First time to London

"Mommmm," I groaned, "I have to go, I don't want to miss the train!" I pouted at my mom as she wouldn't stop hugging me. We weren't even inside the platform yet, she was just so worried about me leaving. "I'll be fine, mom." I had told her reassuringly, though it felt more for me than for her- the nerves were starting to get to me.

After so many more minutes, my mom finally let me go and waved me goodbye, leaving me to step through the bricks myself with my over-filled trolley. Pushing the trolley felt like pushing a huge boulder; the thing was heavy. My mom wanted to make sure I had everything afterall, and backups for whatever I lost, and then backups for the backups, and then extras for anything I lost after that. I had rolled my eyes at her little trust in me, but I was grateful for her to care.

Most kids I saw when I stepped through were with their parents. It seemed as though there was no other person alone; everywhere I looked, there were families together. I gulped softly to myself, trying not to let the crowds of people intimidate me as I scanned the platform. That's when I saw him- a boy standing alone with his trolley, looking slightly nervous. I sighed in slight relief, seeing another kid who wasn't surrounded by family.

I began making my way over to him, lugging my trolley in front of me and groaning from the absurd weight of it. Finally, I found myself panting and heaving in front of him before I straightened myself up with a smile and held out my hand, "Hi, Valencia Rosegold, pleasure to meet you." I smiled as I scanned over the boy- he had fair skin and reddish-brownish hair, or at least in the light, and were those faint freckles? I squinted softly, studying him before snapping out of it and continuing my smile, waiting for him to shake my hand, hopefully.

"I'm a first year, by the way!" my grin grew wider, "Would you wanna sit on the train with me?" I offered cheerfully, hoping he would take me up on the offer, afterall, I didn't see anyone else I knew.

@Mat Duncan

My smile widened as he shook my hand- "Thank goodness." I thought to myself, happy to not have been embarrassed from holding out my hand for someone to shake. "Mat," I repeated to myself softly, storing the name in my memory- I have a feeling we'll spend time together at Hogwarts.

The train whistle sounds, drawing my attention as I look to the train and the sudden horde of kids that are grabbing their things and rushing onto the train. I look back at my large, over-filled trunk with a groan, realizing I'll have to practically drag it onto the train. At the boy's playful comment, I looked over at him with a playful scowl, a smile still drawn on my lips, "I'm sure." I said as I rolled my eyes playfully, meaning no harm.

I grab my trunk and start walking towards the train as I smile at him, "Come on!". Though I was walking, it was more like stumbling and limping, trying to carry the trunk, making me a little slower than him as I walked. Trying to get my mind off the heavy luggage I'm dragging around, I smile at him again, "So, what house are you hoping for?" I asked with slight excitement, it's all I could think about since I had woken up that morning.

Reducio

@Mat Duncan

Mat chuckled to himself at Valencia's frown, noting with relief that her smile hadn't faded. Around them, the crowd was beginning to stir for the train's departure: children jostling to board the train, parents leaning out for last-minute goodbyes, the more distracted chasing after their runaway pets. Mat wasn't used to all the commotion, having grown up in a small town, and he looked around with a mixture of anxiety and excitement, glad not to be alone.
He hurried to keep pace with the girl, so as not to lose her in the crowd. Mat couldn't help but smile seeing the determination with which Valencia was dragging her luggage.
"My father was a Hufflepuff and my mother a Ravenclaw, but I hope to end up in Gryffindor like my brother. The house of the brave." He replied to her question when he caught up with her. He considered going on about his brother, but decided against it. There would be time for that on another occasion. "What about you? Where would you like to end up?" Mat looked at her for a moment, trying to guess, but couldn't come to a conclusion: at first impression, she seemed brave and confident, since she had come to talk to him first, but also open-hearted and affable.
Meanwhile, they had reached the doors, and Mat pushed his luggage onto the train, trying to hide the effort. He turned to Valencia with a smile: "Mind some help?" He asked, hoping she hadn't heard the small grunt that had slipped out as he loaded his trunk.

@Valencia Rosegold

His words seemed to help take my mind off the giant trunk I was carrying as I heaved it through the crowds of people. "House of the brave, huh? I chuckle and smile playfully, "Do you consider yourself brave, then?" I questioned as I heaved my trunk onto the train- "Finally." I sighed to myself as I thought those words, my arms sore from the heavy thing.

I turned around to face the boy after getting my trunk on the train, "Oh, me?" I thought for a moment, considering what house I would want before I shrugged nonchalantly, "Gryffindor, I guess. My mom was a Gryffindor, and she's the only magical person I've known before now!" I smiled at the boy, "Maybe we'll both get Gryffindor! We could hang out all the time!" I suggested with a smile on my face, thinking about becoming familiar with the boy and possibly being sorted into the same house.

As he began trying to lift his trunk, I could hear the small grunt that released from his lips, making me smile to hold back my laugh before I replied, "Yeah, sure!", grabbing his trunk and using an overwhelming amount of effort to drag it onto the train- my arm soreness becoming more apparent to me. I smiled as we got his trunk onto the train before helping him up onto it as well- barely avoiding the train doors closing. I smile excitedly at him before taking his arm and pulling him along, "Come on! Lets go find somewhere to sit before all the seats are taken!" I laughed excitedly as I pulled him along with me, searching for seats.

@Mat Duncan

The girl's question seemed playful and perhaps a little provocative, but Mat paused to think about it for a moment. "I don't know, maybe I'd like others to think I'm brave" he said thoughtfully, before giving a small shrug.
"All the time, huh?" he replied, glancing at her with a raised eyebrow. "Gryffindor or not, it sounds like a good plan" he added with a smile. Meanwhile, he noticed that Valencia had already loaded her trunk and was helping him with his. "Oh," he said, a little embarrassed as he had meant to help her, not the other way around, and he hurried to get on the train before the doors closed.
He followed Valencia, who was already looking for empty seats, letting her drag him down the corridor by the arm. "Hey, slow down!" he called her pretending to protest, giving her a gentle nudge on the shoulder. "I'm attached to that arm, you know" he laughed.
Having lingered on the platform, they passed an endless number of carriages, all already full of students, before finally finding an empty compartment. Mat held the door open for her before entering. “Ma'am” he said, giving her a wry bow and a sly look.
Let's hope the Sorting Hat is in a good mood this evening he thought, imagining for a moment what it would be like to be in the same house as his new friend. He placed the trunk on the luggage rack and glanced out of the window, where the famous Platform Nine and Three Quarters was disappearing from view as the train left King's Cross station. "Can you believe we're actually going to Hogwarts" he said in a more serious tone. "Whatever House we end up in, I hope we'll still hang out sometimes" he added, turning back to her.

@Valencia Rosegold

I chuckle lightly at the boy's answer, "I guess we'll find out if you're brave or not later in the year." I said as my smile grew. When he looked slightly embarrassed, my hands covered my mouth in slight embarrassment, "Oh my gosh, you meant helping me, didn't you?" my cheeks flushed pink as I tried to laugh off my slight embarrassment for misunderstanding, "I'll let you help me next time!" I quickly promised with a smile and a slight flush to my cheeks.
As he stepped onto the train, I smiled, "Yeah, all the time." I promised excitedly before grabbing his arm. "What if I'm sorted into Slytherin, Gryffindor's enemy?" I laughed playfully as I wiggled my hands to mimic a scary tone that wasn't shown in my voice.
As I pull him along the corridor of the train, my laughter rings out at his playful protests and jokes he makes, "Oh come on, I won't pull it off!" I joke about his arm as we come to an empty compartment. As he holds the compartment door open for me, my cheeks flush slightly as I step through with a soft chuckle, "Thank you, sir." I say the "sir" in a playful manner as I sit down closest to the window, smiling at him as I wait for him to sit down too.
I chuckle and shake my head at his comment, "No, I seriously can't believe it, I mean come on- MAGIC?" I laugh softly, "We actually study magic? Who knew school could be so easy?" I jokingly state with a smile as I look out the window of the train cart before turning back to face him. "You're actually quite nice, you know." I smile at him gratefully before deciding to ask more questions, "So, do you have any siblings?" I tilt my head slightly in a curious way, my previous smile still held on my face.

@Mat Duncan

Mat smiled and shook his head as Valencia's cheeks flushed bright pink, while she promised him she would get help next time.
How could such a cheerful and playful girl end up in Slytherin? Mat wondered, studying her for a moment. Those bright green eyes could be a sign, he reflected, even though he couldn't quite imagine Slytherins' cunning hiding under them.
"Well, in that case I'll just have to make you lose House Points while we hang out" he bantered with a smirk. "You know what" he added, seized by a sudden burst of boldness, maybe eager to prove that he was brave. “Let’s do this: if we end up in different Houses, we have to try sneaking into each other’s common room at least once.” He glanced at her smiling, curious to see if she'd play along.
After Valencia stepped in the compartment with a "Thank you, sir" that made his smile even wider, Mat closed the door shutting out the noise from the corridor, and took the seat opposite her.
He looked at her incredulously at her remark that studying magic would be easy.
"Easy??" he echoed, recalling the amount of homework his family had warned him about "Look at the amount of books they had us buy! It's scary." He thought that perhaps if Valencia had attended a Muggle school, magic was indeed easier in comparison. "Did you go to a muggle school before you got your letter?" he asked a little curious.
When she suddenly called him nice, Mat felt his ears grow warm and his confidence faltered for just a moment. "Uhm, thank you" he replied softly. After a brief pause he added "You're nice too". He hesitated, unsure what to say next, and gave a small smile before answering her question about his family. "Oh, right, yes I have a brother, Ben. He's in his fourth year now" he said, relaxing again "You could say he practically raised me. Living in a small town, we all hung out together regardless of age, so I spent a lot of time with him. What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

@Valencia Rosegold

I smiled brightly at his words, "Not if I make you lose points first!" I laughed gently with a bright smile, my cheeks growing tired from the infinite smiling I was doing; even though it hurt, I couldn't stop. This boy I had met had sparked something in me- something light and fluttery that I couldn't quite place; all I knew was that I didn't want that feeling to fade.

As Mat stepped into the compartment and took the seat across from me, I could tell he was about to say something incredibly stupid (or funny), by the huge grin that had spread across his face, and then his words hit me- "If we end up in different houses, we have to try to sneak into each other's common rooms once.". A wide grin drew across my face- I wasn't one to back down from mischief or a fun time, so this sounded like the greatest idea in the world to me!

"Deal." I spoke without hesitation, my grin giving my decision away before the word even left my mouth, " And if I sneak into yours successfully first," I tap my chin playfully as I think, " then you owe me a treat from Honeydukes!" My smile widened into something that was more than warmth, but I couldn't quite place it. Sure, Honeydukes was in Hogsmeade, and my mom had already told me the rules for going there- but I didn't care, I would find some way to get in, eventually.

I laugh at his remark about how many books we had to buy- he was quite right that it was a large amount. "Maybe, but it's exciting, isn't it?" I replied excitedly as he spoke of fear before I smirked playfully, "And I thought you were supposed to be brave, Mr.I-Want-To-Be-In-Gryffindor!" I chuckle lightly as I recount our previous house interests with a smile.

I nod as I answer his question, "Yeah, I grew up going to a muggle school, so this is my first time that I'll get to experience unfiltered magic!" My smile grew as I returned the question, "What school did you go to before this?". At his compliment, my cheeks flush slightly as I thank him with a smile, nodding. At the mention of his brother, I smile widely, "You know, I can definitely picture you with a brother!" I laugh lightly before answering his returned question, "Yeah, I have a step-sister, she's a year younger than me and a muggle, so unfortunately I won't be seeing her here." I shrug noncommitally. It wasn't a big deal to me anyway.

As I looked out the window, my eyes widened incredulously as I stared in awe. There it was, right outside our train window, Hogwarts. It was huge and rustic- and absolutely beautiful. It looked exactly like the place you would picture as magical. My smile widened as I turned back to Mat, "So, you ready, Mr.Gryffindor?" I teased playfully. We were about to go through the sorting ceremony, after all, and all I could think about was being in the same house as the wonderful boy I had met, Mat.
@Mat Duncan