Aboard the Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Hat
The next morning Maya got out of bed super early when she heard a knocking on her door. It wasn't a banging, just a knock, which meant it was Harry and no one else. Harry's things were all in her room since Harry still slept in the cupboard. They both lugged their stuff down the stairs and for hours walked around the house barely talking. There was a nervous air about the both of them and Maya felt as if her voice would crack if she tried to speak. Finally the Dursley's woke up and got everyone ready for a ride into the city. Dudley was still yawning and fell asleep in his food, and Uncle Vernon kept his beady eyes on the paper and the time. Aunt Petunia was trying to find any extra dust on the counter that might still need cleaning. Maya left the kitchen and went to stand by the door. Harry had joined her minutes later.
"Where do you reckon this school is located?" Harry wondered.
"Well if it's far away it could be outside of England. Wales or Scotland? Wanna flip a coin for a guess?" Maya asked playfully trying to pass the time.
"I would if I had one on me," Harry muttered. Maya didn't either, so they lapsed back into silence lost in their own thoughts.
What felt like forever to Maya, but was probably just a couple of minutes the rest of the occupants of the house were gathering their things to get to London. Dudley needed to see a private doctor and the twins needed to get to Kings Cross station soon. When everyone was piled into the car Maya gazed out of the window wistfully, lost in a fabulous daydream about where they were going. When they got dropped off at the Station they were left to their own devices to find the train they needed to catch.
"What are we going to do? How are we going to find the blasted train, if Hagrid really forgot to tell us something important?" Maya asked her brother.
"Well...Hey I think those redhead's over there might know," Harry said pointing to a group of people with owls and a rat in a cage, and rolling large carts for their trunks.
Maya and Harry made their way toward the chattering crowd and Harry spoke up, "Uh...Excuse me, but can you tell us how to get onto the platform?"
"Certainly dears," The red-headed woman said and told them how it was done.
When it was the twin's turn to walk into the wall Harry went in front of Maya and seemed to disappear when he reached the wall. She started to pick up speed and winced slightly when she passed through the wall unharmed. Maya stared at the steaming engine that read Hogwarts Express. Her heart did a little drum roll, she was really going! She was having trouble with her cage and trunk like Harry and was rescued by the red-heads that were the twins. They helped them into a carriage with their stuff, and when Harry brushed his hair out of his face the twins did a double take.
"What's that?" Said one of the twins, pointing at his scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you-"
"He is," Said the first twin. "Aren't you?"
"What?" Harry questioned.
"Harry Potter!" The chorused together.
"Oh, him...I mean yes I am."
The twins gawked, and Maya saw her brother turning red in the face. The twins mother had called them back to exchange farewell's before departing. Soon enough the other red-headed boy asked if he could sit with them and he sat down. Before long the compartment door opened again and the twins were back.
"Hey, Ron."
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron.
"Harry and Maya right? Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron our brother see you later then."
"Bye," everyone else in compartment chorused.
With them gone Ron blurted out, "Are you guys really Maya and Harry Potter."
They both nodded. Harry soon showed his scar to Ron because the boy was definitely curious. What ensued after that was a conversation about Ron's family. Maya and Harry were both interested in what the boy had to say and so the conversation continued. When both Maya and Harry said you-know-who's name Ron had gasped out loud. Soon enough a candy cart came by and the twins both got loads each to eat. Harry was examining the wizarding cards in the chocolate frogs, while Ron and Maya focused more on eating the delicious food. When Maya had tried a bertie bott every flavored bean, she spit it out the window and clawed at her tongue.
"What the hell?" Maya was asking.
"Oh, when it comes to those they mean every flavor, not just the normal candy ones, but everything," Ron said laughing at Maya as she tried to get rid of whatever bad tasting one she had gotten.
After a little while a knock on the door sounded and a round-faced boy came in. "Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" No one had and he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"He'll turn up," Maya told the boy apologetically.
When he left Ron started talking about his rat Scabbers and a spell that might turn his pet yellow. Ron had taken out his wand when their compartment door opened again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," Ron told the girl.
The bushy haired girl saw his wand and said, "Oh, are you doing magic? Lets see it then."
Ron said something that sounded like a rhyme instead of a spell; which wasn't since Scabbers color stayed the same.
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells for practice and it's all worked for me..." The girl prattled on and Maya lost track of what the girl was saying real fast and just caught the last part where she introduced herself as Hermione Granger.
"I'm Ron Weasley."
"Harry Potter."
"Maya Potter."
"Wow really? I know about you guys of course; I got a few extra books for background reading and you both are in Modern Magical History and Harry's in the Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
Maya turned back to gazing out of the window and let the conversation flow around her. When the talkative girl left, Ron was hoping to not be in the same house as her, and bemoaning about stupid spell George had given him. Maya let the boys talk and closed her eyes. She was a little tired and hoping for a nap. She fell asleep after a confrontation with that blonde boy from Madam Malkin's and two of his cronies Crabbe and Goyle. Soon enough Harry shook her awake because they all needed to get into their robes. She waited out in the hall for the boys to change and then they switched around so she could do the same. They were soon disembarking and a familiar voice called over the heads of chattering students.
"First years over here! Firs' years!" Hagrid's voice called them all over and most of the students had frightened looks on their faces except for Maya and Harry. "Come on follow me! Mind yer step!"
Around the corner they all got their first sight of Hogwarts. Maya was wide-eyed. They were going to be living in a medieval castle! When she saw the boats she was hoping it would be like the train or car ride, but if it was like those bank carts then she would definitely get woozy again. She, Harry, Ron, and the round-faced boy Neville all had gotten into the same boat and off they went.
When they reached the other side of the lake they all trooped up to the huge door they were about to entered and Hagrid had knocked on it. It swung open and a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Maya's first though was that this woman will be very strict.
"The firs' years Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here."
When Maya walked into the entrance hall her first impression was that it was bigger that two of the Dursleys houses combined. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. They followed the Professor further in and Maya could hear the sounds of people conversing from a door to her right. They were led into a small chamber where Professor McGonagall addressed the whole year group.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall you must be sorted into your houses..." Maya tuned out before she started talking about the houses. "There is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, your triumphs will earn you House points, and any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year the House with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours. The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
She left the chamber after a few more choice words. Ron was telling Harry about what he thought the sorting might entail, but Maya wasn't listening to them. She was nervously straightening her cloak and making sure her hair stayed out of her eyes. When ghosts came through the wall and entered the chamber Maya jumped so badly she landed on the person's foot behind her. The ghosts were arguing about someone called Peeves when another noticed them. The ghost called the Fat Friar said something about hoping to see them in Hufflepuff and then Professor McGonagall came back to usher the ghosts and the students into the great hall.
Maya was amazed at the enchanted ceiling and was wondering what type of spells was needed to pull off such a magnificent feat. They were led in a line in front of the staff table and they were facing all of the students in the hall already at their tables. Maya now noticed a rugged hat on the stool and was wondering what on earth it meant when a mouth on it opened and started to sing. When the song ended Maya was a bit relieved that all they needed to do was try on the hat, even though the prospect of doing it in front of the while school was nerve wracking.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a large roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."
"Abbot, Hannah!" A girl with blonde pigtails, stumbled out of line and put it on, the hat falling over her eyes as well. After a moment's pause it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
A table to the right clapped and cheered as she took her seat.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The sorting continued. Sometimes it shouted the house right away and others it took longer like Hermione Granger's and Neville Longbottom's sorting into Gryffindor. When Draco Malfoy's name was called he swaggered up there like he was a king or something and immediately was sorted into Slytherin House. At this point there weren't too many people left. Maya started listening closely when they entered the P's.
After a pair of Patil twins the next name called was, "Potter, Harry!"
Maya watched her brother nervously walk to the stool and put it on. She ignored the chattering about her brother and watched his sorting with bated breath. A minute or two passed and he was still on the stool. Well...was Harry more complicated than she thought? Maya mused as she watched to see what the hat will do. Eventually the rip near the brim opened and yelled to the hall, "GRYFFINDOR!" The noise from that table were the loudest cheers yet. The Weasley twins were yelling, "We got Harry! We got Harry!" Maya saw her brother's grin as she was called next.
"Potter, Maya!"
Students were muttering, "The twin...where will she go?" Maya ignored it and soon enough the hat was on her head and down over her eyes.
"Hmmmm...well a bit different from your brother I take it. You want acceptance, you don't fight often...very loyal and courageous, but you also value fair play. Where to put you?" Maya wanted to be put where she would fit best, she wanted to be put somewhere with the least amount of judgement. "Oh...you also value tolerance, I know just where to put you..." The hat the shouted to the hall..."HUFFLEPUFF!"
Maya got off the stool grinning and went to go sit at the cheering Hufflepuff table. Incidentally when she turned around to see the Gryffindor table Harry was sitting right behind her and they fist bumped before turning back to the sorting. Ron Weasley went to Gryffindor and the last person Zabini went to Slytherin.
Maya looked around at her new House mates. Ernie MacMillan was deep in conversation with Justin Finch-Fletchley, Wayne Hopkins was steadily eating his food ignoring everyone along with a quiet girl not saying a work who Maya thought was named Megan Jones. The boy called Zacharias Smith was trying to talk to an older student and the other two girls were actually trying to get Maya's attention.
"Hey Maya, right?" The curly-redhead girl said. Maya was pretty sure this was Susan Bones.
"Yeah Susan, right?" Maya said back.
"And I'm Hannah Abbott if you remember correctly," the blonde-pigtailed girl said.
The girls asked Maya if it was true that she lived with Muggles and what not and in return they also talked about their families. Hannah lived with only her mother, never knowing her father, and Susan lived with her Aunt who worked as the head of the DMLE (Department of Magical Law Enforcement.) Everyone else in her family including her parents had died in the first war. Before they knew it the desserts were appearing and the Fat Friar ghost came gliding over to the new first years. She stopped by the boys first and then went over to the girls. Megan Jones was politely ignoring everyone as she ate still and Maya, Susan and Hannah all greated the ghost warmly. All the ghost wanted to say was to compliment them on making it into her house and if they had any questions on how to navigate through Hogwarts they could always come to her. When the deserts left the shining plates Headmaster Dumbledore stood up to address the chattering students.
"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts..." Maya's body was so full of food she couldn't concentrate on the speech even if she wanted to. She was so sleepy and tired and couldn't wait to go to her common room and the dorms. Finally they were dismissed and two fifth year Hufflepuff prefects where gathering all of the first years at the end of their table. As soon as all of the other Hufflepuff's left the two prefects ushered the first years out of the doors and immediately turned down a corridor that seemed to lead to a basement.
They were descending and the Male prefect started talking as they walked slightly passed a painting of a huge fruit bowl. "That painting leads straight to the kitchen's, all you have to do is tickly the green pear and a door handle appears, you can then open it to find the house-elves there making the next meal. You can always go in there if you want a snack during the day, it's not against the rules to do so, but I would suggest not going in with a super large crowd since it would put even more elves off of their normal duties for a bit to attend to you all."
They had come to a stop in a tiny nook just passed the entrance to the kitchens. They were standing in front of a pile of barrels that reached the ceiling. The barrells themselves all looked big enough for a person to walk through if that's what they needed to do to get in. They were all on their sides with the tops facing them. The girl prefect told the waiting first years how to get into the common room. "The barrell two from the bottom..." she was guiding her finger along with her to show them, "and middle of the second row will open when tapping the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff. If anyone gets the rhythm wrong or tap the wrong barrell one of the higher barrels will open up and dowse you with vinegar a most unpleasant experience none of you will ever want to encounter." She then demonstrated the rhythm to the correct barrel and a manhole appeared for all to climb in. It was easy enough to climb over one barrel and step into a smaller roundish passageway.
They eventually came to a round door just like the barrell they entered and the door swung opened automatically. The room was obviously roundish and had plants hanging by all of the round windows. A slight glow came from the round windows which would be brighter during the day. If anyone were to look out them their eye level would see the grass on the hogwarts grounds and some dandelions if looking out the correly window. The glow would either come from the brightness of the moon or the sun. There were two fireplaces; one to the left and other on the far right, the fires were lit and made the room extra warm and cozy. Several tables with hard chairs and plenty of sitting chairs, and couches were there for people lounging around. The common room was big enough that if everyone wanted to stay in they could all fit comfortably and easily. The room was bathed in the Hufflepuff colors of yellow and black respectively.
The prefects then told the first years the round doors on the other side of the rather large common room on the left was for boys and the girls to the right of it. When the girls got to the door they all trooped down a staircase even further under the school and when they saw a door to the right that read first-years, they all went in, too tired to converse anymore. The room had a yellow glow to it that made it easy for everyone to see. Maya found her trunk next to a bed closest to the door that read: Bathroom. She quickly got into her night clothes and right as she crawled under her warm covers her head hit the pillow and she was out like a light.