Llamas, Lions and Hippogriffs

Dans POV

 I turn my trolley to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and ran. As I come through the barrier I smile at the sight of the Hogwarts Express, my ticket home. Chris and Peej wave at me and I grin back at them, PJ pointing proudly to his new prefect badge,  before making my way towards the front of the train. McGonagall sent me a letter in the holidays, asking  me to look after some new kid (a rare occurrence at Hogwarts, starting his education late) who's parents had been reluctant to send him to Hogwarts at first, so homeschooled him, but now for the last 3 years, he was joining the school. I unrolled the letter, reading the emerald writing that announces I am looking for a boy called Phil Lester, who would be waiting with the driver until I to pick him up. I open the door and smile at the lady with the food trolley. Next to her stands a nervous looking boy with jet black hair and startling blue eyes. Wow....I always knew I liked boys i guess...but he was stunning, his black hair contrasting with white skin and those eyes....He bites his lip and is clutching a copy of The Quibbler in his left hand.

"Hey you must be Phil, I'm Dan, Professor McGonagall asked me to look after you." I smile at him, trying to be as friendly as possible.

"Oh..hey. Yeah I'm Phil. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. Come on, lets go and find a seat." I say, leading him into the main part of the train. I find an empty compartment and we sit down.

"Do you not want to be with your friends?" asks Phil, looking at the ground.

"Nah it's ok...I kinda thought it'd be nicer for you to get to know me a bit better before you meet everyone...plus sometimes I prefer to be alone I guess." I say. This isn't a total lie. I love Chris and PJ but sometimes it's nicer to be by yourself it's your thoughts.

"Me too." replies Phil, nervously.

"So, what house do you want to be in?" I ask, trying to make a conversation.

"I don't mind but Gryffindor even though I'm not that brave because I like lions." Phil smiles anxiously.

"We'll I like llamas, but unfortunately they don't have a house with a llama as the emblem so I will have to put up with a badger."

"You're in Hufflepuff?"

"Yeah...don't call me stupid or anything..we still get that even though the wars finished and houses are all meant to get along."

"I wasn't going to, I think Hufflepuff is a good thing, it means you're kind and loyal and they're two of the best qualities." He smiles at me, more genuine a smile then his previous worried attempts.

"Thanks mate. So you going to get sorted with the first years?" I ask, McGonagall didn't quite tell me everything.

"Yeah. Unfortunately. It's going to be so embarrassing I will probably trip over something!"

"I'm sure you'll be fine!" I reply. It's kind of adorable that he's nervous.

"Hmmm we'll see!" says Phil. "What are you...in terms of blood?"

"Muggle born."

"I'm half blood. My dads a wizard and my mum is a Muggle." The compartment door slides open and the trolley lady pokes her grey head in.

"Anything from the trolley?"

We spend the journey getting to know each other. It turns out he likes the same Muggle bands as me among other things. By the end of the journey, I know I already have a crush on this nervous, beautiful, kind boy and theres nothing I can do about it. I am just spitting out the remains of a curtain flavoured Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean when a voice rattles through the train.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts station in around 20 minutes. Please gather your belongings and get into your robes, thank you." We change into our robes and I try to stop myself peeking a glance at him whilst he's getting changed.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Yeah I guess." he replies, nervous again. We step off the train into the hustle and bustle of hundreds of students making their way towards he carriages. The familiar sound of Hagrids voice rises above the chatter.

"Firs' years this way!" I pull Phil up to Hagrid.

"'Ello Dan, how 're yeh?" Asked Hagrid. Hagrid and I get on well, he took pity on me the first week before I met Chris and Peej and invited me back to his hut for rock cakes (which very nearly broke my teeth) and tea (that tasted somewhat how I imagine a placenta to taste like). Since then though, I think of him as my best friend?

"Not bad thanks Hagrid, what about you?"

"Alrigh' thanks," Hagrid turns to Phil, "You mus' be Phillip. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts."

"Erm....hi." A pink flush creeps into Phil's cheeks. God he's cute.

"I'll be takin' yeh to the castle with the firs' years but yeh can sit in my boat, I won't make yeh go with them." Phil nods, nerves clearly showing. PJ taps me on the shoulder telling me the carriages are here.

"See you later Phil." I say, smiling.

"Yeah, see you later." he says before being led off by Hagrid.

The buzz of chatter in the Great Hall settles as the new first years enter. They all look nervous, tripping over robes too long for them. Phil enters last, a pale pink flush creeping into his pale cheeks. Professor McGonagall places the tattered old Sorting Hat onto the stool and I grin as it opens the tear by its brim to sing this years song:

You may think I'm ugly, worthless and old,

But try me on, go on be bold!

Which leads me onto my next bit,

Gryffindor might be your fit,

Brave, courageous, and strong,

That might be your house for these years long,

Maybe not Gryffindor but Slytherin,

That might be the house that you'll be in.

Cunning and ambitious are those snakes,

But will you be able to handle their stakes?

Hufflepuff is another one,

A house of loyalty, kindness and fun,

You will support everybody, helping each and everyone.

Finally we come to Ravenclaw,

The extent of their wit is not poor,

The cleverest lot you could find around,

Discovering knowledge always, newly found.

So come on, sit down and do not fret,

I might just make a bet,

I'll give you your home in this good school,

So try me on, don't be a fool!

The hall bursts into raucous applause as they do every year before McGonagall commences the Sorting with a young thin boy (Appleby, Lucas) being sorted into Gryffindor. I half fall asleep, somewhere between Goyle, Jack and James, Ben but my eyes snap open as McGonagall announces that the next person to be Sorted is Lester, Philip. Phil blushes as whispers echo around the hall at the sight of a boy who would be in fifth year starting his education late. Phil sits on the stool and I catch his eye, giving a reassuring nod. It takes a while before the hat finally shouts that he shall be placed in Ravenclaw. A surge of disappointment rushes through me and I wish he had been placed in Hufflepuff with me. He sits down and a girl who I know from a few of my classes called Carrie shakes his hand before resting her head on Her boyfriend Alex's shoulder. Phil looks over at me, giving a small smile. I grin back, glad he looks like he's going to be ok.