A Magic Spell

Chapter 1 - Hogwarts here we come

Maddie sat down slowly on the seat next to the window. There were so many students boarding the Hogwarts Express that day that it seemed like they would never start on their journey. There were cages of owls, wands flicked at every direction, young students, older students, first year students, teachers, parents waving and hugging their children goodbye; and the midst of all that havoc there was Maddie. She didn't wave goodbye from the train's window. She didn't play "Cast the spell" on her newly-found friends. She sat there alone, looking outside as the train finally started moving on the old and tired tracks.

Her family was long gone. Her friends - she had left them behind many months ago. No one had contacted her. No one came to say goodbye. She was alone and she was used to it. As she fixed her skirt and adjusted her Hufflepuff tie, she felt someone staring at her.
"Hey", a soft child's voice said.
Maddie turned her head and saw a young girl, half the size of her, staring right through her soul.
"Hi", Maddie replied smiling softly at the young one.
"I'm Rosie", the child replied after what seemed like an eternity and hopped close to Maddie. "I don't know what house I will be in because I'm new at Hogwarts", she said looking down at her feet that were now turned inwards.  Maddie looked at her new friend in disbelief. She really wasn't in the mood for a conversation and it seemed like Rosie wouldn't shut up for the whole ride.
"Are you new too?" Rosie asked but Maddie didn't have time to even react before she was bombarded by more questions. "Why re you wearing a yellow tie?" "Do you know Harry?" "What wand do you have?" "What's your favourite drink? Mine's soda!" "Will you miss your family?" At that point Maddie had given up trying to answer any of the girl's questions and she was even getting a little bit annoyed by the hopping child. "You're not very talkative," Rosie said in the end but she wasn't allowed to finish her sentence as a hand that was placed on her shoulder stopped her. "You haven't left her to talk either now, have you Rosie?" a boy's voice sounded. "I'm sorry about my little sister" the boy said and extended his hand to Maddie. "I'm Andrew by the way" he said as Maddie took his hand in hers and shook it.
"Maddie. Nice to meet you"
"So, I see you are a Hufflepuff too?" Andrew said as he pointed out to Maddie's tie.
"Yes I am." Maddie replied smiling.
"Well, Maddie, I guess I will see you around. It was great meeting you!" Andrew said and left quickly with his sister next to him.
Maddie could finally breathe. Alone at last, she thought and took a deep breath in.

As the train moved on the tracks and the countryside rolled by, Maddie thought how she once hated being alone. She wanted to always be surrounded by people, maybe to mask the void her parents had left. But that changed quickly. She had been hurt so many times that now she relished in the idea of spending hours upon hours with just herself.

It would be nighttime when they arrive in Hogwarts and she didn't want to think too much about it. She was scared of what was coming but a sense of calm also washed over her. The time had come for a new beginning. Yes.
The time had come.