Fantastic Beasts: The New Arrival

2 - Hogwarts

"You're sure you don't need anything else?" 

Newt and I arrived at Platform 9 and three quarters. I smiled.

"Newt, I'm fine. Honest." Newt smiled too.

"I just hope you're going to be alright. Enjoy your time at Hogwarts, please, Lia. It's lucky you're able to go here. Not every witch and wizard gets to go to a place like Hogwarts."

"I promise that I will do my best in studies, and that I will enjoy Hogwarts. I promise, Newt." A girl walked up to Newt and I, smiling.

"Hello!" 

I looked to the girl, confused. Oh, no. Was I going to be forced to socialise with people here?

"Oh, um, hi?" Newt smiled at me, then waved goodbye.

"Goodbye, Newt! Thank you." And Newt disapparated. The girl looked back to me, still smiling.

"What's your name?" She asked happily.

"My name is... uh... my name is Lia. What's your name?" The girl giggled. I did try my best not to look awkward. Really, I promise I tried...

"My name is Ellen Emerson! I'm a first year. Are you a second year?" I looked up to the girl, laughing forcefully.

"Oh, no, I'm a first year. Like you. Um..." I looked down awkwardly.

"Are you alright?" Ellen asked, confused. Oh, no. I stammered.

"O-o-oh... n-no... uh... S-s-sorry, Ellen. I'm just... not very good around... people..." Ellen smiled.

"Oh, then I'll introduce you to my friends, so you can make some more friends too! I've made three other friends!" I smiled at this strange girl weakly, and the girl took me by my wrist and dragged me away. I looked back to where Newt had been standing moments before, starting to wish I was back at home.

"So, this is Phyll Tanner, he's from Guyana!" I looked to Phyll, very uncomfortable. Why had this Ellen girl forced me into this uncomfortable situation? Phyll smiled widely at me, eyes bright.

"H-hello." I said quietly, too scared to do anything else.

"And this, oh, this is the wonder herself! This is-"

"Evelyn! Pleased to meet you!" Evelyn said, clearly just as full of energy as Ellen. I didn't like it. I had always been socially... awkward, rather like Newt was. I didn't mean any harm, I just didn't like people as much as I liked Newt's creatures. I stroked my bowtruckle's head gently as Ellen started talking about Hogwarts houses.

"So, I think I'll be in Hufflepuff!" Ellen said joyfully. Her friends smiled, agreed with her, all that stuff. I couldn't bear it. I hurriedly got up and ran from the compartment.

I ran through the compartments, looking for an empty one to reside alone in. Luckily, I came across an almost empty compartment, which had one rather lonely-looking boy, who was just sitting by himself, not doing very much. I opened the compartment door, nervous.

"I'm sorry, do you mind if I sit here?" The boy looked up to me, the life looking as though it had gone from his eyes, as he nodded. I sat down, feeling just as awkward as before.

"My name is Lia-"

"Mine's Edwin." The boy (Edwin) said, not looking up.

"Which house-"

"Slytherin." Edwin said, still not looking up. "You?"

"Hufflepuff." 

Edwin shook his head, scoffing. "Hufflepuff?" He said in disbelief.