Hours later, the train stops. Violet notices how the sun has fallen wondering how long they were even on the train. When the brakes screech, Lorcan shifts awake and Nettle quickly puts away her quill, sloppy black ink scribbles decorate the arm closest to her, which she covers up with his sleeve.

"Hope you weren't banking for a restful night before the first day of school, you've been out for hours." she shrugs pretending nothing happened,

"You let me sleep? Lysander! You know not to let me sleep on long trips.!" Lorcan seemed annoyed as he rubbed his eyes, like a young child waking from a nap.

"We're in school now Lori, twelve years old? I'm not your keeper." Lysander says with a smirk earning a glare from his brother.

"You don't go to school?" Violet asks and they all look at her once again, Nettle furrows her brows,

"We go to hogwarts… just like you." Violet thinks for a second what could they not understand about her question?

"I mean before that, I'm supposed to be in 7th year at my Junior high." Violet tries to explain, they still don't seem to understand her words.

"Public school, were you guys homeschooled or something?" She assumes this but it doesn't clear up the confusion on their faces at all.

"You know, taught by your parents at home?" She tries again and Merlin chuckles, placing a hand on Violet's to stop her.

"I'm sorry, I don't think you're going to be able to explain to us things that just work a little differently than the muggle world." The way he said muggle world felt weird to violet for a second.

"I guess it's like… Wizard school only, you learn math and science instead of magic? I don't know for sure if that's how it works. I've never been to hogwarts." Nettle scoffs a little playing with the collar on her uniform.

"We know math and science just like anyone else…" She seems dejected and Violet's face erupts in another shameful blush as embarrassment blooms through her at an equally fast pace.

"Oh no! I didn't mean you didn't know.. Oh I'm sorry." Violet was incredibly embarrassed, the feeling only grows when Lysander starts to chuckle across from her.

"Don't worry about it, Nettle is sensitive, she'll forget all about it in ten minutes." It was Nettle's turn to go red faced.

"Sander I swear to-" Before she can curse him out the door opens again revealing Victoire, her hair was up in a ponytail now.

"Guys, it's time to get off the train, you can't be late." She ushers them out of the compartment and off the train before disappearing into the crowd. Violet doesn't know where to go, and from the look of the rest of the first years, neither do they. She starts to get a little panicked, suddenly becoming overstimulated by the bustle of people around her as well as the noise. She could feel her skin crawl as the voices melted together causing her heart rate to elevate, she could hear each individual one and none of them all at the same time. Her eyes darted around looking for something to focus on but all the quick movements of the people caused her head to spin, she felt sick. Even the wind against her skin caused her to have a physical reaction, she felt dizzy like she wasn't breathing enough. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She was alone in a group of strangers without her family for the first time in her life, she was frozen. Violet was freaking out, having some sort of anxiety attack and didn't have the skills to push out of it. After being frozen in place on the verge of tears for what felt like hours on end before she feels an arm wrapped around her.

"Calm down there Duckie" The bird nickname had Violet excited, until she looked and saw someone she'd never seen before. He was younger than Teddy but not as young as she was.

"I've got you" The boy smiles while the sun bounces off his golden hair and reflects in his eyes, ocean blue holding a playful gaze. His features were familiar and almost girlish, he looked like an elf with perfect skin and not a hair out of place despite the blowing wind and a long train ride. It reminded her of someone else,

"Alright come with me," He didn't wait for her to respond to him walking parallel to the train, getting closer to the other end. After a moment of walking and feeling the warmth of another human shielding her in the night air, she started to feel better. Violet realizes they are now moving in the direction of all the other students, blending into the sea that made her so nervous only moments before. Eventually, a loud and familiar voice could be heard over the children.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Hagrid called loudly into the night, waving the children in his direction and herding them onto boats.

"Hagrid!" The boy calls up to the man and Hadgrid smiles down at them, recognition takes over his face after a minute when he spots her,

"Ah Violet! Good tur see yah!" the giant man laughs, smiling down at them both. Another voice calls behind them, a boy violet recognizes from before runs over and claps her helper on the shoulder.

"Louis! What are you doing? You're going to be late." The blonde next to Violet laughs, his body leaves her as he turns around.

"Don't worry Ari, you know there's always one first year who freaks out. someone's gotta help them, I just feel so bad when I see them looking all pathetic." they both laugh again while walking away, Hagrid unfortunately isn't paying much attention to his son or Luis. Violet is left standing in front of the mountainous man, with the realization she was the pathetic little kid he was helping. A blush rose to her face as she feels an internal pressure of cringe rise through her body that will most likely return and echo for many years to come. She could still hear the boys as they walked away from the first years,

"I told you to call me Fawkes…" Aragog mumbles softly while Luis laughs again in response,

"Yeah…. That's not happening." Violet turns to look at Hagrid again, and he guides her to one of the boats.

The Hogwarts castle was huge although the first year class was surprisingly small despite the mass of people that were outside. Violet didn't know most of the first years but recognized the few she spent the train ride with. She saw Nettle first, talking to Lysnder. She couldn't see Merlin or Lorcan, that didn't last long before the usually quiet voice of Lorcan yelled out into the hall.

"Nettle Longbottom, did you draw on me!? Did… did you use an entire quill? Do you know how wistful that is! You wait until I tell your father!." Nettle tries to hold in her giggles before turning to him and responding back,

"Oh no, don't let my father hear of this." one of the large doors opens and a plane looking man with a round face and long limbs walks through the door,

"What is all this ruckus? I heard someone scream my daughter's name." Nettle blushes deeply looking to the ground as Lysander elbows her in the ribs.

"Looks like your father has heard of this." she shoves him back cursing at him softly so her father wouldn't hear. Another man comes behind him, looking bareilly older than , smile lines indented his features and gray peppered his short beard and hair,

"I've got this Neville go sit down." nods before leaning down and kissing Nettle on the top of her head.

"Good luck sugar shrub." He whispers, causing Nettle's face to only grow darker, Violet could swear she saw steam coming from her ears.

"Daaaad…." Nettle groans but Mr. Longbottom has already left, The man from before chuckles softly.

"Alright everyone, I'm Professor Wood. Yes, very funny, let's be adults about this." Professor Wood has a charming smile on his face even as the children in the room laugh.

"I happen to be deputy headmaster, but I'll also be teaching flying as well due to Madam Hooch's retirement at the end of last year." He waits for more laughing to die down, his cheerful expression falters into a tired one for a moment before he continues.

"In a few minutes you'll be funneled into the great hall and greeted by the Headmistress before being sorted." He explains briefly, afterwards he turns and goes back out of the hall with Hagrid following behind him. Violet was so confused by all of what the deputy Headmaster said, she seemed to unfortunately be one of the only ones confused. After a minute the doors open seemingly on their own. The first years file in, surprisingly organized for a group of eleven year olds. They all stand in the great hall, resembling a clump more than students. In front of them was a seemingly unremarkable hat, sat on a stool. An ancient witch stands from the table as well as Professor Wood from before, she looked older than she acted, sagging skin wrinkled with worry lines. A tight bun at the back of her head, she used cat-like graceful movements to move with Wood looking down at the hat. Violet's nerves started getting the best of her as she looked around at the hundreds of students watching them.

"Welcome students!" The witch speaks loudly causing everyone to quiet down as she looks around.

"I am Headmistress Mcgonagall, Before the ceremony I would like to say what a true honor it is to see all of you back again this year, and what an honor it is to oversee this school for another year." She readjusts her hat looking down at a short piece of parchment,

"As always the forbidden forest is… well… forbidden without a chaperone, and… There is a new potions teacher this year, Professor Gar.." Mcgonagall stops and clears her throat,

"Apologies, Professor, I'm still learning." she waves behind her, A woman in a larger than average witch hat waves back. Mcgonagall readjusts her spectacles before continuing.

"Professor Gwydion Selket.'' She emphasizes the name turning back to the witch who nods in approval.

"Without further ado." She gestures to the hat who seems to come alive after a moment, Violet is not less confused when the hat starts to sing.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry,

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means,

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The hall erupts in applause as the hat quiet's down, Professor Wood lifts the hat,

"When you hear your name, please come up to be sorted." He pulls out a large piece of parchment, Violet wonders how they were going to be called. Age? Chronologically? Alphabetically? In all three instances, she was at the front of the line, her mouth felt dry at the prospect. She wipes her sweaty palms on her robes, hearing a crinkle in her pocket she takes out the gum she was given earlier.

"Albus Severus Potter." Wood calls, Violet stiffens when she hears the name it means most likely they were being called alphabetically by first name. Violet's cotton mouth was unbearable, she couldn't think of a way to fix it so she opened the package and popped the treat in her mouth. It was sweet, a flavor she couldn't place and didn't have time to think much on it before the sorting hat yelled,

"GRYFFINDOR" causing the hall to erupt with claps. Professor Wood looks at his list again,

"Billy Heinrick Fluke" A boy steps forward and is sorted as a hufflepuff, whatever that means. Then Wood speaks again,

"Blair Emilia Rosewood." Another gryffindor, a few more B names are called, then the C's start. Violet feels her heartbeat quicken with each passing one. Finally she heard her own name,

"Crocus Violet Dursley" hearing her name in front of everyone wasn't what initially made her nervous, but now she'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard. Violet swallows hard and steps forward slowly, it feels as though the stool was over 100 kilometers away. Eventually she got there sitting down, everyone's eyes made her squirm a little, her vision was impared once the sorting hat was placed on her head. The hat spoke in her mind, an old creepy voice echoing through her skull,

"Ah, Muggle born… we don't get many of those anymore." Violet was unsure what she was supposed to be thinking, was she supposed to respond?

"Quite a curious one aren't you? Always asking questions." Violet can't help being curious even now, wondering how the hat even worked, perhaps it was some sort of animatronic? The sorting hat chuckles inside her skull,

"Quite clever as well, searching for answers. I'm sorry to tell you none of your theories are correct. Although it is clearly" Violet forgets about the eyes, her mind working to try and figure out why before she knew it she was startled out of her intense thoughts when the hat yells out loud again,

"RAVENCLAW!"