Mockingbird

“Selina!” Selina turned around and saw Hadrian rushing toward her, his green jumper slightly askew, black trousers surprisingly neat, hair everywhere, and his mothers taking long strides just behind him. Mrs. Arya looked she was about to sprint after him, while Mrs. Kailsha looked as composed as she always was.

When Hadrian caught up to her, he didn’t bend over and pant, though he was breathing a bit heavier than usual. His dark skin had glittered slightly with sweat, and his smile was almost blinding.

“Thanks for waiting, I guess we almost missed the train.” Selina giggled softly, and she tugged him into a hug. Hadrian stiffed, then returned the hug gently. So, the Hibbering Hifflers had been right, her friend was both tactile, but was nervous with touch.

She knew that he was going into fourth year, even though he looked like he was thirteen, as she knew all things. She just knew, and sometimes, that made all the difference.

“Hurry Hadrian, before we miss the train!” With a laugh, she took off, dragging Hadrian behind her, a quirky smile blooming on his lips.

Harry pulled them both to a stop right outside the familiar scarlet steam train, Arya and Kailsha just behind, Kailsha impeccable as ever, while Arya was a smidgen disheveled. Turning to them both, Harry wrapped them in the tightest hug he could muster, and grinning when they returned it with just as much intensity.

When Harry pulled away, Arya began to fret over his hair, and making sure he had everything.

“Trunk? ”

“Yeah”

“Your snake? ”

“Of course.” Arya ran over several items before she drew him into another hug and whispered into his ear,

“Be safe, and please write often” When Arya drew back, Kailsha came forward and hugged him as well, and kissed the top of his head.

Gesturing to move onto the train, Harry and Selina moved off to find an empty compartment.

When they found an empty compartment, they settled down, and Harry felt Jörmungandr poke his head out from under Harry’s sleeve, hissing a little as the temperature difference.

Selina’s interest was immediately aroused.

“What kind of snake is that?”

“A Norwegian Thunderer, his name is Jörmungandr.”

“Yer-mund-gander?” Selina said, butchering the name.

“No, Your-mun-gander.” Harry said, slowly, enunciating it clearly.

“Like the Norse world serpent, the god of chaos, and the fated crusher of the world?” Selina asked calmly, though she did raise an eyebrow.

“The one and only.” Harry replied, his face a blank page, and Selina gave an unlady-like snort.

Harry soon began to turn the discussion from his snake, asking several questions, with answers he mostly already knew, about Hogwarts.

“What’s your house Selina? When I hear people talking about Hogwarts, they mention four houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. What the fuck do they even mean?” Selina turned to him, a slightly intense look in her eye.

“Well Hadrian, I myself am in Ravenclaw, which is supposedly the house of the smart, while Gryffindor is the house of the brave, Slytherin the house of cunning, and Hufflepuff the house of the loyal.

Every one of us gets sorted by the sorting hat, which determines which house you get into. Every house has a prejudice against another. Almost the whole school hates the Slytherins, while the Slytherins mostly hate the Gryffindors. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are often neutral in most cases.

Unfortunately, that is the way Hogwarts has been since the beginning supposedly. I have friends in all the houses, but some of my favourite people are from Slytherin. I can tell you’ll either be a Slytherin or Gryffindor, because you seem to be an equal mix of both.” Harry wasn’t quite sure what to say, but he smiled and asked,

“Tell me about the castle,” And so she did.

When the Hogwarts Express stopped in Hogsmeade, Harry followed Selina to the Thestral drawn carriages. He ignored the impulse to talk with them and sat next to Selina.

Soon the carriages started moving, and after a while, Harry got his first glimpse of Hogwarts in the past.