The train station was more full than Chloe had ever seen it. Wrapped tightly in her brown cloak, beige sweater, and jeans, she kept close to her mother and father's sides, weaving their way through the crowd of Platform 9 3/4, which was smoky from the steam pouring out of the Hogwarts Express. She pushed a cart of freezing cold metal in front of her, eyeing her trunk every few seconds to make sure it wouldn't tumble away, although her mother had secured it with a quick spell.

The Norman family eventually stopped in the crowd, with Harriet, Chloe's mother, who had the same ginger hair as her daughter, waving her wand over the trunk to free it from the invisible bind. Dark-haired Will, Chloe's father, was wringing his hands, looking around at all the magic he didn't understand. Chloe's eyes raked over her mother as her heart pounded. In some ways, she envied her mother. Harriet was a witch, certain of the road ahead. Chloe had no idea what awaited her, growing up in Muggle neighbourhoods her whole life, and only reading about magic and seeing it from her mother. Would she be judged? How big was Hogwarts anyway? Did anyone else have red hair there?

Chloe looked around at the crowd of students and families lined up for the Hogwarts Express, and felt a blush stain her freckled cheeks. She almost felt guilty for how small her group was. She didn't have any friends to run towards with unrestrained excitement, nor to help her with her trunks. Just her, her mother, and her father. No companions. But maybe that would change soon.

"Ready?" Harriet asked her daughter as the crowd slowly thinned, exiting onto the train, and Chloe reached the doors. "Got your wand?"

Chloe nodded, throat suddenly feeling dry. Her father pulled her in for a firm hug, his dark eyes filling slightly with tears, and then it was her mother's turn, and then, she was looking back at them through the doors, climbing up onto the Hogwarts Express and trying to ignore the doubts which plagued her mind.

Chloe made her way down the train, searching for an empty compartment. She nearly tripped over her trunk at one point, and felt herself go warm as a few older students' pitiful eyes met hers. Where was this coming from? Chloe had never been the shy type. She spoke her opinions in class, she was a model student, she was certain of what she wanted and she worked for it. But here, amongst the laughter, warm hearts, and flashing smiles, Chloe felt so out of place.

At last, Chloe spotted the compartment that seemed to be the only empty one on the train. She ducked inside, not even bothering to close the doors, and flopping gratefully onto one side of the seats. She just sat there, trunk still in hand, feeling exhausted already, and a little hot still. Eventually she shrugged off her jacket and put away her trunk, and then curled up next to the window, but she never closed the doors. She stared out the window, cracking her knuckles as she always did when she was nervous, and wondered with dread if she was the only student sitting alone.

How could a day Chloe had been looking forward to all her life seem to have already gone wrong?