When Leigh first discovered he could use magic, he had stopped feeling like he was a complete oddball. Yeah, for sure he thought he would never fit in with his pairs, but now things were different. All that teasing for being different. It suddenly felt somehow justified, for himself. His mother told him, there is plenty of other kids just like him. Other young wizards that doesn't seem to fit in with the muggles. Not that he had anything against them. His father was himself a muggle. He just felt deep down that his life in London was missing something. A part of him was missing. And now, with the messenger owl at his window and Hogwarts letter in his hand, he felt like his life was finally starting for real.
It was a new beginning for sure. He could never forget the overjoyed look of his mother, a graduate from Hogwarts, when he showed her his acceptance letter into the school, she was ecstatic.
She started telling him about it, about her time in the Hufflepuff house which was decided for her by the sorting hat, about the school and how you get there departing from the Platform 9¾. But most of all, she finally talked to him about magic. All the stories of the famous wizards and those fantastic beasts he thought only existed in legends, he was overjoyed to think he'd learn all about it. And surely he'd be making a ton of amazing memories with friends.

The day had finally come for him to become a student of the next generation of wizard. 2020 was sure to be his lucky year. He could feel it. Supply list in hand and anxiously going through everything he bought over and over. He checked a last time his school supplies, his mother hurrying him out of the house after gathering everything he needed for his school year. Her expression was beaming with joy, tears kept for when they'd part ways at the station. She knew she wouldn't see her son for a while and the thought was as painful for her as it was for her kid. Leigh didn't know how to feel about being away from his parents. He had been sheltered since day one and pampered. And just like a sheep he had no malice but also almost no sense of danger.
Time was running out, traffic jams and a few other incidents were making him late to board the train. Parting ways with his mother had been rougher than he thought. A quick goodbye kiss and hug and she told him to run through a... A wall?! Leigh glanced around in confusion, his mother rushing him to go before he'd miss his train.
The boy squeezed his eyes shut and with a slight frightened cry dashed to the other side of Platform 9 3/4 where he crashed against another kid and made both of their luggage stumble over and out of their carts. He fell along with his own, wincing in pain before looking in a panic at the boy or girl he just bumped in. Oh lordy how could he be so clumsy??! He just had to go and cause trouble for others...
" I.. I'm so so sorry! Are... Are you alright?"
Leigh lifted his head up, his tone bashful and apologetic. Slowly he got up and steady on his feet, helping putting back on its wheels the other student's cart before his own. It's the least he could do. He nibbled at his lips nervously, his eyes finding a clock and his expression going blank.
" Holy moly we'll miss the train!"
With shaky hands he tried to put his heavy luggage back onto his cart, picking up his sketchbook and pencil apart before hurrying to help out that other kid he bumped into. After making sure he was fine he was away at the speed of light to board the train, putting his luggage away in time and grabbing only his sketchbook and pencil. Now he had to search for a seat... But he knew no one his age!

Ever since the accident in the kitchen back home – ever since he first showed signs of magic, they had talked about it. Hogwarts. Everyone – grandpa, mom, dad, his aunt and uncle.. Even people from the neighboring clans always started talking about it when they heard he was turning 11. "Just wait until your letter arrives!" they said. Callan hadn't thought much of it. With all the fuzz everyone made it started to become a bit overwhelming, so he had pushed it all aside. Focused on climbing his trees and eating his pudding. Sure, learning about magic and spells and all sounded fun – and both his dad and uncle still talked about the years in school as if they were their best. But it also sounded a bit ...much. Like, this big castle with all these new rules and hundreds of kids he did not know.. And all these books he had to get – after going shopping for supplies he began to realize that this was proper schooling he was about to embark on. Callan just hoped he was ready for it all..

"Hey," his dad's voice broke through his train of thoughts. Callan felt his hand land on his shoulder and looked up to see his smile. "Don't get lost in there," his dad continued, with a little wink, knowing from first hand experience how much was racing through his son's head at this moment in time. "This is so exciting!" His mother exclaimed. "I can't believe I'm sending my firstborn to Hogwarts!" Callan just smiled, pushing his trolley with all the luggage on it. His eyes widened as they approached the wall he had heard so much about – the entrance to Platform 9¾. "This is it," his dad said, nodding towards the wall. "Do you want us to follow you through?" His mom asked, a little worried. Callan shook his head. "Nah, mom, I'll be fine," he assured, getting kiss on the forehead from them both as they said their goodbyes. He needed to do this on his own – and he was probably a bit late now anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Callan closed his eyes before rushing towards the wall, full speed. As he emerged on the other side he came to a complete stop and just starred for a moment. All the people rushing too and forth.. The train giving off steam, getting ready to head off soon.. There was a lot to take in. But before Callan could really grasp what was going on around him, his luggage flew off the trolley as another kid crashed into him.

" I.. I'm so so sorry! Are... Are you alright?"

"I.." Blinking, still a bit shocked, Callan looked at the boy who was now helping him get his trolley back up. "Yeah, no worries," he finally said with a smile and began picking up the things that had fallen on the ground. He was just about to say something apologetic about standing in the way before the boy spoke again.

" Holy moly we'll miss the train!"

"Oh!" There was no more time for apologies. With help from the other kid he got all of his things together and hurried onto the train, making sure all of his luggage was there. Mom would go mental if he'd lost something, that he knew. After getting everything sorted he started looking around for a place to sit. A lot of kids were already chatting along and he realized that many already knew each other.. Suddenly he saw the boy – the one who had just crashed into him on the platform. "Want to sit together?" Callan asked as he approached.

Leigh didn't want to get in trouble with anyone on his first day. Since it was his fault for running through the wall with his eyes closed and at full speed after being hurried by his mother, the least he could do was to help his victim. They were running late at that, if he missed the train he would eventually get over it but he it would be a hard pill to swallow to make another student miss it because of him. Well it shouldn't happen since they are already at the station, but what if bad luck made it start and leave with kids still on the platform. The young wizard was already nervous enough as it is. And so after helping the other kid he took care of his own things, pulling his heavy luggage and being glad he didn't have as much things as some of the kids he saw running around with pet cages and other extra luggage. If he had an owl and were to crash into someone like that, his soul would simply escape. Especially if it was someone else's pet.

If he comes across the other kid later he'll properly apologize, clearly in the wrong for bumping into him. If he hadn't closed his eyes out of fear of hitting the wall for real, he surely could have avoided this. He looked around with curiosity, trying to find a free seat as he looked at the cabins while dragging his large suitcase while trying not to drop his sketchbook from under his arm. He noticed the other boy approaching him and recognized he was the one Leigh crashed into.

"Want to sit together?"

"Ah? Y-yeah sure, oh and sorry about earlier.. Hum, I kind of had my eyes closed. My mother told me to run through a wall so suddenly. I thought for sure I'd end up like a bird against a window." Leigh sheepishly smiled. He was glad he found someone his age to sit with. Surely they were both first years. That made him feel less alone. After they found a cabin with free seats and were done taking care of putting away their luggage he finally got to sit down and relax. Everything would be fine, he repeated himself these words in his mind. Oh right, he should present himself. "I-I'm Leigh Nightray by the way, what's your name?" He stuttered a bit as he spoke up shyly, crossing fingers that it wouldn't show too much that he doesn't know how to make friends. Curse his shyness and introversion for that. Leigh still tried to be friendly even so. One of his resolutions after learning he was going to Hogwarts was to make some friends. Maybe will he be one step closer to making some. He had no luck in the muggle schools for being a bit different, but maybe his luck will turn around with a wizarding school full of so many people from all kinds of backgrounds. He was holding onto the stories of his mother about Hogwarts, hopeful to finally fit in. "Do you.. Hum.. Do you like chocolate frogs? I never tried any before but they sound fun. They don't have that in London, moving chocolate." He nibbled the inside of his cheeks, fiddling with the metal binding of his sketchbook as he addressed his travel companion. From time to time glancing outside since the train was departing.

"Ah? Y-yeah sure, oh and sorry about earlier.. Hum, I kind of had my eyes closed. My mother told me to run through a wall so suddenly. I thought for sure I'd end up like a bird against a window."

Callan chuckled a little when hearing that last bit, before nodding in agreement - "I did the exact same thing!" he said, in his prominent scottish accent. "They talked a lot about it back home, but to actually run head first into a wall..." Callan smiled, shaking his head ever so slightly. He was pretty sure this was only the very start of a great deal many weird things to come. Following the boy into a cabin with seats avaiable, Callan sat down opposite him, by the window. Being outgoing and far from shy, he rarely had trouble making friends, but it was still a relief to find someone his own age who was also new to this situation.

"I-I'm Leigh Nightray by the way, what's your name?"

He's got red hair as well, like me, Callan thought to himself as the boy said his name, rather than noticing the stutter. “Nice to meet you, Leigh!” the scot said with a genuine smile. There were few things better in this world than making new friends. “I'm Callan, Callan Fraser,” he added.

"Do you.. Hum.. Do you like chocolate frogs? I never tried any before but they sound fun. They don't have that in London, moving chocolate."

Chocolate frogs? Callan had not even heard of them – mom was always so strict with sweets back at the farm, especially because his dad could not keep his hands off it if there was any around.. Callan always used to go to his grandma for that kind of thing, when she was still alive. But there had never been any chocolate ..frogs? “What's that?” Callan asked, eyes growing wide in curiosity and excitement. I mean, anything chocolate had to be good, right? “Are they actual frogs? Made of chocolate?” He probably sounded like a muggle, but nothing like that ever crossed Callan's mind.

“Is that where you're from? London?” Not realizing he was bombarding the poor boy with questions, the scot just smiled. Hopefully this was a potential new friend, and he wanted to know it all.

Leigh's expression brightened up when the other kid told him he too crossed the wall with his eyes closed. He wasn't the only one! Well that surely meant many other kids crossed that way, especially on their first time taking the Hogwarts Express. It sure was scary. You're suddenly told to run through a wall. For someone raised among muggles and not having been exposed to the world of witches and wizards, the idea had freaked out Leigh a bit. He was glad that Callan was friendly. It was to be expected, two kids together would soon be friends, that's how it usually is. Leigh didn't feel too bothered by the multiple questions, actually quite happy that he new something the other didn't. It made him seem less like a muggle.

"What's that?" "Are they actual frogs? Made of chocolate?" "Is that where you're from? London?"

Leigh smiled widely, loosening his grip on the sketchbook and nodding his head. "I was told it moves just like a frog! But it's chocolate! Mom said that a lady or man would pass with a cart full of candies. I'm going to buy some when they pass." He started blabbering excitedly and then stopped, took a moment to realize he was getting carried away and shyly smiled. After having calmed down he answered the last question. "Yes, that's where I am from. Mom said it's the muggle London or something. Where are you from? Your voice, it has an accent different from mine." Leigh furrowed his brows slightly as he was trying to think, nibbling the inside of his cheeks as he tried to find in his memory where he heard a similar accent. In the end he decided to wait for Callan's reply. The Londoner boy looked interested in the answer, curious to learn more about his new friend.
He looked outside when the train finally left the station, gulping a bit nervously as now it was true. He would be staying away from home and for the young boy it felt like it would be for an eternity.

"I was told it moves just like a frog! But it's chocolate! Mom said that a lady or man would pass with a cart full of candies. I'm going to buy some when they pass."

“Oh wow!” Callan exlaimed in a whisper, eyes still wide with curiosity. Biting his lip slightly, the scot was wondering if he would be able to afford some of that candy as well.. His parents have given him a little money when he left, but Callan knew from the look in their faces that it wasn't nearly as much as they would have liked. Funds were always a bit tight this time of year, and with all the new supplies he had needed for school.. Looking out of the window for a moment he could see that the train was beginning to move. This was it. No going back now. Not for a long, long time..

"Yes, that's where I am from. Mom said it's the muggle London or something. Where are you from? Your voice, it has an accent different from mine."

Looking back at Leigh Callan smiled as he spoke. “London's nice,” he began. He'd been there a couple of times – once with his dad for wood delivery, and once to visit a relative of his mum. There wasn't too much he could remember, but it was big and full of people, which the boy had enjoyed a lot. “I'm scottish!” Callan continued, more excited than proud. It wasn't that he ever thought it better than anything else, he just really liked it. The highlands, the clans, the traditions.. “Our farm is near Inverness, here in the Highlands.” So, not that far away, probably. Even though it sure felt like it right now.. Eyes turned to face the outside again as he spoke of home. This would be his first time away for such a long time, alone. He knew he would miss them all – especially his siblings, annoying as they were.. But hopefully there would be enough adventure to keep him distracted, for the most part at least. “Do you have any siblings?” Callan asked, as his came to mind.

Leigh had been given a bit of pocket money, nothing much but enough for the kid to get something to eat. Maybe not meant to buy candies, but oh well. He really wants to try one of those chocolate frogs he heard about. It's still hard to believe that it actually does move. He tried to cheer himself up with that thought, face almost stuck to the window as he looked at the station disappearing in the distance. Tears welled up in his eyes, sniffing away the fear of the unknown he quickly wiped them. His mother told him that everything will be fine. He'll just have to write her letters often not to feel too homesick.

"Our farm is near Inverness, here in the Highlands."

Leigh's attention turned back to Callan, listening to him with a shy smile. He didn't know where Inverness was since he always stayed in London until today. They never traveled much at home. The few relatives they have mostly being in the city or close to it. Going to Hogwarts would be his first trip ever but not his last. "You live on a farm? What is it like? What animals do you have?" Leigh looked at the Scottish boy with brilliant eyes, a bright smile showing again as he asked about farm animals. Living on a farm sounded like a dream to the city boy. He wouldn't complain if it meant beautiful scenery of greenery and lots of different animals. He would spend his days trying to draw everything he sees. For now his drawings look quite childish, but you can definitely recognize what he tried to draw. "There's not much animals in London. Like cats, dogs and birds is what I see. I never saw real farm animals. At least not outside of books and internet.."

"Do you have any siblings?"

Leigh shook his head no, smiling shyly again. "I don't have a sister or brother. I'm an only child. And you, Do you have any?" He looked at Callan as he spoke, afterward looking through the window and then out of the cabin. He played a bit absentmindedly with his sketchbook, glancing outside then looking at the other boy. "Are you a first year too? I mean at Hogwarts."

"You live on a farm? What is it like? What animals do you have? There's not much animals in London. Like cats, dogs and birds is what I see. I never saw real farm animals. At least not outside of books and internet.."

“Oh, it's not that kind of farm,” Callan quickly responded with a slight smile, feeling a little bad about the fact that they didn't actually have farm animals as Leigh had sounded rather excited about it. “I mean, we've had dogs but..” He shifted in his seat a bit before continuing. “It's a tree farm. We farm trees that are used to make wands and brooms.” That last word made him grin a bit – Callan loved brooms, and even though he didn't know how yet, he was sure he'd be brilliant at riding them as soon as he got the chance. Just imagining flying full speed – playing Quidditch like his uncle and making goals, keeping the hoops – or trying to catch the golden snitch! Animals were great, sure, but so were trees.

"I don't have a sister or brother. I'm an only child. And you, Do you have any?"

Callan couldn't really imagine what that was like.. Especially since he wasn't sure if they had clans at all in London – where all the kids basically acted like siblings. He'd never really had much alone time at all, but then again, he never felt the need. Being alone was so ..lonely. “Ye, I have two brothers and a sister,” Callan responded, wiping some dirt off his knee with his hand. Somewhere deep in his mind he could hear his mother ask how he always managed to get dirt on his clothes. “And a handful of cousins,” he added with a chuckle. “They're all really annoying.”

"Are you a first year too? I mean at Hogwarts."

The scot nodded his head in response and looked out the window again. “I wonder what it's like...” In the corner of his eye, the book Leigh was holding caught his attention. “What's that?” he asked, nodding towards it.

Leigh was a bit confused at first but then felt a bit embarrassed for jumping to conclusion. A tree farm was pretty different from what he envisioned. Still, it sounded interesting. A little frown showed on his features, arching a brow when the other kid seemed lighten up by the word broom. He then realized that brooms are a common way to transport yourself for wizards. Wasn't there a sport using some? What was it again, Leigh couldn't quite remember the word. He didn't dare ask the other kid about it. In case he'd be made fun of for not knowing things that are common knowledge to wizards and witches. It sounded scary to him, the idea of flying in the air on basically a stick, but how awesome must that be. He could imagine it with a dreamy look. Being half-blood had its perks, it meant he inherited some magic from his mother who is a witch. If riding brooms is thought at school, must not be too dangerous, right?

"They"re all really annoying."

That little comment had Leigh chuckling. He couldn't imagine on his side what it was like to have siblings. He had a few cousins, no one he was really close to. He'd meet them during the holidays but being a shy kid he spent more time away from the party or with the adults. It felt like playing with classmates rather than cousins. No one really know each other and at the end of the day they all part ways and the next day they find other friends to play with. Maybe if he spent less time drawing and more time trying to play with others that would help. Adults always seemed to tell him he acted older than his age since he is calm and usually not much of a little rascal. It's not that he doesn't want to play and fool around like the others. The kids he grew up around didn't give him a chance, labeling him as weird for being shy and drawing creatures all the time, Leigh always true to himself and not having changed his ways to try and fit in. And that is for as far as he can remember how things usually were. Friends he made when younger didn't really last.

"What's that?"

He looked at Callan and then down at his sketchbook, his grip on it tightening slightly as he bit the inside of his cheeks. He replied after a short while as he proceeded to move it to his side between him and the wall. "My drawing book... I huh.. Wanted to draw a chocolate frog." He fidgeted a bit, his eyes lighting up when he was talking about his hobby. "I like to try to draw what I see. Like animals... And magical creatures! I never saw any with my own eyes. Mom got me some books with illustrations of beasts and some pictures, I just draw what I see in it. They are so cool. One of my favorite to draw is the mooncalf just because it looks funny. Griffins are cooler but hard to draw." He fell silent after babbling, once more back at chewing the inside of his cheeks nervously. He didn't want his new friend to find him weird, but he couldn't help it once he starts. He could be a total nerd and start throwing facts and information about various animals and beasts, sometime making little information boxes beside his drawings as if he was keeping a journal. Anyway, right now he worried maybe he was boring Callan, trying to change the subject while being genuinely curious about the Scot's farm. "What kind of trees is there in your farm? Say, did you ever fly on a broom?"

"My drawing book... I huh.. Wanted to draw a chocolate frog. I like to try to draw what I see. Like animals... And magical creatures! I never saw any with my own eyes. Mom got me some books with illustrations of beasts and some pictures, I just draw what I see in it. They are so cool. One of my favorite to draw is the mooncalf just because it looks funny. Griffins are cooler but hard to draw."

Callan listened with great interest as Leigh told him about drawing. "That's so cool!" he exclaimed, truly impressed. Drawing had always been something he'd admired, but never had the skill, nor patience for. It all turned out as stick figures at its best. His mother was rather good though – although she'd usually paint. Landscapes, trees.. Always lots of trees. The scot's imagination began to wonder as Leigh mentioned all those magical creatures.. He'd seen Mooncalfs when visiting another clan once – as they used their dung on the farm, as fertilizer. They were really cool. But Griffins – now that was a cool creature! He'd only seen those illustrated in books. "Can I see?" he asked with eager in his voice, leaning slightly forward.

"What kind of trees is there in your farm? Say, did you ever fly on a broom?"

"Oh there's all sorts," he began, biting his lip slightly and peeking up in the roof, concentrating on remembering. "Holly, Walnut, Rosewood, Willow.. Houndreds of them. My grandpa tries to teach me all the names but there are just too many," Callan continued with a shrug. He looked down for a moment and shook his head in response to the last question. "Nah, my uncle is a Quidditch player, a real one, and he's promised me he'll teach me but.. There's no flying allowed on the farm for some reason.." Stupid rule. What was that even about. They never wanted to tell him.. But it didn't matter now he was going to Hogwarts, there he'd learn to fly for sure! "Have you ever done it?" he asked, looking back at Leigh.