Howling at the Moon

1.Choo Choo

Diondre Jane Gargoyle stood looking at a brick wall, well more specifically, looking at the people running at a brick wall.

Young children were hopping from foot to foot before sprinting at it. The older children barely broke conversation as they strode towards it.

Children were known to do weird things such as this, always getting themselves hurt imagining things are different from what they are, trees becoming fortresses, older siblings being horses, brick walls becoming gateways... More curious than a child's imaginings however was the fact that not one of them smacked into it, instead they disappeared out of view.

"Mary Nettle! Hurry up! I want to get a good seat on the train." Shouted one of the girls waving over her younger sister to the wall.

Today is the last time she'll ride the train into Hogwarts. There will be new memories to be made, new people to meet, and one last shot to collect them all for her future nostalgia.

"You've got everything dear haven't you?" Her mum asked, she should be proud of her daughter for coming so far but mostly she just looks forward to the end of the year when Diondre will leave all this silly business behind and attend a muggle university. 

"Of course mum, I'll leave you here." She kissed her mother on the cheek and ran straight into the wall to the secret platform that lies behind. Her mum's eyes closed as she disappeared, not wishing to see the magic take place, if she can't see it then it never really happened, this is how she goes on living her magic free ordinary life. Turning on her heel she left the outrageous notion all together.

Diondre however, never got over the excitement of running through a brick wall. To feel her face tighten at the presumption of impact and her feet tingle with the expectance of pain, for it to never come. Instead she  heard the choo of a steam train, and the excitement toppled over.

The transition from Muggle to wizard talk delighted her, she had spent the entire summer craving for a reminder that magic exists but her mum would have no part of it, instead they spoke of perfectly ordinary things, like shopping and dishes.

"All those muggles,"

"You best remember to owl me as soon as..."

"Right I've got your broom here for those quidditch practices..."

"You'll get into Ravenclaw, you're a smart girl."

Diondre wanted to get a carriage to herself, she hopped on the train before most people had even finished their goodbyes. Many of the carriages already had a trickle of students in them, mostly first years worried the train would leave without them, she choose one at the end, seeing only empty seats from where she stood. However, there was already a man in there, this was most unusual, she'd only ever seen one grown up on this train and it was the trolley lady.

"Oh! I'm sorry I thought it would be empty in here." She apologized.

The man looked rather raggedy, she briefly wondered if he was the escapee from Azkaban. But no she'd seen a photograph of him in the news, he looked nothing like the man in front of her. This man had light ashy brown hair and a placid kind face.

"Oh that's quite alright, plenty of room in the carriage." He gave her a small smile like he was too tired manage more.

Diondre took a cautious seat opposite him, curiosity getting the better of her.