Aurora was pretty sure ninety percent of the world's population attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What seemed like millions of kids streamed out of the train, all elbows and shouting. Maybe it was just her social anxiety, but she despised it.
Generally, her friends made things better. Clay would've been her first choice, but she didn't see him, so she latched onto the friend closest to her and tried to breathe.
That friend turned out to be Alex. Whoops.
"There's entirely too many people here," Alex declared as Schlatt found them.
"Agreed. We're all split up now; maybe for awhile?" he guessed. "Techno and Will are together. Dream went off with Niki and some of his friends, and Zak and Darryl should be together."
"FIRST YEARS! FIRST YEARS WITH ME!"
An absolutely massive human being stood at the front of the platform, directing kids around with his lumbering arms.
"THAT'S RIGHT, EVERYONE ELSE WITH FLITWICK! FIRST YEARS WITH ME! TWO TO A BOAT, THAT'S IT!"
"...Boats? I don't know how to work boats. Is that something British people do?" Alex glanced down at the pitch-black water and little rowboats floating in it.
"I don't know. We should just get in, right?"
Schlatt hopped in, waiting until the boat had stopped rocking precariously before reaching up to help them down. Alex went next, and then Aurora had to use Schlatt's arm for support, which was not easy.
The man that had been yelling looked down at them as they were untying themselves from the dock condescendingly.
"Two to a boat, I said. Firs' years," he added under his breath. Aurora looked up at him sweetly.
"I'm small?" she tried, scrunching herself up on the bench next to Alex pointedly.
The man debated silently for a moment before grumbling and walking away.
"He didn't seem very nice," Alex said, nudging her shoulder.
She made a face. "I honestly don't care. Currently I'm just trying to beat back this panic attack and it's not working so I'm doing what I can to be with people who can help."
"...What do you mean? Can I help?" Alex really did sound like he wanted to. She grinned at him.
"You are, by being here."
"That was cheesy," Schlatt deadpanned as the boat started moving in the direction of a far away cliff.
"No, I mean- my friends' presences alone cut it back," Aurora explained. "And... contact, but it's not necessary."
Schlatt switched benches so he could sit on her other side, and he and Alex sandwiched her in a hug.
"There's where you're wrong." Schlatt rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Yeah, mi amiga. We're here," Alex agreed.
All Aurora could do was smile.
As the entire line of first years made their way into the Great Hall, Aurora was only slightly worried her head would explode.
So.
A school built solely for teaching magic.
To... middle and high schoolers. Good idea, founders. That won't end horribly.
After the Sorting Hat sang its nice little informative song that left Aurora even more confused about who she was than before, the professor started listing off names of people to sit on the little wooden chair in front of the whole school and get sorted.
