Hogwarts Express
It was a cold morning when Millicent Barnes hesitantly walked up to Platform 9 and 3/4. She felt nervous, carrying her books, her bags and her new wand. It still felt delicate in her hands, as if with one pinch, she would snap it and her whole magical future to bits.
She willed the tears away and turned to face her family. Her mother immediately hugged her.
"No matter what," the woman said in a choked voice, "we love you, Millie."
Her father nodded, looking a little saddened himself. "Please be safe, Millicent. Be cautious with your"-
"Magic," she said, since he never could say it in front of her.
Her little sister Agnes looked ready to burst into tears when they hugged and her mother had to pry the little girl off her.
"Owl me every day!" she demanded from her mother's clutches. "Or send a wizarding magical person!"
Millicent smiled at the eight-year-old. "I'll do my best."
And so, she went onto the train, clutching her bags and smiling at her family, hoping to give off every sort of confidence she did not feel.
And as she got onto the train, she properly ran into someone, blinking up at them blearily. "What in the world?"
She willed the tears away and turned to face her family. Her mother immediately hugged her.
"No matter what," the woman said in a choked voice, "we love you, Millie."
Her father nodded, looking a little saddened himself. "Please be safe, Millicent. Be cautious with your"-
"Magic," she said, since he never could say it in front of her.
Her little sister Agnes looked ready to burst into tears when they hugged and her mother had to pry the little girl off her.
"Owl me every day!" she demanded from her mother's clutches. "Or send a wizarding magical person!"
Millicent smiled at the eight-year-old. "I'll do my best."
And so, she went onto the train, clutching her bags and smiling at her family, hoping to give off every sort of confidence she did not feel.
And as she got onto the train, she properly ran into someone, blinking up at them blearily. "What in the world?"
Hogwarts Express
Reducio
Word Count: 392
Characters: Ashley Stone, Millicent Barnes
Location: Platform 9 and ¾, Hogwarts Express
Characters: Ashley Stone, Millicent Barnes
Location: Platform 9 and ¾, Hogwarts Express
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
As Ashley walked in through the barrier to Platform 9 and ¾, she instantly scanned the room.
Students were everywhere—witches and wizards who would be her future classmates. Parents were crying, hugging their children tightly and saying their goodbyes before the train left. Huge, stacked trunks were lying around everywhere in the crowded space, as one would expect from the train station full of students.
“Ashley, you actually have to go to the train,” her older sister Isabella said with a laugh.
“Preferably into it instead of on top,” Wyatt, her brother, said quietly in a monotone voice. Because that was absolutely something that Ashley would do.
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Ashley rolled her eyes.
Before Ashley could walk towards the train, a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned quickly to see her dad standing there with a smile.
“Owl us after your Sorting, okay?” he said, with a slightly strained smile on his face.
Her mother instantly rushed forwards. “Just owl us when you get time, you can tell us how everything is going.” The smile on her mother’s face looked more… proud. Like she really would be happy no matter which house Ashley ended up in. She would still love her. Ashley smiled back.
“I will. I’ll miss you guys.” She hugged her mom, who held on for a little bit too long. When she hugged her dad, it was less enthusiastic, which Ashley thought was strange, but she ignored it.
Ashley made her way towards the train with her siblings, smiling, feeling a sense of belonging.
They boarded the train together, but Wyatt and Isabella soon went their own ways to find their friends. Ashley was left alone, standing in the hall.
She looked through a few sections, but they were all filled with groups of older students and their friends. Just as she started towards the next one, she ran into someone. She heard them say, “What in the world?” and Ashley panicked and backed away.
“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!” Ashley quickly yelped before looking at the person she had run into. “Are you okay? Did I break anything? Oh, please tell me I didn’t break anything!”
"Everything's a choice. Nobody's born good. Nobody's born evil. It's always a choice."
-Tom Hiddleston
Hogwarts Express
Millicent Barnes looked up and saw a dark-haired girl, much taller than her, looking down at her with wide eyes.
"I-I'm fine!" she answered with a smile, gathering up her materials. Looks like nothing was damaged. That's good. "And no, you didn't break anything. No need to worry."
The girl looked so guilty and concerned that the soon to be Hufflepuff took pity on her. "I-I'm Millicent. Millicent Barnes. How are you? What's your name? Also what house are you sorted into?"
Millicent decided to sit next to the girl. "I don't know what house I'm in yet. I'm honestly a little nervous about it. What about you?"
She then saw the girl's brother and sister leaving and her eyes softened. Those must be your siblings, right? They must be magical, too, huh?
Some silence accompanied and Millicent suddenly felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. What am I doing here? Should I even be here? This is Hogwarts; very official and prestigious and I'm... here.
"I have a sister too," she said, willing her voice not to break. "She's eight. Her name's Agnes. I don't think she understands all this magical stuff yet, but she made me promise to owl her." She let out a sad, little laugh. "I miss her."
"I-I'm fine!" she answered with a smile, gathering up her materials. Looks like nothing was damaged. That's good. "And no, you didn't break anything. No need to worry."
The girl looked so guilty and concerned that the soon to be Hufflepuff took pity on her. "I-I'm Millicent. Millicent Barnes. How are you? What's your name? Also what house are you sorted into?"
Millicent decided to sit next to the girl. "I don't know what house I'm in yet. I'm honestly a little nervous about it. What about you?"
She then saw the girl's brother and sister leaving and her eyes softened. Those must be your siblings, right? They must be magical, too, huh?
Some silence accompanied and Millicent suddenly felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. What am I doing here? Should I even be here? This is Hogwarts; very official and prestigious and I'm... here.
"I have a sister too," she said, willing her voice not to break. "She's eight. Her name's Agnes. I don't think she understands all this magical stuff yet, but she made me promise to owl her." She let out a sad, little laugh. "I miss her."