The diary of an American exchange student
1st April 2019- 5pm
Dear diary
Hi, it's me, Jasmine Stephens. So my mum gave me this diary for New Year thinking I would actually write in it all year, how naïve can you possibly get? She knows I never keep a diary. Today though, I am going to make an exception. You see I am currently on a train somewhere in Scotland. No I am not Scottish, I'm American. I am on an exchange trip from Salem Academy for Witches to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It seems like fun, new country, new life with three of my closest friends for three months. My friends are, Lauren Stamford, Jade Nobel and Amy Rider. I am so glad that they are coming with me because I can't stand half the people on the train with me. There are fourteen other people going to Hogwarts with me but I wouldn't call all of them my friends. Some of them are downright bitches if you ask me. My twin sister, Jamie, and her friends have to be the most annoying people going on the exchange- note to self; don't introduce her as my sister but an annoying distant cousin. Okay so I won't really do that, she is my sister.
There was a point to this exchange, I just can't remember it. Hold on while I ask Lauren, she is the brainiest and most likely to have been paying attention to our teacher… oh yeah, now I remember, inter school relations- i.e. to make friends with other schools in other countries. To be honest I would have preferred to got to Beauxbatons, it seems more… me. Hot climate, pretty and extremely clean. Plus, I have relatives that go there. But I think it will be nice to see how different things are here compared to Salem.
Oops… I have to go now, the train just pulled into the station. I will write again later bye.
I heart Scott Weasley!
9pm –
I do not heart Scott Weasley! That was my sister that wrote that! God she is so annoying! Just because I sat next to him during the feast doesn't mean I fancy him. Anyway I said that I would write back so I am.
So, as soon as I got off the train we were met by a teacher called Professor Wood. Apparently he used to be a pro quidditch player for Puddlemere United. Now he teaches the younger kids how to ride brooms and referees the school matches. Let me be the first to say he is so HOT!
Ahem, anyway… so we went from the station to the castle in these wooden carriages seemingly pulled by nothing. But, if I'm right, I would say they were thestrals. Jade kept throwing strange looks at the spot where a head was meant to be. I know that she has seen death with her grandma, so yeah; it must have been a thestral.
At first sight of the castle I thought, wow. It is so big. I would say about two or three times bigger than Salem. Then again Salem has a lot less students than here, only about ten per year group. I guess that is because there are loads of wizarding schools in America compared to one in Britain.
We were led inside and into the great hall. The headmistress, Professor Sprout, made a big long speech that I didn't really listen to. Really all as she told us was that we would be sorted, eat and go to our dorms. Along with something to the other students about treating us nicely and being welcome to us.
So we were sorted by this ragged old hat. There are four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin; I was sorted into Gryffindor along with, naturally, my sister and one of her friends, Louise I think, and Lauren. The others were sorted into Ravenclaw- the house of smart arses. I'm surprised Lauren wasn't sorted into there too.
Like I said before I sat next to Scott Weasley. I won't deny that he is cute with his red/ brown hair and blue eyes but I don't heart him. So we got talking and it turns out he comes from a massive family. One look down the Gryffindor table confirmed that. Around a third of the table was filled with red hair; they all looked over thirteen though.
It turns out that he is also a twin to Fred; they are totally identical right down to the last freckle. According to Scott the only thing different about them is that Scott has a tattoo on his right shoulder but Fred chickened out at the last minute. Ha, and he is meant to be a Gryffindor, where brave hearts reside. Fred doesn't seem so brave to me.
His argument was, "Would you get a tattoo with all those needles they stick into your skin?" so I said, "Fred, it's one needle and I already have a tattoo on my back." He was quiet for the rest of the meal after Scott laughed at him.
Then Scott told me about his little group called the marauders. Basically it was a group of boys that constantly play tricks on students, especially the Slytherins, and sometimes the teachers. It was made up of him, Fred, and his cousins Oliver (Ollie) Weasley and James Potter.
He shouted over to James but he didn't respond. He tried again several times before turning back to me and saying, "I am sorry about this but most of the time it is the only way to get his attention from taunting his little brother." then he took a couple of peas from his plate, put them on his spoon and flicked them at his head. He still didn't seem to notice so Scott flicked a carrot instead. That made him turn around.
He has got to be the dreamiest guy I have ever seen. He has black hair that glints red in the light and dark chocolate brown eyes. He is really HOT! But he has his flaws. As I found out he has the mind of a five year old. The first thing he said was, "Scottie! You will so pay for that!" before chucking a handful of peas our way. Thankfully they all hit Scott, I got to give it to him- he has great aim. So Scott chucked something back at him but wasn't so lucky with his aim and hit a red head next to James. So, naturally, the boy threw something that hit Fred in the face which resulted in a full blown food fight between all the Weasley and Potter boys. By this time pudding had arrived so it was chocolate cake that they were throwing. After a minute they were stopped by Professor Sprout. Then they all exchanged a look ant threw it at a little group of fifteen year old boys on the Slytherin table. That earned them a double detention to clean up the hall after everyone had gone.
I think they are still there now, I feel sorry for them but they did deserve it. But what the marauders don't know is that we have a similar group at Salem called the pranksters. And we are all here together.
I think I am going to like it at Hogwarts.
AN: review?
