New Friend
Ophelia was excited and nervous at the same time. Tonight would be her first night in Hogwarts, and she was still getting used to being labeled as a witch. After she got down from the stool and walked to the Gryffindor table, she sat next to a boy with dirty-blonde hair, probably because it was one of the few seats available.
She knew the boy was also a first-year because she had seen him get sorted before she had. Since she sat next to him, she hoped they could talk and maybe become friends. She wanted to start talking to him, but then the chatter of older students and the clicking of the cutlery against the plates interrupted her thoughts.
What was I going to tell him anyway? She sighed internally and put some potato puree and roast chicken on her plate. She didn't have an appetite, but she put some food in her mouth anyway, secretly hoping the boy, or anyone else, but he seemed to be the only one her age (others seemed to be in their second or third year), would talk to her.
If she were honest, she didn't care who talked to her; she just wanted to talk to someone so she could get out of the awkward position she was in. She glanced at the boy a second time, and since he wasn't talking to anyone either, she started to say something. "Hi, um, my name's Ophelia." She said, extending her hand for a handshake.
Last edited by Ophelia Vanderbilt on 13 Apr 2026, 15:52, edited 8 times in total.
New Friend
No amount of pep-talks could have prepared him for the magnitude of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Jude doubted he would ever be able to restrain his excitement as he walked around the place. A magical school because he, like his mother and other relatives before him, was a wizard. No matter how many times he repeated it to himself, the words somehow still sounded new.
The Sorting Ceremony went by without trouble, and he quickly joined his fellow Gryffindor first years at their table. Gryffindor. Jude had read enough about Hogwarts and its founders to feel rather happy with the choice. The Sorting Hat definitely knew what it was doing, placing him in the house that'd surely lead him down a path of great achievements.
The banquet before his eyes caused his mouth to drop open. Wherever he looked, there was something more extraordinary waiting for him. The ghosts, the enchanted candles floating above their heads, talking portraits, and the fact that he was surrounded by wizards... Real wizards. It was like a dream come true. After so many years begging his mother to meet the wizard side of his family, he was finally allowed to meet people just like him.
A quiet voice spoke next to him, calling his attention.
"Oh, hey!" Jude let out, a lot shyer than he's used to being, so much so that he barely recognized himself. His eyes finally left the enchanted ceiling, dropping to the girl beside him. She had long black hair and dark brown eyes, and she looked awkward, which explained why he'd barely heard her. "I'm Jude,"
He then noticed her hand and promptly reached out to shake it. "Nice meeting you. Is it your first year as well? I didn't pay much attention to anyone else during the Sorting Ceremony,"private thread with @Ophelia Vanderbilt
New Friend
Ophelia was rather relieved when the boy, Jude, began with a conversation topic. He seemed to be just as bewildered as she was, looking at the enchanted ceiling and all before she'd introduced herself.
"Yeah, it is," she answered his question and smiled, feeling a bit bolder to continue the conversation. "Nice to meet you, Jude."
She felt rather calm when they started talking, the shaky feeling in her chest fading away. "I know we just got here, but how do you find the castle? I personally find it impressive. I've heard it changes a lot," she added, feeling a bit more talkative.
Jude seemed like a nice person, she'd thought. Maybe they could become friends? She was so nervous to go to the common room; meeting so many new people at once was exhausting and overwhelming. But, for a fact, she was glad that she and Jude were talking; it made the walk to the common room, wherever it was, less awkward.
She noticed some foods vanishing and desserts appearing instead. That's it? She thought. Then we probably should go to the common rooms after the dessert's finished. Where even is it? More and more questions about Hogwarts life came to her mind; she was thankful she didn't forget about the ongoing conversation.
Last edited by Ophelia Vanderbilt on 13 Apr 2026, 15:52, edited 8 times in total.
New Friend
"I... find it amazing, really," Jude said, glancing around the Great Hall. He made eye contact with one of the ghosts, which had the hair on his forearm standing up, eyes doubling in size. "I mean, ghosts. Woah. My mum had told me all about Hogwarts, but it's still surreal to be experiencing all of this firsthand..."
His excitement took over the momentary shyness he felt for being in a place he wasn't so familiar with. He rested his face over his hands, glancing around the Hall until they landed on Ophelia as he spoke. "I have always wanted to be a wizard, you know. Like my mum. For a while, I thought it wouldn't happen, and I'd be a muggle for the rest of my life. Or a Squib, as they call it, I think. So, to be here... It's like, whoa, all my dreams are gonna come true. I just know it. Do you feel this way? Is your mum also a witch?"
With the disappearing banquet, Jude realized it was time to head to their dormitories for the night. Luckily, Ophelia was a Gryffindor, just like him, which meant they wouldn't be separated just yet. One of the older students stood up first, gathering the first-years to guide them to Gryffindor Tower.
Jude stood up in a hurry, wanting to be the first in line. He grabbed Ophelia's wrist, bringing her with him. The older student said something about following in line and trying not to get distracted and lost right on their first night. Jude nodded, excitedly.
private thread with @Ophelia Vanderbilt
New Friend
"Whoaaa," Ophelia let out an almost shriek at getting pulled by Jude so suddenly. They were first in line, and Ophelia was glad they weren't supposed to be finding the way to the common rooms all by themselves.
When the group started following the student, who introduced herself as one of the prefects, she answered Jude's question. "No, no, my parents are... muggles, I think is the term. I'm still not used to that word, sorry. I'm the only witch in the family," She says, feeling half-proud to be the only witch in her family and half-disappointed that, because of that, she didn't know anything about this whole new world. "And I'm still adapting to this world."
She paused as they walked up another staircase, some of the students getting left behind due to the staircase changing its destination. The movement was so sudden that the students, except for the older ones who were probably used to this, almost lost their balance and had to hold onto something.
"Are both your parents wizards, or just your mum?" she asked, looking at Jude after they regained their balance. "I personally would find it pretty cool if even a relative I don't know were one, just for the sake of the tricks they could show us as kids."
Last edited by Ophelia Vanderbilt on 13 Apr 2026, 15:52, edited 6 times in total.
New Friend
Jude made a face when Ophelia explained she was the only witch in her family; one of surprise: eyebrows shooting up, as he nodded slowly, lips parted as he thought of what he could say. He didn't think it was bad that the girl was adapting to this world. He would be, too, if mum wasn't a witch and they found out he had the ability to do magic. So wizards coming from Muggle families were more common than he originally expected.
"That's even cooler, no? Must've been a total shock for you, then, huh... I'm sure your family is very impressed with you. You'll get to tell him all about the spells and hexes we learn here at Hogwarts," Jude said, finally letting go of her wrist, as the older student began guiding the first years out of the Great Hall to the Gryffindor tower.
Shoving his hands in the pockets of his dark robes, he continued talking. "No, my dad was a Muggle... but my mum comes from a wizard family, though — the Morgans, so she taught me some stuff."
Jude hoped that made him sound more special than he felt, as he purposefully avoided the part where he and his mother were technically banished from the family. He glanced over his shoulder innocently — other groups of students headed toward different directions, which piqued his curiosity to find where the other Houses' common rooms were located.private thread with @Ophelia Vanderbilt
New Friend
Ophelia giggled, "Not at first, no. They were so shocked they couldn't, or maybe didn't, want to believe I was a witch." They walked up some more stairs. Ophelia was wondering how much they should go up to get to the common room.
"It just feels weird to be the only one. I can't even perform magic when I'm at home in the holidays, so my family will probably get bored with the 'witch daughter' fact," she sighed. "Having a witch or wizard in your family, more than one, even, who's already old enough to do magic outside school, must've been so fun."
They reached a portrait, Ophelia was so caught up talking that she almost bumped into the prefect, had it not been for someone, maybe Jude, she didn't really notice, pulling her back. She blushed a little, feeling embarrassed by the situation. The prefect said the password loud enough for the students in the front rows -and maybe even the middle rows- to hear.
Ophelia had seen the portraits moving and talking to each other; she hadn't seen them opening up. The portrait of a fat lady opened up, nagging about something Ophelia didn't understand, and the prefect stepped inside. The students followed and found themselves in the huge common room.
Ophelia gapped. "Oh my...," she looked around at the common room. At the colors red and gold. The room was beautiful.
Last edited by Ophelia Vanderbilt on 12 Apr 2026, 09:52, edited 5 times in total.
New Friend
"Not being able to do magic over the holidays sucks..." Jude grumbled over his breath.
It meant he wouldn't be able to practice on his own before the start of his second year. He wanted to have a chance to improve before his mates, even if he had no idea what the second year's syllabus looked like.
The Prefect urged them inside the common room, and Jude made sure to follow. He looked around, moving closer to Ophelia as the sea of students rushed in, eager to see where they would spend all of their nights for the upcoming years.
His eyes doubled in size, lips parted in wonder as he looked around.
It was all red and golden, as to be expected from the House's symbol of the mighty lion. It had to be the most luxurious place Jude had ever set foot in, especially when compared to his living room back home. Unlike every rich person's fancy but cold houses, however, the common room oozed comfort and home. It soothed the quiet worries in his mind that he would've been better off in Slytherin, or somewhere else. There was no denying. This was the right place for him.
He turned to Ophelia, offering the girl a small smile. "I should be going to the boys' dormitory to unpack and get ready for tomorrow. Do you want to have breakfast together? We'll have the same classes, I'm sure, and it'll be good to have a familiar face around."private thread with @Ophelia Vanderbilt
New Friend
Ophelia was still looking around the common room when Jude stated his departure, and when he did, she looked at the girls instantly, noting where they were going before turning to face Jude.
"Yeah, of course. I should get going, too; I'm exhausted and curious about how soft the beds are," she chuckled. "Sure, we can have breakfast together. I'll be waiting for you in the common room then."
They said their goodbyes and each left for their dormitory. Ophelia chatted with her dormmates as she unpacked her stuff from her suitcase, and when she was finished, she lay down on the soft mattress and closed her eyes, one arm on her forehead. Ophelia sighed to herself. Tonight had been tiring despite her not having done anything special.
Then, she smiled. She'd found a friend in no time, and they were going to class the next day together. Jude was right, it'd be great to see a familiar face here and there, especially in class, especially on your first day.
The forgotten anxiety rushed back into her veins. Tomorrow was their first day at Hogwarts. What if I get lost? What classes do I have again, tomorrow? Did I forget to buy anything? She thought everyone would be nervous on their first day, or the night before their first day. The thought, though, didn't calm her down. She looked up to check if everyone was asleep, and then checked her bag and list of supplies. These actions took place three more times before she decided that she hadn't forgotten anything, hadn't lost anything, and had found the correct timetable.
I should go sleep now, I guess.