Chapter 3b
I am incredibly sorry for the long delay, but this chapter is the longest yet (3033 words!), so I hope you can forgive me... Of course I have a whole bunch of excuses, but I don't want to keep you from the chapter, so I will write this at the end of the chapter.
Disclaimer: Every single person in here belongs to JK Rowling, except Murdock, who belongs to Mr. Cannell and Mr. Lupo, and Tia, who is mine! My own, my love, my preciousssss.
*chm, chm*, sorry...
Enjoy!
The month left till Murdock's first day at the new school just flew by. There were times when he couldn't wait to go to this school, to learn magic, maybe even find friends. And then there were times when he got quite anxious about leaving his grandparents for such a long time.
Maybe he wouldn't even find friends, maybe he would be all alone. The nearer the day X got, the more anxious Murdock got about it.
Right now he spent almost every afternoon at the little airport, cleaning the choppers and listening to Jasons stories, about when he was an aerobatic. Murdock liked those very much and had decided, that one day he would be able to do this crazy stunts, Jason liked to talk about.
Once he had asked Jason to do one of those stunts, while they were flying together, but Jason only laughed.
"The "Lady Luck" and I, we are both far to old for that kind of thing", he said.
Knowing that his little friend would leave for some time soon and sensing how anxious the little guy was about it Jason took HM flying more often.
As much as Murdock enjoyed these trips, he always got home early in the evening, because most of all he was going to miss his grandparents. The little family spent every evening together, talking and playing games. They knew, that they would see each other again in the holidays, but they had never been apart for this long before.
Lastly the first September morning dawned. Murdock woke up early, to the rain falling rhythmically on his window.
As he knew he wouldn't sleep any more this night, he got up and looked his little room over one last time, before leaving.
At the end of his bed stood his big black trunk, bearing almost all his personally belongings. A few of his normal clothes, for the weekends, his favourite book about the history of flying, adventure books and some of his comics, along with his poster of the first helicopter.
And of course it contained all his magical stuff. The second hand school uniforms, that he got by owl post a week ago and his new wand.
Going over the list again he decided, that he hadn't forgotten anything important.
He changed his closes and went to the kitchen for breakfast. As always his grandma was already standing there, cooking.
"Good morning, HM", she greeted him affectionate. "Up already?"
"Yes, I couldn't sleep any more", was the mumbled reply. "I'm going to miss you!", he sighed.
Mrs. Murdock put down the spoon she was holding and went over to her little grandson, to gently hug him.
"Hey, little one. It will be okay! You can write us if something is up and if it is that bad you can come home again! We will be here, waiting for you, until you get home in the holidays. You will see, you won't even think of us that much, with all your new friends and that much to learn!", she tried to sooth him.
Murdock only sniffled silently into her cosy woollen cardigan. And so they stood there, in a loving embrace, until his grandfather entered the kitchen.
"It smells a bit burnt in here, doesn't it?", he asked.
"Oh no, the porridge", Mrs. Murdock cried, releasing her little boy, to safe their breakfast.
Fortunately it wasn't too late and the porridge was still eat able.
They ate in silence, each dreading the moment, when they would have to go to the train station and say their good byes.
Far too soon it was time to go. Murdock's grandfather got the trunk and they were just about to go, when the doorbell rang.
A little confused Murdock went to answer the door, who could that be?
Outside, panting a little, from climbing all the stairs, stood Jason, a little gift box in his hands.
"Hey, boy", he greeted.
"I just couldn't let you go, without wishing you luck and saying my good byes!", he said.
"This is for you", he added, giving the heavy box to Murdock. "I believe you have to go now, so just open later."
"Thank you, Jason!", Murdock cried, a bit surprised. Then he hugged the stunned man sincere. And who would have looked very close, might have seen a single tear twinkling in the old engineers eyes.
Awkwardly he pulled free from his little friend. "No problem, I have to go now, just don't forget me...", he managed to choke out, quickly retreating, before his emotions got the better of him.
"Good bye, Jason, I could never forget you!", the boy replied solemn.
Soon after the engineer left, the little family took a cab to the central station. It was a silent ride, for Murdock wasn't singing or joking around like he would have done normally.
They arrived at half past ten, so they had still enough time to search for the mysterious platform 9 ¾. They new, that they would have to "run through the wall" in order to get there. Logically it had to be the wall between platform 9 and 10.
They didn't need to search for long. Murdock simply leaned against one of the piers and fell through.
He opened his eyes, when he hit the floor and what he saw let him forget the pain and the shock of falling straight through the wall.
It was amazing, it was pure MAGIC!
The platform was crowded with people of all age and gender, many of them wearing cloaks. Some of them had their wands out, others held big trunks like Murdock's in their hands.
It may have been raining outside, but on the platform the sun was shining. It shone directly on the big, red engine, making it glistened in a wonderful warm red and gold.
It was very loud on the platform, parents saying goodbye to their kids, the older students were greeting their friends and the pets were loud, too, but all that went unnoticed by Murdock for when he first entered the platform everything seemed to move in slow motion, he didn't hear the racket. He just stood there, wide-eyed, taking in the picture before him.
It was not till his grandparents entered after him, that Murdock snapped out of his trance.
Together they walked through the crowd towards the school train.
Soon it was time to say good bye. Murdock boarded the train and searched for an empty compartment. He wandered almost through the whole train, until he found one. He sat down on the comfortable seats and when the train started, he waved his grandparents until they fainted in the distance.
He felt a bit lonely, now that his grandparents were getting further away every second and he didn't know anyone yet, but he wasn't alone for much longer. Only five minutes after the train left the station there was a tumult on the floor and two twin boys with fiery red hair tumbled in.
"You don't mind if we sit here, do you?", one of them asked.
Murdock shook his head. He stared at them in curiosity, they didn't wear normal clothes, but a pair of black school robes, like Murdock had in his trunk too. They must be from one of those wizarding families!
"Is there something on my robe?", the second twin asked.
"Don't you see it?", Murdock asked innocently.
"What?!"
"The invisible bug!", Murdock replied giving them a cheeky grin.
"You are nuts!", the first twin exclaimed.
"That's what people keep telling me, but I am pretty sure that my name is Murdock", was the solemn reply.
The twins stared at him for a moment, dumbstruck.
"Well, I am Fabian and this is my brother Gideon Prewett", the first twin introduced.
"All of our family have been in Gryffindor, including our older sister Molly,...", Gideon added.
"So we think, that we will get there too..."
"As long as we don't get in Slytherin it is okay, though."
"What about you? What do you think which house you will be in, Murdock?"
"By the way, isn't Murdock your last name? Don't you have a given name?"
Murdock blinked a few times, this twins were pretty weird, but after all, who was he to judge them.
"I don't know about any houses, I am a", he hesitated a few moments, trying to remember, what Mr. Ollivander had called it. "... muggleborn. Of course I do have a given name, but I hate it, so everybody just calls me Murdock."
The twins decided to let it go for now, they would find out sooner or later, if not in the sorting , than maybe in one of the classes...
"Okay, Murdock,..."
"..there are four houses..."
They spent the rest of the journey talking and laughing, Murdock ate his first chocolate frog and almost let it escape. The twins were nice enough and they all got on well.
It was already dark when there was a knock at the door and two red headed older students entered their compartment.
"Gideon, Fabian, you better clean your mess up, we are arriving at Hogwarts shortly", she told the twins sternly.
Turning to Murdock she added in a gentler voice: "You better put your cloaks on too."
When she opened her mouth to say more she was interrupted by the twins.
"Molly!"
"Nice to see you again!"
"Did you already miss us?"
"I know you did! Don't worry, if we get sorted in Gryffindor, you will see us all year!", Gideon exclaimed.
Molly didn't look too happy at that prospect. She replied something, but in that moment Murdock got distracted.
"Hi, I am Arthur Weasley", the other redhead introduced himself. "So you are a muggleborn aren't you?"
Murdock nodded.
"Do you really use wishdashers, to clean your plates?"
Murdock was saved from answering, as in that moment Molly stormed out and Arthur went after her quickly.
"That was our sister and her boyfriend, he is possessed by everything that muggles use, so you better watch for your things, when he is around", the twins warned him, there was no saying if they were serious or not.
The rest of the ride was spent in silence, excitement finally kicking in full force. Murdock had changed in his robes and stuffed his muggle clothes in the trunk.
Soon the train came to an halt. They had arrived.
The three boys left their belongings in the train and stepped out in the cool, windy night.
The following way to the castle went by in a blur.
They were lead to the boats by an giant man and crossed a big lake.
The moment, when he first saw the castle, was a moment Murdock would never forget in his entire life, the moment when the dense undergrowth thinned out and on top of a little hill the castle was to be seen, well-lit. It was a moment, when everything seemed possible, but nothing important.
And on they went, out of the boats, up the hill and through big folding doors inside the castle.
It was just huge.
In the entrance hall there was Professor McGonagall, waiting for them. She lead them through a lot of corridors, until they entered a little room.
All the way just couldn't stop staring wide-eyed, in awe, trying to take in as much as possible.
He just snapped out of it, as McGonagall began to speak:
"Welcome to Hogwarts", said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has his own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while 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 honour. 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 rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourself up as much as you can while you are waiting.
I will return, when we are ready for you", said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, chapter 6)
With that she left the now very nervous first years.
Murdock wondered how they would sort them, would they just throw a coin, or would it be some kind of test?
Anxious Murdock took his favourite blue baseball cap out of his pockets, putting it on, he already felt a whole lot better. It had been the last present of his mother.
"I don't think, that is what McGonagall meant, you know smarten us up and all...", a small girl, with unruly brown hair and deep green eyes taunted, a cocky twinkle in her eyes.
"I am Tia Morgan, by the way, nice to meet you!"
"I'm Murdock. Nice to meet you, too", was all that Murdock could say, until the Professor got back.
"We are ready, please follow me in a straight row of pairs of two", McGonagall announced, giving Murdock's cap a disapproving look.
They were lead in the Great Hall and a great hall it was, beautifully lit with candles floating in mid air. "Amazing", Murdock heard Tia whisper, who happened to walk beside him.
When they reached the front of the hall, McGonagall made them stop. She announced, that they were to put the Sorting Hat on, to be sorted in the right house, which made all of the first years sigh in relief, at least that was easy.
Then the old, ragged hat began to sing, praising the characteristics of each house and telling their history.
After the song everybody clapped and then the sorting began.
It started with "Bones, Amelia". A confident girl stepped forward and placed the hat on her head. After a short wait it shouted "Gryffindor!" and the red and golden house table started clapping.
And so it went on.
The siblings Amycus and Alecto Carrow were sorted into Slytherin and "Dawlish, John" became the first Hufflepuff, followed by "Diggory, Amos", "Fenwick, Benjy" was sorted into Gryffindor, while "Hopkirk, Mafalda" was made the first Ravenclaw.
Until it finally was Murdock's turn "Jones, Hestia" went into Gryffindor, "Jorkins, Bertha" became a Hufflepuff and "Lockhart, Gilderoy", was sent to Ravenclaw.
They had reached the letter "M". Murdock was really nervous, would she announce his given name, or would she remember?
"Morgan, Tia" was also send to Gryffindor.
Subconsciously Murdock began to hum "It's a kind of magic" by Queen, it was his turn now...
"Murdock, HM", MacGonagall called out. Murdock could hear the twins swearing behind his back, he grinned briefly, his name remained a secret, then he went forward.
The hat wasn't that far away, still it seemed like hours till he got there, everyone eyes laid on him in that moment, well and on his strange cap...
By the time he reached the chair, his hands were trembling, he almost couldn't take his cap of, to have it replaced by the Sorting Hat.
The hat was way to big for his head, so his world went black, he could see nothing through the thick fabric.
"Hello young one!", a high voice announced in his head.
"Hi muchacho...", Murdock replied a bit uncertain, was he really speaking with the hat?
"Yes, it's me", the voice chuckled softly. "But as interesting as this may be, we are here to sort you, right? Sooo, let me see... Hum, you are a challenge, mh?"
Murdock stiffened, would he have to get home again?
"Oh, don't worry", the hat soothed him. "I am sure we will find something for you. Well, you certainly aren't a Slytherin, you are way to kind hearted for that, you can be a fierce and dangerous opponent, but only for those you love, you don't seek for glory and fame, but for friendship. So Hufflepuff then? It would fit, but you are, how do I say it a bit..."
"Crazy?", Murdock grinned.
"That's one way to put it. Call it as you want, but you are a bit over the top for Hufflepuff. Still, behind all those "craziness", as you put it you have an alert mind and a very big brain, you are intelligent, that much I can see. So Ravenclaw then? No, you aren't the studious type either, are you?", again the hat chuckled.
"So Gryffindor it is then!", the hat announced, without waiting for an answer. "You are adventurous and true at heart, you are brave and loyal. The Gryffindors will accept you as you are and in there it will be, where you will find the friendship you seek."
"Gryffindor!", the hat finally exclaimed for the waiting students and teachers.
"Thank you!", Murdock quickly thought, before the hat was lifted and he went to sit with his house.
Murdock quickly put his cap back on as he slumped down on the bench besides Tia.
As the sorting went on the twins, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Emmeline Vance joined the Gryffindor table. Albert Runcorn was made a Slytherin and Gilbert Wimple becoming a Ravenclaw ended the sorting.
Now the headmaster said a few words, Murdock liked him instantly, and then the feast began.
Well, that's it, Murdock is sorted. What do you think? Does it fit? Please tell me, I really need your feedback, because if I don't get feedback I get really nervous, because I don't know if it is good or really really bad. And if I get nervous, I get writers block and you don't get a chapter, so pleeeeaaaaase review!
Also I would like to know, how much you would like to read about Murdock's time at Hogwarts, I intended to write one more chapter and then jump to his 3rd year, to bring the Marauders in, but I could write more about if you want me, too, or I could publish one shots about it at my profile... What do you think?
I don't know when I will be able to update again, but I will do my best, to update at least once a month...
Okay, now, here is the promised bunch of excuses:
school kept me really busy
I got writers block (pretty bad) :((
I had to prepare my 18th birthday (well, that was actually fun ^^)
I got all the seasons of the A-Team for my birthday, so I just couldn't stop watching it, I'm sure you of all people understand this... :D, it got me inspired though...
However, thanks for sticking with this and for reading, thanks again for following and have a really nice day,
FM