Things Will Never Be the Same Again

The next morning was a complete and hectic rush.
I barely got time to eat breakfast before Molly was prodding me up the stairs to finish packing my things. I wasn’t the only one in a rush though, Hermione and Ginny seemed to be the only two ready to leave on time, George and Fred being the worst out of all of us.

“Mum have you seen my broom?” Fred was calling from across the landing. Molly, who was trying to jam all my books and clothes into my trunk, was in quite a mood as she yelled back
“NO FRED I HAVE NOT!” She shouted almost loud enough to knock Joseph off his perch.
“Mum, where is my winter cloak?” Ron called from his room.
“I DO NOT KNOW RONALD! BUT IF YOU DON’T FIND IT IN THE NEXT THREE MINUTES YOU WILL NOT HAVE ONE THIS WINTER!”
“Ah, there we go dear, all packed” She puffed, smiling at me. “Now you take Joseph down stairs and I’ll take care of your trunk. Go on now.” I didn’t need telling twice. I grabbed Joseph’s cage and started the climb down the steps. Waiting outside was Arthur in a sky blue, Ford Anglia.
“We’re all going in that?” I asked, my forehead creasing in confusion.
“We are indeed” Arthur grinned “Looks just like an ordinary Muggle car doesn’t it?”

I climbed in with Joseph on my knee and noticed Ginny and Hermione already sitting in the front seat. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me for a second as they were both comfortably sitting there with enough room.
“Well hello girls,” George said, opening the door which I’d just got in through. I shuffled over so he could sit down.
“READY,” Fred bellowed as he shuffled in from the other door, Ron and Harry following him quickly. Arthur jumped in the driver’s seat and Molly in the passenger’s door and thankfully it really did look like we were all ready.
“Is it just me or does this car confuse the heck out of you too?” I whispered to George as we left number 12 Grimmauld Place and went zooming along a deserted street.
“It’s a charm which expands the car,” George whispered back, smirking.

It took about half an hour before we reached the train station. Half an hour of Fred and George telling me about the ghosts who lived on the school grounds and then telling me stories about how they ended up as ghosts, which to their great amusement, really freaked me out. Half an hour of Hermione and Ginny talking nonstop about some boy who was playing quidditch for Hufflepuff this year, but since almost nothing of what they were saying was making any sense to me at all I turned my attention to Ron and Harry who were talking about how much they were dreading another year of potions classes.
“Snape for another year, I don’t know if I can stand it,” Groaned Ron.
“Be happy you’re not in Slytherin!” Fred snorted. “At least we have a decent head of house”
“Is this, uh, Snape not decent then?” I asked awkwardly, trying to join in on the conversation.
“Snape is the most horrid teacher at Hogwarts; don’t get on the wrong side of him. Last year, for one of his detentions, he made me sort through rotting insects. For five hours.” Fred shuddered.
“Great. I feel heaps better about Hogwarts now”
“Don’t worry, as long as you don’t end up in Slytherin you will be fine!” George smiled warmly.
“No, don’t worry Jess,” Fred whispered “It looks like George would be ready to take Snape on for you!” He laughed loudly while George tried to zap his twin with his wand from the other side of me.
“Enough! That is enough boys, we’re here,” Molly announced in a tired voice.

Everyone filed out and went to get a trolley straight away. I was just able to fit my trunk and Josephs cage onto the trolley too, I was grateful that Joseph was such a tiny owl after all.
“Here we are dear, this is your ticket. Don’t lose it now, you won’t be able to get another,” Molly said passing me the strangest train ticket I’d ever seen.
“But this says nine and three quarters”
“I should hope so,” She said simply
“Where is that?” I asked as we arrived at the platforms nine and ten.
“Dear, watch the boys carefully, I’ll go through with you alright?”
“Alright” I Nodded.
Fred and George suddenly took off at a fast paced walk straight toward the brick wall separating platforms nine and ten.
“What are they thinking?” I whispered. And before I knew it they had disappeared through the wall, my mouth fell open in shock.
“Right Harry, Ron, go on now!” Molly ushered the two boys forward; they repeated just what Fred and George had done. I still couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Ginny and Hermione, off you go now.” Molly sent the two girls forward before turning to me and Arthur.
“Well give my best to the children will you love, I better go bring the car around, don’t think I parked it the right way” He hadn’t. He’d parked right in the middle of a bus stop. “Good luck Jess, remember to write” He looked down at Joseph and made a face “On second thought, maybe wait until you receive an owl from us”
“Don’t worry, Joseph will make a good owl I just know it” I replied defiantly and smiled as I heard a few little hooting noises from Joseph’s cage that sounded like he wanted a part in the conversation.
“OK well, now’s the time dear, there’s only a few minutes left. Ready?” I gulped and nodded my head trying to keep calm.
I grabbed a tight hold of my trolley and Molly kept a tight hold on my arm. We both took off at the same time, running straight for the wall. It felt insane, I couldn’t believe what we were actually doing until I felt Molly tighten her grip and force me to stop. I hadn’t even realized I’d closed my eyes. But I was very grateful that she had stopped me, I’d nearly collided with a great red and black train.
“Thanks”
“Anytime dear.” She smiled down at me. “Now be good and don’t get in too much trouble, if you ever need anything you know how to contact us,” She said quickly, giving me a hug.
“Mrs Weasley,” I whispered pulling away from her “Please write!” I was suddenly feeling very alone. All around me were students surrounded by their friends and families, it made me slightly self-conscious.
“You know I will” She grinned, pulling me into another hug. “Ok now, go on, on you go” She pushed me forward until I was on the train and handing over my ticket. I turned around and saw her saying her goodbyes to Ginny, I couldn’t help but smile.

That smile didn’t last too long though, soon I was stumbling my way through the train corridors, pulling my trunk along and trying to balance Josephs cage on top while looking for a seat but they all seemed to be taken.
I eventually reached the booths, but they too, looked full. I was starting to have the idea that I’d be forced to stand out in the corridor for the entire trip to Hogwarts all alone, well unless Joseph counted. I passed the second to last booth and looked in realizing there was only one boy in there. He was reading a book and looked extremely confused by it.

A gush of joy flooded me. I slid open the door hurriedly “Excuse me, could I sit with you?” I asked as the dark haired boy looked up. He had a round face and teeth that looked like he was still growing into them.
“Sure” he said, looking delighted to have company.
“My name’s Jess, I’m a fifth year,” I said smiling
“I’m Neville, wait, did you say you’re a fifth year?” He looked surprised.
“Sure did, why?” I racked my brain, trying to remember what Mrs Weasley had told me. I could’ve sworn it was the fifth year. Apparently I was supposed to be a sixth year but I had to stay back since I couldn’t miss the fifth year level, it was just too important.
“Well, I’m a fifth year, I’ve never seen you around before”
“Oh this will be my first year here,” I replied happily, I was still feeling very grateful to have a seat to sit in.
“Never heard of anyone starting in their fifth year before” He looked utterly confused, I didn’t like it. I hadn’t thought starting at a new school would be this big of a deal.
“Is it fun though? Learning magic? The classes must be amazing,” I said after a while, breaking the silence. Neville looked up from his book again which he seemed drawn to.
“Yeah, it’s ok; most of the classes are great”
“Which ones do you like?” I felt the need to keep up the conversation so the awkward silence wouldn’t return.
“Well Herbology is my favorite because it’s the one I’m best at and Care of Magical Creatures is fun,” He replied looking thoughtful “As long as the magical creatures aren’t trying to blast your head off your body,” He replied shaking his head.
“Oh” I didn’t really have anything to say to that “Well, what are the worst ones?”
“Potions,” Neville answered automatically.
“Oh with Snape?”
“Professor Snape, don’t let him catch you calling him anything else,” he mumbled “And never ever forget his name!” He gave a slight shudder, it seemed like Professor Snape had a terrible reputation.

Suddenly the compartment door slid open and Harry walked in “Jess, hey, George has been looking for you everywhere” He grinned and suddenly noticed Neville. “Oh hey Neville”
“Hi Harry”
“Has he really?” I asked, a smile fighting to take over my face.
“Yeah, wanted to make sure, uh, that you got on ok,” He said in a tone which made me think that’s not really what he had been doing at all.
“Right, well, he couldn’t have looked very hard” I shrugged.
“Well, I’ll let him know where you are shall I?”
“Ok Harry” I nodded before turning to look out the train window, my face continuously gaining more colour at the mention of George looking for me. I heard the door slide open and close again and breathed a sigh of relief; I could hardly have kept my composure much longer.

“Neville, how long does it take to get to Hogwarts?” I finally turned back from the window.
“Another four hours or so, not too long, definitely not enough time to finish all my homework off,” He sighed, turning back to his book.
“Mind if I take a look at some of it?” I was intrigued to see what kind of work we’d be doing.
“Sure, here’s the stuff on potions” He grimaced.
“Thanks” I grinned, looking down at a few tatty looking pieces of parchment. It took me a few tries to decipher the writing scrawled across the first one. It read
‘Pinpoint which potion includes the ingredients Lovage and Sneezewort. Explain the need for Scurvy Grass which is added throughout the making of this potion’
“Neville? Tell me you don’t understand this!” I groaned looking down at the essay that followed those first lines. To my astonishment, Neville laughed.
“To tell you the truth” He grinned, lowering his voice. “I really don’t. My Nan helped me to write all of that” He waved at the parchments in my hand. “She really wants me to do well”

I grinned back at him as he, once again, turned his attention back to the book in his hands. I glanced out the window to notice the scenery had changed form houses and buildings to wide open land and trees. It was really pretty.
I leaned back into the seat and, not for the first time, started wondering about the new school that was awaiting me at the end of the train ride.