Maddison's last month with her Uncle passed very slowly. Sure, she had spent it pranking her Uncle, playing Quidditch and going on adventures with Luna, once she had come back from her holiday, but the exitment of going to Hogwarts made it feel like time had slown down... a lot.
On the evening before the the 1st September her Uncle had taken her to London for dinner and had even let Lyra set off magical fireworks once they got home! It was a magical night and Maddie loved every second of it. For the first time she was slightly nervous about leaving home.
The next morning Maddie woke up at eight o'clock and instantly jumped out of bed. She had already packed all her stuff the day before and descided she would wear Muggle clothes and get dressed on the train.
Half an hour later she was sitting in the car and was nervously tapping her foot.
They arrived at the station at quarter to eleven and quickly made their way towards Platforms 9 and 10.
"Ready to go to Hogwarts?" Uncle Moony asked her. Maddie grinned and nodded
"So you have to run through the barrier between 9 and 10, right?" Maddison asked trying to keep her voice straight and not show how terrified she felt. Uncle Moony smiled at her and nodded
"We'll go through together, come on." With that they both started to run Lyra looked up to see the barrier coming closer and closer, she closed her eyes ready for the crash but it never came.
Nervously, she opened her eyes and saw a gigantic scarlet and black steam engine and a sign just Infront of her that said Platform Nine three-Quarters on it. Maddison started to push her trolley forward On the way towards the train she passed the giant red-headed family she had seen in Diagon Alley and heared the only girl and youngest boy complaining about not being able to go to Hogwarts yet.
Finally, Maddie found an entrance to the Train that wasn't fully packed. Maddie turned around to her Uncle and gave him a hug.
"Have fun and try to not cause to much trouble." Her Uncle asked already knowing the answer to the request.
"No promises." Maddie replied with a smirk causing him to sigh.
"I should go or I'll miss the train!" Maddie said and with one last wave she hopped on the train and got into the Compartment her Uncle had put her Trunk in.
A couple of minutes later the train started moving and Maddie waved, as her Uncle slowly disappeared from her sight.
The door of the compartment opened and a set of red headed twins came in.
"Can we sit here? Everywhere else is already full." Maddie smiled and shook her head gesturing towards the empty seats.
"You look familiar." One of the twins blurted out.
"I'm Maddison Potter I'm guessing you've heard of me..." Maddie said with a sigh, as the twins jaws dropped.
"Have you really got..." The other twin started but got cut off by the other one slapping him over the back of the head. Maddie giggled
"You can ask. I won't be offended." she stated and turned her wrists to reveal a lightning shaped scar on one and the word BLOOD TRAITOR on the other.
"Wicked!" both the twins breathed out.
"I'm George Weasley by the way and this is my twin brother Fred." George introduced. Maddie studied them for a moment and started seeing small difference between them. George's eyes were a darker shade of blue and his skin seemed to have more of a tan than Fred's (only by a bit though).
"Hi!" Maddie exclaimed happy to have found someone to talk to.
"Can you still remember anything?" Fred asked then blushed "Sorry I shouldn't have asked that..."
Maddie smiled "It's fine. I still remember everything from that Night I have an Edictic Memory." Maddie answers I really wish I didn't she added in her head.
"Wow... That's terrible!" George said not knowing what else to say.
"You know what scares me most?" Maddie asked and the twins shook their head
"Voldemort actually looked like a normal person." The twins both gasped
"You said You-know-who's name!" Fred exclaimed
"Who's name?" Maddie asked faining confusion.
"You know-who's" George said
"No, I don't know who." she said siriously, even though she did.
"V-Voldemort" George stuttered out
"See, now you said his name as well. Simple!" She exclaimed happily. Realisation suddenly dawned on the twin's faces.
"You knew who we were talking about!" Fred exclaimed
"Of course I knew! But you said his name, didn't you?" Maddie asked
"Yeah, I guess it really is just a name." George said thoughtfully.
Suddenly, the compartment opened again and a platinum blonde girl stood in the entrance. It was Ursula Malfoy
"What are you doing here?" Maddie asked with a frown, she really didn't feel like talking to her.
"I was just wondering if you had changed your mind about the, you know what infested houses?" Ursula asked seemingly innocent but with a malicious note in her voice that Maddison instantly noticed and realised she ment Muggle-born and Half-blood infested...
"No, I still don't care what house I get sorted into. Now leave Shrimpy." Maddie snarked
"Or what?" Shrimpy asked
"I'll make you!" Maddison snarled venomusly. With a scowl Shrimpy marched away.
"That was awesome, Mads!" George exclaimed once the compartment had closed.
"Mads?" She asked blushing slightly.
"Yeah it's my new nickname for you. You like it?" George asked smiling brightly at her.
"Yeah! Love it!" She grinned.
For the rest of the ride Maddie, Fred and George talked about Quidditch and planned a prank they could pull at the Welcoming feast. Half an hour before they were supposed to arrive at Hogwarts the three went to get changed. Maddison didn't see Shrimpy for the rest of the drive and she was definitely not upset about it either.
A voice echoed through the train causing Maddie to jump "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Maddie's stomach churned with nerves. Turning to Fred and George the trio made their way out of of the compartment and towards the train's exit.
The train slowed down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a dark platform. Maddie shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Maddie heard a familiar deep voice "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
A big hairy face beamed over the sea if heads. Maddie recognised him as someone who had been their on the night of her parents murder.
"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
They quickly followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Maddie thought there must be some kind of Forest there. Nobody spoke, anticipating what would happen next.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Wow!", as the first years got their first glimpse of their new school.
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a giant castle with many windows and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Maddie quickly hopped into a boat, Fred and George following her closely. They were also joined by a red headed girl with crystal blue eyes.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had an entire boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
"No messin'!" shouted Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here?" he asked looking at them.
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.