𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨: 𝐭𝐨𝐚𝐝

The Hogwarts Express was billowing thick curtains of smoke everywhere, casting silhouettes of people around the platform nine and three-quarters.

The great steam engine glistened in red as students of varying years clambered onto the train. You feel slightly self-conscious when you notice just how tall the others were compared to you.

"Remember, (Y/n)," your mother fusses over your form, dusting your clothes. "Be polite to your teachers and classmates. Study very hard on your subjects. It's good to take a break but goofing around all year will all be for nothing if you fail. And—"

Your father places a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. "She knows how to handle herself, (M/n). She's a responsible little lady."

"But what if there's an emergency?" Your mother straightens her back, turning to your father. "We can't call ourselves. And—and with all of these new things being introduced to her will all be too much—"

"And she can handle them herself," your father intervenes. "Do you not trust her?"

There was a moment of silence. "I do," your mother replies, albeit hesitantly.

Your father smiles before turning to you. "You'll be fine, won't you?"

You nod assuringly. "Of course I will! I am a responsible," you pause, about to say 'adult'. "Err, child?"

Your father chuckles and ruffles your hair. Which you and your mother spent half an hour to style and comb to her liking. Huffing, you hurriedly fix your hair but didn't voice out your complains.

Just then, the train whistles. It was time to go. Your belongings and your pet owl were already in the compartment storage with the rest of the first-years' stuff. You ignored your pounding heart and looked at your parents.

"Wish me luck," you say, flashing them a nervous smile. Your mother and father hug you, this one lasting much longer than the one they gave you at home. You embrace them with as much strength as you're able to muster.

You'll miss them. You really will. This will be the first time where you'll be left on your own with no mother or father to support you.

Before you can cry, you successfully get out of your parents' grip. Their hands linger on your form, but they eventually let you go and watched as you wave goodbye while rushing to go inside the train.

You cast one more fleeting glance at them (they were waving back and shouting goodbyes) before walking inside amongst other students in the train, trying to find empty compartments.

You notice that some of the students seem to have already made friends as they laughed and jumped from topic to topic. It made you feel lonely since you didn't have any friends (yet). Did Oliver count as a friend? You're pretty sure you've called him your friend and he didn't object. Wait, you don't even know if he goes to school, specifically in Hogwarts.

Still, maybe you should look around for him, if there was the slightest chance he does go to the same wizarding school as you. You squeeze past a few students, looking into compartments and huffing whenever you couldn't find him.

You eventually give up when you didn't so much as catch a glimpse of Oliver. As disappointing as that may be, you tell yourself that you'll see him at Hogwarts. You wonder if he actually forgot about you after your first meeting at Diagon Alley. Your stomach squeezes uncomfortably at the thought, so you opted not to think about that possibility as you entered an empty compartment.

Well, semi-empty compartment. There was a girl already settled there with long, bushy brown hair. Her nose was buried in a thick book titled A History of Magic.