Prologue Ellie's POV
First year at Hogwarts. Is it normal to feel this nervous? I breathed deeply to try and slow down my heart rate. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see my mother standing behind me. She walked in front of me to look me directly in the eyes. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" She asked. About a month before school she had been worried sick about me even going. Luckily Dad managed to calm her down enough for us to go shopping for books. I nodded.
"Yes mum, I'm ready," I said with a small giggle. "You shouldn't worry so much, love," I heard my dad say behind me as he pulled my heavy trunk out of the car and put it on the trolly. "Did you have to pack so much for her? It feels like it's full of stones."
My mother rolled her eyes. "You just need to grow some muscle," she said taking out my ferret, Avalanche's carrier out of the backseat. I took the carrier from my mother and examined my ferret. She was sleeping soundly and looked like she had gotten a little car sick. I placed her carrier on top of my trunk and unlocked the cage. I heard my mother gasp behind me.
"Don't take her out!" She squealed. She didn't like ferrets or any type of rodent. "She needs fresh air, mum," I said taking Ava out. I placed her on my shoulder and she clung to my shirt as we started to walk inside. I had been to King's Cross station before, but I was too little to remember. It was huge. I started to walk inside when I heard someone behind me. I turned to find a boy riding a trolley. "Look out!" He shouted. I quickly moved, tripping over my shoe. Ava clung tighter to my shirt. He stopped his trolley and hopped off. "Sorry about that," he said, in a light Irish accent. "Hope I didn't hurt you." He walked over and reached out his hand to help me up. I sat there frozen as I looked into his emerald green eyes, and his shaggy dark brown hair falling in front of them. I took his hand shaking. "N-no I'm fine," I replied, having trouble speaking. Ava climbed back onto my shoulder shaking harder than I was.
"Well I better get going, got school to go to," he said, "guess I'll see you."
"B-bye," I said, feeling me cheeks were hot. Who was that boy? I was pulled out of the stupor by my mum calling my name. "Ellie sweetie," she said, "we have to get you onto the platform." I ran right over and started pushing my trolley. We kept walking until we reached a pillar. "Why have we stopped here?" I asked, extremely puzzled. My father laughed. "That's how you get onto the platform," he said with a big grin on my face. I looked at my father in disbelief then looked at my mother who nodded. My father had a tendency to joke about these kinds of things, I never believed him unless my mother told me it was true. I gulped.
"I'll go in with you," my father reassured. "Ready? On three. 1...2...3!" We ran at full speed. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the crash, but it never came. I opened my eyes to see a big red and black train. I looked up at the platform sign to see 9 3/4 written on it. "We better hurry and get your stuff loaded on the train," my mother said, sounding a bit sad for hafting to see me go off to school. It made me feel homesick already, but I knew I was going to like it at school. I'll make new friends, learn magic spells. It'll be perfect. We loaded my trunk and it was finally time for boarding. I gave my father a big hug. "I'll see you in the summer," he said, kissing the top of my head. I hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek before moving to my mother. "Bye mummy," I said taking in the sweet smell of her perfume one last time before departing. "Good-bye sweetheart," she said stroking my hair. "We'll be sure to write to you everyday." After a few more minutes of good-byes and hugs, it was finally time to leave. With Ava on my shoulder, we boarded the train. It was bigger than what I expected, longer anyway, and it had more kids on it. From first years, like me, to seventh years. I searched for an empty compartment but all of them were full. 'Is it always going to always be this hard to find a seat?' I thought not expecting what was going to happen next. After a little while of walking I found a compartment that only had one person in it. I opened the door. "H-hello," I said shyly, "do you mind if I sit in here with you? Everywhere else is full." "Sure, first year?" said a boy with thick shaggy red hair and blue eyes. I nodded. He smiled. "Well have a seat, I'm Louis. Louis Weasley." "I'm Ellie," I said sitting down across from Louis. "What year are you in?" "This is my second," he said, as the compartment door opened again and I looked to see the boy who almost ran me over earlier. "'Ey there, Lou," he said, not noticing me, "saved me the usual seat I see." "Same as always," Louis replied. He looked over at me, and elbowed the boy next to him to let him know I was there. "Oh, sorry didn't see you there," he said. He looked shocked, proving he recognized me. "Hey, you're the girl I almost ran over earlier. I'm really sorry 'bout that. The names Gabriel, but you can call me Gabe. I'm a second year." He reached out his hand to shake mine. "Ellie," I said taking his hand. The minute we touched I felt a shiver run down my spine and my face heating up. Louis and Gabe told me everything I needed to know about Hogwarts, and filled me in on their ideas for the year, being the clowns in their year.
'I think I'm going to like it there,' I thought, laughing at all their jokes. The three of us talked until we were almost to school. "We better get our robes on," Louis said, standing up and grabbing his bag. I grabbed mine and walked out to find a private place to change. When I got back I noticed that Gabe and Louis had the same color ties. "You are in the same house?" I asked, hoping to get into the same house as them. Gabe nodded. "We're both in Ravenclaw," he answered fixing the cuff of his robe. "Maybe you ll get into our house." I nodded, not wanting to sound desperate to them. When we finally reached the school, we stepped off the train and I heard someone calling for first years. I turned to see a big man with a long black beard and long hair behind him. He looked like a giant. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find Gabe smiling at me. "Don't worry Ell, Hagrid is the gamekeeper here at school," he comforted with a small laugh, "he won't bite, trust me, wouldn't even hurt a fly."
"O-okay," I stammered and began walking over to Hagrid. "C'mon, follow me firs' years!" He shouted. Everyone obeyed without a second thought. We walked up to a dock and I noticed there were tons of boats. We all stepped into one, 4-5 per boat, and sailed towards the castle. After docking the boats we walked into the castle where we were greeted by a tall main with short brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a big smile on his face. "Welcome to Hogwarts," he greeted. "I am Professor Longbottom. Through these doors is the Great Hall. Once inside you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. After being sorted, you will sit with your house and we will begin the feast. I will be back to let you in." Professor Longbottom walked through the big doors behind him. We stood outside the doors waiting to be called inside. "Excuse me," I heard someone say behind me. I turned to find a girl, obviously a first year as well, stumbling through the crowd of kids. She stopped when she got up beside me. "Thank goodness I'm out of that crowd. I'm Claire."
"E-Ellie," I replied, not sounding as timid as I was with Lou and Gabe. "Do you know what house you're hoping to get?" She asked, obviously excited to find out where we're going to be. I shook my head. "I'm hoping for Ravenclaw or maybe Gryffindor! But I guess either one would be fine. I read a book on everything I needed to know about Hogwarts over the summer. It's really interesting to read how the school was founded."
"You like to read?" I asked with some interest. "I like reading too, but fiction is more my alley."
"Ooh that's nice. I love to read either history or fiction," Claire replied. We stood there talking about our favorite books and what we plan on reading in the future until Professor Longbottom came out the giant doors again.
"Alright first years, let's go in," he called and opened the doors wide. We followed him to the end of the room and stopped in front of the head table. He walked up the stairs and picked up a rugged old hat off of a stool. "When I call you're name walk up here and sit on the stool. I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. After you're sorted you may go sit at your house table. Let's begin."
One by one the children in our group were sorted. It didn't take long for Claire to get called up. I crossed my fingers hoping to be in a house with her. "Slytherin!" the sorting hat called. I looked up and saw both shock and worry in Claire's face. Maybe I'll get Slytherin? Then we could be in a house together, maybe sleep in the beds next to each others. I was quickly pulled out of my thoughts as my name was being called. I slowly walked up the stairs, shaking harshly. My heart was pounding so loudly I could have sworn it echoed in the room. I sat down and jumped when the hat was placed on my head and began to talk. "Where to put you, where to put you," it pondered. After a few seconds it shouted.
"Hufflepuff!" I was a bit up set that I didn't get into a house with any of my friends, but I can still see them between classes. Now my time at school officially began.
First year at Hogwarts. Is it normal to feel this nervous? I breathed deeply to try and slow down my heart rate. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see my mother standing behind me. She walked in front of me to look me directly in the eyes. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" She asked. About a month before school she had been worried sick about me even going. Luckily Dad managed to calm her down enough for us to go shopping for books. I nodded.
"Yes mum, I'm ready," I said with a small giggle. "You shouldn't worry so much, love," I heard my dad say behind me as he pulled my heavy trunk out of the car and put it on the trolly. "Did you have to pack so much for her? It feels like it's full of stones."
My mother rolled her eyes. "You just need to grow some muscle," she said taking out my ferret, Avalanche's carrier out of the backseat. I took the carrier from my mother and examined my ferret. She was sleeping soundly and looked like she had gotten a little car sick. I placed her carrier on top of my trunk and unlocked the cage. I heard my mother gasp behind me.
"Don't take her out!" She squealed. She didn't like ferrets or any type of rodent. "She needs fresh air, mum," I said taking Ava out. I placed her on my shoulder and she clung to my shirt as we started to walk inside. I had been to King's Cross station before, but I was too little to remember. It was huge. I started to walk inside when I heard someone behind me. I turned to find a boy riding a trolley. "Look out!" He shouted. I quickly moved, tripping over my shoe. Ava clung tighter to my shirt. He stopped his trolley and hopped off. "Sorry about that," he said, in a light Irish accent. "Hope I didn't hurt you." He walked over and reached out his hand to help me up. I sat there frozen as I looked into his emerald green eyes, and his shaggy dark brown hair falling in front of them. I took his hand shaking. "N-no I'm fine," I replied, having trouble speaking. Ava climbed back onto my shoulder shaking harder than I was.
"Well I better get going, got school to go to," he said, "guess I'll see you."
"B-bye," I said, feeling me cheeks were hot. Who was that boy? I was pulled out of the stupor by my mum calling my name. "Ellie sweetie," she said, "we have to get you onto the platform." I ran right over and started pushing my trolley. We kept walking until we reached a pillar. "Why have we stopped here?" I asked, extremely puzzled. My father laughed. "That's how you get onto the platform," he said with a big grin on my face. I looked at my father in disbelief then looked at my mother who nodded. My father had a tendency to joke about these kinds of things, I never believed him unless my mother told me it was true. I gulped.
"I'll go in with you," my father reassured. "Ready? On three. 1...2...3!" We ran at full speed. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the crash, but it never came. I opened my eyes to see a big red and black train. I looked up at the platform sign to see 9 3/4 written on it. "We better hurry and get your stuff loaded on the train," my mother said, sounding a bit sad for hafting to see me go off to school. It made me feel homesick already, but I knew I was going to like it at school. I'll make new friends, learn magic spells. It'll be perfect. We loaded my trunk and it was finally time for boarding. I gave my father a big hug. "I'll see you in the summer," he said, kissing the top of my head. I hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek before moving to my mother. "Bye mummy," I said taking in the sweet smell of her perfume one last time before departing. "Good-bye sweetheart," she said stroking my hair. "We'll be sure to write to you everyday." After a few more minutes of good-byes and hugs, it was finally time to leave. With Ava on my shoulder, we boarded the train. It was bigger than what I expected, longer anyway, and it had more kids on it. From first years, like me, to seventh years. I searched for an empty compartment but all of them were full. 'Is it always going to always be this hard to find a seat?' I thought not expecting what was going to happen next. After a little while of walking I found a compartment that only had one person in it. I opened the door. "H-hello," I said shyly, "do you mind if I sit in here with you? Everywhere else is full." "Sure, first year?" said a boy with thick shaggy red hair and blue eyes. I nodded. He smiled. "Well have a seat, I'm Louis. Louis Weasley." "I'm Ellie," I said sitting down across from Louis. "What year are you in?" "This is my second," he said, as the compartment door opened again and I looked to see the boy who almost ran me over earlier. "'Ey there, Lou," he said, not noticing me, "saved me the usual seat I see." "Same as always," Louis replied. He looked over at me, and elbowed the boy next to him to let him know I was there. "Oh, sorry didn't see you there," he said. He looked shocked, proving he recognized me. "Hey, you're the girl I almost ran over earlier. I'm really sorry 'bout that. The names Gabriel, but you can call me Gabe. I'm a second year." He reached out his hand to shake mine. "Ellie," I said taking his hand. The minute we touched I felt a shiver run down my spine and my face heating up. Louis and Gabe told me everything I needed to know about Hogwarts, and filled me in on their ideas for the year, being the clowns in their year.
'I think I'm going to like it there,' I thought, laughing at all their jokes. The three of us talked until we were almost to school. "We better get our robes on," Louis said, standing up and grabbing his bag. I grabbed mine and walked out to find a private place to change. When I got back I noticed that Gabe and Louis had the same color ties. "You are in the same house?" I asked, hoping to get into the same house as them. Gabe nodded. "We're both in Ravenclaw," he answered fixing the cuff of his robe. "Maybe you ll get into our house." I nodded, not wanting to sound desperate to them. When we finally reached the school, we stepped off the train and I heard someone calling for first years. I turned to see a big man with a long black beard and long hair behind him. He looked like a giant. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find Gabe smiling at me. "Don't worry Ell, Hagrid is the gamekeeper here at school," he comforted with a small laugh, "he won't bite, trust me, wouldn't even hurt a fly."
"O-okay," I stammered and began walking over to Hagrid. "C'mon, follow me firs' years!" He shouted. Everyone obeyed without a second thought. We walked up to a dock and I noticed there were tons of boats. We all stepped into one, 4-5 per boat, and sailed towards the castle. After docking the boats we walked into the castle where we were greeted by a tall main with short brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a big smile on his face. "Welcome to Hogwarts," he greeted. "I am Professor Longbottom. Through these doors is the Great Hall. Once inside you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. After being sorted, you will sit with your house and we will begin the feast. I will be back to let you in." Professor Longbottom walked through the big doors behind him. We stood outside the doors waiting to be called inside. "Excuse me," I heard someone say behind me. I turned to find a girl, obviously a first year as well, stumbling through the crowd of kids. She stopped when she got up beside me. "Thank goodness I'm out of that crowd. I'm Claire."
"E-Ellie," I replied, not sounding as timid as I was with Lou and Gabe. "Do you know what house you're hoping to get?" She asked, obviously excited to find out where we're going to be. I shook my head. "I'm hoping for Ravenclaw or maybe Gryffindor! But I guess either one would be fine. I read a book on everything I needed to know about Hogwarts over the summer. It's really interesting to read how the school was founded."
"You like to read?" I asked with some interest. "I like reading too, but fiction is more my alley."
"Ooh that's nice. I love to read either history or fiction," Claire replied. We stood there talking about our favorite books and what we plan on reading in the future until Professor Longbottom came out the giant doors again.
"Alright first years, let's go in," he called and opened the doors wide. We followed him to the end of the room and stopped in front of the head table. He walked up the stairs and picked up a rugged old hat off of a stool. "When I call you're name walk up here and sit on the stool. I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. After you're sorted you may go sit at your house table. Let's begin."
One by one the children in our group were sorted. It didn't take long for Claire to get called up. I crossed my fingers hoping to be in a house with her. "Slytherin!" the sorting hat called. I looked up and saw both shock and worry in Claire's face. Maybe I'll get Slytherin? Then we could be in a house together, maybe sleep in the beds next to each others. I was quickly pulled out of my thoughts as my name was being called. I slowly walked up the stairs, shaking harshly. My heart was pounding so loudly I could have sworn it echoed in the room. I sat down and jumped when the hat was placed on my head and began to talk. "Where to put you, where to put you," it pondered. After a few seconds it shouted.
"Hufflepuff!" I was a bit up set that I didn't get into a house with any of my friends, but I can still see them between classes. Now my time at school officially began.