Chapter 3: A Brand New World
A couple of days after, Veronica woke up, her mother was sitting on the couch, drinking her coffee and reading the newspaper but something was wrong with the images thought Veronica.
"Mom, I'm probably still asleep because the pictures are moving"
"No, it's not a dream Veronica, I just received it this morning, by an owl, it's great" said Lianne
"So, I guess it's a wizard newspaper" Veronica sat on the couch inclined her head and added"the Daily Prophet, not bad as a title"
"You are right. So sweetie, what's your plan for today"
"I don't..." the phone rang, Lianne stood up and picked it up.
"Hello! Hi Lily...Yes… she's here...Okay...Veronica it's for you"
Veronica stood up she was glad, her best friend was no longer grumpy, she took the phone and her mother went to the kitchen to made some coffee.
"...Yes...I'll be there at two...See you..." Veronica hung up the phone and sat on a kitchen chair.
"Mom, I'm gonna need your help, can you drive me to Lily's house this afternoon PLEASE?" she asked.
"Of course, now it's time for you young lady to eat, here, you breakfast"
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This afternoon, Veronica was at Lily's house, in the garden. Lily's parents left earlier this morning, so the nanny kept an eye on them.
They were on sunbathing, talking about the last couple of weeks.
"I'm sorry, V, I was selfish, It's just that you're my best friend, and I was afraid to be alone this year" said Lily.
"Lily, you're the only person in the world who'll never be alone, you make friends very easily and boys will fight to be sit next to you" said Veronica.
"Yes, I know"she responded pouting"and I'm sure that you'll have a lot of friends too in your new mysterious school, everyone love you Veronica Mars"
"I'm glad we talked, I don't know how it is going to be without you by my side"
They laughed and tanned a little when Duncan and Logan arrived running and jumped in the pool, splashing the girls.
"Come on girls, the water is as hot as Logan's mother" said Duncan's looking at Logan.
"Hey, dude, don't talk about my mother, not cool" he splashed Ducan"but he's right about one thing, for once, the water is good"
Veronica and Lily looked at each other and they decided to dive in the pool, and splashed the boy.
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The rest of the summer was amazing for Veronica, she was excited for her new school and the relation between Lily and Veronica was at its top, they spent their days at each other's.
On the last week of the summer, Lily decided to throw a party, inviting all the kids of the 90909, or as they like calling themselves the 09er.
"I decided to call this party... End of Summer Night" declared Lily"and I'll do it every year"
"Wow, the name sucks Lily" mocked Logan.
"If you don't like it, you don't have to come" replied Lily
"Oh, no, I won't miss one of your parties"
"It's not just a simple party Logan, it will be a pool party, I asked Maria to go to the shop buy some rubber rings, I'm sure she's gonna bring you a duck" she said in an ironic smile.
"Very funny, I'm gonna let you here, I guess Duncan is in his room, so I'm gonna join him"
The party was a huge success, everyone had fun even Duncan who is usually not a party person. They celebrate Veronica's departure and it was hard for her to keep the genre of school she will be in this year.
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The day of the departure, Veronica woke up at 6 am, her train was leaving at 9. She headed to the kitchen to her last 'muggle breakfast' she thought. It was 7.30 when Neville knocked at the door, Veronica's suitcases were ready, piled up in the living room. She went toward the door and opened it.
"Hi, Neville, what up?" she asked casually.
"I'm fine as always" he answered "are you ready for Hogwarts?"he added.
"YES! I can't wait, I'm so ready" she replied "even if I'm a little sad to leave my friends and family".
"Don't worry, like Sir Dumbledore used to say 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light "he said, with a little sadness.
"Who is…Dumbledore?" asked curiously Veronica.
"He was the greatest wizard of our world" replied Neville, smiling "Where are your parents?"
"They are dressing, they'll be here in a minute, do you want to drink something?"
"No, thanks. I'll need to explain you and your parents how to get to the platform 9 3/4. How your train station is called here?" he asked, sitting on the couch.
"Just, Neptune Grand Station, it's not fancy" she laughed.
"Okay" Keith and Lianne went out of their room and met the two wizards in the living room "Keith, Lianne" Neville stood up and shook their hands.
"So, in order to headed to the platform we have to...well...how to say that…Yeah, run into a wall" said Neville with a large smile on his face
"WHAT? Running into a wall, that's absolutely crazy, young man and I have seen crazy in my life" snickered Keith.
"No, I mean, yes we have to but we won't get hurt, we will just pass through it. Remember Sir, Magic" he laughed "Magic, is awesome in a frickin' way, we have to go, I need to find THE wall."
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Everyone headed to the car, putting all of Veronica's things in the trunk and Dawn in the backseat with Veronica and Neville, and left for the train station.
"Did you sleep well, honey?" asked Lianne
"Not so much, I'm divided" responded Veronica "I'm super excited to go to a wizard school and at the same time I'm sad because I won't see you every day and I won't be with Lily this year and the years to come" she looked at Neville, smiled at him and added "But I'll be fine, I'm a witch and a Mars."
"Yes, my daughter Veronica Mars the witch, we could wrote a TV show about that" snickered Keith, winking at her through the rear-view mirror.
"Keith!" said Lianne, looking judgily at her husband.
"Fine, but she knows I'm very proud of her, I always told her she's perfect"
"How things happened in Hogwarts, Neville?" asked Keith.
"Well, there is four houses and the sorting hat choose which house each students are meant for, I was a Gryffondor" replied proudly Neville.
"Wow, awesome" said gapingly Veronica "What are the..."
"Here we are, Neptune Grand Station" cut Keith.
He parked and put Veronica's suitcases on the luggage cart, on top of them was lying Dawn in her cage.
"Let's go, we have a wall to find" said proudly Veronica.
They entered in the train station, the clock appeared 8.30, and they headed to the platform and stopped in front of a brown-brick wall.
"It's here, let's go" Neville looked at Keith and added "walk fast and don't be afraid. Veronica and Lianne you go first"
Veronica grabbed the luggage cart, took a deep breath and ran into it, a feeling a fear was fastly forgot when she arrived on the other side and saw a big train she raised her head and she saw 'Hogwarts Express', she remained astonish for a few seconds, then her mother joined her, they step aside waiting for Keith and Neville.
Both of them arrived, Keith was speechless, especially because he ran into a wall.
"Come on, we have to put your suitcases in the train and find you a seat" said Neville grabbing the luggage cart and headed to the compartment and Veronica nostalgically said goodbye to her parents
"I'm gonna miss you, so much, but we will wrote" said Veronica with a trembling voice
"Don't worry, sweetie, here" Lianne pulled out a picture out of her coat and gave it to Veronica "whenever you fell alone "she cuddled her.
"Who's your daddy?" said ironically Keith
"I hate when you say that" Veronica jumped into his father's arms" I love you dad "she got on the train, stopped and added "I love you guys, I'll sent Dawn when I arrived to tell in which house I am"
"We love you, go now, don't worry we take care of the suitcases, right Neville "said Keith patting him on the back.
"Right, I got this, see you in Hogwarts Veronica"
The signal of the train resounded and Veronica sent her parents a goobye kiss and get inside the compartment and entered in a carriage.
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"Hi, I'm Veronica, can I sit here?"
"Yes, no problem, I am Calixta" responded a long-brown curly hair girl.
"Thanks, it's my first year, I'm so stressed"
"Don't worry, all the dangerous things happened last year" said Calixta, nodding.
"What happened last year?" asked Veronica curiously.
"WHAT!" exclaimed Calixta "you DON'T know, from what planet did you came from?"
"Neptune but the city in California" replied Veronica.
"You...are American, wow, impressed. Last year it was the battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter against Voldemort, the Horcruxes, all that" said Calixta surprised.
"It's sound very dangerous, you right, but lucky for us, it was last year, right" added Veronica
"Yes, but my brother Arran told me that Hogwarts is impredictible, you can live great things there" whispered Calixta "but your parents didn't tell you?"
"No, they never went to Hogwarts, they are not wizards" responded Veronica a little embarrassed.
"So you are a muggle-born witch"
"A what?" asked surprisingly Veronica.
"Your parents, they are muggles, because they are not wizards and you are, so muggle-born" explained Calixta.
"And what you are?" asked Veronica
"I'm a half-blood. My mom is a muggle and my dad a wizard, she was very surprised when he told her"
"Wow, magic is really awesome" added Veronica. She looked through the window for few minutes then sighed.
"How do you feel?" asked Calixta
"Stressed, a lot also excited. Until now, I only was in 'muggles school' ²²²" replied Veronica
"What?"
"Yep, I find a week ago that I was a witch, actually a man named Neville..."
"LONGBOTTOM!" cut Calixta "he's kind of a hero, you know. It's thank to him that Voldemort was weaken and killed"
"Who's Voldemort?" asked curiously Veronica
"There is a lot you need to learn about our world "laughed Calixta "Well...Voldemort was the most terrifying wizard of our world but he was defeated by Harry Potter, a friend of Neville. He's a hero too, I mean he is the chosen one, I never saw him but my brother was in second year when everything happened, and he saw him once" said Calixta leaning on the couch.
"Awesome, I'm dying to know everything about your...our world and mostly about Hogwarts" said Veronica excited "Do you know some magic trick?"
"Not much, just little things, but we'll learn so much at school, like flying on brooms" exclaimed Calixta
"Wait...What...a broom...really" stuttered Veronica.
"Yep, it's so cool, I can't wait to be there. I hope I'll be in Gryffondor, like my family before me. Where would you be in?"
"I don't know, I don't even know all the houses just Gryffondor, but I just know its name" replied Veronica, a little embarrassed
"As you said there is Gryffondor, their animal is a Lion, then Ravenclaw with a Raven, Hufflepuff which is a Badger, and finally, the house with a snake, Slytherin. The coolest is Gryffondor" added Calixta with a large smile.
"I'll see..."
"But it's not up to you, it's the choice of the sorting hat, it knows where you belong once the headmistress put it on top on your head" said Calixta imitating McGonagall.
"So a living hat? Well I guess we will find out tonight" responded Veronica, laughing at Calixta imitation.
"Girls would you like anything to eat?" asked a woman, opening the door of the carriage.
"Yes, can I have liquorices' wand please?" asked Calixta standing up and headed to the woman.
The woman gave it to her, Calixta paid her.
"What about you sweetie?" asked the woman looking at Veronica.
"Well..." she really wanted to taste some wizards sweets but she was also a little scared, it was the first time for her, what if she hated it
"You should take wrapped caramels, it's one of the 'normal candies' " said Calixta smiling at Veronica
"Ok, I trust you" she stood up and asked for wrapped caramels and paid the woman.
"Thanks"
Both of the girls came back to sit and eat theirs sweets.
"It's good, I mean it's caramel of course it's good. So, is there other candies which can be 'weird' "asked Veronica eating her caramels.
"There are plenty, one of the most strange is Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans" responded the young witch.
"How can candies be weird?"
"There are a lot of flavours, cherry, almond, peach. But also chicken, rotten egg, soap" replied Calixta.
Veronica frowned and said "Oh, okay, I understand now, maybe I'll try them... later" snickered Veronica.
They keep talking about candies and magic until they almost arrived at the school.
"We should put on our robes, we are almost there"e xclaimed Calixta looking at the window astonishingly.
Veronica's heart beat faster and faster as the train arrived near the station, she knew it wasn't a joke and that thing was really happening, but what if she is not accepted by the other students because her parents are not wizards, what if the hat can't sort her into any houses.
The train stopped, and all students came down of the train to find a big tall man with a massive beard, holding an oil lamp in his right harm.
"First year students, follow me the boats are waiting along the Black Lake, let's go" said Hagrid with a deep voice. All the students rushed behind Hagrid and followed him toward the boats.
Veronica looked around her, she was speechless in front of this setting.
"It's so beautiful" she exclaimed in a huge sighed.
"Yeah, you right, it's gonna be our second home for the next seven years" added Calixta grabbing Veronica by the harm and headed to the boat.
Everyone get inside of the boat with at the front an oil lamp to show the way. The boat started to move toward the school. Everyone was surprised, looking all around them, imagining how it's going to be to study in school like that.
The boat arrived at school, everyone get down and followed Hagrid inside of the school "wait right here, I'll come back and I'll take you into the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your houses" said Hagrid.
Veronica saw her suitcases and Dawn and was surprised because she didn't know how they could be here.
"How our things did come here?" whispered Veronica.
"Magic, Veronica, Magic" replied Calixta, taping on Veronica's shoulder.
All the students were waiting when the tall man came back.
"Let's go, it's about to begin" exclaimed Hagrid.
They were rushing into the Great Hall, astonished by the decor, the candles which were floating under their head, and a roof imitating the night sky.
"It's wicked, much more than I expected" aw'ed Veronica.
As they walked toward the end of the hall, they saw the other students looking at them, excited too to receive new students and left behind them this bloody war.
A woman with a pointed hat stood up and started talking "Welcome to Hogwarts, I am the headmistress McGonagall, you will spend seven years in this school. You will learn the great art of potion, the defense against the dark forces and other magical practice. Let me remind you some of the rules. After what happened last year, it's important for you to respect those rules. Students cannot walk alone in the corridor at night. It's absolutely forbidden to go into the Dark Forest" she said with a serious voice and her finger up "I hope you will appreciate your seven years in our school. Let's the sorting hat ceremony begins" exclaimed Minerva "When I'll call your name, you'll come sit on that chair"
The students looked at each other with a mix of fear and excitement.
"Calixta Trilliot" declared Minerva looking the student in the middle of the crowd.
"Good luck" whispered Veronica.
Calixta made her way through the crowd of first year students and sat on the chair, the headmistress put the hat on her head.
"Well, Calixta, a Trilliot again, I put all of your siblings into Gryffondor, so I guess for you it will be...GRYFFONDOR" said an husky voice coming out of the hat, All the Gryffondor applauded at that announcement.
"Wyviar Caster" the boys came and sat on the chair and the sorting hat was put on his head.
"Caster, Caster, the first generation, you are a smart boy, full of energy. You belong to... RAVENCLAW" a hundred of applauses rose from the Hall, he get down of the chair and joined his new home.
"Isthall Deshawn" a small girl made her through toward the chair
"HUFFLEPUFF!" exclaimed the sorting hat.
The students of Hufflepuff applauded her loudly.
"Kalneas Pyron" the girl sat on the chair.
"You, let me think one second. Well...SLYTHERIN!" a high noise rose from the Slytherin table.
"Drokalys Thistle" said Minerva.
The boy came to the chair with a look of disdain.
"I'm sure he will go to Slytherin" whispered a girl next to Veronica.
"Thistle, I knew your grandfather once, a lot of troubles...SLYTHERIN" yielded the sorting hat. He rejoined his new home.
"Veronica Mars" said the Headmistress.
Veronica shyly made her way through the students and sat on the chair, she looked at Calixta for comfort as her heart was beating faster. Minerva put the sorting hat on her blond little head.
'It will be okay' she thought 'you are a Mars'
"That's interesting your little head is well-filled. You are brave and smart. Kind but you don't let people walk all over you. You are also loyal to your friends. Difficult choice, very difficult" the sorting hat stopped talking for a few seconds but those seconds seemed to last forever for Veronica.
'Maybe, I don't belong to any house, or I don't belong here' thought Veronica scared 'what if they send me back to Neptune on the first train'
"I know, and it's going to be the perfect home for you to develop your powers and abilities"
Veronica felt relieved, she did belong in Hogwarts.
"So, for you it's going to be...GRYFFONDOR!" yielded the black old hat.
The Gryffondor students stood up and applauded loudly Veronica, Calixta winked at her as she applauded. Veronica felt relieve, her new life was about to start, and the sorting hat had confirmed it, she was a witch, a Gryffondor one. She left the chair and joined her new house.
"Ashan Slinger" said Minerva. Veronica sat next to Calixta relieved.
"I knew it" whispered Calixta
"I am so glad, the coolest house, and we'll be together. It's less scary with a friend" added Veronica smiling.
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Once the students were all sorted, Minerva stand in front of the students.
"Now, it's time for us to do a minute of silence for the one we lost and the one who survived last year" Minerva ducked her head and was followed by a hundred of students and the Hogwarts' staff, we could felt the pain and the pride in this silence, it was the best tribute for the wizards who fought to defend their school, to defend Hogwarts.
When the minute of silence ended, Minerva lifted her head and declared "They'll always remain in our hearts and now may the feast begins"
A hundred of different dishes appeared on the tables, from chicken fricassee to Fisherman's pie. A lot of pies, vegetables laid on the tables, also fish and chips dishes. Veronica was amazed by this amount of food 'even at the 09ers they don't have foods like that' she thought. She served herself some meat with vegetables and started to eat.
"It's really good "said Calixta with her mouth full.
"You right, it's excellent "replied Veronica swallowing a mouthful of water.
"We'll eat that every day for seven years" said a boy sat in front of them eating a chicken wing.
The dinner ended in a joyful mood and every first year student followed their prefects to their house Common room.
The Gryffondor prefect arrived in front of a painting, actually a fat lady portrait, he stopped before it.
"Welcome to Gryffondor. But I need, it, I need it, I need the password" sang the Fat Lady
"Tapeworm" said the prefect
The door opened but the lady start to sing the Hogwarts school song 'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach u...'
"Don't mind her; she loves to be the only pebbles on the beach" declared the prefect looking at the students.
They all agglutinated in the Common room.
"So, the boys' dormitory are up at your left and the girls' one at your right, your suitcases are already upstairs, next to yours beds"
They all rejoined their dormitories and some of them almost fell asleep very fast, but Veronica couldn't sleep, she was living in a dream, a dream she wants to discover everything about, even the tiniest things. She went to bed, closed her eyes and thought about the wonderful things she'll live.