Weaving through the crowd of students as she made her way down the narrow corridor, the girl tried to find an empty compartment on the train. She didn't really expect too; she had been one of the last ones on, but maybe if she moved fast enough she could get one. She kept walking, lugging her trunk behind her while trying not to whack anyone or step on his or her feet. Half way down the train, she finally spotted an empty compartment, amazingly enough, and entered before anyone else got the chance. It seemed the people around her were much older, fifth or sixth years, and were content to talking outside of the compartments.

She unburdened herself, lifting the trunk into the luggage rack above the seats and taking off the parka she had thrown on last minute in the car. As she took off the parka a pure black cat fell out onto the seat next to her, curling up to take a nap. The cat was actually her fox, Akane*, transformed so as to come with her to Hogwarts. Despite the rule of students being allowed one pet of a cat, owl, or toad, many students came to Hogwarts with a variety of creatures. Foxes however were forbidden as in the past they had attacked other pets and the grounds keeper's chickens. But Akane was no ordinary fox; she was a kitsune*, a fox demon, able to transform into any creature and object imaginable. She was young, only over a thousand years old, but very well behaved. Her father had also sent a note ahead and received one back from Dumbledore, explaining she could bring the fox so long as it was disguised and kept out of trouble.

Along with her trunk she had been carrying a small book bag with a few objects to keep her entertained. She had moved her wand to this bag, and had packed a random book, the first three volumes of Fruits Basket, a few sandwiches, a water bottle and a small, pouch-like, rupee studded wallet containing about thirty pounds worth of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. The rest of her money was stored away in her trunk.

The girl stretch out on the cushions taking up about three of the five seats on that side of the compartment. Akane moved to lie on the girl's stomach as she picked up the book and began reading. It was a small paper back that her mother had bought her when she was fairly young, Mr. Popper's Penguins, and she was surprised she had picked this up in her rush to pack. The book really was short (it seemed so long when she was six) and she was already half way through it when the compartment door slid open with a crash. She was use to shocking noises, and did not look up from her book when three boys came into the compartment.

They were quite an odd assortment of children. Two of them had the rough physique of teenage gorillas, one of which had pudding bowl hair while the other had something of a buzz cut. Both of them towered over the smaller blonde boy in the middle, though you could tell it was this one who was the leader of the trio. He stood straight-backed and confident, and looked quite menacing with his smug smile and his bodyguard-like friends.

"Come on Crabbe, Goyle, we gotta get back to Montague's story. This Snape guy seems like he'll let us get away with anything!" smirked the small blonde. The other two grunted in agreement, and as quick as they came, they left, simply dumping their stuff on the seats on the opposite side of the compartment. It seemed they didn't even notice her. A few seconds later, she heard the distant opening and slamming of another compartment door and then a howl of laughter. The girl and Akane exchanged looks of bemusement, and then settled back down to their pastimes.

It was a small time after this that she started to reach for her sandwiches, but was interrupted by the sound of a rolling cart and the opening of doors outside her own. She took a bite of her chicken sandwich and glanced out the door window to see a kindly silver haired witch pushing a cart filled with sweets. The girl took out a peach from her bag and gave it to Akane, and then searched her bag for the money pouch. She had only packed two sandwiches, one she had seen Akane take while they were in the car, and the one she was eating now. A few sweets before dinner wouldn't hurt.

She took out the rupee-studded pouch and sighed as she spied the coins inside. She had never gotten use to the currency wizards used; if they were so much better than muggles, why couldn't they make a money system based on ones, fives and tens? So much for simplicity. She got up and opened her door to find the witch attending to a group of girls in the compartment opposite hers.

She looked through the assortment of candies, pastries and sweets, and barely recognized anything on the cart. What she did recognize was the bags of Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, which she had been warned about by her sister to eat carefully. Gum was gum, no matter if Drooble's was best, Chocolate Frogs she had taken quite a liking to. There were also Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands (which her sister said were stupid imitations of Red Vine), and a number of other strange things that she could only guess at. She bought the pasties and cakes, and what looked to be a bag of dehydrated pieces of meat for Akane to chew on for seven sickles and three knuts.

Before she could close the door however, a pudgy hand stopped the door and a round pale face appeared. It was a short boy, probably in her year, with a mess of brown hair in the way of his teary face.

"Um, hello. Y-you wouldn't have happened to s-see a toad around would you?"

The only toad she had seen recently was a purple one with orange spots in a cage back on the platform. She told him so, and he sniffled a little in disappointment.

"I just can't keep him still! It seems he really doesn't like being with me at all."

"Don't worry about that," she consoled him, "your toad probably just wants to be out and about. When we get to Hogwarts I'm sure they'll be a nice little place where the toads and frogs hang around that he'll like. Then he won't run away as much. Toads weren't really meant for trains y'know."

"Thanks," he sniffled again but smiled a bit. "My names Neville, Neville Longbottom."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Neville; I'll keep an eye out for your toad, alright?"

"Yeah, thanks again."

"No sweat."

Neville left, looking slightly better than he came, but still very gloomy. Hopefully he would find his toad soon before they all disembarked from the train. She thought this would be the last time she saw Neville before they started classes, but she saw him yet again, about fifteen minutes later, this time with a girl in tow.

She was dressed in her black school robes, with long bushy brown hair and large front teeth. When she spoke her voice came out with a tang of bossiness.

"Have you seen a toad? Neville's lost his on the train."

"Can't say I have. You might want to look further along rather than research this section though, or split up." She didn't mean for it to sound condescending, but it seemed the bushy hair girl took it that way. She huffed and left down the corridor. Neville waved to her meekly and ran after the bushy haired girl.

The majority of the trip was uneventful; there weren't any other sudden intrusions into the compartment. The girl spent her time finishing her book, eating her sweets and petting Akane. When she was done with the book, she tucked it way and was content to lie quietly with Akane, staring out the compartment window. Most of the time the window displayed the sunny gray sky that was common in England. Sometimes the sun was stunningly bright, others it was hidden away by large marshmallow clouds. At some point they had passed in and out of a small rainstorm. The landscape was ever changing; sometimes she could see rolling hills and large crop fields, other times she saw small villages, forests and lakes. In the distance, she spotted one or two buildings, marking the border of a more modern town.

It was a few hours later, when the sky was quickly darkening, that the trio of boys entered the compartment again. The girl had finished her sweets and was now reading the second volume of Fruits Basket while Akane was chewing on the last piece of her treats, when the boys came in and started riffling through their stuff. Finally they produced three wands of varying length and color and preceded to depart, all the while the blonde boy was muttering, "He's on the train" and something about an otter.

Ignoring what she knew would not be the last intrusion; she thought it best to change into her school robes. She pulled down the small blinds on the door windows, lifted her trunk from the rack and pulled out her robes and hat. She put them on over her shirt and jeans and looked at her reflection in the darkened window. She didn't dislike the uniform, but she wasn't a fan of uniforms in general. Her old school had allowed her to dress in whatever way she wished, with moderation of course. But this outfit practically screamed 'medieval witch'. She'd rather be wearing something a bit more modern gothic.

She suddenly had a flash back to the middle of the summer, in which she, her mother and Emmelia had gone to a large party store. It was very popular, as it had a large assortment of costumes, props and accessories year round. They had gone through row after row of witch garb and gothic wear, picked from a very modest, black, Victorian dress to a very scary, scanty (and immediately ditched) modern one piece and had finally decided on a basic outfit. It started out with a beret with a large cartoony skull on the side, a shawl, a long sleeved blouse that went passed her hips, stripped stockings and calf high boots.

They picked a variety of colors for each article of clothing, purchased some warmer sweaters, leggings and pants for the cooler months, and picked out a few new earrings as well. It was only when they got home and put the clothing away in her closet that Mordecai had announced that the school letter and list had come, complete with dress code. Nichelle had been outraged at spending the time and money finding clothing only to be told that her daughter could not wear it. Mordecai reassured her, saying that she could probably wear the outfits on the weekends and holidays when classes were not in session.

She was brought out of her daze by a sudden jolt in the train as it began to slow down. Some of the boys' luggage had fallen off the seats and slid to her side of the compartment. She picked up the trunks and placed them on the racks where they belonged and proceeded to stuff her small bag into her own trunk. She kept her wand and tucked it into her robe pocket and then sat down to wait for the train to finally arrive at her school. When a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately," Akane trotted from her place on the floor and slipped under her robes, up the girl's shirt and transformed into a copper locket.

The train slowed even more and then with a loud screech, stopped. Students filled the corridor, all budging towards the doors to the dark platform. It was much colder here than back home and when she shivered, Akane changed from the cool locket to a warm silver scarf. Most of the shorter students, probably all first years, stood shivering and quite puzzled as what to do next, while the older students walked off a bit down the platform. Then the bobbing light of a lamp shone overhead and a loud voice called over them.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" and then more quietly "All right there, Harry?"

From the lamplight she could see a large man, the largest she had ever seen in her life. He was at least ten feet tall, probably more, and he looked strong enough to lift one of the train cars. His long shaggy black hair met up with his long shaggy black beard, his hands and feet were twice the size of her face, and he wore a particularly furry moleskin coat. Despite the abundant facial hair, you could see his black beetle eyes and smile beaming down on them all.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

The large man led the trembling first years down a slippery slope bordered by large, thick trees. Except for the stumbling footsteps and the occasional sniffle from Neville, all was quiet. The path eventually leveled out and the man called over his shoulder.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" as the path opened to a large black lake. Mirrored on its surface and perched upon a cliff in the distance, was a vast stone castle, its towers and turrets piercing the sky, its windows sparkling like the stars above them. A small fleet of boats awaited them on the shore of the lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called. She climbed into one of the small boats and was surprised to find the trio of boys yet again joining her. First the blonde climbed in and then the two larger ones. Their bulk and rocking of the boat worried her that they would tip it over.

"Everyone in?" shouted the man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then- FORWARD!"

The fleet of little boats took off all at once, propelled by the man's magic. Despite the movement of the boats the lake remained smooth as glass. She turned toward the boys beside her, but they sat looking up at the magnificent castle, and she went completely unnoticed. Everyone was silent as the boats continued their route closer and closer to the cliff.

"Heads down!" yelled the man as the boats reached the base of the cliff. The first years ducked their heads and the boats carried them through curtains of ivy that covered a wide opening in the cliff face. For a while they sailed silently through a dark tunnel, which seemed to be situated right under the castle itself. Then, one after another, the little boats docked in what looked like a rugged underground harbor. As the students stepped awkwardly from the boats, the man called out to Neville.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" he said as he checked the boats.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.

The students clambered up a passageway in the rock, following the man's lamp as their guide, finally coming out onto moon lit grass near the entrance of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

He raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

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Hello, LB here. Fed up with not knowing the main character's name yet? Don't worry, it'll be revealed next chapter. I'm sure you recognized a few characters beside Nev right? Hopefully I portrayed them all right for now; there's not much dialogue in this chapter to get into any character depth.

Akane: pronounced Ah-kah-neh

Kitsune: pronounced Kit-soo-neh

By the way, foxes are omnivores, which is why Akane eats the peach and the meat.

Cioa!