Charlotte Weasley

Chapter 11 - Ride to Hogwarts

(CHARLOTTE'S POV)

George helped me and Britt heft our trunks into the train. He followed us inside, his eyes combing the familier corridor which led into numerous compartments. We soon found an empty one and George lifted our trunks into the rack above. Soon Andrew strutted in, a broad grin spreading across his face. 

"Guess who I saw in the hallway?!" he said excitedly, plopping himself next to me and looking at me and  Britt. I had a feeling he was talking about his longtime crush- "Susan Jones!" He blushed crimson after this but Britt and I leaned in closer, "She was.. ya now.. walking in the hallway - and then she waved!" He finished with a squeel. The first time he had seen her - he told us countless times, the last getting more romantic than the one before - when he was at the station for his older brother, Joseph, who had been leaving to go to Hogwarts for his third year. Susan also had an older sister, Joseph's age and he had seen her.

"Go talk to her!" I suggested and Britt nodded her head vigorously in agreement. 

Andrew sighed, shaking his head, "It would be weird - she is a second year.. and she has loads of friends..." 

"True," I nodded, it still hadn't really set in yet - I am going to Hogwarts!!! Britt looked at me odd, I glanced at my reflection in the window - I had an expression like a creepy wierdo. 

The scenery flashed past our window, the houses steadily getting more and more rare until they finally became obsolete. I was itching to move around or do SOMETHING besides chatting randomly to Britt and Andrew. I excused myself from the compartment after about the second hour onboard and walked down the corridor, curiously peeking in through the window. The seventh years always looked a little sad - it was their last year, their last train ride to Hogwarts, the sixth years talked casually and had broad grins across their faces, the fourth and fifth years also looked pleased, and finally, the second and third years looked antsy to arrive. 

I came to the front of the train and then turned back around, heading back to our compartment. Andrew was sprawled across a row of seats, sleeping, and Britt was sitting across from him, reading 'Witch Weekly'. I walked in and shut the compartment door with a snap and then went to sit next to the window next to Britt. Out the window, the sun was getting a bit lower, it was probably around lunch by now.

Britt looked up, "Oh, the trolley will be here soon," My stomach growled right on cue.   

A few minutes later, they heard a soft squeeking which turned out to be the trolley trundling down the aisle. "Ooh!" I smiled, I was VERY hungry at this point. 

"Food from the trolley, dears?" an old woman with a white bun asked them.

"Yes please!" Britt and I chorused. We pointed at all the treats we wanted (which was alot) and gave her some money. We hurried back into the carriage and dumped all of the sweets into a few seats - we had also gotten some food for Andrew for when he woke up. Britt and I lounged the hole afternoon, chatting and eating a variety of colorful candies until Andrew woke up with a start.

"It's already dark out!" he screeched, looking out the window, "Oh, I'm hungry," he stated as his stomach gave an enormous grumble. 

"Don't worry, we got you some food," Britt handed him a variety of treats. 

"Thanks," he replied through a mouthful of treacle tart.  

I leaned forward, gazing out the window, a castle was brought into sharper clarity when we rounded a bend and I nearly fell out of my seat, "Hogwarts!" I gasped, pointing at the castle in the distance. The other two also saw the castle and gaped as well.

"We probably should get dressed," Britt said disractedly, still looking out of the window. 

"Yeah," I half-heartedly replied. Britt and I had Andrew leave the compartment while we put on our school clothes and robes. We then switched with Andrew and he changed while we stood in the hall. 

"Finished!" we heard a muffled yell from inside and we slid the door back. When we got back in, the castle was closer than ever, and my stomach felt like it was going to explode from the excitement and adrenaline coursing inside of me. 

Soon we reached Hogsmeade Station, and the train came to a halt. All of the first years were very jittery to get going and ran straight to the doors which opened with a click. Students flooded onto the platform in the cool night air. A tall man with a thick, bushy beard began to call out, "First Years! First years over here!" it was Hagrid. I had heard alot about Hagrid and met him once before, over the summer. He seemed nice enought, and Harry got along with him very well. 

We siddled up to him along with all the other first years and he led us to were a row of boats were waiting. "Groups of five, please!" he called out. Valerie joined us, as well as a girl named, Allison who turned out to be very quiet. 

The boat rid didn't  take too long and we were soon moored in the docks. Hagrid told us that one of the professors at the school would be coming to retrieve us soon for the sorting.

I was ver anxious once again, because I desperately wanted to be in Gryffindor. But what if I'm not? A voice nagged me.