The crowd at King's Cross Station was one of magic and the ordinary intermingling. Muggles rushed by with their luggage, quite unaware of how much of a world of hidden wonders lay at their fingertips. Standing at the barrier between 9 and 10, Daniel Spector stood with his parents, Eamon and Selene, the weight of this moment starting to come crashing down on him. His tall, grim-faced father—softened only by the look of pride in his eyes—laid a hand on his shoulder.

"This is it, son," Dad said "Your first step into a much larger world."

Daniel nodded, his grip on the handle of his trolley tightening a little. On top of that was packed magically his trunk, filled with everything he'd need for his first year at Hogwarts. He glanced sideways to his sister Emily, bouncing on her toes as she eyed the bustling station with wide-eyed excitement, though she was still too young for Hogwarts herself.

Don't forget to write, Daniel! piped Emma, her shining eyes fixed on her big brother." I want to hear everything that happens at Hogwarts!
Daniel contrived to smile, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "I will, Emma. I promise.".

His mother Selene beside him, and straightened the collar of his jacket. "Remember, Hogwarts means learning and growing," she said gently, but firmly. "Not being afraid to be yourself, to be part of who you are, and to learn to trust yourself. And if ever you get lost," she added, her fingers touching the silver pendant at his neck, "this will always guide you home.".

Daniel nodded, pressing his hand into the cool metal of the pendant against his chest. It was a reassuring link to his family, a symbol of all those long-lost Spector wizards who had preceded him.

With a final nod to his father, Daniel turned toward the barrier. The station noises all seemed to fade away as he focused on his intentions. Taking a firm grip on his trolley handle, he walked at the wall, not slowing as he drew near. The world shimmered a moment, then he was through.

On the other side, Platform 9 ¾ was alive with chattering voices and hissing steam from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. It was overwhelming, amazing.

He got on the train and went into an empty compartment straight away. he tucked his trunk inside and sat down by the window. The silence was welcoming. The train was filling with students, and the corridors were coming alive with chatter and laughter, but Daniel was happy sitting on his own. He gazed out of the window as the platform slid away, then the scene outside became a blur as the train began to move.

The whistle blew clear and loud for the beginning of the journey. As the Hogwarts Express pulled out from the station, Daniel reached up to touch the pendant at his neck, drawing quiet strength from the cool metal.

"Here we go," he whispered to himself, his eyes directly ahead at the passing view, as the train whistled along, carrying him into the next chapter of his life.

Dove has never been in London before, and even less at the famous King's Cross Station. It was full of people, muggles of course, running not to miss their train, crying and kissing their family, or arguing with the train controller because their train is late. But above all, this was her first time in a muggle place, with its technology and way of life. The poor little girl was completely lost and was sticking her parents like glue. Her mother, Robyn Cullen tried to explain to her that she will learn about this other world and that she shouldn't worry about it, but it was without counting Alfie, Dove's 7 years old brother, who was litteraly scared of all this crowd full of muggles.

"- I knew we shouldn't have brought him with us today, said Will, Dove's father.
- Maybe you're right, but it is a great experience for him to see the muggle word, answered his wife.
- When do we live this place ? added Dove, begging her parents.
- Soon my darling, said Will, we are looking for the 9th platform."

The answer of her dad brought her a smile, she has always wanted to through the Platform 9 ! Even if she was a bit scared of running straight into the wall, but a good breathe before this and she wouldn't stress anymore. Once arrived in front of the long-awaited platform, Dove looked around her and saw her few muggles near them. She immediatly whispered to her father :

"- Psst, dad, these muggles will see us if we cross the wall, won't they ?
- Don't worry Dove, we will go when they turn around."

Then, he watched the clock and said :

"- We are not late at all, we can wait if you want ?
- Please no ! almost shouted his daughter. I want to leave this place.
- Alright then. Watch me and do the same."

Dove looked at her father, who disapeared 2 seconds after into the wall. "Wow, this is so impressive." whispered Dove to herself. Then, she quickly watched around her and, because no one was watching her (except her family of course) she ran with her luggage into the the wall, like her dad. It felt like she was just going through a theatre curtain. "Well, it wasn't that complicated after all." She thought. Her father was in front of her, waiting for his family to come. Robbyn and Alfie arrived 10 seconds after, which leaves time for the goodbyes. The young witch looked at her mom, whose eyes were a bit wet.

"- Don't forget to send us an owl, said Robbyn.
- Yes, yes, if I don't forget." Replied Dove, ironically.

Just after she talked, her brother ran into her to give her a hug, saying that he will miss her. Dove kissed his head and also said goodbye to her father. A whistle sound ended this emotional moment, and Dove ran into the train, waving her hands to her family. "Oh no, I will never find an empty compartment." She thought. And she was right, every single one was full of people, exept one, with a boy of her age. She took a breathe and entered while talking :
"Hi, my name is Dove, can I spend the travel with you ?"

@Daniel Spector

The Hogwarts Express chugged resolutely away, and Daniel Spector lost himself in the rhythm of the train and the scenes changing at the window. He enjoyed this solitude, comforted by familiar scenes and sounds of this journey to Hogwarts.
The door was open, and a girl slipped into his compartment, her eyes searching, curiously and quite apprehensively. She fumbled a little before her gaze met his; Daniel could feel in his gut that she was pretty nervous about the new experience.

She was called Dove, she said, and she wondered if she might join him. Daniel's first response was to smile, warm and reassuring.

"Sure," Daniel said softly, but friendly, "I'm Daniel. Nice to meet you."
He wanted to lighten things up a bit with a question to relax her more.

"So, Dove, are you just starting at Hogwarts?"

His question was an opener of hope for a dialogue not only between them but also an opened sharing of his own excited nervousness for the two to share in the experience ahead.
@Dove Cullen

After the boy, well Daniel, introduced himself and invited her to enter, Dove took a sit in front of him and smile just like he did.

"So, Dove, are you just starting at Hogwarts? he asked.
- Hmh yes I am."

What was wrong with her ? Her legs were shaking, her hands were getting sweaty and, she couldn't see it, but she was sure her head was turning red. "Oh god, this was clearly not the right time to panic."
She turned her head to see the lanscapes through the window to escape Daniel's gaze, closed her eyes and took a breathe for 2 seconds. This could seem simple, but it was effective to calm her. She looked at Daniel, smiled and said :

"I don't know about you but I cannot wait to see which house I'll be in for the seven next years ! I would like to be at Ravenclaw, just like my father. My mom was a Slytherin, but I don't think this house is suit for me. Oh, imagine if we are in the same house ! That way, we would know at least one person and won't be lost and..."

Wow, she definitely talked way too much. Her face turned back to red and she tried to look everywhere but in Daniel's eyes. At least, she couldn't see his face and its probably... embarrassment he could feel.

"Hum, and you ? Is it your first year too ? Dove said, trying to act like nothing happened.

@Daniel Spector

Dove sat, fidgeting with her hands, avoiding his eyes at first—sure markers of nervousness. He knew exactly what that felt like. When he asked her if she was a first-year student at Hogwarts, her answer was monosyllabic at first; Daniel sensed she was trying to steady herself, much like he had been doing.

He watched her turn toward the window, perhaps to take a moment for herself. Daniel felt a tug at his feelings; he knew how overwhelming it must be. He'd felt the same sense of anticipation mixed with anxiety swirling around in his gut since boarding the train. It was nice to know that he wasn't the only one who did.

As she turned back to him and began speaking of the Sorting Ceremony, Daniel could feel a change in her. Her excitement seemed almost to overcome her nerves, and he couldn't help but grin as she babbled excitedly about the various houses. She was quite animated, and Daniel found himself nodding in agreement, imagining possibilities.

Daniel felt a twinge of nostalgia upon hear these remarks a yearning to be in Ravenclaw like his father. His thoughts were also wandering to the Sorting Ceremony and the idea of being sorted into a house; it was a curious and unsettling thought. Dove's mentioning maybe ending up in the same house made him realize it was indeed going to make things a lot easier with a familiar face at hand.

When Dove suddenly stopped, realizing she might have said too much, Daniel noticed her flush and her trying to avert his gaze. But instead of becoming offended himself, Daniel suddenly felt a surge of warmth toward her. Her candor was refreshing, and he so much appreciated that she really tried to be on terms with him despite her nerves.

She asked if he was a first-year student like her; Daniel nodded, easing her with a smile. "Yeah, this is my first year, too," he said in an even voice, calm. "I've been doing a lot of thinking about the Sorting, too. Dad was in Ravenclaw, and so I have wondered if I will end up there, to be honest, though I'm just looking forward to seeing where I fit in."

Dan hesitated, considering what to say next. He wanted Dove to know that he was completely aware of her emotions. "It's a lot to take in isn't?" But I think it's going to be an incredible trip," he remarked. And like you said, if we do end up in the same house, we shall be ahead of the game in making a friend.".

Feeling his own nerves begin to settle with his words, Daniel felt that sharing this moment with Dove made the journey a little less daunting. To think of facing all this with someone else who was experiencing it all for the first time made it a little easier to swallow. Not alone in this and neither was she.

@Dove Cullen

When Daniel answered her with a smile, she felt her cheeks being less hot. He talked with a calm voice, which appeased her. Dove's first impression was right, this boy is the same age as her. She smiled at this idea, but hid it very quick. When he stopped talking, she considered the fact that they have something in common : both or their fathers were in Ravenclaw. But unlike her, he wasn't stressed at all about where he was going to be, and Dove admired this confidence in him. She was also happy to see that he seemed to understant how she felt about going to a new school and knowing nobody, and the way he said how amazing was going to be this trip brang a little happiness in this moment. And most of all, he didn't decline her "proposal" to be her friend, and that clearly made her day.
Seeing that nobody was talking anymore, Dove tried to say something :

"By the way, did you know how the muddle world looked before going to this placee ? I mean, I wasn't impressed but I definitely felt lost. I knew nothing about what was going on. They all seemed so... weird ? I don't know if it is the rirght word for this. Anyway, I feel better in a place with witches and wizards, like at least I know where am I."

Why did she say that ? Dove definitly still didn't know who was in front of her, but, she didn't know why, she had the feeling like she could trust him. Well, at least during this journey, who said that he isn't a supervilain trying to be nice but actually he was a manipulator since the beginning ?
...
Oh no, she whispered it, a bit too loud. Why can't she be normal ? Did he hear this ?

Daniel noticed that Dove began to show some signs of transformation as he listened to her. It seemed to ease her initial anxiety on him now, and he felt a sigh of satisfaction that maybe he was getting through to her. The mention of the Muggle world struck a chord with him; despite his family's instruction, he had always felt out of place in the non-magical world, which he found to be both weird and fascinating.

She asked about his knowledge of the Muggle world, and Daniel paused, reflecting to this. He had grown up in an atmosphere touting the superiority of the magical over the Muggle worlds, but his mother had made certain he also knew not to frown on Muggles, just that they were different.

"I've seen bits of the Muggle world," Daniel said reflectively, his eyes sliding toward the window as he remembered his few glimpses. "But it's always felt… distant, like a storybook or something. My parents made sure that I knew about it, but being in the middle of it all, like at King's Cross, it's different. It feels almost like stepping into another world."

He checked in his speech, noting in Dove's eyes a flicker of hesitation as she continued to talk. Daniel felt her hesitation at exposing her thoughts, and her sudden whisper, though unintelligible to him, caused him to turn his ear toward her. He scarcely knew what she had said; but something very slight in her tone set him speculating.

He smiled, trying to make her feel at ease. "Strange, isn't it, to be somewhere so unfamiliar? But that is a little part of what's exciting about this journey. We're both stepping into something new. And it is okay to feel a little lost. But on this train, magic is everywhere, and that, of course, is something we both do understand.".

No doubt, part of his sentiment toward Dove was founded on the fact that they were embarking on this new adventure together, but he also felt she had taken up in herself the like sense of awe and trepidation. It was in this softening that Daniel realized he felt she might view him as someone she could trust, at least for this journey.


A part of him wanted to allay her fears, reassure her that everything would be okay. After all, he had a mix of the same feelings, yet by some magic, sharing with Dove made things easier.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," Daniel continued, his voice gentle, "is that we're both in this together. Whatever house we end up in, whatever crap we have to put up with, I am just glad to have met you on this journey. It makes the whole thing a little less daunting, don't you think?"
@Dove Cullen

While listening to Daniel, Dove realized how good he was to use words. He has the ability to put them in his sentence in such a way that she felt quite hypnotized by how he talked. Moreover, contrary to her, he had already seen this other world completly different than theirs, the one populated by Muggles. At least, they both feel the same about how strange this world is. "Another common point." She thought for herself. During the boy's speech, she realised that yes, in her world, magic is everywhere. And she couldn't believe that it was possible to live without it. This means Muggles have a way of life that necessitate no magic. Wow, she has never wanted that much to learn about them.

When Daniel suddenly spoke again, she left her thoughts and went back to real life. One again, the words he used to speak could be used in books, and Dove listened to him with a great attention. She realised that no, he was not a manipulator trying to be nice with a bad idea in mind, but yes, he was simply a really kind person, with apparently a gread mind and an amazing way to appease her.

"Are you really sure we both are the same age ? Because you speak really well. Are your parents writers maybe ?"

She told this while laughing. This was the first time she felt this confortable with a perfect stranger. Maybe she wasn't that shy after all ? Well, of course, if the person il front of her doesn't acts like Daniel, it can be more complicated... but it felt really good to trust in someone, even if they've met nit fir that long ?

"I believe... no, I am sure that you are the first person I have trusted that fast. Take it as a compliment, because usually, I am clearly not that nice with someone I don't know !

She laughed on her own after saying that without seeing if her new friend laughed with her or not.

@Daniel Spector

Daniel listened with increasing warmth as Dove shared her mind. Her laughter was real, and it did much to lighten the atmosphere in the compartment. He could not help smiling at her playful remark about his way with words. It was seldom that Daniel was so easy with a stranger, but something about Dove's honesty and energy made him feel comfortable, too.

Feeling a flicker of pride, Daniel knew how hard it could be to let someone through one's personal shields—he did most of the time. Still, in a way, she was right; in this singularly vulnerable moment that they shared, he had forged a bond with her that was authentic and reassuring in its own right.


He smiled, feeling contentment settle on him. "Thank you, Dove. That means much to me," he returned very softly, his voice sincere. "I think we are both lucky to have met today. It's seldom you find a person whom you feel you can trust right away on such a big day as this.".

As the train chugged steadily on its way to Hogwarts, Daniel looked out the window for a while at the changing scenery. This excitement had settled into calm anticipation, and Dove's companionship seemed to make it worth it.

Turning to her once more, Daniel added, "Whatever's waiting for us when we get there, I'm just glad we got to be in this part of the journey together. Maybe we'll end up in the same house even, who knows? But either way, I reckon we'll find our own place at Hogwarts, yeah?

He let the words hang in the air for some seconds, sensing that they marked the end of their conversation for now.The ensuing quiet was at ease—filled, actually—as they realized they had gained a new companion for the day. With a serene smile on his face, Daniel relaxed in his seat, comfortable in the knowledge that he wouldn't be starting on this new phase of his life by himself.

As the Hogwarts Express chugged and brought them closer to the castle that would soon be their new home, Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, slipped his pendant from around his neck, and held it tight in his hand. Whatever lay ahead, he was ready for it with the kind of new friends Dove was.

@Dove Cullen

Dove liked how Daniel replied to her confession. Seeig how they both shared the same point of view reassured her on the fact that yes, they really are friend, and this is not temporary, this won't last only during this journey in the Hogwarts Express and, even if they will maybe not share the same house, she knew that it won't change they friendship that they still would see eachother.
She saw her friend turn his head to look at the landscapes through the window. She took a quick eye on it to before looking Daniel back, because he was talking to her. She smiled at the idea that they might share the same house. She replied to his last sentence :

"Yeah, meeting you just gave me more confidence about the fact that yes, I can make friends too. So, maybe I will be able to meet some people, nice just like you.

She thought about what she said. Because her meeting with Daniel really was great, she kept in mind that finally it was easy to make friends, that even if people can be not as nice as Daniel, they still could be kind to her etc. But she forgot that the world was not always very pink, that she didn't live in a fairytale.

"I think Hogwarts is so enormous, we can meet so many people. However, so many does not only include good people, but also the meanest. I think that, even if we end up in the same house, or that we both make other good friends, this will not mean we won't also meet bad people, enemies that clearly doesn't want our good. I also think it would be an error to be stopped by a meeting like this. Okay, let's imagine we make an enemy. Does that mean we won't be able to have friends ? No.

She just realised she moralized him a bit.

"Well, of course, we shouldn't always think of the bad side of everything. And because, I don't know about you but I am having a great time right now, and I want to enjoy it before the ceremony.

She ended up her sentencd with a big smile.

@Daniel Spector