YELLOW

➵0.1

For the rest of the ride, the four children talked to each other about anything they could think of. Nessie felt a particular connection towards Cedric, as he was the first person she met here, and often looked at him whenever she said something, waiting to see what he would say after.

Cedric felt the same. He didn't have many friends of his own, so when the two introduced themselves to each other, he was over the moon to be talking to new people, but Nessie especially.

Once off the train, Nessie told them she'd be meeting her friends, so everyone went their own way. Everyone but Cedric.

"Can I come with?" He asked, catching up to Nessie, who looked back at him and smiled.

The two walked towards a tall man, shouting for the first years to follow him, and into some boats. Nessie and Cedric got into one boat, along with another boy who looked amazed by everything surrounding him.

They travelled through a large lake, which the big man called the "Black Lake". He introduced himself as Hagrid, the keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. He chatted with someone upfront but was paying attention to every child in the boats.

Once by the grounds, Nessie couldn't take her eyes off the grand castle. She walked along with Cedric, pulling him to the front where they found the Weasley twins. Nessie quickly introduced them to each other, and Cedric smiled at his newfound friends.

The twins introduced Nessie and Cedric to their new friend as well. Lee Jordan. Nessie shook hands with him, and Cedric opted for a wave since he was far away.

They followed Hagrid up to the castle, and into one of the halls. A great staircase was in front of them, and the man told them to wait there, then disappeared.

"Are you nervous?" Nessie asked Cedric, who was leaning against the railing of the staircase. She was picking at her nails and skin surrounding them, and when Cedric shook his head, she didn't know how to feel.

Her nerves calmed down, but still; she could feel something in her tummy that just made her feel warm. Cedric patted her shoulder and was about to say something, but a cough interrupted him and everyone else.

Everyone's eyes fell on the witch standing in front of them. She had greying hair, pulled in a tight low bun, a pointy green hat on her head, and dark robes on, which touched the ground. She had small glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, and her look was stern. Her eyes passed over each and every student before she introduced herself.

"I am Professor McGonagall. In a minute we will be making our way to the Great Hall, where the Sorting will take place. You can be sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The people in your house will be your family until you graduate. I will be back, stay put." McGonagall said, fixing her hat and then turning on her heels to walk away.

"Everything looks so nice here," Nessie mumbled, to which Fred and George nodded.

"I just hope we're sorted into the same house. We, for sure, will be sorted into Gryffindor, so all the burden falls on you." Fred said to which George nodded, making Nessie sigh and roll her eyes.

"What if I don't want to be sorted into Gryffindor? You know, my uncle was in Slytherin, and we're both very alike, so what if I get sorted there?" Nessie asked with a raised eyebrow, little arms crossed over her chest.

"Might as well unfriend you right then and there." George snickered, to which Nessie just turned the other way. Her heart skipped a few beats at the thought of her not being friends with them anymore over such a stupid thing, but she knew the Weasleys well. All of them were Gryffindor and the possibility of them liking her less was existent.