Their first train trip was an unique experience to both of them: not only because of the sights, but the candies that they ate and the people that they met (well, maybe this was only a good thing for Oswald), but the expectation of what will come next was what marked them, that illusion and desire to be in that magic place, which would change their lives forever.

It was dark when the train arrived to the station of the small magic town called Hogsmeade. They knew that from there they would go to the castle.

Edward fixed for his shirt collar for the fifth time. He couldn't control his nervousness.

-Fish, please-begged Butch- You know how to get along with Strange, I need you to be my partner in potions.

-We'll see. I haven't excused you what you did last year.

-Please, Fish. I'll own you one.

Fish half-smiled and stood up.

-Add some chocolate frogs to the deal and I promise I'll think about it-said she.

Butch opened the compartment's door and let her leave first.

-Anything, if I don't have to deal with Strange alone…-mumbled Butch.

"Eddie, hey, if they're leaving, maybe that means that we have to do the same."

-Of course… of course, that makes sense-said Ed, fixing his glasses.

He stood up and quickly left the compartment, following the crowd of students that were disembarking.

-First years, follow me!-yelled a deep voice.

Although he was tall, Ed had to stand in his toes to try to see the man that was calling them, but just "saw" (thanks to the crowd and darkness) a bunch of messy dark hair.

Ed followed his classmates, who were following the odd man through the woods. He looked everywhere trying to get a chance to socialize with one of them.

Finally after a couple of minutes of walking and failing at social interactions, he saw a redheaded girl with glasses that was, or apparently was, alone.

-Hello-said Ed, getting close to her.

The girl jumped with fright and turned to see Ed.

-Huh… hey?

-My name is Ed-said Edward quickly- Edward Nygma, but you can call me Ed.

She nodded slowly, trying to process the new information.

-Kristen Kringle-said she, with a little smile.

Ed stood beside Kristen, and started to walk with her.

-It's curious-said Ed casually.

-What's curious?-asked Kristen.

-Oh! Yes! Well, it's curious that your parents named you Kristen-explained Edward- you see, Kringle is a very weird name, I'm not saying that you're weird or anything, but it's uncommon and many people changed it because they were ashamed. And, well, it's curious that they named you Kristen. Kristen Kringle. Fascinating.

Kristen blinked, a little confused.

-Huh… you know a lot about last names, do you?-said she.

-Ed.

-Ed-said Kristen.

All the way to the lake, Ed took care to talk to her about curiosities about Hogwarts, and ask Kristen things about her.

"People like when others show interest in their lives, right?"

"Yes, Ed. But you make it look and feel like if it was an interrogation." said his other self.

Ed fixed his glasses.

-Look, Kristen-said he- we're on the lake.

-It's… beautiful-said she.

And it was.

Broad, filled with life, illuminated by the moon and the stars, but the only word that could perfectly define it was: magical.

-Well, children-said the deep voice that he heard back in Hogsmeade- my name is Rubeus Hagrid, and I'm the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts.

-Are you a giant?-asked some boy.

-I'm a half-giant, actually, and it isn't polite to ask that to someone-said Hagrid- Anyway, we must hurry, or Miss Monroe will be very angry, now, just four students per boat.

If the view from the ground was amazing, it was nothing compared with the travel that they did by boat.

As they moved forward, the figure of the majestic and grand castle was visible, and at that moment everything became more real, and the nervousness attacked Ed again.

They arrived at the boathouse and left the boats there, and then they went upstairs to the chamber of reception where the half-giant asked them to wait.

Ed turned around to say something to Kristen, but she wasn't there.

"Well, give her some credit. She last longer than I thought she would, but, as you usually do, you scared her."

Ed sighed.

-This is so exciting-said Oswald to James.

James nodded.

-I'm a little nervous… Harvey told me that the selection was horrible-said James- he said that it was like a demonstration to test your abilities.

Oswald giggled, James was so innocent.

-It isn't like that, James-said Oswald- my mom and I read a book about Hogwarts, and apparently they use a hat to select the students.

James raised a brown.

-It's an enchanted hat, and it have the capacity to enter into your mind and in that way decide in which house you belong to, taking in count your abilities and personality, something like that-explained Oswald.

-Oh- said James- so… are we just leaving all our living situations and magical education for the next seven years up to a talking hat?

-Yeah, exactly-answered Oswald.

-Great…-said James- by the way, Oswald, you can call me Jim if you want to, all my friends do.

Oswald's heart beat risen up, Jame- Jim, Jim was asking him to call him like his friends did, he was his friend!

-Of course, Jim-said Oswald.

"This couldn't be better."

A woman, that Edward supposed was Miss Monroe (wasn't she a little old to be called "miss"?) She made a short introduction, and she explained how the selection process would be, then she asked them to follow her to the Great Hall, to start the ceremony.

They quickly walked through the hallway and the professor guided them to a giant door. She had to opened it with her left hand, because with the right one she was carrying her wand, and making a spell of levitation, so they were followed by a flying small chair and an old hat(the sorting hat, he supposed).

The older students were sitting at their corresponding tables, and when the door opened they all turned to see the new students.

Ed thought that his hearts would skip from his chest.

"You better not embarrass us"

Ed fixed his glasses and kept his glance to the floor.

They stood in front of the professors' table, turning their backs to the older students; in the middle were the small chair and the hat on it.

-Thank you, Professor Monroe-said an old man with a white bear, he was sitting in the middle of the professor's table-The very best evenings to you… Now, to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome black! In a few moments, the selection ceremony will begin, the sorting hat is the one that'll define in which house you belong to, but I think that Professor Monroe already told you that.

The man made a pause, and then he added casually, with the same calm voice:

-My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I'm the headmaster of this great school. No more to add, please, professor Monroe, proceed.

She nodded and started to call the students alphabetically, by last name, to be selected.

-Anderson, Pamela.

Not less than fifteen seconds passed when the hat exclaimed: "Gryffindor!"

-Cobblepot, Oswald.

Edward blinked, "Oh, that's an interesting name. Not more than Kristen Kringle. But it's really interesting; actually Cobblepot derives of another last name called…."

"Edward, no. Just… no."

The black haired guy walked with confidence to the hat, and in the moment that the hat touched his head, it exclaimed: "Slytherin!"

The entire snake's table started to applaud.

Oswald blinked, "That was it? No second thoughts?"

Professor Monroe made as if to grab the hat from Oswald's head, but he took it with both hands evading her move.

"I don't know what you're expecting me to say, Oswald. You belong in Slytherin, your destiny awaits ther—", answered the hat in Oswald's mind, but he interrupted it.

"Yes, well, I don't care. Just put me in Gryffindor, so I can be with my new friend Jim Gordon."

"I already selected you, boy, you can't change from house."

"Look, filthy hat, if you do not want to finish as fire's food, you better put me in Gryffindor right now."

"Slytherin!"-exclaimed the hat again, this time more loud.

The room remained in silence. Apparently it wasn't common that a student evaded having the sorting hat taken from his head, and not every day the sorting hat exclaimed its verdict twice.

The professor practically pulled the hat from Oswald Cobblepot's head, and she palmed his back, gesturing him to walk to his table.

Ed couldn't help but stare until the boy took his seat.

"Oswald Cobblepot, the boy that refused to take the hat off."

A little while later, they called a boy named James Gordon, who was placed in Gryffindor.

-Kringle, Kristen.

"Oh! Kristen!"

-Hufflepuff!

Excellent, now he only had to go to Hufflepuff to be with his new friend Kristen.

-Nygma, Edward.

Wait! When did they get to him? How…?!

"Walk, idiot."

Yes, of course, walk. He have to walk.

Ed walked to the small chair and sat, the professor put the hat on his head, and it almost completely covered his eyes.

"You're brilliant, that's clear. Some qualities really appreciated in Ravenclaw, but you also shared also qualities from Hufflepuff, you'd anything for your friend… but… oh? What's this? Interesting, really interesting…"

-Huh, mister hat, excuse me, but, what's interesting?-asked Ed in his mind.

"Great things await for you, Edward Nygma. You're a really ambitious boy, and strive for more. This house will help you to get there, for sure…"

-Slytherin!

-What?!-exclaimed Ed.

-Slytherin, Mister Nygma, now go and sit with the boys with green ties-said professor Monroe, quickly taking off the hat from his head and nudging his back. She really didn't want another student that refused his selection.

Ed felt that his legs were gelatin; it was a miracle that he made it to sit at the table of "his" house.

He was in the wrong house!

From his table he was trying to make eye contact with Jim, but he was evading all his glances. And Harvey was doing the same.

-Don't worry, Ozzie, this house isn't that bad as they say- said a boy that was sitting next to him.

-And who are you supposed to be?-asked Oswald, a little aggressive.

-Victor Zsasz, fifth year, prefect-answered the boy with a smirk.

-Good for you-said Oswald, and ignored him, but Victor didn't talk again.

He heard that some Parker was selected in Hufflepuff and Thompkins in Ravenclaw.

He was fidgeting a little, and he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

When the selection ceremony finished the headmaster said something like: "Avocado Sandwich", and in front of him appeared a banquet.

Ed didn't really trust the food that was in front of him, it appeared with magic, he didn't know how they made that food, and the worst part was that he could smell some onions in there.

So, he decided to drink pumpkin juice instead of eat.

He wasn't really hungry.

He looked side to side, making himself sure that nobody was paying attention to him, then he stood up and went to the lion's table, looking for Jim.

Some students from other tables turned to see him with curiosity, but they didn't make any comment.

He stood in front of Jim, who was talking with Harvey and two other boys.

-Jim-said Oswald- I hope the fact that we are in different houses doesn't mean that…

-Oswald, look-said Jim uncomfortable- I'd prefer that… we better not… talk with each other. Slytherins and Gryffindor don't really get along and…

-But I don't care about that! I thought that… I mean… we're friends, right?

Jim scratched his head, and looked anywhere but Oswald.

-… right, Oswald-said he, but Oswald knew that he didn't mean it.

-Eh, Cobblepot, I think that you should go to your table- said Harvey- snakes aren't welcome here.

Oswald opened his mouth to say something, but his voice didn't work, he turned around and walked to his table.

"I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't cry…"

-Boohoo, poor baby, they didn't put him with his lion friends-said a Slytherin from his table mockingly.

-Shut up, clown-spat out Oswald and he took his seat.

-Hey! Look! The little bird sharpened his claws.

-Hey! Look! The carrot head needs to grab attention using another person because nobody cares if it's about him-mocked Oswald back.

The boy remained in silence.

-I like you, little bird-said he.

Oswald rolled his eyes and took a piece of bread, and then he proceeded to spread it with peanut butter.

He couldn't wait one second more.

He had to.

No, he needed to go to the bathroom.

"Ed, do you notice how stupid you'd look if you leave this roo-?"

Edward ignored his other self and stood up from his seat.

He didn't have any idea of where the bathroom could be, but that wasn't important in that moment.

He walked for a while in the hallways, went upstairs and downstairs, opening doors and closing them, until he could find a bathroom. Finally he found one in the second floor (at least he supposed it was the second floor, everything was so confusing in that castle!), it looked like it was out of service, but he was going to use it anyway.

He entered to the first stall that he saw, after suffering minutes of complete torture he finally could go to the bathroom.

He was leaving the stall, when abruptly a head appeared from the toilet… wait, what? It was a head! A head appeared from the toilet!

-You shouldn't be here-said the ghostly head.

Ed was speechless, "It was that a …? That was…!"

-Oh! You're cute!-said the ghost, getting out of the toilet, and floating around Ed- I'd share my toilet with you, without any doubt.

-T-Thank you…?-managed to say Ed.

-Myrtle-said the dead girl- but everyone calls me Moaning Myrtle. They call me a lot of things… Ugly Myrtle. Fat Myrtle. Four eyes Myrtle…

Her voice broke up, and she started to cry louder.

-Moaning! I mean, Myrtle! Please don't cry! –begged Ed.

"So, you didn't just leave the Great Hall without permission, but you walked through the hallways and entered an out service bathroom, that was apparently the home of a crying ghost. Oh, and by the way, you also entered a girls' bathroom. Well done, Ed."

Ed failed trying to quiet the ghost, with every word that Ed said she cried more. He left the bathroom stall and decided to run away, another person could fix that.

-Oh, boy-said someone.

Ed quickly turned to the door, there was a bald boy, without brows, he was shaking his head in disapproval to Ed.

-I can… explain….

-Nah, it isn't your fault, it's her, she cries for everything-explained the boy- that's the reason why we call her Moaning Myrtle, right, Moaning?

-You're all the same! All of you! Get out of my bathroom!-yelled she, and plunged into the toilet, making it and all the other toilets overflow.

The older boy sighed.

-Follow me, the dinner is over and I have to take you to Slytherin's common room-said he.

-How do you know that I'm from Sly…?

-We better get going, boy.