First Year,
Stay Calm and Breathe

Sirius had tried to convince Phoebe to at least consider the possibility of waiting until next year. However, she was still determined to head to Hogwarts. Hiding her true emotions remembering everything her Great-grandmother had taught her, 'just take a second to calm and breathe,' she knew exactly what Phoebe was going through.

Her mother walked through the barrier with her smiling softly at her. Providing the comfort she needed today, rather than running around, she remain next to her mother. Watching as friends reunited, young lovers greeted each other with a long-awaited kiss.

The family stood on the platform awaiting their departure from the station Rhea, dragged her and their cousin onto the train, Phoebe knew she was so excited to finally go to Hogwarts, though when she came back from searching for the trolly lady, she seemed annoyed and infuriated.

"Are you alright?" Laura asked

"Yes, just bumped into a rather rude boy,"

"What did you do?" Phoebe accused

"What makes you think I did anything?" Rhea argued

"Well, you do have a way about you,"

"Oh thank you, Pheebs"

"She didn't mean it like that," Laura said, defending her

"Forget I said anything," Phoebe said,

"Good, I'm going to find Ethan," Rhea said, leaving the pair, Phoebe looked down at her lap, biting her lip.

"I shouldn't have said anything,"

"Don't do that, your opinion matters," Laura said, wrapping her arms around her.

Phoebe hoped that the journey was longer than it should be, so she could give herself time to prepare for the sorting ceremony. However, the journey quickly passed, once Rhea returned three girls, talked the entire time befriending two girls, one called Angelina and another called Alicia.

Phoebe didn't quite catch their surnames, as she was too lost in her own mind, they arrived at the station her cousin Ethan quickly said, goodbye to them, already dressed in his Gryffindor robes, before heading with the other students to the carriages.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rhea asked her,

"Yes, I'm fine do you think we'll be in the same house?" Phoebe asked

"I hope so," Phoebe stumbled backwards, falling into someone, almost knocking him over.

"Cedric Diggory," the professor called, as she lowered the sorting hat onto his head, the hat didn't waste any time picking the boy's house.

"HUFFLEPUFF,"

"Are you alright?" he asked, she blinked looking up at him

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," Phoebe quickly turned around to help the boy, Rhea and Laura chuckled he was a lot taller than her how did she not see him.

"It's fine, I probably shouldn't have stood too close to you," he said, "I'm Cedric,"

"I know, I mean I'm Phoebe," she said,

"And I'm Rhea," her sister said, extending her hand, the boy shook her hand, she smiled at him.

"She's my sister, and this is my cousin Laura,"

"It's nice to meet you all," he said,

"You're certainly nicer than the other boy I met," Rhea commented

"What happened with that boy?" Laura questioned

"Nothing, he just got under my skin," Rhea told her

As they arrived at the boats, there was a tall bushy-haired man waiting for the first-year students, along with a slim Professor dressed in emerald robes and a pointed hat. From her mother and father's descriptions, she must have been Professor McGonagall.

"State your names please as you enter the boats," she asked, Rhea and Laura made their way into the boats,

"Phoebe Black," she said, the professor held her hand out preventing her from stepping into the boat.

"Miss Black, would you please come with me?"

"Is there a problem?" she asked

"Not at all just we're trying something new this year,"

Phoebe glanced at Rhea and Laura before she left with Professor McGonagall. The anxiety built up to an overwhelming amount as she and the deputy headmistress arrived at Hogwarts. Rather than head to Great Hall to be sorted she was escorted to a Gargoyle statue.

She followed the Professor up the stairs, she wondered why she wasn't with the first years. As McGonagall asked her to wait for the Headmaster, she looked all around her, old portraits of the previous Headmasters hung, looking down at her.

"Miss Black, I received a letter from your father, regarding a few concerns he had," Professor Dumbledore spoke

"Concerns?"

"He informed me, you possess a gift, he wanted to make myself, Professor McGonagall, and whoever your head of house be," she nodded, just as she was about to speak he continued, "he explained, that you would rather the matter remain between you and family I understand your sister and cousin are with you,"

"Yes, Professor,"

"Miss Black, your parents wished for use know so that you could have someone to talk to, if you ever wish to go home without causing too much distress to yourself, if you needed time from class we could grant you that, though I must point should this privilege be abused in any way, you will lose that privilege,"

"Professor, I just want to have a normal school experience,"

"That's quite alright, just know the help is there,"

"I'll escort you back to the rest of your peers," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing for her to exit the office

Phoebe managed to look around Hogwarts before her sister could. No doubt she would be jealous. She had no doubt that Rhea would be in Dumbledore's office more times than any other student. She managed to sneak back into the crowd of first years, without anyone noticing. Not drawing attention to herself was key to a successful time at Hogwarts.