Phan and the Downward Spiral

Phil

"Bye Mum and Dad! Love you!"

I haul my luggage towards the train with the help of Basette. My eyes flicker to the golden clock on the wall and I see that I only have a couple minutes. I could've sworn I had longer. Oh well.

Whilst we navigate our way through the massive crowd blocking the way, Basette raves on about how British wizards are always late. I roll my eyes. Do French people always complain this much or is it just her?

"Au revoir Philip!" she says quickly as she leaves me at the door of the train.

"Oh, uh, bye!"

I drag my trunk up the steep steps of the train just in time. The doors close behind me as I clamber on, my heart almost falling out of my chest. I made it.

I start looking for compartments, but it seems everyone is already settled. And I'm left out here like a lost puppy.

Hopping into the next car, I find almost all of the compartments full to the brim with people chattering. I'm getting a little anxious that I'll have to stand in the corridor the whole way there. As I approach the very end of the car, though, I notice one with nobody occupying it but a lanky, very pale boy hunched over a Tamagotchi. Chestnut hair sweeps over his left eyebrow and his chocolate brown eyes are glued to his game.

I burst into the compartment with a bit too much enthusiasm.

"Uh, hi. Can I sit in here? Everywhere else is full." Please say yes. Please say yes.

"Um, yeah. Sure." I breathe out a sigh of relief and bring my trunk and owl cage in too.

"Nice Tamagotchi," I say, trying to break the ice that forms when I sit down.

"Thanks," he says, eyes wide. "Do you have one too?"

"Yeah, but I forgot it at home. I'm Phil by the way," I blurt.

"I'm Dan," he says, moving his hands as if he's framing his name. He sticks his hand out for a handshake and I oblige, a little awkwardly. "Sorry."

I laugh and I see him blushing.

"Soooo..."

"What house do you think you'll be in?" I try.

"Um, I'm not really sure, to be honest, but I don't think I'm smart enough to be a Ravenclaw honestly." I titter.

"Me neither." I notice him blushing again. What does this mean?

After a train ride full of light-hearted banter, a strangely familiar scowling girl and, some bonding over awkward moments, we arrive at Hogsmeade station. We strategically wait in our compartment until most of the ruckus in the hall dies down, so as not to be trampled.

Basette had informed me that the house elves (House elves!) that work at Hogwarts would collect our luggage and take it to our rooms, but obviously, Dan hadn't been notified of this fact. While I'm rushing ahead down the hall, ecstatic to be finally here, he's trying to drag his trunk along with him. He realises his mistake after looking in other compartments and hauls it back in.

I'm at the door of this car already, and I can see that most of the older students have already made their way... somewhere, and that there is a group of kids about my age huddled around a giant man yelling for the first years to come to him.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" I call behind me urgently.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." He sounds like an old man. I smile.

We pick our way over to him, careful to avoid a creepy looking man rattling a metal beer mug.

Hagrid, as the giant announces himself to be, sees that we're the last to join the group and herds us all onto a well-worn path through a dense forest, his lantern the only thing lighting the way. Dan shivers and huddles closer to me, looking over his shoulder as if he expects an attack. Is he afraid of the dark?