Chapter 2

The train pulled slowly out of the station, and Alex settled down to read a book his father had bought him about wizarding law. The noise of the clamouring parents faded away, until the only sounds were the clattering of the train over the tracks, and the chattering of students in the compartments on either side.

There was a knock on the door, and his heart sank as a familiar, pudgy face appeared.

"Hiya Alex!"

He nodded curtly.

"Good morning, Smith."

His heart sank, and he resisted the urge to curl up his nose as Professor Longbottom introduced him to Adam Smith. Instead, he nodded politely, offering the boy his hand.

"Nice to meet you. Are you muggleborn too?"

"Yep," he grinned. "Didn't know anything about magic until the letter came! Do people call you Alex?"

"No, people call me Millington."

"Oh, well, nice to meet you Alex."

"Don't call me that."

"Oh, so people really call you Millington? I thought you were just joking."

"Why would I be joking? You asked me a question, I answered it."

"Right… where are you from?"

"Berkshire, but I went to school at Park House, which is in Hertfordshire. You?"

"London. My school was called 'Cromwell House', and…"

"Oh yes, I played rugger against them once. Gave them a damn good thrashing."

"Um… okay…"

"Do you play rugger, or are you a cricket boy?"

"I don't really like sport…"

The conversation tailed off (much to Alex's relief) when their parents called them over to begin their shopping. The Professor showed them how to get past the wall into Diagon alley, and both boys stared around, amazed by the magical street. Alex wished he had another pair of eyes, and at least three more ears; there was so much to take in. Around him the crowds hurried back and forth, and he caught snatches of conversation.

"I'm telling you, the prophet's got better things to write about than…"

"Five sickles a yard…"

"Give it back, Al, or I'm gonna tell dad…"

"I wouldn't have thought she was the type…"

"See, even Scorpius says you should hand it over…"

Eventually they reached Gringotts, and listened as Professor Longbottom attempted to explain the wizarding currency.

"So, um, can I sit here then?"

"Must you?" he asked abruptly. He had already endured a day of Smith's irritating chatter. "I'm trying to read."

Smith's face fell.

"Oh," he muttered. "Alright."

Alex almost felt sorry for him as he shuffled out, leaving a greasy hand-print on the glass pane of the door.

XXX

A few hours later, there was a rap on the door, and Alex looked up to see two girls studying him intently. He froze. He'd never had much contact with girls.

"Are you a first year?" asked the one with short brown hair. He nodded mutely. "Is it alright if we sit here?"

"Be my guest," he said.

"We don't mean to intrude," said the one with the long red hair. "But my brother was being a prat, and his friends were just as bad."

She stopped in front of him, doing a small curtsey. Alex stood up and bowed, the way he had learned in the etiquette book his father had bought for him. The red-headed girl giggled, and turned to her friend.

"See, Alice? I told you manners don't cost a knut."

The brown-haired girl rolled her eyes.

"I still think it's daft."

Alex looked between them, nonplussed.

"I'm Alexander Millington-Lee. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Lily Potter," said the red-head. "And this is my friend, Alice Longbottom."

"Longbottom?"

"Don't you dare laugh," said the girl.

"No, it's just, are you related to Professor Longbottom, the herbology teacher?"

"He's my father," she told him. "You know him?"

"He came to talk to me, after I received my letter. And he took me to Diagon Alley."

"You're a muggleborn?" asked Lily in surprise. "I never would've guessed."

He shrugged, sitting back down.

"I'm a fast learner."

Lily smiled, and sat opposite him, Alice settling by her side.

"So," he began nervously. "You have a brother here already?"

"Two of them," admitted Lily. "Albus is quite nice, but James is a real pain… what about you?"

"I have a sister," he told her. "But she's younger than me, but I am guessing she has magic too, if her school reports are anything to go by."

"Why her school reports?" asked Alice.

"Strange happenings, mysterious goings on… you know the sort of thing. Apparently there was one girl who was simply beastly to her, and she managed to tear up the other girl's teddy bear without even touching it."

"Why would she take a teddy bear to school?"

"Well it was in the dormitory, obviously. Your brothers, what house are they in? I've read a bit about Hogwarts houses, but it all seems a bit confusing…"

"James is in Gryffindor," said Lily. "The house of the morons and perpetually stupid."

"My dad was in Gryffindor," argued Alice. "And so were both of your parents."

"I know," said Lily. "But that was before this likes of James got their hands on it."

"You've been listening to Albus too much," said Alice. "It can't be that bad."

"Albus?" asked Alex.

"My other brother. He's a Slytherin."

"You mean they're not together in the same house?"

"No, why should they be? Students at Hogwarts are sorted on account of their personality, although sometimes it runs in families."

"Like the Weasley's," put in Alice. "They've been Gryffindors for centuries. Or the Malfoys, they've been Slytherins for the same amount of time. Or what about the…"

"Yes, thank you Alice," said Lily. "But yes, obviously it does get handed down, but there are a few exceptions."

"Like Albus," said Alice helpfully. "I mean, he's half-Weasley, and he's in Slytherin."

"My cousin Victoire is a Weasley," said Lily. "And she's in Ravenclaw."

"Yeah but all the others that go to Hogwarts are in Gryffindor. Even Rose…"

"She's not that clever," scoffed Lily. "Albus and Scorpius beat her in the end-of-term tests. She was truly... very…"

"Cheesed off?" suggested Alex. Lily nodded.

"That's one way of putting it. I've never seen a temper tantrum like it, but it serves her right for bragging…"

Their conversation was interrupted by the door sliding open, and a lady asking them:

"Anything off the trolley, dears?"

The girl's faces lit up, and Lily turned to Alex.

"Have you tried wizarding sweets yet?"

He shook his head, and she gasped.

"Alice," she said excitedly. "We've got our first pupil."

XXX

It was dark when the fourth person arrived, a tall boy with red hair, and brown eyes. He looked a bit like Lily.

"Lily!" he said.

"Hi Hugo!"

"There you are, I was looking for you. I heard you escaped from James's clutches."

"That's right."

"Don't blame you, but he's panicking a bit now. He thinks you've gone to sit with Albus, and his 'evil Slytherin friends of doom'…"

Lily rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Victoire's currently scolding him for 'losing you', and told me to tell you that we should be there soon, so I brought you your robes…"

He held up a small rucksack, and Lily beamed at him.

"Thanks Hugo, I owe you one."

"You're welcome, dear cousin. I'd better go now."

"Yes, you can reassure James that I'm not sitting with Albus."

"Yep, I'll tell him you're snogging Scorpius Malfoy. See you later!"

"Hugo don't you dare!" she yelled after him as he ran off down the corridor, laughing.

"Your cousin?" asked Alex, a little confused.

"Hugo," said Lily. "He's a first year too, and bound to be a Gryffindor. My other cousin, Fred, is a prankster, and Hugo eats right out of his hands."

"Congratulations," said Alice dryly. "You've survived your first meeting with a Weasley. Now prepare yourself for the rest of the clan…"

At that moment a voice echoed along the corridor.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave all luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."

All three first years went pale, and looked at each other nervously.

This was it.