Closed The Journey Begins PV Lemon Goldfinch

Lemon had arrived at the station early that morning. Their sister, Azora, wanted to meet up with her friends, who she'd been sending so many letters to over the summer that the owl that was given to her for her first year now had considerably fewer feathers than he'd had originally.

This year, Lemon was finally going to be joining Azora at Hogwarts. Azora, who was now in her 4th year at the school, had told Em a lot about her time there. In fact, her letters were often so detailed that Em had now memorised the lunch menu for the entirety of March, down to every jam and bread roll. And now that they were finally about to leave for the place they'd heard so much about, they were ecstatic. Not only was it going to be Em's first year at Hogwarts, but it was also their 12th birthday, and the excitement of yet another year gone by was coursing through their veins.

Once the beautiful red train that Lemon had seen three times before now had arrived at Platform 9 ¾, the frantic scramble that followed seemed unreal. Before, the train had been just a wish or a dream, but now it was going to be their reality. After saying goodbye to their mother and younger siblings and promises to write every chance that presented itself, Lemon stepped up into the train.

They walked through the narrow corridors but when they turned around to ask Azora where they would sit, Lemon found that she'd already disappeared, undoubtedly to join her friends in their compartment. Deciding that despite their extremely close relationship, it was unlikely that Azora would appreciate her younger sibling barging in on her and her friends, Lemon went in search of an empty compartment.

Azora had told Lemon about how full the train would get, but they were astonished to see how quickly the compartments reached capacity. At last, Lemon spotted what appeared to be an empty compartment, and peered into it. Inside, there was a girl, who must've been in the first year due to her lack of house-coloured robes, and was just settling down on one of the seats. Figuring that it'd be as close to impossible as ever to find a compartment that was emptier than this one and remembering what their mother had said about being sure to make friends as soon as possible, Em slid the door open and shuffled inside.

The girl inside looked up at Lemon as they stepped inside the compartment. "Sorry, but everywhere's full, and I think this is the closest I'll get to an empty compartment. They smiled at the girl and shut the door behind them before continuing. "Do you mind if I join you? I'm a first year, so I haven't really got anywhere else to go."

Word count: 474

Time: 11 AM Date: September 1st, 2024 Mention: @Lemon Goldfinch

“ The Journey Begins ” 00:05⠀ ◉--------- 09:30:00

Mood: Nervous Wreck Spoken and Thinking Location: Hogwarts Express

Isabella looked up from where she had been quietly adjusting her robes, surprised by the sudden voice. She had been so focused on settling in that she hadn’t noticed anyone else approach. The girl standing in the doorway seemed a bit shy but was smiling kindly. Isabella hesitated for a moment, the nerves she’d felt earlier still lingering, but she nodded and gestured to the empty seat across from her.

“Of course, you can join me," Isabella said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "I’m Isabella, by the way. It’s my first year, too.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "I'm still getting used to everything here. It's all a little overwhelming."

She watched the girl step inside and close the door behind her. Isabella was grateful for the company—having someone else in the same boat made her feel a little less alone. The train’s rhythmic motion and the excitement buzzing in the air seemed a bit easier to handle with someone else around.

“Are you from far away?” Isabella asked, wanting to make conversation and ease the awkwardness. “I mean, I’m from London, but it still feels like a whole new world.” She smiled, though it was a little uncertain. Being this far from home was both thrilling and intimidating.

The girl responded as she gestured to the seat across from her. "Of course, you can join me. I'm Isabella by the way. It's my first year too. She smiled at Lemon. "I'm still getting used to everything here. It's all a little overwhelming."

Lemon smiled back at the girl as they sat down opposite her. "Are you from far away? I mean, I'm from London, but it still feels like a whole new world." Lemon considered their response before replying. "Well, I am Australian, but I've lived in England for a few years now. Oh! My name is Lemon, almost forgot." They laughed for a moment. "I know, it's a strange name. But, like I always say, it matches my personality pretty well, which is extremely fortunate on my part." Perhaps they were sharing too much with this girl? "I was going to sit with my sister, Azora, but she disappeared once we got on the train. She's in the fourth year. Do you have any siblings?" Lemon realised they had forgotten to breathe between sentences. They took a comical breath before speaking again. "I've got 3 siblings. Azora, Serephina and Rowan. We all drive my mum crazy at times. Do you have any siblings?"

Word count: 208

Time: 11 AM Date: September 1st, 2024 Mention: @Lemon Goldfinch

“ The Journey Begins ” 01:30 --◉------- 09:30:00

Mood: Nervous Wreck Spoken and Thinking Location: Hogwarts Express

Isabella chuckled lightly at Lemon's rapid-fire introduction, clearly amused by their energy. "I can see how 'Lemon' suits you," she said with a playful glint in her eye. "I like it. It's... unique. And hey, you seem to have a pretty good sense of humor, which is always a plus."

Isabella raised an eyebrow at Lemon’s questions, nodding thoughtfully. "No siblings for me," she said, her voice a bit lighter. "I’m actually an only child, so it’s just been me and my parents. I think it’s made me a bit independent, though sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have someone to share everything with, you know? It’s kind of like you get all the attention, but also, there’s no one to back you up when things get weird."

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "But honestly, I think I’ve gotten pretty good at handling things on my own, so I guess it’s not too bad. I always sort of envied those with siblings, though—they seem like they always have someone to rely on."

At Lemon’s mention of Azora, Isabella’s smile grew warmer, clearly intrigued. "Fourth year, huh? That’s pretty impressive. It must be nice to have someone who knows the ropes around here already, especially since we’re both still figuring things out. I mean, it must be nice to know she’s around even if you’re not in the same year. Do you get to see her much with the whole age difference?"

Isabella now had a playful look in her eyes. "I like it. It's unique..." Lemon laughed at this. She hadn't been the first to say it. She responded that she did not have any siblings. Lemon knew that their life would be much less interesting if they didn't have siblings.

"Fourth year, huh? That’s pretty impressive. It must be nice to have someone who knows the ropes around here already, especially since we’re both still figuring things out. I mean, it must be nice to know she’s around even if you’re not in the same year. Do you get to see her much with the whole age difference?" Lemon nodded in agreement as Isabella spoke. "I have to say, I'd certainly be lost if Azora hadn't told me so much about her time at Hogwarts. I mean, I literally wouldn't have been able to get on the train if she hadn't tugged my arm to get my attention while I was staring at that advertisement for a jokes shop in Hogsmeade on the wall in the opposite direction of the train. We're really close. She's... honestly she's one of my best friends in life, which sounds kind of sad now that I'm saying it out loud." Lemon laughed in spite of themself.

Word count: 213

Time: 11 AM Date: September 1st, 2024 Mention: @Lemon Goldfinch

“ The Journey Begins ” 00:00⠀ ◉--------- 09:30:00

Mood: Better than before... Spoken and Thinking Location: Hogwarts Express

Isabella watched Lemon with a soft, thoughtful expression. She leaned back slightly, her fingers tracing the rim of her sketchbook as she gathered her words. “I don’t think it sounds sad at all,” she said finally, her tone gentle but firm. “Honestly, some of the best friendships are the ones that aren’t loud or big. They’re the ones that just quietly build over time, through little moments that mean everything.”

She paused, her gaze dropping to the table for a second as she considered the depth of what she was saying. “It’s not about how many friends you have. It’s about the connection, the trust. Azora sounds like one of those rare people who just... understands you. And that’s not something everyone gets.”

Isabella met Lemon’s eyes again, offering a soft smile. “I think you’re really lucky. A lot of people go through life with lots of friends but still feel alone. If Azora’s that person for you, then that’s worth more than any number of people around you.”

She sat back, letting the words settle in the space between them, hoping that Lemon could feel the sincerity in her voice. “I wouldn’t call that sad. I’d call it special.”

As Isabella spoke, she leant back and made sure to smile at Lemon between sentences. The sincerity in her voice rung in Lemon's ears as she concluded with "I wouldn't call that sad. I'd call it special."

They were glad that Isabella seemed to understand what they were saying. "So um..." Lemon started, figuring this topic of conversation would likely run out within a short time if Isabella didn't have any siblings herself. "What house do you think you'll be sorted into?" Before Isabella answered, Lemon offered their own thoughts. "My mother was in Ravenclaw and Azora's in Gryffindor, so I think one of the two. I mean, I'm not the smartest, but I work hard. And I'm never shy or afraid to stand up for myself, so maybe I'm more of a Gryffindor." Lemon looked up at Isabella. What house do you think you'll be sorted into?"

Of course, Lemon was glad to be going to Hogwarts at all. But they were terrified of being put in Slytherin. People in Slytherin could be as kind as Hufflepuffs, but the main thing that Lemon knew about the house at that point was that their own father, who they knew very little about, was in Slytherin. And he left Lemon, their mother and 3 siblings to fend for themselves. The thought of being put in the same house as someone like that made Lemon fell sick.

Word count: 236

Time: 11 AM Date: September 1st, 2024 Mention: @Lemon Goldfinch

“ The Journey Begins ” 00:00⠀ ◉--------- 09:30:00

Mood: Calm Spoken and Thinking Location: Hogwarts Express

Isabella listened carefully as Lemon spoke, noting the careful thought in their words. When they asked about her Sorting, Isabella tilted her head slightly, considering the question. "I think I’d probably be sorted into Gryffindor," she said with a light shrug, her voice thoughtful. "I’ve always been the type to stand up for others, even if it’s not the easiest thing to do. I’m not exactly fearless, but I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge either. I guess that fits with Gryffindor, right?" She smiled softly, her eyes meeting Lemon’s.

She could tell that Lemon was a little nervous, perhaps even unsettled, but she didn’t push them on it. Instead, she added, "But honestly, I think the house we’re sorted into is just the beginning. What matters more is how we act once we’re there. The Sorting Hat only sees a part of us, but it’s what we do that defines us, right?" Isabella’s words were warm, trying to offer some reassurance without pressing.

"Either way, I’m just excited to be at Hogwarts," she said with a gentle laugh. "We’ll all find our place, no matter where the Hat puts us." She gave Lemon a comforting smile, hoping to ease some of the tension.

Isabella smiled at Lemon as she replied. "Me too," they agreed. "It's just... I don't know. I guess I just can't wait, and it feels like this isn't even real, because I've been looking forward to it for so long." They looked out of the window at the rolling green hills, small clumps of forest and pale blue sky wizzing past as the train sped along the tracks. Lemon placed their hands on the frame of the window and close their eyes. They could feel the movement of the train, hear the tracks' steady rhythm, the wind whistling past the windows in every compartment.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of wheels, creaking towards the sliding door of their compartment. The door slid open and a cheerful older woman appeared. "Anything from the trolley dears?" Lemon rushed to find their small, purple money bag with constellations embroidered all over it. They emptied the contents into their hands. 4 sickles and 3 knuts. "Umm... have you got any sticky caramels?" The woman nodded and smiled sweetly as she gestured to a jar of honey-brown lollies. "Okay... could I have... 3 of those and...." They spotted another sweet, this time of a golden colour. "A sherbert lemon please!" The woman handed over the sweets and Lemon paid. "I love lemons. Suits my name!" they explained to Isabella.

Word count: 225