I was sitting on the Hogwarts express with Danny waiting for my friends to arrive. Cassy had decided to sit with her Gryffindor friends, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. Not that Danny or me minded, the trip was a lot more pleasant when she wasn't causing a scene with her friends.
"When do you reckon the others will arrive," Danny asked, stroking his new owl, Titan who he named after his favourite NFL team.
"I don't know, soon I hope," I told him, playing with Freya who was on the floor of the compartment.
"I'm here! I really thought I was going to be late," Cedric said, completely out of breath as he ran into the compartment.
I couldn't help but notice the changes in my best friend from over the summer. Once again, he was taller but he had started to lose that little kid look we all had when we had started at Hogwarts. He had lost the lanky look he had from all the extra quidditch training he did over the summer break and his hair was a little longer. When he caught me looking at him, I blushed and quickly turned away.
"What's up, Rogers? Do I have something on my face or something," he laughed, pushing his hair out of his face.
"Nothing, just thinkin' you need to get a haircut Diggory," I tried to joke, curing how strong my southern drawl got when I was flustered.
Wow! Nice save... Not. You so have a crush on your other best friend.
I do not!
I mean, I couldn't. Right? I mean Cedric was my best friend. The only person outside my family I trusted enough to tell my secret to. There was no way I could have I crush on him. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.
"Hey guys! I'm here! Had a slight hold up with my brother Seamus. You can't take that kid anywhere!" Maggie said, as we all noticed that the bottom of her skirt was slightly burnt.
"Uh, Maggie. What happened?" Danny asked, nodding at her skirt.
"Let's just say I'm not looking forward to my brother starting school. He kinda blows things up...a lot."
Before we could ask her what she meant, the door opened and Henry walked in with Cho trailing behind him and standing in the doorway. The second Freya saw Cho, she hissed at the girl and ran into her open carrier and continued to growl at her.
"I'm sorry, she not normally like this," I told her, trying to calm Freya down.
"Oh, that's okay. I guess," Cho said, never taking her eyes off Cedric, "Can I sit with you guys?"
"Nope. That cat has spoken. Bye Cho," Henry said, pushing her out the door and slamming it closed behind him.
"That wasn't very nice," Maggie commented, glancing back at Cho who was still hovering just outside the door.
"Dude! She has been the biggest pain! Henry, can I sit with you more at Hogwarts? Henry, can you introduce me to one of your friends? Henry, what do you think your friends think of me? I've been going insane!"
"Yeah, I can see how she could get under your skin," Danny said, sending the quickest glare at Cho so only her and me saw it, making Cho rush off to find her own friends.
"You guys here yelling in hear corridor," I asked, wanting to get the conversation off Cho before someone brought up her obsession with Cedric.
Suddenly the compartment door slammed open, scarring Freya who I had just managed to coax out of her carrier. I looked up to see Fred and George standing there grinning from ear to ear.
"Will you two shut the door before Freya gets freaked and again makes a run for it," I said with Freya on my lap who was still extremely on edge.
"Sorry, Elsa. But you're not going to believe who we just met!" Fred said, sitting down next to Danny as George closed the door.
"Harry Potter. As in THE Harry Potter! He's starting at Hogwarts this year!" George told us excitedly as he sat down on the other side of me, making me move closer to Cedric.
"Who's Harry Potter?" Danny asked, making all of us groan.
"He's the boy who lived. You know the one who survived Voldemort attacking him and managed to bring him down," I said, making everyone but Danny flinch at the dark lords name.
"Right, the kid who killed magic Hitler. I remember now," Danny said, making me snort at his comparison.
"Magic Hitler? Who's Hitler?" George asked, looking between Danny and me.
"Evil guy from World War 2 who wanted to create a 'master race' and killed people to do it. But don't get Elsa started on it, her dad was like the poster boy for the US Army during the war," Danny said, making me roll my eyes.
"Really Danny?"
"Who strong and brave, here to save the American way," Danny began to sing.
"Shut up, Danny."
"Who vows to flight like a man for what's right night and day. Who will campaign door to door for America."
"Really funny, Danny. I get the point."
"Carry the flag shore to shore for America. From Hoboken to Spokane, the star-spangled man with a plan!" Danny finished and saluted me as he did.
"Really funny, Danny. Just remember, you asked for this," I told him, picking up the pillow from Freya's carried, discretely misting it over with ice to make it damp before throwing it at him.
"Hey! What was that for? It was your dad's theme song," Danny laughed throwing the pillow back at me.
"It was not his theme song!" laughed, evaporating the water from the pillow as I put it back into the carrier.
"Hey, Fred. We should make our own theme song!"
"That's a great idea, George!"
The seven of us spent the rest of the trip laughing at the theme songs Fred and George came up with, Harry Potter being all but forgotten. At least until the sorting.
We were all sitting at our tables in the great hall, waiting for the sorting to start. It didn't matter how many times I was in the great hall, it never stopped being amazing. With the floating candles and the enchanted sky, it was one of the most beautiful rooms I had ever seen.
"Can't they just start the sorting! I'm hungry," Henry complained, leaning on Danny who was sitting next to him.
"Henry, your always hungry," Cedric laughed from beside me, making my heart beat faster when accidentally brushed my hand with his own.
You right there, Elsa? You're looking a little red, Danny told me as I glared at him to be quiet.
"Well, it looks like you got your wish. Here they come now," Maggie said, who was sitting on the other side of Danny.
We all turned to watch the first years come walking down the middle of the hall and just like they did with me and Cassy, people started whispering about the small dark-haired boy with glasses and a lightning bolt shaped scar. I looked over at Cassy at the Gryffindor table to see that she had the same sympathetic look on her face that I probably did. When she noticed me, she smiled sadly at me. We both knew what it was like to be gossiped about and Cassy has come a long way from our first year when she thrived on the recognition. Now all either of us wanted to do was go to school like everybody else. It was starting to look like that was going to happen because people were now more interested in the boy who lived than the kids of superheroes.
Before the sorting began, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet to make an announcement. Which was strange as he normally waited until after the sorting. It was the same usually thing, quidditch tryouts, Filch's banned items, don't go into the forbidden forest but when he got to the last part everyone was a little shocked.
"Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."
The five of us looked at each other shocked and slightly scarred about the warning.
"Well, that was..." I started to say before Danny finished the sentence for me.
"Extremely cheerful."
"You can say that again," Henry muttered, still staring at Professor Dumbledore as the whole hall murmured. The hall fell quiet as soon as the sorting hat started to sing its song. I loved hearing the different songs it came up with, I guess it did have all year to come up with one which really must be a boring existence, really.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge what you can see.
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head,
The sorting hat cant see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell of brave of heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set the Gryffindor apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuff's are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet is wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (thought I have none)
For I'm a thinking cap!
When it had finished its song, the whole hall clapped and eagerly waited for the sorting to start.
"What house do you think your brother will be?" I asked Maggie as Susan Bones was sorted in to Hufflepuff.
"I don't know. Either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff," she said as the next student walked up to get sorted.
The sorting moved quickly, each student eagerly running to their new house the second the Sorting hat made its decision. It wasn't long before Maggie's brother was called up.
"Finnigan, Seamus."
The sorting hat thought for a minute or so before making its decision;
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Are you upset that he's not in Hufflepuff?" I asked her over the sounds of cheering from the Gryffindor table.
"Not really. I loved him to death but I'm kinda happy it won't be out common room that will be set on fire."
The sorting continued and some people started to lose attention now that the original excitement had died down. Henry continued whining that he as hungry, making us laugh at how much he could each. It wasn't until a blonde boy was called up to be sorted that we all started to pay attention.
"Malfoy, Draco."
"Wow, that kid dose know that you're not meant to use the WHOLE bottle of gel in your hair, right?" Danny asked, making us all start to giggle.
Before Professor McGonagall could even place the sorting hat on to the boy's head, it called out its decision;
"SLYTHERIN!"
"That kid's going to be bad news," Cedric said, as we watched the boy strut over to the Slytherin table.
"You can say that again, I've got a bad feeling about him," I replied, watching the boy sit down.
Eventually the whole hall fell silent when the name that everyone had been waiting for was called out;
"Potter, Harry."
I watched as the poor boy stumbled his way up to the sorting hat and sat down on the stool. The nervous look on his face made the way that Danny looked when we were sorted seem like he was the calmest person in the world. Instead of the usual minute or so that the hat normally took, it continued to think and almost looked like it was having a conversation with the boy.
"I wonder what's take it so long?" I whispered to Cedric.
"I have no idea. He must have a lot of different house traits or something."
Eventually the sorting hat called out its decision;
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The whole of Gryffindor went wild and I could help but laugh when the twins started chanting, we got Potter! To say they were excited was the understatement of the century. The hall finally calmed down when Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. I looked up at Loki to see his was smiling and shaking his head as he watched the twins. As much as he tried to deny it, Loki had grown a soft spot for Fred and George and usually looked the other way whenever he saw them pulling a practical joke. I could have sworn I had seen him give them advice on what to do one time, he denied it. Although for the god of lies, not very convincingly.
The twin's younger brother was called up not long after and looking at him there was no way you could mistake him for anything but a Weasley. The whole family shared the same red hair and freckled complexion, especially Charlie who spent most of his time out side. He had started his work with dragons in Romania a few months ago and couldn't wait for the letter he promised to send me, telling me how it was.
"Weasley, Ronald."
"Ha! Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you," the sorting hat announced, making everyone laugh. "GRYFFINDOR!"
When the final student was called to be sorted and the sorting hat had been taken away until the next year, Professor Dumbledore got up to do another speech to the hall.
"What is it this time? The giant squid had moved into the prefect bathroom," Henry said.
"Hey, leave Squidward alone. He's never done anything to you," I laughed.
"Only you could make friends with the giant squid," Cedric said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and making my heart skip a beat.
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin out banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are; Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" Dumbledore said, then sat back down at the head of the teacher's table.
"Finally!" Henry sighed as food appeared on the table in front of us.
"I see the ghost are making there usually grand entrance for the new students," Maggie said as the Hufflepuff ghost came up through the floor.
"Hello, friar. How was your summer?" I asked the ghost as he hovered above the table.
"Absolutely wonderful! Thank you for asking, Miss Rogers. Although I wish I could say the same for Sir Nicolas, he was knocked back from the headless hunt once again," the friendly ghost told us.
"Hopefully he will get in next year," Maggie told him, not knowing quite how to react to the news.
"I can't see why they would turn him down," I added, looking over at nearly headless Nick who was showing off his unusual talent to a group of first year Gryffindor's and making Ron drop is food in fright.
"Now that's what I like to see! The Hufflepuff positive attitude! Keep it up girls, show the new little ones the Hufflepuff way!" he said to us before floating away to join the other ghosts and leaving us to eat our dinner.
After dinner the five of us started to make our way back to the Hufflepuff common room when someone called out to us, making us turn around to see how it was. I saw that it was the Hufflepuff quidditch Captain, Chris Flanagan running over to us. He was one of the beaters and had the usual look of a beater as well. He had a strong and stocky build and his chestnut-coloured hair was cropped close to his head.
"Diggory, Rogers, Odinson! Wait up!" he called out before running over to us.
"What's up Cap?" Danny said, making me laugh.
"Training starts Saturday morning, 6 am. Don't be late!" he told us before running off to find the rest of the team.
"He's turning in to Oliver Wood," Cedric said as we watched Chris chase after the team's keeper like a mad man.
"Yeah, next thing he will try to drown himself in the shower that same way that Wood did when they lost the cup to Slytherin last year," Danny joked.
"Don't be mean!" I told him, trying not to laugh, "Come on, lest head back to the common room. We all have early starts tomorrow."