King's Cross Station bustled with people. The autumn wind battered the crowd, especially those pushing trolleys which were packed with suitcases.

   Some of these people stood out from the crowd. Whilst some were wearing tailored suits, others were wearing strange cloaks and pointed hats. Despite their bizarre, extraordinary attire, these people seemed to be invisible to those suited and dressed ordinarily.

   Wizards.

   A particular set of wizards in the crowd were the Pitch family, a very classy, very snobby, and very rich pure-blooded family. They walked in their expensive black robes with their backs straight and their noses up at everyone surrounding them.

   Everyone in the family walked like that... save for the family's eldest daughter, an 11 year old girl with dark obsidian hair and striking storm grey eyes, who just bolted ahead and almost knocked over one of the ordinarily dressed people, or Muggle.

"Gemini, slow down. You are supposed to walk with grace and elegance," her father hissed sternly, but his daughter paid no attention.

"Why couldn't we have just used the Floo network to get there?" her mother sighed. "All these filthy Muggles, I'll never get the smell out of my robes.. my best robes too.."

"It's to give Gemini the proper Hogwarts experience, someone at the office suggested it. Now let's find her before she causes too much mischief.." her father suggested.

   Gemini continued to sprint, stopping as she reached the barrier between Platform 9, and Platform 10. With a deep breath she started to run again, heading straight for the barrier, waiting for the impact of the bricks...

   But there was none.

   Thanks to powerful magic, she'd simply melted through the bricks, and appeared on a platform next to a beautiful black and red steam train, with 'Hogwarts Express' labelled on the side of each carriage in gold stencil. Gemini glanced up at the platform plate above her head, and a broad grin spread across her face.

   Platform 9 3/4. She'd finally made it! She was one step closer to being at Hogwarts, only the best school for witchcraft and wizardry.

   She squealed with excitement, running around the barrier a few times before bolting towards the Hogwarts Express, eyes only on the glorious train. Of course, she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings, and it wasn't long before... crash!

"Hey! Watch where you're going, bonehead!" came the muffled voice of the person that was now underneath Gemini.

"Merlin's beard, it was your fault! You got in the way," she retorted, but she stood up anyway, offering a hand to the person she'd tackled accidentally.

   The person was actually a girl with long sandy brown hair and bright hazel eyes flecked with gold and green, which were hidden behind thin black wire frame glasses. She had large, ugly scars on her face, though she didn't seem to care. She looked up at Gemini with a look of suspicion, before breaking into a smile and accepting Gemini's hand.

"You're spunky, I like you! Name's Artemis Wolfe, what's yours?" she asked, her tone kinder. Gemini hesitated slightly before answering.

"I'm Pitch," she replied with a cocky grin. Before she could say anything else, her father's voice crashed down on her like a wave of disappointment.

"There you are. Come now, onto the train before it leaves without you. And do me a favour, try not to bring any dishonour to our family name..." he said sternly, looking down on Gemini with a harsh glare.

"Yes father, I understand. Goodbye, goodbye mother," the raven-haired girl mumbled, nodding her head at both of her parents.  They weren't exactly 'hug' people, so she simply waved before turning towards the train.

"Wow, your mum and dad are scary strict," Artemis said, once Gemini's parents were out of earshot. Gemini merely shrugged, a small, sad smile on her face.

"They're just worried about me... that's all..." she said slowly, though it sounded more like she was attempting to convince herself. Artemis glanced at Gemini and smiled.

"Hey, let's be friends! Come on, cheer up and we'll go find a compartment," the sandy-haired girl grinned, taking Gemini's hand and dragging her onto the train.

   The newfound friends walked through the train, looking for an empty compartment, or at least one with some space for two. They finally found one near the centre of the train. It wasn't empty, but it would have to do. Inside was a short, plump girl with wispy, light brown hair and large, watery blue eyes. She looked around Gemini and Artemis' age, so the duo decided to join her.

"Excuse me, is it okay if we sit here? Everywhere else is kinda full," Gemini explained with a sheepish smile.

"Sure, it's just me in here, so there's plenty room! My name is Rita, Rita Charmsbrooke," the girl said softly, giving the other girls a kind look.

"I'm Artemis Wolfe, and this dark-haired dork over here is Pitch!" Artemis replied, scruffing up Gemini's hair as she did so. Gemini hated her first name, she really did. She preferred to be known by her last name, which is why she smiled slightly at the introduction.

   A piercing whistle sliced through the conversation, and the train jolted as it began to move forward. Artemis, Rita and Gemini -well, Pitch, as she preferred to be called- had quickly become good friends.

   They were in the middle of chatting about what they thought Hogwarts would be like, when their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a girl with fiery hair and startling emerald green eyes.

"Hey, have any of you seen my friend Severus? He's got longish dark hair, a kinda hooked nose, doesn't smile much... have you seen him?" the girl asked. Her cheeks were flushed, as she had been all over the train in search of her friend.

"No, I'm sorry, we haven't seen him," Rita replied softly, shrugging slightly. The red-haired girl groaned with frustration.

"I give up then... is it okay if I sit with you guys? I can't be bothered to keep looking for Sev," she sighed, looking at the other three in turn.

"Yeah of course, why not? The more the merrier. I'm Pitch, that idiot is Artemis Wolfe, and that's Rita Charmsbrooke," Gemini -oops, I mean Pitch- introduced with a carefree grin. The new girl smiled broadly, sitting down next to Rita.

"Hi all, my name is Lily Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you all!" she said happily, and the four of them fell into conversation.

   By the time the train pulled into Hogsmead station, all four girls considered each other best friends already. They nattered excitedly as they went across the lake towards the castle, crying with laughter when a boat with four boys tipped over, and the boys were rescued by the large slimy tentacles of a giant squid.

   A stern witch named Professor McGonagall explained the Sorting ceremony to the new first year students quite vaguely, before leading them into the Great Hall, standing in a line between two very large tables.

   The tattered hat sitting on a stool at the front of the hall burst into loud song about unity within the houses and what each house represented, before falling silent again, leaving the students wide eyed.

"Woah... do you think we have to sing a duet or something to be Sorted into our houses?" Rita asked in mild awe. Artemis started laughing, covering her mouth to hide a snort of mirth.

"No, you slug brain, the hat reads your mind and tells you where you belong," she replied once her laughing had subsided. 

   The four were just waiting now. Waiting to hear their name called out, waiting to have their House determined, and hoping they were all in the same House.

   Lily had a slight issue though, and it was really annoying her. Some boy behind her, who was absolutely soaking wet, with unruly black hair and glasses, was staring at her intently, as if he'd never seen a girl before. She didn't want to cause any drama on her first day at Hogwarts though, so she ignored it, instead listening carefully for her name to be called.

   After a boy named "Byrne, Matthias was Sorted into Hufflepuff, one of the four girls was next, and when she heard her name boom through the Great Hall, she had to hold back a small squeak of fear.

"Charmsbrooke, Rita," Professor McGonagall called loudly, scanning the line for the face that matched the name. The plump girl stumbled out of the line and made her way to the front, sitting on the stool where the Sorting Hat had rested earlier.

   The Sorting Hat was carefully placed on her head by the witch, almost slipping over the young girl's face. It took a while for her, around 15 minutes, but finally the hat made a decision.

"Gryffindor!"

   Rita squeaked happily and hurriedly took off the hat, bolting down to the table decked in red and gold as the students sitting there applauded and cheered.

   The next of the four girls to be called was Lily, after a girl was Sorted into Slytherin. Her stomach was a bundle of nerves, she was so unprepared in her opinion, but she took a deep breath as her name was called.

"Evans, Lily," the stern professor called again.

   Somewhere in the crowd, Lily's friend Severus perked up as Lily walked confidently to get placed in her House. He'd lost her on the train after he'd been ambushed by some stupidly arrogant boys, which he'd explain to her later. For now, he just waved slightly as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

   Two minutes ticked by, just two, and Lily was sitting next to Rita in Gryffindor, which Severus didn't look too pleased about.

   A few other first years were Sorted into their respective houses, and after a wimpy-looking boy named "Pettigrew, Peter" was somehow placed in Gryffindor, it was Pitch's turn.

"Pitch, Gemini," the witch cried, and the raven-haired girl sauntered up to the Sorting Hat as if it was something that happened every day, despite the nervous termoil in her mind. She was from a long line of pure-blooded witches and wizards, most -nearly all- of whom had been Sorted into Slytherin. So she nearly fainted with shock as the rip in the Sorting Hat opened wide and shouted the name of her new House.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

   She very nearly jumped with pure joy, a broad grin of happiness on her face, and started walking towards the red and gold table before remembering that she was still wearing the Sorting Hat. Pitch facepalmed, and she had to hurry back and give the Hat to "Porter, Andrew."

   Finally, Artemis was Sorted into Gryffindor, much to her delight and she sat with her new friends. They'd gotten their wish; to be Sorted into the same House!

    The headmaster, an old wizard with twinkling blue eyes and half-moon spectacles named Professor Dumbledore, stood up and made a speech to welcome the students -old and new- and teachers to Hogwarts, but the girls were so deep in their cheerful conversation, that they only caught the last few words.

"-and now, before we fill our minds, let us fill our stomachs!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed happily, and with a gasp from the first-years, the tables filled with food. The girls looked at each other with bright smiles. They knew right then that they were going to enjoy Hogwarts, side by side as best friends.

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