4 Ch.4 - The Train of Fated Encounters
(A/N I noticed that when copypasting the chapters from word to inkstones some parts get deleted, let me know when and if that happens)
-Kings Cross, Platform 9 3/4, 1991, September 1
I entered the train very early, only a few older students were around, most notably Prefects, chatting and preparing themselves for the arrival of students and presumably Harry Potter. Rumors of the little guy were already spreading far and wide, everyone was excited to see the Hero who, as a toddler, bested the strongest dark wizard after Grindelwald. Interestingly enough the one who actually bested TommyBoy (aka Voldemort) was in actuality Lily Evans (Harry's mother) who basically invented a Protego strong enough to reflect the killing curse previously thought to be unblockable, a muggle-born, the very same "race" blood purists wanted to purge considering them inferior and "magical thieves". The Irony.
Maybe muggle-borns just have something more that wizards do not have: a new outlook on this static world. Reading the brief introduction to the unforgivables and particularly the Killing Curse a decently smart cookie can already find a few loopholes to exploit, for example, if the caster cannot project sufficient emotion or is not proficient enough on the spell he will not be able to kill a human but only a small animal, which is cool and all and makes sense but it is the second part that surprises me: " It kills the first enemy hit"... That's oddly specific isn't it? I will need to research the spell later, considering how many use it without reason.
In the meantime I was reading another chapter of the charms book, it is interesting how much useless information they were able to put in these books, thank God I had the mind of an University student or I would probably have a panic attack by now.
A gentle breeze, helped me concentrate on my book, I needed to practice on a few basic charms still, I had a talent for transfiguration probably because it was mostly applied mathematics and I have always been strong on math, but as soon as I upped the difficulty on charms or strong spells I would find myself smashing against a wall, no worries tho, if I could master transfiguration I could still be a strong duellist but it is still annoying. I want to be better and I will, whichever God put me here would be the witness of that. I had to put countless hours into mastering the Knockback Jinx and I still was not super proficient. Damnit. As soon as the train departed I would try to make the Ice Jinx, the last spell we learn this year which was giving me trouble all around, either it was too hot, or it wasn't fully formed, I will soon crack the correct balance.
...
What our protagonist didn't understand is that albeit not that talented, he had something that few of his peers possessed, the will to do better. And that, in magic, would change everything, after what is the moving force of wizardry if not will?
...
The hubbub of people outside was getting unbearable as students and parents started flocking the train, few were coming to disturb me, and those who did left as soon as they saw me.
For my part, I did not care but still.
It wasn't until time to depart that two students joined in
"Sorry, could we sit here? Everywhere else seems to be occupied..." asked a cute-looking red-haired kid
"Yes sure be my guests"
"Thank you," said both of them
After sitting and getting comfortable with their luggage I started
"Are you two both first years?"
This time it was the other girl answering "Yes, we are are you also?"
"Yes, my name is Thomas Rashford, a pleasure to meet you both," I say extending my hand they shook back
"Susan Bones, a pleasure," says the red-haired one, Ah! One of the queens of fandoms, the famous Susan
"I am Hannah Abbot" predictably she is the other Hufflepuff everyone knows about
"So, any idea which house you want to be sorted into?" I ask genuinely curious at what their plans were before the Talking Hat decided to put them into Hufflepuff, the most useless house ever.
"Mmh, I don't know... I'm fine with all houses really, but I don't think I'm Ravenclaw material" said Susan with a cute pout
"I'm also fine with everything except Slytherin, I met a couple of them and they told me about their house and what they do... Not my cup of tea..." said the blonde with her trademark aura of faux superiority
She is a very strange person, all in all, I don't know how or why she was placed in Hufflepuff, but the hat has never been wrong...
Now that I think about it, the hat has never been wrong, but is it because he understands his students, or is it because after joining a house the children are molded into that specific category befitting of their house? For example, how come, Ron, one of the most cowardly people I have ever seen could sometimes show tremendous bravery and recklessness? I had the theory that the hat would place people where they wanted to be, but who would want to be Hufflepuff after all, then I thought that in the decision the family situation would be taken into account, for example, Ron would have been completely abandoned if he was sorted anywhere that wasn't Gryffindor. But what about Sirius Black then? In the end, the more I analyzed the clues the less sense it made... I guess I will ask the hat himself when the time comes.
"What about you? Already made your choice?" Asked an eager Susan
"Yes, I will probably go to Ravenclaw, if I know myself well enough ahahaha," I said pointing at the book in my hand
Taking out my wand a mischievous grin appeared on my face "Soo, you girls think I can start practicing basic spells right about now?" the both of them looked at each other while chuckling and taking out their wands.
Hanna was the one to speak this time a smirk now present "Guess we all had the same idea"
...
Time passed just like that, reviewing our knowledge exchanging ideas to make the spell work better, failures, successes, and a great deal of risk. But we enjoyed it all the way; there was no "have you seen a toad" moment or "Have you seen Potter", meaning we had all the peace we wanted.
"...And then I levitated my mum's clothes and attached them to the ceiling ahahaha, she couldn't find them for hours, that's when they knew I was a wizard," said Hanna barely holding it together, once she overcame the shyness of meeting someone new she opened up a lot, she is great company and a great conversation partner
"Ahahahah no way, I can just imagine the panic in her eyes" I continued
"yea, yea, and then..."
Meaningless conversations like this were carried on continuously in the compartment, the goal? To get to know each other better; the magic casting session really helped us come closer and forego reservations, they were still kids after all, and one doesn't need to discover a cure for cancer to become friends with them.
....
The castle looked amazing: mystical, mysterious, magical, absolutely awesome (a word not yet present in England)... there were not enough words in the dictionary to explain the feeling this castle could give you. Butterflies in my stomach? Am I in love? Probably...
"Thomas Rashford?
ah... yes... it was my turn, ready or not here I come
A young man walked the stony path, bi's steps confident, unlike other first years, a brief not towards professor Snape that remained impassible but nevertheless acknowledged the gesture. None seemed to care anymore, since Harry Potter was I
sorted into Gryffindor, so the boy could take all the time he wanted with the hat, Bones and Abbot were already making friends with their house and while knowing that their first friend Thomas was about to be sorted in the Ravens, especially after noticing how brilliant he was, they still had a little hope of having him in their ranks, he was, after all, very pleasant to be with.
However time seemed to have slowed down, that, or the boy was taking way too much time with the weird hat on top of him. Even the professor was confused, after what felt like 5 minutes (and were 5 minutes) the hat finally laughed out loud
"Ahahahahah, thanks for the chat young man, fine then, I will put you.... Ravenclaw!" to which the table cheered, they didn't know why he took that long, and why the hat laughed so hard, but one thing is certain, it probably meant something good.
At another table two twins were thinking the same thing: they had to meet the guy who made the hat laugh for the first time since they entered Hogwarts.
(A/N Not really happy about the happy, might change some things later)
