First Year, September 2022

Where was he going to sit? Simon did not know anybody. He gazed upon the majestic train, realizing he was in the hands of fate at this point. The train would take them to Hogwarts, not decide the seats for them. That was completely up to him and that suddenly startled him.

With the parents waving on the platform behind them, the students went on the Hogwarts Express. Simon may have looked calm, but he was quite nervous that he had forgotten something. He and his parents had to leave in a rush because of the sudden storm and huge showers of rain that were flooding the roads of London. So much for the beautifully sunlit landscapes that his father had been telling him about. It was going to be a stormy ride to Hogwarts. A thunder rolled over the sky as he sat his foot in the train and was pushed forward by the stream of chattering students.

"They're going to meet us at the back!", said two young girls with high-pitched voices and hurried through the lively carriage to the next.

Simon passed two full coupés before finding a coupé in which only one student was sitting. He quickly decided this must be the ideal situation; without having to invite himself to a group of already established friends or become the third wheel. He peeked inside.

Estelle was excited. This was it! She was finally going to Hogwarts!

She ran at the barrier, hoping this wasn't a dream. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact...
*Toot toot* She heard the whistle of a train.

The huge train stood before her, a monument of steam and metal. It towered over her and she gazed at the gold lettering. So this was the Hogwarts Express.

Her father stood on the platform, waiting for her. He had come through moments earlier, proving to Estelle that the wall was incorporeal. He smiled at her and gave her her battered trunk. It had been his once, and had survived seven years of books and clothes. Estelle hoped it would survive an eighth.
After a tearful goodbye, Estelle clambered on to the train.

The carriage was panelled with a smooth wood and had a dark, soft carpet that brushed her pink trainers. Estelle smiled.

Estelle walked past chatting friends and giggling trios until she reached an empty carriage. She plonked down onto one of the squishy chairs and opened her book. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was her favourite book. Undoubtedly so. She had read it many a time and hoped someone at Hogwarts would share her love of magiczoology.

@Simon Tilia

Interacting with @Estelle Nyx

Inside the cabin was a girl around his age with blond shoulder-length hair and a baby blue casual looking jacket. She seemed like a nice girl. But perhaps it would be better if he found another cabin; not that he minded the company of a girl, but after all, it was a very long trip. He remembered when reading the story about the famous auror Harry Potter and how he met his two best friends on the Hogwarts Express. Simon did not believe in faith. He was aware that the one he ended up sitting next to school could as well become a new and valuable friend. However, he was not sure that a girl at his age would appreciate his company. Perhaps she would be disappointed with her traveling company and then it would just be awkward for the rest of the trip.

On the other hand; what were the odds of him finding another cabin where only one student was sitting? If he left the cabin now only to come back later, the seats may as well be taken by then. There was nothing indicating that she was expecting anybody else, so he decided to give it a try.

"Excuse me", said Simon to get the girl's attention. "Is this occupied or can I join you?"

Estelle noticed a boy walking towards the carriage out of the corner of here eye. He was tall, with brown hair, sparkling blue eyes and a square jaw. He looked at her nervously, looking unsure whether to enter the carriage. Estelle smiled at him. She had hoped she'd make some new friends at Hogwarts and now was the perfect opportunity. She didn't mind that he was a boy or that he was quite a lot taller than her, she was just eager to meet someone else.

Finally, clearly after some deliberation, the boy asked
"Can I join you?"

Estelle put down her book and replied
"Sure! Take a seat. I'm Estelle Nyx"

Estelle wondered if the boy would recognise her surname. Her father had once been part of the Nyx family, a pureblood family that (according to her father - Estelle firmly believed that one should meet a person before making a judgement on them) was famous for their blood supremacist values. Her father had been disowned from the family for marrying her mother (a muggle) and had not talked to them since. Estelle hoped to meet her cousins for the first time at Hogwarts.

But before that, Estelle was determined to make some friends. Starting with this boy that had walked into her carriage.
"What's your name? Are you excited to go to Hogwarts? I can't wait! I wonder which house I'll be sorted into..."

Interacting with @Estelle Nyx

Simon was relieved to hear her response. She did not seem to expect anybody else (that was good) and she did not seem to mind him joining her at all. On the contrary – she looked quite happy for it. Simon pushed his brown trunk in front of him, placed it under the seat and sat down by the window opposite her.

"My pleasure. I'm Simon. Simon Tilia." He smiled politely.

A growing cloud of steam covered the view outside the window. He noticed that the table between them was quite old and on the cabin wall beside him somebody had scribbled:

JENNIE + CAL

JENNIE IS A MUDBLOOD!!

Simon met her gaze again and replied:

"Oh yes, I'm very excited. It was not clear whether I should accept my Hogwarts letter or not. I'm half and half. My parents has been discussing back and forth whether I should attend to a Muggle school or attend to Hogwarts. I grew up in a Muggle neighborhood, you see. But in the end we figured it was best for me to become trained in magic. I have no idea what house I'm gonna be in though..." He shrugged his shoulder. "So, what about you?"

"So what about you?"

Estelle smiled. Simon seemed to understand the confusion of being a half blood, the same confusion she had had. She wasn't fully magical, yet she had to keep secrets from her muggle friends.
She grinned and said:

"I am like you - a half blood. My father is from a magical family, although he had to leave in order to marry my mother. Both my parents work as reporters for a muggle newspaper. My mother mostly covers local stories whereas my dad often travels to report on stories across the UK. He often takes me with him actually, and it was on one of those trips I first discovered my love of magical creatures.

My parents agreed that if I went to a muggle primary school I could go to Hogwarts when I turned eleven. That way I would still know about the non-magic world. My father was incredibly supportive of this as he wanted me to make my own judgement on muggles, instead of predetermined ideas of wizard superiority.

Anyway, I am honestly happy with any house. My dad was a Ravenclaw and it would be quite cool to follow in his footsteps."

Estelle smiled at Simon, feeling a sense of companionship with him. She hoped he would be in the same house as her.

After a minute or so of staring out the window, she asked
" So have you read any of the schoolbooks? Also, what would you like to do after Hogwarts? I know it's kinda early to be asking this, but I have my heart set on being a magiczoologist so I was wondering."

@@Simon Tilia

Interacting with @Estelle Nyx

Simon was intrigued to hear that Estelle was also a half-blood – with a magical father and Muggle mother, same as he.

"Really? That is quite interesting. I've never heard of a witch or wizard who has left their wizarding family to be with the one whom they love. Wasn't that a hard decision? For your dad, I mean?" Simon was hoping it was not too sensitive to ask. "Well, if I'd be honest, I'd be happy to not end up in Hufflepuff at least. My dad was a Hufflepuff and he has been going on and on about the Hufflepuff house. It became quite annoying, really. As if he had pictured my whole school time before him and wanted me to live up to that or something. I don't know. Not that I have anything against Hufflepuff in general, you see", he reassured her.

When asked about his school books, he suddenly realized he had not checked whether he had packed them all. But either way, now was too late.

"I have actually! I enjoyed the first two chapters of A History of Magic. What about you?" Simon chuckled. "You're asking so many questions it's hard for me to keep up! Oh no, I don't mind!", he added when he saw her expression. "I'm honestly not sure yet, but it would be interesting to study the social world in the wizarding community. I guess that would make me the first 'magisociologist." (A term he invented there and then).

"You're asking me so many questions it's hard to keep up."
Estelle flinched. She had often been told she was a bit overenthusiastic and worried she had overstepped.
"Oh no, I don't mind" Simon said, seeing her face. She knew he was just being nice.
I'm honestly not sure yet, but it would be interesting to become the first magisociologist."

"That's such a cool idea!" Estelle said. "You should definitely aim fo that if that's what you want to do! A record can be broken but a first can never be undone. You'd go down in history. Not to mention, the magic world definitely needs a magicsociologist.

I can't speak for my dad, but once his family found out about my mother they told him to leave. He agreed - he had disagreed with their opinions on blood purity for a long time. He still doesn't talk about it much though."
Estelle glanced out the window. The sun was beginning to set over the hills, turning everything into shining gold. Estelle smiled. She loved the sunset.

------------

Estelle watched as the sun finally set. The darkness began to cover the landscape, bringing with it a sense of anticipation for her arrival at Hogwarts. She left to get changed and returned a few minutes later, in her new robes. She looked at Simon. "What do you think?"

@Simon Tilia

Interacting with @Estelle Nyx

“You think? I think so too! My mother teaches antrophology and sociology, but that applies to the Muggle world of course. It’s a shame there isn’t an academic study of the magical social world… I think you would make a great magizoologist, by the way. I bet you are great with animals.” He gave her an encouraging smile. Estelle seemed kind and loving. He almost wished he had had a friend like her as he grew up in Edinburgh. Someone who was more like him (and with magical abilities, of course).

While listening to Estelle as she talked about her father, he felt as if he should not pose any more questions to her, for now, so he let it be.

"See. The storm seems to be over at last", Simon said as he followed her eyes to the glowing sunset that appeared between the trees.

-----

When Estelle came back after changing, it was almost like a different version of the same person that he had got to know during the last hour. The uniform suited her well.

“You look like a proper Hogwarts student!”, Simon said with a smile. “Although, if it wasn’t for your happy face one might have thought you were attending a funeral.” He paused and then chuckled. “I’m kidding! My clothes are completely black and white too. I’m sure you will look even better whatever colors you’re gonna get. And the end of tonight we will know. Well, I’d better get dressed too.”

-----

Simon left and came back a couple of minutes later, fully dressed in his school uniform. He almost felt older and taller wearing it.

“Does it look alright?” He instantly realized the amount of trust he felt for Estelle, asking for her opinion and approval.

Estelle smiled.
"You look amazing!"

As she stood, she noticed the height difference between her and Simon.

She looked up at him
"You're so tall! I didn't realise how much taller you were until you stood up"

They sat again. Estelle noticed the train beginning to slow, ending their journey. They had almost reached Hogwarts.

The sun had set fully now, and an ink blanket of darkness covered their window, punctuated only by the sliver of the new moon and the scattered, sparkling stars.

The train stopped, ending this leg of their journey. The only obstacle preventing them from reaching Hogwarts now was the boats. Estelle could only hope the water in the lake was calm. She expressed her fear to Simon.
"I hope the boats don't rock too much - I went whale-watching once on holiday and got terribly seasick."

People started to leave the train. Estelle suggested they wait until most of the other students had left, to avoid getting trapped in the crush of people already shoving their way out of the train.

Finally, it was time to go. "I'll see you around, Simon" Estelle grinned, as she left. They soon got lost in the swirling crowds.

Would he be in her house? Estelle could only hope...

@Simon Tilia