Chapter 64: Hogwarts AU: Year One

Jin thought she'd be ready for this. Twisting her hands around the hem of her black sweater, she tried to look through the crowds for a familiar face. It didn't help that she was eye level with most people's torsos.

"I've heard stories about Platform 9 & 3/4… maybe we should've gotten here earlier?"

Jin didn't bother answering her father. The train wasn't supposed to leave for another half hour, so it wasn't like they didn't have any time at all to get Jin's trunk and Sora on the train… she just wished Honey and Mori would find her before then. She didn't want to find a compartment all by herself. Especially since she'd only been in England for a few weeks now.

It had been a bit of a surprise when an owl deposited a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry acceptance letter in Jin's lap that summer. The whole family had been nearly besides themselves. The Ilvermorny, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Mahoutokoro School of Magic acceptance letters had also been greatly celebrated, but to be accepted by Hogwarts… Jin hadn't been completely confident when she first submitted her name to the famous school, so to learn that she'd been accepted had driven the girl to tears of joy! And her childhood friends Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Takashi Morinozuka were already students there, so she'd get to see them all the time, like when they were kids!

If only she could find them now...

Jin squeezed her father's hand in an attempt to ward off the mounting anxiety. She half-wished that Haruhi had come along and wasn't currently helping Misuzu-chi around the Leaky Cauldron, but knew that if Haruhi had come Jin might not have boarded the train at all.

"Jin?"

She gasped, looking around at the sound of her name. A head of blonde hair could be seen weaving through the throng of people. They called out again, "Jin! Over here!"

"Jin? Who's that?"

"It's Tamaki! Tamaki!" Waving rapidly, Jin watched as the blond boy fought his way through the crowds. His hair was a mess. Clearly he'd had a hard time making his way through the crowds on the platform. "Dad, this is Tamaki Suoh, the boy I met in Flourish and Blotts!"

"Oh, is that so?"

Tamaki beamed up at Jin's father. "Are you Jin's dad? It's nice to meet you!"

"You too, Tamaki."

Giving the older man another quick smile, Tamaki turned back to Jin. "Do you want to board together? We can find a compartment and talk all the way there!"

"Yeah!" Jin smiled up at her father. "Can I, Dad? Please?"

"I thought you were waiting for Honey and Mori?"

"Maybe I'll see them on the train? Or they'll sit with some of their friends from last year?" Or maybe they forgot all about me and decided not to wait up? Jin didn't say that last bit out loud, but she really hoped her father would let her go. At least this way she had someone she knew to sit with on the train. And even if Tamaki could be a little… extra, now and again, he was funny and nice and clearly excited to be around her. Not the worst choice in a friend.

To Jin's relief, Ranka was quick to agree and as soon as Jin was released from a tight hug, she and Tamaki were making their way down the hall. Sora's cage was in Jin's arms, the pretty snowy owl affectionately nibbling at Jin's fingers through the wires, patiently waiting but continuously reminding his owner that he'd like to be let out again. And soon.

They peeked into every cabin they passed, hoping for a glance of Honey and Mori or at the very least a place to sit, but everything looked to be filled to the brim. A majority of the students seemed friendly enough, at least, but there was no room for two 1st years and an owl to join. Returning the wave of a few girls wearing pretty esarp's that had moving patterns dancing across the fabrics, Jin let her chin rest atop of Sora's cage and sighed.

She should've arranged a meeting time and place with her friends on the platform. Pouting, Jin wondered if Sora would be able to find Honey or Mori on the train. Maybe she could let him out in the hallway, or through the window? Was that allowed?

Jin was so lost in her thoughts she nearly walked directly into Tamaki, who had stopped short in front of another cabin door. Sora, thankfully, let out a warning screech before she did. Jin thanked her owl before asking Tamaki why they'd stopped.

"Let's sit here."

Jin leaned forward a little, trying to catch a glimpse through the window. It was the first empty-ish cabin they'd come across. Only one other student was in there. It was a boy with black hair, but his face was practically buried in a textbook, so she couldn't see any other features.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I've got a good feeling about this one."

Not sure what her new friend meant by that, but not willing to argue either, Jin shrugged her consent and followed behind as he opened the door.

Immediately, the stranger lowered his book, just enough to look at them over the top edge. He was wearing silver-rimmed glasses and, now that she was a little closer, Jin noticed that the book he was reading was actually A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration . He was a first year, too?

"Hi! Can we sit here? The other cabins are filling up already."

The boy hesitated before responding in Japanese, "Sure."

"Thanks!" Tamaki looked back at Jin, a cheerful gleam in his eye. So he found another Japanese student? And a first year, at that. Was that what he meant by a "good feeling"?

Even so, Jin couldn't help but feel a little nervous as they slipped inside. The stranger didn't send them away, yes, but neither did he look all that happy to have been intruded on. Carefully, Jin opened Sora's cage. Once her pet had fluttered out and settled himself on one of the seats, she put the cage into the overhead racks and sat down next to Tamaki. The stranger sat across from them, back to burying his nose in his book.

But if he was intending on ignoring them for the rest of the journey, he was sorely mistaken. As soon as he and Jin were settled, Tamaki leaned forward and chirped out, "My name's Tamaki Suoh! And this is Jin Fujioka! We're gonna be first years at Hogwarts. What's your name?"

The boy lowered his book again, and Jin was surprised to see a bright smile now adorning his face. "Kyoya Ootori. It's nice to meet you both."

"It's nice to meet you, too!"

Jin nodded along and was about to ask Kyoya if he was a first year like they were when Sora suddenly hopped onto her leg. Smiling, she cooed and stroked a finger down her pet's back. "Aww… do you want attention, young sir? Is that it?"

Sora made a soft noise in his throat, eyes closing as he turned his face into the palm of her hand.

"I take it you're a fan."

"Hm?" A fan? Of what? Owls?

Kyoya was eyeing Sora with a small frown and a raised eyebrow, which immediately set Jin on edge. "It's nothing personal… just that snowy owls were never popular pets in our world until Harry Potter owned one and she was plastered all over his biographies. I assume that you or one of your parents jumped on the bandwagon when you purchased yours?"

Jin stiffened. "Actually, Sora was the last birthday present I received from my mother. I didn't get the opportunity to ask why she chose to buy me a snowy owl, considering she was dying at the time, but I suppose I can if I meet her in the afterlife."

"Oh. I see."

At the bland tone Jin was ready to jump up and storm out of the cabin were it not for two things. One, Tamaki's right hand had wrapped itself around her wrist, keeping her still. And two, at that exact moment, the doors to the cabin opened to reveal a smiling Honey and Mori who were thrilled to have found their friend.

The five had another quick round of introductions right before the train began its departure from the station. Jin attempted to spot her father through the window, but couldn't see him due to the crowds. Her chest felt a little tight as the station fell away, but she had already decided that she wasn't about to cry in front of Kyoya.

No way.

The train ride itself wasn't all that interesting, but by the time the five of them were disembarking they had gotten to know each other a little better. And it was pretty clear that Kyoya and Jin were not going to get along while they were students at the famous school.

Which was a shame, because Kyoya and Tamaki happened to hit it off, so now she and Kyoya would be forced to spend time together whether they liked it or not. As Jin and Tamaki had guessed, Kyoya was also a first year like them. It hadn't be explicitly stated when the topic of Hogwarts Houses came up, but both Kyoya and Jin were wondering which of them would get more Tamaki time for the following seven years.

Kyoya had a pretty good idea about where he was going to end up, which gave Jin a relaxed feeling. His two older brothers had both been in Slytherin and he felt he matched the "requirements" as well. Especially now that the pure-blood mania was over and done with. Even so, from the few hours she'd known him, Jin had to agree. And she was pretty sure Tamaki was as far from Slytherin as a person could be.

She purposefully ignored the question on where she might end up.

Climbing off the train and waving goodbye to Honey and Mori, the three first years followed the booming voice calling loudly out through the night for all the first years. Jin's heart leaped at the familiar gruff accent and she began running down the platform, causing Tamaki and by extension Kyoya to chase after her.

Hagrid spotted Jin moving through the crowd three seconds before she threw herself at him for a hug, which he gladly returned. Behind her, Tamaki and Kyoya were staring open mouthed at the gigantic man. Jin didn't care about her lack of an explanation. She hadn't seen Hagrid for three weeks, ever since his last visit to the Leaky Cauldron, and she'd missed his smile and his stories. They had bonded instantly upon meeting, both being animal and creature lovers to the core. Jin was happy to have found someone treated misunderstood beings with kindness rather than fear, and according to Misuzu-chi, Hagrid thought Jin was the sweetest girl he'd ever met.

"Alrigh', young miss. Time ta lead e'reyone to the boats. Ye'd best come ta visit me after yer classes." Jin agreed without question and released Hagrid coat before following him in what she assumed was the direction of the lake. Tamaki and Kyoya were quick to press up close, whispering questions about the huge man.

She managed to answer about half of them by the time they reached the edge of the lake. To Jin's dismay, Kyoya climbed in behind her and Tamaki. The questions continued until Hagrid's voice finally sounded out from the boat in front of them. "Watch yer head here, you'll get yer first glimpse of the castle just 'round this here bend."

And so they did. Jin nearly dropped the lantern she was holding. Both Tamaki and Kyoya let out gasps of awe behind her.

It was… magnificent. The dark silhouette of the towers, the glowing yellow windows that looked like stars, the way it was perfectly reflected on the lake's surface… for the first time Jin understood why some people might cry over a piece of beautiful artwork. She smiled up at the castle and fought the urge to wave. It was like she wanted to let the castle itself know she was happy to see it.

She was home.

Jin was almost disappointed when they got too close to see the castle as a whole, but that was quickly replaced by her excitement at finally setting foot inside! The halls were gigantic. Stone archways and decorative floors made the castle officially the most beautiful building she'd ever seen. Tamaki was now at Jin's side, squeezing himself between her and Kyoya as he went on and on about what he knew of the castle. Jin didn't know why, since both she and Kyoya had admitted on the train that they'd read Hogwarts: A History cover to cover during the summer. Maybe it was just nerves?

Hagrid bid his goodbyes, patting Jin on the shoulder and almost making her knees buckle, before walking through the double doors before them. Almost immediately afterwards, a more human-sized man walked in. He smiled at the large group and, ignoring how almost everyone gasped and pointed him out to their friends, spread his arms wide.

"Welcome, first years, to Hogwarts. I am Deputy Headmaster Longbottom, Head of Gryffindor House. We're still getting ready for you all in the Great Hall, but before then I have a few things to share with you. Before you take your seats, we will have a sorting ceremony that will place you into one of our four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you're a student here, your house will be used to separate everyone into classes, and you'll have the opportunity to meet and work with everyone standing around you now. Triumphs will earn you House Points, and any rule breaking will lose points, and the house with the most points at the end of the year will be awarded the House Cup. Outside of that, your house is merely a part of your school uniform. You are free to spend time in other dorms, sit at the other house tables save for certain feasts, and make friends with whomever you well please. These houses are not meant to divide you into four separate categories… but I suppose I'll let an old friend explain that more once we get inside. Are there any questions?"

A few hands slowly rose into the air. Professor Longbottom smiled kindly and gestured at a small girl standing near the back.

"Are you the famous Neville Longbottom? The war hero?"

The smile never faltered as he nodded. "I am. But that's a long story that will have to wait for a few years. Once you cover the Second Wizarding War in History of Magic, I will gladly tell it and answer any questions."

When no one else raised their hand, the professor nodded his head. "Follow me."

Jin was jostled more towards the middle of the group this time, everyone rushing to be the closer to Professor Longbottom. Jin didn't completely understand it. Yes, he was a war hero, but he spoke so kindly and was so understanding that you might not be able to tell… were it not for the faint scars across his face and the way his eyes carried a deep sadness. As calm as he was in agreeing to talk about the war later on, Jin had a feeling he said that only so he'd minimize the amount of times he had to share it every year.

A sudden harsh grip on her wrist brought Jin out of her thoughts. Tamaki was keeping hold of both her and Kyoya, and his face was alarmingly pale.

"What is it?" Jin whispered.

"The sorting ceremony… I forgot about it. Father mentioned it before. Said something about fighting a massive-"

"We're just putting a hat on." Kyoya shook his arm out of Tamaki's grip. "My sister Fuyumi told me. The Sorting Hat is put on your head and it announces your house."

Jin hummed, absentmindedly rubbing at Tamaki's arm to help him calm down. A hat? How could a hat decide what house they belonged in? Jin had read about the four houses and she couldn't decide which one she'd be sorted into, much less what one she wanted, so how could a hat do it? Maybe it changed colors depending on who was wearing it? Blue for Ravenclaw, Green for Slytherin, so on and so forth?

Jin's theorizing was cut short upon entering the Great Hall. She gasped again, tilting her head back. Then and there she decided that pictures, moving or otherwise, didn't do justice. It looked like the room simply opened up to the heavens, the milky way sparkling through the sky more clearly than she'd ever seen before. Streaks of purple and blues and inky black artfully swirled overhead, dotted with countless pinpoints of white. The longer Jin stared, the more she felt like she was being sucked in, her body to drift about the cosmos for all eternity.

Thankfully, before that could happen, Jin was able to tear her eyes away and take in the rest of the hall, which was just as magnificent. Columns along the sides, four grand tables that stretched the length of the hall, all the teachers seated at the very end, and hundreds of candles drifting over their heads. Jin felt both very small and very warm at the same time.

All eyes were on them, from the teachers to the students to the... were those ghosts? Jin found herself pressing a little closer to Tamaki, taking his hand for comfort. Spotting Hagrid at the teacher's table helped a bit, as did the smiles from Honey and Mori, but otherwise Jin felt rather exposed and scrutinized.

Reaching the other end of the hall, Professor Longbottom had them wait just a little beyond the ends of the tables, right below the steps that lead up to what looked like a podium and the professor's table. Then, from the right side of the hall, two students carefully carried a little three-legged stool towards the podium, setting it down in front. The metal owl resting on the front of the podium watched them calmly, as did everyone else in the room.

The students set the stool down and went back to the wall. The room fell silent as they stared at the rather old and patched up hat resting on the stool. Was that it? What were they supposed to do now?

Jin heard Tamaki swallow at her side.

Then one of the folds just above the hat's brim opened, and the hat began to sing.

In these fine halls with arching doors

And roaring fires abound

Stands a school of craft and learning

On this now hallowed ground

Within this school four wizards stood

Their talents beyond the rest

And wished to teach only a certain few

So they made me as a test

Good Gryffindor wished to keep the brave

Wise Ravenclaw, those with good mind

Clever Slytherin prized those with ambition

And Sweet Hufflepuff, the kind

So now I sit with this purpose clear

To judge what's in your head

But before I do, please keep in mind

Of these words that must be said

I make my choice with much more thought

Than the founders first designed

And with that knowledge please take note

You'll find they're all entwined

There will be Ravenclaws with courage to spare

And Gryffindors with soft hearts

A Hufflepuff who you should never cross

Or a Slytherin with a passion for arts

These traits that you see upon first glance

Might not always seem to match

But don't you fret and don't you fear

For my choices are up to scratch

So take a seat, and listen well

As I read what's behind your eyes

And remember this, the name you'll wear

Isn't always what it implies

As the brim fell closed, the hall burst into applause, the first years adding in as well. Jin found that she couldn't stop smiling. That was amazing! She loved it! A singing hat! So cool!

"My sister said the hat sings a different song every year, too. Mostly about the houses standing together and not pinning stereotypes on people, especially after the second war," Kyoya whispered from Tamaki's other side. Jin could believe it, and she liked the message he gave this year. To create songs like that had to take some time, didn't it? Impressive!

Professor Longbottom pulled a scroll from the pockets of his dark blue robes, giving the first years and some of the other students another warm smile before announcing, "When I call your name, please come forward so I may place the hat on your head. Aaboe, Lahahana."

A boy with pale skin walked up to the stool. Jin could see his hands were shaking. When Professor Longbottom placed the hat on Lahahana's head, half his face disappeared into it. Jin would've laughed if she hadn't been suddenly struck with a terrifying thought. What if I'm a hatstall? What if the hat says there's been a mistake and I should've have been accepted? What then? What if the hat is wrong?

"RAVENCLAW!"

The room applauded again, knocking Jin out of her anxious thoughts. With a little direction, Lahahana was directed to the table underneath the blue banner, where he stumbled into one of the empty seats.

This went on for a while, the hat taking between a few seconds to a few minutes to decide on each new student. Jin's heart was racing when Professor Longbottom called out for Fone, Holly.

And before she was fully ready…

"Fujioka, Jin."

Giving Tamaki's hand another squeeze, she slowly made her way through the crowd until she found herself standing before the stool. Her mouth was dry. Slowly spinning around, she sat and found herself at the center of attention. All the blood rushed to her feet… and the hall went dark.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the hat spoke, but it wasn't in that loud, booming voice he used to address the whole hall. No, this time he was speaking softly, a murmur floating around her head.

"My, my, my... what a broad selection. Difficult, yes... but not impossible. Never impossible, my dear. There's no need to worry. Such a kind heart, but remarkable intelligence and bravery as well… hmm, but what is best?"

Not ambitious? Why not Slytherin as well?

The hat gave an amused hum. "Interesting… I've been asked that question so many times, my dear, but they've never be phrased like that. If you're so curious, you do happen to hold some Slytherin-like traits. A desire to stay at the top of your class, to perform to perfection in everything you do… but that ambition is easily combined with your desire for knowledge. You could be placed in Ravenclaw. Their common room would delight you, I'm sure… and yet… your intelligence is not what you value. Neither, really, is your bravery."

Jin's thoughts weren't exactly words any longer, but the hat seemed to read her emotions just fine.

"It's true you are glad to possess it when you protect those you care for, but it's the drive behind that need for bravery that makes you who you are. Above all of your traits, you are kind. The world you know hasn't always been that way to you, and yet you care so much for those around you. Best be… HUFFLEPUFF!"

The last word had been shouted out to the rest of the hall rather than in Jin's ear, which she was grateful for. As Professor Longbottom removed the hat from her head, she blinked a few times to readjust to the light. It was over. She'd be sorted. She stood, even though her body felt like it would soon disintegrate into a puddle, and hastily made her way to the table second from the right. Honey and Mori were applauding loudly from the Gryffindor table, almost standing up in their seats as she went. Ximena Cabrera gave her a big smile from the seat directly across from Jin, which was returned, before the two girls turned to watch Alice Gagnier have the hat sat upon her head.

Jin began joining in on the applause, giving the new Hufflepuffs smiles as they began taking various seats around the table. The seat next to Jin remained open, and she tried not to feel offended by it. She knew how nerve wracking it was to sit next to someone you didn't know. Most of the first years were scattered in alternating patterns at the ends of the tables, not many willing to sit next to each other just yet.

Jin sat up a little straighter as Conor O'Mooney joined the Gryffindor table, her eyes following Kyoya as he approached the sorting hat. She couldn't see Tamaki's face, but was worried about him being one of the last few to be sorted.

As most of Kyoya's face disappeared inside the hat, Jin realized that the hall was oddly abuzz with whispers. She couldn't pick up on most of it, other than a few snippets of 'black hair… glasses…' and other things Jin couldn't care less about. Instead, she stared directly at the hat, wondering what was being discussed in Kyoya's mind. If he ended up in Hufflepuff, she most definitely was not letting him sit by her.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Good.

The whispering grew a little louder as he made his way to the table right behind Jin, and she refused to acknowledge him as he did. She didn't care if it was rude, or if he was famous for something she didn't know about. No one dissed her feathery baby. No one.

The sorting carried on, and by that point Jin's stomach was rumbling unhappily, like the sweets that had been shared on the train had never even happened. The golden plates set in front of her looked tempting in the most torturous of ways, but she did her best to remain focused. Only a handful of students remained unsorted. Tamaki was among them.

Simoniet, Ben was sent off to join the Slytherin table when Professor Longbottom called out, "Suoh, Tamaki."

Jin leaned closer, positive that Kyoya was doing the same at the table behind her. Jin could live if Tamaki was placed in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, sure… but she wasn't sure how she'd take it if he wound up in Slytherin with Kyoya of all people.

Tamaki almost slipped off the stool as he sat down, a little too close to the edge, but before Jin could mouth the words ' It's okay ' to him, the Sorting Hat was engulfing his head. Jin tapped at the table anxiously with her fingertips. How long was Tamaki's sorting going to take? From the few hours Jin had known Tamaki and the sorting conversation they'd had on the train, he was a wild card. She hoped he'd be in Hufflepuff with her, and his friendliness sure seemed to encourage the thought, but the Sorting Hat had said that there were many factors that went into it. Even she had traits and ideas that could have placed her in any of the four houses. So with Tamaki it could be any-

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Oh.

Jin laughed and cheered as the hat was removed from Tamaki's head. To her delight, he looked thrilled as he ran to the empty seat beside Jin.

He gave her a quick hug. "We're in the same house!"

"Uh huh!"

"And Kyoya's right behind us!"

Jin's smile dimmed as she followed Tamaki's line of sight. He had turned around almost completely in his seat, beaming in Kyoya's direction. To Jin's surprise the other boy was directly behind her, merely an arms distance away, and smiling back at Tamaki.

Oh, right. Professor Longbottom said we could eat at the other tables. Which means Kyoya will probably sit with us at meals. And follow Tamaki into the Hufflepuff dormitory. And everywhere else when we have free time.

Jin turned forward again and rested her head on her hand. Oh, joy.

" Please, Kyoya?"

"No."

" C'mon… "

"I said no. You're smart enough to do it on your own."

"But I don't have enough time!" Tamaki fell forward, narrowly avoiding falling into his plate of rice due to Jin's intervention. After setting his food off to the side, she returned to her own roll of parchment. While Kyoya was busy working on their homework for Charms, she was re-reading her History of Magic assignment that she was turning in within the hour. She'd finished it two days ago, but she was still nervous.

Jin had heard on her first day of classes that Professor Gagliardi, the History of Magic professor, was the harshest grader at Hogwarts, and after a few classes with him, the rumor proved true. According to Kyoya, he showed clear favoritism to the Ravenclaws in class, apparently running with the outdated idea that Ravenclaws were the smart ones. Or perhaps it was just the fact he used to be a Ravenclaw himself, and he was ridiculously full of himself.

Jin had read about the man's predecessor, Binns, who apparently could make a room full of students pass out from exhaustion in a matter of minutes. It was like he, as a ghost, was trying to bore his students to death themselves.

To be honest, Jin wasn't sure which of them sounded worse. She found history fascinating, but when every attempt at speaking in class was met with a condescending correction that wasn't even always correct, she was starting to grow irritated with even the thought of history class.

"But I already know the spell, Kyoya! You know I know the spell! So why should I have to write a paper about its uses?"

"Because we'll have both a written and practical exam for charms at the end of the year, and if you write it out now, you'll have a better memory of it when you can't cheat off of me."

"It's not cheating! And we've got months before exams!"

"Tama-chan, listen to Kyo-chan. You'll need all the practice you can get!" Honey spread a thick layer of jam over his toast before taking a bite. "Do it in the library after class."

Tamaki made a loud groaning noise before slouching further over the table. Mori reached forward and pulled Tamaki's goblet out of harm's way before turning to Jin. "How was flying practice?"

Instantly Jin's mood took an upswing. "It was fantastic! I've never ridden on a Nimbus before!"

Mori hummed again. "Quidditch?"

"Maybe! I definitely want to try out, at least. What about you two? Think you'll get on your team?"

"I hope so! We can't next year, what with the tournament and everything, but for our fourth year Takashi and I are hoping to try out! By then some of the chasers from our team will have graduated, so who knows?"

"Jin…" A solid weight was suddenly leaning against Jin's left side, nearly topping her over. "Will you help me with Charms? Pretty please?"

"I'm going to visit Hagrid after class, Tamaki. And no, you can't tag along this time! You really need to get started on the homework. I'm not letting you copy off of me, either." Jin stood up, letting Tamaki fall against the bench seat in a mess of flailing limbs.

" What? You too? When did you start it?"

"Last night, when you were playing that Exploding Snap marathon thing in the Gryffindor common room. C'mon. We gotta get to class. Bye Honey-senpai. Mori-senpai."

Tamaki groaned, sluggishly following her up. He didn't want to go to class either. Jin frowned as Kyoya followed the two out of the hall, a rather pleased expression on his own face. Smug bastard… he was going to potions. What Jin wouldn't give to be in his position. Professor Ramsey was her absolute favorite teacher. He was just so nice, and clearly had a passion for potion making. Plus, the way he trash-talked Professor Gagliardi was highly enjoyable for everyone to witness it. He said all the things they couldn't.

"See you in Transfiguration, Kyoya!"

"Yes, and good luck with Professor Gagliardi."

"Thank you! We'll need it!"

Tamaki laughed, linking his elbow with Jin's and hurrying her forward. She went along, trying not to pout. She disliked her Tuesday and Thursday schedules with a burning passion, and she was only a few weeks into the school year. History of Magic in the morning, and Transfiguration in the afternoon. She enjoyed the work, yes, but in one she had a terrible professor who didn't like her, and in the other she lost her usual partner to a certain Slytherin jerk. Ugh… how was she supposed to survive the whole year like this?

In Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense against the Dark Arts, Jin always found herself being placed next to Amaye Jounouchi, another Slytherin, while Tamaki plastered himself to Kyoya's side. When asked why he did it, Tamaki insisted that since Jin got to pair up with him for every other class, it was only fair that Kyoya got to work with Tamaki in the only three classes they shared. Jin didn't argue. She merely glared at Kyoya's smug expression whenever Tamaki took the empty seat beside him instead of Jin.

The one thing Tamaki didn't like about Hogwarts was their lack of technology. Too much magic made electronic things go nuts, he knew that, but he missed the convenience of having a mobile phone on his person at all times. Owls were too slow, the memos that the ministry had finally approved for worldwide use were helpful, but texting was were it was at. To send a message to your friend and have a reply less than a minute later was not something you grew out of needing or wanting.

Especially in moments like this one, when Tamaki was waiting for his two friends outside the Great Hall. Kyoya was talking to Professor Zwick about a question he had on a homework assignment and Jin was at the library, but he'd asked both of them to join him for lunch. His Wizard Chess set had finally arrived from home and he wanted to celebrate with a few games, but now he wasn't sure if his friends were going to show up at all.

Ergo, why he was currently lamenting the loss of his ability to blow up their notifications.

"Hold up, I wanna talk to Suoh."

At the voice, Tamaki blinked out of his mental theater and suddenly found himself surrounded. Four boys wearing red and gold ties were standing in a semi-circle in front of him, trapping Tamaki against the wall. They looked much older than he was, and the unfriendly smiles set Tamaki on edge. Even still, he managed a smile and a polite 'hello'. Looks could be deceiving… right?

"Oh, so you can speak English. That'll make this go so much smoother." The tallest one laughed like he'd just made a joke, and the others joined in. Tamaki's smile dimmed. This Gryffindor was acting oddly rude.

Spotting the look on Tamaki's face, the tallest stopped laughing abruptly. "Sorry, Suoh, sorry. I haven't even introduced myself. Name's Spencer Cortez. I'm a fourth year student, which would make me your… what is it again? Hentai? Sentai? I don't know the word, but you have to respect me, right?"

Tamaki didn't know whether to laugh or run. He remembered Honey and Mori saying something about a Cortez guy in their house, but he couldn't remember what. Maybe he was interested in Japanese culture, but didn't understand it? Could that be it?

"Hey, did you hear me? I asked a question!"

"Uh…" Tamaki adjusted his grip on the wrapped box in hand. "It's an honorific, yeah. I'd call you Cortez-senpai... or Cortez-san." He didn't mention how the second one was less respectful, but from the look in the older boy's eye, that wasn't going to matter. He started to remember why Honey and Mori might have mentioned him before.

Cortez sauntered over and threw an arm over Tamaki's shoulder. "Listen, blondy, I've got a proposition for you. Your father's the top chairman of this school, yeah? So if you wouldn't mind calling in a few favors on my part…" his voice dropped to a whisper, "I won't tell everyone at school that you were born out of wedlock and raised by your muggle mother."

Tamaki felt all the blood in his body rush to his toes.

"See, my mother works for the ministry, and all the files of magical children about to enter school age end up on her desk at least once. So when she saw your last name… she was intrigued by who had landed your dear old dad. Imagine her surprise when she learned that he still wasn't married. It took some digging, but she eventually found your address. Your mother, a pure-bred muggle, housing you and a magical caretaker? Did your father really not love you enough to live with you? Was he worried you'd end up a Squib? Did he not trust your mother to raise you properly, or did she ever know? Was her memory obliviated whenever you accidentally let loose with magic? If that's the case she's probably dopey by now… oh, well. Anyways, do we have a deal?"

Tamaki was frozen. He didn't know what to do. It was true that he'd been raised by his mother, who was a muggle, but he also knew that his father loved them. Had sent the caretaker against his own mother's wishes so that Tamaki wouldn't be completely clueless about the wizarding world when he went to school.

But the truth hardly mattered. If Cortez's rumor got to the school, it would bring shame upon Tamaki and his family. And it would be all Tamaki's fault. But what favors could Cortez actually ask for? Would Tamaki have the power to do so? He hardly spoke to his father, how could he suddenly start making demands for other students? What would his father say if he knew of the situation? Would he do anything? Would he play along? Oh, why did Tamaki have to do this alone?

"Look! He's gonna cry!"

Cortez pulled away quickly, a look of disgust now on his face. "Really, Suoh? You're that worked up about it? Why? You gonna say no to my offer? That's the only reason you'd cry. But you wouldn't do that, would you? Ugh, he does look like he's gonna cry. Man, and I thought you were cool. No wonder you didn't end up in Gryffindor. Would you quit it? If you get a teacher involved I'll tell the whole school regardless of you taking up my offer. You hear me, Suoh? Oh-hey-yo, or whatev- AUGH! "

Tamaki jumped back as Cortez suddenly dropped to the ground. But… something was off about it. His shoes appeared to be stuck to the ground… but he'd fallen forward onto his face. Tamaki nearly threw up when he realized that Cortez's knees were bent in the opposite direction they were supposed to.

In an effort to not get sick, Tamaki looked up. The entrance hall had gone quiet at the sudden shout and most of the students were staring around, trying to figure out what happened. All except for two of them. Jin and Kyoya, both at opposite doorways, had their wands out and pointed towards the place Cortez was once standing.

By the time Cortez's lackeys had pulled out their own wands, ready to get revenge for their ringleader, a professor walked out of the Great Hall. Professor Longbottom rapidly cast five disarming charms, taking Jin's and Kyoya's into hand as well.

He took one look at Cortez, who seemed unable to regain control of his backward knees, and made a simple motion with his wand. At once the boy's legs slid completely out from under him, his shoes no longer stuck to the floor.

"Mr. Pagliaro, Mr. Backus, and Mr. Cloes, take Mr. Cortez to Madam Abbott. I'm sure he'd like his knees returned to their proper place sooner rather than later. Once he's well, all four of you are serve detention with me tomorrow at five p.m. And you each lose ten points from Gryffindor - yes, from my own house, Mr. Backus- for bullying a fellow student. Now go."

They did without a fuss, not even bothering to look at the three Japanese students grouping up behind them. Tamaki whimpered and pulled both Kyoya and Jin into a hug, which he was pleased to have returned.

" Thank you… "

"Mr. Ootori? Ms. Fujioka?"

The three tensed up before falling out of the hug. Jin scuffed her shoe against the floor while Kyoya fiddled with a pinch of his robes. Tamaki was the only one looking directly at Professor Longbottom, his eyes imploring him to go easy, but not daring to speak. His voice might crack if he did.

Professor Longbottom remained quiet for a few moments before announcing, "You both will be serving detention with me tonight, after supper. Ten points are also to be taken from both of your houses for hexing a fellow student… however…"

Jin and Kyoya slowly peeked up, surprised to see a small, almost mischievous smile on their professor's face. "I suppose you've both earned five points each for being able to master two rather complicated spells as first years. And perhaps another five is due to your loyalty and fierce protective instincts towards your friend. Not many first years would stand up to a group of fourth years who outnumbered them two to one."

He gave the group of three another sweeping look, something shifting in his eyes as they smiled at each other. There was something… oddly familiar about them. Shaking it off, he returned Jin and Kyoya's wands before leading them back into the Great Hall, Tamaki already excitedly showing off his chess set. It was like the past ten minutes hadn't even happened.

Except, of course, for the fact that Kyoya and Jin happily sat a little closer together at the Hufflepuff table, taking turns playing against Tamaki. Not to mention the smiles and laughter they both shared that evening as they cataloged the plants in Greenhouse One.

"Wake up, Jin! It's Christmas!"

That was the only warning Jin had before a body was dropped on top of her. Letting out a pained grunt, she wiggled around, trying to free her arms from the blankets now surrounding her. Eventually she gave up, accepting the fact that she was slowly being crushed between her friend and the mattress.

"I regret telling the doors you were allowed into my room…"

"No you don't! Because you've got presents to open up!"

"What?"

"Open up mine first! I have to go wake up Kyoya, but I wanna see your reaction!"

"Then get off, you lump."

As gracefully as he could, Tamaki rolled off of Jin's bunk and fell to his knees, watching from the floor as she sat up. True to Tamaki's word, there was a small pile of presents at the end of her bed, a few knocked over from the scuffle. For the first time, Jin finally understood why the other students got so excited when they left for the winter holiday. Her family didn't really celebrate Christmas, but there was something very thrilling about finding a pile of gifts from people who cared about you in the morning.

Tamaki quickly pressed one of the larger boxes into her hands. Without hesitation, she ripped the gold wrapping off and gasped. It was a calligraphy set! Two new fancy quills with multicolored ink were inside, along with what looked like a fountain pen!

"Oh, wow…"

"I see you trying to copy Professor Zwick's handwriting in Transfiguration class and how you put loops and such into your writing. Kyoya got mad because he wanted to get you something similar but- oof! "

"I love it! Thank you, Tamaki!"

Jin's back began to hurt a little in the odd bent position it was, but continued to hug Tamaki all the same. The hug went on for a few seconds before Tamaki released her and jumped to his feet. "Finish opening those and I'll go get Kyoya!"

"He's gonna kill you… and he's gone."

Jin rolled her eyes as the door gave Tamaki a rather unnecessary tap on his backside as he left the room. It probably didn't appreciate the wake-up-call Jin was given by the extravagant boy.

Doing as Tamaki requested, Jin quickly opened the rest of her presents. A batch of brownies from Hagrid that she'd have to soften in the fireplace later on, a pair of decorative hair pins with flapping butterflies on each end from Misuzu-chi, a brand new sketchpad and shading tools from her father and Haruhi along with some candy, and… the new Rick Riordan book she wanted from Kyoya.

Jin smiled at the cover, tracing her fingers along the raised title. She had no idea how Kyoya had managed to purchase the muggle book, but was very touched that he remembered she liked it at all. She had only brought them up once, before the two were even friends.

Suddenly excited to see the boy's faces when they opened her gifts, Jin slipped out of bed and threw on a sweater and sweatpants before grabbing the gifts she'd hidden under her bed. She'd even left notes on top of them for the house elves, letting them know they didn't need to be delivered to Tamaki and Kyoya. She wanted to do it herself. Tucking the boxes under her arm, Jin ran out into the common room.

Out of the three common rooms Jin had been in, the Hufflepuff one was her favorite. It was the longest common room in the whole castle and always comfortably warm with the two fireplaces that burned at each end. Above one of the fireplaces was a talking mirror, the other a bookshelf that always seemed to have the book you needed. Along the right wall were various cubbies that always held some food from the latest run to the kitchens, perfect for studying or late night snacks.

Jin snagged an apple before flopping down on one of the many comfy chaises that were scattered throughout the room, carefully placing her friend's gifts on the table now in front of her. There was no overhead lights or torches to light up the room, or windows. Instead, glowing orbs floated around the room, dimming or brightening in relation to the student's needs. For example, when Jin had first entered the room, three of the orbs brightened enough to provide a soft, yellowy light and followed Jin around the room. When she sat down, another two orbs joined in, and they spread out so the little circle of chairs, couches, and Jin's chaise was bathed in a golden light.

A few minutes later and the door that lead into the hallway opened, revealing a pale Tamaki and a rather sleepy-looking Kyoya. Jin fought off her giggles as they both stumbled into the room. There was a temptation to say 'I told you so' to Tamaki, but Jin decided that might not be very nice to do on Christmas.

Tamaki collapsed into one of the chair, curling up into a ball and began to rock himself back and forth, likely traumatized by whatever Kyoya had said to him while he was being woken up. Kyoya ignored his friend's mental trauma, sitting down by Jin's feet and yawning.

"Is that a new sweater?" The only reason Jin asked was because the sweater Kyoya was wearing looked… poorly made. It was dark green with silver Katakana on it that spelled "Merry Christmas", but the stitches were shaky, there were a few small holes in the fabric, and if Jin wasn't mistaken, one arm was longer than the other. It didn't seem like something Kyoya would be caught dead wearing, given his taste in muggle clothing, but he had it on all the same.

"Mhm. My sister made it… she hasn't quite gotten the hang of knitting, yet. But… it's… mmm, warm… "

Jin smiled, poking at Kyoya's side with his foot so he wouldn't fall asleep. "That's so sweet of you. What other gifts did you get?" She immediately regretted her question. Kyoya's eyes opened again, but without the soft, sleepy glaze from before. His shoulders tensed, and he wasn't looking at Tamaki or Jin.

He mumbled, "Some of Hagrid's favorite tea blends and a new chess set from Tamaki."

Jin had to bite her tongue to not ask why the rest of his family hadn't sent him something.

"I didn't get much either, Kyoya, other than from you, Hagrid, and my mother." Tamaki gave his friend an understanding smile, but rather than cheer Kyoya up, it seemed to weight him down further. Jin didn't know what to say. She knew their home lives were… difficult , especially when growing up, but they were ignored even on Christmas? Hogwarts sent out specific letters to the families of the students staying behind for the holidays to encourage sending gifts, either for the holidays they personally celebrated or just to get in on the fun and be semi-connected with their children despite the distance.

Pouting, Jin sat up properly and grabbed the two gifts on the table. One was yellow with a black ribbon around it, and the other was green with a silver ribbon. She was glad that Misuzu-chi had been willing to send them to her already wrapped.

"I'm sorry I didn't have them delivered with the others, but I wanted to give them to you in person."

Both Tamaki and Kyoya looked over, surprised to spot the gifts now in Jin's hands. They had both been so mentally preoccupied they hadn't even noticed them.

Tamaki was the first to snatch his gift, hastily pulling aside the black ribbon before ripping the paper to shreds. At once he let out a shout of delight, staring down at the scrapbook. It had a nice black cover with the four different Hogwarts house crests in each corner. In the middle of the front cover was a picture Honey had taken during their first day of classes. Honey and Mori were in the back of the group of five, Honey on Mori's shoulders, smiling at the camera in their own ways and occasionally waving. In front of them were Jin, Tamaki, and Kyoya from left to right. Jin was happily waving, not bothered by how Tamaki's arm was wrapped around her shoulders, while Kyoya looked like he was attempting to leave the frame only to be held in place by Tamaki's other arm.

The Tamaki in the real world smiled as the little Kyoya finally gave up in his escape, giving the camera a small smile and tucking his arm behind Tamaki's back as well.

"Well?"

" I love it. "

Tamaki began flipping through the empty pages in the scrapbook, already making plans for what he'd focus the pages on, while Jin looked over to Kyoya's side of the chaise. He'd been silent ever since Jin offered him the present, slowly taking it and unwrapping the box while Tamaki admired his own gift.

Kyoya was staring at the opened box in awe, all traces of sleepiness gone. Carefully, as if handling something breakable, he reached in and pulled out the black journal and elegant crow feather quill from inside.

Letting the empty box slide off his lap, Kyoya set the quill at his side and began to flip through the journal. Like Tamaki's scrapbook, it was completely empty, save for two written inscriptions on the inside of the front and back covers.

In Jin's conjoined hiragana, the first message read, " This journal is the property of Kyoya Ootori. If found, please return to the Slytherin or Hufflepuff common room. "

On the back was a direct message from Jin to Kyoya. " I know you like to document things that you find important. I figured this would be a better alternative to your extra rolls of parchment. Merry Christmas, Kyoya! ~Jin "

Jin swallowed, trying to gauge Kyoya's reaction. He didn't appear to be moving at all. Not even a blink. Tucking her feet a little closer to her body, she inquired, "Kyoya? Do you like it?"

Kyoya abruptly looked up from the gift in his lap, taking in a deep breath. Once he felt composed enough, he stood up, set the journal on the table in between the circle of chairs, and practically fell on top of Jin, giving her a tight hug.

Tamaki, not one to be left out of a cuddle pile, jumped up as well and joined in. Both boys whispered their thanks. Jin merely giggled, doing her best to hug them back.

Jin hadn't meant to forget that Hagrid wanted them to visit. She really hadn't. She had his letter on the desk in front of her, using it as a temporary bookmark specifically so she wouldn't forget about it. She'd written the meeting into her planner as well, underlining the time more than once, and even made sure to check what the weather would be like for their walk down to his hut. It just so happened that the book on the Spanish language Mister Kouri had suggested for her was really interested, and she was so invested in learning the basics as fast as possible that… everything else… slipped her mind.

Thank god for Kyoya.

He tapped Jin's shoulder rought twenty minutes before they were supposed to go, effectively drawing her out of her spanish mindset, and waited patiently for both her and Tamaki to pack up. The trio happily discussed the rapidly warming weather on their way through the grounds.

As they went, they passed by a large group of fifth years, all of whom were comparing the notes they'd taken during their Care of Magical Creatures class. Jin tried to pick up on what creature had been today's lesson, in an effort to prepare herself for her future classes. Because once Hagrid learned that she, Kyoya, and Tamaki all intended on taking Care of Magical Creatures, he'd been remarkably tight-lipped on how the classes were organized. Something about not spoiling the surprise.

As per usual, by the time they reached Hagrid's hut, all evidence of the class that had just taken place was gone. It was almost like a game, now. Hagrid putting away his future lesson plans before the three arrived, while they tried to get there earlier enough to sneak a peek.

Mood not deterred, Tamaki was the one who bounded forward and knocked on the door. A familiar bark greeted them, followed by a gruff voice.

"Back, Bruiser. Back. "

Hagrid opened the door and immediately his bullmastiff dove between his legs, anxious to greet some of his favorite humans. Tamaki, being in the front, was the first to be bowled over by the dog. Jin and Kyoya managed to catch him as he fell backwards, all three of them laughing as they were covered in a tidal wave of dog kisses.

Still in the doorway, Hagrid shook his head fondly before stepping back, inviting them all inside. Once they were sufficiently loved on, Bruiser backed off enough for them to go inside and sit at the table. Jin scratched at his head while Hagrid poured the tea.

"Alrigh'... now tell me how'r yer classes are goin'."

Tamaki went first, talking about how he'd finally managed to cook a perfect potion without Professor Ramsey's help this past week. Kyoya followed with the points he'd earned in Transfiguration the day before. Jin went last, a little preoccupied with the pupper in front of her, and talked about how the language club with Mister Kouri was going and her progression with Spanish.

Kyoya scoffed, "I don't understand why you didn't choose German, then we could've studied together."

"Because this way when I start to learn German and you start with Spanish-"

" When? "

"-then we can help each other!"

"You're very optimistic that I'm going to learn more than three languages."

"Aren't you?"

"No, I am not."

"What? Come on, it's so much fun!"

"For you, perhaps. You're the smartest in our class, of course language comes easily to you!"

"Kyoya, you're smart, too!"

" Heh, Gold'n Trio… "

Hagrid looked up from his tea, surprised by the sudden silence that followed his words. The first years before him stared back, confused and curious.

"Hagrid," Jin hesitated before finishing her question, "why do so many professors call us that?"

"Oh, dear…" Hagrid rubbed one of his huge hands down the back of his head. His wild mane of hair was squashed down for a second before it puffed out again. He sighed, trying to think of the best way to answer. "Well… 'm not the best storyteller, truth be told... but if you wan' ta know, I'll try me best."

And with that, Hagrid's beady eyes grew soft, memories flooding through him even as he regarded the children in front of him. "I's a story ya already know, bu' jus a little differen'. More… close ta home, I reckon. After all, I knew 'em long before all three of 'em were famous. The Boy who Lived, the Brightest Witch of the Age, and The Boy who Cared."

All the air had left the room, the first year's eyes going wide when they suddenly realized what story was about to be told. Jin shakily raised her hand, not feeling right about interrupting the impending tale without some permission. "I… isn't it… 'The King'?"

"Not my story."

They sat in rapt silence as Hagrid began.

He told them the story of a scrawny green-eyed boy with messy black hair and glasses. The story of a boy who was nervous about the Slytherin traits within him and the family he didn't know. The story of a boy who cared deeply for his friends, even if they clashed, and never backed down from an opportunity to protect the ones he loved.

He told the story of a remarkably intelligent young girl from a background seen as lesser by some. A girl who proved over and over that she was ready to fight for what she believed in and the people she cared about. A girl who was smart, yes, but also kind and more than willing to step up to the plate should someone pick a fight.

He also told the story of a boy who found the first boy alone in a train carriage and his immediate thought was 'I must protect this boy'. He told the story of the best friend who would give away everything he had to someone in need even if he had nothing much to give in the first place. A boy who would be willing to stand on broken bones to defend his friends, even to the death.

And he told the story of the three together, how they beat the odds that no one had ever considered beatable. He told the story of friendship, hard times, and funny lines. Of anger, misunderstandings, and love. Of enemies, desperation, and lending a shoulder to those in need.

The story of the little baby Hagrid had flown through the sky on a motorcycle and his closest friends. The story of the girl who helped prepare Hagrid for his first ever Ministry hearing, even when her heart was suffering at the same time. The story of the boy who faced his greatest fear to follow Hagrid's advice and save both him and his friends. The story of the boy who understood what it was like to want to protect the last family member you had left.

It was the story of the 'biggest bunch of misfits' Hagrid had ever laid his eyes upon.

The same bunch he could see right now, sitting around his table as though the past twenty years had never happened… and all the bad things that tried to rip those three apart never even tried.

By the time his last choked word left his lips, all four of them were in tears.

All because Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

Jin sighed, her eyes shut as she leaned back onto the grass. A warm breeze wafted above her head, making her flyaways shiver against her forehead. As much as she wanted to keep studying for final exams, she had to admit that Tamaki had a point in dragging them all outside.

Cracking open her eyelids again, she spotted Honey and Mori studying in the lower branches of the tree she was resting under. Kyoya was sitting beside her head, his Herbology textbook in his lap and the black notebook by his other side. Jin always became real giggly whenever she thought about how her gift had become somewhat of a character statement for her friend. Kyoya never went anywhere without it any more.

Two splashes in rapid succession could be heard from the nearby water edge and Jin turned her head towards the sound. Tamaki was still standing ankle deep in the lake, where he'd been for the past twenty minutes. It looked like he was practicing how to skip rocks, something Hagrid had shown him how to do in the early fall. He was getting better at it… the rocks were actually skipping now.

Shaking her head at her internal joke, Jin pushed herself back onto her elbows and reached for the small pile of sweets by her legs. The five of them had pooled together all the candy they'd been given for Easter into one pile to share. But with the semester about to end in a few weeks, only a handful of the stuff remained.

Snatching up the last chocolate frog container, Jin popped it open. The frog was rather melted looking, its back legs too deformed to actually jump away. Deciding to take pity on the thing, Jin quickly bit it in half. With the other half slowly melting between her fingers, Jin flipped over the card.

She smiled at the ginger, freckly man staring back at her. She'd never really been interested in collecting chocolate frog cards before meeting Tamaki. He'd told her about his rather extensive collection while on the Hogwarts Express and helped her start up by buying at least ten of them from the trolley. Now, after the sweets from Christmas and Easter, Jin was finally in the stage where she was starting to collect doubles. Or was it… no, this was definitely a duplicate. But she had a feeling she wouldn't trade them off like Tamaki did. She liked watching the wizards and witches move and interact with each other. This guy in particular was really funny.

"He's quite the idiot, isn't he?"

Turning away from where Fred Weasley was making faces at her, Jin tipped her head back and stared at Kyoya upside down. He had a soft, almost amused expression on his face as he stared towards the water. Jin followed his line of sight. To her great surprise, while she'd been distracted, Tamaki had been joined by the giant squid.

Tamaki, being as quiet as possible, was inching his way towards one of the tentacles. Just before he was able to touch… it jerked. Tamaki let out a yelp and jumped back, falling into the water. The squid shuddered throughout its body. If Jin had to guess, it was laughing at its little prank.

She gave her chocolate card a glance, as if asking the picture ' Did you teach it that? ' She was only given a wink in return.

"Sorry, you asked me something?"

"Hmm… it wasn't much of a question. I simply stated that Tamaki's a bit of an idiot."

Jin hummed back, "I suppose so."

In the lake, Tamaki had stood up once more, completely drenched, and was now making his way towards the tentacle again. Clearly he was determined to touch it this time. The giant squid slowly raised the tentacle out of the water, like it was going to meet him in the middle. Maybe it felt bad for frightening him?

Oh. No. It just wanted to splash Tamaki. Who fell down into the water again. All four of his friends back on shore began laughing.

"We really allow ourselves to be seen in his company?"

Jin snorted at the exasperated tone in Kyoya's voice. "Yeah, suppose that makes us idiots, too!"

More laughter followed, the four of them watching as Tamaki attempted to lunge onto the tentacle only for the squid to move out of the way. His face was priceless right before it disappeared under the surface for a third time.

Shaking his head, Kyoya leaned back onto his hands, his textbook falling shut. He took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slowly letting it back out. "It is… really pretty out here, today."

"Yeah." Jin licked the chocolate mess off of her fingers before settling onto her back. Above her, the green leaves shook in the wind, casting dappled green light across her face. Even with finals beginning to loom over them… it felt peaceful.

Even with Tamaki's occasional screams skipping across the water's surface. He seemed to be having more luck with that than with his rocks.

Before they were ready for it, everyone was packed up and leaving the castle. The portraits and ghosts all waved as the students filed their way through the hallways, luggage trailing behind them. Pets squeaked and chattered from inside their carriers, anxious to be let out again. Just like when they'd arrived, all the first year students were placed inside the boats and lead away from Hogwarts across the lake.

Jin knew she wasn't the only first year who looked back.

Boarding the train at Hogsmeade was no less hectic and emotional than it was in London. Friends who would be separated in the many train cabins hugged one another, addresses were scribbled on scraps of spare parchment for owl deliveries later in the summer, and the graduating class was in tears as they begged one another to stay in touch.

Jin carefully handed Sora's cage, in which the owl was chirping like mad, up to Mori so she could get on the train. Just before she disappeared inside, she turned and gave Hagrid one last wave. She, Tamaki, Kyoya, Mori, and Honey had already given the man farewell hugs, a few of them getting their joints popped in return, but Jin didn't feel right about leaving without seeing him one last time. At least it was easy to spot him in the crowd.

Once Hagrid waved back, Jin gave him another smile and climbed further onto the train. Sora was handed back to her before the five made their way to the first empty cabin they could find. It was much easier to do so than when they were first arriving. All of the first years had since been absorbed into larger groups of friends. No one was sitting alone.

"You'll all write this summer, right?"

"Absolutely."

"Oh! Let's all meet in Diagon Alley! Before school starts!"

Jin beamed as she shut the cabin doors. "That sounds like fun! And you call all meet my little sister, Haru! I mean, she sent in an application to Hogwarts too, and she's super smart… I hope she gets in."

"Me, too!" Tamaki practically collapsed onto the cushion by the window. "You talked about her so much, I feel like I know her already! Oh, next year's gonna be so exciting!"

Sora burst from his cage the moment the latch was undone, quickly perching himself on Mori's head to preen. Everyone but Mori laughed at the sight, Jin putting the cage away before settling down next to Kyoya. The train whistle sounded before they began moving, the scenery slowly traveling sideways outside the window. Hogsmeade's train station falling away as they began their journey back to London.

Jin sighed, leaning her head against the cushions, watching silently as Tamaki and Kyoya began grilling Honey and Mori about what to expect from their classes next year, especially if Professor Gagliardi was going to be worse considering Ravenclaw had won both the Quidditch and House cups this year.

Yeah, she thought to herself, next year's gonna be amazing.