Hogwarts is My Home (A Harry Potter Fanfiction), Part 2/7

Chapter 2

Before we know it, it’s my birthday.  August 31st, the day before term starts!  I get birthday presents all around, something I’m not used to.  From Draco, Grier, Ash, Noah, Alex, Kyara, Emma, Audrey, Lauren, Brett, Jade, Max, Anna, Snape, and even Seamus!  The next day, we’re boarding the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾.

“Thank you for your hospitality this summer, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy,” I say politely.

“You’re very welcome, dear,” Mrs. Malfoy says.  She’s accepted me more than her husband has, I think.  We’re boarding the train and saying our goodbyes now.

“I’m going to see if I can find the other Slytherin boys,” Draco says.  “See you at the feast.”  Okay, bye.

I end up sitting with Kyara, Emma, Audrey, Max, Anna, and Jade.  Grier and Ash are nowhere to be found, they’re probably sitting with the boys.  We talk about our summers.  Kyara and Emma went to Germany this time, Audrey visited her uncle in America, and Max, Anna, and Jade all took turns staying at each others’ houses.

“Anything from the trolley?” The trolley witch’s cry sounds from down the hallway.  I immediately jump up, THE PUMPKIN PASTIES ARE MINE!  I open the door to our compartment, and am about to go up to the trolley witch, when I hear a familiar Irish accent asking for Chocolate Frogs.  I run up behind him and lean my elbow on his shoulder.

“Two Chocolate Frogs and five Pumpkin Pasties, please,” I say to the witch.  I pay for the candy and wait for the witch to move on.

“Hey Ashlyn!” Seamus says to me, with a shy smile.  OH MY GOSH HIS VOICE CRACKED WHAT IS IT WITH ALL THE GUYS “Did you get my present?”  He sent me a ton of Chocolate Frogs, he inspired me to collect the cards last year.

“Yes, thank you so much!  Your owl is really smart, I never gave you an address or anything.  Then again, the Malfoy Manor isn’t hard to find.  Are you ready to start your Potions tutoring?”

“Yes, and I hope there’s an improvement.  How was your summer?”

“It was great!  Yours?”

“Pretty fun, actually, but I’m glad to be back.”

“Seamus!”  Seamus’ best friend, Dean Thomas, pokes his head out of their compartment.  “Where have you been, we’re-- oh, hi Ashlyn.”

“Hullo, Dean.”  Dean looks from Seamus to me then back again, and sniggers.  Huh.  Wonder what that was for.

“Come on Seamus, we’re hungry.  We’re almost there too, you might want to change.  We all have already.  Haven’t seen Harry or Ron, though,” Dean says.

“Okay, see you later Ashlyn,” Seamus says.

“Bye guys.”  I head back to my compartment and change into my robes.  As we round a bend, I look out the window.  There it is!  Hogwarts!

We ride the carriages this year, the strange thing about them is that they have no horses attached!  It’s interesting, probably magic.  Then again, everything here is magic.  I see the first years with Hagrid, going into the boats.  They look amazed.  I probably looked like that last year.

We get up to the castle, and file into our seats in the Great Hall.  We’re seated in order of year.  I’m sitting next to an empty space, the rest of bench is for the first years.  McGonagall comes in, putting the Sorting Hat on the stool.  After its song (I wasn’t paying a lot of attention), Professor McGonagall opens up a scroll.

“Alexander, Matthew!”

“SLYTHERIN!”  I cheer, along with the other Slytherins.  The first kid of the night!