"But mom, just say I miss the train. I mean what will I do then? Will I not be able to go to Hogwarts? And what if I can't get sorted into a house? Mom! What would happen if I got lost? Will someone be able to find me? I don't think this is such a good idea anymore…" I said nervously as I pushed my trolley looking for platforms 9 and 10.

"You're not going to miss the train, we are here early. You will get sorted and you won't get lost. If you do someone will find you and also, it is a great idea. I have business stuff to do and I can't worry about you." My mom explained as she pulled me through the invisible barrier that led to the Hogwarts Express.

Okay, maybe I should explain all of this. My name is Olivia Raine Brooks, I'm 11 years old and I'm starting my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm excited and nervous, which tends to make me ramble and thus, get on my mom's nerves. A word about my mother before we move on; she's a business junkie. I mean that's all she does. Work, work work. Her getting pregnant with me was the biggest mistake of her life. That's the reason she's only home for the day of Christmas and my birthday, and she wouldn't even to that if she had too. I basically raised myself when I turned 7; up until then I was being raised by our housekeeper, Terri Green. Terri isn't bad but she was really old and completely senile, so you can understand going to Hogwarts is the best thing that's happened to me.

I've never really known my father and my mom never talks about him so I just never bring him up. Though, I'm guessing I get my looks from him. My mom is tall with long blonde hair and blue eyes, whereas I'm short with brown hair and grey eyes.

My mom dropped me off at the train and then left, not even staying to say goodbye. With a shrug, I loaded up my trunk and my owl, Jester, and boarded the train. By the looks of it, I was the only one on the train. Taking full advantage of this fact, I found a compartment and took out a book. It was quiet for a total of 55 minutes, around 9:30 a.m.; people started piling into the platform. I looked longingly out the window and sighed, the parents saying goodbye, the hugs; it was all something my mom never gave me. But I don't dwell too much on those thoughts; instead I went back to my book.

People past by my compartment and I thought I wasn't going to have to share but that thought didn't last too long. It was almost time for the train to take off when 3 boys entered my compartment. I knew they were first years, like me, just by looking at them. I started reading my book again, not looking at the boys. I'm not great at meeting new people and I wasn't about to make myself look like an idiot with my nervous babble. But, then again, I don't have the greatest luck in the world.

"Ello there." I looked up at this and saw a ginger hair boy sitting beside me. Across from him was another ginger hair boy who sat beside a boy with dreadlocks.

"Hi there." I managed a smile.

"I'm Fred Weasley. And that's my twin George and that's Lee Jordan. We are first years." Fred said, smiling.

"N-nice to meet you, my names Olivia Brooks. I'm going to be a first year also." I said, cursing myself for stuttering, something I do when I get nervous.

"Well there Ollie, it's lucky that we decided to sit with you. We're going to be great friends, I can tell." George said with a wink, or was it Fred? No, Fred was sitting beside me and George across from me.

"Ollie?"

"Oh yes, you look like an Ollie." Fred said.

"Uh-huh." I said, slowly nodding my head.

"I can't wait to see what we get into at Hogwarts!" Lee Jordan said high-fiving Fred.

"Get into?" Let's get one thing straight. I, Olivia Brooks, am not a trouble maker.

"Oh yes, the pranks we are going to pull!" This time George high-fived Lee.

"Well you boys have fun with that." I opened my book again; I was not going to get involved with these guys.

"Oh, but you see, you are our new friend. Come on, everyone needs friends!" Fred said, taking away my book.

"I can manage." I said, trying to get my book back. "And besides, I don't need any more trouble. I need to focus on school."

"But school hasn't even started yet. And you're going to need to have some fun." I wasn't going to win.

"Fine. I give in, but can you please give me my book back? I was just getting to my favorite part." Finally, Fred gave me back my book.

The rest of the ride, the guys and I talked about our lives. Apparently, the twins and Lee already knew each other, so mainly; they bombarded me with questions of all sorts. And I told them a few things, like I lived with my mom and I was only child, I love books, and I fell out of a tree multiple times causing many concussions.

By the time we reach Hogwarts, I didn't really mind the boys. They were okay and they were great for a laugh. When we got off the train we were escorted to some boats by a giant of a man named Hagrid. I ended up in a boat with the twins and Lee. Every time I would get relaxed, they would rock the boat and just laugh at my little jumps I did. I heard about a giant squid in this lake. I was not about to get thrown overboard and drown on my first day at Hogwarts.

Once across the lake, we made our way into the castle where we were confronted by a strict looking woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. She explained to us what we were about to do, the only part I got out of the whole speech was that we were about to get sorted.

"I didn't hear a word of that, y'know" I said to the twins but I muttered to myself, "can't even be quiet for 2 seconds."

"You sound like our mother, Ollie." Fred said as he causally laid his arm across my shoulders. "Loosen up a bit."

"Yeah yeah." I shook my head and started to follow the other first years into the Great Hall.

I gasped when I enter it. It was gorgeous; the ceiling, I read, was enchanted to look however the professor's wanted it to look like. I was too busy looking up at the ceiling to notice the group had stopped. I ended up walking right into George's back.

"Umph! Sorry George."

"S'okay Ollie."

"Gather around students, gather around. Okay, now when I call your name, you will come forth and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. And when you get sorted, you will sit at the appropriate tables." Professor McGonagall said and then proceeded to read the names off the list. I was getting super nervous; I hated being the center of anyone's attention and on that stole, the whole hall was looking at you. "Brooks, Olivia"

"Olivia, go on!" Fred said as he pushed me forward, giving me a thumbs up as a sat down on the stool.

McGonagall placed the hat on my head and I jumped off the stool when I heard the hat speaking in my head. "Ah, Miss. Brooks, well you would do great in Ravenclaw. Yes you would excel there but here is something. Of course, yes without a doubt." The hat mused, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table cheered as I walked over to it and sat down. I looked back at the sorting and watched as everyone was sorted. Lee got sorted into Gryffindor and sat down across from me and we both waited for Fred and George to get sorted. I was secretly hoping they would get into Gryffindor, something told me that I wouldn't really survive Hogwarts without them.

Finally it was their turn; Fred sat down and the hat didn't even touch his head properly before it shouted Gryffindor. And the same went for George. Fred sat right beside me and just smiled as George sat down across from him.

"We did it Ollie! We're in the same house!" Fred said to me as the sorting ended.

I smiled the whole time, I didn't know why, but I knew then that my life had changed drastically with that train ride. But a great friendship was made on that single ride.