The Final Firsts
As Jamie stood by the Hogwarts Express, she had barely taken a moment to soak in the hum of activity around her before she heard a high-pitched squeal and the rapid patter of footsteps. Before she had time to brace herself, Lorry all but launched herself at Jamie, arms wrapping around her in a hug that nearly knocked her off balance.
“Jamie!” Lorry cried, pulling back just enough to beam up at her, eyes sparkling with excitement. “I’ve missed you so much!”
Jamie laughed, squeezing her friend back. “You’re acting like it’s been years! We wrote every week.”
“Oh, hush! It’s not the same,” Lorry insisted, linking her arm with Jamie’s as she pulled her toward the train, where students were bustling around loading their trunks. Just then, they spotted Piper making her way toward them, wearing an exaggerated frown, her shoulders slumped dramatically.
“What’s wrong, Piper?” Jamie asked, raising an eyebrow as she tried to hide her smile.
Lorry rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t mind her,” she laughed. “She’s all mopey because ‘it’s the beginning of the end’ for us at Hogwarts.” Lorry mimicked Piper’s tone with a laugh, shaking her head.
Piper sniffed in mock offense, placing a hand over her heart. “It is! This is our last year, and you’re acting like it’s nothing!”
Jamie laughed, rolling her trunk closer as they started loading their luggage. “Then we’d better make it count,” she said, sharing a grin with both girls.
Once their trunks were stored away, they found a cozy, empty compartment and settled in, Jamie taking the seat by the window as Lorry flopped down across from her. Piper sat beside Jamie, still maintaining her dramatic pout.
“Oh, I have a story for you two,” Lorry said, leaning forward with a mischievous smile. “So, my parents, bless them, completely forgot the date! They booked a last-minute trip to Paris and left me to find my own way to King’s Cross. I tried to take the tube, but of course I missed it.” She tossed her hair back with a huff. “I had to hail a taxi like some sort of Muggle—cost a fortune too!”
Jamie and Piper burst into laughter. “That sounds like your parents! They do love a bit of last-minute adventure, don’t they?”
“Too much adventure, if you ask me,” Lorry replied, though she was grinning too. “But at least I made it on time!”
The train jerked forward, and they settled into a comfortable rhythm as the countryside started rolling by outside the window. Piper leaned in, her previous gloominess forgotten. “So, what classes are you two taking this year?”
“Defense Against the Dark Arts..” Jamie said, looking out the window of their compartment. “And Potions… the usual” She didn’t say it, but she was particularly looking forward to Potions for a reason she had not disclosed to anyone yet, she had a feeling she would get the help she needed there.
She didn’t even have to look at her friends; both of their brows rose in unison, smirking knowingly. Jamie raised her hand in a swift gesture to shush them before they could say a word.
Lorry exchanged a sly grin with Piper but let it go. “Alright, alright. And I’m in those too—plus Ancient Runes. I thought it’d be a nice change.”
Piper grimaced. “Runes? Eugh, boring! I’m sticking with Care of Magical Creatures.”
Lorry shook her head with a chuckle. “You and your magical creatures obsession!”
They spent the rest of the ride laughing, teasing each other, and planning how they would make the most of their final year. As they neared Hogwarts, Jamie looked out the window, feeling a surge of excitement for the year ahead—and a deep gratitude for the friends who made every journey feel like an adventure.
————
The Great Hall was alive with chatter as the last of the first years shuffled to their new houses, and the Sorting Hat was finally taken away. Jamie, Lorry, and Piper were seated together at the Gryffindor table, each leaning forward to get a better look at the new students joining their house.
“Oh my gosh, did you see the one with the curly hair?” Piper cooed. “The one who nearly tripped walking up to the Hat? Absolutely adorable.”
Jamie laughed, nodding. “I saw him! And that tiny girl in Ravenclaw with the long hair, practically hiding behind it. How precious was she?”
Lorry chimed in, glancing toward the Hufflepuff table. “And that little Hufflepuff who was holding his robes up when he walked? He looked terrified, poor thing.” She placed her hand on her chest dramatically, her face twisted in sympathy. “Bet he’s already writing home, asking to be picked up!”
The three of them chatted away, watching as the new students settled in with their houses. They leaned closer together, pointing out any more endearing moments they noticed around the room, enjoying the last few moments of lighthearted fun before the feast began.
Once dinner was over, the students began to filter out of the Great Hall and head to their dormitories. The girls joined the flow of Gryffindors climbing up the grand staircase, talking excitedly as they went. Jamie glanced around, feeling a comfortable nostalgia at the familiar path. This castle was home, and she was thrilled to be back.
As they entered the Gryffindor common room, they were greeted by the sight of cozy armchairs, glowing lanterns, and the familiar warmth of the roaring fireplace. Jamie and her friends exchanged smiles, then headed straight up to the girls’ dormitory, chatting all the way.
When they reached their room, Jamie let out a sigh, breathing in the faint smell of parchment and wood polish that always lingered in their dormitory. She dropped her bag by her bed and collapsed onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling with a contented smile.
“Oh, it’s so good to be back,” she said, stretching her arms. “I missed this place.”
Piper nodded, flopping down beside her and letting out a dramatic sigh. “Me too. And the best part—no parents hovering around or worrying about us every minute.”
Lorry was already unpacking, tossing her clothes onto her bed as she sorted through her things. “Speak for yourself; mine didn’t even realize I was leaving today!” She rolled her eyes, but a grin crept onto her face. “They’re hopeless.”
Jamie laughed, shaking her head as she sat up. “You’re never going to let them forget that one, are you?”
“Absolutely not,” Lorry replied with a smirk, folding her robes and tucking them away in her trunk. “They’re going to get a very detailed letter about the horrors of navigating London on my own.”
The girls laughed, continuing to unpack and settle in. Their chatter flowed easily, the dormitory filled with the sounds of their friendship. When Jamie finished organizing her things, she perched at the edge of her bed and looked around at her friends, feeling a surge of gratitude for this last year together.
As the night wound down, Jamie turned to the window, gazing out at the Hogwarts grounds. The stars were bright, and a feeling of calm filled her as she took it all in. Her heart swelled with excitement and warmth, knowing that this year would hold moments she’d treasure forever. She wrapped a blanket around herself and leaned against the cool glass.