Lucy hopped off the train with Jason and Edgar in pursuit. They were at another platform now and all the students milled about in their school robes as they exited the scarlet train and began to head down a path further up the platform. Jason hurried behind Lucy on the stone flooring towards the path, when he heard a man with a booming voice speak over the crowd.

"First years and Jason Thomas, this way! First years and Jason Thomas, this way!" Jason came to a screeching halt in his path as Edgar bumped into him from behind, nearly knocking the two over.

Lucy turned around and looked at Jason with a low smirk as his ears turned bright red and he feebly attempted to cover his face with his hands. Still engulfed by the crowd, Jason attempted to find the man who was calling him and spotted him almost right away, as he was near impossible to miss.

He was a giant man, though Jason wasn't sure that a normal human could grow to such a size. His beard and hair were equal in length, and as long as a lion's mane. He towered above the crowd, easily double the height of the children that surrounded him and as wide as five put together.

Scurrying by the side of the crowd, Jason tried to hide himself as best as he could as he trekked over to the giant man, exchanging waves with Edgar and Lucy, who, didn't appear to be too excited about being left along with Edgar.

The large man kept shouting his name hoarsely as the herd thinned, up until Jason reached the company of children surrounding the man.

Joining the crowd, Jason looked almost as giant as the man compared to the collection of excited eleven year-olds who clumped together speaking too each other ecstatically. The man didn't seem to notice him and continued shouting for his name, each shout piercing Jason's ear like a cannonball striking the hull of a ship.

Jason waved for his attention and almost had to shout at the man," Hey! I'm Jason."

The man looked at him and nodded his head. He was dressed in massive brown pants and a large gray shirt that was partially covered by a dusty old vest. He carried a lantern above his head that illuminated the dimming sky.

Once the platform cleared the man introduced himself," Hello there. I am Professor Rubeus Hagrid. Now lets get goin' shall we? The boats are just down this path goin' towards the shore."

The group walked down the slope, and Jason felt relief that he was hidden from the rest of the students his age because he felt it was humiliating to be grouped up with all the first-years. All the children around him were scurrying about excitingly, laughing and screaming as Jason shoved his hands in his cloak pockets and ignored them.

They began to file into the boats and Jason figured he'd get his own as to separate himself from the rest of the group, but he found a small girl with shaggy low-cut blond hair and brown eyes running up to the side of the bow," Can I come in this one?" Asked the girl intrusively.

Jason paused, slightly annoyed, then nodded his head.

Together they sailed across the lake in their four person boats. As the sun now fully dropped below the horizon, Jason found the drift and calm waters relaxing as the castle came into view.

For over a month now, Jason had pictured Hogwarts as Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria but was now one-upped in glamor.

It sat close to the lake and extended over the hills. Cast upon it was the dark of night presenting it with a haunting look as there were several lights appearing through panes and windows, deeply lighting the beige castle colors. Complex towers sprang from the ground, more than Jason could count, and the ancient stones built arrays of halls, rooms, and various wings that were all connected together, attached to to the main towers.

Jason straightened his neck and watched all the first years in an identical pose, with necks craned up to the castle begging for closer looks.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Said the girl in his boat with a screech.

"I've never seen anything like it." Jason was astounded.

They reached the boat house and exited their crafts as Professor Hagrid led them up through the stairs and into the castle itself.

He then motioned for them to wait as he left them in a reception chamber. Jason could hear a lot of muffled talking due to the great volume of voices nearby only a few rooms over.

Moments later a witch came through the doors that Professor Hagrid had just exited through and Jason was glad to see a familiar cheery-faced: Professor Sprout.

"Welcome to Hogwarts young Witches and Wizards! My name is Professor Sprout, and before you can join the feast in the great hall, you all must be sorted into your houses," Suddenly Jason was struck with fear, and it tore through his mind, recalling what Lucy had told him in Diagon Alley, that they'd have to do a test of some sort in front of the ENTIRE school. As the blood drained from Jason's face, Sprout continued," Before you take your seats, you'll be assessed and sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor— house of the brave, Ravenclaw— for those with a clever mind, Slytherin— filled with those who have cunning and ambition, and Hufflepuff — to those who are hard-workers and loyal. Your house will be like your family as you will live and attend classes together. Now some of you may want to have the freedom to choose, but I daresay there's never been a student sorted into the wrong house since Hogwarts was founded!"

Sprout looked across the crowd, giving Jason a friendly smile before she refocused on the first-years with a more serious expression," Do take care to note, however, that your actions— both your accomplishments, and misdemeanors—" she inhaled sharply," Will win or lose your house points in the annual house cup. So not only will your actions reflect on you, but also your house."

She turned towards the door and entered the entrance hall, heading straight towards two heavy great oak doors and calling for them to follow her.

Sprout pushed opened the doors to the Great Hall and revealed the most wonderful singular room Jason had laid his eyes on.

Four great wooden long tables stretched from either end of the room which was about as wide as Jason's old apartment building. There was a horizontal desk raised beyond the four long tables which appeared to be the staff table, as Jason recognized Professor Hagrid awkwardly squeezed into a seat. Behind that was a great window that covered almost half the wall. The ceiling rose at least fifty feet high but when Jason looked up, not only did he see candles floating around the Great Hall, he could see the night sky, some stars, and the moon. There was a brilliant enchantment that Jason read about, allowing the ceiling to take the formation of the sky.

The first years rigidly waddled into the room being led by Sprout, Jason bringing up the rear. The noise in the room turned to hushed whispers as the students sat upon the benches tried to get a look at the new first-years. As soon as Jason walked through the door he held his breath and tried to look straight ahead of him and ignore all the stares.

Unfortunately Claudius Flint happened to be seated right next to the door so that Jason came into full view," What's Thomas doing with a bunch of first-years?" He announced loudly so that everyone around them could here and begin to stare," Is he really a first-year wizard at that age?" He sniggered loudly," Looks like he's a squib, God forbid he ends up in our house, I suppose they've brought him on as Filch's assistant." The thugs at his table erupted into laughter and so did a few tables around him.

Stung with embarrassment, Jason lowered his head even further and hunched his back as he moved to keep up with Sprout and evade Flint's insolent comments about him being a "squib." That being, of course, someone born into a wizarding family that can't do magic. His Nan had explained to him that she was born as a squib.

They gathered in the center of the Great Hall as Sprout climbed up to the high table and pulled out a three-legged wooden stool, placing it in the center of the stage, and on it, a ruddy pointed hat.

Sprout then sat down at her place on the high table at the right hand of a tall, older witch with a sharp, serious face. Her brownish grayish hair was tied in a tight bun under a pointed hat and her square spectacles stared through the crowd with intensity, making Jason feel as if he'd done something wrong. He knew that this witch, sitting in the largest chair in the middle of the staff table must be the headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.

She raised her glass and tapped it with a spoon and the hushed whispers in the crowd came to a full silence. Jason thought that she was about to make some speech when a strange deep voice interrupted her from nowhere.

Looking left and right, it took Jason a moment to realize who was talking, and it was actually the hat left on the chair by Sprout! It's mouth moved as it gathered the attention of the room, breaking into a solemn elegy:

I'm a simple talking hat,

With a brain, eyes and ears,

But even in my old age

I've never been brought to tears.

There is one exception,

One you all know about,

That despite my woven being,

I cried my sockets out.

Could we claim victory

With all the spilt blood?

We must promise to never forget

The friends who gave us love.

Even as life moves on

We keep our sacred heart,

Filled with the love of the fallen

Yet open to new starts.

Tragedy may never fade

In our sentient souls,

But if we choose to block it out,

Calamity will unfold.

So as we move on,

Let us not forget,

What brought us here

And what we still have left.

Stay true to your values

And truer to your kin,

Now I'll look at all your values,

Let the sorting ceremony begin!

After the speech the hall erupted into polite and solemn applause. Sprout stood up from her chair with a large piece of parchment," When I call your name, take a seat on the stool and put on the sorting hat. Then when it chooses your house you will go and sit with your new table," she cleared her throat and spoke the first name," Jason Thomas."

Why did he have to be the first name? Palms sweaty, and hesitating for a second, he climbed onto the stage as quietly as he could. Trembling, he sat down on the stool as all the eyes in the room stared up at him, nearly knocking the stool over as he placed the large hat over his head. It was clearly too big for him as it almost fell past his eyes which were directed towards the floor, anywhere but at the crowd. Then the hat spoke through his ear in it's old croaked voice.

"Hmm, a little old for this, eh? Nervous, are you?" Jason thought anxiously Please hurry up get me off this stage!

"No need to be in such a rush! I'm only trying to help you after all," the hat spoke sarcastically," No matter, I've got to put you somewhere... A need for adventure and to prove yourself, desire, you're fit perfectly for Slytherin."

Jason only prayed that the hat could hear the exact thoughts in his head If you put me in Slytherin I will go back to high school.

"Well there is always Ravenclaw, I see an excitable learner in you. You may well fit into Gryffindor, though one's heart may be feint it makes one all the more courageous. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to guess on this one."

Jason was about ready to take the hat off and hop on the train back to London when the hat yelled out," Hufflepuff!"

The table nearest to his left erupted into applause and Jason, now daring to look up was glad to see Lucy standing up clapping for him with a big smile.

Jason threw the decrepit hat back onto the chair and hurried to the Hufflepuff table, sitting down next to Lucy as everyone congratulated him. For the first time in his life, Jason was amazed that such a large group of people were genuinely happy for him. Will sat across from him and eagerly shook his hand," Glad to have you on board Thomas!"

The stout blond boy to his right also shook his hand," David Macmillan, pleased to meet you! We'll be bunkmates so you can call me Davie."

A little overwhelmed, Jason thanked everyone as the hall settled down to continue the sorting. He didn't recognize any of the first years besides the little blond girl that was in his boat. Her name was Josephine Worsley and looked a lot more confident than he did when she gleefully sat on the stool and put on the hat. She too, was sorted into Hufflepuff and she immediately ran to the far end of the long table, giving a tall blond boy a hug before sitting next to him.

Jason nudged Lucy," I guess that boy's her brother?"

She nodded before shifting her hair behind her shoulder," That's Richard Worsley, he's the smartest wizard in our grade. Except for Shafiq maybe, but he's slightly more tolerable, not to mention he'll be the new quidditch captain for the Hufflepuff team."

"Quidditch?" Jason hadn't heard of the word in an textbooks of his.

Lucy leaned her head back almost tilting her body off the bench in revelation. "You don't know about quidditch?" She asked astonishingly," I'll teach you all about it once the feast starts."

Then, with the last first-year having been sorted, Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with a spoon and all the voices urgently hushed.

Jason thought she appeared tired and almost a bit saddened with the lines sketched over her face as she entered into her speech," Good evening to you all," her voice was serious yet somber," Before we start with our feast, I'd first like to thank you all for returning to school this year, and for all the new students who chose to attend Hogwarts despite the tragedies of the previous year," She breathed in deeply," I'm also expressing my greatest gratitude to everyone here who so bravely defended Hogwarts and risked their lives, your actions never went unnoticed. Not only did the fight for liberty procure our freedoms for us and for our generations to come, but we've shown that through perseverance and sacrifice, we can collectively overcome anything." She paused again, looking across the room with her absorbing gaze," I'd like to further express my deepest condolences to all of us. Many of us have lost friends, parents, teachers, classmates, brothers and sisters who we've loved so dearly. We have lost so many good people, and although they are no longer with us here today, their souls rest in peace knowing that although they've passed, they've passed on with hearts full of love: the most powerful magic of all." Her eyes glistened lightly as she sniffled, but then she regained her composure," Without love we have nothing. And given love we have everything. Love is so powerful that even death can not conquer it. For our love for each other will live on whether we are there or not."

"Although we still feel the power of love from our lost ones, it will forever be hard to feel love from somebody who is not there, so I'd like to make it clear to all of you that we are here to support you however we can." She motioned towards the staff table," Anyone who may need emotional support or advice can ask any of our staff. It can be confidential and without appointment, just remember that we are here to help you in any way we can."

She straightened up a bit as the somber look left her eyes," Now moving onto current matters, I'll first announce our two new staff appointments. Your new transfiguration teacher is Professor James Arnold."

She looked to the man behind her who stood up and revealed a perfect smile as the crowd clapped. He wore elegant green robes and had neatly styled dark hair that gave off a very composed and intelligent demeanor. He seemed to be in his early 40's but Jason found his look to be similar to that of a politician after a speech, with his big wave and approachable smile.

The clapping died down and McGonagall continued," Unfortunately he could not join us for the feast," Jason detected a hint of annoyance in her voice," But nevertheless Professor Grodo will be taking up the teaching post of Defence Against the Dark Arts."

No one clapped as he was not there, but Lucy turned to him and whispered worriedly," Grodo's a goblins name, they haven't seriously hired a goblin for a teacher?"

Jason didn't have much time to think about that because McGonagall was not finished," Just a few more things to note: The forbidden forest is off-limits as per usual, and all rules, punishments, policies and lessons from the previous school year have been nullified. You can expect a return to normalcy this year. Happy feasting!"

And before them appeared a brilliant feast consisting of ham, corn on the cob, chicken, sweet potatoes, beans, and macaroni and cheese. Jason's stomach growled anxiously, and he dug in.

Mid-bite, Jason almost fell out of his seat as a gray cascade of light burst directly through the wooden table they were seated at. A fat man rose, passing through part of Jason's dinner plate holding what looked like a cup for mead. Bewildered, Jason stared in awe at the ghost while Lucy continued eating her ham, unaffected.

"Oh dear! It seems that Peeves' delay had me miss the sorting ceremony! Oh!" He looked straight at Jason," Who's this? A new student? Welcome to Hogwarts!"

Will leaned over to Jason from the opposite end of the table," This is the Fat Friar, he's the Hufflepuff ghost."

"Right you are William. Where are my manners? I must offer my most sincere congratulations! We've not had a Head Boy from this house in almost a decade!"

Will smiled lightly but squirmed in his seat a little," Thanks." He then stood up and began walking away," See you around Friar."

The ghost than floated down the table greeting all the new students.

The feast was delicious, and Jason helped himself to second helpings of ham when Lucy finally elected to breath after her third serving of chicken drums.

"I've got to tell you about quidditch Jason. Blimey, have you ever even ridden a broom before?" Lucy spoke in between bites of mac and cheese.

"No."

"Bloody hell, I'll have to give you a lesson after classes tomorrow." Lucy observed the sickening look on Jason's face but didn't seem to catch anything. After all, Jason was not very keen on going to high-up places, as was evident with his last experience in a plane.

Lucy spent the rest of the feast explaining quidditch rules to him. Basically, there were seven players on each team, on broomsticks. The three chasers on each team played with a quaffle, which they attempted to throw into one of the three lollipop-like hoops guarded by the opposing team's keeper. Then, there were two beaters who carried large bats. Their job is to hit these super dangerous balls called bludgers (which sounded more like bowling balls to Jason) with their bats at the other team, the only catch was that the bludgers have minds of their own and try to knock players off the broomsticks randomly. Then, the last player on each team is the seeker, and their only job is to catch the golden snitch, about the size of a bumblebee and moving at a wicked fast pace. Lucy explained that they were almost impossible to catch, but once they were caught then the game would end and the team who caught it would be awarded one hundred fifty points.

"Isn't that a little silly, to have the snitch end the game? What's the point of even playing around with a quaffle if the seeker catches the snitch in ten minutes?" He asked, confused by this odd game.

Lucy stared for a second, thinking," Never thought about that. I dunno actually."

Jason's head was spinning trying to remember all these rules when people started leaving the Great Hall since they were done with the feast.

Then, a boy walked up to Jason and Lucy from the opposite side of the table. Jason recognized him as the boy that Josephine had given a running hug to earlier. He was a tall and athletic-looking boy, about Jason's age and had a thick head of neatly maintained golden blond hair. He leaned on the table with both his hands. "Lucy let's take the first-years down to the common room." He spoke surprisingly quickly for his size and with posh.

"Yeah we should probably do that now I guess," Lucy said, standing up.

Richard turned to Jason and offered a quaint smile, holding out his hand," Richard Worsley, pleasure to meet you."

Jason shook his hand, it was large and he had a tough grip," Likewise."

He beckoned for them to follow him as he loudly shouted for the first-years to group up. As all the kids gathered around them Richard made his way out of the Great Hall," Keep up please! And stick together, I can't have any of you get lost on your first day under my watch."

Jason walked next to Lucy who didn't appear to mind letting Richard lead the first-years around. They arrived at the Hufflepuff common room fairly quickly, all they had to do was take a left exiting the Great Hall and go down one staircase until they were below the ground floor in a cellar-like hallway. There wasn't much decoration in this dingy corridor besides a lot of barrels which hosted various drinks and kitchen ingredients along with the occasional painting. Just like pictures in the wizarding world, paintings could move and even come to life. They passed one particular painting of a King at a table, ready to eat when he suddenly looked up at the passerby's with a maddened look," All subjects shall bow down to me, King James of England! You'll all burn at the stake for your witchcraft you hear! Sorcerers! Destroying our crops and land! How dareth you refuse to face me!" At this point the group had mostly walked past his frame when he jumped into another painting, trying to follow them," You all must be sentenced! Burnt! I will have security—" King James bumped into a wall in the next portrait he had jumped into and comedically fell over, waking a sleeping monk.

"Don't mind the paintings, first-years. King James been trying to burn wizards and witches for the past four centuries." Richard said astutely.

Josephine tugged at her brothers robes," Hopefully you don't burn us at the stake, King Richard!" She giggled and so did Jason even after Richard shot her a dirty look.

"Let's just hope you don't need any help from me when you're struggling in your classes, Jo. I might not be so prudent to offer it." Richard seemed very irk able which only made Jo more amused.

"Oh I'd be so distraught, Your Majesty!" Jo said sarcastically, bowing before her brother. Jason liked her style.

"Hmph!" Richard walked on a bit faster in his step.

They passed another painting with a bunch of fruit decorations and it opened, a house-elf only about two feet tall, stepped out with an empty jug. It had a long nose and massive ears, with glossy orange-sized eyeballs.

"What's behind that?" Jason asked Lucy.

"That's the kitchen, it's right beneath the Great Hall, all the house elves work their."

"And, all students are to keep clear of it at all times." Richard added on lawfully, ensuring the rest of the first-years heard him.

Lucy whispered to Jason," We should keep clear of him instead, git."

Finally, at the end of the corridor was a line of barrels and a wooden circular door for an entrance. Richard knocked on the barrel four spots from the right," The rhythm is Hel-ga Huf-fle-puff. Don't get it wrong or else you'll be splashed with vinegar. And you are to tell NO ONE of the pass code."

The door swung open and they had to lift themselves up to get into the entrance, and walk on an upward sloping circular passage that looked as if it had been carved as a tunnel in the ground until they entered the room itself.

The common room was warmly lit by the cozy fireplace towards the side where up above the mantelpiece poised a plump witch with braided red hair and yellow robes who gave a gentle smile as she looked around at the students. Jason figured it was Helga Hufflepuff, one of the original founder of Hogwarts. There were high circular windows that seemed to be level with the ground outside as Jason could see a few blades of grass and flowers right outside the window. They were positioned near the ceiling, which hung pretty low. During the daytime it would have allowed natural sunlight to completely illuminate the room. Meanwhile, the rest of the room was underground and spread in a large circle, and the mix of the firelight along with the green and yellow walls created an Earthy ambiance around the grand fireplace. Jason felt like they were truly living in a place underneath the Earth and it gave him a cozy, relaxed sensation. Plants and a few small trees were in pots and beds around the common room situated naturally within the walls which seemed to curve to accommodate these decorations.

Simultaneously the room was dotted with students still awake from the feast. He saw Will by the fireplace chatting with some other seventh-years, and Davie Macmillan reading a textbook on one of the sofas.

Richard lead them around the side of the room to an open circular passageway. As Richard passed through the entrance a couple of vines tickled the top of his head. The passageway shared the Earthy ambiance of the common room with an occasional window and flower decoration as it lead to a stairwell that went up while the main passageway continued right. "Upstairs is the girls dormitory. Your belongings will be there when you arrive, while the boys dormitory is on the right. If you have any questions or need advice about anything feel free to ask myself, Lucy, or any of the older prefects. Oh, one thing of note. Do NOT wonder the hallways at night, you will lose Hufflepuff house points when you are inevitably caught. Anyways, good night to you all and good luck, for your classes begin tomorrow!"

Some of the first-year girls tried to give him a wave goodbye but Richard was already off towards the boys dormitory. The first-years began to walk off: some to their dorms and others back to the common room.

Lucy started walking back to the common room, and Jason, unsure of where to go followed her.

"Unlike some people," she nodded towards the boys dormitory," We can have a bit of fun before our first day of classes."

Jason looked around at all the people in the common room. A lot of activity was going on, there was a game of cards going on next to the fireplace, a few younger girls were playing patty-cake among other hand games, and two similar looking boys with brown skin, one with glasses, were playing a game of slaps.

SMACK!

"YOUCH!" Yelped the smaller boy in glasses. He looked about Jason's age whilst his hand bleed red.

Unrelenting, he retaliated, but the opposing boy was much bigger and smiled on impact instead," You can tap out little bro, save you a lot of pain!"

"Eat dirt Mikey!" The younger brother yelled defiantly.

Uninterested by the brother's dispute, he turned to Lucy," What do you want to do?" He asked.

"Ever played wizards chess?"

Lucy explained to Jason that wizards chess was just like normal chess except the pieces could talk, and instead of moving them you had to give them orders. Then, they'd physically hit the other piece off the board and into a million pieces. Jason and Lucy both won one game each.

"My brother always beats me at this but I'm better than my little sister, Beth." Lucy said while sat crisscrossed on her armchair.

As it got late Jason began to yawn and they both went to their respective dormitories. It was about ten o'clock when he entered his dorm for the first time. And, whatever college dorm Jason had envisioned seriously underestimated how nice his sleeping arrangements were. He had a large four-poster bed with all of his belongings right at its foot. The curtains were a pleasant yellow color and like the common room, there were circular windows right above ground level risen up above their beds so it'd be impossible to peep in. He had his own dresser, a nightstand, and in the center of the room was a beautiful yellow and black carpet with a badger on it, the animal symbol of Hufflepuff house. Richard had already fallen asleep in the bed next to him. Davie Macmillan lay on his bed reading a textbook, and right after he entered the common room someone else came in after him.

"Hey!" The smaller boy with brown skin and glasses from the common room was speaking in an excited whisper," I'm Mitch Campbell, nice to meet ya," he said enthusiastically.

"Must be a crazy amount of work to start Hogwarts as a fifth year, wouldn't it? You've got my respect though, I know I wouldn't be able to do it, not to mention it's O.W.L's year," He looked over towards Davie who gave a suggestive look at the two before digging his nose back into his textbook." No offence or anything, but everyone's going to assume you won't be able to do anything. Magic, I mean. I'm sure you'll be fine but people will think you're a Squib for starting this late."

"I'll handle it, can't be worst than AP Chemistry. Anyways I'm going to sleep now, nice meeting you." Mitch looked fairly confused as Jason went off to bed.

That night he slept and it finally seemed to sink in. He was at Hogwarts now, on an adventure, but from the bottom of his heart he deeply yearned for his mother. "I'll see her again soon," he thought, and then he slowly dozed off.