Yuri !!! At Hogwarts

Chapter 3: The Departure

I gripped my luggage trolley tightly. I was facing the platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross railway station. The staff gave the passengers signals to take the train. Some passersby were giving me weird looks, probably because of my owl. Most people were in such a hurry that they didn't even spare a look for me. There were parents with their children, buisness people, ordinary people and travellers. They were all walking, laughing and running. They all had something to do, a place to be at. It was a lively and crowded place. The ceiling was so high that I felt like it was the sky turned purple and grey. I saw some Hogwarts' students when I entered the railway station but I couldn't see them anymore.

I had to do this on my own.

I realized I was a couple of steps away from an adventure. I just had to walk right into the wall. It seemed strange to me because that's not what I had to do to enter Mahoutokoro. It was located on an island, so I had to go there on a boat with the other students. Hogwarts was different, I guess. I had a train to catch.

I took a deep breath and ran right into the wall. For a second, I tought nothing had happened, then I emerged to the other side, panting.

A bright red train was waiting on rails. It was long and looked eager to start spitting out steam. It was making train noises. I got in the train, slid a door and entered a random cabin. It was void. There were two wall seats facing each other.

"Great !" I grumbled under my breath. I didn't want to be alone from the start. I exited the cabin and entered the next one. This time, I found Phichit sitting on a wall seat.

"Hi, Phichit," I mumbled while waving my hand awkardly.

"Can I sit here ? I mean, only if it doesn't annoy you," I added.

"Course' not ! There's no need to ask. We're friends, right ?" Phichit chirped.

"Right !" I smiled and closed the door. I sat in front of Phichit and kept my bag close to me. The train began moving.

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep a bit but I couldn't. Excitement was keeping me awake. Phichit was listening to some music on his phone. Or was he watching a movie ? I didn't know. As if he sensed my gaze, Phichip answered my silent question.

"It's 'The King and the Skater", have you watched it ?" he questioned me.

I shook my head. Phichit smiled.

"You should. It's a great movie. It talks about skating, too. It's the story of man that looses inspiration and find himself thrown in the past because of his magical cards. It takes place in Thailand. The man teaches skating at the royal court and saves the kingdom with his magical trade game cards. My favourite scene is when he teaches skating to the prince and they become friends. Not in this order, though. The movie is a musical," he explained with enthusiasm.

"It sounds good."

The door of cabin opened in a single blow. An old lady appeared before us, holding trolleys filled with sweets and candies.

"Anything from the trolley, boys ?" she asked us before smiling. She had a sweet smile but she looked a bit like a shrew. He hair was all knotty and she had a light beard. I shivered.

"No, thanks, I'm good," I answered.

"Well, I, would like a snack. Two mag-sunburn dragées, please," Phichit hander her coins. She took them and gave him two colored little pouches. He offered me one and I took it. I gave him a questionning look as the lady left.

"What's this for ?" I asked him.

"You'll see. Open it," I unwrapped the thin paper and found candies and a card. The candies looked like any other jellybeans. They were small and bean-like. I put one in my mouth and discovered it tasted like cherry. It was actually pretty good. The card didn't represent a famous sorcerer nor a Quidditch player. It was written Magic Muggles on the back.

"The card represents a sorcerer that does a Muggle's thing and is famous for it," Phichit said.

I turned it around and nearly dropped it. It was a picture of the 17 years old Viktor Nikiforov, wearing numerous gold medals.

"You like it ? Oh, you got Viktor ! Mine's Otabek Altin," he showed me a picture of a boy with short black hair and brown eyes.

"These are cool," I praised.

"Yeah, they are," he laughed.

The train came to a stop soon after that. We reached our destination: Hogwarts.

We got off the train and fetched our luggages.

"All the transfer students, this way !" someone yelled. It was a lady in her early thirties. She reminded me of a ballerina because of her height and walk. Her brown hair was styled in a high bun. She had taupe-grey eyes and a single mole under her left eye.

"Newbies, I'm Professor Okukawa, Head of Gryffindor and professor of the Transfiguration class. Today you will be assigned to your Houses. Do not take this lightly. The Sorting Hat will choose what House suits you best. Your luggages will be moved to a place where they will await the desision of the Hat before being placed in your rooms. Now follow me," she screamed while she shook her wand, making our luggages vanish.

There weren't much transfer students aside from me and Phichit. There was only a little girl that looked like a two year.

"Bonjour. Je m'appelle Ella," she whispered shyly in French.

"Hi," I answered. I didn't understand a word. I was far from fluent in French. I just assumed she greeted me.

We entered the Banquet Hall, which was gigantic. On a high platorm rested a black hat, placed on a chair. It looked old and rusty. It slowly opened its eyes, startling me.

There were crowds of students already seated. Judging by the colour of their uniform, I assumed that there was one big table per House.

I didn't know much about the system so I decided to ask Phichit about it.

"It's quite simple, really. There are four Houses and they all have separated dorms an Common Rooms. Also, they each represent a type of student. Like, loyal people are known to be assigned at Gryffindor and ambitious or sneaky people go to Slytherin. I want to go to Gryffindor," he sighed.

A man was next to the chair, holding a list that seemed to go on forever.

"Yuuri Katsuki !" he exclaimed.

Professor Okukawa pointed the chair with a finger. I had to climb there and sit.

As walked to the Hat, I felt the gaze of the other students on my back. I bet they wondered why someone as old as me had to go to the Sorting Hat. Usually, only first or second year do it. I sat and the man placed the Hat on my head. At first, nothing happened. Then, the Sorting Hat started talking.

"Difficult one, ain't you ? I wonder. Not Slytherin, that's for sure. Is there courage hidden behind these eyes ? Determinated, ain't you ? Hmm, I guess," it started rambling nonsense.

After long minutes, the Hat screamed.

"Gryffindor !"

One of the table in front me cheered. Everyone was whispering. I tought I heard the word «Hatstall»Whatever that meant. I joined the people that cheered about my assignation earlier. They congratulated me. Phichit was up next.

He got assigned for Gryffindor, too. It took only two minutes. When everyone was assigned to a House, the ceremony was over. We followed the people of our table to the dormitory.

We found out that our luggage was in the same room.

"We're roomates !" Phichit said.

I smiled and crashed on my bed. I closed my eyes and slept. I was exhausted.