The Hogwarts Express
Chapter Four : The Hogwarts Express
Thoughts || “Dialogue” || Letters
Very few people remained at Kings Cross Station after the morning rush by the time Hermione and her father arrived. Her mother had, of course, refused to have any part in the ‘abnormalities’ of her daughter. Her daughter, who was currently struggling with the size (not weight, thank you featherweight enchantments) of her trunk. She was dressed in what was essentially half of her new uniform, deciding to forgo the more obviously magical aspects (like the cloak) for ‘normal’ and ‘respectable’ clothing.
In the eyes of an outsider, Hermione looked like a normal schoolgirl.
“Draco Malfoy told me the platform was here. I don’t believe you’ll be able to see it, though, Dad.” Hermione coughed, then motioned to the pillar separating platforms nine and ten. Daniel Granger nodded once, then pulled his only daughter - only child, into a fierce hug.
“Keep in touch, won’t you? Tell me all about it,” he whispered in a thick voice he only just managed to keep from breaking.
“Of course.” Hermione nodded frantically, her eyes glistening.
They pulled away from each other, with Hermione furiously wiping her sleeve across her face as she slowly but surely got her trolley to start moving again. Looking back one final time, Hermione waved goodbye just as she felt something sweep over her and the muggle world melted away before her very eyes.
Sniffling, Hermione wiped at her eyes one final time, brushed herself off, and started to make her way through the crowd.
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters bustled in a way that the rest of the station hadn’t, making it very difficult for Hermione to navigate through. At one point, she thought she saw the Malfoy family, but before she could track them down, a large family of freckled redheads pushed her aside.
Wow, rude. Can’t even apologise, either.
She also thought she’d caught a glimpse of Theo Nott and his father, but lost sight of them as well. Sighing, Hermione trudged through the dense crowd until she broke through, finally, nearer the end of the train. Cursing herself for not thinking of it before, she flicked her wrist to get her wand from its holster, then tapped the top of her trunk to make it shrink to the size of a matchbox. She swiftly pocketed her shrunken trunk and turned to board the train.
“Why does an ickle firstie-”
“-need such a fancy trunk?”
Hermione turned. A pair of twins stood before her. They had flaming ginger hair, sporadic freckles, bright blue eyes, and their body language mirrored one another. They also wore faded red tees and light-wash jeans that had rips in underneath their school robes. The robes had faded red lining on the edges and a crest on the front which bore a lion.
Gryffindor.
“I bought too many books,” Hermione replied, crossing her arms and raising a single eyebrow at the two boys.
“Oi! Fred, George!” A third boy - also wearing Gryffindor robes - jogged up to the twins. His skin was darker than theirs, his hair darker and dreaded, and he was carrying a tank with what looked to be a massive spider.
“Lee!”
“Give us a look!”
With the two boys distracted, Hermione took the time to board the train in hopes of finding an empty compartment. She had started at the very last train car to work her way to the front, so far with no luck at finding a seat, or a familiar face. After a few more minutes of walking, Hermione came across a compartment with a single boy inside.
He was already wearing the uniform, same as her, but included his robes.
His robes are plain. He must be a first-year as well, then.
After Hermione noticed the lack of colour on his robes, she knocked politely on the glass door.
The boy jumped and his head swivelled to look at her. Then he stood up, and almost tripped over his robes on the way to the door.
“Hello,” Hermione smiled politely, “Are any of those seats taken?”
“Hi, yes, hello. I mean, n-no. There isn’t anybody else sitting here. Did, did you want to?” He stammered.
“Yes, please!”
The boy moved away from the door, letting Hermione in. Unbeknownst to the two first years, a toad stealthily made his way out of the compartment.
Now that she was inside the compartment with the boy, Hermione could see that he hadn’t completely lost his baby-fat, making him a bit on the chubby side. He also seemed to be hunched in on himself, as if trying to take up as little space as possible. Beyond that, Hermione noted a mop of curly, light-brown hair, and kind, hazel-coloured eyes.
She stuck her right hand out.
“I’m Hermione Granger.”
“N-Neville Longbottom.”
He took her hand with his own. It was warm and soft and his grip was firm, but not so much as to hurt.
“Longbottom… That’s on the Sacred 28 list isn’t it?”
“Yeah… I don’t recognize the name Granger, though. Un… Unless you’re related to Hector Dagworth-Granger?”
“That’s the fourth time his name has been mentioned to me, but I still haven’t a clue if I’m descended from him or not.”
“I-I think Gringotts does inheritance tests…?”
“Yes, Lord Malfoy wrote to me and said he’d take me to get one done during the summer if I don’t fail first year. I don’t plan on being lower than fifth in our class rank. First, if at all possible, but I'm well aware that while I'll be ahead of other muggle-raised students in our year, I find it difficult to believe there won't be more magical raised students than muggle-raised and I'll have to work twice as hard, at least, to be better than them."
“That’s… ambitious… How do you know Lord Malfoy?”
“I met his son, Draco, at Madam Malkin’s back in July when I went back to Diagon to buy the rest of my school supplies. After I mentioned my correspondence with Theodore Nott, Lord Malfoy invited me to finish my shopping with them, as my parents don’t particularly like the idea of magic and as they no longer want anything to do with me, I was left to do my shopping alone.”
"Huh."
Silence.
More silence.
"So, Longbottom. Did you bring a pet to Hogwarts? I was going to, but I had already used up more than half of my two-year scholarship money, so I couldn't."
This seemed to be the right thing to say because Neville perked right up. He turned to the seat next to him, then to the other seat, and then looked on the bench Hermione sat on, then started panicking.
"Oh no," Neville moaned. "I've already lost him!"
"Who? Your pet?"
"Yes! My Uncle Algie bought Trevor for me for getting into Hogwarts, and now I've gone and lost him!"
"What sort of pet is Trevor?"
"He's a Natterjack Toad. He must've slipped out of the compartment when you came in. Oh, I have to go find him. Gran's gonna be so angry."
"Do you want me to help you look?"
"You would do that?"
"Of course!"
"Thank you." Neville's voice was thick with emotion and Hermione thought his eyes looked a tad bit brighter than before.
The pair left their compartment, determined to find the wayward toad.
Despite the train already moving, the corridors were still packed full of students. Mostly older students, greeting their friends after the summer holiday. As such, the two first years struggled to get through. Huffing slightly in frustration, Hermione kept her gaze on the floor, eyes darting to-and-fro searching for the wayward toad. Unluckily, the compartment they had just left was in the middle of the train, meaning they would have to walk the length of the train twice if they wanted to do a proper, thorough, search for the wayward toad.
Luckily, for Hermione at least, when they reached the back end of the train, the compartments got a bit more classy, and almost all the students here had green on their robes.
If this is the Slytherin section of the train, I might be able to find Nott and Malfoy, and they might know someone who can help using a spell or something.
Hermione started paying attention to the occupants of the compartments rather than just searching the floor. It took no time at all for her to find a few compartments with students in plain black robes and even less time to recognise the two boys she'd made acquaintance with over the summers.
"Longbottom, let me ask someone for help."
"Are... Are you sure? These students are all in Slytherin, Gran said they don't help anyone but themselves..." He wrung his hands nervously and seemed to almost withdraw into himself.
"Yes, I'm sure. I can do the talking if it makes you feel better."
"Yes, please."
Nodding, Hermione knocked on the door to Malfoy's compartment. His head, and the heads of his companions, all shot up to look at the door. Malfoy and Nott quickly exchanged a look, before Malfoy waved his hand and a larger boy with close-cut hair got up and opened the door.
"Told you you'd find me, Granger," Malfoy said, smirking slightly.
"So I did, Malfoy," Hermione replied, grinning. Then, she remembered her manners and cleared her throat. "This is Neville Longbottom."
"Well met, Heir Longbottom, my name is Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
"W-Well met, Heir Malfoy." Longbottom stuttered, clearly nervous.
"I sense you aren't here for just a social call, Granger. How can we help?" Nott said suddenly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees with a familiar glint in his eyes.
"We're looking for Longbottom's toad. He managed to escape our compartment and we've no idea where he hopped off to, but we've only searched from the middle of the train to this end, and I was hoping that you might know someone who knows a spell that can either lead us to him or bring him to us."
"Well, you're in luck. The seventh-year Slytherin prefect only just left after introducing himself to us all. He shouldn't be too far." Malfoy said, standing up and making his way to the door. Hermione stepped aside, so he could poke his head out to look up and down the corridor.
"Higgs!" He shouted, causing a tall, slender, Slytherin boy to turn around.
"Yes, Heir Malfoy? How can I help?"
"Are you proficient enough in Charms to assist in a Summoning Spell?" Malfoy asked, cocking an eyebrow as he looked up at the boy.
"What needs to be summoned?"
Hermione and Malfoy looked at each other and then turned to look at Longbottom, who went bright red.
"M-my toad, Trevor. H-he escaped my compartment and we've been searching but haven't found him yet and Granger thought it would be a good idea to ask someone for help but if you can't or won't I-I understand."
"Well, that should be easy enough to manage..." Higgs the prefect trailed off at the end, clearly asking for something without asking for it, confusing Hermione.
"Longbottom, Neville Longbottom." He managed to get out without stumbling over his words.
"Ah, yes that should be easy enough to manage, Longbottom." Higgs turned to face the direction Hermione and Longbottom travelled down. "Accio, Longbottom's toad!"
After a few minutes of waiting, a squealing sound started travelling down the corridor, getting louder as it got closer to the group, when suddenly, something came flying through the air towards them.
"Trevor!" Longbottom cried happily, catching him before Higgs had a chance. "Thank you, Higgs."
"Don't mention it, Longbottom."
"Say, Draco, we've enough room in our compartment to adopt two stragglers." Nott piped up, flashing a cheeky grin in Hermione and Longbottom's direction.
"Only if the girls don't plan on staying for very long when they find us," Malfoy replied.
Nott snorted in either amusement or disbelief, Hermione couldn't tell. "Pansy and Daphne can barely stand one another, for some bizarre new reason. They won't stay for long."
Malfoy sighed before replying. "You have a point. Have you figured out the cause of their strife?"
"All I've figured out is that girls are strange mystical creatures that inspire fear into the hearts of men."
Hermione let out a giggle at Nott's words. Boys are so silly.
"You're not wrong, Theo. You're not wrong." Malfoy trailed off at the end of his sentence, glancing over Hermione and Longbottom, studying them both.
"Tell me you didn't leave your trunks in the other compartment you were in," he asked, half expecting to be disappointed.
"You know what tricks I have up my sleeve, Malfoy. Longbottom did, though." Hermione answered. Malfoy sighed, somehow still disappointed by this turn of events, despite expecting to have been disappointed when he asked the question.
"Vincent. Gregory. Go with Longbottom to fetch his trunk." Malfoy commanded, motioning the two bigger boys to get up and help.
"O-Oh, I don't mean to impose. I can just fetch it myself..." Longbottom protested, his face flushing.
"Accept the help, Longbottom. Besides, we don't go anywhere without a companion or two," Nott advised, sounding far wiser than his 11 years.
The three boys left quickly after that, with Longbottom leading the way to his and Hermione's old compartment, leaving Hermione with Malfoy and Nott. The two boys had just offered Hermione a seat near the window when a new voice piped up from the door.
"Who was that, leaving with Vince and Greg?" A snobby, yet also childish (because they're still children) voice sounded from the door to the compartment.
Hermione turned to look at the newcomer, a girl wearing the black cloak of a first-year. The first thing Hermione noticed, beyond the sneer the girl was aiming in her direction, was her pin-straight, jet-black hair cut at a diagonal just above her shoulders, as to frame her face, with bangs cut above her eyebrows. The second thing Hermione noticed were her bright green eyes, narrowed into the meanest glare Hermione had ever received.
"And who is she?" The girl demanded, standing with her hands on her hips.
"Well, that was Heir Longbottom leaving with Vince and Greg. And this is Miss Hermione Granger, connection to the Dagworth-Grangers yet to be confirmed." Nott answered, before facing Hermione to introduce the newcomer. "Granger, this is Miss Pansy Parkinson."
"Pleased to meet you, Parkinson," Hermione said politely. Parkinson turned sharply towards Nott.
"I must have misheard you because I swear I heard you say Longbottom. Is he one of ours now?"
One of ours...?
"Granger is one of ours, and Longbottom seems to be hers. So by association, I suppose Longbottom is one of ours as well." Malfoy was the one to answer the girl, with a surprising amount of authority in his tone.
Parkinson pulled a face but otherwise seemed to accept Malfoy's words.
"Very well. Budge up, Theo. I want a seat."
Nott shifted closer to the window, leaving Parkinson enough room to sit between him and the door.
"Theo! Oh- hello, Pansy." Another girl stood in the doorway Parkinson vacated.
"Daphne."
"Don't tell me you two are still arguing." Nott sighed, rubbing his forehead.
The new girl, Daphne, had long, chestnut brown hair tied back with a bow, and pale blue eyes almost like ice. They certainly reminded Hermione of ice when she stared at Parkinson.
"Don't ask me, Pansy's the one who won't talk to me about it." Daphne sniffed dismissively before sitting down between Hermione and Draco. She then turned to face Hermione, still with an icy stare.
"My name is Greengrass. Daphne Greengrass."
"I'm Hermione Granger."
"For the love of Merlin, Daph, I was going to make the proper introductions if you'd given me a chance," Nott said, then, turning to Hermione, "Daphne is Heiress to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Greengrass."
"The same ranking as Malfoy's family, then?" Hermione asked, looking past Greengrass to get confirmation from Malfoy himself.
"You've studied then, Granger. Yes, our families have the same ranking."
"Of course, I've studied. This is an entirely new world. I need all the help I can get when it comes to finding my footing as I haven't had the advantage of living my entire life with magic and the general knowledge that comes with it."
"Muggleborn, then?" Parkinson asked, sneering at both Hermione and Greengrass.
"Raised by muggles, yes, but I will be leaving the muggle world as soon as I possibly can. My parents aren't particularly fond of having a witch for a daughter. Also, Lord Malfoy will be accompanying me to Gringotts come summer for me to get an inheritance test done, so who knows, I might have distant family that can take me in until I've finished Hogwarts."
"Father did give you a stipulation for him accompanying you to visit the goblins, I hope you remember that," Malfoy reminded, raising a single eyebrow in Hermione's direction. Hermione raised an eyebrow back at him.
"As I told Longbottom, I don't plan on being lower than fifth in our class rank, but my goal is first," she said, smirking.
Almost as if speaking his name summoned him, Longbottom appeared in the doorway to the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle walking behind, carrying his trunk between them.
"O-Oh. Hello Daphne." Longbottom stammered, stopping in the doorway of the compartment.
"Neville! I didn't know you knew Theo and Draco."
"I-I've only just been introduced. I met Granger first, and she helped me find Trevor, then she introduced me to them and they said we could join them. B-But if there isn't enough space now I'll go back to the other compartment."
"Nonsense! Pansy and I were just leaving anyways, but I'll see you at the Sorting." Greengrass stood, gave Malfoy and Nott quick kisses on the cheek to say farewell, and then did the same to Longbottom. Grabbing Parkinson by the hand, she led the other girl out of the compartment with a "See you boys later!" called over her shoulder.
"You know Daph, Longbottom?" Nott asked, tilting his head sideways and giving the boy a strange look.
"My Gran s-started bringing me to functions after I started showing signs of magic, and Daphne was the only person who would talk to me at some of them. Daphne, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbott."
"Must've been the ones Draco and I didn't attend then, I suppose."
"S-Something like that, yeah."
"Hmm."
During the conversation, Longbottom had entered the compartment and taken the other window seat, so he faced Hermione. Crabbe and Goyle lugged his trunk into the overhead storage before taking their seats on either side of the door, leaving Nott sitting between Neville and Crabbe, and Malfoy between Hermione and Goyle.
A lull came over the compartment, each occupant seemingly lost in thought. Hermione lost track of time watching the rolling fields fly past the window, wondering when everything would stop feeling like a fever dream. However, due to Hermione staring out the window, she missed the silent conversation of facial expressions Malfoy and Nott were having.
"Say, did you see the trolley lady on your journey?" Nott asked, breaking the comfortable silence in the compartment.
"No-"
As if summoned by name, again, a woman walked past the door. She pushed an empty trolley. "Sorry dears, a couple of boys bought the lot."
"They bought everything?! How is that even possible!" Hermione asked, utterly flabbergasted.
"He had the gold for it." The woman shrugged, then continued walking to the front of the train.
"How inconsiderate! They were clearly not thinking of anyone but themselves. They better hope I never learn who they are or they're in for a lesson on manners." Hermione grumbled. "Not to mention! She should have maybe stopped to think that other children on the train would want something to eat! How long has she been doing this job?"
At the end of her question, Hermione looked at Nott, then Malfoy, hoping either of them would have the answers.
It was Longbottom who answered her.
"S-She was here when my g-gran went to Hogwarts. M-Mind you, she was a young woman back then, so I'd say she's a m-minimum of... ten years my gran's senior?"
Nott let out a low whistle, "So quite a while then."
"Yeah, quite a while."
"Does anyone know how much longer it'll be until we get to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, glancing around the group. All the boys shook their heads. Sighing, Hermione stood up.
"I'm going to go find somebody to ask. If I don't see anybody around here, I might go to the front of the train."
"Woah, Granger. Let me, Vince, and Greg accompany you." Malfoy said, also standing.
"I don't think I need an escort, Malfoy." Hermione countered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Think of it as less of an escort and more as a group of friends walking in the same general direction as each other and keeping each other company, then," Malfoy explained smoothly, offering Hermione his arm like he did when they were in Diagon Alley shopping with his parents. "Besides, I want to see if Harry Potter is on the train. He's meant to be in our year, you know."
"You could've led with that, then ended with a question instead of just telling me I must 'let' you accompany me," Hermione grumbled, accepting his arm nonetheless.
"I shall endeavour to remember that you have not grown up with the same rules of society as myself and my companions."
Hermione could hear the promise in his voice, as serious as an 11-year-old boy who currently channelled his father could be.
"I shall also endeavour to recruit my companions to assist me in teaching you said rules of society, to better help you fit into this new world you find yourself living in."
"Thank you, Malfoy. I truly appreciate that." Hermione offered him a small smile. He briefly smiled back, before morphing it into what will soon be known to the school as his trademark smirk.
While the quartet walked down the train corridor, they surprisingly did not come across any Prefects, Slytherin or otherwise. Hermione was growing more frustrated with every compartment they walked past without one.
"Impromptu lesson number one: you can feel your emotions, but don't show them on your face. It gives everyone who sees an advantage over you," Malfoy muttered, gently patting Hermione's hand where it rested in the crook of his elbow.
"I've gotten in trouble my whole life for showing everything on my face. That's going to be something easier said than done," Hermione muttered back.
"We didn't learn these lessons alone. You won't have to either."
Eventually, they made their way to the middle of the train. The whispers started then, about Harry Potter being on the train, only a few compartments away.
Just a few compartments down from the one Harry Potter was supposedly in, Hermione spotted a group of Prefects walking towards them, in the direction of going towards the back of the train. As they got closer, Hermione noticed that their badges had a green trim on the outside, similar to the one that Prefect Higgs wore. She then recognised Prefect Higgs in the group of Prefects.
"If you want to introduce yourself to Potter, I'm just gonna have a quick chat with the Prefects," Hermione explained, slowly withdrawing her arm from Malfoy's.
He looked at her once he felt the movement, glanced down at their arms then over to the Prefects, and nodded to her.
"They look to be returning to our section of the train. I'll find you back in our compartment if you wish to walk back with them," Malfoy suggested, phrasing it less like a command than he did before they left the compartment, which Hermione appreciated.
"I think I might, thank you, Malfoy," Hermione replied. Then, nodding to the two other boys that had walked with them, "And you, Crabbe, Goyle."
When the prefects arrived where the four first-years stood in the corridor, Higgs motioned for the group to stop.
"Heir Malfoy, did you need any assistance?"
"Not me, Higgs. Miss Granger expressed a desire to find somebody who might know how long we have before we arrive at the station, and we accompanied her on her journey while also going on one of our own. It would be greatly appreciated if you and the other prefects wouldn't mind escorting her back to the compartment we are sitting in with Heirs Nott and Longbottom." Malfoy explained, continuing to channel his father to the best of his abilities.
"Of course, it would be no trouble. And to answer your question, Miss Granger, we should arrive at Hogsmeade Station in roughly an hour. Plenty of time to use the facilities and freshen yourself up before the Sorting Ceremony," Higgs said, motioning for Hermione to join the prefects, and for the group to continue moving. Before Hermione turned to leave, Malfoy brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, slightly bowing towards her.
"We'll be back in the compartment before we arrive at the station." He said, motioning for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him to Potter's compartment.
"Good luck finding Potter," Hermione replied, bidding farewell to the trio as she turned and followed the prefects back to the Slytherin section of the train.
In what felt like no time, Hermione returned to her window seat, sitting across from Longbottom and Nott, who had finally changed into his uniform and robes.
"I wonder what's taking them so long. Surely we'll be arriving at the station soon?" Hermione wondered aloud, tearing her gaze away from the countryside and back into the compartment towards her two travelling companions.
"Draco's been wanting to be Potter's friend since we first learned about him at the age of three," Nott piped up, looking up from the book he was reading.
Hermione sighed, then stood up to peek her head out from the door to the compartment and look up the corridor. Walking back to their compartment were the three missing boys. Malfoy walked between Crabbe and Goyle, the latter of whom cradled his hand to his chest. Watching the three of them closely, Malfoy more than the other two (not that she would admit it), Hermione noticed a tension in him that wasn't there when she initially left them in the corridor.
"Something happened," Hermione said, sitting sideways in her seat with her back against the window. A few minutes later, Crabbe opened the door and the three boys had finally returned to their compartment. Nott sat up immediately from his lounging position, noticing the tension that followed the boys in.
Malfoy sat in his seat next to Hermione but didn't look at her, or Longbottom.
"Draco?" Nott asked, staring blatantly at his friend.
"Potter has allied himself with the youngest Weasley son. Weasley's rat bit Greg. They're also the ones who bought out the trolley lady. They still had loads of sweets all over the empty seats in the compartment, and wrappers were all over the floor."
"Merlin..." Nott trailed off.
"I know my opinion probably doesn't matter as much as, say, Nott's. I know I've not known you all very long, but if that's how the 'Great Harry Potter' treats people he doesn't know, he's clearly not someone worth knowing. So, to put it bluntly, screw him. You're worth a dozen of him, Malfoy," Hermione said, stopping herself from going into a much longer tirade about the injustice of it all and the two other boys' lack of basic manners.
"Thank you, Granger. Your opinion matters a lot more than you think it does. You can call me Draco if you'd like," Draco said softly, finally turning to look Hermione in the eye.
"Only if you call me Hermione," Hermione answered him just as softly, offering a gentle smile.
Nott clapped his hands from where he sat across from them, piping up with, "Since we're exchanging names and Granger gave such a lovely speech in defence of my oldest mate, you can call me Theo. You too Longbottom."
"Same for you, Theo. Call me Hermione." Hermione grinned at Theo, the first person her age to not look down their nose at her when they met last summer in the bookshop.
"T-Thanks N-Theo. You can call me Neville. The same goes for the rest of you." Neville stammered, seemingly taken aback at the sudden familiarity being offered.
"Of course Neville! You can call me Hermione too. And you too, Crabbe, Goyle." Hermione smiled shyly at the other three boys, slightly embarrassed for having nearly forgotten about them.
"My name is Vince."
"Mine's Greg."
"Wonderful! We're all friends now! Why don't Hermione, Neville and I step outside so the three of you can finish changing, and we can spend the rest of the train ride discussing what houses we think we'll get sorted into." As Theo said that, Hermione joined him and Neville outside the compartment while Draco pulled the curtain shut and the other three changed into their Hogwarts uniforms. A few minutes passed by before Draco pulled the curtain back up and opened the door so the group of first years could get settled back into their seats. They all looked at each other waiting for somebody else to speak first. Hermione broke the silence.
"So. Hogwarts houses?" She asked, glancing between the boys in the compartment.
"Right! Yes. There are four Hogwarts houses. Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. Father wouldn't tell me how we get sorted, but whatever it is it's meant to show whichever house traits we have, and certain houses value certain traits more than the others." Theo started to explain.
"Mother and Father wouldn't tell me either. Something about not wanting to spoil the surprise." Draco piped up, sounding a bit put out.
"I wonder if any of the girls know? Hmm... Anyways. Slytherin values cunning, ambition, resourcefulness, and determination. Essentially, all the traits that anybody with reachable dreams has. Slytherins also have a 'code of honour' of sorts where they're always looking out for each other and helping one another when possible because what helps one helps them all. Ravenclaw values wit, a love of learning, creativity, and intelligence. Father told me that the Ravenclaws of his time were also overly competitive and willing to step on one another to boost themselves in whatever way they could." Theo continued without missing a beat as if Draco hadn't spoken.
“M-my family thinks I’m gonna wind up in Hufflepuff, which isn’t bad as that house values loyalty, hard work, and fairness. But the stereotypes are that Hufflepuffs are the leftovers who didn’t fit into any of the other ‘proper’ houses - although I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s why my f-family thinks I’ll be a Hufflepuff. My p-parents were in Gryffindor, though, which is where I want to go - so I can feel more connected to them - and Gryffindor values chivalry, bravery, and standing up for what's right. The only downside is that Gran says Hogwarts is heavily biased to Gryffindors and they’re either envied or hated because of the blatant bias.” Neville spoke up softly but seemed to gain more confidence the longer they let him speak without interrupting.
"So, those are the houses. Which one do you think you'll end up in, Hermione? The rest of us here have family legacies to live up to. Our (Theo motioned to himself, Draco, Vince, and Greg) families have almost always sorted into Slytherin, so whatever this Sorting Ceremony is, it's just a formality for us as we've known our whole lives where we have to go." Theo said, giving his full attention to Hermione, eyes glinting in the late afternoon sun that shone through the windows.
"Well, I would quite like to be in the same house as the rest of you, and Slytherin didn't sound so terrible. Not nearly as bad as what those history books from Diagon made it out to be."
"Let me guess, full of dark wizards and dark witches? Or Dark Lords in training to take over from the one who died when we were infants?" Draco asked, sounding quite resigned.
"Well... Yes, that is how those books make the house sound. That reminds me, though. I wanted to ask this over the summer, but I wasn't sure how safe it would have been to write in a letter. In all the books that Flourish and Blotts sell about the War, the one thing they all agree on is the fact that the 'Dark Lord' simply vanished. Or disappeared. As in, there wasn't a body to recover after whatever he did at the Potters. No body, no proof that he actually died."
"Hermione. I love you. I've thought something was off about how the end of the War was written since I could think properly, but I could never figure out just what it was. That right there is exactly it. Merlin, you're brilliant. And we haven't even started classes yet!" Theo exclaimed, somehow managing to restrain himself to sitting down, though he was closer to vibrating in his seat with how much energy he seemed to contain.
"Impromptu lesson number two, Granger. Unless you know the people you're around have the same mentality or perspective on sensitive subjects, such as what you just said, keep your groundbreaking discoveries to yourself. Luckily, we are only children, so if any adults hear us speaking about things like that, they won't necessarily take us seriously if they overhear. But we only have that protection for another two years at most." Draco said, turning sharply to face Hermione properly. "And, Hermione, I do believe my father would be interested in hearing your theory, but now that we're at Hogwarts we especially can't put something like that into a letter so it'll have to wait until either Yule or next summer."
"Impromptu lessons? Lessons for what, Drake?" Theo asked, puzzled.
"Well, Hermione grew up with muggles, didn't she? She hasn't grown up knowing the lessons of society that we have, so I've offered our services to help teach her. All of our services, the girls included."
Theo's eyes narrowed suspiciously while he stared at Draco, reading him. A minute later, the expression faded and his mischievous glint returned to his eyes.
"I doubt the girls will appreciate being volunteered before they know what they're being volunteered for, but if Hermione joins us in Slytherin she will need catching up." He said casually. Draco nodded.
A bell tolled within the compartment, and Hermione finally noticed that the train had slowed to the point where it stopped moving. There were lights outside the windows, and a wooden platform welcomed them. They had finally arrived.
"Please leave all luggage, pets, and personal effects on the train. They will be brought up to the school separately." An unfamiliar voice sounded above them. The door to the compartment opened to reveal Prefect Higgs.
"Alright firsties, you'll be arriving at the school separately from the rest of us. I'll take you to Hagrid. He's near the boats."
"Boats?" Hermione echoed. Of all the methods of travel she imagined in the world of magic, boats seemed rather... mundane. Hermione took Draco's arm when he offered, and they followed directly behind Higgs. Theo and Neville walked behind them, with Vince and Greg also following. Higgs led them onto the platform at Hogsmeade Station, where the giant man Hermione saw at Diagon Alley waved a lantern back and forth calling out to the first years.
"Firs’ years! Firs’ years over ‘ere! Alrigh’ there, ‘Arry?” The gamekeeper from Diagon Alley was holding the lamp up.
Draco scoffed, “Of course, Harry Potter gets special treatment.”
“Impromptu lesson number two, Draco,” Hermione muttered. He grumbled but otherwise held his tongue, remembering what he had said to Hermione not long before the train stopped. Neither of them saw the grin on Theo's face at their interaction.
The entire class of first years followed the half-giant down a narrow path that led to the edge of a large, black, lake. Distantly, across the lake was Hogwarts. Hermione looked around at the gathered group of first years and noticed Greengrass and Parkinson standing and talking to two other girls with the same ease they spoke to Draco and Theo.
“No more’n four to a boat!” the half-giant shouted.
Hermione watched Draco's eyes flit between all six in their group as if contemplating who to sit with in the boat. His eyes met hers a moment later, and he flexed his arm (in the best way an 11-year-old boy can) in acknowledgement without having to speak.
"Vince, Greg, would you two mind getting a boat with somebody else? I find myself unable to choose between Theo and Hermione, or the two of you."
"No worries, Draco."
"Yeah, that's fine. See you on the other side."
"See you on the other side," Draco said, before turning to Neville. "Neville, you're with me, Hermione, and Theo."
Hermione watched as Vince and Greg walked to another boat that had two other boys; a lanky, freckled redhead, and the scrawny black-haired boy from the robes shop.
"Oh, rotten luck. They're with Potter and his sidekick Weasley." Draco muttered, helping Hermione step into the small rowboat, before climbing in next to her. Neville and Theo climbed in behind them and the four of them were left waiting for the rest of their year-mates to load up into the remaining boats.
Soon enough, the boats surged forward through the black, inky waters of the lake. Hermione's heart started hammering in her chest and she clenched her fists together to try and stop them from shaking.
"I can't believe this is real." She whispered, staring up at the castle in awe as it grew closer and closer the further the boats went.
"Trust me, this is real," Draco whispered back, sounding as awe-filled as Hermione felt.
The boats landed roughly on the shores of the lake, and they all clambered out of them. Hermione accepted Draco's assistance without complaint, and the four of them were soon joined not only by Vince and Greg, but also by Greengrass, Parkinson, the two other girls, and a dark-skinned boy.
"Draco! Look who we found!" Parkinson called, her arm wrapped around the new boy's arm, similar to how Hermione held onto Draco's arm.
"Blaise! You decided to join us after all!" Theo exclaimed, rushing to pull the boy into a quick, one-armed embrace.
Before the conversation could continue, the massive double doors leading into the castle opened. They revealed a familiar woman with dark hair pulled back into a tight bun, with an even tighter expression on her face.
"That's Deputy Headmistress McGonagall," Hermione whispered, moments before Hagrid greeted her with a loud "Professor McGonagall! Here's the first years for ya."
"She brought you to Diagon Alley for the first time. When we met in Flourish and Blotts." Theo said, already remembering that evening two summers ago.
"She did, yes."
“Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.” Professor McGonagall replied, opening the doors all the way.
The room was massive. There was no other way to describe it. There were stone walls lit up with braziers running along them, the ceiling was so high you couldn’t actually see it - although that could have been because it was night time too - and there was an incredible grand staircase made of marble that led to the upper levels of the castle. The group of first years followed the professor across the floor - where they could hear the noise of the rest of the school through a doorway to the right - and into a rather small antechamber.
“Welcome to Hogwarts.” The Professor began, “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting Ceremony is very important because while you are at Hogwarts, your houses will become your family. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in the House dormitories, and spend free time in the House common room.”
Hermione took a moment to look at Draco standing beside her, then at Theo, Neville, and the others gathered around them. Found family counts just as much as the one you are born into, sometimes more.
“The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you House points, while any rule-breaking will lose them. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.
“The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly, so I suggest you tidy yourselves up to look presentable while you wait.” The Professor looked at the children gathered before her with what Hermione could only describe as disdain. “I shall return when it is time.”
A loud voice broke the silence the Professor left behind.
“She said Slytherin has a noble history? Slytherin? Don’t make me laugh! Everybody knows all Slytherins are evil!” The redhead Draco had previously pointed out to be Weasley said, laughing pathetically.
Hermione looked over at her new friends and the friends of her new friends, all standing around her, and saw tension bleed into their postures. She decided in a split-second to ignore what Weasley said and bring up Potter.
“So I heard a rumour that Harry Potter was on the train with us?” She stated loudly, drawing the attention of the rest of the first years from Weasley to her.
“Yeah, that’s right! I sat with him and he bought us the sweets off the trolley!” The same red-headed boy replied, grinning smugly at her. Hermione cocked her head slightly before realisation dawned on her expression.
“Oh, so you’re the inconsiderate pair of twats that bought all the sweets before anybody else who wanted them could?” She inquired, raising a singular eyebrow at the lanky boy. At this, outraged whispers broke out amongst the first years who didn’t sit with Hermione. Potter’s eyes seemed to widen at that, too.
“I only told her that I wanted some of everything, not that I wanted to clear the trolley off…” He stammered. “I-I’m sorry…”
Hermione’s expression softened ever so slightly. This was just another scared child in a new world, same as her. I can try to be nice.
“Don’t apologise to her, Harry! She’s literally hanging off of Malfoy! She’s probably a slimy, evil, Slytherin snake, same as the rest of them!” Weasley commented. Hermione felt her gaze harden with disdain as she looked at Weasley once again. Not to him though, he doesn't deserve it.
“Uh… Ron?” Potter spoke up.
“Yes, Harry?” Weasley replied.
“You do know that snakes aren’t slimy right?” Potter asked. Weasley was flabbergasted, Theo snorted in amusement, and Professor McGonagall returned to the antechamber.
“Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Form a line and follow me.” Professor McGonagall commanded the first years.
When they entered the Great Hall, many oohed and awed.
“When I’m older… I’ll enchant my ceiling to look like this,” Hermione whispered in awe.
The first-years stopped at the steps of the platform the Head Table was set upon and watched as Professor McGonagall set an old mangy hat on top of a stool.
Then it moved.
Well, technically it sang.
“Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,
But don’t judge on what you see,
I’ll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hat’s sleek and tall,
For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There’s nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can’t see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don’t be afraid!
And don’t get in a flap!
You’re in safe hands (though I have none)
For I’m a Thinking Cap!”
Everybody in the Great Hall burst into applause as the hat bowed to each of the four House tables. A few of the first years started whispering amongst themselves but then stopped when Professor McGonagall pulled out a list.
“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.” She said, “Abbott, Hannah!”
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat - which fell right down over her eyes, and sat on the stool.
“HUFFLEPUFF!” the Hat shouted, causing the table on the far right, dressed in yellow and black, to burst into cheers.
“Bones, Susan!”
“HUFFLEPUFF!” Bones sat down next to Abbott and Hermione watched them start chattering together.
“Boot, Terry!”
“RAVENCLAW!” The table second from the left, dressed in blue and bronze, cheered for their new member.
“Brocklehurst, Mandy!”
“RAVENCLAW!” She joined Boots at the Ravenclaw table.
“Brown, Lavender!”
“GRYFFINDOR!” The table on the far left exploded in cheers and applause and Hermione saw two redhead twins catcalling.
“How horrid,” Hermione commented to Draco, motioning to the twins.
“That’s absurd. They have absolutely no manners.” Greengrass piped up from where she stood behind Hermione.
“And they’re much too loud for my liking,” Parkinson said, also from behind Hermione. Hermione nodded her agreement. Millicent Bulstrode was sorted into Slytherin and the table second from the right, dressed in green and silver, clapped loudly without being obnoxious like the Gryffindors.
“Crabbe, Vincent!” Hermione looked ahead and saw Theo, Greg, and the new boy Theo had called Blaise giving Vince supportive shoulder pats before he walked to the stool.
“SLYTHERIN!” Once again, the Slytherin table cheered without being obnoxious.
“Davis, Tracey!”
Davis cautiously stepped out of line from behind Greengrass and smiled nervously at her friends before walking up to the stool to put the hat on.
“SLYTHERIN!” Greengrass and Parkinson let out relieved breaths and Hermione clapped politely from the line.
“Finch-Fletchley, Justin!”
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
“Finnigan, Seamus!”
“GRYFFINDOR!”
“Granger, Hermione!” Professor called. Hermione let out a shaky breath then smiled at Draco and the rest of their small group before stepping up to the stool.
As soon as she sat down, her vision was blocked by the rim of the old hat the Professor placed on her head.
“Who are you calling old, dear child?” a voice whispered in her ear. Hermione squeaked in surprise, eliciting a chuckle from the hat.
“Now what do we have here… A sharp mind, an unquenchable thirst for the knowledge and familiarity of magical traditions and… so much untapped potential to be great. Do you want to be great, Miss Granger?”
“Doesn’t everybody want to be great?”
“You’d be surpris- well this is unexpected. And certainly narrows down the options. There’s only one place for you, Miss Granger. Better be -”