Ye Olde Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Rurouni Kenshin names, etc. don't belong to me... yes, I am consciously aware of this, and yes, I swear that I am not making any money off of this story (at least not that I am aware of anywho). I don't have anything right now that you can take, anyways... Also, a lot of this is word-for-word, that is all J.K. Rowling's so I give her props.
Trinity Ferrell and the Heart of Darkness
First Year at Hogwarts
Chapter Three- Welcome to Hogwarts
The next day was more hectic than Trinity thought it would be. After a teary good bye, Mr. Sano and Mrs. Sano agreed to let Howie and Kevin get a ride with the Ferrells to the train station.
"Now, be on your best behavior. And watch out for Filch- be sure not to get on his bad side." Nikolas reminded his daughters for the hundredth time that morning after they past through to Platform Nine-and-three-quarters.
"And send an owl whenever you can, alright?" Colette said.
"Sure, Mom. As soon as I join the Quidditch team this year- I know I'll make it this year, no doubt! Even easier than last year!" Celeste exclaimed. "I can't wait!"
"Oh, my little girl all grown up... well, almost," Colette said, hugging Trinity with misty eyes. "Take care of eachother, alright? I'm so proud of you girls."
She gave Celeste a quick hug, too. "Behave, and do try to keep up with school, honey. Don't leave your mind on the Quidditch field."
"I won't Mom," Celeste said, and she meant it. "Bye Trenters, keep out of trouble... or at least cause less trouble than you usually do."
Trent smiled. " 'Leste, 'Leste!" he sang. "Bye, bye train."
"See you during the holidays!" Celeste hollered behind as she raced over to the shiny red Hogwarts Express. "Come on, Howie and Trinity! The train's gonna be leaving soon!"
"Good bye, Daddy," Trinity hugged Nikolas. "I'll miss you."
He smiled, hugging her back. "I'll miss you too. Let me know what's going on, okay? Don't hesitate to ask for any money or anything. I know you will do well, Trin."
The last call was announced. "You'd better get going, you and Howie want to sit together, right?" Nikolas said, then he looked to Howie and said, "You make sure to keep an eye on eachother, too. It's a rough school if you don't know who your friends are. Good luck, Howie."
"Thank you, Mr. Ferrell," Howie's face lit up with a smile.
Nikolas smiled too. It was the first time Trinity ever heard him say something nice to her friend. Perhaps he saw Howie in a new light since discovering that he was a wizard. "Good bye, guys. We have to get going now, too."
After hugging her mother and kissing her baby brother's forehead, Trinity waved behind her to her family, and Howie did too. The boarded the Hogwarts Express quickly, and headed to the first empty compartment they could find. Breathless and excited, the two friends watched in silence as the train slowly came to life, and gradually picked up speed and soon the train station was out of sight. The train was now racing through the city, then a few moments later, nothing but rolling green hills flashed past their window.
"This is so exciting!" Trinity exclaimed happily. "We're finally going to Hogwarts! And my best friend is going with me!"
"I'm so excited and nervous too," Howie said.
"I hope we'll be in the same house together," Trinity said.
"Same house?"
"Oh! At Hogwarts we'll be divided into four different houses," Trinity said. "There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw."
The compartment door opened and a glum faced Celeste came in. "My friends can't all fit in the same compartment... so I'm sitting with you two for now."
"Sure," Trinity moved over and Celeste plopped down beside her. "I was just telling Howie about the different houses at Hogwarts."
"Oh yeah! This year Gryffindor will take the house cup from Slytherin for sure! Once I get on the Quidditch team..." Celeste had that starry-eyed look that she got thinking about her favorite past time. "You see Howie, in Hogwarts triumphs are awarded with points and breaking the rules means losing points for your house. Quidditch is a fun way to gain points... oh, but first years can not play at all. That's too bad, really. My first year was so hard..." She gazed tearily out the window as houses flashed past the speeding train. "So very difficult..."
The compartment door opened, and one of Celeste's friends (and a fellow Quidditch player) burst in. "Celeste! Come quick! You have to see what the Weasley twins did now!" Angelina Johnson giggled.
"Oh man! They've already started?! It's a good thing they don't take house points on the way to Hogwarts! It's bad enough with those two causing mischeif at the school!" she turned quickly to Trinity. "Change into your robes and relax. I have to check this out!" Celeste sprinted with Angelina down the corridor.
Just as she left, a girl with long, frizzy brown hair peeked into their compartment. "Mind if I sit with you?" she asked sharply, but politely.
"No, not at all. Hi, I'm Trinity." Trinity offered the girl a smile.
"Hermione Granger. You a first year too?" Hermione asked, giving her a nervous smile.
"Yeah, we both are. This is my best friend Howie," Trinity said.
"Hi Hermione," Howie smiled warmly, and Hermione seemed more relaxed.
"Both of my parents are Muggles, so this is all new to me. What about you guys?" Hermione asked.
"My parents are... uh, Muggles too," Howie said.
"My mom's a witch and my dad's a wizard," said Trinity. "Our whole family is, really."
"Wow! So you must know all of this, right?" Hermione said.
"Sort of... not really though, this is new to me too," Trinity said, blushing.
"That is still neat, though. I hope we're in the same house together. Do you know where you'd like to be sorted? I want to be in Gryffindor."
"I'm not sure, my older sister is in Gryffindor, though, and she says they're really good... at Quidditch..." Trinity said thoughtfully.
Just then the compartment door opened again, and a round-faced boy holding a large toad asked very meekly, "Can I sit with you? The other compartments are full."
"Sure, come on in. What's your name?" Howie asked.
"Neville Longbottom," he said, smiling to them shyly.
They all introduced eachother, and Neville took a seat by Howie. "Neat toad," Howie commented politely. "Does he have a name?"
"Of course," Neville grinned. "This is Trevor. My grandmother bought me him as a present. He's a good friend."
They talked more about Hogwarts and magic, of course, and they quickly became friends. Hermione told them that she had been researching everything since the day she got her letter. "I hope that I will be able to catch up to everyone," she said with a sigh.
They pulled on their school robes after the snack cart passed, and were snacking on assorted sweets when suddenly Neville leapt up. "Trevor! Where is Trevor?!"
"He was just here a moment ago..." Howie said.
"Let's split up and find him, he can't have gotten far," said Hermione. "He must have gotten loose when the snack cart stopped by."
They were all about to leave, when Trinity said, "Do you think someone ought to stay here and make sure we don't lose this compartment?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "I guess you're right. Why don't you and Howie stay here and search the compartment, maybe he hasn't left at all. Neville and I, we'll split up and search the corridor. Maybe someone has seen him."
Hermione and Neville left, and Howie and Trinity were alone again. "Wow, it's very busy on this train," Howie said. "I'm glad that everyone is so nice, though."
"Yeah, me too. It's not at all like our last school," Trinity said.
There was a long pause, and then Howie asked, "Trinity... how come you never told me about all this? I mean, that you were a witch, and all about the Magic Realm before?"
"My father... he threatened that if any Muggles were told or found out that we were of wizard blood, we would have to leave without telling you where we were going and never come back!" Trinity said, shivering with dread at just the thought. "It was so hard, Howie, to keep something so big like that from you... if I knew you were a wizard too, I would have told you in a heartbeat. It's just Dad... he doesn't trust Muggles. Remember how he used to not want us hanging out all the time? I didn't want to lose you, Howie. So I had to keep it a secret. You're my best friend. I understand if you're angry, but please know that... I'm so sorry."
Howie was silent for a moment, then he said, "It's alright, Trinity... I'm not mad, I just was wondering why you never told me."
"Well, now there is nothing I can't tell you, Howie! Let's promise..." She took his hands into hers. "Let's promise that no matter what, from now on, there will be no secrets between us. We'll share everything. How does that sound?"
Howie smiled. "Promise?"
"I swear it on our friendship," Trinity said.
"I swear it, too," Howie said. "And we'll always be there for eachother."
"Always have, always will." Trinity said, then hugged Howie.
They laughed, and sat down and began to excitedly talk about what they would first do upon the arrival of Hogwarts. A few moments later, a sniffling Neville and a slightly irritated Hermione returned. "No sign of Trevor anywhere," she sighed, flopping down across from Howie and Trinity. "I'm sorry, Neville. I'm sure that he will turn up."
"He was my best friend," Neville sobbed, sitting beside Hermione.
"Oh, Neville, we'll find him don't worry," Hermione said, then her face lit up and she turned to Trinity and Howie. "Guess who we saw riding in the compartment two doors down from us? Harry Potter! I can't believe it, he seems like a nice guy- did you know he didn't even know why he's famous? I mean, can you imagine that?! Not knowing that he single-handedly ended the reign of terror under You-Know-Who?!"
"You-Know-Who?" Howie blinked, looking to Trinity for an answer, but she was just as clueless as he was. "What do you mean 'You-Know-Who'?"
Hermione's look went dead serious. "You don't know? Well, I just found out myself in a book I was reading... people don't dare say his name, but..." she lowered her voice. "Lord Voldemort."
Neville visibly trembled and snapped, "Don't say his name!"
"Lord Voldemort?" Trinity repeated, curious.
Neville blanched. "Please! Don't!"
"I'm sorry... what did Vol- You-Know-Who do? What has that got to do with Harry Potter being famous, Hermione?" Trinity asked, wondering why she never heard about him before.
Hermione explained everything in a matter-of-fact fashion. "He was one of the most powerful wizards, but also the most evil. When he was in power, evil nearly conquered good. For some unknown reason, You-Know-Who went to kill Harry Potter's parents. But the attack that killed both of his parents somehow did not kill Harry, and now he has the cursed mark, a lightning-shaped scar, on his forehead, as proof of his encounter. The attack left You-Know-Who defenseless, and all of his followers, the Deatheaters, were imprisoned in Azkaban or pardoned if he was used a controlling curse on them. Azkaban is a horrible wizard prison... the dementor's kiss is far worse than death." She shuddered.
Just then the train slowed to a halt, and before Trinity could ask Hermione any more questions they were being herded off the train. The cold fresh air greeted them as they stepped off the train. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" A gigantic man with a large, dark beard bellowed. "C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
Trinity slipped her hand in Howie's and they followed Hermione and Neville as they headed towards the gigantic man. Suddenly the narrow path opened to a vast, jet black lake. A mountain could be seen on the other side, and sitting atop the mountain was a magnificent castle with dozens of different sized towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" The gigantic man called, leading the group to a fleet of tiny boats along the shore.
Neville and Hermione already sat in a full boat, so Howie and Trinity took the next one along with two identical twin girls.
"Everyone in? Right then- FORWARD!" The fleet began to move, gliding across the placid lake at the giant's command.
Nobody spoke as the boats moved across the lake. Everybody was in awe, speechless and wondering what to expect next. As the castle came nearer, Trinity squeezed Howie's hand excitedly. "We're finally here," she whispered to him.
Howie squeezed her hand back, his brown eyes wide with excitement. "Yeah... I'm so glad that we're doing this together."
"Head's down!" The giant yelled, and they all bent their heads as the boats floated through the ivy hidden opening at the face of the cliff.
The boats travelled through a dark tunnel, then finally they reached an underground harbor. They quickly filed out onto the rocky shore and after Neville was happily reunited with Trevor, the giant led them up to the huge, oak front door and asked, "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"
He raised a massive fist to the castle door and knocked three times. The door swung open instantly, and a tall, black-haired witch in a beautiful, emerald green robe stood there. She had a stern look on her face that reminded Trinity of when her father was angry. No doubt you didn't want to cross paths with this woman.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," reported the giant.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She said, pulling the door all the way open, and a wide-open entrance hall with flaming torches along the tall walls greeted them.
They followed Professor McGonagall to a small, empty chamber, hearing the voices of hundreds of older students as they past, already waiting behind a closed door. Crowding into the small chamber and packed in like sardines, they waited for what would happen next. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
She seemed to gaze over the crowd, at a boy with red hair and another with shaggy, dark brown hair next to Neville. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She then left the chamber.
"I hope we'll be in the same house," Trinity said as hushed whispers erupted around the room.
"If we aren't I'll send Kenshin to you tonight, okay?" Howie's eyes sparkled and he gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Think of it as a chance to meet new friends."
Trinity smiled as Howie squeezed her hands again. He always knew what to say, and reassured her.
Suddenly several people behind them screamed. Trinity and Howie whirled around and gasped.
"Ghosts!" Trinity clung to Howie's side as the pearly-white, see-through specters floated along, saying things but Trinity could not hear a word they said over the pounding of her heart.
Suddenly a sharp familiar voice spoke. "Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall was back, and one by one the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line, and follow me."
The students silently obeyed, Trinity sticking close to Howie. They marched out of the chamber and back into the hall, then across to the Great Hall. Thousands of floating candles lit the room, and long tables already seated with the older students were adorned with golden goblets and plates. The top of the hall was where the teachers sat, and above them on the ceiling the stars twinked brightly, set against a dark black sky.
"Wow! No ceiling!" Trinity breathed. "It's beautiful."
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Hermione told her, obviously breathtaken with the magical room as well.
"Wow..." Trinity was in awe, taking in all the sights.
She returned her gaze to look back where the teachers were sitting, and Professor McGonagall had placed a worn pointed hat on a four-legged stool. Suddenly the hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth. Even more surprisingly, the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindor apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The entire hall burst in applause, and the hat bowed to the four tables then went still again. Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she began. "Abbott, Hannah!"
Trinity watched as the hat bellowed out the various houses as each student nervously stepped forward and sat on the stool.
Finally it was her turn.
"Ferrell, Trinity."
She stepped forward quickly, and heard her sister give a loud whoop as she did, and felt her face burn scarlet. She saw Celeste eagerly waving at the Gryffindor table. She sat down and placed the hat on her head. A moment later the hat had made its decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
She smiled at her sister's reaction. She didn't even reach the table when Celeste threw her arms around her proudly and said, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Trin."
Trinity was sitting down just as Hermione, too, was placed in Gryffindor.
"I'm glad you've made it," Trinity said to her new friend as she sat down. "This is my sister, Celeste. She's a fourth-year."
"Hi Hermione, welcome to Gryffindor, " Celeste greeted her.
"Thank you, I'm glad to be here too," Hermione smiled, tears in her eyes. "This is the house I wanted."
"Malfoy, Draco."
Trinity looked up as Draco flashed her a smile, then he sat down, pulling the hat on his head. Not even a second later, the hat cried out, "SLYTERHIN!"
Pleased, Draco grinned and went over to the Slytherin table.
They went down the list, and a hushed silence fell as Harry Potter was called up. Tension filled the air as the seconds past while the hat made its decision.
"Hey, isn't he Dudley Dursley's brother?" Trinity asked Celeste, shocked that she recognized a supposed wizard celebrity.
"He isn't the piglet's brother, he is adopted by the Dursleys or something... I wonder where he'll be sorted?" Celeste looked up at where Harry was seated, biting her lip.
Before Trinity could ask her how come she did not know that there was a wizard celebrity on the same street as them, the hat bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers erupted and everyone from the Gryffindor table and everyone whistled and yelled. "We got Potter! We got Potter!" The Weasley twins sung.
Trinity bit her lip as Howie's turn finally came.
"Sano, Howard."
He smiled to Trinity warmly as he stepped forward and sat down on the stool, placing the hat on his head.
The seconds ticked by like minutes.
But finally, the hat opened its mouth with its final decision.
Trinity Ferrell and the Heart of Darkness
First Year at Hogwarts
Chapter Three- Welcome to Hogwarts
The next day was more hectic than Trinity thought it would be. After a teary good bye, Mr. Sano and Mrs. Sano agreed to let Howie and Kevin get a ride with the Ferrells to the train station.
"Now, be on your best behavior. And watch out for Filch- be sure not to get on his bad side." Nikolas reminded his daughters for the hundredth time that morning after they past through to Platform Nine-and-three-quarters.
"And send an owl whenever you can, alright?" Colette said.
"Sure, Mom. As soon as I join the Quidditch team this year- I know I'll make it this year, no doubt! Even easier than last year!" Celeste exclaimed. "I can't wait!"
"Oh, my little girl all grown up... well, almost," Colette said, hugging Trinity with misty eyes. "Take care of eachother, alright? I'm so proud of you girls."
She gave Celeste a quick hug, too. "Behave, and do try to keep up with school, honey. Don't leave your mind on the Quidditch field."
"I won't Mom," Celeste said, and she meant it. "Bye Trenters, keep out of trouble... or at least cause less trouble than you usually do."
Trent smiled. " 'Leste, 'Leste!" he sang. "Bye, bye train."
"See you during the holidays!" Celeste hollered behind as she raced over to the shiny red Hogwarts Express. "Come on, Howie and Trinity! The train's gonna be leaving soon!"
"Good bye, Daddy," Trinity hugged Nikolas. "I'll miss you."
He smiled, hugging her back. "I'll miss you too. Let me know what's going on, okay? Don't hesitate to ask for any money or anything. I know you will do well, Trin."
The last call was announced. "You'd better get going, you and Howie want to sit together, right?" Nikolas said, then he looked to Howie and said, "You make sure to keep an eye on eachother, too. It's a rough school if you don't know who your friends are. Good luck, Howie."
"Thank you, Mr. Ferrell," Howie's face lit up with a smile.
Nikolas smiled too. It was the first time Trinity ever heard him say something nice to her friend. Perhaps he saw Howie in a new light since discovering that he was a wizard. "Good bye, guys. We have to get going now, too."
After hugging her mother and kissing her baby brother's forehead, Trinity waved behind her to her family, and Howie did too. The boarded the Hogwarts Express quickly, and headed to the first empty compartment they could find. Breathless and excited, the two friends watched in silence as the train slowly came to life, and gradually picked up speed and soon the train station was out of sight. The train was now racing through the city, then a few moments later, nothing but rolling green hills flashed past their window.
"This is so exciting!" Trinity exclaimed happily. "We're finally going to Hogwarts! And my best friend is going with me!"
"I'm so excited and nervous too," Howie said.
"I hope we'll be in the same house together," Trinity said.
"Same house?"
"Oh! At Hogwarts we'll be divided into four different houses," Trinity said. "There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw."
The compartment door opened and a glum faced Celeste came in. "My friends can't all fit in the same compartment... so I'm sitting with you two for now."
"Sure," Trinity moved over and Celeste plopped down beside her. "I was just telling Howie about the different houses at Hogwarts."
"Oh yeah! This year Gryffindor will take the house cup from Slytherin for sure! Once I get on the Quidditch team..." Celeste had that starry-eyed look that she got thinking about her favorite past time. "You see Howie, in Hogwarts triumphs are awarded with points and breaking the rules means losing points for your house. Quidditch is a fun way to gain points... oh, but first years can not play at all. That's too bad, really. My first year was so hard..." She gazed tearily out the window as houses flashed past the speeding train. "So very difficult..."
The compartment door opened, and one of Celeste's friends (and a fellow Quidditch player) burst in. "Celeste! Come quick! You have to see what the Weasley twins did now!" Angelina Johnson giggled.
"Oh man! They've already started?! It's a good thing they don't take house points on the way to Hogwarts! It's bad enough with those two causing mischeif at the school!" she turned quickly to Trinity. "Change into your robes and relax. I have to check this out!" Celeste sprinted with Angelina down the corridor.
Just as she left, a girl with long, frizzy brown hair peeked into their compartment. "Mind if I sit with you?" she asked sharply, but politely.
"No, not at all. Hi, I'm Trinity." Trinity offered the girl a smile.
"Hermione Granger. You a first year too?" Hermione asked, giving her a nervous smile.
"Yeah, we both are. This is my best friend Howie," Trinity said.
"Hi Hermione," Howie smiled warmly, and Hermione seemed more relaxed.
"Both of my parents are Muggles, so this is all new to me. What about you guys?" Hermione asked.
"My parents are... uh, Muggles too," Howie said.
"My mom's a witch and my dad's a wizard," said Trinity. "Our whole family is, really."
"Wow! So you must know all of this, right?" Hermione said.
"Sort of... not really though, this is new to me too," Trinity said, blushing.
"That is still neat, though. I hope we're in the same house together. Do you know where you'd like to be sorted? I want to be in Gryffindor."
"I'm not sure, my older sister is in Gryffindor, though, and she says they're really good... at Quidditch..." Trinity said thoughtfully.
Just then the compartment door opened again, and a round-faced boy holding a large toad asked very meekly, "Can I sit with you? The other compartments are full."
"Sure, come on in. What's your name?" Howie asked.
"Neville Longbottom," he said, smiling to them shyly.
They all introduced eachother, and Neville took a seat by Howie. "Neat toad," Howie commented politely. "Does he have a name?"
"Of course," Neville grinned. "This is Trevor. My grandmother bought me him as a present. He's a good friend."
They talked more about Hogwarts and magic, of course, and they quickly became friends. Hermione told them that she had been researching everything since the day she got her letter. "I hope that I will be able to catch up to everyone," she said with a sigh.
They pulled on their school robes after the snack cart passed, and were snacking on assorted sweets when suddenly Neville leapt up. "Trevor! Where is Trevor?!"
"He was just here a moment ago..." Howie said.
"Let's split up and find him, he can't have gotten far," said Hermione. "He must have gotten loose when the snack cart stopped by."
They were all about to leave, when Trinity said, "Do you think someone ought to stay here and make sure we don't lose this compartment?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "I guess you're right. Why don't you and Howie stay here and search the compartment, maybe he hasn't left at all. Neville and I, we'll split up and search the corridor. Maybe someone has seen him."
Hermione and Neville left, and Howie and Trinity were alone again. "Wow, it's very busy on this train," Howie said. "I'm glad that everyone is so nice, though."
"Yeah, me too. It's not at all like our last school," Trinity said.
There was a long pause, and then Howie asked, "Trinity... how come you never told me about all this? I mean, that you were a witch, and all about the Magic Realm before?"
"My father... he threatened that if any Muggles were told or found out that we were of wizard blood, we would have to leave without telling you where we were going and never come back!" Trinity said, shivering with dread at just the thought. "It was so hard, Howie, to keep something so big like that from you... if I knew you were a wizard too, I would have told you in a heartbeat. It's just Dad... he doesn't trust Muggles. Remember how he used to not want us hanging out all the time? I didn't want to lose you, Howie. So I had to keep it a secret. You're my best friend. I understand if you're angry, but please know that... I'm so sorry."
Howie was silent for a moment, then he said, "It's alright, Trinity... I'm not mad, I just was wondering why you never told me."
"Well, now there is nothing I can't tell you, Howie! Let's promise..." She took his hands into hers. "Let's promise that no matter what, from now on, there will be no secrets between us. We'll share everything. How does that sound?"
Howie smiled. "Promise?"
"I swear it on our friendship," Trinity said.
"I swear it, too," Howie said. "And we'll always be there for eachother."
"Always have, always will." Trinity said, then hugged Howie.
They laughed, and sat down and began to excitedly talk about what they would first do upon the arrival of Hogwarts. A few moments later, a sniffling Neville and a slightly irritated Hermione returned. "No sign of Trevor anywhere," she sighed, flopping down across from Howie and Trinity. "I'm sorry, Neville. I'm sure that he will turn up."
"He was my best friend," Neville sobbed, sitting beside Hermione.
"Oh, Neville, we'll find him don't worry," Hermione said, then her face lit up and she turned to Trinity and Howie. "Guess who we saw riding in the compartment two doors down from us? Harry Potter! I can't believe it, he seems like a nice guy- did you know he didn't even know why he's famous? I mean, can you imagine that?! Not knowing that he single-handedly ended the reign of terror under You-Know-Who?!"
"You-Know-Who?" Howie blinked, looking to Trinity for an answer, but she was just as clueless as he was. "What do you mean 'You-Know-Who'?"
Hermione's look went dead serious. "You don't know? Well, I just found out myself in a book I was reading... people don't dare say his name, but..." she lowered her voice. "Lord Voldemort."
Neville visibly trembled and snapped, "Don't say his name!"
"Lord Voldemort?" Trinity repeated, curious.
Neville blanched. "Please! Don't!"
"I'm sorry... what did Vol- You-Know-Who do? What has that got to do with Harry Potter being famous, Hermione?" Trinity asked, wondering why she never heard about him before.
Hermione explained everything in a matter-of-fact fashion. "He was one of the most powerful wizards, but also the most evil. When he was in power, evil nearly conquered good. For some unknown reason, You-Know-Who went to kill Harry Potter's parents. But the attack that killed both of his parents somehow did not kill Harry, and now he has the cursed mark, a lightning-shaped scar, on his forehead, as proof of his encounter. The attack left You-Know-Who defenseless, and all of his followers, the Deatheaters, were imprisoned in Azkaban or pardoned if he was used a controlling curse on them. Azkaban is a horrible wizard prison... the dementor's kiss is far worse than death." She shuddered.
Just then the train slowed to a halt, and before Trinity could ask Hermione any more questions they were being herded off the train. The cold fresh air greeted them as they stepped off the train. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" A gigantic man with a large, dark beard bellowed. "C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
Trinity slipped her hand in Howie's and they followed Hermione and Neville as they headed towards the gigantic man. Suddenly the narrow path opened to a vast, jet black lake. A mountain could be seen on the other side, and sitting atop the mountain was a magnificent castle with dozens of different sized towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" The gigantic man called, leading the group to a fleet of tiny boats along the shore.
Neville and Hermione already sat in a full boat, so Howie and Trinity took the next one along with two identical twin girls.
"Everyone in? Right then- FORWARD!" The fleet began to move, gliding across the placid lake at the giant's command.
Nobody spoke as the boats moved across the lake. Everybody was in awe, speechless and wondering what to expect next. As the castle came nearer, Trinity squeezed Howie's hand excitedly. "We're finally here," she whispered to him.
Howie squeezed her hand back, his brown eyes wide with excitement. "Yeah... I'm so glad that we're doing this together."
"Head's down!" The giant yelled, and they all bent their heads as the boats floated through the ivy hidden opening at the face of the cliff.
The boats travelled through a dark tunnel, then finally they reached an underground harbor. They quickly filed out onto the rocky shore and after Neville was happily reunited with Trevor, the giant led them up to the huge, oak front door and asked, "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"
He raised a massive fist to the castle door and knocked three times. The door swung open instantly, and a tall, black-haired witch in a beautiful, emerald green robe stood there. She had a stern look on her face that reminded Trinity of when her father was angry. No doubt you didn't want to cross paths with this woman.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," reported the giant.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She said, pulling the door all the way open, and a wide-open entrance hall with flaming torches along the tall walls greeted them.
They followed Professor McGonagall to a small, empty chamber, hearing the voices of hundreds of older students as they past, already waiting behind a closed door. Crowding into the small chamber and packed in like sardines, they waited for what would happen next. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
She seemed to gaze over the crowd, at a boy with red hair and another with shaggy, dark brown hair next to Neville. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She then left the chamber.
"I hope we'll be in the same house," Trinity said as hushed whispers erupted around the room.
"If we aren't I'll send Kenshin to you tonight, okay?" Howie's eyes sparkled and he gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Think of it as a chance to meet new friends."
Trinity smiled as Howie squeezed her hands again. He always knew what to say, and reassured her.
Suddenly several people behind them screamed. Trinity and Howie whirled around and gasped.
"Ghosts!" Trinity clung to Howie's side as the pearly-white, see-through specters floated along, saying things but Trinity could not hear a word they said over the pounding of her heart.
Suddenly a sharp familiar voice spoke. "Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall was back, and one by one the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line, and follow me."
The students silently obeyed, Trinity sticking close to Howie. They marched out of the chamber and back into the hall, then across to the Great Hall. Thousands of floating candles lit the room, and long tables already seated with the older students were adorned with golden goblets and plates. The top of the hall was where the teachers sat, and above them on the ceiling the stars twinked brightly, set against a dark black sky.
"Wow! No ceiling!" Trinity breathed. "It's beautiful."
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Hermione told her, obviously breathtaken with the magical room as well.
"Wow..." Trinity was in awe, taking in all the sights.
She returned her gaze to look back where the teachers were sitting, and Professor McGonagall had placed a worn pointed hat on a four-legged stool. Suddenly the hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth. Even more surprisingly, the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindor apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The entire hall burst in applause, and the hat bowed to the four tables then went still again. Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she began. "Abbott, Hannah!"
Trinity watched as the hat bellowed out the various houses as each student nervously stepped forward and sat on the stool.
Finally it was her turn.
"Ferrell, Trinity."
She stepped forward quickly, and heard her sister give a loud whoop as she did, and felt her face burn scarlet. She saw Celeste eagerly waving at the Gryffindor table. She sat down and placed the hat on her head. A moment later the hat had made its decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
She smiled at her sister's reaction. She didn't even reach the table when Celeste threw her arms around her proudly and said, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Trin."
Trinity was sitting down just as Hermione, too, was placed in Gryffindor.
"I'm glad you've made it," Trinity said to her new friend as she sat down. "This is my sister, Celeste. She's a fourth-year."
"Hi Hermione, welcome to Gryffindor, " Celeste greeted her.
"Thank you, I'm glad to be here too," Hermione smiled, tears in her eyes. "This is the house I wanted."
"Malfoy, Draco."
Trinity looked up as Draco flashed her a smile, then he sat down, pulling the hat on his head. Not even a second later, the hat cried out, "SLYTERHIN!"
Pleased, Draco grinned and went over to the Slytherin table.
They went down the list, and a hushed silence fell as Harry Potter was called up. Tension filled the air as the seconds past while the hat made its decision.
"Hey, isn't he Dudley Dursley's brother?" Trinity asked Celeste, shocked that she recognized a supposed wizard celebrity.
"He isn't the piglet's brother, he is adopted by the Dursleys or something... I wonder where he'll be sorted?" Celeste looked up at where Harry was seated, biting her lip.
Before Trinity could ask her how come she did not know that there was a wizard celebrity on the same street as them, the hat bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers erupted and everyone from the Gryffindor table and everyone whistled and yelled. "We got Potter! We got Potter!" The Weasley twins sung.
Trinity bit her lip as Howie's turn finally came.
"Sano, Howard."
He smiled to Trinity warmly as he stepped forward and sat down on the stool, placing the hat on his head.
The seconds ticked by like minutes.
But finally, the hat opened its mouth with its final decision.