Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Author's Note: This chapter was majorly based on canon. Sorry it took so long, I was really busy with school work. And yes, I know I miss the third corridor. For those looking forward for more script on Mattheo, he won't take up much in the first book. However, he would still be mentioned throughout the book. Characters mentioned in this chapter may not take major parts in the plot.
Fonts and Formatting: Bold Italicized words in thoughts indicates mental exclamations.
Chapter 3 – A Toot and A Tough Decision
"Tooth brush, towel, hair brush, soap, shirts, pants, skirts…" Jade muttered as she checked everything in her trunk, "I think that's everything…"
"Jade! Your gloves!" Mattheo shouted from the living room. She sprinted downstairs.
"Thanks! I totally would've left it home if you didn't find it, then I would fail Herbology. How much time do I have before ten?" She asked, striding upstairs again to finish up her packing.
"Uhh…barely seven minutes…" Mattheo informed, "You need help getting the trunks downstairs?"
"No, I can do this, it's only one trunk." Jade replied, "I need to carry it all the way to King's Cross by myself after all. That's quite a long walk. Besides, the trunk's not even full, so it's not that heavy."
"Maybe not now, but you would wish you'd put less in there by the time you're close to King's Cross."
"True. But this is already my minimum amount." Jade said as they all gathered on the little strip of flat earth at the door of their cabin, ready to say their farewells. "Well, I'll try my best to learn all I can and get as much as I could out of this school year." She beamed as Grandma smiled back.
"I doubt you'll struggle at all, you already know so much." Mattheo smiled too.
"Thanks!" She grinned at her newfound brother, it felt funny to have him officially as a part of the family, but it's only been a few days. "Take care of Grandma and work hard, and I'll be back to teach you all the things I've learned in just a few months."
"I will." He answered reassuringly as Jade turned to Grandma, "Love you Grandma, stay safe. Alright?"
"Of course, no worries dear, I'll be fine with Mattheo here. Write to us when you get there, and just do your best." Grandma finished as they pulled each other into a tight hug, "I'll miss you Grandma. And you too Mattheo." Jade turned and opened her arms, "You want a goodbye hug?" He looked hesitant. Jade gently gave him a small side hug and she felt his body stiffen uncomfortably. "If you're uncomfortable with people touching you, you can always tell them, you know." She glanced at him and gave him a small smile. Then, with a final wave of goodbye she set off in the direction of the train station. This is going to be a long walk.
Forty-five minutes later, she still couldn't see the station, and she started to panic. It's supposed to be there after this corner… She thought as she walked round the corner, and finally, there it is, the King Cross Station. Jade sighed in relief as she stepped into the station, but immediately straightened herself again after glancing at the big clock right beside her – nine minutes till eleven. Her eyes frantically searched for the sign that read – Platforms, and sprinted towards it.
Panting, Jade reached the platforms at last as she pulled out her train ticket. Platform Nine and Three Quarters, it read. What?! What Platform Nine and Three Quarters? How on earth am I supposed to find that? A thousand questions ran through her head as she rushed toward the pillar with the sign number nine on it. It's gotta be somewhere near here! It has to be! Hogwarts' a magic school so muggles can't access the platform, it has to be somewhere hidden by magic!
Just as she thought she was leaning on the pillar, she felt nothing. Where's the pillar? One more step to her left: The pillar should be right here, she looked up in confusion as a train's whistle sounded nearby.
A crowd of people were on the platform, the platform that read: Nine and Three Quarters! She had found it.
No time to spare, she rushed through the waving parents and grabbed the handle by the cabin door just in time before the train slowly started moving. Jade gave a relieved as she pulled herself up, opening the cabin door. Instantly, the sound of teenagers laughing, chatting, giggling, and shouting reached her ears, and her stomach gave a nervous jolt.
She weaved through the crowded train corridor, searching for an empty seat in any compartment. At last, she found a compartment half full almost to the very end cabin of the train.
The door sild open, "Hi, do you people mind if I take a seat here?" Jade asked, her voice a bit higher than usual due to her nervousness. Two girls turned to look at her. They both looked very similar, identical, even. Straight, long black hair, light brown skin, and nice, even eyebrows above those large almond-shaped dark eyes. And now their thin lips both curled up into two identical beautiful smiles. They must be twins.
"No, of course not!" They answered simultaneously as Jade stepped in and sild the door close.
"Your hair is very pretty!" One of the twins complimented as Jade turned to put her trunk up the overhead compartment, revealing her silver half-up French braid.
"Oh! Thank you." Jade smiled, joining them in sitting.
"My name is Padma Patil," the twin that complimented Jade's hair self-introduced, "and this is my twin sister, Parvati."
"Hello!" The other twin greeted.
"My name's Jade Argento." Jade said, giving a small smile as she thought about what to say next, "I don't recall the name Patil." She prompted.
"Oh yes, that's because we came from India, father wants us to pursue the best education." Parvati answered.
"Cool! I didn't know Hogwarts accepts foreign students from that far away." Jade's curiosity increased, "So what's magic like in India? You probably have an Indian Ministry of Magic too, don't you?"
"Yeah, but the magic system is weak, and the Ministry was kind of a new addition. They are still recruiting workers."
"Interesting." Jade commented.
The talk continued as the Patil twins asked her about living in England, then it turned to their family and relatives, then to food as they ate lunch. Soon, Jade found out how to tell the twins apart. Padma has a thinner face, and a higher nose-bridge, while Parvati has a small mole on her right cheek and a more rounded chin.
"What house do you suppose you'll be in?" The talked turned as the train entered a tunnel, and Padma threw out a question.
"House?" Jade asked, feeling stupid.
"You know, the Hogwarts houses: Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Parvati said.
"Uhh, I have absolutely no idea." Jade answered, feeling more stupid as this was the first time she heard the names: Huffiepuff, Griffoundor, and whatever they were asking about. Grandma had never been to Hogwarts, and her parents had never been to Hogwarts, so she grew up knowing nothing about it.
"Oh, come on, you must have a preference!" Parvati nudged, "I think Gryffindor and Ravenclaw sounds the best."
"Yeah, Ravinclaw sounds pretty good." She answered, going along with the idea Parvati provided. Padma chuckled, "It's Ravenclaw, not Ravinclaw. You have no idea what we're talking about, do you?"
"Well…"
"Ravenclaw is the Hogwarts house associated with intelligence, creativity, originality, and determination. Gryffindor is known for the bold, chivalrousness, passionate, and upright. While Hufflepuff is known for loyalty, honesty, kindness, and patience. And Slytherin's associated with cunningness, ambition, success, and leadership, though people often assume those in Slytherin usually turn out as dark wizards." Padma explained to Jade.
"So? Which house are you interested in?" Parvati pushed.
"Umm, I would say…really any of those are fine with me," The twins widened their eyes as Jade continued, "as long as it's not Azkaban!" And they all burst into laughter, "The world-famous prison, noooo!" Padma exclaimed, a wide grin stuck on her face as they all stopped laughing.
"Attention!" A voice was broadcasted throughout the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in less than fifteen minutes, please gather your belongings and store them in your trunks, they will be taken to the castle individually. Just a small reminder, students are to be in their uniforms when we arrive. We hope you had a wonderful trip. Thank you for taking the Hogwarts Express." The voice ended with a small click.
"Uniforms!" Jade shouted as she stood up to reach for her trunk, pulling out the robe and a white dress shirt along with a tie and a knee-length skirt. The Patil twins did the same as Jade rushed to pull down the blinds over the door window and they all frantically changed into their brand-new school robes. The first years' uniforms are colorless, as they are to take on the color magically after the owner is sorted into a house.
The next few minutes Jade, Padma, and Parvati sat on their seats as if they were sitting on pins and needles. "I'm so nervous!" Parvati said breathlessly.
"I guess we all are." Chuckled Jade, the words stuttering a bit as her stomach gave another uneasy jolt. The train slowed as they pulled into station. It was dark outside, but not completely, a pinkish hue can be seen stretching across the sky, radiating the sun's last gleam of warmth as the babbling students stepped on to the Hogsmeade Train Station.
"Ooo! It's chilly out here!" Padma exclaimed, and Jade gave a small laugh. They must have elevated a good bit because the temperature surely had dropped a couple of degrees. However, the warmth of the crowd was like a protection layer before they were gathered round and led down a narrow forest path.
The gamekeeper of Hogwarts – Hagrid, was assigned the duty to bring the first years to the castle. Jade watched as his lantern swung left and right as they trotted through the dark path, and just as she turned her head away, something caught her eye. That messy black hair. Must be Harry! "Don' quarrel in the corridors, and keep yer hands to yerself! First years' curfew's nine thirty, out an' 'bout after tha' time ya might as well get detention." Hagrid read the rules to the first years until they suddenly came to a stop by a vast, dark-looking lake.
"Tis the Great Lake!" Hagrid announced happily, "Ye get the best view o' the castle from the lake! C'mon, four to a boat!" He urged them forward as they all gathered into small groups, climbing into the rowing boats. Jade quickened her pace, hoping to catch Harry before he jumps in with some others. The twins called for her, but she told them she'll catch them later.
"Eh Harry!" She called. The boy with messy black hair spun around, his eyes stared into Jade's dark blue ones, "Hi! You're Jade, right?"
"Yeah, Jade Argento, I worked at Madam Malkin's, remember? Come on, let's get a boat. Wouldn't want to swim to Hogwarts, would you?" She led the way through the groups of students. As she and Harry walked away, she felt somebody looking at her. Turning her head, she saw a glimpse of a boy, with similar hair color to Jade's, just more blonde. The boy's piercing grey eyes quickly diverted to Harry. She shrugged it off, dismissing it with the excuse of her silver-blonde hair and continued walking.
"Do you mind if we join you?" She asked the two students on the boat. She could barely make out the two faces, one a girl with a bob cut and the other a boy.
"Sure." The boy's voice sounded as Jade and Harry climbed into the boat, "My name is Theodore Nott," he introduced when the two had settled down in the boat, "very nice to meet you both." Jade shook his outstretched hand and returned the favor, "I'm Jade Argento, and this is Harry Potter, sure you've heard of him."
"Potter?" The girl questioned in a high-pitched voice, making several people turn to take a good look at Harry. "Harry Potter? Are you – "
"Shut, Parkinson. You didn't even introduce yourself, how rude." The boy interrupted, "Did you really come from a pureblood family?" Jade felt uneasy, hearing the word "pureblood."
"Forward!" Hagrid shouted, and the little boats starts towards the castle, sending waves of ripples behind them.
"Sorry." The girl muttered in a much smaller and clearly annoyed voice, "Pansy Parkinson." She didn't bother a handshake as if it will get her hands dirty and continued her question, "Are you really Harry Potter?"
"Y-yeah. I am." Harry answered awkwardly as the other three stared intently at his forehead.
"Do you have the scar?" Theodore asked. And Harry pushed his fringe of hair up, revealing his forehead.
"Too dark, can't see nothing!" Jade said, pulling out her wand and muttering, "Lumos!"
A beam of light emitted from the tip of her wand. And they can all see, as clear as it can be, a scar on Harry's forehead in the shape of a lightening bolt. Pansy gasped and Theodore opened his mouth.
"How did you do that?!"
"Woah, you really are!"
The two of them uttered at the same time.
"What?" Jade and Harry asked.
"Hang on, one at a time." Jade said.
"I'm just surprised I'm in the same boat as Harry Potter." Pansy explained as the others gave a laugh.
"I was asking how you did it," began Theodore, pointing at Jade's wand, "you lit your wand like it was nothing but normal."
"Oh. It was a pretty easy charm, you know." Jade answered, muttering "Nox" and extinguishing her wand as it attracts several turning heads, "Don't you all know it?"
"No! Of course not! I'm pretty sure most of the us don't know a single spell." Pansy exclaimed, "You'll probably be in Ravenclaw."
"Oh. I didn't expect that." Then for a while, they all grinned at each other.
"Watch yer heads!" Hagrid yelled as they neared a curtain of ivy and into a tunnel. Pansy didn't cover her head in time and got the wet leaves in her hair. Jade and Theodore laughed at the sight.
"Shut up you two!" She snapped, but ended up laughing along with the others.
The boats gathered at a small wooden door, and everybody made their way onto the little island surrounding the door. Hagrid knocked three times.
A tall witch answered the door, her emerald green robes swished as she half closed the door and talked to Hagrid for a while before he was dismissed.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" The witch started, as she pushed the door open, the light reflected on her spectacles. She has a seriousness to her that Jade likes. "I'm Professor McGonagall, you will follow me." The students formed a line as they walked in the door, following the professor with her tall pointed hat. "While you're at Hogwarts, you'll be sorted into different houses. There are four: Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw. Eventually, you house will grow to become something like your family. You'll eat with your fellow house-mates, have classes with them, and hang out in the house common room. I believe Hagrid has already informed all of you of the school rules for first years. However, I must remind: No magic in the corridors, and the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a good reason. Soon, when we reach the Great Hall, you will be taking part in the Sorting Ceremony." A minute later, they reached a pair of giant oak doors, Professor McGonagall motioned the students in, "When I call your name, go sit on the stool."
The nervousness can be felt in the air, it's dense and pressuring. Somewhere, Jade could hear somebody muttering spells under their breath as Professor McGonagall rolled out a list of names.
"Abbot, Hannah!" A girl with reddish-blonde pigtails sat up on the stool, and Professor McGonagall placed an old dirty-looking pointed wizard's hat on the girl's head, "Hufflepuff!" The hat shouted. Interesting, so this is how they're going to be sorted, with a pointed wizard's hat!
"Argento, Jade!" Professor McGonagall declared. Jade didn't expect it to be this soon, until she walked towards the stool nervously, realizing the list was in alphabetical order. She saw a glimpse of the whole school staring at her, before the dark rim of the hat dropped over her eyes.
"Hmm…you're a hard one, haven't encountered one as hard in quite some time…" A small voice spoke into her mind. It's a thinking hat! "Yes, yes. I can think," The voice chuckled, "too bad the first years missed the song that I composed for this year. But let's get back on track: You clearly have talents, very intelligent. Ambitious, in an interesting way. Serious, works for the good cause, has the guts to do things, deep empathy that's mostly hidden… A bit of everything right here…" The hat went silent for a while, "You're very hard, you know…I might have to consult Dumbledore on this one. You'll be great anywhere, really." Jade felt awkward, she had been sitting on the stool for what felt like half an hour, and she can hear people murmuring and whispering to each other.
"Professor Dumbledore, a word, please." The hat spoke out loud. A second later, it was removed from her head, and Jade again saw everybody staring, this time muttering too. "Come on," Professor McGonagall pulled her off the stool so that other student could access the stool after the hat's conversation with the headmaster. And the rest of the ceremony, Jade stood by Professor McGonagall, watching everybody else getting sorted, feeling increasingly stupid by the minute.
Theodore was sorted into Slytherin, mostly because of his blood relationship, as his family was one of the old pureblood bloodlines that lasted throughout the ages, and the Parkinsons too. Now he and Pansy were both sitting at the Slytherin table. Harry got into Gryffindor, and his tie turned a scarlet red intertwined with yellow under everybody's watch. Parvati was also in Gryffindor while her twin sister, Padma, was chosen to be in Ravenclaw.
"Now," Dumbledore started speaking as everybody quieted down, Jade turned her head to look up at the staff's table, "Our dear Miss Argento, who was not sorted earlier, is in Gryffindor." He announced as the Gryffindor table clapped loudly and whistled, and Jade grinned happily as she made her way towards the welcoming crowd of students, sitting down beside a red-headed boy with a face full of freckles.
"I'm sure our stomachs all have been waiting long enough," Dumbledore continued, "so we shall not wait." He clapped his hands, and golden plates with hundreds of different dishes appeared on the four long tables, "Enjoy!" With Dumbledore's last word came immediately the clattering sounds of silverwares and the students chatting amongst themselves, eating, laughing, and having the time of their lives.
It was fantastic food. Jade had never tasted something better. Halfway during dinner, Parvati came and checked on her, and Jade had spotted Harry giving her a wide grin. There were desserts too, and Jade stuffed herself so much, she doubted she could walk afterwards.
The plates disappeared as Dumbledore stood up to speak again, "Ahem. Now that we are all well fed and watered, a few more words before bed: Please note, that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students, including older ones." His eyes flashed down at a pair of twins with red hair, "Quidditch trials would be held the second week of term." Jade's heart leaped excitedly, but dropped when she heard that only third years and above could join the Quidditch team. "And now," Dumbledore announced, "before we go to bed, let us sing our school song."
Golden ribbons flew out of Dumbledore's wand and twisted itself into words as he asked everybody to pick their favorite tune, "And off we go!"
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts…" Every student sang in different tunes, and it was disastrous. At last, the red-headed twins finished off with a slow funeral tune, and Dumbledore clapped the loudest, "Ah, Music!" He sniffed, "A Magic beyond all we do here. Alas, bed." The students began to depart. The first years were gathered round by the prefects, who led them to the house common room.
The Gryffindor prefects was another red-headed boy and a girl with light brown braids. The first years followed them through the corridors, encountering a poltergeist called Peeves along the way, and finally reaching the common room.
"The password for the first quarter school year is Merlin's Beard," the red-head informed, "Passwords change every quarter year, so do well to remember them." The giant portrait with a large lady dressed in pink swung open at the sounding of the password, revealing a door-shaped hole behind it as everybody climbed through the hole and into the Gryffindor common room.
"Girls, follow me." The girl prefect said as they set foot on a spiral staircase while the boys went the other side.
"Alright," She said when they had reached the top, "All five of you are in one dorm." She led them to the door at the very end, "Your trunks are already in there. Good night."
"Ohh, I'm so glad we're in the same house, Jade." Parvati muttered sleepily.
"You've said that about thirty times." Jade answered with the same amount of enthusiasm.
"Come on." A voice sounded, it did not sound sleepy like the others. Jade turned to see a girl with bushy brown hair and matching brown eyes, "All of us need to change before bed. You," she pointed at Parvati, "You go change first." Parvati groaned and flung open her trunk. Jade did so too, and grabbed out an old shirt and a pair of patched shorts, throwing it on her bed. Then she threw the sheet over herself and quickly changed into her old clothes.
"That's your sleepwear?" The girl with bushy brown hair question with a disgusted look on her face.
"This is what you got when you work minimum wage." Jade muttered lazily, her eyelids drooping.
"Get." The girl corrected before Jade drifted off to sleep.