CLOSE TO YOU • jp + sb [1]

prologue.

I'M JAMES POTTER

SELYNA Diggory's heart pounded with excitement as she boarded the Hogwarts Express. At eleven years old, it was her first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she was buzzing with a mix of nerves and anticipation. The scarlet train was a marvel in itself, puffing out clouds of steam as it waited to depart from Platform 9¾. The noise of chattering students and the bustling of families saying their goodbyes created a symphony of sounds that filled the air.

Selyna clutched her ticket tightly, her eyes darting around as she searched for an empty compartment. She spotted a nearly empty carriage and made her way towards it, only to be jolted out of her thoughts when a boy came barrelling down the aisle. He was running so fast that Selyna barely had time to react before he crashed into her.

"Oof!" she exclaimed, stumbling slightly.

"Oh! Sorry about that!" the boy said, looking up at her with a mixture of concern and amusement. He had a shock of messy black hair and strikingly bright blue eyes that seemed to twinkle with mischief. "Didn't mean to knock you over. I'm James Potter. Are you okay?"

Selyna's cheeks flushed as she looked into those captivating blue eyes. She nodded quickly, feeling a bit flustered. "I'm fine, thanks. I'm Selyna Diggory."

James grinned widely. "Nice to meet you, Selyna. Are you excited about Hogwarts?"

Before Selyna could respond, another boy appeared at the door of the compartment. He had a roguish grin, and his eyes were twinkling with a mischievous glint. His dark hair was equally dishevelled, but there was something undeniably charming about him.

"Hey James, having a crash course in introductions, I see?" the boy said, his tone playful as he directed his attention towards Selyna. "I'm Sirius Black. And you must be the lovely Selyna. Pleased to meet you."

Selyna raised an eyebrow at Sirius's overly dramatic flair, but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Nice to meet you too, Sirius."

James chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter between his friend and the new girl. "Sirius here likes to charm his way into everyone's good graces. Don't let him fool you."

Sirius pretended to look affronted. "I'm hurt, James. I'm just being polite." He gave Selyna a wink. "And a bit flirty, of course."

Selyna rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress her grin. "Oh, I can tell. I'll try not to let it go to my head."

Sirius laughed and leaned casually against the doorframe. "Good. It's important to stay grounded. Otherwise, you might end up like James, who's always flying off somewhere with his head in the clouds."

James puffed out his chest in mock indignation. "Hey, I prefer to think of it as being optimistic."

Selyna, now more relaxed, settled into the compartment as the boys continued to banter. She found herself enjoying their company more than she had anticipated. Despite her initial nerves, the warm, friendly atmosphere made her feel at ease.

As the train started to move, the trio continued their conversation, sharing stories and laughter. The Hogwarts Express began its journey, whisking them away from the mundane world and towards the magical one they had only dreamed about until now.

For Selyna, the first day of Hogwarts was starting off better than she could have imagined, thanks to two new friends who had managed to make her feel welcomed, if not entirely unflustered, on this exciting new adventure.