Chapter 5

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts. Harty, Warty, Hogwarts!"

Nadine's POV

It was 9:00 in the morning.

"Nadine!" cried Eve's voice shrilly. And that was how my day started. Eve stormed into my bedroom and shook me roughly. "If you don't wake up now, Aunty is going

to have a field day!"

"All right" I groaned underneath the covers. She pulled the covers off of me. "Come on."

I got up. And than it just hit me, today was the day we go to Hogwarts! "Oh my God! I'm going to be late!"

"Took ya long enough" my sister retorted. her arms crosses. I rushed took shower. And emerged from the bathroom a second later, drying my hair. "Oh, did you check

my trunk?" I said, trying to put my jeans on. Eve was sitting on my bed, looking bored. She was dressed in jeans, and red jeans. I put on a black top.

"Already taken care of," she said checking her nails.

"And my firebolt?" I said, putting on my shoes.

"Yup" she said again. She had a firebolt too. I was the best Quidditch player on my team in Lebanon. I could play keeper. And I took in the place of a seeker once, and

caught the Snitch in five minutes. I just hope I could qualify for keeper at Hogwarts. Quidditch was the only thing that made me happy.

"And Anna?" Anna was my owl. She was all black, with dashes of white.

Eve nodded. She has an owl too (She'll tell you all about her owl and firebolt in her POV)

"Okay" as I tied my last shoelace, I charmed my trunk, Eve did the same, and we set downstairs to the car.

"Got everything? Let's go" said my aunt as she drove to King's Cross.

~*~*~*~

We bid my aunt and her husband farewell and left.

"Okay, what's our platform number?" Eve asked. "Nay?"

I clearly did not answer. I was staring fixedly at our ticket. "Platform 9 and 3 quarters."

Eve thought it was one of my jokes. "Oh. Nay. Stop it! What is it?" She leaned closer and I thrust the ticket into her face.

Her big, brown eyes widened. "Is this some sort of joke?" she said.

"I can help you there." a deep voice said behind us.

"Harry!" I tried not to sound so desperate. I could tell Eve was doing the same. She held up her head high, like I did, "We were just about to go there as a matter of

fact"

Harry laughed. It made me feel warm inside. I smiled, but not aware that I was. I regained control of myself and pushed back my sheet of wavy brown hair.

"Hello, Nadine. Eve" the girl called Hermione that we met in Diagon Ally appeared by Harry's side. We said Hello back.

A tall and freckly person stood next to her too. Ron.

"So, er, you two know how to get into the platform?" asked Hermione kindly. Before Eve and I could answer, Harry and Ron zoomed pass us and disappeared into the

platform....

We tried not to look so surprised.

Hermione smiled. I took hold of my trolley and ran to the wall, trying not to think of the circumstances of what might happen if I couldn't go through. But than, I entered

a whole new world. I saw Harry and Ron waiting. A few seconds later, Eve and Hermione appeared at my side. I couldn't help but miss my old school as I looked at

the Hogwarts Express. Eve had the look on her face, as though she were on the verge of tears.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine." They helped us put our trunks, and owls in the train. And we followed them to look for a compartment. Hermione pointed to one down the train. "Come on.

Before anyone takes it"

We sat down, and made ourselves comfortable. Eve and I sat across the trio. I was looking out of the window. And Hermione was staring at us.

"Er, so tell us. I know Lebanon is a third-world country--" I got angry, so did Eve. I felt her recoil.

"Third-world? Now wait just a minute!" I half-screamed.

"You don't know Lebanon. It's more than that! The beauty, the mountains!" continued Eve. "Lebanon is not a poor country."

The trio stared. "Nadine, Eve. I never meant it that way!" she said quietly.

We seemed to have cooled down a bit. "That's all right" said Eve, feeling ashamed as I was.

"We're sorry." I said. "I just hate to think of it that way."

They smiled in return. "so, do you speak the language?" asked Harry.

Eve and I smiled. "Of course." Eve and I laughed.

"Could you teach us a few words?" Hermione asked, clearly fascinated.

"All right. first we'll start with the simple Hello" Eve said turning to me. "Would you do the honors?"

I laughed. "Ok. Marhaba." They all repeated it, though with poor accent. I was highly amused.

"Ana Mniha. that's for you Hermione. ana Mnih. That's for the males." It means: I'm fine.

"Well, well, well." a voice interrupted. I blonde-haired boy entered the compartment.

"Get out, Malfoy." said Harry through gritted teeth. This boy had a pale, pointed face. He advanced forward, not hearing what Harry had to say.

"What do we have here? he said, turning to his what-seemed-to-be cronies. They guffawed stupidly. Looks, like this is the bully of the school.

"Rumor has it, twins for Lebanon have come transferred to Hogwarts. Is that true?" he said, staring into our brown eyes.

"Yes." said Eve. I couldn't say anything. I wasn't as brave as Eve.

"Well," his pale face lightened. "Where are my manners? I am Draco Malfoy."

"Eve and this is Nadine" said Eve not taking her eyes off the guy.

Draco snickered. He looked down at our proper clothes. Jeans and a shirt. "I'm surprized you people have enough money to clothes your backs." he said, "Of course,

coming from a third-world country" he said.

That was it! I stood up and withdrew my wand. Eve had done the same but charged forward to Malfoy. Harry held her. And Hermione held Ron. Draco retreated

backwards at the site of Eve's and my wand.

"Go ahead." he said quietly. "I don't think Lebanon has enough to build a school for magic." his eyes flashed maliciously. My wand was emitting sparks. Crabbe and

Goyle laughed, stupidly.

"You, know, I wish you'd put your lip over your head and swallow it!" I said. Draco's face contorted with rage.

"Come on, Crabbe, Goyle. Help the needy." he threw a Galleon to the floor at Eve's feet and mine. "It's the least I can do to help." That's it!

Eve and I broke free and hit Malfoy with a curse, we learned at our old school. Malfoy stumbled backwards and ran away.

I had tears in my eyes. I was very sensitive. Eve was stronger than me. She could take insults but I couldn't....

We stood there, breathing hard.

"You showed them!" cried Ron.

"Ron!" Hermione came over to comfort me.

Harry looked at us in a new light. "Wow. Didn't know you had it in you!" he said. Eve smiled a bit and sat down.

The rest of the journey was okay. We met a few people at Hogwarts. Neville Longbottem. Ron's sister, Ginny. Luna Lovegood. Cho Chang. Dean, Fred and George,

which I found really funny. and Lee Jordon. Parvati Patil and Padma her twin. They took a likeing to us. They thought we were cool. Charging on Malfoy like that. Alot

of the people we met were all in this house called Gryffonder...or was it Gryffindor. Yes, Gryffindor. I learnt that a wizard went bad in Slytherin. Smart people in

Ravenclaw. and Hard workers in Hufflepuff. I prayed to go in Gryffindor. But I didn't have much courage like Eve. She'd go to Gryffindor in a heart beat. How would

I know I wouldn't go to Slytherin?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The train stopped. We were told to change into these school uniforms, which I thought were itchy and hot. Lebanon was a very hot country. All we had to wear were

skirts and a white shirt, which I had all my class mates sign (A/N: Death Eater, you know what I'm talking about !!! lol) We got off the train. Since we weren't sorted

yet, we couldn't go into the castle. Castle! I just noticed how beautiful it was! Candles outlining it! and the lake was reflecting it.

"well, good luck. we'll see you at the feast" said Hermione. Ron winked at me. and Harry smiled.

"Okay." I said uncertainly.

"Now where?" asked Eve.

A tall old woman came towards us beaming. "I am Professor McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress. I will escort you to the Great Hall, where your sorting will take place.

Now since you are not First years, you will not cross the lake. You will follow me."

Eve cast a weird look at me before following McGonagall. Than, it just hit me. What if the sorting involved fighting a monster to determine which house you'll go to? Or

what if it was a test? I voiced out my thoughts to Eve. she however, did not look worried. I always look up to her, in times when I'm scared.

"Don't worry, Nadine. I'll be right behind you." she whispered.

We halted in front of a big Oak door. The professor turned.

"Now I will leave you here. I will come and get you to be sorted after the first years. Good Luck" she said stiffly and departed I got a glance and I felt my stomach

drop.

"Eve," I cried, "All the students are in there!"

Eve looked pale, but straightened her face to a have one. "Whatever happens, I'll be here. Don't worry." I smiled at her.

In no time, Professor McGonagall came in again and escorted us.

The Great Hall hushed. I tried not to look anywhere but, at the stares of the students. There was murmuring. To get my mind off of them. I gazed at the ceiling above.

and as I reached the Headmaster. Albus Dumbledore, they told me. I looked around and I caught Harry's eye. He winked. I turned away from him and I cuaght

Draco's eye. He smirked.

"This year, we will have two new transfers from Lebanon." said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "This, is Evelyn Skairek." he motioned to Eve. "And this is Nadine

Skairek." he motioned to me. Al eyes were at us. I could hear Whispers.

"Now, they will be entering 6th year. I count on Hogwarts students to give them some pointers.Now let the sorting begin."

He sat down.

Professor McGonagall had an old hat and a stool ready. In front of the whole school? I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

"Skairek, Nadine." she called. I walked over the stool, and she placed the hat over me and the last thing I saw, was Eve's encouraging face and the trio, looking excited,

hoping i would be in Gryffindor.

"Hmm...." said that hat in my ear. "Clever, oh yes. You've got some bravery in you too. hmm...where to put you?" I sat motionless hoping it would not say Slytherin.

The hat chuckled. "Not Slytherin. Hmm....You've got a great mind. well, I'd have to say...." I held my breath, "Gryffindor!" I jumped off the stool and looked at my

sister. I walked all the way to Hermione, Harry and Ron who waved to come and sit next to them. I sat between Harry and Hermione.

Now it was Eve's turn....