At Long Last Open Finished

Alex could tell Lizzy was lost in thought for a moment, but she didn't blame the girl across from her. They were on their way to the Hogwarts where they'd be sorted into the house they'd stay with for seven years. Alex couldn't even imagine how nervous Lizzy must be if she herself was this nervous and had known about Hogwarts since she was born.

When Lizzy voiced her worries about the hat, Alex offered her a smile of assurance. "I used to ask my parents the same thing, but they always told me that the Sorting Hat would know just where to put me and I'd find my new home there." Of course, she still worried, but with her parent's reassurance, Alex had felt more comfortable with the thought of the sentient hat. "I mean, if it's been kept for this long, it must be good at its job," she suggested with a hint of a smile on her lips.

She couldn't help but laugh at Alex's joke, her mischievous smile contagious. "I guess we're both stuck with each other," she teased. Alex usually worried about her first impression on others, so she always seemed to worry if the new people she met would truly want to stick around. She hoped, and felt somewhere inside her, that this wouldn't be the case and that she did truly just find her first friend at Hogwarts.

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Word Count: 235

The Sorting Hat would just know where to put them? How would it know? And how was it so sure they would find a new home there? What if Lizzy was wrongly sorted or never made any friends besides Alex or she and Alex were sorted into different houses? She took a deep breath to calm herself, she had seriously let her thoughts run wild there for a second. Lizzy really did hope that she and Alex were sorted into the same house though. She couldn't imagine not being able to see Alex for most of her time at Hogwarts. They were stuck with each other though, just as the two girls had said. There was no way a house difference could stop their newly developed friendship.

Changing over to another topic, Lizzy began to ponder over the classes they would be taking at Hogwarts. Obviously they were magical classes. She had gotten the list of classes all first years were mandated to take, but the list had been skimmed over. Lizzy had been too excited to learn she was just going to the school to actually study her class list more closely. She vaguely remembered there being a Potions, Charms, Flying, and something to do with history. Lizzy hoped that she would be able to understand the material they learned about. She hoped that the professors would not ask questions that were considered simple for the children who had grown up around magic, and for her would be completely stumping.

She turned to Alex once more to voice her question. "So, what do you think the actual classes will be like? I briefly looked over my schedule, but I'd have to recheck it to remember all the classes." It was funny how Lizzy considered herself to be a great student, and yet if she were really a committed student she would've taken the time to look over her list more closely and read her textbooks cover to cover several times. She knew not everyone did this, but she had been doing it for so long she couldn't even remember when the habit had began.

It was a part of her that Alex didn't always appreciate, but she was thankful for her emotional sensitivities at this moment. The subtle signs of Lizzy's mannerisms and the way she spoke were enough to clue to Alex that the other girl was indeed nervous. Alex smiled warmly, letting out a slightly shaky breath. It would be a lie to pretend she wasn't nervous as well. "I've heard a little from my brothers about the classes, but I'm still pretty unsure about them, too." She chuckled in attempt to wave off her anxiety.

As much as she wished she knew everything about Hogwarts, Alex only knew bits of information from the stories she'd been told. She would have to truly experience it for herself to understand the inner workings of the school. The uncertainty scared her. Still, she knew deep down it would be okay. If her brothers could get through it, then she most certainly could as well.

Without giving it a second thought at the risk of overthinking it, Alex stuck her hand out. An invitation. A promise. "Friends? Partners in crime?" She knew her actions and words were silly, but she didn't care. She wouldn't get very far without someone by her side. Of course, she'd have her house - whichever the hat decided she belonged in - but having someone with her from the very beginning was a comforting thought.

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Word Count: 233

It was extremely comforting to know that Alex was in the same boat she was. Everything about Hogwarts just seemed so uncertain to Lizzy at the moment. There were so many what ifs and unknowns about the school, it scared her a little bit. If there was one thing she hated, it was running into something blindly, with no prior knowledge and literally nothing to fall back on.

Caught up in a whirlwind of emotion and thought, Lizzy was surprised stuck her hand out. "Friends? Partners in crime?" she asked. Having Alex through her many years to come at Hogwarts was a consoling thought. She pretended to think before a smile slid across her face, and she reached out to take Alex's outstretched hand. "Of course. I'd be honored to call you my friend." It may have been silly, but the sentiment was real.

The words sunk in, and she realized her fears about going into the unknown of Hogwarts were gone. There was no need to worry when she had a friend by her side to help her get through it all. A friend. Lizzy and Alex were friends long before Alex put out her hand. They had been friends from the moment Lizzy had come into the compartment, though the two may have not known it yet. This was sure to be an interesting year to come. Interesting, but exciting, and she would go through it all with Alex.

Thread Completed