Hey everyone, before this chapter starts I just want to acknowledge a mistake I had made in the last chapter. Since I am writing these on Google docs and pasting them in, I've experienced a few errors. One of them being that platform 9 3/4 became just platform 9 for some reason. Just giving the reason for why it says platform 9 instead of platform 9 3/4. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and be sure to review if you have any suggestions!

The next month had been close to torturous for Calvin. The anticipation ate at him like hungry piranhas, and he spent all his time reading his new school books and examining his wand. When the day finally came for them to fly to London, he was ecstatic. And when they finally arrived at King's Cross, he was close to passing out due to excitement.

"Here we are, Hobbes ol' buddy!" Calvin exclaimed, pushing a trolley that contained his trunk, "The entrance to a better world!"

"You make it sound like we're at the gates of death," Said Hobbes, chuckling.

"Be quiet you furball and help me figure out how we're supposed to get onto this stupid platform!"

"Maybe they know," said Hobbes, pointing behind Calvin.

Calvin glanced over to where Hobbes was pointing and saw Ginny's Family, the Weasleys approaching the pillar in between platform 9 and 10, and he made a mad dash for them, Hobbes following close behind. As he finally caught up to the Weasleys, he noticed one of the older looking boys in the family begin to push his trolley towards the pillar, steadily gaining speed.

"What is he doing?" Hobbes whispered to Calvin, "He's gonna crash!"

"Hold on, let's watch!" Calvin hissed back.

And so they watched as the boy reached the platform, and then passed right through it

"Woah!" Calvin shouted, drawing the attention of the Weasley's

"Oh hey Calvin!" Said Ginny, smiling at him, but Calvin was too dumbstruck to respond.

"H-how did he..?" Calvin stammered out.

"Get on the platform?" Mrs. Weasley asked, giving Calvin a warm motherly smile, "Don't worry! It's Ginny's first time too!" She gestured to Ginny, who had just noticed Hobbes for the first time and was standing mouth open, staring at Hobbes, who grinned back at her.

Calvin used this distraction to examine his surroundings more closely. There was an older man, most likely the father, who was admiring the modern trains and whistling. There were the twins that had taken Hobbes's attention at Diagon Alley who were snickering to each other, and towards the back of the group was Harry Potter, who was deep in conversation with a tall and lanky Weasley. Calvin was about to try to get Harry's attention, but before he could, Mrs. Weasley started talking to him again.

"So what you want to do is simply walk into the pillar!" She exclaimed, "Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous!"

Calvin nodded and noticed Hobbes was still grinning stupidly at Ginny.

"Come on you flea ridden throw rug!" Calvin grumbled, grabbing Hobbes's arm and pulling him away, causing Ginny to blink and rub her eyes.

"Hey!" Hobbes shouted, annoyed, "Wait what are you..?"

Calvin had begun dragging Hobbes along behind him as he pushed his trolley toward the solid barrier, gaining speed.

"Are you insane?" Hobbes shrieked, being forced to run alongside Calvin, as he had an iron grip on Hobbes's arm.

Calvin didn't respond, just smiled as the barrier grew ever closer.

"Calvin stop! This is nuts! There's no way we're gonna make it through that it's completely solid! Oh no! ARGHHHHHH!"

Hobbes covered his eyes with his free arm as he braced for impact. The impact however, never came. When he removed his arm from his eyes he and Calvin were standing in front of a bright red locomotive that read "Hogwarts Express" on the side.

"We made it Hobbes!" Calvin exclaimed excitedly.

Hobbes just glared at Calvin and crossed his arms.

Calvin suddenly heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Ginny and her mother coming through the platform. Ginny glanced at him and grinned.

"Let's find a compartment shall we?" She asked.

As the trio finally found a compartment in the train, Calvin sat down and shut his eyes, grinning.

"What are you so happy about?" Asked Ginny teasingly.

Calvin laughed.

"It's just so bonkers that a little over a month ago, I had no idea magic even existed."

"So you are muggle born then?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, didn't my constant cluelessness tip you off to that?" Responded Calvin.

"I don't know, there's some stupid people in the world," Ginny said, snickering.

Calvin grinned at her, causing Hobbes to wink at him, and Calvin to shoot him a nasty glare.

"Also I never caught your name," Ginny said, looking at Hobbes.

"Hobbes," the tiger replied.

Ginny paused and looked buried in thought.

"So what are you exactly?" Ginny asked Hobbes.

"A tiger obviously," said Hobbes, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well as you probably know, tigers don't normally talk."

Hobbes rubbed his temples.

"Yeah I know," he said, "I always knew I was different from most animals but it didn't really click until I was made aware of the existence of magic."

"How so?" Asked Ginny.

"Well for one, this is the first time people other than Calvin have been able to see me."

Ginny looked confused so Calvin piped up.

"I can't explain why, but to everyone except me, he just appeared as a stuffed toy," Calvin said, "Or at least that's what they claimed, as I've personally never seen him as a stuffed toy. To me, he's always been a living, breathing, animal."

Ginny nodded.

"Huh," she said. "Interesting."

Their conversation was interrupted by their compartment door opening, and as they turned to look they saw Hermionie standing in the doorway.

"Have any of you seen Harry and Ron?" She asked the group.

"No," said Ginny, "I assumed they got through the pillar sometime after us."

Hermione bit her lip, looking concerned.

"Do you guys mind if I sit with you guys for the trip?" She asked.

"Be our guest," said Hobbes.

She nodded at Hobbes and sat down next to Ginny, and as soon as she did, the train lurched and started to move slowly out of the station.

"Who's Ron?" Calvin asked.

"Another one of my brothers," Said Ginny.

"And a friend of mine," said Hermione quickly.

Calvin nodded, and began to gaze out the window.

The ride to Hogwarts was filled with laughs, as Calvin, Ginny, and Hobbes told joke after joke as Hermione did her best to ignore them by burying her face in a book.

"So that's why tigers should never wear sandals!" Exclaimed Calvin after telling a particularly funny story about Hobbes.

"Oh wow that's hysterical!" said Ginny as she doubled over laughing.

"It wasn't that funny," Hobbes grumbled.

Hermione finally looked up from her book.

"You know," she said, "You two should probably put on your school robes. They're required for the beginning of year feast and sorting ceremony."

"Sorting ceremony?" Asked Calvin, "What do we have to do, match colored objects or something?"

"No it's not that literal," Hermionie responded, "It's where they sort you into your houses."

"Houses?" Calvin asked, more intrigued now that he knew it wasn't an excuse for Hogwarts to get their first years to sort their laundry.

"There's four houses," said Ginny, "There's Gryffindor, which represents courage and chivalry, there's Ravenclaw, which represents intelligence and wisdom, there's Hufflepuff, which represents hard work and loyalty, and there's…" She paused and spoke the next words with venom in her voice. "There's Slytherin," she said, "Which represents ambition and cunningness."

"You seem especially hostile towards Slytherin," Hobbes remarked, "Why?"

"Well," Hermione said nervously, "Slytherin house has a track record of creating the most dark wizards, and they tend to be rather bigoted to us muggle borns."

"Why do they hate muggle borns?" Asked Calvin.

"They are under the impression that in order to be a true witch or wizard, you have to be a 'pureblood,' meaning you have no non-magical blood in your family tree," Hermione responded.

Calvin glanced at Ginny.

"You were right," he said, "There are some stupid people in the world."

The rest of the train ride was a bit more somber after that darker conversation. As Calvin saw the silhouette of a castle in the distance, he decided it was time to pull his robes on. Very soon after that, they had arrived at the station.

"Yeesh, you'd think they'd put this place a little closer to the castle," said Calvin, "All I can see are trees."

"Apparently they have first years ride in boats through the black lake up to the castle," said Ginny matter of factly.

"I just wish Hobbes was coming with me," Calvin said sadly, as Hobbes unfortunately had to be taken up with the luggage.

"You'll be fine," said Ginny, patting his shoulder, which made him blush.

"Thanks," he said, smiling down at her.

"Anytime," she responded, returning the smile.

"Firs' years over here!" Shouted a booming voice that Calvin recognized immediately as Hagrid.

"Calvin!" Hagrid exclaimed as Calvin and Ginny made their way over to him, "Good ter see yeh!"

"Good to see you too Hagrid!" Said Calvin, grinning.

The boat ride was surreal. Calvin was dreading it as he thought they would have to row the boats by hand to the castle, but when the boats began propelling themselves, he remembered that the world he was in now is a lot different than the world he was used to. As the boats approached the castle, Calvin couldn't help but gape. It was grander than he could've imagined, massive towers lined the castle, firelight exiting through every window, illuminating the castle in an earthy glow.

As the boats docked, Calvin hurried to follow the horde of first years that thundered up the stairs after Hagrid. He spotted Ginny's fiery red hair and upped his pace in order to catch up to her

"That was AWESOME!" Calvin said as he caught up to Ginny, huffing and puffing.

"Yeah it was!" She said, marching proudly up the stairs, "I'm personally more excited to see what the sorting ceremony actually is, no ones given me an exact description. My brothers Fred and George claim it hurts a lot, but I've learned to take everything they say with a grain of salt."

Calvin shuddered, hoping that the sorting ceremony wouldn't involve any kind of pain.

"Here's the firs' years Professor McGonnagal!" Hagrid's voice echoed from farther up the stairs.

"Thank you Hagrid, I can take it from here," Said the voice of an older woman who Calvin assumed must have been Professor McGonnagal.

As Calvin and Ginny moved more up the stairs they noticed two large double doors with torches on either side. Standing in front of them was an older woman in a dark green dress and a large matching witch hat. She had gray hair tied into a neat no nonsense bun and small round spectacles sat on the bridge of her nose.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonnagal, "The start of term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting ceremony is very important because…"

Spaceman spiff rockets into orbit of planet Zakbar-3. On his tail are the drones of the Grobzanian empire. Performing graceful evasive maneuvers he- AUGHHH SPIFF IS HIT SPACEMAN SPIFF IS HIT…

Calvin's eyes shot open rubbing his shoulder.

"What was that for?" He asked Ginny, annoyed, as she had just brought her fist back from punching him full force in the arm.

"Everyone's entered the great hall dummy!" Said Ginny, annoyed as well.

Calvin glanced around him and noticed that she was right. The big double doors had opened and they were now the only people left in the stairway.

"Oh," he said sheepishly, "Thanks."

They hurried into the great hall, sprinting as fast as they could to catch up with the group, drawing the eyes of many students who began snickering at their expense. Calvin was appalled at the beauty of the room. Massive windows on all sides of it, candles floating in the air, and if you really craned your neck to look, you could see a magical replication of the night sky towards the ceiling. At the end of the hall there was a long table where he assumed the people sitting there were teachers. And in the center, standing behind a bronze owl sculpture, was an ancient looking man with long white hair and a beard, who Calvin guessed must be the Dumbledore.

They made it just as McGonnagal was calling another name.

"Colin Creevey!" She shouted.

Calvin watched as the boy that he had seen with the camera in Madam Malkin's stepped up to the front of the hall.

"The B1 Battle Droid!" Calvin whispered.

"Sorry?" Ginny whispered back.

"Nothing," Calvin responded, grinning to himself.

He watched as McGonnagal set a large ancient looking hat on the boy's head. And he nearly jumped in surprise when the hat started moving and formed a mouth and eyes out of its folds.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted, and the table directly to Calvin's right erupted in applause as Colin stumbled down to join the table.

McGonnagal took a look at the list she was holding and raised her head.

"Ginny Weasley!" She shouted.

Ginny let out a squeak beside Calvin and he patted her back encouragingly. He watched as she made her way up to the front of the hall, and had the hat placed on her head.

"Ah yet another Weasley," said the hat, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers yet again as Ginny smugly made her way down to the table and sat next to a few of her brothers and Hermione.

McGonnagal took another look down at her list.

"Calvin Watterson!" She shouted.

Calvin jumped, his heart thudding in his chest. He began to make his way up to the front of the hall, feeling smaller and smaller the closer he got to that hat. When he finally reached it he might as well have been an ant.

He sat himself on the stool that all the other students had sat on and McGonnagal placed the hat on top of his head.

"Interesting… very interesting…" the hat's voice rang out inside his head, "Let's see here… Ah yes… there is an abundance of bravery, and just as much loyalty. Although there is also a desire to prove yourself… a desire to be great…"

Calvin gulped. He remembered what Ginny and Hermione had said about Slytherins, and his traits were beginning to match up perfectly to Slytherin. He suddenly became afraid and looked over towards the Gryffindor table and made eye contact with Ginny, who gave him an encouraging smile.

"Ah I see," said the hat, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Calvin blinked, and the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers. McGonnagal removed the hat and he staggered towards the Gryffindor table, feeling dazed.

"Great job!" Exclaimed Ginny as Calvin sat down next to her.

Calvin gave her a weak smile.

Hermione looked even more concerned than she did on the train.

"Harry and Ron aren't here!" She hissed anxiously.

Calvin stroked his chin inquisitively and held up his wand like a lightsaber

"Perhaps they've been trapped in hyperspace Master Yoda!" He exclaimed.

Hermione gave him a blank look.

"What?" She asked.

Calvin stuck his wand back into his robes and didn't answer.

"Hey that's my dad's car!" Said Ginny, sounding confused and pointing to the window.

Calvin and Hermione both turned and looked and they watched as a bright blue Ford Angelina soared through the sky outside the window, and around the corner of the great hall.

"Woah!" Calvin exclaimed, "Where do I get one of those?"

Suddenly, there was a thud and heavy footsteps. Calvin turned around to see that one of the teachers at the front of the hall had left his seat and was walking hurriedly through the great hall to the double doors where they had entered. The man was wearing a black cloak and had greasy long black hair.

"Wonder where he's going," muttered Calvin under his breath to no one in particular.

"That concludes our start of term feast!" The man who Calvin had guessed was the headmaster shouted. "First years follow your respective house prefects!"

Calvin had no idea what a "prefect" was, but he noticed the tall Weasley that he had seen first go through the barrier at platform 9 and 3 quarters calling the first years to him.

"First years come along, no pushing! Hey! I said no pushing!" The Weasley bellowed.

Calvin and Ginny stood up and made their way to this Weasley who Ginny had informed Calvin was named "Percy." Calvin found that this name suited the person very well, as an incredibly uptight and dorky name had to go to an incredibly uptight and dorky person. Percy led them through the castle and up the biggest staircase Calvin had ever seen to a painting of a rather large woman.

"Pig pimples," Percy said.

Calvin snorted but almost choked when the woman in the painting spoke.

"Very well," the woman said, and the portrait swung inward like a door, revealing the Gryffindor common room.

As they stepped in, Calvin immediately felt at home. The common room was a cozy space filled with comfortable chairs and a large fireplace built into the wall.

Calvin stepped in further, past the rest of the crowd, but before he could do anything he saw a flash of orange in his peripheral vision, and was knocked down immediately afterwards.

"GET OFF OF ME YOU PSYCHOPATH!" Calvin screamed as Hobbes laughed. They rolled around on the floor for another 30 seconds or so before Hobbes finally let him go.

"Hoo hoo hoo!" Hobbes laughed, "You should've seen your eyes, they were as big as dinner plates!"

Calvin turned to the crowd of first years that had witnessed the whole thing and they all looked terrified except for Ginny. She was laughing at him with Hobbes. He glared at her and sheepishly made his way up to the boys dormitories, Hobbes following, continuing to make fun of him.

As he and Hobbes sat in bed, preparing to sleep, Calvin couldn't help but feel the most at home he'd ever been.