Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Thirty-Two | Hogwarts, September 1 2009

Chapter Thirty-Two

Hogwarts, September 1st 2009

 

 

               Max focused on Teddy's turquoise mop as they sat in an empty compartment, across from each other. Fields whipped past their window, the sky a dove gray. Rain pelted the window gently and both boys suddenly longer for home, their excitement faltering a bit.

"Excuse me!" the door slid open with a bang and someone summersaulted in, a long tangled mane of chocolate entering before she did. It shut again and the person jumped up onto the seat and into the baggage carrier.

"Wha-?" started Teddy, but she shushed him.

"Don't say a word!"

Seconds later another person came in, though not catapaulted like the girl, breathing heavily. It was an older boy with the same chocolate curls. "Ha-have you seen a girl, about yeh high?" he made a motion around his chest.

Teddy and Max shook their heads.

"Bloody hell, Mum's gonna kill me." The boy grumbled. "Thanks anyway." He left again.

After a few beats of silence the girl came from the carrier, breathing a sigh of relief. She was dressed very primly, but everything was wrinkled and un-tucked. "Thanks." She huffed in a strong Scottish accent.

"Erm, you're welcome?" Teddy glanced at Max.

"You don't have older siblings, I can tell." The girl said, flopping down on the seat. "Shall we be friends then? You've hidden me from my brother, so I owe you one, which makes us chums, doesn't it?"

"I suppose so." Max liked the girl. She reminded him of girls in storybooks, adventurous and sparkling. She wasn't particularly extraordinary looking, but her smile promised a joke. "I'm Max. That's Teddy." He pointed to his friend.

"You two old friends?" she asked, starting up again before they could say anything. "You two look it. I don't know a soul!" she seemed almost proud of this fact, but the boys saw a flicker of fear of being alone on this large train. She continued talking quickly. "I'm Mitzie Logue, my brother is Topher. He promised out Mum I'd sit with him on the train, but how am I meant to make friends like I promised if I sit with him? He's fifth year."

Teddy and Max looked between themselves, grinning. Mitzie seemed like their kind of friend, even if she never stopped talking.

"This is going to be great." Mitzie said, bouncing in her seat. "I can tell."

               Max had not liked the boats. They had crossed the great lake and he'd sat in the very centre, gripping Teddy's hand. Mitzie didn't say anything other than: "I'm afraid of flying."

Teddy knew Max was afraid of water, drowning – anything that lived in the water. It hadn't helped that an older student had shouted: "Watch out for the giant squid!" as they'd gotten on the boats.

Hagrid herded them into the school and another teacher took them from there. It was everything Max had ever imagined, dreamed of; paintings moved and spoke, ghosts flitted above them and magic seemed to just buzz in the air.

They entered the great hall, jaws dropping.

"Woah." Teddy breathed, Max nodding in agreement. "Look at the ceiling."

Max craned his neck high, watching the starts twinkle above them. It was exactly as Sonia and Charlie had described. Max was so nervous about the sorting he hardly listened to the Sorting Hat's song. Names were being called.

"Logue, Mitzie."

She practically bounded up the steps, buzzing with excitement. The hat fell down her face (she really was small) and didn't have to think for long. "HUFFLEPUFF." It shouted. Mitzie jumped off the stool and sat down at the end, waving to her brother at the Ravenclaw table. She gave Teddy and Max the thumbs up.

"Lupin, Theodore."

Teddy blushed at his full name and gave Max a weak smile before going up. He moved as if he inconvenienced the air, watchful of the steps. He sat down like the stool were made of ice and would shatter under his weight. Max smiled at him from the crowd.

The Hat didn't have to contemplate Teddy for long, either. "HUFFLEPUFF." It shouted, almost pleased. Teddy was blushing, and Max knew he would be thrilled – his mother had been a Hufflepuff.

Max had never hated having his last name start with a W before, but this was agony.

"Weasley, Maxwell." The teacher announced finally.

Teddy gave him a nervous smile from the Hufflepuff table. This was the moment that they could be separated, very permanently.

He went up the steps, wondering what the Hat would say. All his family had been in Gryffindor, the Weasley's, Sonia – what would Max be?

The hat settled on his head and Max listened carefully, determined to remember everything it said.

"Hmmmmm." The voice popped into his head suddenly. "The grandchild of Hazel Bowen and Severus Snape. Interesting. You're not like your Grandfather at all, no...are you Andrew's son?"

 

"No." Max thought. "He's my Uncle."

 

"Ah. Sonia Bowen and Charlie Weasley's son, I see...you don't have your mother's slyness. No, you are kind, loyal – you could be a Gyrffindor, I see it clearly. Smart like a Ravenclaw, but it's not everything to you. Kindness is important to you, that is clear. You're not stupidly brave either, like many of your relatives. Weasley's tend to be Gryffindor's, but you're not brash, no...Hm, yes I know, perfect..."

 

Max screwed his eyes shut, hoping, hoping, hoping.

"HUFFLEPUFF."

There was a cheer from the Hufflepuff table – it was Mitzie, embarrassing Teddy and Max. He headed to the table, sitting across from teddy and beside Mitzie. She gave him a tight hug.

"We must be friends now!" she cried. "Hufflepuff – my Da says it's the best house there is."

Teddy smiled across the table at Max, obviously as relieved as he that they were in the same house. No need to worry about being separated, or losing one another. They were together.

Later, in the quiet of their new dorm room, the boys waved from their four-poster beds, peeking through the yellow curtains.

"Goodnight." Mouthed Teddy, eyes drooping closed.

"Goodnight." Max whispered, watching his friend's hair fade from turquoise to black. In his excitement he managed to fall asleep, briefly wondering what his parents were doing back at Ivy House. He was going to miss them.

A/N: Okay, two chapters in two days! On a roll! So excited that the boys are now at Hogwarts!

Question: There were so many little tidbits and facts in this chapter about the boys - what do you think of what you've learned about them? Of Mitzie Logue? Do you think Hufflepuff suits them?

Again, do ask a question if you have any for my 1000 followers vid!

Rose