As the train pulled away from the station, Reese settled into her seat by the window and watched as the London cityscape slowly gave way to the suburbs as the Hogwarts Express gathered in speed.
The compartment door slid open and Reese looked up to meet a pair of familiar brown eyes as they stared back into her own hazel ones.
"Up north, eh?"
"The Netherlands you say?"
With a grin Joaquin stumbled into the compartment, trunk and all, and ruffled Reese's bob of short, light brown hair before taking the seat across from her by the window.
"Right now Mr. Vos," said Reese, "you may as well tell me any other secrets now because it appears we'll be spending the next seven years together."
"Hark!" exclaimed Quinn. "I'm not the only one dealing stories am I?" He adopted a simpering voice, "I'm going north Quinnnie dear, don't write to meeee."
"Oh shut it," Reese said while fighting back a smile.
"Knowing your mother I thought you were being sent to some hippie private school in the middle of nowhere to be educated away from our wonderful public education system. Speaking of whom, I take it your mother doesn't work for the postal system?"
"Nope, she runs Aesop's Apothecary."
"Knew I wasn't too far off the mark on her…." Quinn trailed off, thinking of the Apothecary in question.
"Don't even bother asking about dad, he's an Unspeakable and I've no idea what he gets up to at work. Alright now you know my parents, it's your turn now."
Quinn faltered a bit. "Well," he began, "my mom works for the Ministry on a review panel for experimental charms and spells."
He swallowed, "and my dad mmsdkfjfpies…."
"Your dad bakes pies? Why didn't ever have me over? You've been holding out on me this whole time!" Reese exclaimed.
"Er, no he doesn't bake pies" he said as glanced around the compartment to avoid making eye contact. "He plays Chaser for the Montrose Magpies."
Silence.
Finally, "You mean to say your dad is Levi Vos? Levi Vos, last season's No. 2 goal scorer in the league? Levi Vos, master of the Whistling Walrus formation? Levi Vos who almost single-handedly –"
"Yes, yes," he interrupted, "that's my dad alright."
"Well no shit…." Then, "what the heck is your family doing hanging around Newham!? No wonder you could never invite me over. Have you met a lot of players? Good grief! Do they come by for dinner? You must be a great quidditch player, yeah?"
Quinn grinned, "Once my parents had me, they decided to settle down out of the spotlight, hence living in Newham. I've met a fair number of players, probably would have met more if you and I hadn't spent all those afternoons at play rehearsal…. And no, I can't play quidditch to save my life. Believe me, my dad has tried to teach me."
Quinn's inability to play quidditch in spite of his famous father had long been one of his insecurities. Now he was about to enter a school full of people who would know his dad. He was nervous enough about being first year, let alone not being able to live up to his father's playing ability.
"Yes, well I must say, no one has ever played the part of boulders quite so well as we did. Shame about you not being able to play, but I bet you must know some great strategies though."
Reese tended to be the more optimistic of the two and always tried to look on the bright side of things. Times like these, on their way to a new school together, overflowing with anxiety, Quinn was grateful to have his best friend by his side.
As the hours passed so did the countryside outside their compartment window.
Reese and Quinn were happily munching away through a heap of sweets purchased from the plump witch who pushed the snack cart through the train.
"Take that back! How dare you say Pumpkin Pasties are better than Cauldron Cakes!" Reese said as she brandished half a chocolate frog at her friend.
"If you like 'em so much why don't you marry them!" sang Quinn.
"Maybe I will just to shut you up. You can be a part of the wedding party" she said before throwing a few Bertie Bott's beans at him.
"Aw sick! That one was popcorn! Popcorn flavored beans are awful" Quinn said with a shudder as he tried to rub out the taste of popcorn on his sleeve.
"You're the one person I know who doesn't like normal flavored beans."
"First off, I'm the only person you know on this train. And second, popcorn isn't a normal flavor..."
As she finished what remained of her chocolate frog, she turned the conversation to something that had been at the back of her mind since the train ride began.
"So what house do you reckon you'll be in?"
"Well," started Quinn "my mom was in Ravenclaw and my dad was a Hufflepuff. I don't really care what house I get sorted into. What about you?"
"Both my parents were in Gryffindor, I wonder if that means I'll be in Gryffindor too."
"Well, now that we know we're not going to school in different countries, it'd be neat to be sorted into the same house as each other."
Reese agreed. "But even if we do get into different houses, at least we'll only be a few common rooms away. Now get outta here you, I need to get changed."
And with this, they took turns standing outside while the other changed into their school robes.
-"GRYFFINDOR" an ancient hat shouted as a boy named Remus Lupin shuffled off to the table cheering for him.
Reese and Quinn stood near the back of the group of first years. Silva and Vos were near the bottom of the alphabetical list, meaning they had a while to wait and watch their fellow first years be sorted.
"Bet you two chocolate frogs the next person sorted is a Slytherin." Quinn whispered to Reese.
"You're on" Reese whispered back as she reached for his hand to shake on their bet.
-"SLYTHERIN" the hat shouted to the hall sending Emma Ross to face the least cheerful looking table.
Reese quietly grumbled about foul play as Quinn bit back a grin next to her.
Soon enough, "Silva, Reese" was called and Reese bounded forward to take her turn with the Sorting Hat.
"Silva, eh? Hmmmm, alright it's 50/50 Gryffindor or Ravenclaw…"
What the heck, should this really be up to chance? This is the next seven years of my life, she thought.
"Alright, alright, fine. Better be RAVENCLAW!"
She tossed down the indecisive hat and skipped down to the Ravenclaw table to wait for Quinn's sorting.
After one Noah Thomas was sorted into Hufflepuff, finally "Vos, Joaquin"
The hat paused for a few moments before calling out, "RAVENCLAW."
Grinning, Quinn walked down to the Ravenclaw to take a seat next to Reese as Florence Whittaker made her way to the Sorting Hat.
After Florence became a Slytherin, Professor McGonagall cleared away the sorting hat and stool. In her seat, Reese turned to Quinn and said, "There's just no escaping you, hmm? You follow me to Hogwarts, now to Ravenclaw, what next?"
"Don't flatter yourself, I'm just making sure you pay up on those chocolate frogs you owe me."
She beamed, "nothing gets past you Vos."
The hall quieted down as one Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet for a speech.
"Enjoy."
Some speech, thought Reese as food appeared on the table before them.
After the main dishes were cleared away, desserts of every kind filled the table. Reese and Quinn took this time to peer around at their fellow Ravenclaws. Directly across from Reese was a red haired first year, quietly taking all the truffles within reach and moving them to her plate.
On the other side of Quinn was a blonde haired boy in glasses, solemnly eating his apple pie. Understandable, pie is a serious thing.
On Reese's right was a bubbly girl chatting away with the girl next to her while eating macadamia cookies. She seemed busy enough and Reese supposed she make introductions later.
Finally dessert was finished, and Dumbledore rose to his feet once more. Reese briefly wondered which one word would make up his after-dinner speech when he launched into a welcome monologue, silencing her thoughts.
From what Reese understood, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, the caretaker banned certain items in an attempt to turn Hogwarts into a "no fun zone", Quidditch tryouts were soon for second years and above, and this year's Inter-House Unity activity was yet to be determined, and that those with ideas should submit them to their head of house.
"Goodnight to you all" Dumbledore concluded.
All around, benches moved and a mass of students rose from their seats and made for the exit to the entrance hall.
"First years, Ravenclaw first years over here please" a voice called over to the end of the table. Reese, Quinn, and the other newly added members to the house waited as two students came marching up to them.
"Alright, just like we rehearsed" Reese heard the boy whisper to the girl.
"We are-" they chanted together *clap *clap
"Your new-" *clap *clap
"Ravenclaw house prefects!" they said together as they put their arms out "left, up, down, aaaaaand point straight" Reese heard the boy say under his breath.
The Ravenclaw first years stood, unsure of what to do as the prefect duo started shuffling from side to with a clap as they went from side to side.
The claps were echoing in the now empty Great Hall. Merlin, thought Reese, why couldn't we get a normal house….
The girl stepped forward as her partner continued his shuffle-clap-shuffle routine. "My name is Hanna! Watts!" she said as she clapped her hands together twice, against her arms once, and on her legs twice before clapping her hands once more as the boy behind her mirrored her clapping.
Reese could only stare and try not to make eye contact with Quinn.
Hanna stepped back and took over the shuffle-clap-shuffle as the boy took her place in front of the first years.
"My name is Charlie! Gibbs!" he said as they did the same body clap as before.
He stepped back and they moved in time once more.
"Together-we'll-help-you-survive-your-first-year!"
"duck, spin, point, lean in, and-" they finished the routine as they met in the middle for a brilliant high five whose loud SMACK echoed throughout the hall.
Turning to face first years with wide smiles on their faces, in unison they said, "Lets go!"
The bewildered Ravenclaw first years had no choice but to follow the prefects out of the darkening Great Hall.
"Right," began Hanna, as she and Charlie led the rest up the marble staircase of the entrance hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Charlie and I are 5th year Ravenclaw prefects."
"Indeed," cut in Charlie, "prefects here at Hogwarts not only serve to help uphold the rules here at Hogwarts-"
"We're also in charge of showing the first years up to the Ravenclaw common room," added Hanna.
Together the group climbed staircase after never ending staircase as Hanna and Charlie explained to the first years about the "majestic and most reputable house of Ravenclaw."
As they reached the seventh floor Reese was panting and Quinn was clutching a stitch in his side. Hanna and Charlie, however, had not stopped their monologue.
"…and that's how Remmington of Ravenclaw house became the most well respected Hogwarts prefect of the seventeenth century."
As they were led up a neater looking staircase and down a corridor, they approached a door made of a dark wood with a knocker in the shape of an eagle. Here the prefects paused. "Unlike other houses who have a password to enter their common room, Ravenclaws must answer a riddle.
Charlie knocked on the door.
"If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?"
"Step, turn left, slide right, point up, look straight" mumbled Charlie as he and Hanna moved in sync with one another once more before linking hands, staring down the eagle knocker and shouting together, "a secret!"
Reese thought she saw the eagle roll its eyes, or maybe it was a trick of her drowsiness. The door opened and the group was led into an airy, circular room with midnight blue carpet. The domed ceiling was painted with stars and the windows were hung with blue and bronze silks. Bookcases, tables, and comfy looking chairs were scattered throughout the room. Across from the room from the entrance were two separate staircases leading up to the dorms.
"Girls to the left," called Hanna.
"And boys to the right," said Charlie.
"Thus ends your first journey to the Ravenclaw common room!" proclaimed Charlie.
"The first of many!" added Hanna.
"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us," finished Charlie.
"Oh and by the way, we've taken the liberty of creating a mentorship program for Ravenclaw first years. You'll be matched up with a 6th or 7th year and meet three or four times in September," said Hanna.
"And since our program has the support of Flitwick, our head of house, failure to meet with your mentor will result in detention." Charlie seemed to have a glint in his eye that wasn't there before as he said this. "So keep an eye on the notice board for the meeting schedule when it's posted."
As the first years dispersed up the staircases, Charlie and Hanna made their way to a pair of arm chairs and began discussing in low voices.
Reese waited until she was sure they were out of earshot before turning to Quinn and saying, "you know they're really not so bad. A bit over-enthusiastic if anything…"
"Right," answered Quinn, "I'm just going to step, turn, kick, nod, and slide my way up to the dormitory. Walk with me to breakfast?"
"Of course. Meet you down here tomorrow morning. Goodnight!" She turned and made her way up the steps to find her new dormitory.
A/N: Writing a fanfic is more difficult than I've previously given authors credit for. How do you do it?!
Like I said before, this is going to start as a slow moving story. The first couple of chapters will cover Reese's first year and skim through years 2-5 before really getting into the story for 6th and 7th year. I realize there's no mention of Sirius yet, just be patient please!
PLEASE leave a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this story.
Thanks! :)