The Shy Hufflepuff

Prologue

Violet P.O.V:

I had just arrived on the Hogwarts Express. I walked down the aisles, looking for compartments, my cat Smudge on my shoulder. I knocked on the last compartment door. A girl with blonde hair and piercing green eyes opened the door.
"I-is there room here for another person?" I asked, avoiding eye contact with the girl. I didn't have to look at her face to see that she nodded. She stepped back to let me inside, on the other side of her, there was a boy with... pink hair? I gulped and sat down next to him.
"My name is Irk, this is Charolette. We're first years here." Irk told me.
"My name is Violet, I'm also a first year... My buddy here is Smudge." I say to the duo. Smudge crossed over my shoulder onto Irk's as Irk began petting him.
"Cute cat!"
"Thanks, looks like he found a friend." Charolette cleared her throat and gestured her head to the doorway. There I see a girl she had glasses and her hair up in a bun with the sides shaved.
"Oh... Sorry, I didn't know this compartment was full already." She looked a bit disappointed as if she didn't have anywhere else to go.
"Are you kidding? Last time I checked, booths seated four people! It's not like we're cool or anything, I mean if we were people would be flocking over here or something." There goes my no-rambling streak...
"Pfffft, speak for yourself!" Charolette chuckled. We spent the rest of our time, talking and laughing, wondering what house we'd be in. It turns out, the girls name is Quinn, and she isn't even female! They use they/them pronouns!
"So have you guys practiced any spells or hexes?" Quinn asked us.
        From that wonderful question, I just kept quiet... I still can't believe what happened while I was practicing, how could I be so stupid?! All it takes is one spell of incendio for you to burn your house down, lose half your family, and for your mother to hate you. While I lost myself in my memories I wished would burn, they continued talking. Before we knew it, we were at the station. Smudge got out of Irk's lap and jumped onto my shoulder. I said goodbye to them, smiled and waved, and grabbed my stuff. Outside I was greeted with a set of creatures that look like horses with carriages and boats in a pond only a little walk from the station. I looked next to me to see Irk, Charolette, and Quinn at my side. I grabbed hands with Irk and Quinn as Quinn took Charolette's hand as we walked down to the pond.
~| Time skip to the sorting ceremony |~

      "Charles Irkwood!" The professor holding the sorting hat exclaimed.
      "I actually go by Irk.." He looked up at her.
      "Just get up here..." The professor grumbled.
      As Irk went up I grabbed his hand for a millisecond and squeezed it lightly. It took a couple of minutes before the hat screamed "SLYTHERIN!" His table cheered and welcomed the new member. I looked at my friend and smiled. He smiled back, but, it was a bit weaker than usual. Normally his smiled are bright and cheerful, his smile now seems a bit... sad. As if he wasn't happy... "SLYTHERIN!" I looked to see Quinn walking up, happy as could be to they're table. They were looking at someone else, a boy at the Gryffindor table... strange.
      "Charolette Opper!" The same solemn faced professor said. I watched as the last of my friends went up to the sorting hat. The hat only took a few seconds to decide. "SLYTHERIN!" The hat screamed yet again. I waved to her as she went and sat with Irk and Quinn. They look so happy, I hope I'm with them. I wonder what I'll be in. I laughed to myself, what dumb fantasies, with my luck I'll never talk to them again.
        "Violet....Smith." The professor paused on in between my first name and last, odd. I looked up at the woman, blonde hair and milky brown eyes. Where have I seen her? "Are you coming up or not?" She barked at me. I nodded shyly and walked up to the stool of fate.
      The hat paused for a minute, then it said this; "Hmmm, the ambition of Slytherin, passion of Gryffindor, quick thinking of Ravenclaw... But I know where to put you," I was prepared for the worst. "HUFFLEPUFF!" I smiled and waved to my friends at the Slytherin table and gave them a thumbs up. Inside I feel everything but good. Just my luck.