Hogwarts School I
CHAPTER THREE
THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS
The days flew by quickly, and before Toka knew it, his birthday arrived. July the seventh. The days at his house passed like any summer day, He often kept his staff up in his room, and his other supplies. He found his Standard Book of Spells to be quite useless. He only had to focus on the results, no silly incantations. David, however, was excelling in the charms. He seemed to have a natural ability with them.
Finally, August the first arrived, and with many caring goodbyes, Toka had packed his equipment into his trunk, caught his cat, coaxed it into it's carrier, and shoved his luggage into the back of David's parent's van. They were off!
When they arrived at the train station, Toka pulled out his ticket to see which platform they would be boarding from. "Platform nine and three-quarters?" He asked himself as they arrived at platform ten.
"Yeah, can you believe it?" David smiled as they came to a stop.
"David, my friend, I feel that after discovering myself to be a wizard, I feel no thing between heaven and earth could gain my disbelief." Toka muttered half to himself.
He turned to David to see him running at the wall between the platforms. Toka immediately shot after him. "He must know something I don't..." Toka breathed to himself, and suddenly, David vanished into the wall in front of him, and before he knew it, he had too.
He looked around to find himself on seemingly another platform. The sign above said platform nine and three-quarters.
"You sure did catch on to that one fast Toka." David smiled from around the corner. "I thought my dad might have tried to explain it to you!" Toka noticed David's parents walking up behind them. David's mother seemed to be very shocked to be on the platform. David's father seemed to be trying to explain how she got there to her.
"Happens every year... Mum just can't get over it. Becky scared her half to death her first year." David explained to Toka. Both of them laughed as David's mother cautiously tried to touch the barrier.
Ahead of them, Toka spotted Nicole sitting on a bench with her luggage, and a large cage, which was covered. They exchanged their joyous greetings, and bid their families farewell.
The three of them piled into the train, chatting excitedly. They found an empty compartment, and sat there talking to each other about their vacations.
"So, Nicole, what kind of animal did you choose?" Toka asked.
"Well," Nicole began, shifting in her seat, "I couldn't really decide because they're all so useful. An owl can deliver your mail, a cat can catch mice, and they're really good company, I didn't want a toad, because I'm afraid I might accidentally kill it... So my parents chose for me, and then taught me some neat transfiguration charms..." She bent closer to David and Toka. "I learned how to change it into whatever I want!"
David stared blankly. "So what did you choose?"
Nicole leaned back in her seat and paused. "Right now, I have a small owl. It's all white, but has some black feathers on it's head, but when we get to Hogwarts, I'm going to change it into a cat so it can move about more freely."
"You can do that!" David exclaimed. Toka was impressed. Transfiguration had looked very difficult to him while he had been studying over the vacation.
"So what did you two do all summer?" Nicole asked.
While David was excitedly describing Toka's liftoff with his staff, a kid with a large cloak and hood stopped in front of the compartment door, almost hesitant.
"Hello... May I join you? Everyone else is full." his face was shrouded under the hood, and Toka could see little more of him than his mouth and long blonde bangs.
"Sure." Toka replied, moving over and offering him a seat.
"What's with the hood?" David asked, distracted by the newcomer.
"Uh... family reasons." He replied carefully.
"Well, come on in, make yourself comfortable." Nicole invited.
"Thanks..." He sat in the empty seat next to Toka, and he straightened his cloak out.
"What's your name?" David asked.
"Templa..." he replied, taking off his hood; revealing two pointed and long ears.
"You're an elf!" David said, startled.
"Yeah... A Wood Elf to be precise, (not to be confused with those little wizard house elves) and also the first at Hogwarts at that!" Templa smiled.
"How did you get accepted?" Nicole asked curiously.
"It wasn't easy. We elves have strong magic, and people think we don't need schooling (some think we shouldn't be schooled), but imagine how powerful a schooled elf will be! I'll be able to help all of my village!" Templa smiled.
"You sure are tall." Nicole added admirably, scanning over him.
"Wood Elves are always tall. You're probably used to those miserable little house elves, which I'm glad to say, are not even slightly related to us. People often think we're related simply because they've got pointed ears. Most witches and wizards think all elves are like their little pets..." Looking slightly uncomfortable, he changed the subject. "I'm hoping to try out for the Quidditch Team."
"So early? What position? And what kind of broom do you have at home?" David asked, interested.
Templa nodded. "I'm going to try for seeker, and I don't use a broom, I use a board. I enchanted it myself." He smiled, and he began to try to remove his cloak. Toka noticed two girls peeking into the compartment as they passed by. Templa's whole head was covered as he tried to pull off the cloak. The girls noticed they were spotted by Toka, and continued down the car.
Templa finally forced his head out of the cloak, and tried to straighten out his hair, which had gotten tangled in the clasp. Toka noticed a fine chain hanging from Templa's neck. A small cross was strung onto it.
"Hey..." Toka pointed to Templa's cross, and holding up his own, which he always carried with him. "I've got one too." Templa paused with the cape for a moment to look at Toka's cross.
"Yeah... You do!" He laughed, "You bought that from me four years ago... I made them in my village. I went outside the wood to sell a few so I could afford the materials to make my board. You paid me extra for it though."
"You were the kid in the hat?" Toka laughed.
"Yeah." Templa smiled. "I had to wear it to hide my ears and hair."
"So you live near..?" Toka began.
"Not really, I had to travel pretty far because I had to buy the materials with human money." Templa said.
"Why do you wear that necklace so often anyway?" David asked Toka.
"Mostly just out of habit..." Toka paused, noticing a curious look on Templa's face. "Say, David... What are the chances of a first year getting onto the Quidditch team?"
David scratched his head, "Gee... Slim to none I guess... From what Becky says, it's even rare for second years to join. It's brutal you know."
"I'm thinking of trying out too." Nicole suddenly spoke up, "It's worth a try... I hear that last year, two first years made the teams, and a bunch of the team graduated last year, so there should be openings."
Suddenly two boys with flaming red hair walked by the door.
"Chris? Steve?" Toka asked. David diverted his full attention immediately to the two at the door.
"Toka?" They both asked in unison. "What're YOU doing here? You're no wizard! ...Are you?" The two were twins from Toka's old school, and for some reason, though they both looked almost exactly the same, Steve appeared slightly more squinty, and because of that, Toka had little trouble telling which was which.
"I may as well be asking you two the same!" Toka had least been expecting those two.
"Yeah, our mom ends up bein' an old witch just like we always thought!" sniggered Steve. He turned to Chris for a high five. "So what are you doing here?" Chris asked, rubbing his nose, and leaning against the door frame.
"Going to Hogwarts. I don't think there are any other stops..." Toka smiled. Troublemakers though they were, he had a hard time not liking them. "I'll see you when we stop." David put a hand to his chin when they left.
"The Ragneder twins at Hogwarts? This will be interesting." He frowned. Toka could guess what he was thinking. How quick until they received their years first (of many) detentions?
The rest of the ride was uneventful, except when a woman with a cart full of different treats stopped by, the four of them pitched in a bit of their money to try out a few of the items. Toka was caught off guard by the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The first Chocolate Frog hopped into Nicole's lap, which startled her, launching it into the air once again, into David's hair. David snatched at it as it once again hopped off, and toward the door, but it was Templa in the end who caught it. The Every Flavor Beans were first tried by Templa, who found his to be quite tasty... "I got a toffee." He smiled, but when David's turn came, he spat it out almost immediately, exclaiming: "Ack! That's not lemon!" They all took turns with the treats until they ran out. Toka ended up getting a taste of many of them, including mint, cherry, and chocolate, but also sardines, pine wood, and spam.
THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS
The days flew by quickly, and before Toka knew it, his birthday arrived. July the seventh. The days at his house passed like any summer day, He often kept his staff up in his room, and his other supplies. He found his Standard Book of Spells to be quite useless. He only had to focus on the results, no silly incantations. David, however, was excelling in the charms. He seemed to have a natural ability with them.
Finally, August the first arrived, and with many caring goodbyes, Toka had packed his equipment into his trunk, caught his cat, coaxed it into it's carrier, and shoved his luggage into the back of David's parent's van. They were off!
When they arrived at the train station, Toka pulled out his ticket to see which platform they would be boarding from. "Platform nine and three-quarters?" He asked himself as they arrived at platform ten.
"Yeah, can you believe it?" David smiled as they came to a stop.
"David, my friend, I feel that after discovering myself to be a wizard, I feel no thing between heaven and earth could gain my disbelief." Toka muttered half to himself.
He turned to David to see him running at the wall between the platforms. Toka immediately shot after him. "He must know something I don't..." Toka breathed to himself, and suddenly, David vanished into the wall in front of him, and before he knew it, he had too.
He looked around to find himself on seemingly another platform. The sign above said platform nine and three-quarters.
"You sure did catch on to that one fast Toka." David smiled from around the corner. "I thought my dad might have tried to explain it to you!" Toka noticed David's parents walking up behind them. David's mother seemed to be very shocked to be on the platform. David's father seemed to be trying to explain how she got there to her.
"Happens every year... Mum just can't get over it. Becky scared her half to death her first year." David explained to Toka. Both of them laughed as David's mother cautiously tried to touch the barrier.
Ahead of them, Toka spotted Nicole sitting on a bench with her luggage, and a large cage, which was covered. They exchanged their joyous greetings, and bid their families farewell.
The three of them piled into the train, chatting excitedly. They found an empty compartment, and sat there talking to each other about their vacations.
"So, Nicole, what kind of animal did you choose?" Toka asked.
"Well," Nicole began, shifting in her seat, "I couldn't really decide because they're all so useful. An owl can deliver your mail, a cat can catch mice, and they're really good company, I didn't want a toad, because I'm afraid I might accidentally kill it... So my parents chose for me, and then taught me some neat transfiguration charms..." She bent closer to David and Toka. "I learned how to change it into whatever I want!"
David stared blankly. "So what did you choose?"
Nicole leaned back in her seat and paused. "Right now, I have a small owl. It's all white, but has some black feathers on it's head, but when we get to Hogwarts, I'm going to change it into a cat so it can move about more freely."
"You can do that!" David exclaimed. Toka was impressed. Transfiguration had looked very difficult to him while he had been studying over the vacation.
"So what did you two do all summer?" Nicole asked.
While David was excitedly describing Toka's liftoff with his staff, a kid with a large cloak and hood stopped in front of the compartment door, almost hesitant.
"Hello... May I join you? Everyone else is full." his face was shrouded under the hood, and Toka could see little more of him than his mouth and long blonde bangs.
"Sure." Toka replied, moving over and offering him a seat.
"What's with the hood?" David asked, distracted by the newcomer.
"Uh... family reasons." He replied carefully.
"Well, come on in, make yourself comfortable." Nicole invited.
"Thanks..." He sat in the empty seat next to Toka, and he straightened his cloak out.
"What's your name?" David asked.
"Templa..." he replied, taking off his hood; revealing two pointed and long ears.
"You're an elf!" David said, startled.
"Yeah... A Wood Elf to be precise, (not to be confused with those little wizard house elves) and also the first at Hogwarts at that!" Templa smiled.
"How did you get accepted?" Nicole asked curiously.
"It wasn't easy. We elves have strong magic, and people think we don't need schooling (some think we shouldn't be schooled), but imagine how powerful a schooled elf will be! I'll be able to help all of my village!" Templa smiled.
"You sure are tall." Nicole added admirably, scanning over him.
"Wood Elves are always tall. You're probably used to those miserable little house elves, which I'm glad to say, are not even slightly related to us. People often think we're related simply because they've got pointed ears. Most witches and wizards think all elves are like their little pets..." Looking slightly uncomfortable, he changed the subject. "I'm hoping to try out for the Quidditch Team."
"So early? What position? And what kind of broom do you have at home?" David asked, interested.
Templa nodded. "I'm going to try for seeker, and I don't use a broom, I use a board. I enchanted it myself." He smiled, and he began to try to remove his cloak. Toka noticed two girls peeking into the compartment as they passed by. Templa's whole head was covered as he tried to pull off the cloak. The girls noticed they were spotted by Toka, and continued down the car.
Templa finally forced his head out of the cloak, and tried to straighten out his hair, which had gotten tangled in the clasp. Toka noticed a fine chain hanging from Templa's neck. A small cross was strung onto it.
"Hey..." Toka pointed to Templa's cross, and holding up his own, which he always carried with him. "I've got one too." Templa paused with the cape for a moment to look at Toka's cross.
"Yeah... You do!" He laughed, "You bought that from me four years ago... I made them in my village. I went outside the wood to sell a few so I could afford the materials to make my board. You paid me extra for it though."
"You were the kid in the hat?" Toka laughed.
"Yeah." Templa smiled. "I had to wear it to hide my ears and hair."
"So you live near..?" Toka began.
"Not really, I had to travel pretty far because I had to buy the materials with human money." Templa said.
"Why do you wear that necklace so often anyway?" David asked Toka.
"Mostly just out of habit..." Toka paused, noticing a curious look on Templa's face. "Say, David... What are the chances of a first year getting onto the Quidditch team?"
David scratched his head, "Gee... Slim to none I guess... From what Becky says, it's even rare for second years to join. It's brutal you know."
"I'm thinking of trying out too." Nicole suddenly spoke up, "It's worth a try... I hear that last year, two first years made the teams, and a bunch of the team graduated last year, so there should be openings."
Suddenly two boys with flaming red hair walked by the door.
"Chris? Steve?" Toka asked. David diverted his full attention immediately to the two at the door.
"Toka?" They both asked in unison. "What're YOU doing here? You're no wizard! ...Are you?" The two were twins from Toka's old school, and for some reason, though they both looked almost exactly the same, Steve appeared slightly more squinty, and because of that, Toka had little trouble telling which was which.
"I may as well be asking you two the same!" Toka had least been expecting those two.
"Yeah, our mom ends up bein' an old witch just like we always thought!" sniggered Steve. He turned to Chris for a high five. "So what are you doing here?" Chris asked, rubbing his nose, and leaning against the door frame.
"Going to Hogwarts. I don't think there are any other stops..." Toka smiled. Troublemakers though they were, he had a hard time not liking them. "I'll see you when we stop." David put a hand to his chin when they left.
"The Ragneder twins at Hogwarts? This will be interesting." He frowned. Toka could guess what he was thinking. How quick until they received their years first (of many) detentions?
The rest of the ride was uneventful, except when a woman with a cart full of different treats stopped by, the four of them pitched in a bit of their money to try out a few of the items. Toka was caught off guard by the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The first Chocolate Frog hopped into Nicole's lap, which startled her, launching it into the air once again, into David's hair. David snatched at it as it once again hopped off, and toward the door, but it was Templa in the end who caught it. The Every Flavor Beans were first tried by Templa, who found his to be quite tasty... "I got a toffee." He smiled, but when David's turn came, he spat it out almost immediately, exclaiming: "Ack! That's not lemon!" They all took turns with the treats until they ran out. Toka ended up getting a taste of many of them, including mint, cherry, and chocolate, but also sardines, pine wood, and spam.