Madelyn West was excited, to say the least. After going through hell and back, she was finally getting the second shot she had dreamed about. But there was just one problem; she didn't know how to get there.

She was at King's Cross Station, staring at platform nine and ten, trying to project the image of '9 ¾' between the two signs. Now, Madelyn had just gotten a letter about Hogwarts and platform nine and three quarters from and owl. Technically this was her second letter— she had originally gotten one for a school in America, but she had flown herself to England.

Well, Madelyn thought, it's really no surprise the officer didn't help you out when you said Hogwarts. He would have sent you to a lovely padded cell if you said anything else. I can hear it now "No, please, sir, a bird gave it to me." Ha ha.

Madelyn stood, ready to leave and get herself back to America when she heard a man say, "Now I know Hogwarts might sound scary—"

Madelyn whipped around. It was a man talking to a boy who was probably his son. They both were a bit shabby looking and had sandy blond hair; the boy's was longer than the father's. Madelyn marched right up to them, "Wait, sir, did you just say Hogwarts?"

"Uh…"

"Can you tell me how to get to the platform?"

Relieved, smile broke out on his face, "Oh, are you new?" he gestured to his son. "Remus is new as well. Don't worry; all you have to do if walk into the wall."

Madelyn raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "That's it?"

"Yep." He said cheerily.

Madelyn did a head shrug where she gave a small nod of her head to the left and lifted her chin. What the heck, it's magic. "Well alright then."

She pushed her cart ahead of herself as she walked towards the wall. Before she knew it, Madelyn was on platform nine and three quarters.

The boy popped out of the wall behind her and smiled at Madelyn. She smiled back, "Hi, it's Remus right?"

He nodded unsurely.

"I'm Madelyn. Want to go find a seat?"

Remus smiled tentatively, "sure."

They helped each other get their trunks onto the train and walked down the aisle. All of the seats were full; until they saw two people leave a compartment. One was a boy with greasy dark hair and the other a fiery redheaded girl. They both look pretty miffed about something.

When Madelyn and Remus stopped outside the compartment they saw two boys laughing inside.

Madelyn gestured towards the compartment. "Everywhere else is full," she said to Remus, who looked like he was folding inward.

When the duo walked in, the two boys looked at them. "Hi," said Madelyn. "Can we sit here?"

"Sure," one of them said. He had dark hair that was flying all over the place, hazel eyes, and glasses, "my name's James, and this is Sirius."

"Hey, I'm Madelyn, and this is Remus." The boy all nodded hellos.

"Hey, what's up with your accent? You sound like you're-"

"American?" Madelyn cut in. "that's because I am. I'm also muggle-born."

"Sweet, my parents will love that!"

"Huh?"

"I have messed-up parents with this pure-blood mania. They'll be furious that I'm friends with a muggle-born. What are you?" he asked Remus.

"Half-blood."

"Yes, bonus!"

"Wait a minute, who's your parents?" James asked.

Sirius looked him in the eye, "I'm a Black."

A look of pure shock appeared on James' face, "Again, I thought you were alright!"

They both laughed.

"So," Madelyn asked, " What's Hogwarts like?"

"Awesome!" James said. "I mean, I haven't been there yet, but it'll be amazing!"

Before they could say anything else, they were interrupted by the trolley lady, "Would you like anything from the trolley?"

"Alright!" James said, hopping right up. All of the boys followed him, including Remus, who just wanted chocolate.

"Wait," James said, looking back at Madelyn, who was sitting forlornly in her seat. "Don't you want anything?"

Madelyn shifted uncomfortably, "I don't have any money. I'm muggle-born, remember? Everything I own is already second-hand."

James stared at her before turning abruptly to the lady. "We'll take the entire cart please."

For the next few hours, the four of them shared the entire cart of candy while James and Sirius took it upon themselves to "instruct her in the art of "quiddage" while Remus sat and read in the corner. Eventually they roped him into the conversation when they started to talk about the houses, but he was still rather quiet. Sirius and James wanted to be in Gryffindor, Remus wanted to be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and Madelyn didn't really care, but so far Gryffindor sounded the most fun.

Minutes before they arrived at Hogwarts, they frantically threw there robes on, and hurried out.

"Firs years, firs years, over here," shouted a giant man with a wild beard.

"Who is that?" Madelyn asked.

"Hagrid," James said. "He's the gamekeeper."

"And how do you know this?" Sirius asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I have connections. I'm special."

"Special in the head." Remus muttered behind them, which made the other two laugh. James pouted.

They followed Hagrid down to a giant lake that had a black sheen. The four of them were in a boat together when they took off. James and Sirius leaned over the edge and started to whisper, "I hear there's a giant squid in there…"

Looking at the two of them scanning the water, Madelyn saw an opportunity too good to miss. She turned toward Remus, "hold your breath!" before the confused boy could respond, Madelyn grabbed the edge of the boat and heaved.

The resulting splash caused every single person on the lake to turn and look at the visible bottom of the boat and the mass of bubbles coming up. Under the water, invisible the four children faced each other eyes open, and their hair forming haloes around them. The boys glared at Madelyn, who tried her best to look innocent under water before they all swam up. They expertly flipped the boat back over and climbed in.

"You three all righ'?" Hagrid asked

"Yes," they all responded.

"What was that for?" James growled out, murderous.

"It was funny! The looks on your faces…"

The boys could not argue with her infallible logic.

The four continued to splash each other but where relatively silent for the rest of the ride. The group of first years walked into the school to meet up with a stern teacher who began to speak: "Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall. Soon you will walk into the great hall and be sorted into one of four houses: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Huffelpuff, or Gryffindor. While at Hogwarts, houses are family, good deeds will give you house points, rule-breaking is the opposite," she paused to give a disdainful look at Sirius, James, Remus, and Madelyn, whose sopping clothes left a trail on the floor. "Your sorting will start soon. I will return for you when it's time."

After she left, muttering broke out. "What do we have to do to be sorted?" Madelyn asked.

James shrugged, "dunno, I think we have to fight a troll."

Madelyn did her weird side-shrug-nod-thing. "Cool!... What's a troll?"

Before they answered, McGonagall came back. "We're ready. Follow me."

The four new friends looked at each other. "Here we go," said Sirius.