First Year

This was it. It was my first day of Hogwarts, the day I'd been dreaming of ever since I could remember. I was at station 9 and ¾ with my parents, and my good friend and neighbour, James Potter, and his parents.

"This is it!" James said, shaking me excitedly. "We're going to learn magic, N/n!"

His glasses slipped down his nose a bit with the force of his shaking. I ruffled his wild, untamed black hair, something I knew he hated.

"I know!" I replied, equally as excited.

"Okay, James, Y/n, it's time to get on the train," Mrs Potter said.

"Bye, mum," James said, hugging his mother.

I hugged and kissed both of my parents goodbye before boarding the train with James. We walked down the corridor until we found an empty compartment. We sat down opposite each other, both of us buzzing with nerves and excitement.

The train began to move with a jolt, and I waved to my parents and Mr and Mrs Potter through the window. When they faded from view, I turned back to James.

"We're off to Hogwarts!" I said excitedly.

Both of our heads whipped to the compartment door as it slid open. A boy with black hair who looked our age was standing there and wringing his hands.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked.

"'Course not," I said, moving over and patting the space beside me. "Come on in. I'm Y/n."

"Sirius," he said, sitting down next to me and across from James.

"I'm James," my friend said.

The door opened again, and a girl with bright red hair and stunningly green eyes entered the compartment.

"Hi," I said. "I'm Y/n."

"Lily," she sniffled.

I noticed that she seemed to be crying. I didn't want to push her about it (I didn't even know her) so I smiled at her and patted the space next to me – the space closest to the window.

"Want to sit down?" I asked.

"Thanks," she mumbled, taking the seat.

I looked over to James to see him staring at Lily. I kicked him and he looked at me in outrage.

"So, how do you and James know each other?" Sirius asked.

"We're neighbours," I said. "We've known each other since birth, pretty much."

"Correction," James said. "She's known me since birth. I'm older than her."

"By five days!" I exclaimed.

James and Sirius began laughing before the compartment door opened once again. Two boys stood there. There was a tall boy our age, a book tucked under his arm. He had scars over his face, and I wondered what had happened to him. There was a shorter, slightly round boy with a goofy smile on his face.

"Do you – do you mind if we sit here?" the taller one asked.

I just stared at him. He was kind of cute if I was being honest.

"Of course," James said, snapping me out of my trance-like state.

The two boys sat next to James, the taller (and cuter) one sitting across from me.

"I'm Y/n," I said to the newcomers.

"I'm Remus," the taller one answered.

"I'm Peter," the shorter one squeaked.

James and Sirius introduced themselves and Lily mumbled her name. I wanted to comfort her, but I had no idea who the hell she was.

James and Sirius started up a conversation with the group, asking basic get-to-know-you questions.

The compartment door opened for the fourth time, and a boy with shoulder-length dark hair walked in. He was wearing what appeared to be second-hand robes, and he was staring at Lily. He entered the compartment and sat opposite her. Lily looked up from her place next to the window and glared at him.

"I don't want to talk to you," she said in a constricted voice.

"Why not?" the newcomer asked.

"Tuney h-hates me," Lily said sadly. "Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

Listening in to their conversation was probably rude, but I listened anyway.

"So what?" the greasy-haired boy asked.

"So she's my sister!"

"She's only a–"

The boy seemed to think better of what he was going to say, and Lily didn't hear him because she was too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed.

"But we're going!" the boy said excitedly. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

The exact words I'd said to James.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," he said.

"Slytherin?" James asked, butting into their conversation.

James hadn't shown any interest in Lily or the boy until now.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked Sirius, who was lounging on the seat beside me. Sirius didn't smile.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey!" James said. "And I thought you seemed alright!"

I was about to hit him until I saw Sirius grin.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition," he said. "Where are you heading if you've got the choice?"

James lifted an invisible sword, like the idiot he was.

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

The greasy-haired boy made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him.

"Got a problem with that?" he asked.

"No," he said, although the slight sneer in his voice said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy–"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius interjected, a bit rudely, in my opinion.

James began roaring with laughter. Lily sat up, face flushed, and looked at James and Sirius in dislike.

"Come on, Severus," she said to the greasy-haired boy. "Let's find another compartment."

"Ooooo..."

James and Sirius imitated her lofty voice and James tried to trip Severus on his way out.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius called as the door closed.

As soon as Severus and Lily were out of sight and hearing range, I leaned over and smacked James's knee.

"That wasn't very nice," I said.

"C'mon, N/n," James said. "He was being rude first! Did you hear the way he said no?"

I pursed my lips, but I couldn't argue. He was quite rude.

"Well, if he's so desperate to be in Slytherin, you definitely won't be seeing him all that much, James," Sirius said.

"So, back to houses... where do the rest of you hope to go? Or think you'll go?" I asked.

"I don't know," Remus said. "I think I might be in Ravenclaw."

"Ah, a smart friend. Finally," I muttered.

James kicked me and I glared at him.

"I think I'll be a Hufflepuff," Peter said.

"What about you, Y/n?" Sirius said.

I shrugged.

"I don't know, wherever the hat puts me, I suppose," I said.

The rest of the train ride was full of conversation. The boys were actually really funny and nice – to each other and myself, at least. We had to get changed into our robes (I left the compartment and changed in the girls' bathroom) and soon enough, the train stopped at the station.

We all got off, me clutching onto James's arm tightly enough to cut off circulation. I didn't want to get lost.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, over 'ere!"

I looked over to see a giant man with a lantern waving over first years.

"This way," I said to James and the other boys.

We all made our way to the giant man, who introduced himself as Hagrid.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, we followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark on either side of us, and nobody spoke much.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud 'oooh!'

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

Hogwarts.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Yeah, that's the word I'd use," Remus whispered from beside me.

We walked the rest of the way down to a dock that had a small fleet of boats.

"No more'n five per boat!" Hagrid called out.

I grinned at my friends. The perfect amount for a boat. We all got in, with me at the helm next to Remus, and James, Sirius, and Peter at our backs. The boats began rowing by themselves.

"Let's rock the boat," James said.

"I will throw you into the lake!" I hissed, gripping the sides of the boat like a lifeline.

James just laughed but took my threat seriously. I looked up at the castle. This was where I'd be living for the next seven years, minus the summer holidays, and perhaps others.

"Watch yer 'eads!" Hagrid called as we came to a cave opening.

I ducked down and I noticed that Remus had to duck a bit more than everyone else. Served him right for being so tall. We entered a tunnel that seemed to be leading us under the castle.

When we reached the end of the tunnel, we all got out of the boats onto a small dock, before we were led up a flight of stairs.

"Nervous?" James asked me.

"No," I lied. "You?"

"Absolutely."

We both laughed a little bit, but the laughter died as soon as an older looking woman entered the room from a pair of large doors. She stood tall, her hair in a tight bun and she wore emerald-green robes. Her presence commanded respect.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said to the woman.

"Thank you, Hagrid," she said. "I will take it from here. Follow me, first years."

She led us all through the double doors. It was the entrance hall, and it was big enough to fit even James's entire house in. Professor McGonagall led us to a small chamber off the side of the room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "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 is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." I looked to James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter. I hoped that we were all in the same house.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," McGonagall continued. "Each house has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points."

"At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, which is a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

I quickly smoothed down my robes and glanced to James. He did nothing to try to tame his hair – either because he thought it was cool, or because he knew it was useless.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait here quietly."

And so, we waited.