1
I yawned, staring out the window of the Hogwarts Express. I was beginning my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but I was feeling far from nervous. My entire family, which consisted of nearly fifty wizards and witches, had been in Gryffindor, so I was almost positive I would be too.
Not to say I wasn't a bit scared of meeting other people. I had never had the best social skills and I usually stuck to myself. I sighed, closing my eyes, hoping against hope that my compartment would stay empty until the train reached the Hogwarts station.
I must have fallen asleep, because my eyes were jolted open by a loud bang as my compartment door was flung open. Two tall, red headed boys entered, pulling beaten-up, peeling trunks. They were identical down to the last freckle.
"Hello!" One of them beamed at me. "Do you mind if we kip in here? We were thrown out of our old compartment."
I nodded my consent, wondering why on earth they had been thrown out of their ex-compartment.
"We're Fred and George Weasley." They said in unison, holding out their hands. I took them one at a time, them shaking rather more enthusiastically than was needed.
"Ellie Moonstone." I told them. "Going into my first year."
"Us too!" George ejaculated. Fred nodded. "Nice to meet a fellow beginner. Seems everybody else we've met is either a prefect, a head boy or girl, or a conductor."
"That's because you were bugging Percy, so he set his friendly minions on you." They both busted up.
"Percy?" I asked.
"Our older brother." Fred explained. "His life ambition is to become Minister of Magic. He aims too low, that one." He added sarcastically.
I grinned. Never had I met a jollier pair. The rest of the train ride passed quickly as they told me about their family, their inventions, their goals and dreams.
"We want to open a joke shop." They told me, pulling out handfuls of Doctor Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No Heat Fireworks, and dung bombs from their pockets.
We arrived at Hogwarts after dark, so we couldn't see much of the scenery out the compartment window. All I could make out was the gigantic silhouette of a man holding a lantern out on the platform, and the blurred shadows of people exiting the train.
"Well, let's go." Said George, grabbing his trunk. It was only then I noticed they each were carrying identical mesh cages, inside which was a large, cream-colored puffball.
"Oooh!" I exclaimed. "You've got puffskeins!"
"Yeah," Fred held his up so I could see. "Not really useful or anything. Wish I had an owl." He glanced wistfully at my barn owl, Jodie, who was asleep in her cage. "You can borrow her anytime." I said. They both grinned thankfully, their ears going bright red.
We stepped onto the platform, almost colliding with the enormous man I had noticed out the window. He was even bigger up close, with a wild black beard and friendly, beetle-black eyes.
"Hello you three. First years?"
We nodded. He pointed towards a lake, where about twenty small rowboats were docked. "Right then, over there. Four to a boat."
We scurried over and settled into the nearest one, trying hard not to tip it. I was suddenly overcome with nerves. What if I wasn't in Gryffindor? What if I was put in Slytherin, the house that had turned out more dark wizards than any other? Fred and George Weasley looked nervous too. They were both fidgeting and biting their lips.
A boy in dreadlocks joined us in our boat soon afterward, looking just as anxious as I felt. "Lee Jordan." He introduced himself, looking at our pets in awe. "Wow. What are those things?" He pointed at the twins' puffskeins. While Fred and George explained I looked out over the black lake. It looked very deep. Other first years were clambering into boats nearby, struggling with their trunks. I watched a boy with a toad slip, and drop his pet into the water with a splash. "Crud!" He cried, trying to fish it out of the water. The toad swam straight for our boat. I reached down to snatch it and, SPLASH! I toppled headfirst into the icy water, flailing as I went under. I felt something long and slimy wrap around my ankle, and I kicked out, trying desperately to get to air.
"Help!" I screeched as I surfaced, before sinking down again. I sunk lower and lower, panicking when I still did not hit bottom. I had been right; the lake was very deep. I felt many arms grabbing me, pulling me to the surface. I gasped as I broke the water, coughing and sputtering. The gigantic man, Lee Jordan, and Fred and George Weasley were all dragging me back into the boat.
"T-thank you!" I sobbed, realizing, with a jolt of embarrassment, that I was crying. I dabbed at my eyes with my already sopping robes, sniffling.
"What in the world were you doing, Ellie?" Fred asked in disgust. "Nearly scared us to death!"
"I was t-trying to get that b-boy's t-toad." I snuffed. The big man smiled down at me. "Here yeh are." He said gruffly, shrugging off his huge overcoat. I took it gratefully, feeling almost instantly warm.
"Thanks."
He chuckled. "No problem. I'm Hagrid, by the way." He stretched out a dustbin lid-sized hand. We shook. Then he stumped over to another boat, which he had all to himself, because of his bulk. At Hagrid's command, the fleet of boats began moving smoothly across the lake.
"Here comes Hogwarts!" called Hagrid over his shoulder shortly. We all held our breath then… There was a great collective "Whoa!" from everyone. Hogwarts castle stood before us, turrets and windows glinting in the dark, it's many towers and bridges strangely intimidating and noble. Hagrid docked the boats and led us all up large stone steps to a huge door. He knocked three times and stepped back.
A stern-faced woman in sweeping robes of emerald green opened the door. She did not look like a woman who would put up with nonsense.
"Thank you, Hagrid. First years follow me!" And she started up the long entrance hall. She stopped before another pair of closed doors.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonnagal. In a moment you will be led into the Great Hall to be sorted into your House. There are four houses. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin." On the last name George Weasley stuck out his tongue.
"While you are at Hogwarts you House will be like you family. You can lose and earn you House points for you achievements and rule-breaking." She looked sternly down at everyone. "I hope those of you who end up in my House, Gryffindor, will never be caught rule-breaking."
Fred and George tried hard to look innocent.
"Follow me." Professor McGonnagal opened the doors and led us through.
The Great Hall was beautiful. Floating candles hung over our heads, The Hogwarts crest emblazoned banners hanging from the ceiling, and the ceiling itself was bewitched to look like the sky outside. Four tables, one for each House, were filled with people in their robes. I felt very embarrassed walking in Hagrid's giant overcoat, my hair soaking.
We were led to the front of the Hall, where a very tattered old hat stood on a stool. I knew that this was the sorting hat. It could see everything inside my head. Professor McGonnagal explained about the sorting hat and then pulled out a long list of names. But the hat wanted his introduction. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and he sang.
Welcome to Hogwarts, it's name you know, of course you do, just goes to show,
But did you realize, before your time, that the founders of this school of mine,
Did hatch a plan, a daring one, to teach you children, and every one.
They came together and they taught, and now their names won't be forgot.
Brave Gryffindor, who loved the bold and loyal,
Sweet Hufflepuff who cherished hard work and toil,
Sly Slytherin, who fed on fibs and lies,
And good Ravenclaw, who favored the wise.
They came together, fancy that,
And created, me, the sorting hat!
So put me on your head and see,
So I can tell you where you ought to be!
The hat's song ended to tumultuous applause. Professor McGonnagal now took out her list again.
"Abercrombie, Lisa!" She called. Lisa scrambled onto the stool and jammed the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat roared, and the second table erupted as Lisa rushed over to sit down.
"Adam, Jacob!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Baton, Rita!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Baton, Luke!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"I thought twins were always in the same House?" I said to the twins, who were looking sick with fear.
"Usually are, but not always." Fred informed me as Clemmins, Rose went to Hufflepuff. And so it went, down to Lilia, Jennifer (SLYTHERIN!)
Then I was called. "Moonstone, Ellie!" I stood rooted to the spot. Fred pushed me forward. My knees shook as I sat on the stool. I pulled the hat on.
A small weedy voice in my ear chuckled. "Oh-ho! Another Moonstone. It's been a while. Hmmm, courage, brains, oh, yes, and steel… I think we'll go with… GRYFFINDOR!!" The hat bellowed the last word out and I stood, grinning with relief as I hurried for the Gryffindor table. The twins gave me the thumbs up as I went past. I didn't really pay attention until the "W's"
"Weasley, Fred!" Fred swaggered up to the stool, trying, and failing to look perfectly at ease. The hat screamed almost as soon as it hit Fred's head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Looking faint with relief, Fred whipped the hat off and came over to sit down next to Lee Jordan and I.
"Weasley, George!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" Fred and I cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors as George joined us.
After the sorting, Dumbledore stood. He was tall with a sweeping white beard long enough to tuck into his belt.
"Welcome!" He called. "You must all be hungry, so our announcements can wait. Tuck in!"
The golden plates adorning the tables suddenly filled with food. Chicken and corn, and steak, and pasta, and meatballs, and potatoes, and peas, and corn and pudding, and pies, and tarts. It was all delicious. The feast was over and the food gone far too soon as Dumbledore stood up and silence fell.
"Let it be known that the Forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. And our caretaker, Mr. Filch, would like me to inform you that all joke products such as fireworks, dung bombs, fanged Frisbees, and other such things are henceforth banned."
I snuck a look at Fred and George, who were rolling their eyes.
"Also, I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Rican. Welcome Professor, and good luck." Everyone clapped politely for a tall, graying wizard with long hair and an earring.
"Well, that's that, so off to bed all of you!" Dumbledore clapped his long-fingered hands. The Gryffindor prefects stood and called out. "Gryffindors this way please, Gryffindors this way!" The twins, Lee Jordan, and I all stood and followed the prefects up many staircases and through many corridors and past beautiful paintings that moved, and great suits of armor that waved as we hurried by. The entrance to the Gryffindor common room was a large painting of an immensely fat lady in a pink dress.
"Password?" She asked. The prefects turned around to face us.
"The password is 'Treacle". Now, the passwords change every now and then, you will be informed when they do."
The fat lady swung forward as the prefect said the password, revealing a cozy looking circular room filled with several large, squashy armchairs, and a fire crackling merrily. After being given directions to our dormitories, we all traipsed upstairs. I was suddenly feeling exhausted.
"Night, Fred, George." I called as we went our separate ways.
"Night." They replied, stifling yawns. I went into my dormitory to find my trunk and Jodie already there. My new four-poster looked very comfortable, and I collapsed into it without changing. I had had enough adventure for one day. Little did I know, every day I spent with the Weasley twins would be filled with adventures, some greater than this one.