"I'm approving it, Maggoff," he warned, waving his wand over the parchment.
"Minister, I… I understand that this day is important to you, and to much of the Wizard community, but for the students to take part in a celebration? Is it necessary?" The man known as Maggoff said disapprovingly.
"Last I checked I was the minister, correct? And should I choose for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the day Harry Potter and his classmates/\friends were sorted, I shall be supported in my decision?"
"Yes, Minister Shacklebolt. Good day."
"Good day to you, Maggoff."
The minister slid his thin wand into his cloak and stood. It was, after all, the last day of summer.
"Wow" breathed Trinity. She stared in awe at the towering walls and, most exciting of all, the scarlet train that she'd been waiting to get on her entire life.
She heard a crash and flipped her head to the side just as someone jerked her sideways by the arm. She stumbled and straightened up in surprise.
"What do you think you're-"
She was cut off by a startling scream behind her and a shuddering sob.
"Oh, mommy, my poor dear kitty!"
Behind her, a little girl had crashed her cart of luggage into the wall directly across from the entrance to platform nine and three quarters. The entrance where Trinity had been standing just a moment before.
"You're welcome."
Trinity turned back to face the owner of the voice. He raised an eyebrow.
"I'll see you on the train," Trinity said with a genuine smile that she hoped showed her thanks. He nodded and disappeared into the growing crowd.
"Trinity, there you are. Lovely, isn't it," her mother smiled dreamily.
"Amazing mom," Trinity nodded in agreement, glancing back. The boy was gone, and students were boarding the Express.
"Oh, there's Ginny! It's little Albus's last year, too, I nearly forgot. Say hello to Neville for me, and good luck."
Trinity felt a warm kiss on her forehead and gave her mother a hug before she left to board the Hogwarts Express.
Trinity searched for a compartment to sit in, avoiding the prefects. Most compartments were full, and the train was beginning to move. Nearby, a giggling trio of girls fastened Prefect badges to their cloaks. Trinity opened a door quickly and dragged her luggage in behind her. Both boys looked up at once.
"'Ello there," said the one closest to her. He reminded her some of a younger-looking Harry, with his raven-black hair and emerald eyes. Trinity nodded to him and felt the cool seat on her legs as she sat.
"First years?" Trinity asked, putting her handbag onto the seat beside her.
"Yes. I'm Alec," he nodded.
"You must be the Lovegood girl then?" the other boy said suddenly, looking up from his handheld game.
"And if I am?"
"Cole Finnigan," he said, shaking blond bangs out of his eyes. "I've seen pictures of your mum around the house, with Professor Neville and them. From The Day."
"That's nice. I know mom's mentioned your dad once or twice before," recalled Trinity. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a few chocolate frogs.
"Would you like one? I'll buy more when the trolley gets here anyway," she offered.
"Frogs? Are they really?" asked Alec, tearing open a package and inspecting one. Cole laughed and bit the head off of his own.
"There's a card inside," replied Trinity, because she really wasn't sure, "Who'd you get?"
"It says 'Bertie Bott, inventor of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans'. I had those once!" said Alec excitedly.
"Really? Just once? And you've never had a chocolate frog?" asked Trinity with interest.
Alec flushed red and mumbled something to his shoes. Trinity chewed thoughtfully and shrugged.
"You know, I had my first Wizard candy when I was two. Went to Honeydukes for my granddad Dillbie's eightieth, 'n he forgot how young I was. Let me eat whatever I wanted, even though my teeth were barely there," said Cole, with a wistful stare. "Anyway, what House are you hoping for?"
"Gryffindor, I suppose, though Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, it was my mum's house," Trinity replied instantly. Alec told them hastily that he wasn't sure yet and soon after the door slid open to reveal a short, slim brunette.
"Oh goodness, hide me, please!" she said in a loud whisper, bracing herself against the door. Trinity was too surprised to move. Cole didn't seem to have this problem, as he tossed her a blanket without looking up from his game. The girl pulled a wand out of the inside of her boot and hastily muttered a few words, swishing it over the blanket. Trinity saw her squeeze her eyes shut, and then… she didn't see anything. The brunette was gone.
Before Trinity had time to blink, the compartment door opened, but it was only the candy trolley. The plump woman offered them an assortment of treats. Trinity grabbed a galleon out of her bag and in exchange received a handful of acid pops, six pumpkin pasties, and enough chocolate frogs to replace al of the ones they'd eaten and then some.
Once the door closed Trinity looked hesitantly around.
"Er, hello?" she said. Suddenly the girl appeared in the far corner, whipping the blue blanket off and flicking her hair back over her shoulders with a movement of her head. She put on a dazzling smile.
"Hello," she said, "Listen, thanks for saving me there. Appreciate it."
"Anytime," Cole said boredly. The girl turned her smile on him, and Cole glanced up and back to his game again. After a second his eyes widened and he flicked his gaze back up at her.
"I'm Cole, Cole Finnigan. This is Alec Dowell. And you?" he asked with a newfound interest.
"And who are you?" the girl asked, ignoring his question and turning to Trinity.
"Trinity Lovegood, and you're welcome. But what, if you don't mind me asking, were you hiding from?"
The girl smiled again, and Trinity realized she was one of those people that a person just couldn't have not like them. It bothered her some, but she wasn't sure why.
"Ariana. Call me Ari. As for the hiding, let's just say you'd be better off not knowing."
"Where's your luggage?" asked Alec, speaking up for the first time since Ariana had shown up. Ari stood and made her way to the door.
"I should go back to those now. Oh, and Cole?" she added over her shoulder. He looked up eagerly.
"Electronics aren't going to work once we get close to Hogwarts, so I'd shut it down now if I were you."
And with that she was gone.
"So, your parents were both witch and wizard, right?" asked Cole, cracking open his fourth chocolate frog.
"Yes, they were, what about you?" said Trinity, licking sugar off her thumb.
"Well my parents went to Hogwarts, but dad was half-and-half. His father was a muggle, and my grandmother didn't tell him she was a wizard 'till after they were married," Cole said casually, "Alec?"
Alec went red again and mumbled something. Trinity raised her eyebrows.
"What?"
But Alec didn't have time to respond, as at that moment a voice flooded the train, informing them that they'd be arriving at Hogwarts shortly. A moment later Cole frowned and slapped the side of his game, shaking it around. Trinity and Alec burst into a fit of laughter as he grew angry at his game and threw it onto the seat next to him.
A bit later the announcement was made that they'd be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes time, and Trinity gathered her robes and stood. Alec looked extremely nervous, but the reason for that wasn't a mystery. Trinity was also feeling a tightening in her stomach.
They threw what was left of their candy into their bags and Trinity took one last look before they left. The blanket remained in the corner. Trinity bent and picked it up, and then joined the rest of the crowd filling the halls.
"Oi! First years! Please follow the Prefects toward the castle! First years in this direction!" called a loud voice. Trinity followed the crowd toward a tall woman in Proffesor's robes. The students parted, first years going in one direction while the rest moved toward the carriages.
"This way now," called one of the four Prefects - one for each house - waving them down a path that Trinity knew lead to the lake.
"Here you can catch the first glimpse of Hogwarts," the Gryffindor Prefect girl said, walking backward down the narrow path without missing a beat. The Hufflepuff boy pointed them into their boats.
"Four people to a boat, please," he nodded. Trinity found herself seated between Cole and the dark-haired Prefect girl of Ravenclaw. Alec clambered in after them.
They stepped onto damp grass and Trinity saw a boy throw up into the lake.
"We've got a small case of seasickness, everything's all right here, follow me now," instructed the Ravenclaw calmly while the Hufflepuff boy helped the puking student up the stone steps
"I should've known. My mum always said, 'Brody, you need to be more like your sister, or you'll embarrass yourself by your first day', and now here I am!" he mumbled to himself.
"Do we have everybody?" called the Slytherin Prefect, who was also a girl, from the gigantic oak doors. The whispering died down as the Prefects stepped forward and lined up facing the door. Each one gave it a single knock.
The doors swung open immediately and the first years were led into the castle.
"That's right, that's right, stand right here. Thank you, you four are dismissed," said a woman with pursed lips and dark emerald eyes, waving the Prefects off.
"Yes, Professor Birchess," nodded the Ravenclaw. Professor Birchess led them into a smaller, emptier chamber off the hall. The first years crowded in.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, students," said Professor Birchess, "My name is Professor Birchess. The start-of-term banquet will take place in the Great Hall very soon, but prior to that, you will need to be sorted into your houses. The sorting ceremony is very important, as some of you may know. Tell me, does anyone know what the ceremony is?"
Everyone was looking around too see if there was someone else who knew what the mysterious ceremony was. Hesitantly, one, slightly scrawny-looking red-haired girl raised her hand.
"Just one then? Good, this should be exciting. Now, the four houses are called Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. Each house has produced many great witches and wizards. While you are a student in this school, any rule breaking will lose your house points, while your triumphs will earn you points."
"At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the House Cup. I hope you try your best to succeed," Birchess nodded, "the Sorting will take place in five minutes in front of the rest of the school. Please wait quietly."
The moment she was gone, everyone began swarming toward the one girl who knew what was going to happen to them. The redhead flinched away from them and backed up against the wall. Just as Trinity reached her, Ari pushed through the crowd of students and laid a hand on the poor girl's shoulder.
"Back off!" called Ari, stepping in front of the girl. Trinity moved next to her and the crowd backed off in disappointment. There was a clatter and several people screamed.
"Oh-sorry dearie, didn't mean to frighten you-pardon me-"
Two figures had floated in through the back wall, one tall, very old looking woman and another, younger woman. Both were nearly transparent, but still solid at the same time. Trinity stepped back. Ginny, Neville, her mum, and much of the rest of the people from their year had told her the story of when, back in their first year, the ghosts had all floated into this same room by accident.
Harry had warned her many times not to touch them, explaining the feeling as similar to plunging your hand in a bucket of icy water.
"Mona, what are you two doing here?" Birchess said in a scolding tone, returning to the cramped room. The younger-looking ghost, Trinity noticed, did not blink very often.
"I'm so very sorry, it slipped my mind completely. Today is their first day, yes?" the other ghost, Mona, said. Birchess shook her head and gestured toward the door.
"Into the great hall, students, it's time for the sorting."
Desmei