"Welcome back to Hogwarts!"
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The train comes to a stop, and immediately my heart begins to race with excitement.
"Well, here we are," Malfoy says in a bored tone.
I quickly jump out of my seat and open the compartment door.
"Oi, are you really that eager to get away from us?" Blaise questions me jokingly.
I roll my eyes and step into the hallway. Students file out of their compartments, and immediately, I'm squished between several people.
I feel someone wrap their arm around my neck and swiftly pull me into a headlock.
"Aye Bella, this is what you get for not telling us what happened between you and pretty boy!" I hear the familiar voice of Fred Weasley say.
"Let me go!"
"Not just yet!" George says enthusiastically as he picks me up and slings me over his shoulder.
"Oi put me down, you goof!" I say in between laughs.
George gently puts me back on my feet. I have to crane my neck upwards to even see their faces. No wonder George was able to pick me up so effortlessly.
"Nothing's going on between me and 'pretty boy', for the record," I scoff.
They look at me with their eyebrows raised, unconvinced.
I roll my eyes and turn back around, exiting the train along with everyone else.
I step out of the train into the cool breeze. It's sunny, but not hot. The air smells fresh and clean. The perfect weather.
I see the carriages that take all the students to the castle, but I don't see the Thestrals that pull them. That means I haven't witnessed death in this life yet, which, I guess, is good.
"Well come on then, what are you waiting for?" Fred and George say in sync as they wave me over to their carriage.
I climb in, and take a seat next to Fred. I take a deep breath. This is the first time in my life where I have felt happy and whole. It feels as though I've finally gone home after being away for a long time. This feeling is so new, yet so amazing. I never want to let it go.
After me, climbs in Ron, Harry, and Hermione who are still bickering over what I said yesterday in The Three Broomsticks.
We all take our seats, and the carriage starts crawling forward, when I hear a soft, honey-like voice.
"Do you all have room for one more?"
I turn around and see Luna Lovegood standing outside of the carriage with wide eyes, and a soft smile on her face.
I practically jump out of my seat.
"Of course we do, Luna! I'm so glad you're here, I've missed you so much!" I cry as I pull her into the carriage.
I feel an overwhelming sense of longing from Luna, like I haven't seen her in years. I recall her being one of my closest friends this past year, but I hadn't seen or heard from her all summer.
She pulls me into a warm hug.
"I've missed you as well, Bella,"
"Where have you been and why haven't I heard from you?" I question her with a sharp edge to my voice.
I feel slightly hurt that we became so close this past year, and I didn't even get one letter from her all summer.
"Oh, well, the Nargles have been keeping me quite busy. I expect they've been intercepting my letters as well, because I do remember writing to you at least once," she explains innocently.
I soften at her words. It doesn't matter whether or not she's telling the truth, I'm just glad I'm with her now.
Luna takes her seat on my other side, and the carriage starts moving.
The ride is bumpy and uncomfortable, but I hardly notice it since we're all lost in conversation the whole way there.
Before I know it, we've arrived at the lake where we get on our self paddling canoes that are supposed to take us to the castle.
I get in a canoe with the same people that were in my carriage. Instantly, Fred and George start splashing everyone with the lake water.
"Argh, cut it out!" Ron huffs.
We eventually make it to the castle, and the view is extraordinary. It's grander than I could have ever imagined. The lights shining through the windows, along with the majestic fog that surrounds it, makes it look like it came straight from a fairytale, which it practically did.
We all jump out of our canoes, and over the water that separates the boat from the land. The twins don't have the best coordination though, because they can't seem to figure out how to jump out of it and still keep their balance.
I take my opportunity.
"Here let me help you guys," I say innocently as I offer them my hands.
"Thanks, Bella, you're the best," Fred says as they both take ahold of them.
Before they have time to realize what I'm about to do, I pull them straight forward, and they fall face-first into the water.
"Bloody hell! What was that for?" The twins yell in unison.
I hear my other friends bursting with laughter from behind me, and I too find myself holding my stomach from laughing so hard.
The twins get up and trudge out of the lake, cursing under their breath. No doubt they're going to get me back, but honestly, I don't care because that was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Our group follows behind the rest of the students making their way to the entrance of the castle. We eventually reach the main entrance where we see Professor McGonagall standing in front of the gigantic double doors at the top of the several huge stairs that lead up to them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts fourth years! It's so good to see you all again. I hope you had wonderful summers, and I trust that you all read at least a book or two so you're not totally out of the loop, though knowing you students, I'd say that is highly unlikely," McGonagall chuckles.
"I would like to announce that we have some new students joining us this year. There were a handful of students that the ministry missed at the start of your first year that should have received their letters but unfortunately did not due to some miscommunication at headquarters,"
This is what Cedric was telling me about. I'll be curious to see if the girls from Beauxbatons, and the boys from Durmstrang, will be staying with us this year.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts!" McGonagall exclaims as the giant brass doors slowly open, revealing a sight more beautiful than anything I've ever seen in my entire life.