The store was silent, the shop owner was nowhere to be seen. She looked out the window and saw the twins grinning at her with their thumbs up. She turned back to the counter and took the last steps towards it.

"Hello?" She called out to the empty hallway on her right.

"Good afternoon miss." The old man walked from the other side of the room, appearing out of nowhere. "Your first wand I presume?"

"Ye-yes sir." She tried to say confidently as she straitens her back.

"Let me see what I can find for you." The man named Olivander smiled and turned to the wall full of boxes. He grazed his fingers over them as he quietly muttered to himself, glancing back at her occasionally. After about ten minutes he came back and placed four boxes in front of her. She looked from the boxes to the wizard.

"Try one."

Hermione gently reached out and took the wand out of the box, further to the right. It was a black, thin, long wand, that felt a little uncomfortable in her hand.

"Give it a wave." Olivander encouraged. She waved it in front of the counter and the till flew open, screaming. Olivander quickly waved his own wand over it, as Hermione placed the wand back on the counter with shaking hands.

"I don't think that's the one for me."

"I believe you're right. Why don't you try this one?" He opened the box and revealed at light vine wood wand. She took the wand from the box and immediately felt a warm feeling coursing through her body. She shifted her hand a bit before giving it a wave. Fall leaves starting to fall on her as she smiled.

"Brilliant!" The wand maker grinned. "I think the wand found it's right full owner."

"Thank you, Mr. Olivander." She grinned back, still holding her wand. After she paid for her purchase, she walked out the shop beaming.

"You didn't have to wait."

The twins shrugged. "It's still a new place for you, Granger. Don't want you to get lost on us now, would we?"

"No, your mum wouldn't like us anymore." Fred pouted. Hermione rolled her eyes as the boys. "Now... Let us see, little Granger."

She proudly showed the twins her wand as they started walking back to the other who were waiting at the leaky cauldron.

All the Weasleys and her parents took a turn looking at the wand she purchased, as it was passed between the group. Ginny talked excitingly to Hermione about her wand and hoped she would find the perfect one for her in the future as they walked out the leaky cauldron to the car.

Hermione heard her father making plans to meet up with Arthur once the kids left for school, next to them a chuckling Molly and Mrs. Granger as they saw their husbands talk excitingly. Her father started loading the car with her bags as she said goodbye.

"See you in a few weeks, little Granger."

"Don't forget all your books." George teased.

"I won't. Bye George. Bye Fred." She waved at the twins as she walked to the car. The twins looked surprised again, looking at each other wide eyed.

"Did she get it right?" Their younger brother asked.

"Yeah." Fred answered with furrowed eyebrows. "Must be beginners' luck."

"Must be." George agreed as he saw the car with the bushy haired girl in it, driving away.

"Sweetheart! Hold on!" Her mother called out as she ran through the train station. "The train doesn't leave for half an hour."

Hermione didn't stop until she reached platforms nine and ten. She looked around and saw tall boy with wavy brown hair walk to the wall with his trolley. With a quick glance around, he found her watching him, he winked at her before he casually leaned against his trolley, that rolled through the wall; the boy disappearing after it, followed by an older man, his father she thought. She stood there for a few seconds; her mouth open.

"Did you see that?" Her father asked shocked. "They just went through it."

"Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall explained it, but seeing it makes it real you know."

Hermione hummed in agreement and looked up at her parents. "Together?"

"Together." They smiled and walked up to the wall. Hermione pushed her trolley against it first and when it disappeared, she followed along with her parents. The platform was crowded with families as they said goodbye to their kids. She glanced around but couldn't find the mops of red hair.

"They're probably running late." Her mother said as she looked around too.

"I should find a seat before the train fills up." She turned to her parents and flung her arms around both of them. "I'm going to miss you."

"We are going to miss you too, sweetheart. But you'll do great. Just relax once in a while okay."

"I'll try dad." She smiled as she pulled back.

"Write as soon as you're settled in." Her mother said as she kissed the top of her head.

"I will. I love you and I'll hear you soon." She said as she pushed her trolley to the train. She heaved her trunk, struggling to push it up on the train. Before her father could come over and help, the boy with the wavy brown hair walked out and pulled her trunk in. She waved for the last time to her parents before walking up the steps of the train.

"Thanks." She smiled shyly at the older boy.

"No problem. Let's find you a seat, yeah?"

She nodded as they made their way past full compartments. After passing seven or so, they found an empty one.

"Ah. Here you go." He opened the door and pushed her trunk onto the luggage rack above her. "I'm Cedric Diggory."

"Hermione Granger." She smiled as the boy walked to the slide door.

"Nice to meet you Hermione. You can leave your luggage on the train when we arrive. Someone will pick it up for you."

"Alright, thanks." Hermione sat down on the seat next to the window and pulled out a book from her rucksack.

"I'll see you later."

"Thanks again, Cedric."

"No problem." He smiled and closed the door. Hermione turned her attention back to her book as she enjoyed the silence of the empty compartment.

But that didn't last long, when she heard the whistle blow, the door flew open. She jumped at the sound and looked up from the book seeing the twins standing there with their trunks.

"Hiya Granger."

"Hiya little Granger."

"Weasleys." She said as she closed her book. "Cutting it close, aren't you?"

"The Weasleys first day of the school year morning rush." George shrugged. They stumbled a bit as the train started moving. "Do you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is full. And we couldn't find Lee."

"Sure."

The boys stepped further in and pushed their trunks on the rack and flopped down on the seat opposite of her. Hermione looked at the twins for a second before opening her book once again. The boys started talking about some of their pranks which made Hermione look up.

"Pranks?"

The twins cut their conversation and looked at her.

"Yeah. We make our own pranks, invent them."

"We used to buy them at Zonko's in Hogsmeade or ask one of our brothers to send us some, but we started improving them or creating our own version of them since our first year at Hogwarts."

"Okay." She said slowly. "But why?"

"Why not? Better then reading all the time" Fred grinned.

"Because it's fun and we are some fun blokes." George added.

"Hmmm...I'm not entirely convinced on that one, George."

"LITTLE GRANGER!" Fred yelled. Hermione's head snapped his way, eyes wide.

"What?!"

"How the bloody hell do you know that he is George?"

"Because I do." She said simply and looked back at her book.

"Nobody can tell us apart, even our parents have trouble with it."

"Probably because you have been tricking them for years." She said her eyes remaining on the pages.

"Well yeah but still-"

"This is only the second time you've seen us."

Hermione sighed slowly as she closed her book again to look at the gingers.

"There is one thing that is quite obvious." The twins raised their eyebrows and waited for her to continue.

"Fred is the one that calls me 'little Granger'."

"Oh." Fred said surprised. "Hmm, need to watch that."

"That we do." George laughed. "But that still doesn't explain how you know which one is which from the start because we pretended-"

He was interrupted when the door opened and a boy with black dreadlocks was standing there grinning. "Fred, George. Here you two are."

"Lee mate. Yeah, we just arrived in time and couldn't find you." George said as they clapped each other's back. Lee did the same to Fred before his eyes fell on Hermione. "Uhm... Hi, I'm Lee. Lee Jordan. These two, best mate."

"Hermione Granger. Their family showed me and my parents around at Diagon Alley a few weeks ago."

"Muggleborn hey? Yeah, I could imagine it would be overwhelming if you find out there is a world you never knew about."

"It was, but Professor McGonagall helped me through it. My father is like a giddy schoolboy." She chuckled as she shook her head.

"Just like dad and his muggle addiction." George grinned.

"So, you two want to meet up with Ange and Alicia?"

The twins looked at Hermione, but she was already reading again. They shrugged and stood up.

"See you later, Granger."

"Okay, Weasleys and Lee." She smiled as she kept on reading.

About an hour later the door slid open and she expected the twins to walk back in, but it was a girl about her age with a brown bob, a frightened look in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked worried and placed her book aside.

"Do you mind if I hide out in here?"

"No, come in." Hermione stood up and closed the door behind the girl as she sat down. "What happened?"

"A few Slytherin boys were following me."

"Did they hurt you?"

"No, I got away." She said still catching her breath. "I'm Katie."

"Hermione. First year?"

"Yeah, you too?" Hermione nodded her head, her head snapped to the door when she heard footsteps arrive. She pulled her wand out of her pocket and locked the door with a wave of her wand and closed the blinders. They heard someone pull on the door.

"She's just at tiny first year, she can't lock those doors with magic. Come on." A deep voice said. The shaking of the handle stopped; the footsteps faded away. Hermione let out a breath and looked at Katie, who was watching her with big round eyes.

"How did you do that? How did you lock the door?"

"I just got some books with charms last year and I've been practicing the incantation and wand movements for almost a year."

"Still... That's really impressive."

"Thanks." Hermione mumbled as she put her wand away. "I'm guessing you don't want to be sorted in Slytherin?"

The girl laughed. "No not really. My mother was a Gryffindor and my father a Hufflepuff, so we'll see. What about you?"

"Certainly not Slytherin. What I heard; my kind is not welcome there. Not that I want to."

"You're a muggleborn?" Katie asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, is it that surprising?"

"Well... it's just, you performed a locking spell on the door even though you didn't have someone to teach you yet."

"Oh. I read a lot. Ever since I found out I'm a witch, I've been reading books on magic and the magical community. Professor McGonagall was the one that told me and lend me some books."

"How's she like?"

"She looks strict and serious, but she can be quite funny and is really nice. But that's outside school. I don't think I want to cross her in class." Hermione laughed and Katie joined in. The talked about the wizard and muggle community alike and after another hour, someone was pulling on the door. Hermione and Katie both raised their wands.

"Little Granger?"

"Hermione?" The twins voice came from the other side. "Everything alright?"

Hermione's shoulders slumped in relief, but Katie still looked worried. "It's okay Katie. I know them, sort of." With a wave of her wand the door opened, and the twins looked worried around the compartment.

"Why was the door locked?" Fred asked as he sat down next to her, while George took his place next to Katie.

"Fred, George this is Katie. She was being harassed by some Slytherins. So, she hid out in here."

Katie gave the twins a shy smile. The twins both turned to her.

"If they ever bother you again, just come find us alright?" George said.

"Who locked the door?"

"Hermione, with a spell." Katie answered grinning. The boys head snapped to her in surprise.

"It was just a locking spell." Hermione shrugged as she glared at Katie who just grinned back.

"If you say so. We'll be arriving soon. Why don't you two get dressed and we'll get dressed in the restroom."

"My trunk is still on the other side of the train." Katie said nervously as she wringed her hands.

"I'll escort you, milady." Fred stood and bowed in front of the witch. The girl looked surprised from Fred to Hermione.

"They are always like this. Their mother warned me the first time we met." Hermione chuckled as she shook her head.

"She did?" The twins asked in unison.

"Yes, now go get her robes before we arrive." Hermione shooed Fred away. Katie stood up and followed him out the door. George pulled Hermione's trunk from the rack and placed it on his seat without her needing to ask.

"Thanks George." She said before someone appeared in the doorway.

"I see you already have some assistance." The boy named Cedric smiled. "And from a notorious Weasley twin none the less. Hey... George?"

"Right in one." George grinned. "I'm just going to go change." And he pulled his robes out of his trunk and walked out.

"A Hufflepuff I see." Hermione pointed at his robes.

"Yes, second year. I share some classes with the twins."

"That must be fun." She said sarcastically.

"It is actually, certainly in History of Magic. It's been taught by Professor Binns, a ghost."

"Yeah, I read about it in Hogwarts: a history."

"Don't get me wrong there are interesting parts, but he tells it all in such a dull way. You'll see in a few days. I'll let you get dressed. I'll see you at the sorting."

Cedric left and Hermione took her robes out of her trunk and quickly changed. When she sat down a knock came from outside the door.

"Come in."

The twins and Katie shuffled inside, all fully dressed. Katie sat down next to her while the twins sat on the other side, after George placed the trunk back up the rack.

"So how do you know Diggory?"

"What is it with you and last names?" Hermione chuckled. "He helped me load my trunk on the train and carried it to the compartment."

"Oh, those Hufflepuffs, always helpful." Fred grinned.

"So is your twin. He helped me with my trunk earlier."

Fred's eyes widened and clutched at his heart in shock. "My brother, my own twin! Getting soft, for a damsel in distress."

"Oh, shove off you." George threw his arm around Fred's neck and pulled him in a headlock.