Sitting Alone

Miranda couldn't keep the smile off of her face. She was finally going to Hogwarts! After all those years of dreaming and wondering, it was actually happening! Would she be in Ravenclaw, like her mother? Or Gryffindor, like her father? It was also possible that she'd end up in Hufflepuff or Slytherin, too. Although, that wasn't really too likely. Her parents both seemed quite sure she'd be in the house of the eagle, while her younger brother Cedar would be the next lion of the family, but Miranda wasn't all that sure.

She dragged her trunk a few feet farther down the hallway, but the annoyance of the heavy case couldn't dampen her mood.

Well, maybe it could a little bit.

The idea of dragging her luggage much farther wasn't exactly appetizing, so she peeked into a nearby cart and saw a lone girl sitting there with a forlorn expression on her face. Unsure if she was interrupting something, Miranda knocked on the wall lightly. "Is it okay if I sit with you?" she asked cautiously, glancing over her shoulder out into the hall. It was mostly empty, so the train was probably going to start soon. She'd better get seated quickly.

I smile at you in relief that I wouldn't be sitting alone and I would hopefully not be that one loner id all year, although I could handle being by myself it was certainly awkward being the only one sitting and walking around the grounds by myself and I would certainly get lonely at some point. "Yeah, you can sit here" I try to say as calmly as possible, I didn't want to seem too eager and scare you off but I don't suppose that I did too well at that. "What's your name," I ask, shyly now as all my thoughts catch up with me making my anxiety spike. What is she doesn't like you? I think to myself Just because she's sitting with you doesn't mean she'll like you. Don't mess this up, don't mess this up, if you mess this up you will be alone all year or even as long as you stay at Hogwarts. Please Don't mess this up. I repeat in my head multiple times. I reach out a hand to shake yours wait I think what if that's too formal. Oh no, it's too late. I just sit there and wait to see if you shake my hand and hope it's not too formal.

Miranda smiled at the other girl and pulled her trunk inside the room, heaving it up onto one of the luggage racks. "Thanks," she huffed, collapsing down on one of the seats.

It took her a moment to realize she'd been asked a question, and another to actually answer it. "Oh, my name's Miranda. What about you?" She reached out to accept the offered hand and shook it firmly.

"So what house do you think you'll end up in?" The train whistled sharply, and Miranda winced. All of the loud city noises were still unfamiliar to her. She was used to living out in the country, where it was peaceful and calm.

Maybe Hogwarts will be quieter, she thought hopefully. Although I can't say that'll take too much. Another piercing whistle echoed across the station, and Miranda winced again. The only thing she'd ever heard that was this loud was the gryffon her family had had to care for once while it's proper owner had been doing business in America. She and her brother, Cedar, had spent the few nights it was there awake, unable to sleep through it's piercing cries. She had been ever so relieved when the owner had returned to collect it.

"I'm Margaret" I replied relieved by the kindness of Miranda. I was worried that something was wrong, I nobody was ever really nice to me at first. Most of my friends had been made by sitting next to them in classes for a 3 weeks or more or (the faster way) one of my friends was friends with them and we all became friends. What if there wasn't something wrong? I'll probably mess it up worse then. I hoped that if I did mess this up or couldn't make a friend at all my siblings ould allow me to hang out with them but I still hoped I wouldn't have to. Being the kid who has to hang out with their siblings because they couldn't make any friends wasn't as bad as being the kid who sits and walks to classes all by herself but was still pretty bad. I tried not to overthink things or let anxiety take the best of me, I always made stupid decisions when I had bad anxiety. Miranda was so nice so I tried my best to be just as kind to her.

"I'm hoping to be in Ravenclaw but I'm not sure which house I'll be put in, I'd be happy with any house," I replied, smiling.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" I inquired moving my things under the seat to make room.

"Well, I'd like to be in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but I'll probably end up in Ravenclaw. At least, that's what mother says. And father. And my brother, too, for that matter." Miranda smiled. "I'm honestly tempted to try and get into one of the other houses just to prove them wrong." She laughed at that, her eyes crinkling at the edges.

Oh dear, am I being to loud? Miranda wondered. Mother always says I'm too noisy for my own good. I always thought she was just annoyed by me, but maybe I really am. Maybe people in the city are quieter than my brother and I? Although that wouldn't really explain why all of their stuff is so loud. Maybe that's so it balances out their silence?

She really, really hoped that was untrue. I guess they'll either like me like this, or not at all.

"Have any of your siblings gone to Hogwarts?" Miranda asked, trying to think of something else. "Because I'm the oldest child in my family, and my parents are really bad at descriptions. All they say about Hogwarts is that it's really big, and I can find that out if I ask anyone."

Margaret smiles so big that her face looks like a tomato (round and red). My face hurt from how big she smiles. Margaret likes the way that Miranda laughs wholeheartedly and it makes her more happier to hear someone else's joy, she feels more comfortable now.

"Oh yes," she replies to Miranda's question "I have 3 older siblings, 2 brothers, and a sister. All except my oldest brother have gone to Hogwarts. My sister says it's wonderful, the teachers are nice, mot of the students are nice. She says she lies wandering around the grounds on the weekend because it's so beautiful there. My brother says learning about magic is the best part. He says he misses some of his muggle classes and he worries that if he doesn't like the jobs in the wizarding world he won't be able to get one in the muggle world. He's a bit of a nerd but I understand, I'll definitely miss literature classes. They both love the architecture and preforming magic." I said trying to explain as best I could my family agreed not to talk to in detail about it in front of me so that I can experience it best for myself... sorry am I talking too much?" I ask a bit worriedly but mostly as a joke "sorry if I'm boring you. Tell me some about your family. Where are you from? What is your family like? How do you feel about Hogwarts?"

"It sounds awesome there," Miranda said excitedly. "I can't wait to really start learning magic! I mean, I've seen it happening all my life, but it seems different to be the one doing it myself." She sat there for a moment, caught up in her fantasies, but shook herself out of it when Margaret worried aloud whether she was talking to much. "Oh no, it's fine! I'll probably never get bored of hearing about Hogwarts!" She paused for a moment to listen to Margaret's questions, then thought about how to answer.

"I'm live just outside of London. My family owns a farm for Magical Creatures out there, so we don't come into the city much. It's very loud here," she noted in a matter-of-a-fact tone. "I wasn't expecting that." Miranda stopped talking for a moment, then continued. "And, well, I guess my family's nice, although mother and father are always busy tending to the animals. Cedar and I spend most of our time alone, playing with the tamer beasts. Or, you know, sneaking into the areas where the dangerous ones are just to scare ourselves." She frowned slightly, remembering all the times she probably shouldn't have let her brother coerce her into going.

"And I am super excited about Hogwarts! It's literally my dream come true! I can't wait until our third year, when we start Care for Magical Creatures!" She smiled, shaking her head slowly. "I know, it's still a long time off, but it sounds awesome!

I listen intentively but still both anxious and excited for Hogwarts, I wait for the train to leave thinking we are about to leave the station any minute now. Time always goes by lower when you're waiting for it to pass but at the same time, it seems to speed up when you're cheery so for some reason that seemed idiotic I thought it would equalize.

Margaret smiles interestedly as Miranda talks about the farm "really that's amazing, I would love to live on a farm with magical creatures. I guess you're pretty close to your brother, that's pretty cool. Usually, I get along with my siblings except for a year or two when we went through a rough patch. What kind of magical creatures do you have? I didn't hear about the Care of Magical Creatures class until you just said it but now I'm excited too." I laugh.

Margaret pulls back the sleeve to my black jacket, which I wore for comfort, to look at my watch, wondering if we were leaving the train station (noticing we have 4 minutes left which feels like a long time. It almost feels like no time has passed. She is so excited but also enjoying every second of time.) I still listen to Miranda's response intentively.

Miranda waved her hand casually. "Oh, all sorts. Mostly ones you find around here, like nifflers, or pixies, but we have a few more exotic ones. We even have a thestral! I can't see it of course, but I've read all about what they're supposed to look like, and it's pretty cool. A bit creepy, though."

She wasn't sure if Margaret knew what a thestral was, so she felt the need to explain. "Thestrals are kind of giant, black skeletal horses. You can only see them if you seen someone die before, which is creepy and awesome at the same time. I've always wondered how they evolved to have that ability. It seems pretty cool, but I don't really see how it's useful. I mean, being invisible is helpful, but why not just be unseen by everyone?" She trailed off into a thoughtful silence, glancing idly out the window.

The train will start any moment now, she realized. And then we'll be on our way! To Hogwarts! The best school ever! Miranda fidgeted slightly. I can't wait!

She glanced back over at Margaret. I can't believe I was so worried about getting friends. It seems so easy, now that I really think about it.