Let's check in with Neville and Hermione on how they found the boat ride and sorting. If I haven't made it clear this fic will be entirely from Harry's POV, however I will every now and again check in with these two as they form my little Golden Trio. Ron won't be the bad guy, but I want to explore Harry's loyalties to his friends outside of Ron if he didn't meet Ron first. Don't forget Ron will eventually end up in a relationship with Hermione after the war so we know they have some sort of friendship and I really look forward to exploring it. But right now, let's get back to the first year.


Hermione

Hermione's mind wouldn't settle, Neville as he'd given her permission to call him buy his first name, had thrown what she thought she knew about the wizarding world up on its head. In none of the books she had read since finding out she was a witch told her that you had to have permission to call someone by their first name. Whilst yes, she had known about the various levels of wizarding nobility, she didn't realise what the truly meant. She's truly grateful that Neville sat with her and Harry on the train. It wasn't a busy cart and she learnt something really important. She finds it interesting that between her, Neville, and Harry they had all three blood classes, her a first-generation witch, Harry a half-blood wizard – as his mum was a first-generation witch like herself and his dad was a pureblood, and Neville a pureblood wizard. Getting off the train and it not only being dark but also really cold confirms that she's nowhere near home and as excited as she is she suddenly really misses home. It doesn't feel right that she this far away from her mum and dad when she's only ever stayed with her nana and grandpops for a week maximum, she doesn't like that she can't have her mum and dad here for this journey after all the things they been there for. She knows she should be grateful to get this experience, but she just wants her mum and dad. Hermione suddenly feels very alone and like she could do with a big fat cry but she knows her mum wouldn't want her to be upset or feeling lonely, she knows her mum would want her to take in all the details so that she can sit on her mums lap and tell her all about the castle, the boats, the train and especially the lessons when she sees her again in exactly 110 days.

Hermione is a little overwhelmed when she realises that there are more boys than girls in her year and they all seem to have gathered together whilst she's separated from them. Never having female friends means she doesn't really know what to talk to people about and the years of being bullied by the popular girls just because she likes to read makes her afraid of reaching out to people. She hopes that she gets on with whoever she shares a dorm with.

Getting sorted into Gryffindor with Neville and Harry puts her mind at ease that it doesn't really matter if she doesn't get along with them as if she doesn't, she can go to her dorm to sleep and get ready but that will be it. She can sit next to the boys during class and meals; she really doesn't mind studying on her own at least then it would be quiet, and she can focus. Whilst the Sorting Hat had said she could be a Ravenclaw it also said her bravery would do her well and she can't help but think she was very brave to just get on the train, she also thinks she'd prefer to be in a house where both Neville and Harry had a chance to get in and the only reason she didn't think those two could get into Ravenclaw is solely on the fact Neville said he doesn't really like studying.

Getting to the common room and sitting through the first house meeting for the next 7 years helped calm Hermione down and tells her that she can hopefully trust in her head of house to spot if something is wrong., she likes the idea that her office is so close by especially with her feeling homesick. Hermione hopes that once she gets her schedule tomorrow, she will be able to prepare better which should calm her homesickness down, she also knows that once she receives a letter from home, she'll be really emotional but also, it'll help her enjoy being at the school more as she won't be so worried that her family have forgotten her. It's a stupid thought she knows but she's only eleven and she really misses home. Hermione goes up to her dorm and she sets her alarm clock to wake her up for 6am so that she has enough time to get ready tomorrow. She usually takes a shower before bed so that her hair has time to dry, it also means she isn't fighting everyone else to use the shower in the morning. By the time she gets out of the shower her dormmates are already asleep.

Neville

Meeting Harry and Hermione on the train wasn't on his to do list when he set off for platform nine and ¾ this morning but he's damn sure glad he did. Neville's goal was to not lose Trevor and he accomplished that, then it was don't fall into the black lake again he did that, he wasn't sure which house if any, but he wanted Gryffindor so that he could follow after his mum and dad and he was so excited that he got it that he ran off with the damn hat still on his head. But no spending 7 hours with Harry Potter – his Godbrother bearing in mind, on the train and having to educate him on wizarding nobility just never even crossed his mind. The second Neville saw Harry in the carriage window he hoped there was space for him to sit with him because even if Harry doesn't know him and Neville are Godbrothers well Neville does and he would be so upset with himself if he went to go see his mum and couldn't tell her anything about Harry, he just knows she'd be disappointed even if she can't remember either of them. Seeing him wearing those muggle – wait no, non-magical – clothes he realised the stories that had sold about him were a lie. Harry wasn't raised fighting dragons and to kill Acromantula's, he looked tiny, beaten down and broken. When Neville mentioned just one thing about Harry's parents it looked like it meant the world to Harry, maybe that's why he didn't overwhelm him with information, but the book was definitely a good start. He can't have his Godbrother being looked down upon because he doesn't know and follow societal rules.

Neville will be writing to his gran tomorrow morning to ensure she's caught up with how little Harry knows regarding the magical world because she's been trying to see him ever since Neville started his lessons. She always told Headmaster Dumbledore that he had no business involving himself in business regarding a higher station than his house. Shed moan to Uncle Algie that Harry should be given to her after that man got himself thrown in prison and whilst that didn't really make sense to Neville, he knew better to question Gran on it. Now, that's not to say Neville couldn't ask questions, oh no, it just means that Neville is the Heir to house Longbottom and it was much more important to learn exactly what that means so that Gran didn't have to overwhelm him during holidays. Better to know you place in society now she'd say. Neville sometimes wishes it were his dad teaching him all this because surely, he could explain it a lot better than Uncle Algie could seeing as he wasn't raised as the Heir to a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. That's not to say he wasn't extremely grateful to Gran and Uncle Algie for everything they have done for him, but sometimes a boy just needs his dad. Neville also has to mention about his wand still not working for him in his letter, Gran said maybe when he was sorted it would work for him better but he couldn't even set an alarm on it but after Harry had fell sleep without setting one he had to ask Seamus to do it otherwise none of the boys would be up in time for first class let alone breakfast. Nope he's going to have to ask her to get him a new one, this one is obviously still very loyal to his dad, and he can't blame it, when he was reading a beginners guide to wand law book it states unless rightfully won whilst the previous owner is still alive the wand remains loyal to them, even if they can't use the wand for whatever reason. If Gran doesn't respond by Wednesday, then he will be asking Professor McGonagall to take him to Ollivander's, he has the Galleons to buy himself one so it's not a problem.