Hogwarts
Gwen woke up groggy and grumpy until she realized that today was the day she'd be heading off to school.
"Gwen, come along now." Her father called up the stairs "we don't have all day"
"Coming" she called as she threw on her robes and made her way down the stairs.
"You know dad," She said grinning
"I know lots of things." Her father said lazily as he read the morning paper
"I'm going to minister of magic someday." She said bouncing around the kitchen happily
"Ok, Gwenny, I'll remember to vote for you in the elections ok" Gwen's father said not taking his eyes from the morning paper
"That'd be awesome dad!" and she kissed her father on the cheek
"You ready to go now?" He asked
"Yup." Gwen said happily as she took a piece of toast from the plate on the kitchen table.
"Eva, Marcus… We're ready to go" and Gwen's little brother came around the corner sulking "Dad, I don't want Gwenny to go! I'm going to miss her."
"Coming, John dear." Eva Peterson called from the back office and in a matter of seconds later Gwen's mother glided out of the room and into the kitchen.
"Alright we're ready." John Peterson said to his daughter who was grinning broadly from ear to ear.
And in what was really five minutes but seemed like five hours to Gwen who was anxiously bouncing from one side of her parents to the other started quizzing them.
"What's the sorting like? Does it hurt? What do I have to do? When will I do it? Will I have to be sorted in front of Dumbledore?"
"Gwenny, really these questions are better left unanswered by us; this is about you growing up to be a talented witch."
Looking slightly abashed at the prospect that her parent's weren't going to answer her questions Gwen fell silent humming to herself in glee.
"Well here we are Kings Cross Station between platforms nine and ten" Gwen's father clapped his daughter on the back and said "Now remember we'll be right behind you. I want you to run for that barricade and see what happens."
"Ok dad." And Gwen exhaled heavily and puffed herself up with a fresh breath and charged head down and barreling for the seemingly solid platform. And with a swoosh in her ears she had pushed right through the barricade and straight into another wizard who was saying good-bye to his son.
"Oh Sir I'm sorry" And before she knew it her father, mother, and brother were behind her steering her away from the crowd "Ok Gwenny, time to get on the train." Her father said calmly "Write us when you know what house you're in. We love you Gwenny." And her father kissed and patted her head.
"Yes, dear we love you!" Her mother reciprocated
"Gwenny don't go!" her brother hugged her around the middle
"Oh, Marcus" She said patting her brother's head "I'll be back at Christmas and I'll have so much to tell you I'm sure and then we'll go out and play in the winter weather.
And with that the whistle of the train bellowed its warning and Gwen pulled away from her parents saying, "Don't worry I'll write!" and she waved to her family as they disappeared into the distance and around the corner.
Gwen was on her way to finding a train compartment and a place for her and her stuff when five boys came barreling down the narrow corridor and knocked her and her trunk knocking her clothes, potions ingredients, wand, and a bunch of family pictures all over the moving floor.
"Hey-" She hissed reproachfully
"Sorry." Three of the boys called back but two stayed to help her pick up the scattered contents of her trunk.
"Sorry about that" One of the boys said "Didn't see you there until we knocked you over."
"Oh that's alright, Thanks for helping me. I'm Gwendolyn Peterson and I'm a first year."
"I'm Sirius Black and this is my fellow soon to be Gryffindor Remus Lupin." Sirius said
"Hi" Remus said shyly "Sirius I gotta run and catch up with James and Peter, goodness only knows what they'll do to Snivelus."
Gwen chuckled a little "that's a silly name, Snivelus, is it really his name?"
"No, it Severus Snape he's a first year with the rest of us. Hey you're pretty swift." Sirius said eyeing her suspiciously
"It's a trait I get from my mom, both my parents went to Hogwarts and they met in the Slytherin house." She said proudly not noticing the eye that Sirius was giving her at this news but he decided to give her a chance "Hey, Gwen, why don't you come sit in a compartment with my friends and I and we can get to know each other better."
"That'd be great!" Said Gwen happy to be making friends already
The rest of the train ride past quickly Gwen sat contentedly with Sirius, Remus, and James were really clever how they became friends with Peter was beyond her comprehension he was no where near as good looking and no where near the same intelligence level.
"Wow," Gwen said "You guys got a lot more information from your parents than I did. They wouldn't tell me anything about Hogwarts, said I had to 'learn it on my own.' Silly if you ask me, it was just a few questions."
"Well what do you want to know?" Sirius asked "My cousin Narcissa told me, although I can't guarantee how much is true. She likes to tell tales, she thinks it scares me."
And Gwen had all her questions answered although how much of it was accurate she'd just have to wait and see. The train slowed and it was suddenly time to gather all her belongings and wait for the train to stop she waited with baited breath she hopped off the train and clambered into a boat with all her other first years she ended up happily among Sirius, James, Remus and Peter as well as a red haired girl she hadn't met yet. She happily extended her hand and said said, "Hi I'm Gwenny oh-er- Gwen Peterson."
"Hi Gwen, I'm Lily Evans" The girl said smiling warmly
"First years this way" Came a woman's voice and all the first years trekked up the hill toward the castle. Gwen listened as the woman explained that all first years were to line up single file alphabetically and they would be called into the Great hall when they were ready for them. And in a matter of moments the sorting began.
"Vivian Abott"
The witch who had ushered them into the building called loudly Gwen wringed her hands together anxiously waiting to see what her classmate would have to succumb to in order to be sorted but the line of first year students was too long
"Sirius Black"
Gwen stepped out of line and saw one of the boys she had sat with on the train it made her smile to know that they had already bonded even if it was just a little.
"Charles Brandyman" came the witch's voice again. Gwen dazed in and out only to hear a few names before hers. Until finally she snapped from a daze at the sound of,
Other names she registered hearing were, Charles Costas, Herbert Dibble, Lily Evans, and Remus Lupin
"Gwendolyn Peterson"
She walked up to the stool looked at the hat and picked it up swallowed the lump in her throat and sat on the stool placing the tattered old hat on her head. And suddenly she heard the small voice inside her ear.
"Hmmm, Child you're mighty tricky, this could take a moment. You're strong willed and clever like a Slytherin, yet brave like a Gryffindor, very tricky indeed."
Gwen sat there waiting for what seemed like an eternity her hear pounding against her ribcage she was surprised that no one else could hear it. She waited for the hat to decide until she heard ring out through the great hall,
"GRYFFINDOR"
At that Gwen's heart skipped a beat the houses usually went in families she thought and since both her parents were wizards and both had been through Hogwarts she thought she would be in Slytherin what would her parents say, would they be ok with it no one in her family had ever been a Gryffindor before and after all she came from a long line of witches and wizards. All the while she heard the shouts and cheers from the Gryffindor table and slowly made her way to the table to prepare for dinner. She saw Sirius on the corner of the table with six chairs around him and he patted to one on his left side. Gwen smiled at him thankful they had met on the train. She sat next to Sirius smiled and continued to watch the sorting ceremony as James Potter and Severus Snape got sorted followed by William Turnstead and Vivian Zexaphan.
Once the sorting was finished Professor Dumbledore stood up in front of the staff table and welcomed the returning students back to their new school year and the new students to a new and exciting turning point in their lives. He reminded and told the students that the Forest was as always forbidden, and that there was to be no magic in the corridors between classes after a few other house keeping items the told the students and faculty to
"Tuck in"
When the food was served she found herself sitting next to Sirius, and across from James and Remus. In the chair on her right side was Lily Evans whom Gwen found herself chatting with for most of the feast and laughing heartily with them all.
By the time the feast had finished Gwen found herself quite and exhausted and just as she let out a yawn the headmaster called that all prefects should lead their houses up to the dormitory and turn in for the night. The school buzzed with conversation and Gwen and Lily walked together in silence up to the Gryffindor Tower and headed off to the girls dorms both grinning at each other ready to start their first day of classes.
And as Gwen slipped quietly into bed she thought…"I'll write to mum and dad tomorrow and tell them what happened." And fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow.
