Chapter 22 - The Hogwarts express

(A/N: Maybe you guys have realized due to the new style ,but if you didn't ,I got a friend of mine, who's a native English speaker to help fix some of my grammar.)

The morning of September 1st had finally arrived, and Thomas was practically bouncing with excitement as he finished packing his trunk with all of his school supplies. He had spent the last few weeks relaxing, spending more time with his parents and Latia rather than poring over his books or practicing his swordsmanship and magic. Nevertheless, he was as eager to start his first year at Hogwarts as always. He still remembers how hard it was for him to break it to Latia that they won't see each other for a while.

<Flashback>

As the week of his departure for Hogwarts drew closer, Thomas knew he had to say goodbye to Latia and her parents, whom he had grown very close to over the many times he was at their house. He had spent many hours playing games, watching movies, and having dinner with Latia and her parents. They had become like a third family to him, and he was going to miss them terribly.

One evening, after dinner, Thomas asked if he could talk to them about something important. They all sat down in the living room, and Thomas took a deep breath.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, ever since Latia invited me to your home," Thomas began, his voice cracking with emotion. "I've had the best time with you all, and while I would l love to continue playing with Latia, the truth is that I'm going to Hogwarts in September."

Latia's parents smiled at him warmly, and Latia squeezed his hand.

"You've been a wonderful guest, Thomas," Leif said. "We've enjoyed having you here very much."

"I don't want to leave," Thomas admitted. "But I have to go to Hogwarts. I'm so nervous, but I'm also excited to finally learn something that I've wanted to do for a long time."

"Don't worry, Thomas, while you won't be able to visit when you want you can write us letters right?"

"Of course, I doubt they could restrict that, besides I have my own owl."

Latia nodded at his words. "Yeah, and we'll write to you all the time. And you can write back and tell us all about your classes and your friends and everything! And since Irina can't be bothered, I'll get in the lead!"

Thomas smiled at her, not wanting to ignite that barrel of gunpowder that she had just opened. "Thank you, Latia. You're the best."

Latia's parents hugged him tightly, telling him that they were proud of him and that they knew he would do well at Hogwarts. Latia hugged him last, holding onto him for a little longer than usual. "Don't you dare forget to write to me, or else?

As Latia hugged him tightly, Thomas felt a warmth spread throughout his body. He couldn't help but notice the way her hair smelled like fresh lavender, and the way her touch made him feel safe and protected. He was grateful for her parents' words of encouragement, but it was Latia's hug that he cherished the most. He promised himself that he would write to her often, not just because she had told him to, but because he wanted to keep their connection alive. As he pulled away from her embrace, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness in his heart at the thought of being away from her for so long.

"Don't worry, I won't forget. "

"I'm going to miss you," Latia said, tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you too, but we'll see each other as soon as I get some holiday. Besides didn't I promise to write to you all the time too?"

"Of course, you promised to write to me all the time, and I'll be waiting eagerly for your letters," Latia replied, trying to hide her disappointment that Thomas was leaving. "I'm sure you'll have so many exciting adventures at Hogwarts, and I can't wait to hear all about them. And who knows, maybe one day I'll even get to visit you there." She gave him a shy smile, secretly hoping that he would catch on to her hint.

<End of the flashback>

Smiling to himself as he made his way down the stairs, Thomas found his parents waiting for him in the living room, both looking just as excited as he was. Kate had already prepared a hearty breakfast for them all, with waffles, sausages, and scrambled eggs on the table.

"Good morning, champ!" Jonathan said, grinning from ear to ear. "Ready for your big day?"

"More than ready, Dad," Thomas replied, his smile almost splitting his face in two. "I can't wait to finally see Hogwarts in person!"

[Well, before you go, we wanted to give you a little something,] Kate said, holding out a small package wrapped in shiny paper.

Thomas eagerly tore off the wrapping, revealing a beautiful set of quills and ink bottles, all in his favorite color of green. "Wow, thanks, Mom! This is amazing!"

[We figured you could always use some extra writing supplies,] Kate said with a smile.

After breakfast, Thomas hug his mother one last time before he and his father left for the station.

Thomas and his father arrived at King's Cross station half an hour later. They walked through the bustling crowds of people and luggage until they finally arrived at platforms 9 and 3/4. Thomas stared in awe at the brick wall between platforms 9 and 10, wondering how he was going to make it through. His father smiled at him reassuringly.

"Don't worry, son. It's not as hard as it looks," he said, ruffling Thomas's hair. "I asked around when we were shopping in Diagon Alley how will you get to Hogwarts and someone, god bless his heart was kind enough to tell me. We just run at the wall and don't stop."

Thomas nodded, his heart pounding with excitement and nerves. He took a deep breath and ran towards the wall, closing his eyes just before impact. To his surprise, he found himself suddenly on the other side, standing on platforms 9 and 3/4. He opened his eyes and looked around, amazed at the sight before him.

The platform was filled with hundreds of students, all dressed in black robes and carrying trunks and cages of various sizes. Thomas's father led him through the crowd, and they soon found themselves face to face with a large red steam engine. The Hogwarts Express.

As they made their way toward the train, they heard a loud voice calling out to them.

"Hey there! You two look lost. Need some help?"

Thomas and his father turned to see a large family approaching them. There were two parents and several children, all of them with flaming red hair.

"We're the Weasleys," the man said with a friendly grin extending his hand toward Jonathan. "I'm Arthur, and this is my wife, Molly. We're here to see off our boys."

Thomas and his father introduced themselves, and Arthur Weasley helped them load Thomas's trunk onto the train. Molly Weasley gave all of her sons a warm hug before she turns and hugs Thomas, surprising him and his father alike as she told him to take care of himself. Once he climbed inside the train, Thomas waved to his father before following Molly's youngest son, Ron, towards one of the empty compartments.

Thomas and Ron settled into the first compartment they found empty, and as soon as he put his luggage away, Thomas start admiring the Hogwarts Express as it made its way out of the station. He was feeling a mix of emotions: excitement, nerves, and a twinge of homesickness. As he looked out the window, he saw families waving goodbye to their children, and he couldn't help but feel a little envious. He wished his father could have stayed with him a little longer, but at the same, he knew that despite making time to drive him here his father was needed back at the Zoo. While his mom couldn't bear to see her baby boy leave so she choose to stay home.

Ron was busy chattering away, telling Thomas about his older brothers and their adventures at Hogwarts. Thomas listened intently, fascinated by the stories of Quidditch matches and mischievous pranks. He couldn't wait to make his own memories at Hogwarts.

Suddenly, the compartment door slid open, and a girl with bushy brown hair and large front teeth stepped inside. "Do you mind if I sit here? The other compartments are full or way too noisy," she asked, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.

Ron shrugged. "Sure, go ahead." Not caring even one bit about the new girl.

The girl settled into the seat across from Thomas and Ron, pulling out a book from her bag. She began reading, occasionally sneaking a glance at the blonde boy. Thomas couldn't help but be curious about her, especially since he could feel her gaze on him.

"What are you reading?"

The girl looked up, surprised to hear Thomas. "Oh, it's just a book about Hogwarts. I'm Hermione, by the way."

"I'm Thomas, and this is Ron," Thomas said, gesturing to his new friend.

"Nice to meet you."

Since Ron was by no means interested in talking about history and books, he simply choose to walk around the train for a while leaving the two bookworms alone. Once Ron left, Thomas and Hermione fell into conversation, and Thomas found himself liking Hermione's intelligence and quick wit. She seemed to know everything about Hogwarts, more so than him, then again, Thomas spent most of his time learning charms, potions, and practical ways rather than studying the history of Hogwarts and the Wizardry world. As they talked, the train made its way through the countryside, and both of them couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the magical world he was about to enter.

As they neared Hogwarts, the excitement in the train grew palpable. Thomas left the compartment for a few minutes, giving Hermione more than enough time for her to wear her robes before he put on his. Once they were done, both of them left the compartment wondering where Ron could have been. The two of them made it towards the end of the wagon where they found Ron talking with another boy, and for some reason, both of them seemed extremely excited. Meanwhile, Ron could hardly contain his excitement as he and his new left the train and walk on the platform, ignoring Thomas and Hermione completely.

As they made their way towards the boats that would take them across the lake to Hogwarts, Thomas caught a glimpse of a group of students huddled together, whispering and pointing at something. He couldn't help but be curious, so like any good friend, he dragged Hermione towards the commotion only to see that those students were pointing at Ron and his new friend. Though no matter how he looked at the boy with messy black hair and round glasses, Thomas could understand what was so special about him.

Seeing that her first friend didn't know who the boy was, Hermione decided to enlighten him.

"That's Harry Potter, the boy who lived."

Thomas couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy as he watched Harry, who seemed completely oblivious to the attention he was receiving. A few seconds later Thomas and Hermione decided to get into a boat before the giant man sees them standing on the shore.

The two of them quickly climbed into the boats and made their way across the lake, as Hermione couldn't help but feel grateful for her new friend. She had never felt so welcomed and included before, the same thing could be said for Thomas who due to Ron's insistence struck up a conversation with the famous boy.

As they walked up the winding path that led to the imposing castle, Thomas couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight of Hogwarts. The stone walls seemed to reach up to the sky, and the turrets and towers loomed above them, giving the impression of a magical fortress. As they made their way through the castle's corridors, Thomas caught glimpses of portraits that moved and spoke, and staircases that shifted and changed direction seemingly at will. Despite the wonder and enchantment that surrounded him, Thomas couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of nervousness that grew with each step he took toward the Great Hall. He knew that the Sorting Ceremony was a crucial moment, one that would determine not only his house but also the friends and experiences he would have at Hogwarts. As the ceremony began, Thomas stood nervously among the other first-year students, waiting for his turn to be sorted into his Hogwarts house. He had heard about the Sorting Ceremony before, but he still wasn't quite sure what to expect.

The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement as the students took their seats at the long, wooden tables. Thomas couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he looked up at the enchanted ceiling, which was currently displaying a starry night sky.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as the doors at the back of the hall opened. Thomas saw a line of professors entering the hall, led by a stern-looking woman with grey hair who he assumed was Professor McGonagall.

The Sorting Hat was brought out and placed on a stool in front of the first years. Thomas watched as the hat's brim began to twitch and tremble, almost as if it were alive.

One by one, the students were called up to the front of the room and placed on a stool. The Sorting Hat was then placed on their head, and it would take a moment to deliberate before announcing which house the student would be sorted into. Soon his friends were called and Thomas watched with bated breath as all three of his new friends were sorted into Gryffindor. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as he watched them make their way to the Gryffindor table, but he knew that wherever he was sorted, he would make the most of it.

As each student was sorted, the room erupted into cheers and applause from their respective houses. Thomas watched as more and more of the first years were selected into the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin and were welcomed into their new homes.

Finally, his name was called. He stepped up to the stool and sat down, feeling the weight of the Sorting Hat on his head. He could feel its brim tickling his ears as it began to speak.

"Hmm, interesting," the Sorting Hat murmured. "You're a bit of a puzzle, aren't you, Mr. Grayson? Brave, but also clever. Loyal, but with a thirst for knowledge. Oh? Not too much, but enough desire to get stronger, no matter the consequence as long as the ones you loved aren't hurt… Hmm, where to put you..."

Thomas held his breath as he waited for the Sorting Hat to make its decision. He had heard that some students were disappointed with their house assignments, but he knew that wherever he was sorted, he would make the best of it. After all, that won't mean he won't be able to talk with his new friends, no?

"Ah, yes," the Sorting Hat said at last. "I think I know just the place for you. RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted into cheers and applause as Thomas made his way over to join his new housemates. He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and excitement as he took his seat at the table, looking around at his new housemates.

As the ceremony came to an end and the feast began, Thomas felt a sense of belonging wash over him. He was thrilled to have been sorted into Ravenclaw, a house known for its intelligence and wit, a place where one could learn a lot of things.

As he filled his plate with roast beef and potatoes, he struck up a conversation with one of the older Ravenclaw students sitting next to him. He was eager to learn all he could about his new home at Hogwarts, and he knew that the Sorting Ceremony was just the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

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