By the time the Hogwarts Express finally pulled into the Hogsmeade station, Yelena was half asleep. The rocking motion of the train and the sheer amount of snacks she had consumed lulled her into a light doze. Surrounded by chocolate frog wrappers and empty Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans cartons, Yelena leaned against her sister, resting her head on Natasha's shoulder.

The train pulled into the station with a screeching noise, and Yelena felt someone shaking her gently. "Come on, Lena, time to get up. We're here."

Yawning, Yelena opened her eyes, blinking at the sudden light flooding into the train compartment as Clint flipped the light switch. She moved from Natasha's side to gawk at the view outside the window. Taking in the castle looming in the background of the village, Yelena pressed her face right up to the train window. She gasped in awe, her breath fogging up the window.

"Amazing, right?" Clint said, his voice amused.

"Yeah." Yelena said breathlessly. "Красиво."

Wiping away the condensation on the window, she turned back to her sister and Clint. Natasha smiled at her and waved her wand to summon her trunk, as well as Yelena's, from the luggage compartment above them.

"All right, let's go. You don't want to miss the boat trip."

"We get to go in a boat?" Yelena gasped. "You didn't tell me that!"

Natasha chuckled. "Well, actually it's just the first years that take the boat across the lake. I thought it would be fun to keep it a surprise until we got here."

"It's pretty amazing." Clint agreed, waving his wand in an attempt to nonverbally summon his trunk like Natasha had.

"Wait, what do you mean just the first years?" Yelena asked, furrowing her brow. "I have to go alone?"

Natasha crossed the compartment and sat down next to Yelena. "We have to take the carriages with the other students. It's tradition that the first years cross the lake in boats and are taken to the Great Hall after the rest of us, so you can be sorted into your Houses." She smiled reassuringly as Yelena wrinkled her nose. "You'll be fine, I promise. It's a lot of fun, and you get to meet the other first years."

Clint nodded, trying again to summon his trunk nonverbally and failing. "Yeah, that's how we met. Accio!" The trunk suddenly shot out from the luggage rack and flew into his stomach, knocking him onto the floor. Groaning, Clint pushed the trunk off of him and sat up.

Natasha smirked, and righted his trunk with a wave of her wand. "He fell into the lake and Professor Jarvis had to help him get back into the boat."

Yelena snorted and rolled her eyes as Clint pulled himself up from the floor using the door handle.

"See?" He said breathlessly, rubbing his side and grimacing. "You're not dumb like me, it'll be awesome."

Natasha squeezed Yelena's hand in reassurance. "We'll see you in the Great Hall for dinner, I promise."

"Gotta settle the bet." Clint said, grinning.

"The bet?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "I still say she'll be in Slytherin with me."

"Nah." Clint stuck his tongue out playfully. "Two galleons says she'll be in Hufflepuff."

"As if." Natasha teased, standing up and offering Yelena her hand. Yelena took it and pulled herself up to stand next to her sister. Natasha took both of their trunks, and the three of them left the train compartment, Clint huffing slightly as he dragged his trunk behind him.

"Why is my trunk always so goddamn heavy?" He groaned.

Natasha smirked. "Maybe you shouldn't have packed your whole action figure collection."

"Hey, those aren't action figures, they're figurines. The Chudley Cannons are doing amazing this year, I've gotta represent."

"Face it, they're toys. For kids." Natasha said.

"Like you don't have a shit ton of Holyhead Harpies posters and merch. You're a total fangirl."

"My stuff is sophisticated, yours are just toys from Diagon Alley." Natasha retorted, lifting both trunks with ease as she stepped down onto the train platform.

Yelena rolled her eyes at their bickering and descended the train steps. She looked around at the mass of students around them, all chattering eagerly and heading towards the horseless carriages.

Natasha handed her her trunk, and gave her a reassuring smile. "The boats are that way. Do you want me to walk with you?"

Yelena shook her head, trying to muster her bravery. She wasn't going to be the first year who was too scared to go anywhere without her big sister. That would be such a lame first impression.

"Okay then. Have fun! We'll see you at dinner." Natasha gave her a quick hug, and then she and Clint started to walk to the carriages, Clint dragging his trunk and groaning as they went.

Yelena looked around for the boats, but the crowds of students made it hard to see where the lakefront was, and the lanterns cast very little light to see by. Just as she felt herself start to panic, she heard someone calling, "First years, first years over here!"

Turning towards the sound, she spotted a tall man in a three piece suit standing by a fleet of small boats. Yelena picked up her trunk and walked towards him, joining the circle of kids hovering near the boats.

"Ah, good, good. Let me see, is everyone here?" The man counted them quickly under his breath, before nodding. "Seems so. All right, everyone, welcome to Hogwarts! My name is Professor Jarvis, and I am the general groundskeeper, although some might call me more of a housekeeper." He paused, as if waiting for a laugh, but none came. The students looked at each other nervously, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes, well. You can all leave your trunks here, they will be brought separately to your dormitories once you are sorted into your houses. Choose a boat and get in. No more than four to a boat, please!"

The students hesitantly put their trunks down and walked to the water's edge. Yelena approached the boat nearest her and climbed in, making sure to grab the side of the boat with two hands as she did so.

As she settled into her seat, the boat rocked slightly as another girl got in, followed by two boys.

They sat there awkwardly for several minutes as students around them looked for a spot. Yelena twisted her hands in her lap, shifting a bit in her seat as she waited for something to happen. Finally everyone was settled in the boats, and Professor Jarvis waved his wand with a flourish, causing the boats to glide away from the shore and towards the castle.

One of the boys in Yelena's boat cleared his throat. "I'm Pietro Maximoff. This is my sister, Wanda." The girl next to him smiled shyly.

"I'm Yelena Belova, but you can call me Lena."

"Vision Jarvis." The other boy said, his voice quiet.

"Jarvis?" Pietro asked.

"Professor Jarvis is my uncle. " Vision said, shrugging.

"Nice to meet you." Yelena says. "Maximoff, that's a Slavic name. Are you guys Russian too?"

"Sokovian." Pietro answered as Wanda shook her head. "But we've lived a few years in Russia and we had Russian in school back home."

"Классно." Yelena says, grinning. "Я рада что вы тоже говорите по-русский."

"Я тоже." Wanda says quietly, smiling hesitantly. Pietro nods enthusiastically.

Vision looks back and forth between them, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Wanda gave him a smile and poked her brother in the arm.

"All right, we'll speak English for now." Pietro agreed.

Yelena watched their wordless communication and felt a pang of sadness. She and Natasha were close, but they were too far apart in age to have that kind of sibling language after Natasha left for Hogwarts five years ago. Maybe they used to be able to communicate without words, but Yelena had been on her own a lot since Natasha left. Their sisterly bond was a lot different now than it used to be.

Yelena shook off her morose thoughts and turned back to her companions. "So, what House do you think you'll get? My sister's in Slytherin, but she says not all siblings end up in the same House."

Vision shrugged. "My uncle was in Gryffindor, and my Aunt Ana was in Hufflepuff. They say it doesn't matter where I end up, as long as I'm happy."

"I don't know much about Hogwarts Houses, but our guardian said that Gryffindor are the brave ones. I'd like to be one of them, I think, but I'd also like Slytherin." Pietro said.

"What about you?" Yelena asked, looking at Wanda.

"It is different here than at Durmstrang." Wanda said hesitantly, looking to her brother for confirmation. He nodded encouragingly, and she continued shyly. "Everyone in Sokovia goes to Durmstrang. We moved to England a year ago. I - I don't know which House I'd like."

"That's okay." Yelena said, giving the other girl a smile. "The Sorting Hat knows its stuff. My parents went to Durmstrang, too, and when my sister was a first year they didn't even know about Houses and everything. But the Hat knew her personality, and she's happy in Slytherin."

Wanda smiled back. "I hope you are right."

The boat shuddered, and Yelena looked up to find that the boats were approaching the shore. She held onto the edge as the boat slid onto the gravel, watching Professor Jarvis direct all the boats to the edge with a wave of his wand.

"All right, everyone, please carefully get out of the boats and line up!" Jarvis called.

Yelena carefully got out of the boat, followed by the others. They lined up where Jarvis directed, and waited as the other students shuffled into place. Once everyone was lined up, they followed the Professor, walking towards the castle.

Professor Jarvis waved his wand with a flourish, and the doors flew open. He led the first years into the hall, and stopped to do a quick head count. "Very well, you are all here. Excellent. Now, if you'll all follow me, we will enter the Great Hall and you will each be sorted into your Houses when I call your name."

With that, he opened the larger set of doors with a similar flourish, and the students followed him into the Great Hall.

Yelena took her place in front of the Sorting Hat, and let the first few names wash over her as she looked for her sister and Clint. She spotted Natasha at the Slytherin table, and smiled as Clint waved enthusiastically at her from the Hufflepuff table.

"Belova, Yelena!"

Startled, Yelena approached the stool. She sat down, and Professor Jarvis placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Suddenly, she was enveloped in darkness.

"Hm, interesting." A voice said, and Yelena shivered. Natasha had never told her the Hat was this creepy!

"Loyal, but cunning. Clever, definitely, very clever. Determined, yes, single-minded. I think it'll have to be - SLYTHERIN!"

The Hat shouted its decision, and cheers erupted throughout the Hall as Jarvis lifted the Hat from Yelena's head. Grinning, she joined Natasha at the Slytherin table.

"Well done, сестра. You won me the bet." Natasha said, ruffling Yelena's hair.

Yelena fixed her hair with a scowl, but leaned into her sister's side. "I'm glad I'm in your House."

"Me too." Natasha replied, putting her arm around Yelena as they watched the Hat move on to other names.

"Jarvis, Vision. HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Jones, Michelle. RAVENCLAW!"

"Maximoff, Pietro. GRYFFINDOR!"

"Maximoff, Wanda. SLYTHERIN!"

"Parker, Peter. GRYFFINDOR!"

Yelena smiled as Wanda approached the Slytherin table, waving her towards the empty spot on Yelena's other side.

"You're with me!"

Wanda smiled back. "I'm glad. I will miss Pietro, but it is nice to have a friend already."

"Yeah." Yelena said. "It's gonna be so much fun."

She had a feeling this was going to be an amazing first year at Hogwarts.