Hogwarts Adventures

Chapter 1: A New School Year Begins

A new school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was about to begin, and Jenna Albright could barely contain her excitement. She sat in the Hogwarts Express as it rattled through the countryside, eagerly anticipating the reunion with her friends Emily and Faye. Summer with her parents had been pleasant, but endless conversations about potions and homework could get tiresome. Especially since her father was a Potions professor at Hogwarts.

"I can't wait to get there," Emily said with a bright smile as she leaned back. "The new dorms are supposed to be much bigger—and each one has its own bathroom! Finally, no more communal showers."

Jenna nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it too. I already know exactly how I'm going to decorate my room. Thank goodness I'm sharing with Faye. I really didn't want to be stuck with a stranger."

Emily grinned. "I'm with Nora, and I can't complain. She's super quiet and spends most of her time in the library. I'll probably have peace and quiet all year."

In the distance, they could hear the sweet trolley making its way through the compartments. But before it reached them, Faye gave Jenna a curious look.

"So, did you get to see Jack much over the summer?"

Jenna sighed softly and shook her head. "Just once. He was traveling with his family most of the time. And he spent a lot of time training with his Quidditch team. Honestly, it feels like it's all he talks about now. Sometimes I just can't listen to it anymore."

Emily smirked, her curiosity piqued. "How long have you two been together now? Nine months, right? Have you... you know, done anything yet?"

Jenna nearly choked on her water and shot Emily a wide-eyed look. "No, we haven't had sex yet, if that's what you're asking. To be honest, I'm not ready. I want to take things slow."

"And what about him?" Faye asked gently.

Jenna hesitated for a moment before speaking. "He'd like to take things further... it's kind of a point of tension between us. But I'm just not sure if I'm ready to open up like that."

There was a brief silence before Emily nodded empathetically. "That's totally okay, Jenna. You should do what feels right for you."

The sweet trolley finally arrived at their compartment, and the mood lightened as they bought a few treats. Still, the unspoken questions and uncertainties lingered in the air as the Hogwarts Express carried them closer to what promised to be a new and exciting school year.

Jenna was just taking a bite of her pumpkin pasty when Faye, her eyes sparkling, leaned forward. "Have you heard? We've got a new student at the school! I overheard a group talking about him earlier—and super good-looking. Maybe we'll have a class with him."

Emily raised a curious eyebrow. "A new student? In our year? That's pretty rare. Do you know his name?"

Faye shrugged but kept grinning. "No idea. I just heard he's really quiet and mysterious. Kind of... intriguing."

Jenna took a sip of her water, looking at the two skeptically. "A new student in the middle of the school year? That's definitely unusual. What else have you heard?"

Faye leaned in, as if sharing a secret. "Not much, but some people say he's... different. Maybe he's from a famous wizarding family, and Hogwarts wanted him here. Or maybe he transferred from another school. But I've also heard rumors that he might be... connected to dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Emily asked, her forehead creasing with concern. "Maybe we should stay away from him if he's that dangerous."

Jenna let out a quick laugh. "Oh, please, Emily. Rumors spread like wildfire at Hogwarts. He's probably just a normal student, and everyone's exaggerating."

"Maybe," Emily replied, though it was clear the thought still bothered her. "But I don't know... something about it feels off."

Suddenly, the compartment door creaked open, and a younger student, whom they only vaguely recognized, entered to grab a few chocolate frogs. Faye glanced at him and whispered, "I bet he knows something."

She turned to the boy, a sly smile on her face. "Hey, have you heard anything about the new student?"

The boy, startled that Faye had addressed him, nodded slowly. "Yeah, I heard... but I don't know much. His name's Mattheo. Mattheo Riddle."

The air in the compartment seemed to freeze as Jenna and her friends processed the name. Riddle. The name immediately brought to mind one of the darkest figures in the wizarding world. A shiver ran down Jenna's spine.

"Riddle?" Emily repeated quietly. "That can't be a coincidence..."

The boy nodded again, shrugging as he grabbed his sweets. "I don't know, but that's what I heard." He then left the compartment, leaving a tense silence behind.

Faye was the first to break the quiet, her voice low and unsure. "Do you think... he could really be related to... him? Voldemort?"

"That can't be possible," Jenna said, though her voice lacked conviction. "They would never let Voldemort's son into Hogwarts... would they?"

Emily crossed her arms, still skeptical. "Who knows? It wouldn't be the first time the school has accepted someone with a dark past."

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough," Faye said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Maybe he's not what everyone thinks."

Jenna tried to push down the unease bubbling inside her, but the name "Riddle" stuck in her mind like an echo. She turned her gaze back to the window, where the first towers of Hogwarts appeared in the distance. Whoever this new student was, she'd soon find out whether the rumors were true.

And she couldn't shake the feeling that this school year was about to bring more surprises than she could have imagined.