A/N: I am pleased to announce from the joint effort of Random Muggle and myself, Harry's first year. This is where the story should start really picking up.

Scoping Out the Firsties

September 1st, 1991

Third Year

The Hogwarts express was as much of a statement as ever, stationed in King's Cross as always. The girls arrived with plenty of time to spare, and didn't hurry on their way to their compartment. They liked the one in the front; it was easy to scope out the firsties when every one of them had to pass your compartment.

"Lord, they get smaller every year," Leili commented as a group of firsties walked by.

"Is it possible that we were that little once?" Jo asked.

"Me, maybe. But not you," Leili grinned, Jo grinned back.

"Oh look at that one, She looks promising," Jo said, gesturing to a girl with massively curly hair and her nose in a particularly thick book.

"That one looks like a weasel," Leili commented about a boy with white blonde hair and a pompous look on his face.

"Hmm. Or a ferret, with that hair," Jo said and Leili couldn't control the laugh that bubbled out of her.

"Oh, that wasn't nice! Brilliant, but not nice," Leili grinned.

"Just cause I'm a 'Puff, doesn't mean I'm nice." Jo retorted with a smile.

"Well, well, look at that. Black hair, green eyes, scar on his forehead. Good grief, he's skinny!"

"Hmm, if he's a 'Puff we'll have to put him on a meal plan."

"Definitely."

"Trevor?" a chubby little boy called, "Where did you hop off to?"

"Eugh, I hope a cat didn't get it..." Jo said, earning a dirty look from Leili who leaned out the door of their compartment.

"Lose something?"

"My toad; you haven't seen him, have you?" Leili shook her head,

"Nope, sorry. Tell you what, how about you tell me your name and if we do see him, we'll come and find you."

"N-Neville."

"Nice to meet you, Neville. Go on then, we'll keep an eye out for Trevor." Jo snorted as Neville walked away.

"Goody-goody," Jo muttered under her breath with a smile.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Leili teased.

Having nothing to say to that, Jo simply stuck out her tongue and continued to watch the passersby. They sat in silence until the train began to move, when Leili leaned over and shut the compartment door before pulling two things out of her bag. One was a plastic bag with gummy worms in it and the other, a deck of cards.

"Gin, or slap jack?" Leilani asked with a grin.

"The last time we played slap jack, your hand hurt for a week, so, gin," Jo decided and Leili tossed her the cards.

"Here, you shuffle, I'll deal." After the cards were shuffled and dealt the girls picked them up and began to put them in order when suddenly Jo heard something. She quietly put down her cards and pressed her ear to the window of their compartment door. There it was again.

"Jo? Wha-" Leili stopped midsentence as Jo held up a hand to quiet her. Quietly and ever so slowly, Jo slid the door open and sure enough, sitting right in the middle of the corridor was a large toad.

She tiptoed closer before scooping it up in her hands with a triumphant, "Ha! Gotcha, little beastie!"

"What is it?" Leilani asked.

"If I had to guess? I'd say Neville's toad, Trevor." Jo said turning around to show Leili.

As Jo and Leili walked down the train looking for Neville they ran into the bushy haired girl they'd noticed earlier, only this time she was sans book.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost his."

"We were just looking for him actually," Leilani said.

"This wouldn't happen to be said toad, would it?" Jo asked, thrusting the toad forward as though she expected the girl to kiss it. The girl squeaked and stepped back, before clapping a hand over her mouth, as if she could stop the sound from escaping further.

"I-I'll take him back…" she said, reaching for the toad, a look of utter disgust on her face. Jo looked at her and grinned.

"Nah, he's a slippery beastie, I'll hold him. You lead the way." They saw the firstie sigh in relief, she really hadn't wanted to hold the toad. "What's your name, by the way?" Jo asked, so they wouldn't have to call her 'that bushy haired firstie' later.

"Hermione Granger."

"Ooh, Greek! Princess of Sparta, daughter of renowned beauty Queen Helen and King Menelaus, niece of King Agamemnon; well, lead the way Hermione," Leili chirped. Hermione turned on her heel and took the two older students back down the way she'd come. She stopped and opened a compartment towards the back of the train, usually a good sign somebody had gotten there late.

"Neville?"

"Hermione! Did you find him?"

"She didn't, but we did!" Jo said happily, holding up the toad, who-upon sight of Neville-tried to wiggle out of Jo's grasp. "Oh no, you don't, you wee beastie!" She tightened her grip on the slippery creature before reaching over the top of Hermione, who shrieked when she found her-self eye level with Trevor's wart covered back. Hermione ducked and slid out of the way, allowing Jo to step forward and deposit Trevor into Neville's waiting hands. "Look after him, he's a slippery one."

"Thank you!" Neville called as the girls headed back to their compartment to change into their school things and finish their game.

Once out of earshot Leili asked, "Who's the goody-goody now?"