"Are you sure you have everything, mon petit?"
"Oui, Maman, I'm positive."
"Robes? Wand? Tikki?"
"Oui, oui, papa!" Marinette giggled, squished between her parents in the train station walkways. It was time for her to return to her 'boarding school' as she told her few friends back home. In reality, though, she saw it as a second home to her.
The chubby baker sighed. "Please don't go too crazy this year." The trio slowed to a stop.
"Only if needed. Promettre." She smiled, holding her pinky up. "No death eaters are coming near this Sytherin."
"Oh, Marinette, I can't believe it!" Her maman teared up next to her, fiddling with her pigtails. "A fifth year already. Why, when I was at Hogwarts-"
"You were so ready to study any and everything." She and Papa recited, and Maman giggled. She was a Ravenclaw, and Papa had no clue who witches and wizards were until he'd met Sabine. She taught him about everything over the course of their dating, and eventually a little girl was blessed to them. While Tom was always worried about how the whole 'half-blood' thing would go over, Sabine was never worried. She had a gut feeling that she would do great things.
Mari, on the other hand, was just excited to go back to Hogwarts with her friends. She'd been devastated when sorted into Sytherin, but quickly learned not all of them had to be evil, and to make things better, there were even some witches and wizards she'd met on the train her first year, and they'd been inseparable ever since. Alya, a Ravenclaw; Nino, a Gryffindor; and Adrien, the Hufflepuff. They'd been named the 'French Four' (or the self-dubed 'les quatre Fantastiques') by their outside friends, since they were the only 4 from France within their year and had always gotten along. She was just happy to see them again.
"Oh, here comes the train." Sabine turned to her little girl again. "15 already. Next you'll be prefect and graduating!"
"Or head girl!" Tom chuckled, placing a kiss on her head. "Whatever happens, just stay safe."
"Of course," She smiled, before kissing both their cheeks. "Oh, there's Adrien and Nino!" Her smile grew, waving at the two down the platform. Nino waved, but Adrien looked a little sidetracked with his parents. Gabriel and Athena Agreste, the designer and his model wife. She had never personally met the two, but Adrien always rambled on about his mother, who seemed to be fussing over her son's uniform now, adjusting his tie, straightening his shirt, making sure he-
"Go say hello, mon petit." Her mother encouraged, interrupting Marinette's watching. "We'll be here before you go."
"Absolutely, Maman. Love you both!" She grinned, rushing over to the two boys with her bags behind her.
Nino reached her first, pulling her into a hug. "Mari! Long time no see. Your letters don't ever do justice; how was summer?"
"Same as ever," she chuckled, "working in the bakery, making designs, trying to not get caught using magic." Marinette smiled again. She missed her friends.
Before she could ask Nino how his had been, She felt a tugging on her arm and soon was being faced by the Agreste family. She instantly felt the blood rushing to her face. "Mother, Father, this is the designer I was telling you about!" Adrien was grinning widely, and the heat of his hand on her wrist made Mari's face flush even more. "Marinette, these are my parents."
"N-n-nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. A-Agreste." She stuttered over her words; it wasn't everyday you met a high-class fashion designer.
"Oh, Adrien has told us so much about you, Marinette." His mother smiled warmly. "After four and a half years of listening, it's so nice to finally meet you." She couldn't help but grin back at her.
"Y-you too. Adrien talks very highly of you." Mrs. Agreste let out a laugh like bells - she could see where Adrien got his looks and personality from.
"Always been a momma's boy." She smiled proudly at him. "And now I've meet all of les quatre Fantastiques!"
Adrien smiled again, letting out a light laugh.
"A Slytherin, hm?" Mr. Agreste looked over her. "Always heard they made... interesting friends."
"Oh, hush up, Gabriel. May I remind you you were a slytherin yourself?"
"I never said it was a bad thing, Ath." Gabriel grinned, reaching his hand out. "A pleasure, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."
"M-mine as well, Mr. Agreste." Oh my god, she thought, I'm shaking Gabriel Agreste's hand.
"Mari!" Their exchange was cut short by a girl rushing up and wrapping the half-Chinese in a bone-crushing hug. "Girl, you will never believe the summer I've had!"
Marinette laughed, wrapping her in a hug as well. "I can't wait to hear all about it." She responded before the two separated.
"Oh, hey, Mr. and Mrs. A!" Alya waved, smiling at the two adults before looking at Nino and Adrien. "Why didn't I get any letters from you two?! Am I really going to have to remind you why we end up spending hours catching up on the train? We shouldn't have to, you know-"
"We would anyways, Al." Nino laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Which is why I don't write. I receive."
"I bet you wrote Blondie." She grumbled, crossing her arms.
"Actually, he didn't. I didn't have time to write anyways," the Hufflepuff grinned sheepishly. "Photoshoots and all."
Alya huffed again. "Well at least Mari tells me about everything." She smiled at her. "Right?"
"Well..." Marinette grinned. "Mostly everything."
"I hate all of you."
The three laughed as the train finally pulled to a stop and all four turned to their parents for the last few moments.
"Oh, mon petit!" Tom's eyebrows raised, digging into the small bag the two had brought with them. "For the trip!" He pulled out a pink box, 'Dupain-Cheng Bakery' inscribed on the top in gold lettering, and inside were no doubt treats. "To share, of course."
"Papa! Thank you." She smiled, taking the box in her hands before planting a kiss on each of her parent's cheeks again. "I'll write you as soon as I'm all settled."
"We can't wait; have a great year, Marinette."
Ten minutes later, the four were settled in their car and chatting excitedly about their summers and the year to come.
"... So we were trapped there for the whole week." Alya was recapping her and her mother's escape to Greenland. "When they tell you there's no green, there is literally no green there."
"Why call it Greenland then?" Adrien cocked an eyebrow, a fizzing whizbee half eaten and a mountain of candies next to him.
"Because when the Vikings settled there, they wanted to trick people. So Iceland was really the nicer of the two places and they wanted to keep it. They named it Iceland so people would stay away, and Greenland for those stupid enough to not do research."
Nino rolled his eyes. "How were vikings supposed to research? They didn't have computers or even any books on a new place."
"Well, terrible for them." The girl retorted, scrolling through her phone. "Mari, did you see the new issue?"
"Of course!" She grinned, passing the blond across from her another bee before popping one in her own mouth. "We finally got to see how they got their powers. And the way Ladybug reacted to it!"
"Hey, hey, spoilers!" Adrien covered his ears dramatically, laughing. "I haven't read it yet!"
"Here," Alya laughed, tossing her phone to him. "I've got it downloaded."
He grinned, eyes locking on the device. "You're the best."
"No, you're just in love with Ladybug and Chat Noir."
"Ladybug, yes." He winked at the group. "I'd pay to be Chat just to talk to her."
"Dude, she's fictional. And you could never be Chat Noir." Nino pointed to him. "You're too busy posing for the cameras to save Paris."
"I happen to think I would make the purr-fect Chat Noir."
"Yeah, and Mari's Ladybug." Alya laughed, reaching into the box between the girls for another chocolate crescent.
"Hey!" Marinette protested, crossing her arms. "I could be Ladybug! Just... more..." She paused thinking.
"Cunning?"
Marinette smiled, a soft blush forming as she looked to Adrien. "Y-yeah."
The group laughed again. Conversation flowed easily between them, like they hadn't even been apart for 3 months. That was something they were all thankful for, and knew that they'd get along for years to come; like a new age Harry, Hermione, and Ron. By the time they pulled up to the Hogwarts station, they had settled into a comfortable silence with Adrien reading, Nino listening to music, and Alya watching Mari sketch.
"Everyone prepare to disembark!" They heard, and barely moved for another minute or so. After this, they'd be split back into their houses, and would have to wait for classes and possibly outings to hang out like this again.
"That was awesome!" Adrien handed Alya her phone back, grinning from ear to ear. "The way they handled that was just perfect!"
"Right?!" The girls both responded, resulting in another laugh.
"So, Three Broomsticks after classes tomorrow?"
"Absolutely."
Adrien sometimes hated watching the choosing ceremony. It got boring after a while; oh, you want to kill people? Slytherin. You're loyal to your friends? Hufflepuff. You know all the digits of pi? Ravenclaw. Weasley? Gryffindor. He'd gotten into the habit lately of focusing on his animagus processing. He'd registered of course, but now it was just a matter of getting his confirmation letter. He couldn't wait to tell Nino he'd finally gotten it down and that Father never once found out about it. Mother loved the idea, being an animagi herself, but knew Adrien's hesitation with Father and how he wouldn't approve. 'You're a model,' he'd say, 'and models do not transform themselves into animals, Adrien. That's final.' And then probably something about needing to let go of being a transfiguration professor. 'Leave it to the professionals.' He could hear his father now. But he loved it, being able to change into a cat - a cat! - and wander around. More freedom than he knew what to do with, and now he could even wander around Hogwarts without being caught!
Sighing, the blond looked up at the sorting hat and listened to Headmistress McGonagall call out the next name. At least they were on the T's, and it wouldn't be long before they could head off to their rooms. He glanced past the Hufflepuff across from him and to the Slytherin table behind her, eyes momentarily searching before meeting Marinette's. He grinned, discreetly waving to her, and she waved back before folding her hands and leaning on them with her eyes closed; pretending to sleep. He silently laughed, nodding back to show he understood. She smiled as well, before tapping her wrist, which was clear to Adrien - 'time?' He glanced down at his watch before signaling with his fingers. They'd have dinner soon, and then finally to the main rooms. She sighed visibly, giving him a small smile in thanks. He wasn't sure why someone as sweet as her was sorted to the evilest of all the houses until they'd gotten to know each other more. She was sure exactly of what she wanted and how to get it, and wouldn't let anyone in her way. She told a troll she was busy and to come back later when he picked a fight with her, for crying out loud! She was sneaky, too, and was always trying to him to branch out and try more dangerous things. Not that he didn't appreciate it - she was the reason he was even on the Quidditch team in the first place. She brought out a more outgoing side of him, and he brought out a softer side in her. Honestly, he was just glad to have a friend in her.
Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, dinner was served and finished, and they all were herded into their respective common rooms. And even though he wasn't a big fan of the introductions to first years, he stuck around to watch and help out. The nostalgia came back to him, sitting the same chair he was in now, staring at the black and yellow coloring and light wood furniture wondering how in the world a Gryffindor and a Slytherin raised a Hufflepuff but wasn't really complaining. He was right next door to the kitchens, after all. He watched as the first years gathered around their little fireplace, watching the cactii dance and wave at them, and spun his wand in his fingers with a small smile. He'd missed this room and all the warmth of it. A few of the guys from the team came over and talked to him for a while before reminding him of tryouts in two weeks time. The friendly-ness of the Hufflepuff common room always made him happy as could be, really, but tonight he just wanted to go out. To adventure. To wander. He told one of the others that he was heading to get a hot cocoa before heading into the hall, seeing the other groups show their new house members the ins and outs of Hogwarts. It was nice to be back.
