CL On the way to Hogwarts

Mentions: @Hera Green, @Oliver Thorn
Italics: thoughts

Ever since I got my letter to Hogwarts, I was so excited to go. Although I would definitely miss my family and my friends, I knew that I hoped that I would make new friends eventually. After saying a long goodbye to my family and hugging them I stepped onto the train.
Most of the compartments were full of people chattering away with their friends. I wanted to find a compartment that was mostly empty because I wasn’t the most social person. I decided to go to one of the compartments near the back. I finally found one that was almost empty except for a girl with fair-skinned, blonde hair and grey eyes. She was sitting with a shoulder bag next to her and a sketchbook in her hands. From what I could tell, it looked like she was drawing the compartment we were currently in.
I decided that this compartment was my best chance. The girl seemed nice and maybe it could be a chance to make a new friend. First, I headed upstairs to put my things. Then I said, “Hi! I’m Reyna Evergreen! What's your name? Also, can I sit here?” I held a small bag in my hand and motioned to the seat beside her. I held her gaze as she looked up at me and I put on a friendly smile.
I hope she says yes and doesn’t think I’m weird. This was one of the first times I had talked to someone other than my tutors, family and best friend Hazel. Let’s hope I didn’t mess this up…

Word Count: 277

─────The train shuddered with a hiss, steam frothing from the engine as compartment doors slid shut; muffling the squeals of nervous 1st years and senior's cheery chattering, with the distinct smell of fresh leather incense filling the carriage. The train picked up speed, the once static waves of both sobbing and proud families slid past the windows like a book page replaced with the fast moving greenery of english highland. Only minutes had past since the train's departure but inside the halls the atmosphere had completely changed, all sound dimmed down to the faint rolling of wheels and the slight rhythmic bounce of the compartments, peace struck in the carriages with student's conversations isolated to their rooms.

Oliver released the door of the 1st carriage open, flooding the desolate corridor with an explosive burst of sound and hasty footsteps, hammering his shoes in a desperate sprint down the hall craning his head side to side glancing at bustling compartments, eventually his sprint ended abruptly, his face meeting the door to the dining carriage, he looked to his left to see a fairly less active compartment, breathless and out of steam Oliver unlatched the compartment door, heaving his sluggish body onto the doorframe he looked at the passengers with a sweaty, breathless visage Oliver peered down at the witch.

"Can I sit here..."

The exhausted wizard said in a wheezing breath, pointing at a spare seat with a sloth-like stance, his body leaning theatrically on the vintage door-frame. Oliver had not taken notice of what exactly the 2 witches were doing but it became apparent once his head cooled down, he had just bursted in mid-introduction.

"Oh, did I jump in at a bad time?"

The young boy asked with a rather dense tone, his breath now steadier and his posture more lax.

"Well my name is Oliver Thorn, pleasure to make your aquaintence, um... that is if I can sit here?"

Mentions: @Hera Green, @Oliver Thorn
Italics: thoughts

I was so glad that she said yes. Then she introduced herself as Hera Green. She picked her sketchbook up as I sat on the seat across from her. I pulled out a book from my bag but put it aside for a bit.
"Are you excited? Isn't it your first year?" she asked. I smiled.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m a first year. I’m really excited… I’ve heard so much about Hogwarts! I’m excited to experience it myself. You're a first year too, right?”
Just then, a boy came into the compartment. He had light olive skin and he seemed a bit out of breath. “Nice to meet you too!! Yeah you can surely sit with us!” I said, replying to Hera and the boys questions.
"What's your blood status? Don't get me wrong just asking as a question." Hera said after the boy who’s name was Oliver sat down.
“Half-blood,” I said, “What about you guys? What house do you think you’ll get into? My mom was a Gryffindor but my grandparents were Hufflepuff so I’m not sure.”
As I waited for them to respond to my questions I looked out the window. This was so surreal. I was finally going to Hogwarts, talking to people. I would start my own life, live on my own. I would sure miss my friends and family but this was my chance to make something out of myself. You can do this Reyna, I believe in you! And I knew my parents were probably saying the same thing too.

Word Count: 269

─────Oliver was concerned that his theatrical entrance had offended his soon-to-be classmates, so he waited calmly for the witch's responses. He was expecting a quick denial and was ready to close the door and look for another compartment. To his astonishment, neither witch seemed to think his introduction intrusive or unnecessary, and both mages graciously offered him a seat with a warm grin.

Oliver watched the girls converse, hesitant to speak as in the past he earned a reputation for talking over his muggle friends, whom he was adamant about not taking with him to Hogwarts. The girl inquired about Oliver's blood status; Oliver had heard from his father about the subject; it was a one-off conversation that seemed fairly serious, and Oliver thought about what his father had said in retrospect. Collecting his memories of what his father had told him, Reyna gave her answer.
"Well what a coincidence! I am also a Half-blood."

Oliver spoke suddenly, feeling at ease knowing his response will be shared with someone else. Oliver smiled proudly for speaking at the right time. Oliver considered what his father had said carefully. He recalled his father explaining the four houses to him, but he could only remember the name of the House of the Wise, Ravenclaw, which his father had attended the school under. Oliver thought his father had given his own house too much attention, but when he heard the witch mention her own parents' houses, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, he realised they were the kind and brave houses, respectively, they rung a bell in Oliver's head being the kind and the courageous houses although not so sure which one holds which title.

"Well I can't really say. My father was a Ravenclaw apparently so thats the only house I've heard good things about."

While waiting for the other witch, Hera Green, to respond, Oliver thought about the other three houses and tried to remember the name of the final one.

"Yes, it's my first year too. I've heard a lot about Hogwarts. I think we have this in common."

In fact, she had heard more about her brother's mischief at Hogwarts and was impressed even though she didn't show them.

"Wow, It's nice that you both are Half-Blood. I'm Pureblood. I think I'll be Gryffindor or Slytherin. My mother is Hufflepuff, my aunt Ravenclaw, my brother Slytherin, and my father..."

When it was her father's turn, he stared at the ground. She had last seen his father at the age of 6, and her mother and aunt were not talking about it. She didn't exactly remember her father.

When she was separated from these thoughts, she felt that he was still distracted. She rested his head on the glass and was lost in thought. These thoughts made her feel strange. To get rid of these strange feelings quickly, she picked up the drawing pad again and continued drawing.

"Do you want something children?"

She looked up from her sketchbook when she heard an old woman's voice. It was the food cart that came and the witch pulling it. Her family had talked about it.

"Three chocolate frogs, please."

She paid and gives Reyna and Oliver a chocolate frog each.

Mentions: @Hera Green, @Oliver Thorn
Italics: thoughts

I listened as they both talked. "Cool!" I replied when Oliver said he was also half- blood. Hera was a pure blood. They each said the house is that their family was in. I nodded my head.
Although Hera seemed a bit emotional or was it sad? I didn't know but this happened when she was talking about her dad. I wonder what happened but I figured I shouldn't ask.
Instead, I said, "Interesting, I wonder if we will be in the same house…" I said. Just then, the trolley person came into our compartment.
Hera ordered three chocolate, frogs one for each of us. I smiled as she gave it to us.
"Thanks!" I replied, "That is really nice of you!" I opened my chocolate frog and popped it in my mouth. Looking at the card, I saw that it was Carlotta Pinkstone a common card. I said 1922-2001: Famous campaigner for lifting the International Confederation of Wizard’s Statute of Secrecy and telling Muggles that wizards still exist. Ms. Pinkstone has been imprisoned several times for her blatant and deliberate use of magic in public places.
"Who did you guys get? I got Carlotta Pinkstone!” I said. As I waited for a response, I started to read my book. I was so excited for Hogwarts and I couldn't wait to get there.
I stared out the window in wonder. I wondered how my family and friends were doing and if they missed me or not. But for now I had a conversation to listen to and the possibility of 2 new friends.

Word Count: 278

─────
Even Oliver wasn't stupid enough to realise how lonely it might get to spend an entire year at the school far away from family and his muggle friends, so he listened to the two witches eagerly wishing to get to know some people he will be attending Hogwarts with. However, it didn't seem like it would be too difficult to make friends. Hera talked about her family and the houses they were placed in, Oliver listened closely hearing Hera mentioned the last house, which was on the tip of his tongue, "Slytherin," the house of the cunning, he remembered asking his father what that word meant where he was given a very negative description, it sounded like a terrible house to be in, Oliver's mind was suddenly racing with the realisation he might be put into such a terrible-sounding house but his short panic came to an abrupt pause as he realised Hera had suddenly stopped talking and rested her head on the window after nearly slipping something about her father. The atmosphere of the carraige suddenly changed with nobody wishing to break Hera's silence, instead Oliver looked out of the glass-pane door of the carriage to see a slim, fragile, grey-haired lady pushing a colourful trolley of what could only be the highest intake of sugar imaginable.

"Do you want something, children?"

Oliver shook his head slightly and avoided making eye contact with the woman as he glanced at a packet of white cobwebs. Oliver had no idea that there would be lollies on the train. His father probably made sure to keep it a secret so he couldn't buy any. Hera spoke, "Three chocolate frogs, please." breaking the ice that the trio had been stuck in. The lady motioned for some coins, and the witch gave her several silver pieces in exchange for three purple boxes. As he looked at the book curiously; it was a hexagonal shape that was mostly purple with gold patterns; it almost reminded Oliver of an oddly-coloured circus tent.

Oliver watched as Reyna opened her chocolate frog and ate it with great haste. As she did so, she peered deeper into her box and pulled out a card that included a picture of a person along with her name and a brief description. "Who did you guys get? I got Carlotta Pinkstone!” When Oliver opened the box to get his chocolate frog, he was shocked to see a collectable card inside. Oliver loved to leave things to chance and test his luck, so when the chocolate amphibian unexpectedly leapt out of the box and fell lifeless to the ground, he was shook.

"What happened there?! the frog it moved I-I swear."

Oliver could see how much more his father still needed to convey to him and that he was in for a lot of surprises when the frog hopped onto the floor just once and then stayed there without moving an inch after that. He took up his card:

Daisy Dodderidge
Daisy Dodderidge built The Leaky Cauldron a pub that serves as a gateway between the Muggle world and Diagon Alley, Wizards and Witches of her day loved her generosity and welcoming atmosphere of her pub.

"I got... someone called Daisy Dodderidge, it says that she used to run The Leaky Cauldron."

The Leaky Cauldron was where Oliver went to enter Diagon Alley, and he recalled that it had a cosy feeling despite the brief time he spent travelling in and out to go between Florish & Blotts and the streets of London. Oliver glanced to Hera, curious to see what card she might have received.