September 1st, 1984
It was a new school year at Hogwarts.
Loud chatter could be heard outside of the Great Hall. Older students greeted each other, happy to see friends after the summer holidays. It all sounded joyful and pleasant. And just outside the big doors was the new batch of first years, filled with nervousness, excitement, and anticipation. Amongst these students was an 11-year-old boy named Talbott Winger.
Talbott Winger is unlike any other student. He is quiet and aloof, seemingly uninterested in socializing and creating new friendships. He seems calm and composed at the moment… which doesn't really fit his feelings. On the inside, he is feeling quite anxious and determined. He's been waiting for a long time to get into Hogwarts and learn what it takes to become an Auror, to be able to finally avenge his parents.
He has no time to make friends.
He hears hushed whispers around him as they wait for someone to let them in. Some gossip about someone in their year—typical. They haven't even gotten inside yet, but that doesn't stop the rumour mill. Despite not wanting to interact with other students, he can't stop listening. He is still a curious boy who likes knowing the unknown.
From what he gathered, the name 'Hermes' was thrown around like some forbidden curse. It was a familiar name- something he'd read about from the Daily Prophet. He remembered reading about a 17-year-old boy named Janus Hermes who got expelled from Hogwarts and went missing. There was a rumour that he was expelled because he was looking for the so-called "Curse Vaults," which allegedly contained hidden treasures. Another rumour was that he killed someone and ran away, making a name for himself in Knockturn Alley. Now that the youngest Hermes is starting her first year, people wonder if she'll follow in her brother's footsteps.
His curiosity then began to shift toward the younger Hermes. He can't help but make assumptions about the person. From all the rumours, he began to wonder what she would be like. Will she cause trouble? Will she be like her brother and start looking for the Curse Vaults?
From the corner of his eyes, he saw a student pointing at something on their right and followed their line of sight. There, he saw a short-haired girl listening to a long-haired girl with glasses talk animatedly and a meek, blond boy sticking close to both of them. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but here.
He didn't realize he was staring for a long while until his eyes met with amber-coloured ones. Their eyes lingered longer than they should have been, and he quickly looked away. He felt his heart racing when he got caught staring. Seeing her face, even briefly, made him feel something he couldn't quite explain. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he knew one thing for sure:
He needs to avoid her at all costs.
Finally, a middle-aged witch named Professor Minerva McGonagall emerged from inside the Great Hall and opened the doors to let all the first years in.
He took a deep breath and walked inside the Great Hall.
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Walking inside the Great Hall was nerve-racking. Four long tables, each with its specified colour, were filled with older students. Estelle Hermes could feel eyes on her as she walked towards the front alongside the other first years. She felt Rowan's hand grab her own and squeeze it reassuringly.
She is lucky to have someone like Rowan as a friend.
Finally, they reached the front of the Great Hall, where a lone old hat was placed on a stool. Professor McGonagall stood beside the stool with a piece of parchment and began to call out names. The Sorting Ceremony has started. The first student goes up, sits on the stool, and has the hat placed on her head. The hat began to contort into a face, and yelled,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
It was quite an intriguing sight. A bit weird but intriguing.
Every time someone got sorted, a table cheers, some louder than others. The group of first years grew smaller and smaller as name after name was called to be sorted. Estelle began to feel more anxious. Ben Copper, the blond boy she briefly talked to, was sorted into Gryffindor. A boy named Andre Egwu, wearing a purple scarf, was sorted in Ravenclaw. A smiling girl named Penelope Haywood was sorted in Hufflepuff. Then finally, it was her turn.
"Hermes, Estelle."
The silence was almost instantaneous, as were the harsh whisperings that came afterwards. She slowly made her way towards the stool, feeling eyes drilling into the back of her head. As she sat down, her eyes wandered back to the rest of the first years and spotted the same boy she had seen before. The boy who was staring at her right before they entered the Great Hall.
She could finally see what he looked like:
He's about the same height as she is, skinny and slicked-back hair. He reminds her of an eagle. She thinks he looks kind of cute. He's...
He's looking right back at her. Again.
Only this time, he doesn't turn back or look away. He's staring right at her. Amber eyes meet Burgundy ones. Neither have blinked once, as if they were having a staring contest. Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the Great Hall, causing Estelle to jump from her seat and lose focus on the boy.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The room was filled with silence once more before a hesitant yet polite applause erupted as she made her way to the Hufflepuff table. Some of the people from the Hufflepuff table looked displeased, while others looked awkward and uncomfortable. She decided to sit beside Haywood only because she seemed like she wouldn't mind her sitting beside her. She was correct; Haywood smiled at her.
The rest of the sorting ceremony continued; Rowan was sorted into Hufflepuff (which was a godsend), Barnaby Lee and Merula Snyde into Slytherin, and so on. Finally, it was down to the last person: the cute boy.
"Winger, Talbott."
'So that's his name.'
She watched as he sat on the stool. It didn't take the hat too long before deciding to place the boy into Ravenclaw. She watched him walk to his new housemates. Thus, the Sorting Ceremony was completed, and food was served. She could still hear some people talk about her, but she minded them less. Her mind was preoccupied with many things: Her missing brother, the rumours, Talbott.
She glanced at him, hoping to catch his eye one last time. He didn't look back.
That's alright. She gets the feeling that there will be plenty of time to get to know more about him. For now, she sighed and went back to her food.