Hey! I know, I should finish my Hobbit story, and yes, I'll get to that, but I had this idea just now and I feel like it's a good idea (it's not, but oh well). This takes place during the Maurauders era.

NOTE: Contains OCs and some angsty feels later on. You have been warned.

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and Hogwarts are (sadly) not mine. Addie, however, is.

Adelaide Hughes clutched a suitcase and stared with big eyes at the bright cherry red train engine that was just pulling in to Platform 9 and 3/4. Her small hands shook as she looked into her father's blue eyes. "Do I have to go?" she whispered.

He smiled kindly and nodded. "Yes, Love, you do."

She watched a young, blonde boy, about her age, wave goodbye to his mother and board the train, towing a cage containing a magnificent tawny owl. Adelaide looked at her own small barn owl, Erebus, sleeping in his cage, and felt somehow inadequate. She pushed her glasses further up her nose and sighed. "I don't want to go," she admitted.

Her father grinned. "I know," he said softly. "But you have to." He pushed her closer to the train engine and waved. "Bye, now, Love. We'll write you. Every day if you want."

She waved back, then turned around, her knuckles growing white from gripping her suitcase so hard. "Well," she muttered, and stepped into the train. "Here goes."

As the train pulled out of the platform, Adelaide watched the blurry world go by numbly. After they had left the station, she reached into her suitcase and pulled out her acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

Dear Ms Hughes,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva MacGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

She read the words aloud to herself, relishing how each syllable was like a warm mouthful of soup, and she found herself smiling for the first time since she had got the letter two months ago. Adelaide wasn't one for smiling.

Something poked her in her sleeve, and she reached in and drew out her wand. She remembered what Mr Ollivander had said when she picked it up: "Ahh!" He had cried. "That's the one! Pine, dragon heartstring, 10 inches and surprisingly swishy flexibility...interesting." She stroked it with one finger.

"That's a nice looking wand," someone said beside her, and Adelaide jumped and slid her wand back up her sleeve.

The blond boy that she had seen getting on was sitting across the aisle from her, grinning. He had bright blue eyes, neatly combed hair and a pleasant sprinkling of freckles across his nose. He hadn't noticed Adelaide's start and slid across to sit next to her. "I'm Hervey," he said, holding out a hand. "Hervey Hawthorne."

"I'm Adelaide Hughes," she replied, gingerly shaking his hand.

"Hughes, huh?" He asked. "Are you Muggle-born?"

"I'm a half-blood."

He nodded, grinning. "Makes sense. I'm a half-blood too; my mum's a Muggle."

She blinked. "My dad's a Muggle-born wizard," she said softly.

Hervey smiled. "Could I see your wand again?" He asked.

Cautiously, she pulled it out and held it in his direction.

"Woah," he said, taking it gently in his hands. "It's pine, right?" He looked down the shaft. "Let's see, ten inches? And," he gave it a small flick. "Surprisingly swishy."

Adelaide stared at him. "How did you know that?"

Hervey gave her wand back. "Mr Ollivander is my great-uncle. He taught me."

"Wow," Adelaide said in wonder. "That's amazing."

He blushed. "Thanks," he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his own wand. "This is mine. It's spruce with a unicorn hair core, 8 and a half inches and slightly springy." He smiled and brandished his wand, pointing it at Adelaide. "Want to duel? I know some spells."

She shook her head, her face warm. "N-no, it's okay. You'd probably win anyway."

Looking disappointed, Hervey put his wand down. "Is that your owl?" he asked, pointing to Erebus' cage.

"Yes,"

"He's nice. What's his name?"

"Erebus."

"Cool name," he said, smirking. He pulled his owl's cage closer. "This is Breet. I named him that because that's the sound he makes all the time."Hervey smiled again. "What house do you want to get in? I want to be in Hufflepuff, but I suppose Ravenclaw or Gryffindor wouldn't be half bad either."

Adelaide blinked. "I'll probably be in Slytherin; both my parents were Slytherins."

"But what house do you want to be in?" he asked.

She thought hard. "Ravenclaw," she said, finally. "They're clever, like me, and they like playing fair."

Hervey frowned. "What's your name again?"

She was about to say 'Adelaide' again, but, thinking it sounded too uptight and unfriendly, said "Addie," instead.

"Addie," he repeated, looking off to one side. "Nice. Do you want to be friends, Addie?" he asked.

"We probably shouldn't," she said. "We might not be in the same house."

He snorted and laughed. "Who cares? We could be friends, even if I'm a Hufflepuff and you're a Slytherin! I like you, and if you like me, then that's it; we're friends!"

Addie peered at the strange boy sitting beside her. He was weird, very happy and very talkative. She liked talkative people, though; they did all the talking for her. And being happy wasn't a bad thing. "I like you too," she said decidedly. "And you're right, we can still be friends even if we aren't in the same house!"

Hervey smiled. "Perfect!" he said, holding out a hand. "Friends?"

She nodded. "Friends," she said, and thought to herself that being at Hogwarts might not be so bad after all.