The Raven's Call

The Hogwarts Express

Sunday, September 1st 1991.

My first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

I glanced at the corkboard on my bedroom wall, where my Hogwarts letter was proudly pinned beside a moving picture of me with my adopted family: Amos, Celeste, and Cedric Diggory. My heart raced with excitement. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Atticus! It's time," Amos called from the hallway.

I scrambled to throw on my first-year robes and uniform—too eager to bother with normal clothes that day. Running my fingers through my messy black curls, I darted toward the bathroom to brush my teeth, nearly colliding with Cedric in the hallway. "Sorry!" I called out, quickly squeezing toothpaste onto my brush and shoving it into my mouth. Behind me, I heard Cedric laughing as he disappeared down the hall.

As I rinsed my mouth, I caught my reflection in the mirror. Green eyes, olive skin, dark curly hair, and a dusting of freckles across my nose. No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn't help but think—I looked nothing like a Diggory. Downstairs, I grabbed my breakfast and scarfed it down. "Whoa, whoa, Atticus! It's not going anywhere," Amos teased with a grin. "I know!" I replied through a mouthful of food. "But I am!"

Cedric and Amos chuckled at my enthusiasm as I rushed them toward the car, dragging my trunk behind me. Just as we loaded it in, a small blur of brown and white scurried out of my pocket. My pet ferret—and childhood best friend—Bandit scrambled up onto my shoulder, nuzzling against my neck. "Hey, Bandit! You look just as excited as I am," I giggled, scratching behind his ear.

Amos helped Cedric and me finish packing up, and with my heart pounding in anticipation, I climbed into the car, ready to start the greatest adventure of my life.

***

We stood together, watching wizarding families disappear through the enchanted barrier of Platform 9¾. I'd seen Cedric go through twice before, but now? Now, it was my turn.

I took a deep breath as Cedric dashed forward, vanishing through the wall with practiced ease. Amos rested a comforting hand on my back. "Are you ready?" he asked with a warm smile. I nodded. "Ready!" With my heart pounding, I gripped my trolley, focused on the wall ahead, and pushed forward—running straight at it.

Then, just like that, I was through.

Platform 9¾ burst to life before my eyes. Students chattered excitedly, hugging their families goodbye as the Hogwarts Express puffed steam into the air. The train! It was just as magnificent as I'd always imagined. Cedric was already waiting for me on the other side, his face lit up with a bright grin. "Welcome to the Hogwarts Express," he said, helping me guide my trolley toward the luggage area.

Once everything was stowed, we stepped onto the train. Cedric offered to sit with me, but I shook my head. "You go sit with your friends. I'll find somewhere else," I assured him. He hesitated but nodded before heading off. I made my way down the corridor, glancing into compartments, most of them already full. Finally, I found an empty one. "Perfect," I murmured, slipping inside and closing the door behind me.

Settling into the corner, I pulled my favorite book from my bag—The Tales of Beedle the Bard. A nine-hour train ride was ahead of me, and there was no better time to get lost in a story. Bringing my knees to my chest, I leaned against the cool glass window and flipped open the worn pages, diving into the world of Beedle.

***

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my book. Looking up, I saw a girl my age with wild, bushy hair standing in the doorway. "Excuse me? Have you seen a toad anywhere? A boy named Neville lost one," she informed me, her tone brisk but polite.

I closed my book, keeping a finger inside as a placeholder. "Sorry, I've been reading the whole train ride, and I definitely haven't heard any croaking," I replied with a small smile. She exhaled, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Sorry to bother you... Are you enjoying that?" she asked, glancing at the book in my hands. 

I nodded. "It's my favorite." Her face lit up. "Mine too." And just like that, she was gone, off to continue helping this Neville kid search for his lost toad.

I was about to return to my book when the sound of rattling wheels made me perk up. The candy trolley! I quickly set my book aside and rushed to the door, digging out my coins. But as soon as I laid eyes on the trolley, my excitement faded. It was empty. "What...?" I murmured, looking up at the trolley lady in disbelief. "Sorry, sweetheart," she said sympathetically. "The kids a few doors down bought the whole lot." With that, she continued down the train, leaving me standing there, dejected.

I sighed, closing the door before plopping back into my seat. "Sorry, Bandit..." I mumbled as my pet ferret scrambled out of my pocket and onto my shoulder. He nuzzled into my neck, his small body warm and comforting. He always knew how to cheer me up. Letting out a soft chuckle, I scratched behind his ear, then settled back into my seat. Making myself comfortable once more, I reopened The Tales of Beedle the Bard, while Bandit curled around my neck like a tiny, living scarf, fast asleep.

***

The train jerked to a stop, and immediately, students began crowding into the corridor. I finished the last page of my book, carefully tucking it into my robe pocket before joining the flow of first years spilling out onto the platform. A booming voice called out above the chatter. "Right then! First years! This way, please!"

Stepping onto the platform, I glanced around and spotted the source of the voice—a huge man with a wild mane of hair and a bushy beard. He looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. I barely had time to take in his towering figure before I heard him greet one of the students by name. "Alright there, Harry?" "Hi, Hagrid!" the boy responded cheerfully. Beside me, a ginger-haired kid gawked up at the giant man. "Woah...!" he exclaimed, clearly in awe.

Hagrid clapped his hands together, gathering our attention. "Right then, this way to the boats! C'mon now!" We followed him down a winding path, the cool night air tingling against my skin. Then, as we rounded a bend, I saw it—Hogwarts.

The castle stood tall and breathtaking against the starry sky, its many towers glowing with warm golden light. The reflection shimmered on the vast, dark lake before us, making it look like something straight out of a dream. My breath caught in my throat. This was it. 

This was Hogwarts.