Albus Potter, Classmates and Elves

Ch 3 The Train Ride and Sorting

Thanks as always to JK Rowling, who lets us play in the universe she created. I am using Mafalda Weasley as a character, but of course other than being in Slytherin and not being a heroine type of character, she is totally of my creation.

More major changes because Deb, my Beta, makes sure the story makes sense. Thank you, Deb. Reviews will make both of us happy.

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It was August 31, 2018, the day before the students were to leave for Hogwarts. All of the Magi and Elves learning languages, or MELLS as they called themselves, were at Potter's New Burrow or the New Burrow. Most of them had arrived by Floo, or by the North American equivalent, Closets. Harry had installed one of the magical Closets, which used a similar green powder, which took the place of the Floo network in North America. None of the families had used the Magic Carpet network that was common in the Mid-East and Africa, since there were no Magic Carpets in Britain. Magical Carpets were illegal in Britain. The parents of the Magi accompanied them, and the Elves came along with the Magi families. Only Harry and Ginny were at Potter's New Burrow; to allow both The New Burrow and Potter's New Burrow to house the families of the students raised with Elves.

On the morning the train was leaving, Professors Sidney and Kim Stanford came to Potter's New Burrow, along with their three children. Ruth and Abraham Stanford had been sorted into Slytherin, at their request. The Stanford parents suggested that the students volunteer for Slytherin, both because it was the smallest house, and because they wanted to change the character of the house, and their children had agreed. Apparently, the hat had agreed as well, because it sorted them into Slytherin. Their youngest, Jacob was not starting for another year.

"Senda Eseven, Hermann Brandt, please come with me," Kim called those who were too young to attend Hogwarts. "Students are not allowed to ride the Hogwarts Express until their first year."

With a fair amount of grumbling and pouting, Senda and Hermann left through the Floo with the Stanfords.

Galadriel walked into the group just as the Stanfords were leaving. "I have Apparated here," she announced. "We have an area at Hogwarts that the elves can use to Apparate into and out of Hogwarts. I am taking the Elves with me."

The Elves that were part of the MELL group left with Galadriel. Dis, who was nominally a Malfoy Elf, but in reality was a guard for Cleo, and her brother Frerin P/W, who always shadowed Albus, were of course going to ride the Hogwarts Express with them. Although large for Elves, both were usually so quiet that it was easy to forget that they were there.

"I want all of you in three or four compartments, close together," Harry Potter informed the group. We will have extra guards on the train. I want all of you in compartments a half hour before the train leaves. We have one extra person riding with Al and Rose, their cousin Ivana Romanoff. Her adopted father is Al and Rose's uncle."

Gabrielle talked to some of the students, and announced, "The Edingtons, Adel Brandt, Jean-Louis, Maria and Jesus Rios are riding with me."

Scorpius was talking to the Native American students. He looked at Rose, and she proclaimed, "Scorpius and I will go with Harry Eseven, Joshua and Sarah Firewalker."

Albus then acknowledged, "That leaves Ivana, John and Marcy Chang, Harry and Ginny Wang, to ride with Cleo and me."

The students and their parents were taken to the train by Floo. They chose adjoining compartments in the same train car, and settled themselves in, as other people were just starting to arrive.

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As soon as the train left the station, all the parents of the students raised with Elves took one of the train station's Floo connections to one of the offices of Dursley, Potter and Weasley. In a large conference room were Al and Carrie Van Lente of the International Aurors Association, Raphael Vaud, the head of the Swiss Aurors, and a number of other Aurors from around the world of the Magi.