Mairead gulped as she took in all the people, bustling about, heedless of the young girl trying desperately not to lose her parents in the crowd. She had picked out her favorite green overalls today to give her courage, but without her stuffed frog, Pothos, she still felt on edge today. Her dad looked back, hand clutching her mum's, and smiled encouragingly. Mairead took a deep breath and attempted to weave throught the crowd, but fumbled at the end and almost face planted into the wall between platforms 9 and 10.

"Nice one, May. Smooth."

"Ready to go, Mayday?" Her father asked, leaning against the bricks. Mairead hesitated a moment before nodding. Her parents exhanged a glance, but her mum smoothly transitioned into a comforting hug.

A few minutes later, Mairead and her parents looked out over the sea of people on the platform. She still felt a little unbalanced from literally walking through a wall what- but before everything could start spinning she felt her dad's hand on her shoulder to ground her.

"Ready to start your adventure?" He asked.
Mairead briefly met the eyes of another first year, and fidgeted with her trunk handle as her ears went warm.

"I wish I knew how to be less awkward at making friends."

Her mum grasped her hand, pulling it away from where the trunk rested on the little trolley.

"You'll be fine, little vine." She said, "Don't forget to breathe-or write!"

"Right. Yeah." Mairead took one last deep breath as her dad hoisted the trunk into the nearest train compartment.

As she climbed into the compartment, she looked out at the tracks, stretching on and on into the distance. It felt like the tide, carrying her out to sea. But the thought of coming home for the holidays did bring some comfort, enough to close the door and hang out the window, waving to her parents as the train started moving.