Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters you may recognise from the book. All of them belong to that wonderful writer J.K Rowlings.
Dom, Nicolas, J.P and Anita are all real people that are really enjoying being in my story.
I have created any creature and person you don't recognise from the books.
This story takes place after the publishing of The Prisoner of Azkaban, and the release of the second Harry Potter movie.
Harry is in his fourth year at Hogwarts.
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Chapter five: Hogwarts Express and Sorting.
The compartment was empty indeed and soon the quartet and Lupin had settled into their seats, J.P taking a seat on one of their trunks as there was not enough space for all of them on the seats.
They started speaking rather excitedly about everything they had seen during their shopping trip in Diagon Alley and commenting on Anita's new broom. Lupin had to admit that he didn't know much about brooms since he had never been a great fan of Quidditch and had never owned enough money to buy his own broom, but he thought that the WhirlWind looked like quite a good broom.
Dom was petting Oddball that once more had curled up inside his T-shirt, warning Nicola to never let Fortuna be alone with his precious rat.
The chatter ceased as the door of the compartment was opened and Harry, Hermione and Ron walked in, giving the four teens a friendly smile, it seemed curiosity had brought them there to investigate a bit more about these four new students.
Nicolas gave his seat to Hermione and placed himself besides J.P on the trunk. Ron and Harry simply sat down on the floor between the seats. Expectantly they looked at the quartet and at Lupin, it took a few moments before they actually spoke, Ron being the first to break the silence.
"So are you going to tell us who you people are or do we have to drag it out of you?"
Hermione gave him a rather disapproving look that the red haired boy pointedly ignored as he looked at each of the quartet in turn.
Anita smiled, she had always liked Ron's character in the book, and it seemed to her that he was not at all different in real life, she waved at him and Harry as to catch their attention, pushing her glasses back up on her nose before she spoke.
"Well, I suppose we better tell you. We don't want to be hexed again. Or do we, guys?."
The quartet chuckled loudly at this comment and each of them felt a bit less uncomfortable after the small joke of Anita. She grinned and proceeded to introduce her friends to the people that only weeks ago, had been nothing but characters in a book.
"Over there on the trunk you have J.P and Nicolas. J.P is short for Jean Phillipe. And just so you know, Nicolas is a lot kinder than he looks like, he couldn't hurt a fly... intentionally.
The one petting his stomach is Dom, or Dominic. Don't be fooled by his 'handsome' looks, he is quite a devil when you get to know him.
And I am Anita, short of Ana Maria.
A pleasure and a honour to know all of you..... personally I mean."
Each of the teens nodded slightly as she introduced them, Dom shot the three friends a rather horrifying grin before being whapped over the head by Anita. This starting a insult match between the two of them that ended rather abruptly as they realised that Hermione was starting to say something.
"I believe you four are not students of Hogwarts, you don't have insignias nor school ties, yet you all seem to know both Ron, Harry and me quite well since you didn't ask our names. And you didn't even react to Harry speaking to you, as any foreign wizard student would do.
I suppose there is a good reason for your behaviour. You all seem to be quite decent people, specially since you don't mind Professor Lupin sharing compartment with you.
And that comment about hexing...."
Hermione's monologue was interrupted by Lupin as he cleared his throat to call upon the attention of the three friends. He went quiet a moment as to think of the best way to explain the situation to Harry, Ron and Hermione. After a moment of pondering he realised that it would be best for him to actually tell them the truth. They had proved before that they were worthy to be trusted.
"Well you see, it all started in a cinema in London....."
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The compartment was filled with loud laughter of the seven young teens that were inside it. As the retelling of what happened to the quartet ended Ron and Harry were almost rolling around on the floor in laughter as Hermione was trying to keep a straight face, but the small giggles escaping her lips betrayed her joyous mood.
"I can't believe you did that!.... And those Aurors....."
"You were lucky they had totally forbidden using any killing curses. You could have been killed."
"Really? A whole serie of books and two movies... all about me?"
The quartet were laughing along with the three friends. It seemed to them that they had already found their first three friends in Hogwarts.
The laughing was interrupted as the witch with the candy cart passed by and offered the passengers her sweets and drinks. The quartet was eager to try all the candies and sweets they had read about in the books and swiftly placed their orders.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!"
"Chocolate frogs!"
"Fudge Flies
"Pumpkin pastries!"
Soon all of the teens, and even Lupin, had their laps filled with sweets of different kinds. Anita and Hermione were both enjoying some chocolate frogs and reading of the cards, Hermione deciding to help Anita start her own collection by giving her the cards she had repeated.
Dom was chewing on the fudge flies and sharing one with his dear Oddball while Ron looked if Crookshanks made any movement to scare the rat away and was pleased when he didn't, meaning Oddball was probably just a normal rat despite its strange appearance.
J.P was munching happily on his pumpkin pastry and commenting on how good it was with Lupin. The former teacher tried to agree but his mouth was so full he could only nod.
Nicolas was staring at his fifth Bertie Bott bean. This one was of a slight pink colour. Harry was looking at the tall boy with a small smirk.
"So, you going to eat that or not?"
Nicolas sniffed the bean suspiciously before shaking his head slightly.
"Knowing my luck it will be something disgusting. Have already had one booger, one liver and one tripe flavoured ones. I better stop before I get something really nasty."
Harry nodded but then smiled slightly.
"Well you are forgetting the chocolate one. Come on, what are the odds of getting another bad one.... Besides I think you already got all the most disgusting ones."
Nicolas tilted his head and let the bean roll between his fingers, as if staring at the sweet it would reveal its true taste to him. In the end he shrugged and popped the sweet into his mouth, chewing it for a second before turning green, jumping up from his seat and run out of he compartment. Moments later loud retching could be heard from the closest bathroom.
Harry was sitting still staring at the door where Nicolas had disappeared, he turned to look at Ron who seemed as suprised as him, then realisation dawned on both of them. The only bean flavour that had ever induced such a reaction to both of them was that of...
"...vomit."
The retching sound continued as Harry scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty all of a sudden. But who could possibly know that Nicolas would have THAT much of a bad luck.
J.P, Dom and Anita simply shook their heads as they saw the Dark Destiny of Nicolas strike again.
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The rest of the trip was without any major events. Nicolas returned from the bathroom still looking rather green and refused to even look at the rest of the colourful beans, giving them all to J.P.
Ron, Harry and Hermione excused themselves and returned to their own compartment as the train moved closer to Hogwarts, saying they had to change into their school uniform.
The quartet deciding they would do the same. Chuckling a bit as they saw how they looked in robes, feeling a bit nervous about meeting the rest of the students and about the sorting. What house would they be in?
Lupin tried to calm down the four teens as they moved to get off the train, only to be met with someothing that resembled quite much a wall of water. Rain was pouring down so hard and fast that they were all soaked before reaching the end of the platform.
A humongeous man was standing there and waving the first year students toward the boats. The quartet just gawked at him, he was definitely enormous, Robbie Coltrane was way too small to actually portray the large man.
"That.... mountain of a man.... must be...Hagrid."
Said Anita, her teeth chattering with cold. The other teens agreed with her and simply walked by the only man that had managed to make Nicolas look short.
Soon enough they saw the carriages that were waiting for them, apparently not horses or other animals were pulling them. Suddenly both Anita and J.P froze dead in their tracks, none of them actually making any gesture or movement toward the carriages, it was as if they were mesmerised by something.
Lupin placed a hand on each of their shoulders and whispered something into their ears, the two teens nodding slowly and once more starting to walk toward the carriage.
Both J.P and Anita were extremely quiet during their ride toward Hogwarts, not even looking out when Dom proclaimed they were passing by the statues of winged pigs. It seemed that the two of them had suddenly seen something they wish they had not seen, and were sorry for actually seeing it.
But they cheered up as they stopped in front of the castle and the doors of the carriage opened, allowing the quartet to descend from their transport and into the pouring rain before running into the entrance hall of the castle, escaping the cold drops of rain.
But the relief lasted only for a few moments as the students were pelted with water balloons filled with ice cold water. The raindrops even seemed like a nice warm shower compared to the liquid filled projectiles.
The quartet ran for cover behind one of the large pillars, listening to the loud racket the poltergeist Peeves was making. Soon they also heard the autoritary voice of a woman yelling to the mischievous ghost.
"PEEVES!... Peeves, come down here RIGHT AWAY!"
The order was followed by a small screech and the sound of someone stumbling on the rock floor.
Dom looked out from their hiding place long enough to see a elderly witch with a very strict look on her face hold on to Hermione before getting to her feet again and continue her bellowing at the laughing poltergeist. Peeves continue bothering the students for a few moments before disappearing up the stairs, laughing and cackling like crazy.
The four friends heard the strict looking teacher ordering the students into the great hall and were about to follow the rest of the crowd but stopped as they heard the voice of Lupin, calling on them from close to the stairs.
"You are not supposed to go along with the other students. At least not for now. You have to be sorted into a respective house first. Since none of you is a first year student Dumbledore has decided to sort you at the end of the ceremony, after explaining your situation to the rest of the students. So you have to wait here with me until we are called upon."
The teens nodded at Lupin, but they couldn't help but looking longingly at the door leading into the great hall, listening to the cheering of the students as the new members of each house was announced. All four were wondering if they would be received with those kind of cheers or if they would just be stared at, like strange bugs on display.... Maybe the other students wouldn't accept them at all.
All those thoughts were brought to a halt as Lupin suddenly started walking toward the double bladed door of the great hall, waving the teens to follow him. Or the first time since they had woke up and knew they were now wizards the four teens wished they were just normal muggles again. But there was no turning back anymore. Taking a deep breath the four of them entered the great hall.
As they had expected they were looked at, glared at and even scowled at (mostly by the people at the Slytherin table) as they walked down the middle of the hall toward the chair where the old and worn Sorting hat was waiting.
Dumbledore was looking at them from behind the high table, a slight twinkle in his eyes as he nodded slowly to the four scared teens. The other teachers were eyeing the four ex – muggles as they moved closer and finally stopped in front of the chair. Snape snarled at Lupin who pointedly ignored the greasy-haired teacher.
Dumbledore got to his feet and spoke out loud enough for everybody in the hall to actually hear his voice.
"Welcome, welcome all to Hogwarts, All of us here are glad to have such fine young people among us tonight. We know you all feel a bit confused about what has happened to you and what will continue happening from now on. I trust you will find the answers you seek among your co –students and teachers.
But for now we shall see in what house you belong."
McGonagall slowly walked over to the hat and spoke the name of the four friends that would be sorted first.
"Nicolas Homsy"
Nicolas shyly steped up and sat down, McGonagall place the Sorting hat on his head.
But instead of calling out the name of the house where Nicolas belonged the Sorting hat started singing, s short little tune, quite different to those hat it sang at the beginning of each year
What a sight for a hat to see
Four muggles in a school of wizardy
History's wheel spins around
Magical powers are unbound
A prank gone wrong, a twist, a whorl
Now you belong to our world
Magic flows now in your veins
This may cause both joy and pains
Now before the song becomes too long
Lets see in which house you belong.
Nicolas was still writhing slightly in his chair as the hat sung, he wondered where he would end up. Cold sweat started forming on his forehead.
"I think you belong in... HUFFLEPUFF!"
McGonagall removed the hat from Nicolas' head and nodded toward the Hufflepuff table. The students there were wondering if they should dare to cheer for their new classmate, after all he was still kind of weird.
Suddenly loud applause and cheering rang trough the air as Nicolas sat down by it, but not from the Hufflepuff table but from the Gryffindor table where Hermione, Ron and Harry were applauding Nicolas. Soon the twins, Ginny and Neville joined the applause. And soon everybody, except the Slytherins were cheering for Nicolas.
McGonagall smiled and called out the name of the next one to be sorted.
"Jean Phillipe Mailhot."
J.P swallowed nervously and pushed his glasses up on his nose as he walked over to the stool and sat down.
Not before it had touched his curly head the Sorting hat called out.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers started immediately as J.P smiled and got up from the stool and walked over to the table were found a seat close to the Wesley twins. He waved at Nicolas that was sitting on the Hufflepuff table, and looking quite lost one could say. J.P could only hope that at least one of his friends would end up in Gryffindor as he had.
The strict transfiguration teacher called out the next name.
"Dominic Prevost."
Dom gave Anita a reassuring look and walked over to the stool. McGonagall had certain problems when placing the hat on the spiky head of the teen but she finally manages.
The hat was silent for a whole minute before calling out.
"SLYTHERIN!"
There was a shocked silence as Dom got up from his stool and walked toward the Slytherin table with a rather cocky smirk on his lips. As he walked by Draco and his friends he blew a kiss to the platinum blond boy, causing him to cringe in his seat. Dom just laughed and found a seat by the far end of the table, simply ignoring any comment that came from the snakes.
Now Anita was the last one, she looked at her friends rather nervously and prayed that she would end up in the same house as them. She sat down on the stool, closing her eyes tight as the hat slid down on her head.
"RAVENCLAW!"
She felt her stomach suddenly seem hollow, as if she had a hole in the middle of her body that couldn't be filled up with anything. She wouldn't be able to be close to any of her friends. And she didn't even remember the names of the people from Ravenclaw that had been mentioned in the book.
She walked over to the table of her house and looked longingly at her friends that all gave her the same lost look back.
This was going to be a long school year.
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End chapter five.
Oh I am mean.. so very mean... separating the friends and placing them in different houses.. how on earth will they survive?
Just continue reading my story and you'll know....
Any suggestions and ideas are accepted.
Thanks for reading.