Chapter 3: The Hogwarts Express
A/N: Hey, it's me again, Twiggarony! I've been trying for a while to get this up, but I've had WAY too many things going on lately. I hope you forgive me!
Disclaimer: I, Twiggarony, do not own anything you do not recognise. Enjoy!
She returned home by floo powder with Daryl around four. She piled her trunk and her other magical things in a corner of her room while Daryl organized her new books on the shelf. She searched through her new books, deciding that she'd start on reading The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. She'd even started working on the levitation charm. By 2:00am, Rachel had mastered the spell, lifting objects around the room.
A day over three weeks passed before her eyes. It was finally the day that she was to leave for Hogwarts. With having completely read The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection, as they seemed the most interesting, Rachel was well prepared for Charms and D.A.D.A. classes.
It was now Friday, the first of September. Her trunk was packed and she was ready to go. She ate quickly; she didn't want to miss the train. Her mother had her tickets in hand so Rachel and her mother, and Daryl and his mother, Ms. Grenval, all piled into the Higgins' car and headed to King's Cross Station.
She stood there for a moment and waited for any sign of nine and three quarters. Daryl stood beside her, eyes wide in thought. Rachel was looking around at the marvelous station full of fast, sleek trains. A whoosh sound came from behind her. The two turned around to see a small family composed of three red heads and one brown haired woman. The people before them had been running themselves into a wall, except they seemed to be traveling straight into it.
"Hustle Rose," the woman said, to a red headed girl. She was wearing black robes and had a large grin on her face.
"Hugo, c'mon. Got to let Rose get her trolley through. You'll get to go to Hogwarts in a few years, you wait," said the man.
Rachel and Daryl's mother came behind them, noticing the man and his son run into a brick wall, vanishing.
"Good, good. So, both of you, hold onto the trolley and push it straight through the wall," directed Janet.
The two did as they were told, both holding onto Rachel's trolley. They pushed the trolley at the wall, flinching as they grew closer, but they did not crash nor fall, but found themselves on a platform labelled nine and three quarters.
Dinah was meowing madly in the carrier as they steadied themselves. They were all surprised to find themselves in another part of the station.
"Wow. This is incredible," she heard Daryl say, quietly.
The two parents came through after them, Janet squealing with excitement as she remembered when she once went to Hogwarts. An old fashioned black and red steam engine seemed to be on their left. They all let go and she pushed the trolley toward the train. It was a sea of people and they were all saying good bye and hugging one another.
"I guess this is goodbye," she huffed over Daryl's shoulder as she pressed him into a hug.
"You'll be fine," he said.
She looked over to Ms. Grenval, hugging her too. Finally, it was time to say good bye to her mother. Her mother knelt down and looked in her eyes. "I don't care what house you're in, alright? Let it be Hufflepuff for all I care."
Rachel and her mother exchanged smiles and hugs before she walked over towards the train.
Walking toward the train, Rachel became nervous of boarding it alone. On she climbed, heaving her things into an empty compartment. She found that most of the compartments proved to be empty, since many students were still saying farewell. She sulked against her window and took out a school book. With her family on the other side of the train, she left her jacket and book in her compartment and jogged across the hall to the other empty compartment to wave. She waved for a few moments then headed back. She thought about moving to the other train compartment, but decided against it.
The other students were boarding the train, pouring in like a tsunami. Almost everyone passed her compartment at first, but once the train began to fill there had been more and more peaking and poking of heads to decide where to sit.
"Can we sit here? Do you mind?" It was a young girl's voice accompanied by a young boy. It was the boy she'd met in Madam Malkin's and the girl she'd seen run into the wall earlier.
"Oh, sure." The two sat down and Albus turned to look at Rachel.
"I'm pretty sure that we've met?" he asked.
Rachel explained that they met at the store.
"Well, I'm glad I'm not with a complete stranger."
"Yeah..."
"Well I'm Rose, it's nice to meet you!" she said, sounding very optimistic.
"Rachel Higgins." Rachel said this nervously.
"I've never heard that last name before. Are you a muggle-born?"
"Actually, I'm not, though I didn't know about magic until a few weeks ago..."
"Wow, really? That must have been difficult, but don't worry we'll teach you everything you need to know!"
The rest of the train ride was fun after that. Albus and Rose bought some candy off the trolley in the hallway, sharing some with her. The chocolate frogs were cool, jumping about the room. They talked about Hogwarts, mainly. The houses were a large topic. Rachel discovered that Albus wanted to be put in Gryffindor, while Rose just agreed, not too concerned.
"Both our parents were in Gryffindor, you know?" explained Albus.
"What house was your mother in?" asked Rose, obviously intrigued.
Rachel pondered for a moment. Her mother had told her everything magnificent about Hogwarts but never the house she had been in the entire time. "I'm- I'm not sure actually. She never told me. Hmph."
"Oh don't worry about it," said Rose.
They dropped the topic quickly, turning towards Every Flavour Beans.
Rachel showed them her cat, Dinah, while Albus and Rose showed her their owls. Rachel thought of them as incredibly beautiful, but Albus' owl, Morhin, a Western Screech owl, was a bit nippy and over protective.
Not much later, an older boy dressed in black robes opened the door and poked his head in, wearing a yellow crest on one side of his chest, telling them that it was "time to change into your robes" and "the train should be arriving soon." After he left, Rachel and Albus changed into their Hogwarts wear, for Rose had worn her robes before even getting on the train.
It was becoming dark outside, but Rachel could see lights in the distance. She thought that these must be street lights, or maybe the station lights. The three new friends were silently pressing their faces against the window, trying to get a clear view of the castle from the Hogsmead station.
The train came to a quick halt. The three exited the train together to hear a loud hollering. "Firs'-years! Firs'-years! Gadder aroun'! C'mon, you!" The man who was yelling this was quite large, and had a massive beard that seemed brown, speckled grey. He was holding an old lantern. This then reminded Rachel of the fact that electricity was useless here.
"Hagrid!" Rose was jumping up excitingly, pushing through the others. "Hello Hagird!" said Rose once again after they got close enough for him to hear her correctly.
"Ah, hello Rose, oh and Albus. Who ya got there?" Hagrid was looking at Rachel.
"This is Rachel, we met her on the train," explained Rose. Rose then turned to her. "I hope we're in the same house, I really do." Her smile grew as she said this.
"Yeah, me too." Rachel truly did. The two of them were just so nice.
The load of first year students piled into small boats, with Hagrid leading the way in his own, as he took up the entire space of one.
She shared a boat with Albus and Rose. Albus sat up front, starring at the castle glowing from candle light, while the two girls stayed to the back of the boat, gazing on the sides.
Soon enough they were all waiting in a small room off a hallway. Rachel could hear bustling behind two large doors nearby. Albus and Rose had started a conversation of their own, whispering as they waited. Rachel only stood and kept her eyes looking at the stone floor below her feet, feeling sick and nervous about the house she would be placed in when Rose spoke loud enough for Rachel to join the conversation too.
"Albus, you're going to ask the hat?"
"Well, I do want to be in Gryffindor."
Rose smirked and said nothing at this.
They had been with a man dressed in dark robes as they had entered the castle. He perched himself between the crowd of soon to be students and the rest of the hallway. She noticed it was Professor Gigs, giving him a friendly look.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor Gigs, Deputy Headmaster. The start of-term banquet will begin shortly. Before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your houses. Your house is like your family. You will spend much time with them as you will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common-room." Professor Gigs went on about the importance of the ceremony and the house cup.
"The ceremony takes place in a few moments in front of the school. I suggest you all prepare yourselves in the mean time." He winked at Rachel, giving her a small smile.
Rachel and Rose did exactly that, fixing their hair and making sure try didn't make a fool out of themselves. Albus couldn't help but laugh. Rachel and Rose both tried to fix his hair for him, but his hair seemed impossible to tame.
"Please wait quietly," the professor added as he ducked out of the chamber room they had been placed in. Everyone else began to chatter as they waited.
Rachel turned to see that Rose and a freckled faced boy were yelling at one another.
"You think you're the best but you're not even close!" screamed Rose, angrily.
Rachel stepped between Rose and the freckle faced boy with her arms out horizontally as far as she could reach. "Hey, hey! Leave her be!"
"This isn't your fight, don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" shouted the boy aggressively.
"Just give this all a rest and be excited for the school year, will ya?" Rachel was about to turn back to her two new friends when the boy spoke again.
"You wouldn't understand. You're probably just some mud-blood aren't you?"
The rest of the crowd silenced, listening in on their argument.
"What if I am? What if I actually have some self respect? Get over yourself. Don't you have something better to do?"
The boy gave Rachel and Rose a bitter glare as Professor Gigs wandered back into the chamber.
"The school is ready for you. Form a line and follow me." They did as they were told, and she heard Rose gulp quietly.
"It's going to be fine, don't be nervous, you'll be put in a great house, I know it," she whispered to Rose. She ended up looking over at Albus on the other side. She could see the stress in his face.
They walked in together and stood in a heap, barely a line. The group walked through big oak doors to see tables that were the longest she'd ever seen. The ceiling was as dark and wondrous as the night sky, candles floating above everyone.
Ahead there was a small, wooden stool with a very dirty and patched hat placed on it. Professor Gigs was holding a large scroll of parchment in his hands. Everyone was looking at the professor when the hat began to twitch. The hat had a voice that filled the room with song, startling Albus, Rose, and Rachel.
"I'm here to sort and all of that
Because I'm the famous sorting hat!
I'll put you in a house, one of four
Starting with Godric Gryffindor
One whose heart is courageous and brave
Where they're known as the heroes who save
Or in Helga's House of loyalty
Hufflepuff will be kind to thee
Rowena Ravenclaw, full of knowledge and wit
Where the brainy go to seek their fit
Or finally with Salazar Slytherin
Where the resourceful and ambitious truly win
Don't be worried, leave it to me
I'll put you where you're meant to be!"
The song finished and the entire hall applauded. Professor Gigs moved a step forward with the scroll.
"When I call your name, you will sit yourselves on the stool and try on the hat to be sorted."
The entire hall had their eyes on either the group, or Professor Gigs.
"Accip, Irene." The girl slowly walked forward and-
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.
"Anderson, Martin." This was the freckled-faced boy that Rachel had been arguing with before they had entered the hall.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Rachel's mouth opened wide as he trotted over to the Gryffindor table. She gave a concerned look over to Rose, who looked as if nothing had happened.
Gigs and the hat continued to sort through the students until it was Rachel's turn.
"Higgins, Rachel." Rachel crossed her fingers as she walked forward. She placed the hat on her head and waited. The hat began to whisper.
"Tough this is... where can I put you? You're very intelligent I see, courageous too. Hmm. You're mind is strong and cunning, but Ravenclaw would lead you to magnificence! Hmm, difficult... A mind of knowledge, yes, not afraid of what others wonder..."
The hat continued for five more minutes when students sitting at the four tables began to whisper, "she's a hat stall!"
"Difficult indeed. Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. Tricky business. "
As the hat became more and more confused as to where she was to be put, Rachel decided to take the sorting into her own hands. She thought about Gryffindor, but Martin... she couldn't. Slytherin? She thought about this longer but remembered the vile stories she'd heard about them, leaving only...
"RAVENCLAW!"
She stood up and faced the high table ahead. Professor Gigs was smiling as she'd hoped. The table closest to her right began to cheer as loud as they could.
"We got a hat stall!" is all she heard, along with, "longest hat stall in history, I reckon!"
She wandered over to the table that stood and jeered loudly, assuming that it was the Ravenclaw house.
They seemed overjoyed, but Rachel didn't know why it was so important. She sat down near the end, as everyone was ushering her to. Once sitting, she remembered about Rose and Albus. They had said they wanted to be in Gryffindor, meaning she may have just lost her two new friends. She looked at Albus and Rose and they seemed to also be looking at her. Rose had a sad look on her face, as did Albus. Rachel gave them a reassuring look and a thumbs up for good measure.
The hat went through the rest of the first years, no one even nearing as long as it took for Rachel to be placed. She heard the names 'Maddle, Hailey', and 'Malfoy, Scorpius', who both became Slytherin, and before she knew it, Albus' turn came around.
He went to sit down on the stool and she could see Rose biting her finger nails. Albus sat there for a few moments until the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
He stood up and wandered over to the Gryffindor table. Many jumped up and yelled in excitement, some of which she assumed was family.
More students were sorted, including a 'Storm, Eric', who became a Hufflepuff, and a 'Vanessa Thomas', who became a Gryffindor.
It was then Rose's turn after some more students had been sorted.
"Weasley, Rose!" shouted the professor.
She sat down on the stool slowly. The hat had barely touched her head before it bellowed, "RAVENCLAW!" Rose looked astonished. A few moments passed and the Ravenclaw table went wild as usual. Rose was excited as she looked at Rachel, but turned to see Albus who seemed happy for her, but clearly disappointed that he would be in his house with neither of the two for company.
She skipped over and sat with Rachel, giving her a big hug. She had been the second last to be sorted, as there had been a 'Zabini, Randall' sorted into Slytherin.
Ravenclaws from all over the table came to pay them and the 9 other new Ravenclaw students a visit and a pat on the back.
She looked up to see Professor Gigs looking out at everyone at the feast as he sat in his seat beside the headmistress.
"Welcome!" the room went silent. "This year at Hogwarts should be a special one! Enjoy the feast!" Brinson went to sit back down. At this moment, the golden dishes in front of them filled themselves with food. Rose and Rachel dug in, happy that they were together. All Rachel could think about was Albus. Surely he would make friends?
She laughed with Rose at some jokes that the other Ravenclaws made as they ate. They met a few people, including the house prefect, Slayden Fenthook, along with some family members of Rose and Albus. She met Dominique, who was in her fifth year, and Louis, her younger brother, who was in his 3rd year. She also met their other cousins, Lucy, a second year, and Molly, her sister, who was in her fourth year. According to Rose, other than the family that she had just met, the rest of her family at Hogwarts was in Gryffindor, with the exception of Roxanne, a fourth year in Hufflepuff.
They had almost finished eating when Rose gave her 'the look'.
"Ray, we have to talk to Al before bed just to see if he's alright. We can't just leave him on his own, you know."
She was right. And that was what they intended to do. Rachel looked up at the high table and looked back to see that even the desserts had vanished and Brinson was on her feet.
"Could I have everyone's attention please. Please note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Also, no magic is to be used in between classes or in the corridors on the authority of Mr. Filch. Quidditch trials will be held next week-"
Many students yelled in delight. She even heard chanting of 'GO GO GRYFFINDOR!'
Brinson cleared her throat, silencing everyone. "As I was saying, Professor Anthony should be contacted by the participants. I now wish you all a wondrous year at Hogwarts and I ask you to stay safe."
Many students were ready to leave the hall when four Hufflepuffs broke out singing an odd song about Hogwarts in what sounded like an Opera.
Brinson looked surprised, as she probably didn't intend for a song, but knew exactly what they meant by it. She made the words to the song appear in the air so the rest of the hall could join in, singing to their own tune and tone.
The four Hufflepuffs finished last singing, again in their opera sounding voices. Brinson began to speak for the hall for the last time that night, adding an, "Off to bed you go. Hurry on then."
Everyone heaved out of their seats and the first years of every house gathered around their house prefects. Rose tried to tug Rachel along over to the Gryffindors in the confusion. "Albus!" the two yelled. He scurried over.
"Since it's Saturday tomorrow, we'll meet you down here at breakfast," instructed Rose.
"Alright then, see you tomorrow!" he said, attempting to yell over the massive noise in the hall.
They were caught by Dominique, Rose's cousin who happened to be a Ravenclaw prefect, telling them to get a move on. They came across an enormous room filled with moving stair cases and Rose kept hanging off of Rachel's shoulder, scared of falling off one.
They finally reached the fifth floor and went through a door. This led up a large spiral staircase that seemed to go on for ages. "This is the Ravenclaw tower. Our house is always testing your skills. The other dormitories each have a portrait that requires a password. Ravenclaw's tower is actually a living door knocker that requires an answer to a riddle. You were all sorted into this house for a reason and should use your knowledge to enter the common room."
Rose whispered into her ear, "He reminds me just like my Uncle Percy."
Oblivious to this, he turned to face the golden door knocker. "Which came first, the phoenix, or the flame?" asked the knocker.
He didn't stop to think before answering, "It is a continuous circle and therefore has no beginning."
The door swung open and he led the rest of the house into a round room. Rose and Rachel looked about before he began to talk again. The room was wide, tall, and circular. In the middle of the space was a large, midnight blue carpet. The windows were arched with curtains of blue and bronze. The ceilings reminded Rachel of the night sky, as it was painted with beautiful stars.
They were shown their dormitories, which were left to the large fireplace. The two dormitory doors were on either side of a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. The girls' dorm was on the left of the statue, while the boys' dormitory was on the right.
It was getting late and they all wandered to the dorms. There were several doors down the dormitory hallway. Each door had a label of what years of girls were in each room. They walked down to the very end of the hallway to find a door that read 'First Years' on a plaque. They walked inside to find their trunks at the foot of their beds. Rachel and Rose were directly beside one another, (the staff must have noticed), and the two were excited. There were only three beds in the room, Rose's bed to the far right, Rachel's beside hers, nearing the middle.
A girl was already sitting on her bed, which was on the other side of Rachel's. Her hair was a silky black and looked at them with a grin. "So, you're Rose Weasley, and Rachel Higgins?" she asked, with her arms crossed.
"Yeah, and you are?" Rachel said, as she held out her hand, intending on a shake.
The girl only stared at her hand, finally giving it a slight shake when she introduced herself as 'Shania Hampt'. She left only moments after that, undoubtedly going to sit in the common room.
Rachel and Rose only laughed as she left, knowing she was going to 'loads of fun' for the rest of their Hogwarts years.
"Is there only three girls?"
Rose looked and scrunched up her nose as she thought. "I guess so. At the table, there were about eleven of us, so the rest of the Ravenclaws in our year must be boys."
Rachel groaned. "At least we're not stuck with two or more Shania's, that's for sure."
Rose and Rachel laughed away, knowing that they'd have to deal with Shania's rude behaviour all year, so they might as well get used to it.
"Well, I'm heading to bed. I'm much too tired for anything."
"I'll be off too. Maybe Al will share a few classes with us!"
Rachel lay in her bed, staring at the top of her four poster that was decorated with silk "Yeah, hopefully." And with that, she fell asleep.
A/N: I'm sorry for the wait! Busy stuff, ugh. But there it is! Please Review!