The morning of my departure to Hogwarts, James insisted on driving me to the station. The orphanage was almost forty-five minutes away, and with morning traffic, I probably would have been late.
The station was bustling with morning commuters, each one rushing towards their next destination. Intermixed in the crowd, I watched as some 'eccentric' people headed towards a single, peculiar destination.
I guess the Statute of Secrecy isn't that well maintained, I mused internally. If these guys aren't the beginning of normal people discovering the magical world, I'll eat my wand.
Each one looked like they were going to an anime convention, but somehow less convincing.
Walking through the crowds, I followed the station signs until I stood in front of platforms nine and ten. From the subtle glances, I could tell there were two men, likely Aurors, stationed at the entrance, ensuring everyone's passage was smooth.
Nodding to both of them, I briskly walked through the pillar that served as the entrance to Platform 9 ¾. I felt a faint shimmer of magic envelop me as I passed through the magical barrier.
As I opened my eyes, the billowing smoke of the Hogwarts Express welcomed me. The train's bright red body was a stark contrast to the dull station it was currently parked in.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched kids saying goodbye to their families as they boarded the express. Some opened their compartment windows, shouting their last goodbyes, usually followed by a few tears.
Thank God I said goodbye to James outside, I'd probably have a tear or two as well. I couldn't help it; he was like a brother and a father wrapped into one package.
Shaking my head, dismissing my thoughts, I strode through the students and entered the train.
Finding a compartment was relatively easy, as there was still half an hour before departure. I settled into one near the front of the train, my nearly empty trunk stowed in the overhead rack.
Now, I did have all the required items for school, along with my clothing, but my books, money, and other important items were safely tucked away in my personal inventory. Who knew when I might forget something for class?
Closing the blinds, I donned my Hogwarts robes to avoid the rush later when the train began its arrival.
Madam Malkin makes some quality clothes, though she's just as shrewd with her marketing, I thought. Auto-adjusting charms with a time limit almost equivalent to a school year meant she'd always have a steady supply of business from muggle-borns.
Pulling out 100 Household Charms You Need! I sat down and began to thumb through the book.
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Lost in my reading, I had missed the train's departure from the station. As I had no one else to say goodbye to, my book had become my sole focus.
A solitary knock pulled my attention as the compartment door slowly opened.
A young girl, wearing the standard black robes of a first year, peaked her head through the door. Soft blonde hair cascaded down to her shoulder blades, vibrant blue eyes, and a stern face.
"Excuse me, do you have any spare room? I've been struggling to find somewhere quiet."
"Please, come in!" I replied, smiling at her.
Opening the door fully, she carried in her luggage and shut the door behind her. Stowing her luggage underneath her seat, she sat down and smiled at me.
"I'm Daphne, Daphne Greengrass." As she spoke, her hand extended for a handshake.
Oh, shit! I wasn't sure she would be accurate to the novels or fan fictions, but I'm happy to be wrong. Smiling, I shook her hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Greengrass. I'm Klaus Thompson. I'm guessing everyone's too excited to sit still?"
Leaning back with a huff, she nodded. "You wouldn't believe how loud they were! I couldn't even string a thought together with that racket." Shocked by her own outburst, she quickly clamped her hands over her mouth.
I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. I guess that whole 'Ice Queen' thing might not exist here?
"I get you. I can hear them from here, but I can't blame them. When I found out I had magic, I don't think I slept more than a few hours!" Let's see if the whole pureblood propaganda is true as well.
"Oh, are you a half-blood, or a muggleborn?" she queried.
"For all I know, I could be any of the three," I sighed.
Her eyebrow cocked as if asking me to elaborate.
"I'm an orphan, so I truly don't know what my parent situation is. But it doesn't really matter, does it? Magic is magic; we wield it whilst others don't." Honestly, this was my biggest issue with some people. Who cares how many people in your family are magical, as long as you have it, you're all the same.
Daphne, listening to my words, couldn't help but smirk slightly before a soft laugh escaped her lips.
"You know, my mother and father would rain hellfire down for hearing that, along with almost all of Slytherin house." As she spoke, her eyes looked out the window, watching the surroundings pass us.
The compartment was silent for a couple of minutes as I watched her eyebrows furrow, deep in thought. Whatever she was thinking about, it looked like an uphill battle.
Maybe I couldn't help but talk, but I could tell she was having an internal war.
"It's funny, isn't it? I've purchased a bunch of books from Diagon Alley, and you know what the most interesting fact is?" I asked her.
"What is it?"
"Almost every single member of the Hogwarts staff is a half-blood!"
I wasn't saying this like I had some big agenda for wizarding rights, but it was a funny situation. Some of the most powerful and influential people, who taught kids, were all half-bloods, either human, goblin, or giant.
I watched as Daphne's internal war seemed to come to an end, her eyes returning to a steady focus. A small snort escaped her lips, and she stared at me.
"So, what house are you hoping to be in?"
_____
After our impromptu political moment, Daphne seemed to open up a little more about herself.
I had learned that she came from a staunch noble family that made their wealth through potion ingredient sales. It turns out that there are too few ways to purchase specific ingredients, and her family built their empire through that. She had a younger sister called Astoria that would be coming to Hogwarts the following year as well.
I knew more about Astoria, as she would also be known as the future wife to Draco Malfoy. Though, I wasn't sure about the whole blood curse, and if it was still in place here.
It seemed as though some of my knowledge about this world was either inaccurate, or not even existing. Learning about Daphne and her family solidified I needed to do more research before I formed solid opinions about things.
Earlier in the month, I had found a glaring issue with pre-existing information.
In most fan depictions of the magical world, pureblood families would train their children from early ages on how to wield magic and utilise spells. That was not true, even in the slightest.
The human body, particularly in its formative years, proved too delicate for the raw power of magic. Until around their eleventh birthday, most children simply couldn't wield it without severe consequences. Unleashing magic prematurely was akin to filling a plastic bottle with scalding water: while it might contain the force, the vessel itself would suffer irreparable harm unless it possessed an unusual resilience.
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"You're telling me you're not interested in Quidditch at all?!" Daphne exclaimed.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a moment. "I swear, I don't understand the hype! It's pretty much a game for seekers only! Sure, the other team members can give you a massive lead, but if your seeker is good enough, it's all a moot point!"
We had been going in circles for the past fifteen minutes about this. Though Daphne said she didn't care about the sport, it seemed like disliking it so openly was a sin.
"No, look you don't underst—"
{We will be arriving at Hogsmeade Station within the next five minutes. Please ensure your luggage is left on the train, and your uniforms are worn.}
The PA system turned on, interrupting our conversation. With an exasperated sigh, Daphne stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her robes.
"Thank God!" I whispered. Though, by the looks of Daphne's face, she heard me.
"You know this isn't over. You'll be a social pariah if you don't watch your house team play! I'll drag you there myself if I have to."
Did I just make a friend?
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(A/N - I'm not the best with conversations, and I still need to give more information about the world, so I tried to do that this chapter. I hope it was coherent enough. Thank you for reading!)
50 PS = 2 more Chapters!