THE FIRST DAY OF TERM
The 2nd February came very fast. That morning Justin packed his things in his trunk and put Amber in her cage. Justin's parents took him to Tuggerah station where he met up with Liam. Then the caught the train to Central. Where Justin said "What does the ticket say"
"I says to run through the wall between platform nine and ten".
"You must have read it wrong" said Justin
"No read it for yourself if you don't believe me". So Justin read it and it said exactly what Liam told him. So Justin got his trolley and ran at the wall. Instead of feeling cold brick against his face he went right through the wall. There was and idling train with big gold letters on the front it said HOGWARTS EXPRESS. Justin waited for Liam to come through and when he did they went to find a carriage. When they found one, they got changed into their robes and waited till the train started to move. 5 minutes later Jordanne came in and sat next to Justin.
"How was the rest of your summer?" said Justin
"Not bad what about you"
"Good thanks"
"Who's this guy" said Jordanne
"Oh sorry this is my friend Liam, Liam this is Jordanne I met her in Diagon alley".
"Jordanne" said Liam coldly
"Liam" replied Jordanne with equal spite.
It was obvious from their first meeting that these two would not get on well.
15 minutes later a food trolley pulled up next to their compartment packed to exploding point with a variety of different sweets and pastries. Justin bought 5 chocolate frogs and some bertie botts every flavoured beans, Liam purchased some pumpkin pasties and some droobles best blowing gum. Jordanne got the same as Justin. So the three of them spent the whole train ride sharing stories and eating junk food. When at Hogsmede station Justin saw a tall and laid back looking man with grey scruffy hair and dark eyes. He was idly twirling his wand between his fingers occasionally producing loud bangs for what looked like the sole pleasure of terrifying people.
He chuckled merrily as several girls nearby screamed.
Liam had found his hero.
"First years" said the man
"First years follow me"
"Hello first years my name is professor Rackharrow"
He sauntered over to a couple of cocky looking boys and fixed them with an amused gaze.
"Names Fellas" he said calmly.
"Peter Macpherson"
"Daniel Rose"
"Jake Opperman" said the boy that was obviously in charge.
"Now if I could just take a look at your Billywig passes" Rackharrow said with an expecting smile.
"What?" replied Jake
"Oh", said Rackharrow"didn't you pick one up in Diagon Alley?"
"No, we didn't know we had to" answered Jake
"Well, I could sell them to you cheap if you want, but you mustn't tell anyone, only 10 galleons for the lot.
"Deal" they said together while handing over the money.
He slyly handed them some official looking documents and looking as though it was a secret military operation.
"Okay first years come this way and we'll head up to the castle".
He approached Liam and Justin, counting his earnings.
They both had their money out and ready to give to him.
"Don't worry bout that boys, there's no such thing as Billywig passes. Some people will believe anything they hear from an adult. Idiots"
Liam had definitely found his hero!
So Liam and Justin followed all the other first years down a narrow path to a set of boats. "Okay first years 3 to a boat" instructed Professor Rackharrow, "watch out for the snaggle horned aqua beast though."
Several people screamed and hastily retreated from the waters edge.
"Only joking, it's only the giant squid you have to worry about"
Jake and several other people sniggered.
"Laugh all you want boy" Rackharrow said as what looked alarmingly like a giant tentacle extended from the water.
Justin, Liam and Jordanne all got in one boat. When everyone else was in a boat professor Rackharrow raised a hand and the boats all started moving all by themselves. It took about 5 minutes to get to the school. When they were about 2 minuets away they could see the castle. Its was amazing about 30 stories high and very wide it looked as if you could fit Justin's and Liam's homes, school and local park inside. When they arrived, Professor Rackharrow took them up a path and into the main hall inside the castle. Then he left. The first years all started chatting about the castle and what could possibly happen next. Jake still seemed to think that it was something of a miracle that he had obtained his Billywig pass so cheap, when suddenly the room went totally quiet a man came down the stair case. He had short black hair and he had brown coloured skin and dark blue eyes.
"Hello everyone my name is Professor Reavstone and I'm the deputy headmaster and I also teach defense against the dark arts".
"Now if you could please follow me to the great hall". They all followed him up a flight of stairs and stopped out the front two big doors. "Please wait out here why I get them ready". Everyone started talking again. Jake, who had jet black hair and a huge nose came up to Jordanne and said "You look like a poor excuse for a witch why would they want you here" Justin got furious at this and said "Do you always look down your nose at people, with binoculars!"
"Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Justin Blow"
"Your parents obviously didn't put much care in good names".
"Well then what's your name MR nose it all!" replied Liam
"My name is Opperman, Jake Opperman"
"Well it was good nosing you!"
Jake was about to reply when Professor Reavstone came back into the room. "We're ready for you now."
Justin, Liam and Jordanne followed a group of boys into the great hall and out the front. "We are now going to sort you into your houses. When I call your name come up and put the sorting hat on your head and when it tells you your house go and sit at that table. There are four houses in which students can be sorted into, each with their own unique traits and skills. Gryffindor favours the bold and daring. Hufflepuff favour the loyal and caring. Slytherin favour the cunning and ambitious. Ravenclaw favour the witty and wise.
"Justin Blow". Justin went up and put the hat on his head. He waited about 2 minutes then the sorting hat shouted to the hall "Ravenclaw" all the Ravenclaws cheered for their new friend. Next up was Liam he took heaps longer, nearly 5 minutes but the sorting hat finally shouted "Ravenclaw" Justin clapped furiously along with the other Ravenclaws as Liam punched the air in triumph and walked over to the table and sat across from Justin.
The sorting hat did not take as long with anyone else as it did with Liam. Jordanne got put into Ravenclaw with much delight from Justin and much frustration from Liam. Jake and his cronies Daniel and Peter were put in Slytherin. After the new students had been sorted, a man stood up, beaming over the people in the hall. This was a man with such an obvious awe of power that the second he stood up, the room fell deathly silent.
"Congratulations to our new students, there is a time for speech making, but this is not it, eat up!"
"Hear hear!" roared Liam
He clicked his fingers and food came out of nowhere. Justin hadn't seen this much food in all his life. He started eating and then Jordanne moved over next to him. After the feast the man who got up and gave the speech before rose to speak again. "For all of you, who don't know me, my name is Professor Ceris and I am the headmaster of this school. I have a few announcements, our care taker Madam Scour has asked me to remind you students not to do magic outside of class and to you first years and anyone who has forgotten, the forest behind the castle is completely forbidden for anyone to enter. So that is all I have to say, so for all of you students, your beds are waiting for you upstairs, nighty night!" And with that the food all disappeared and a tall handsome blonde headed boy stood up and told all the first year Ravenclaws to follow him. He led them off to the West tower of the school and stopped in front of a statue of a beautiful woman. Suddenly, the woman bent down and said
"I know a word of letters three. Add two, and fewer there will be."
The prefect turned round and said" The password to our common room is a riddle. It is changed every month. Does anyone know the answer?
Jordan rose her hand timidly and said "Few"
"Well done miss…?"
"Jordanne Chant" she replied
The woman did a graceful arc and slowly rose her hand.
A section of wall slid up next to her and the Ravenclaws walked in to their common room.
The room was a comfortable and friendly looking place. Dark blue leather chairs were placed around the fire place.
A large and grand wooden stair case sloped up the back wall splitting into the left and right up the top.
A couple of seventh year boys were playing pool by the window.
"Boys dormitories to the left, girls to the right" said the prefect pointing at the staircase.
Liam and Justin were making their way to the boy's dormitories when Jordan ran over and kissed Justin on the cheek, Justin looked utterly stunned.
"Goodnight Justin" she said
"YEH YOU TOO!" roared Liam
"Never liked that girl" he continued
"She can't just-…..WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT!" he roared at Justin.
"Oh nothing!"