FOUR

A Sorting State of Affair

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  As the sound of the trains horn alarmed its shortly departure, the crowds of families and students evacuated the grey asphalt of Platform 9 3/4. After saying their sentimental farewells and endearments to their relatives, the students of Hogwarts began boarding the running train. There was Fourth and Fifth years jumping for joy to reunite with their friend groups, all the while many First years were looking around helplessly like they had never boarded a train before. 

  Making friends wasn't exactly hard for Ashlin, or Ash, as the young girl prefers. She loved the idea of companionship and didn't consider meeting new people intimidating, even with it being her very first year of school. Although, she tried to ignore the fact that there were other kids with their families showing up in support, shaking off the thought that her mother did care enough to even say a proper farewell. 

  Shoving her suitcase on a random luggage rack, her dark kitten followed her like a shadow, purring slightly and rubbing against her leg as a mean for attention.

  "Hold on, Bella," she grunted as she shoved her last bag, embracing the small cat in her arms. Before she could make her next move, a feminine voice spoke up from behind. 

  "Is that a Bombay cat?" She turned to see a chestnut-colored haired girl; a bit taller than she expected. Her height threw Ash off guard, she wondered if she was a first year or not.

  "Yeah, actually," Ash said proudly as she sat Bella back down on the floor. The towering girl beamed in response as a hairless kitten appeared by her side and perched gracefully besides her.

  "A sphinx?"

  "Yep. He's very shy though." 

  "You're American," the girl pointed out. My dad told me there was going to be other exchange students."

  Ash's face lit up. "No way, there's more of us?"

  "I assume so. I'm Madison," she said with a small smile.

  "Ash. Do you want to find them?" Ash grinned eagerly. 

  "Sure. Should be easy enough, considering they all sound like Sherlock. We'll just have to go through each compartment."

  Ash shrugged, usually easily persuaded into doing things. "Might as well, we've got time to kill."

  The two girls walked down the isle of the train until they reached the first compartment. Inside sat a sad, plump-looking boy, running his fingers through his hair.

  Ash knocked on the door before sliding it open. He looked up at the two girls with troubled eyes.

  "Everything okay in here?" Ash questioned.

  "I've lost my toad," he said looking back down and shaking his head. "Grand mum is going to kill me!"

  Madison looked sideways at Ash and shook her head. "Not our guy."

  They slid the door shut and went to the next compartment. Inside sat a dark-haired boy with round glasses, a boy across from him with hair as red as the train seats, and a young girl with thick, disordered hair who was the first one to notice them.

  Madison slid the door open and nodded a hello. "Sorry to interrupt-"

  The red-headed boy spoke up, mouth full of the bite he just took from his ham and cheese sandwich. "Let me guess, you want Harry's autograph?" Crumbs fell from his lips and onto his shirt as he spoke.

  "Autograph? Like he's famous or something?" 

  The girl with the bushy hair looked up at them. "You've never heard of Harry Potter? The boy who survived you-know-who?"