Learning to Trust

I pulled my last bag out of the trunk of the cab and put it on the cart. I readjusted the strap of my backpack as I closed the trunk. As I moved the cart to face King’s Cross Station, my mom laid a hand on my shoulder.

“You okay?” She asked.

I began to push the cart towards the station. “I’m fine. It’s just weird that I’m a fourth year and going to a new school.”

“You’ve moved schools before!”

“Yes, but that was before I started going to a school for witchcraft,” I whispered. “This is different. You’re not supposed to start a new school. You’re supposed to stay in the same school and everyone there will know one another! Besides the first years, that is.”

She sighed. “I know this and I understand how you must feel right now. But you’ll have no problem making friends.”

“Until they realize I’m a freak despite the fact that we're all witches and wizards?” I scoffed.

“Enough of your negativity! This school could be different! Just give it a chance.” She looked up at the signs over the platforms. “Now, there’s platforms nine and ten.” I glanced up to double check. She was right and I looked around to make sure no one was looking my way. When the coast was clear I ran straight through the wall, with my mother following close behind.

The station was full of life. Students and parents alike were loading things onto the bright red steam engine and saying their final goodbyes. My mom helped me put my things on the train before we parted.

She put her hands on my shoulders. “You’ll be fine and I know you’ll make plenty of friends. Send me a letter after…let’s say your first week. Okay?” I nodded. “Just tell me how your first week goes. The headmaster knows about what happened at Salem and he said he’ll try his best to make sure that doesn’t happen again. He also said you’re to go with the first years when you get there. You need-“

“I know, Mom. I read the letter, remember?” She nodded and pulled me in for a hug.

“I love you. Just remember that. Take this school as a second chance. Great things could happen here.” She kissed my forehead and we said our goodbyes as the train’s whistle blew.

As the train began to move steadily from the station I looked for an empty compartment. I didn’t find one until I got towards the back of the train. I slipped inside and picked up the newspaper that was discarded there. I skimmed it finding nothing new or interesting besides the incident at the Quidditch World Cup. That was all they seemed to talk about lately.

I put the paper down as my head began to throb. Please not now, I begged to myself. This is not how I want to start off the year. I was brought out of my thoughts when the compartment door slid open. I looked towards the door to see a red-haired boy stick his head in.

He looked around before his eyes landed on me. He walked in and let the door slide shut. “Have you seen anyone that looks exactly like me walk by here?”

“No, sorry. In all honesty I haven’t really been paying much attention to anything around me since I got on the train.”

He sat down across from me and grinned. “You don’t sound like you’re from around here.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” I retorted.

“I’m George, by the way. George Weasley.” He held out his hand and I shook it.

“Hayley Capello.”

“So what brings you to Hogwarts then? Especially, since you’re not a first year. Well, at least you don’t look like one.”