Chapter 4: Meeting the gang
The next 2 weeks went by and nothing out of the ordinary happened. Padma received a lot more mail then usual, all the same person. Nott and Padma used to send owls back n forth, they were just having a conversation through letters.
It was a cool night. Padma was sitting on her bed. She would be going Hogwarts tomorrow. She was worried that she would not fit in, but then she wondered why was she worrying. She had Nott, Draco, Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle (even though they were snotty little toerags), and Ernie and Susan and her fellow students she met at Diagon Alley. Padma looked around her room. She had finished packing, her books, potions ingredients, telescope and cauldron lay at the top of her trunk, her books to one side and her clothes in the middle, with her school robes on top. She thought she would look odd walking down the station with her robes on in front of muggles, so she would change on the train.
"Padma go to sleep, we have to leave early tomorrow because I have to go to work after I leave you" Padma's mum shouted.
Padma dove under her bed and extracted a long thin box. She placed it in her trunk and shut it. She went back to her bed, lay down and shut her eyes for a minute.
"GET UP OR YOU BOTH ARE NOT GOING, NOW!"
Padma fell out of bed, nearly on top of Om who just flew through the window. Om screeched and flew to the top of the wardrobe. Om dropped the parchment tied to his leg. Padma rubbed her eyes and looked at the floor and saw the parchment then looked over at Om.
"Om I'm s-s-s-sorry" yawned Padma while she opened the letter.
Are you up yet? Hogwarts today see you soon
Nott xxx"Why is he sending me a letter now" Padma thought out loud
"because he loves you…" Parvati laughed in a sing song voice, "You better get ready, who's that letter from? Not Nott" smiled Parvati
"Shut it you I'll be down soon, how come you're up early?"
"Couldn't get to sleep" shrugged Parvati and she walked out the room. Padma got up and got ready and walked as fast as she could down the steps with her trunk and Om in the cage.
"Right Vinnay take the trunks and Om now and we'll meet you in 10 minutes" and Vinnay disapparated with the trunks and Om. Padma's mum turned to the girls.
"Right I want you 2 to be on your best behaviour. No getting in trouble and write to me every week. Take it in turns ok. Be careful and stick up for each other, don't abandon one another, ok? I love you both and I'll see you at Christmas. I'm dropping you off at station, but your dad will see you onto the platform." She hugged them both and both Parvati and Padma took hold of their mums arm and apparated away.
They went up to the platform, 9 and 10 and Padma looked around only seeing muggles. She looked at her mum.
"Mum I think you went the wrong way"
"No Padma I haven't. Right I'll see you both on Christmas, now all you have to do is run through that wall" pointing between platform 9 and 10.
"Mum we'll hit the wall" said Parvati
"Just do it" and Parvati and Padma looked at each other and walked near the wall. They took a breath, closed their eyes and ran through the wall. As Padma ran, she was waiting for the wall to hit her until she heard someone shout her name.
"Padma stopped, open your eyes," shouted Parvati and Padma opened her eyes and looked around to see Parvati 10 yards behind her and the scarlet train awaiting the students. They were meant to be there 11 o'clock but they arrived half an hour early. They spotted their father heaving their trunks on board and he walked towards them.
"Right, you 2 get on board and I'll see you soon. Be careful and eat properly. Love you both. Bye" And her hugged them both and went back through the wall.
Padma looked at Parvati.
"Come on then lets get good seats" and they both walked towards the train.
They sat in the carriage and started talking about Hogwarts until there was a knock at the door. They both turned to see 2 girls standing in the doorway. They both were short and had shoulder length brown hair, except the one on the left had some red in hers.
"Hi you don't mind if we take these seats do you?" pointed the girls on the right
"No sure go ahead" and both girls sat down.
"I'm Skoda, Skoda Olaru"
"And I'm Becky, Becky Cassily. Can't wait to get there. I heard so much about it. What's your name?"
"I'm Padma and this is Parvati"
"And I'm Terry Boot. This is Anthony Goldstein and Michael Corner. Hi Padma" As 3 boys had just walked in.
"Hi" replied Padma.
They sat and spoke for a while. Everyone was soon comfortable with each other and they all started acting as themselves. Padma thought there was nothing to worry about, these people were nice and friendly. But it all went silent.
"Oh you got an owl" Becky pointed to Om
"Yeah his name is Om" and everyone soon became quiet again
"Ah come on guys I hate quiet" and Becky started to do an odd sort of jig on the spot.
"Come on, join in"
Skoda joined in and started jumping and Becky started singing and jumping around their compartment. Everybody laughed until there was a knock at the door. Skoda stopped looking slightly embarrassed and sat down but Becky carried on.
"Hey who are you? I'm Becky Cassily and these are my mate come on join in" and she grabbed the arm of the boy that was standing at the door. The boy looked bewildered and tried to get away but Becky wouldn't let go. Soon Anthony intervened and took the boys place and started dancing with Becky.
" You don't mind if I sit with you, everywhere else is still empty and I don't like being on my own," replied the boy.
"Yeah sure sit down the more the merrier"
"I'm Tyler, Tyler Khezendur"
Everyone chanted 'hi' back. The train started filling up and everyone was laughing and jumping around. 3 girls had come and joined them just 5 minutes before 11.
"I'm Mandy Brocklehurst"
"I'm Morag MacDougal"
"And I'm Lisa Turpin, this place looks like fun so we thought we join you guys"
"There's not enough room for a flobberworm to fit" shouted Skoda
Everyone laughed. The train soon began to move and they all sat down, a little squashed. They all chatted about Hogwarts and what houses they were going to be put in. Soon a girl with brown bushy hair entered.
"Have any of you soon a toad. A boy named Neville has lost one? Oh hi Padma didn't see you"
"There's a toad on the loose" shrieked Morag and lifted her legs onto her seat as if it were about to climb up her leg.
"Hi Hermione and no we haven't seen one" and Hermione left.
The lunch trolley came around and everyone bought a heap loads. It was as if they were having a party and Becky was leading it. She would always get up and start dancing and grabbing someone to dance with.
A girl came up to the door and peered in.
"Hi I'm sammy and I'm a prefect, just making sure your all ok and if you get into trouble come to me or find the head boy or girl ok?" and she left.
The door opened again and there was Draco.
"Oh sorry I thought you were someone else." And he walked out but not before Becky shouted, "Ruddy hell he has a looooong face" and everyone laughed.
"Shut up and who do you think you are talking to me like that?" and Draco left with everyone in hysterics. They all sat down tired except Becky and started to talk again until there was another knock at the door.
"Can't everyone leave us alone" sighed Tyler
"Hi I thought I just welcome you to Hogwarts, we should be arriving son. I'm Head Girl. My name is Hollie and he's head boy. His name is Anthony"
"You stole my name" smirked Anthony
They both laughed. Hollie had long brown hair and had a stud in her nose, while Anthony had short brown hair and was tall.
"Ooooo your nose is nice, did it hurt" asked Parvati
"No it didn't, but it did hurt after though. Well I just though I'd tell you that if there is any trouble just come to me or Anthony" smiled Hollie
"And call me Ant, no need to be so formal like her. You might have to bow and call her Madam Hollie but not me" smiled Anthony while Hollie hit him in the arm and they both left.
"Well I guess we better get changed into our robes" said Padma and they all got changed.
They were all sitting there until Terry announced that he was going to the toilet. A big mistake. Becky and Skoda looked at each other.
"Padma come with us" asked Skoda
Padma stared for a moment then went with them
They started to follow Terry.
"You know he has been watching you. He likes you" said Becky
"Yeah right and anyway what did you want me for"
"Can you do that charm which makes you dance?" asked Skoda
"Yeah why?"
"Do it on Terry it will be so funny, here use my wand" and Skoda thrusted Padma her wand
Padma took the wand and found the toilets and saw Terry standing by the toilets relieving himself.
All 3 of them laughed and Padma whispered "Tarantallegra" and his legs went everywhere in the middle of him peeing.
"Where did you learn that?" asked Becky
"In a book" laughed Padma
The 3 of them tried to run, but ran into Hollie.
"You think its funny? How would you like it if some one done that to you?"
"Well they can't because we don't stand when we pee" laughed Becky
"That's not the point-"
"Can you help me please? I can't stop" as Terry's legs went everywhere
"Finite" muttered Hollie "Now get back to your compartments"
And all 4 of them walked back laughing.
"That's not funny" even though Terry was laughing himself
"Hey Padma"
Padma turned around and there was Nott.
"Hi how are you?"
"I'm fine thanks and you?"
"I'm fine. This is Terry, Becky and Skoda. Guys this is Theodore Nott"
"Just Nott" he muttered darkly to the others and turned to Padma. "I was going to sit with you but your compartment was already full. Well I hope you're ok" and he walked off.
"He's nice" Skoda said sarcastically
"Nice bum" shouted Becky and they all ran off because they thought they saw Hollie again.
The train came to a stop and they all got off, heaving their trunks and Padma with Om. Om's cage was so heavy that she nearly dropped the cage.
"Hey watch out, Om could've been hurt" Terry had just caught Om and helped her, but right at the same time as Nott had just grabbed hold of Om.
"Oh sorry" and Nott let go and walked off
"I think he likes you" said Becky from behind Padma
"Would you just shut up" replied Padma. Great she thought to herself. First Nott and now Terry or is she just trying to embarrass me? No she wouldn't she's not like that.
Terry smiled and helped her and walked onto the platform and a huge man came out of no where shouting 'Firs' year over 'ere, don't be shy'
"Oh no that ain't" and Becky groaned "Harry Potter. I bet he thinks he's all big because of you know who. I hope he doesn't think he's special"
"Oh be quiet you're just jealous" replied Morag and they all went to The Tall man.
"I'm Hagrid and keeper of keys and ground of Hogwarts, now come on, we're goin' on the boats" and lead them to the bats, his lantern swinging.
Becky almost tripped until this 3rd year helped her. He was very tall and good-looking. His head looked like a black fuzzy peach, but it suited him very well and he had big blue eyes and a round face.
"Be careful" he said and helped Becky to her feet. "I'm Joe, Joe Brimstone"
Becky just stared at him mouth open slightly until Padma nudged her in the ribs.
"Oh erm I'm Becky Cassily"
"Well Becky I hope to see you in Ravenclaw" and gave her a wink and walked away with his friends.
"He's gorgeous" swooned Becky.
"He likes you" giggled Padma
"shut up" replied Becky and they set off to follow the rest who were miles in front.
"Padma you have to help me with Om, I can't carry him" shouted Terry
"Sorry" and as she took Om her hand brushed Terry's but Terry soon took Om out of her hands and replied "It's ok" and they carried walking.
"Righ' leave you're stuff 'ere and get on a boat. 4 in each" and they all clamoured into a boat, Padma with Parvati, Becky and Skoda. As they passed a low cliff they saw Hogwarts and many people ooooohed and awwwwwed, and someone shouted 'blimey' from up front.
They all got out and Hagrid reached they 2 oak doors and knocked 3 times.
Padma was about to see her first glimpse of her new home and she couldn't be any happier.