meant to be (1)

4

There stood a girl, already wearing her uniform,with brown bushy hair. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neveilles lost one" she said.

She had a bossy voice, but seemed very  nice and also was very pretty.

"No we haven't" Ron answered. The girl was now looking at Rons wand which he was holding.

"Oh are you doing magic? Let's see then" she said as she sat down.

"Er- alright, sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!" he said while waving his wand, but nothing happened. I sniggered at the sight. I already read some books and knew that this wasn't a real spell. Ron looked awkwardly around the compartment.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" the girl asked. "It's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells myself just for practice but they've all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter. I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, and who are you?"

"I'm Julie Clarke" I answered, sending the girl a smile to which she returned. "At least there's one girl who I already like" I thought to myself

"I've heard your last name somewhere already, but I don't where.." she said, but I assured her that she couldn't have heard it anywhere.

"I'm Ron Weasley" Ron muttered still ashamed of his failed attempt of doing magic.

"I'm Harry Potter" Harry stated.

"Are you really?" Hermione asked "I know all about you, of course - I got a few books on background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century!"

"Am I?" he asked looking dazed.

"Goodness didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me" she answered "Anyway I'd better go and look for Nevilles toad. You all better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon. I suppose you don't want to change in front of them, do you want to come with me, Julie?" she asked.

"Yes, please." I said thankfully.

We were walking through the train looking for an empty compartment where I could change. We finally found one and after I changed Hermione asked me: "So how do you know Harry and Ron?"

"Well, Ron and I are friends since basically birth and I kind of met Harry in Diagon Alley a few weeks ago, but today was the first time we properly talked" I answered truthfully.

"Do you like one of them like as a crush?" she asked curiously.

"Ew- no! Ron's practically my brother and Harry's an idiot." I answered while Hermione burst out laughing.

"I think you're the first person to say that Harry Potter's an idiot!" she said still laughing.

"Just saying the truth" I stated, joining Hermione's laughter. "Do you think that one of them is cute? You and Ron would make a great couple, you know."

"Eww no, Julie!" she answered, rolling her eyes.

I continued staying with Hermione for the rest of the train ride and it was great. We noticed we were quite similar. We both loved reading books, going outside and agreed that Liquorice Wands are really delicious.

The last few hours only were bearable because Hermione and I had a similar humor. I could already sense that Hermione was going to be a good friend.

🤍

The sky was painted a deep purple colour when the train started slowing down and a voice echoed through the train "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The train slowed down right and finally stopped. Hermione and I exchanged excited looks, as people started pushing themselves through the doors stepping out on the tiny platform.

"FIRS'-YERS! FIRS'-YERS OVER HERE" a tall man shouted, who I recognised as Hagrid. We stood in front of him, next to us were Ron and Harry. "All right there Harry?" he asked.

"C'mon follow me - any more firs'-years? Mind yer step now. Firs'-years follow me!" We followed Hagrid who led us onto a dark path with thick trees around it.

"Where have you been?" Ron hissed. "Some kid named Malfoy and two other kids whose names I can't remember came into our compartment. They were really mean and-"

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec" Hagrid called over his shoulder while cutting of Ron "jus' round this bend here"

"They probably just wanted to scare you." I answered looking at Ron, but I somehow was still worrying. Why would anyone be mean to someone, especially before the first day of school?

"Yeah, don't worry to much about them." Hermione agreed with me and the four of us continued following Hagrid.

The path slowly opened on the edge of a great black lake. At the other side of the lake there was the vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I sat down in a bot together. Hagrid was right in front of us in a boat by himself.

"Eveyone in? Hagrid asked, almost shouting. "Right then- FORWARD"

The boats all moved off at once and were gliding over the lake. The four us were silent while staring at the great castle ahead of us. The castle was even more beautiful than I ever imagined.

"See that boat on the right with the two big guys in it?" Harry asked Hermione and I. We nodded as a response. "They are the ones who came into our compartment together with the blonde one who's sitting in front of them. That's Malfoy. I've met him before in Diagon Alley and he seems really really weird and mean."

I looked over to their boat. Malfoy was laughing idiotically at something on of the big guy said. I felt uneasy about the three boys.

"HEADS DOWN!" Hagrid suddenly shouted. I looked in front of me and there was the cliff on which the castle was built. I quickly bent my head.

We were gliding through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening to the cliff. We were carried along a dark tunnel until we reached an underground harbour.

We got out of the boats and clambered up a passageway. We walked up a flight of stone steps and gathered around an oak door as we reached it.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid asked as he raised his fist and knocked three times on the large oak door.