A/N: Baha! I've finally started posting my new friend fic! This is just the intro, and how the gang meets. The first actual chapter will start in HPY3. Reviews are always lovely and will be returned if I feel need be!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's amazing characters. All credit goes to her and her brilliant mind.
George: You own me...and my heart!
Me: That's cute, but seriously I don't.
George: I know, just trying to be funny.
Fred: Shuuush, the fiction is starting!
You could say she was nervous, but she clearly wasn't. Rachel had watched as her brother and even her good friend Oliver had gone through the process of getting sorted. Now here she was, a lone 1st year, sitting on the train leading to her new home for the next year: Hogwarts. The ginger looked around as the older students passed her cabin, laughing, smiling, and catching up. Her brother had gone ahead with the other Prefects, as well as Oliver with his quidditch team, leaving the 11 year old to sit by herself. Her eyes peered as the door to her cabin slid open slightly only to reveal a girl that seemed no older than Rachel. Giving her a small smile, she took in her features. Tall(at least for her age), blonde, glasses, pale skin, and the slightest hint of her hormones kicking in, a scene Rachel had seen too much in the last couple of hours.
"Hi, I'm Laura." The blonde made an effort to introduce herself as she took a seat across from the girl.
"Rachel. Are you a 1st year as well, then?"
Laura nodded, causing the long strands of hair to fall into her face and glasses. She quickly brushed them back. She quickly realized the girl in fact, was not English, but had a Scottish accent attached to her speech. "Yes, I'm so new to this."
"Muggleborn, are you?" This caused Rachel to giggle lightly, smiling even more as a worried look set onto Laura's face, "Don't worry, you'll learn quickly. You'll probably be smarter than me. All I can think about is quidditch, but that's partially Oliver's fault."
"Sorry, quidditch?"
Rachel's eyes widened as she pulled out a book titles Quidditch Through The Ages and handed it to the girl. "I can't believe…Well, if you're going to be my friend, we're going to have to teach you all about it." As Rachel went into explaining the rules of her beloved sport, the time began to pass quickly. The two had spent the rest of the ride getting to know each other. Laura had learned that Rachel indeed was Scottish and had a older brother in Gryffindor along with a good friend named Oliver. As had Rachel learned that Laura was Welsh, a Muggleborn, had a younger brother that would be attending in a couple of years, and also loved books. By the time they had reached the castle, there was little they didn't know about each other.
"I suppose we should change now, huh?" Laura shrugged, standing up and digging into her suitcase. Her thin fingers ran over the bland uniform, knowing it was soon to have some color. Her eyes turned to the door as it quickly opened. A tall, brown headed boy about 13 stood in the doorway, his prefect badge shining over his school uniform.
"Well come on, then. Don't be supposing' we'll have much time." He spoke, a half grin on his face, "Look at my wee lil' sister and her new friend."
"David! Come on, we're trying to change 'ere." Her accent quickly grew thicker as she began to yell, giving her older brother a rather dark glare.
"Oh, I know," He turned to Laura who could only smile at the squabbling siblings, "Don't believe we've met, have we then? Name's David. I'm this little ones older brother." He flashed her a brilliant smile, "Get changed, yeah?" And with that he had left leaving the girls to quickly change into their uniform.
"His accent is a lot thicker than yours is." Laura had mentioned while she quickly fixed the creases in her skirt.
"You could say that. I try to hide it more than he does, but when I get angry you can't even tell what I'm saying." She giggled lightly, slipping the robes onto her arms and turning to her new friend, "There now don't we look dashing?"
Laura nodded, grabbing her wand and leading her ginger headed friend out of the cabin. "Extremely. You think we'll get into the same house?"
"I hope so. Oliver and David both got into Gryffindor, so maybe we'll be put in there as well."
"I have yet to met Oliver, do tell, when am I going to?" Laura smiled, recalling the stories Rachel had told her of their fun.
"Probably tonight, though he's too busy worrying about the team to really pay attention. Ow!" Rachel's voice had escalated as a foot landed on top of hers. Her eyes turned to see the owner only to see a red headed boy trying to withhold his laughter. "That hurt, y'know!"
"Sorry. Didn't see you there." Was all he could manage to get out between laughs.
"Stop laughin', or I'll have my brother beat ya up!" She frowned, looking over as another had appeared.
"Alright, George?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the furious ginger.
"Yeah, just stepped on to this little girl's foot is all, Fred." George turned to his brother, giving a small smirk.
"Little girl! I'm no little girl! You're the one who looks like a little girl!"
"Do not!"
"Rachel, come on, there's no need to-" Laura had been cut off by the rants of the Scottish girl.
"Do too, ya Naughty!"
"George, come off of it!" Fred had tried, but George had shown no response.
" Naughty! What, is that suppose to be an insult! At least I know how to properly talk without slurring my words!"
"That's it!" Rachel had made a motion to hit him, but was cut short by a flash of curly brown hair coming in between them.
"Now, let's all act civilianized. Wouldn't want to get detention on our first night, now would we?"
The young boy frowned, shaking his head, "Fine. I'll let the half pint win this time." And with that he stomped away with his twin brother.
"Half pint! Oh, I'll show him what being short is all aboot!"
"Rachel! Calm down, it's alright." Laura sighed, turning to the boy with an apologetic smile. "She gets a bit hot headed apparently."
He gave them a large white grin, "I can tell. You guys are first years too, aren't you? I'm Alex." He held out two slightly tan hands for them to shake.
"First years! This way please!" A booming voice announced over the crowds of children.
Alex turned to the two, "You guys will ride the boat with me, yeah? George and Fred are going to ride with Lee." He pointed to the dreadlocked boy the twins were speaking to.
Rachel nodded, "Wouldn't want you to learn from their bad manners anyways."
"You're not English are you?" Alex asked as they followed the group of first years as if in a herd.
"No, I'm Scottish."
"And I'm Welsh!" Laura exclaimed, as the crew jumped into the next boat and sailed across the misty lake. Her eyes watched the other 1st years as they yelled in excitement.
"Oh wow! Look at that!" Alex had shouted to her left noticing the castle for the first time. Rachel's eyes turned, her face lighting up.
"That's amazing!" She joined in, nudging Laura to turn her head. "Look at that. David had told me it was quite nice."
"Well he wasn't lying was he?" Laura giggled, a huge grin on her face. She couldn't take her eyes off the extraordinary castle that was in front of her. It seemed like something she would only dream of as a little girl, yet here she was, ready to start her own adventure. As the boats began to dock, the three filed out of the boat and joined the rest of the first years.
As they were ushered into the large entrance, Alex couldn't help but gape in awe. He would turn his head at everything and anything, being a Muggleborn, he had never seen such fascinating things in his life. "Look! The paintings move!"
"Yes Alex, we've been over this already." One of the twins interjected, causing Alex to look over at him and roll his eyes.
"This way, please!" A thin, older woman had called to the group from the top of the stairs. A stern look was placed on her face, that seemed to match her strict looking dress.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall started, scanning the group, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is very important ceremony, because while you are here, your House will be something like a family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room."
"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you House points, while any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school." She smirked, turning to the Weasley twins(who were making faces at each other), "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." And with that she had left into the hall in front of her.
Rachel's face twisted, "I kind of like Hufflepuff personally."
"Oi! Fred! Half Pint wants to be in Hufflepuff." George had busted out, nudging his twin.
"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff! Like the professor said, each House has it's own noble histories." A dark blonde headed girl frowned, turning to the ginger. George shook his head, crossing her arms as McGonagall had walked back in.
"They're ready for you now." She simply stated, ushering the group into the crowded hall. Alex's grin had grown as the passed the older students.
Laura's eyes scanned the tables, noticing a few people she had thought seemed familiar, including Rachel's brother David. She stopped on a particular sandy blonde headed boy who looked busy into a placement to notice anything. Rachel, being the clever one she was, nudged her.
"That's Oliver your staring at, y'know." She smirked, watching the blonde's face turn scarlet red. Feeling her job done, she turned back to her new friend.
"Thanks for telling off that boy. He's been on my case since we started. I'm Rachel."
"Aye, not a problem. Alyssa's my name." She turned to look around the room once more before putting her attention on a ragged hat sitting on a stool. Soon enough, the professor had started reading off name alphabetically. Alyssa bit her lower lip nervously, as they came closer to the C.
"CLAYMORE, ALYSSA!"
The girl had managed to make her way to the stool and sat down, the hat placed on her head. It didn't take more than a second for the hat to make it's decision.
"Definitely brave, with a small spark of loyalty…Best be in GRYFFINDOR!"
Laura looked to her new friends, seeing looks from excitement to nervousness planted on their faces. She gave Alyssa a thumbs up, watching as she sat down at the front of the Gryffindor table.
"OLIVANDER, LAURA!"
She turned to look at Alex and Rachel who only gave her a silly face and a small encouraging smile. Her feet paced up the tiny stool as the hat was placed onto her head.
"Lots of smarts, here I see. Better be RAVENCLAW!"
Taking a sigh of relief, she happily danced down the stairs, giving a shrug to the already pouting Alyssa.
After a few more Gryffindors, and one rather nasty looking Slytherin, they soon came upon the Ps.
"PADELIA, ALEXANDER!"
Alex turned to his remaining friend and gave her a nervous look. Rachel blinked a couple times before pushing him out into the open and towards the hat.
Closing his eyes, he sat down on the stool, and the hat was placed onto his head.
"Ah yes, Lots of courage here, but a thirst for knowledge I see. GRYFFINDOR!"
He turned to Rachel's who seemed on the verge of a breakdown.
"Don't worry, Half Pint, I'm sure you'll get Slytherin." George smirked, nudging the already panicking red head.
"PERLETT, RACHEL!"
Rachel shook her head, bulking up and carefully pacing up to the stool as the hat was placed onto her head.
"You're quite the loyal one, aren't you? But I see lots of courage as well, and also a thirst for intelligent. Hm, you are a hard one….Ah, HUFFLEPUFF!"
Rachel heaved a sigh, turning to her friends that seemed to be scattered in between the Houses.
After the last two( WEASLEY, FREDRICK, and WEASLEY, GEORGE) were placed into Gryffindor, the feast began.
David turned to the new first years, "Well then, looks like we've got ourselves some fancy lookin' new years, eh Oliver?"
The quidditch captain turned to his friend, who was looking over the first year. "I'd think so, now if any of 'em can play is something to find out." He flashed a grin before turning back to his food. David nodded, turning to look at his sister.
"Pity Rachel didn't get into Gryffindor, but I suppose Hufflepuff will do fer Mum."
As the feast began to die down, the students began to become sleepy. Soon enough, the teachers had taken the hint and had released them for the night.
Rachel had made a point to break away from the rest of the Hufflepuffs to retrieve her friends. Finding Alex and Alyssa in the same group, the only hard task was finding Laura. Scanning through the crowd for the blonde, she finally caught sight and pulled the three into a circle.
"Now just because we're in different houses doesn't mean we can't be good friends."
"I agree." Laura stated, smiling.
"I have a feeling we're going to be the best of friends." Alyssa added, also grinning.
"The best at Hogwarts!" Alex finished as the group gave a small nod and turned back to their houses.