounded better than being a lowly Hufflepuff. Sure, lots of Dark Wizards came out of Slytherin, including a certain someone you didn't mention by name. Even so, she bet Slytherins didn't get laughed at or referred to as worthless.

Slytherins probably weren't crazy about teeth either.

Please, Gryffindor. Please, Slytherin. Just not Hufflepuff. Anything but that.

Yes, that would do the trick. ...Hopefully.

"Excuse me. Pardon me."

Kids. Other kids. This was a new experience for Alex. Some were near her age and others much older. Most eyed her warily as she made her way through the seemingly infinite cars of the Hogwarts Express. In search of an empty seat, Alex kept her gaze glued firmly to the floor. Dealing with her maniac father was one thing; having to interact with people her age was a whole other. Alex Worthington wasn't the sort to 'go out and play.' No, Alex Worthington kept her nose planted between the pages of a good book while hiding away in her room for hours at a time. Fairy tales and the like never interested her. She preferred reality, history to be exact. Reading about famous witches and wizards such as Rowena Ravenclaw, Gellert Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore, and Newt Scamander (who she could admit was one of the few Hufflepuffs worth talking about) was more up her alley. She had lost count of the number of times she had read Quidditch Through the Ages. She had no interest in the sport. The book being so highly detailed was merely something she could appreciate.

Wordlessly, she continued her search for seating, dragging her hefty suitcase behind her. Her father had gone overboard when packing her things. Her mother had been too busy to do so, and Alex cared not what she wore once arriving at Hogwarts since she would be in uniform on a near constant basis. As such, she had (now thinking it quite foolish) left her father to take care of preparing everything but the essentials. She could tell from all the rattling that there were a lot of stupid and probably worthless items inside related to teeth. Magical toothpaste that turned whatever flavor you asked. Chattering teeth that reminded you when to brush. Floss that did all the work for you but would pull one of your teeth out if you weren't careful. Alex got a headache just thinking about it.

"Teeth this and teeth that," she bitterly mumbled, causing a pair of girls she passed to raise eyebrows. "That's all that loony man goes on about..."

Finally, she found an empty compartment where she could hopefully find some peace and quiet. With another grunt, she managed to heave her belongings onto the seat next to her. It wasn't much for company, but it would have to do.

"Whoa!"

She nearly fell out of her seat when the Hogwarts Express gave a great roar and rumbled to a start. This was it. No turning back. Whether she liked it or not, she was on her way to a mysterious place she was certain all her reading wouldn't wholly prepare her for.

"Be good in school now, darling!" shouted an all too familiar voice. Alex peered out of the window. Horrified, she spotted her father waving as he ran alongside the train. "And remember, strong gums builds strong character! And another thing...!"

Fortunately, the train stormed past the station and turned a corner, leaving her embarrassing father, the rest of the departing students' parents, and the station itself behind.

"Good grief..." she muttered, sinking back into her chair. "At least I won't have to deal with that lunatic for a little while."

It was checklist time. She peered at her fingers.

"Wand from Ollivanders," she said, dropping her pinky. No way she could forget getting that. What an ordeal that was. After assuring him she would be more than happy using her mother's old wand, her father insisted on dragging her down to Diagon Alley and purchasing a brand new one. He debated with Ollivander for literal hours on whether or not some type of 'toothy substance' could be added as the wand's core. Ollivander finally decided on a wand himself. Made of Acacia wood, the strange, old man referred to it as 'firm but a tad bit frail.' At nine inches, the core ended up being 'ten strands of hair from an old and revered unicorn.' Alex simply hoped it would't blow up in her face. She read all about wands as well, so she knew that unicorn hairs being used as wand cores seemed to be mostly stable.

Certainly better than teeth.

"All the books required for first years."

Plus a few extra for her own private reading. Her father begged and pleaded, but she made sure not to get anything concerning teeth care.

Another finger fell as she added, "I think there's a cauldron in my bag. ...I think."

She certainly hoped so. Her father, bless his heart, was totally scatterbrained when it came to things that weren't inside a person's mouth. He might have misplaced her cauldron knowing him. Then again, her suitcase was so heavy, she couldn't see how there wasn't something like a cauldron in there. It wasn't like she had much interest in making potions in the first place, so she shrugged, thinking it might not matter in the end.

"Money..."

Alex shook her pockets. Jingling. She had plenty of spare Sickles and a few Galleons from her mother, who had stopped by Gringotts. Her father had neglected to give her any pocket change because he was too excited about the prospect of her being a Hufflepuff and striving to find her yellow and black robes.

"Better look through the rest of my stuff while I've still got time to go back home."

Scales, a telescope, work robes, a copy of Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges—Hair Loss, Jelly Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More by Vindictus Viridian (she bought that one behind her father's back). The only thing she was really missing was a pet of some sort, but she wasn't really an animal lover and told her father not to bother. She could deal with the school fussing with her if it came down to it. Better that than being covered in cat fur or having to clean up owl droppings.

She closed her suitcase and took a deep breath. She might not have had any clue what Hogwarts planned on throwing at her, but she could take comfort in knowing she was prepared.

Or so she thought.

"Well, well, well. Worthington. I guess you are the right age to start at Hogwarts. Still, I thought you and that buffoon of a father would be too busy pulling teeth to catch the train."

A duo of snickers came behind those calm but malicious words. With great reluctance, Alex glanced up from her copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and narrowed her eyelids at the trio of boys standing in her supposedly private compartment.

"Malfoy. How surprising. Speaking of trains, I assumed someone of your standing would be too good for a measly one like this."

Pale-faced with sandy, blond hair, Alex could hardly call Draco Malfoy 'ugly.' In fact, he was rather handsome, which infuriated her to no end considering he was a complete and utter snob. Alongside him were his far less appealing goons—Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. Though subservient, they towered over him. They were also akin to hairless gorillas in Alex's estimation, something that made her giggle.

"What's so funny, Worthington?" snarled Malfoy. "After all, you of all people shouldn't have anything to smile about."

"...What's that supposed to mean?"

Malfoy's lips curled into an even wider smirk, reminding Alex of a snake. "It'll be off to Hufflepuff with you, right? How fortunate. I'm sure the rest of those losers will enjoy knowing they've got someone to ask if their molars are rotting from having eaten too many Chocolate Frogs."

While Alex didn't find Malfoy's jab humorous at all, going pink in the ears, Crabbe and Goyle were splitting their sides in laughter.

"Very funny," she grumbled. "Go bother someone else, Malfoy. Don't you and your father have some Muggle-borns to terrorize?"

Malfoy grinned even more at the supposed slight. "Not a bad idea. There's plenty of them on board this train, unfortunately. I can smell their stench from here."

Alex frowned. It wasn't remotely a secret that the Malfoys, being the purest of Pure-Bloods, weren't fond of Muggle-borns being admitted to Hogwarts. Rich in terms of money and malice, they were either reviled or idolized in the wizarding world. In Alex's case, she definitely edged more on 'reviled.' Being a pure-blood herself, she felt idiots like the Malfoys gave families like hers a bad name. As eccentric as her father was, the Worthingtons were of high status and prestige, meaning she and her relatives were very familiar with the Malfoys. Alex could almost go so far as to refer to herself and Draco Malfoy as 'childhood friends.' She certainly saw him often enough whenever her mother and his father had tea. Too bad she despised him more than her father's stories about the dangers of wisdom teeth. Ever since their first meeting as little kids, she could tell Malfoy wasn't quite right.

"Well then, you'd better go do something about it. The smell, I mean," she said in jest, going back to her reading. Malfoy might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, yet, she hoped he would take the hint that neither he or his cronies were wanted.

"Fine." Malfoy chuckled. "Better hope you're sorted into Slytherin, Worthington. The other houses, after all, are fine with Mudbloods being in their ranks."

Alex flinched at the term 'Mudblood' but managed to keep a straight face. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You had better."

With his robes trailing behind him, Malfoy, alongside Crabbe and Goyle, took his leave at long last. The second he was gone, Alex stuck out her tongue and blew her unwanted guests a raspberry. On second thought, she decided being put in Slytherin over Hufflepuff wasn't such a great scenario.

"I really hate that guy..."

Alex couldn't say how much time had passed. Lost in the pages of her book, she looked up to see the Hogwarts Express had gone by London at some point. Grassy fields teeming with farm animals were flying by now. Nothing about them made her feel like she was headed toward a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Neither did the raucous shouting from the corridors and compartments around hers. Growling, she strived to drown out all the noise and focus on the words in front of her.

"I know they are children, but that's no reason for them to act..."

"Say, you're reading Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, aren't you? I must say that I quite enjoyed that one. I've read it three times already, front to back, but I'm still amazed at all the creatures of the wizarding world. Don't you think it's amazing Muggles haven't caught on yet to things like dragons?"

Alex blinked. How long had the grinning, brown-haired girl speaking been sitting across from her? Thrown for a loop, she couldn't think of anything to say. The brunette took this as her cue to continue.

"Oh, but it's good to see I'm not the only one here going through our assigned books before we get to our first lesson. Doesn't everyone out there realize it's important to find out everything you can so you're ready for the first day? They're just playing around. Oh, but I suppose people who grew up in wizarding families wouldn't be too impressed with the prospect of going to a wizarding school. I'm positively floored, I tell you! I've barely gotten a wink of sleep since receiving my letter. Besides Fantastic Beasts, I've already gone through Magical Theory, A History of Magic,and The Standard Book of Spells. How I wished we weren't stuck with grade one of that last one. I'm curious as to what people beyond the first year are studying."

Alex blinked again. Whoever this girl was, she sure had a mouth on her. Speaking of mouths, her new acquaintance also had a rather large pair of front teeth, teeth that made a chill run down her spine. Maybe all her father's ramblings about 'perfect teeth' had stuck with her more than she realized.

"Who...are you?" she felt compelled to ask.

"Hermione Granger," the overeager girl answered. "And you?"

With some delay, Alex said, "Alex. Alex Worthington."

"Of the Worthington family?"

"You know us?"

"Of course!" replied Hermione like that was the silliest question in the world. "Why, the Worthingtons are in the top ten of great wizarding families. I've read all about you lot in A History of Magic."

"Is that right?"

Alex never thought her reading skills lacking until now. She had half a mind to pull out the book and confirm this fact.

"Wait," she started. "It sounds like you didn't grow up in a 'wizarding family.' Does that make you a...?"

"Muggle-born, yes," replied Hermione, still rather chipper. "I must admit that learning about magic was quite the shock at first, but now I've come to adore the stuff. It took my parents some convincing to buy all the literature and school supplies I'd need, but..."

The door to Alex's compartment slid open again. In complete contrast to Malfoy or even Hermione, the round-faced boy who walked in looked positively miserable. Alex could have sworn someone just told him his mother had died.

"Sorry," he began, "but have you two happened to see a toad?"

"A toad?" repeated Alex before taking a brief moment to think. "Sorry. I haven't."

"Neither have I," said Hermione.

"Great..." the somber-looking boy groaned, giving Alex a hunch this development was anything but 'great.' "This is the twelfth time I've lost him and..."

"We'll help you look for him," Hermione stated, springing to her feet. "Right, Alex?"

"C-Come again?"

Alex wasn't fond of most animals, but frogs definitely topped the list. She got goosebumps simply thinking of one of them hopping around the place.

"I'll...pass if that's okay," she muttered. Not that she was giving Hermione much choice. She wasn't getting out of her seat even if someone pointed a wand at her and threatened her with the Cruciatus Curse.

Hermione frowned a bit but said, "Fine. Well, it was nice meeting you, Alex."

Alex nodded as Hermione and the now sniffling boy vanished behind the sliding door.

"Okay then..."

Even for a Muggle-born, Hermione Granger seemed rather peculiar.

A woman pushing a cart of all sorts of snacks visited Alex later on. Not feeling very hungry, she used some of her Sickles to buy a few boxes of Chocolate Frogs for later.

"..."

Then again, the prospect of eating sweets for the first time in a long time was too much for her to pass up. She cracked open a box and nearly choked as she shoved the sweet candy down her throat. Her eyes just about rolled into the back of her head. The Frogs felt like they were dancing on her tongue. Her father was serious about her maintaining her pearly, white teeth and thus forbade her from even thinking about sugar, let alone coming into contact with it. Her father, however, wasn't there. Even if he was, how could something he claimed to be so bad taste so good? Alex was on her second box before she knew it.

"My, you really like those, don't you? Be careful. Eating too many Chocolate Frogs has been known to turn you into a goblin."

Gagging on her candy, Alex went blue, green, and then purple in the face. As surprised as she was by yet another person invading her cabin, it was nothing compared to seeing exactly who the culprit was.

"It's the formula," the girl added. "They changed the formula, probably on orders from the Ministry. Now there's a chance you turn into a goblin. It's awful."

Wand tucked curiously behind her left ear. Dark, blonde hair that was as unkempt as it was long. Wide, silvery eyes that absorbed her surroundings like a sponge in water. Even without her saying anything, Alex could tell that something wasn't quite right with this girl, even more so than Hermione Granger. Every nerve in her body told her to run while she had the chance. Before she could, the wispy sort of girl smiled and took the liberty of placing her belongings on the ground so she could sit right next to her.

"Hello," the girl said.

"H-Hi," replied Alex softly, having another hunch that responding was a mistake she would live to regret. "Who...?"

"Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Aren't you...already sitting there?"

"Thank you."

"W-Wait, I didn't..."

But the odd girl was no longer paying her any attention. Rather, she began reading from a magazine Alex didn't recognize. Although, the girl reading it upside-down was of far greater concern. What in the world was going on? Alex, confused beyond belief, wasn't sure whether to start asking the multitude of questions rumbling in her mind or snatch her suitcase and head for the hills. Afraid the girl would pounce on her like an angry troll if she dared move, she settled on neither and sat in stunned silence.

The train ride to Hogwarts continued on that note. Alex took another gander out the window and saw the sun beginning to set over the countryside. This morphed into equally unfamiliar woods, rivers, and green hills. From the looks of it, they were in the middle of nowhere. Were they lost? She was tempted to get up and ask the conductor.

"I wonder how much longer..."

Frankly, she was beginning to grow bored with Fantastic Beasts. She had just gotten to the chapter about Nifflers when a yawn escaped her. She felt like she had been on the train for days. What if it never arrived at its destination? Perhaps that wasn't such an awful prospect. It meant she wouldn't have to do some sort of test and then hear what she already knew was going to happen—"Hufflepuff!" Would students laugh once they learned what House she was in? What if she was the only first year Sorted into Hufflepuff? Dying of embarrassment didn't seem so bad if that was going to be the case.

"A tooth is a hard, calcified substance," she whispered, "used to chew food."

Whenever she was in a panic, she began muttering about teeth to calm her nerves. The odd habit was one she picked up from her father.

"Two rows. Enamel. Gums. Plaque. Gingivitis. Root canal. Toothing. Cavities."

"Are you talking about Goodillies?"

Alex's eyes met the pale ones of the girl sitting beside her. She hadn't been reading her magazine at all but peering at Alex over the top of it.

"Goodillies?" repeated Alex, too confused by the foreign term to be embarrassed at being overheard.

"Oh, yes. They have teeth three times as big as their body and can shoot them like arrows. They're quite common in Chepstow."

Committing the name to memory, Alex checked the index of her book. Unsurprisingly, she couldn't find anything about 'Goodillies' or whatever. That was likely a good thing. If her father ever learned of a creature that could shoot its own teeth as a weapon...

"I know who you are," said the girl, who happened to be wearing a necklace of butterbeer corks. Her tone was mysterious, dreamy even. She took Alex being as quiet as a mouse as a notion to continue. "You're one of the Worthingtons. I must say, I love your father's work. He submits many wonderful articles to Daddy's magazine. He's a genius if you ask me. Do you help him come up with them?"

Alex got a good look at the 'magazine' her new acquaintance was reading. In big, bold, and red letters near the top was "The Quibbler". Of course. Nowit made sense.

"You said your father wrote that...thing, correct?"

The girl nodded with pride. That would make her one of the Lovegoods. Both they, and The Quibbler, were known for being nuttier than a fruitcake. Inching away a little, Alex gulped.

"My name is Luna," Luna Lovegood said. She moved closer to Alex, who couldn't tell if she was striving to freak her out on purpose. "Tell me. Is your father going to study Goodillies' teeth next?"

"I-I...can't say."

"Why not? Is it a secret?"

Alex faltered. "No, that was just an expre..."

Luna got even closer. "I'm sure my father could help him catch one."

Alex knew her father was mad, but that would be insane, even for him.

"I don't think that's..."

"You're reading that book, so it must mean you're looking for information on Goodillies and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

"Crumple-Horned what now?"

"Crumple-Horned Snorkacks," said Luna more firmly. "Don't bother. You won't find them in there. It's a real travesty. I think it's a Ministry of Magic conspiracy to keep certain creatures out of there for fear of alarming the public."

"W-Wait. Why would the Ministry...?"

"Daddy says the Ministry is hiding all sorts of things. Did you know they're plotting on taking over the wizarding world with an army of Moon Frogs and Gulping Plimpies?"

Fluoride. Incisors. Gum disease. Wisdom teeth. Painful, excruciating wisdom teeth.

Alex, trying her best to drown out Luna's mad ramblings, wondered what she did to deserve them.

As if coming to her aid, a voice echoed magically throughout the train and informed everyone on board to change into their school robes. They would arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes.

"Where has the time gone?" pondered Luna in that dreamy voice of hers. "I wonder if someone here is playing around with a Time Turner."

Sliding her robes over her head, Alex didn't bother to ask if that question was a serious one or not. Speaking of Time Turners, she wished she had one to go back and stop herself from sitting in this specific compartment.

Luna, having already changed into her robes, hid behind her magazine again. So, it was possible for this girl to be quiet. That was far more impressive to Alex than hypothetical Goodillies.

Nevertheless, the distraction that was Luna Lovegood had done one bit of good—Alex completely forgot the headache that was to be the upcoming Sorting...until now. She groaned, wanting nothing more than to skip that part until tomorrow. Her nerves began gnawing at her, and her stomach painfully churned. Maybe eating so many Chocolate Frogs hadn't been such a good idea.

"Did you know there's another celebrity on this train?" Luna, peeking out at Alex, blinked a few times.

"Really now?" replied Alex, feigning interest. She fiddled with her robes, which she realized were a little too big for her.

Luna nodded. "Harry Potter."

Alex froze. Luna had her undivided attention now.

"You're kidding!"

"I saw him," said Luna in an even more self-important tone. "He's got the lightning scar and everything. I didn't get a chance to talk with him though. Everyone on the train is whispering about it."

The Boy Who Lived. Now there was a story Alex could verify in one of her textbooks. Even without them, there wasn't a wizard or witch living who hadn't heard of how Harry Potter survived against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Alex, in fact, had studied the tale quite intently, scooping up any book pertaining to the matter. Like her, no one could figure out how one boy could defeat the Dark Lord when many Aurors and great witches and wizards of the time fell with ease.

And now, he was here on this train, heading off to Hogwarts alongside everyone present. It was surreal. Alex's heart started to race. She had to meet him. Whatever it took, she had to speak with Harry Potter. Tons of questions flooded her mind, and she wasn't sure which ones to ask him first.

"Quick! Which compartment? I have to..."

The Hogwarts Express suddenly screeched to a stop. Alex half near flew into a wall. She grabbed whatever was around her for dear life.

"That's why you should be sitting," said Luna matter-of-factly.

Snarling, Alex replied, "Gee, thanks for the advice."

"You're welcome."

Sarcasm apparently flew right over Luna Lovegood's head. The sooner Alex could get away from her, the better. She was liable to strangle the girl to death otherwise.

It was only after leaving the train that Alex noted she had taken its warmth for granted. The frigid air met her the moment she stepped outside. Shivering, she looked up to see the starry, night sky. 'Talking' with Luna, if one could call it that, caused her to lose track of the time. The station platform she and the rest of the first years stood on was devoid of light and thus foreboding. Certainly, this wasn't Hogwarts, right? And where did Harry Potter get off to? Alex lamented being so short since she was forced to bounce up and down like an idiot for a chance to see over everyone's heads. The sole thing she spotted was some sort of light swaying in the distance.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! C'mon, follow me."

There might not have been much illumination, but a trembling Alex felt you would have to be completely blind to miss the massive man approaching them. He had a big, bushy beard and limbs that could each fit three or four Alexes within them. He couldn't be human. He just couldn't.

"What do you think that man is? He might be in that book of yours."

Alex recognized the voice whispering in her ear as Luna Lovegood's. Evidently, they had the same mindset, which scared Alex half to death.

"I...highly doubt it," she replied breathlessly.

She and the rest of the first years indeed followed after the large man, with almost no one uttering so much as a peep. Alex questioned if they were freaked out by their first taste of Hogwarts like she was. The ground, slick with rain, was difficult to traverse. Numerous times, Alex slipped and nearly crashed into the student in front of her. Even seeing her hand right in front of her face was a trying task. The only light for miles was the giant's lantern. Her instincts were screaming at her to get out of there while she had the chance. They were positive she was being led toward her demise rather than her first day of school. Why else would such an ample person be leading she and the others along?

He's going to eat us for sure...

"I think I've figured out what he is," said Luna, trailing right behind Alex.

Though it went against her better judgment, Alex asked, "What?"

"It's something else the Ministry has been keeping secret. They..."

Luna didn't get a chance to elaborate. The giant up ahead said, "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec. Jus' round this bend here."

And what a sight it was. Alex, like everyone else in the crowd, went "Oooooh!" thanks to the huge castle sitting upon the tall mountain in the distance. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alex had her doubts before arriving there, yet, now she could see exactly why it was so revered in the wizarding world. Even without her stepping foot within its hallowed halls, the castle gave off a certain aura that spoke to the depths of her young soul.

"If we're going to find any Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, that'll be the place," said Luna, pointing. Just about anything seemed possible at a place like Hogwarts. Alex actually nodded in agreement.

Her elation melted away the moment she took heed of a black lake. Legions of boats floated gently in the water. Oh no. Surely, she wasn't expected to go across. If there was one thing Alex hated more than decaying teeth or even frogs, it was large bodies of water. Lakes. Streams. Oceans. It didn't matter. She would rather fight the giant leading them unarmed then go anywhere near the foul waters separating her from Hogwarts.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the giant declared. As the other first years did as he requested, Alex found herself the sole one remaining where she was. It didn't take long for the huge man to notice. "Come on. Into the boat yeh go."

Feverishly, Alex shook her head. "N-No thank you."

A few snorts and snickers were heard from the crowd. The giant, meanwhile, frowned and climbed out of his boat.

"That's enough playin' around, missy! It's almost time fer the Sortin' and..."

Alex backpedaled when he drew closer. "I'll just...um...attend Hogwarts next term."

"Scared of the water now, are yeh?" The huge man let out some equally mammoth chuckles. Alex, stone faced, wasn't in on the joke. "Only a few Grindylows an' a giant squid down there. Yeh'll..."

Alex had already run for her life at the mention of Grindylows. She had read enough of Fantastic Beasts to know the creatures were anything but fantastic. Hearing heavy footsteps march behind her, she glanced over her shoulder, shrieking upon spotting the giant chasing after her. He was big, but hewas notslow. He caught up in no time, snatching her up in his massive arms. Screaming, Alex flailed about while being carried back toward the lake.

"Lemme go! Lemme go! I don't wanna! I don't wanna!"

"Knock it off!" ordered the giant, "or I'll throw yeh in with them Grindylows!"

That did the trick. Alex became still and silent. The giant placed her in his boat before shouting, "Everyone in? Right then. FORWARD!"

The laughter died down when the legion of boats began to steer themselves across the deep, calm lake. Alex sniffled and took a seat across from the guide, wiping her tear-stained eyes. The journey, so far at least, wasn't too bad. She hoped the giant hadn't jinxed it though concerning any curious Grindylows.

"Oh, hush now," the huge man barked. She whimpered in response. "Never heard someone makin' such a fuss 'bout a little water."

Alex sniffled again and desired to protest that there was nothing 'little' about the lake. She changed her mind, not in the mood to be flattened like a pancake.

"I wanna go home..."

She wouldn't survive the remainder of the evening. That much she was sure of.