It must be an extremely weird sight at the London Station for Muggles right now. Even though wizards and witches try to hide themselves from the non magical community, a lot of them right now have other priorities. Bunches of wizards and witches walk together in packs at the station, wearing robes that hide their wands on their belts. They want to be prepared for anything as they send off their children to the train that will take them to school. What happened at Diagon Alley spooked people enough to stop worrying about their appearances in crowds.

Julia's parents were able to organize a group to walk the kids to the train before they left. Them, her brother Andrew, Agnes's parents and older sister, Lauren and her brother, Maria and her parents, and Hannah with her dad and all her siblings walk in one packed group to Platform 9 ½. Julia's brother, Ethan, left a week ago with a friend to attend a six month wizarding camp.

"This is it? The tickets say 9 ¾." Agnes's mom waves her daughter's ticket around. She snags Ian's ticket to make sure his said the same thing.

"It's alright. Follow us." Mr. Copper reassures Mrs. Higgins that they're in the correct place. He grabs his wife's and son's hand and follows Julia into the wall that divides Platform 9 ½ from 10. Julia pushes her trolley into the brick and she vanishes through it, entering the area where the Hogwarts Express is located.

Lauren and Ian follow the Coppers into the wall, which makes Mrs. Higgins completely bomboggled. She tries to think of a reasonable explanation but then remembers that she's dealing with wizards. "Of course it's magic. Things never make sense."

Mr. Higgins and Mary lead Mrs. Higgins into the wall as she continues to mumble to herself. Maria pushes her trolley right behind the Muggles, and her parents hold onto her shoulders as they all walk through the wall. Lastly, Hannah's entire family walks casually in groups to reach their friends.

Everyone's parents fuss over their child's robes and luggage. Lauren and Ian board the train, and Lauren says she'll get them all a compartment to sit in.

Julia's mother tells her over and over to send an owl if anything happens. Her dad keeps reminding her of some offensive spells he tried to teach her in the past couple weeks before school started. Julia is kind of anxious herself to board the rain, but she knows Hogwarts is one of the safest places for her to be. The teachers all know about the secret tunnel to Hogsmeade now, so that shouldn't be a problem anymore. Andrew gives her one last hug, saying he'll tell Ethan she says goodbye, and Julia hauls her luggage onto the train.

Maria's parents are doing a lot of the same things Julia's were doing. Mrs. Sears fixes Maria's hair and makes sure all her bags are zipped tightly. Her father keeps asking if she has everything, "Your owl? Transfiguration book? Charms equipment? Wand?"

"Dad, yes I have everything!" Maria shows her wand to her father and hugs him. The two parents kiss Maria on the forehead before she follows her friends.

Katie, David, Hannah, and Stephen take their time hugging each of their siblings and dad. The three youngest girls, Leah, Sarah, and Lily, keep asking Stephen which house he thinks he'll be sorted into. Mr. Miller pulls Katie and David aside and tells them to watch over Hannah and Stephen. Hannah watches her family with a smile on her face until the train blows its warning whistle. She and the three other eldest kids hop onto the train.

Agnes quickly walks behind Hannah and her siblings with her mom constantly saying how she should also be on the train ride to the school. Mary manages to calm Mrs. Higgins down enough by saying she'll visit the school occasionally to check up on Agnes. "I still can't believe you got a pass from Dumbledore himself."

"Well, I told him that if you make the team this year then I want to watch your games." Mary smirks and shows Agnes her Hogwarts pass. Even though she is a Muggle, she has been granted special permission to enter the school on certain events. She even gets a broomstick ride whenever she wants to go.

"Oh, I'll make the team. There's no mistaking that," Agnes says confidently and steps onto the train just before it starts moving. She waves goodbye to her family and watches them vanish once the train starts going fast enough.

Agnes finds her friends in a compartment near the mid back of the train. She scoots inside and slides the door shut so they can talk amongst themselves. Everyone is silent for a minute, not really knowing how to bring it up. The last time they were all together, they just missed witnessing a murder. In the past few weeks of waiting for school to start, they've been shut in their houses and sending owls to one another constantly to make sure everyone was still okay. Being back together in a magical community again makes them all a little on edge. Agnes squirms, not being able to take the silence anymore. "What do you think the professor's are gonna do when we get there?"

"Nothing out of the normal probably." Lauren sighs and peeks out the window. "Ian told me they'll try to make everything seem okay so no one freaks out. We're here for school, after all, and if we can't focus then we can't learn."

"It's so weird, though. They won't mention it at all?" Maria asks, not seeing how Dumbledore can just pass over the subject entirely. "A lot of students were there that day because the owls came so late."

"Professor Dumbledore might say something at the opening feast, but that's it. As Lauren said, it's better if we don't keep bringing it up during school." Julia doesn't like it either, but it's probably for the best if they talk about the subject now and then drop it once they get to Hogwarts.

Hannah stays quiet. She had the worst of the encounter with the Death Eater last year and therefore doesn't feel like talking about what happened at Diagon Alley. Agnes is about to say something else, but someone knocks on their door. Agnes looks over and smiles in disbelief. "Alana Carth?!"

Agnes opens the door to let the girl inside. She's just a bit taller than Agnes with her short, black hair tied back in a tight ponytail. Her dark skin contrasts to her light eyes, which the girls find really interesting. Alana steps from one foot to the other, feeling a bit awkward. "Sorry if I'm barging in, but I saw my old friend Agnes and stopped thinking for a moment."

"It's fine." Hannah gently smiles, glad to change the subject. "I'm Hannah, that's my cousin Julia, and our friends Maria and Lauren. How do you know Agnes?"

Alana sits down between Lauren and Agnes. "I was on the swim team with her in our old school. When I found out I was a witch, I moved to America with my mum and went to their magic school, Ilvermorny. I wanted to go there instead because I want to be a Quidditch announcer and I heard that was the best school for magic communications. But, I wasn't able to make the cut so I'm being transferred to Hogwarts. Hopefully I'll be able to announce the Quidditch matches!"

"That's amazing! My dad announces the Quidditch World Cup!" Hannah beams when Alana tells about her passion.

"Eric Miller is your father?!" Alana almost jumps out of her seat, but she manages to keep her legs in control. She stares at Hannah with shock, her blue eyes glittering with pride. "He's my idol! I want to be just like him when I graduate! Y-you think he'd want to meet with me sometime and show me how to do everything?"

"Of course! I'll send an owl right when we get to school. He'd love to meet you!" Hannah can't believe that this girl is so excited to meet her dad. She must watch Quidditch a lot, and maybe has even seen the World Cup in person.

"You'll be able to announce my games!" Agnes claps her hands together and slings her arm around Alana's shoulders. "It's perfect, I'll play the best Seeker in the world and you'll be the best announcer! The best duo."

"I can't wait. I'm so happy I transferred to Hogwarts. I'll be in my second year just like you, Agnes! Are you all in your second year too?" Alana looks around at the other friends who nod their heads eagerly.

Once the trolley comes around, Julia and Hannah buy candies for the group to share. They talk the rest of the train ride about exciting Quidditch matches and other activities the school has. Alana is particularly interested when they tell her about the times Hannah was attacked last year in the stands at the games. Hannah is grateful when she manages to change the subject to the choir instead.

Maria and Hannah loved going to the choir practices so much last year that they plan on joining officially once the practices start. First years aren't allowed to join the choir, but since they are starting their second year, they can finally sing along. Julia used to like to play the piano, but has lost her interest in it over the years. If the school has a choir, they probably have an orchestra. She might learn how to play a new instrument and join that if she can. Agnes, of course, is going to be the Gryffindor Seeker. Lauren doesn't think she wants to join anything too Time committing this year and stick to her studies. Alana feels a lot more comfortable with the girls as they keep talking. In no time, the sun sets and the terrain goes from forestry to meadows.

The train stops and the six girls stick together as they exit the train. Only the first years take the boats into the castle, so the girls board a carriage instead. Maria opens the door and sighs. "It'll only fit four."

"I'll get another one with Alana. Meet you at the feast!" Agnes waves at her friends before walking away with Alana. The two find another carriage that isn't occupied and hop inside. "You'll love it here. Do you know what house you'll be in?"

"Oh a professor named McGonagall talked to my family and me in person about it. She said to head straight over to Headmaster Dumbledore's office after the feast and she'll sort me there. For the feast I can just sit wherever." Alana is so grateful that she was able to find her old friend. She heard that Agnes attended Hogwarts but was scared she wouldn't find her until midway through the year. Maybe she'll actually have some friends to hang out with, unlike at Ilvermorny when she was a quiet loner girl. "What house are your friends in?"

"Julia and Hannah are in Gryffindor with me. Lauren is a Ravenclaw and Maria is a Hufflepuff. The only other house is Slytherin, but you for sure won't be sorted into that house. It's for losers." Agnes makes a face and the carriages start moving on their own. No one else came into their carriage, so Agnes lies on her side to spread out. "Maybe you can be a Gryffindor with me! We're the brave ones. Ravenclaw is the smart bunch, Hufflepuffs are loyal and kind, and Slytherins are the bullies."

"Yeah, definitely!" Alana hopes she gets put into a house with Agnes. That way they'll have their classes together and she'll know someone to hang around. But, she isn't sure she feels like a complete Gryffindor. Does she have to be courageous to be in the lion house?

The castle is as beautiful as ever. Hannah leads the three other girls out of the carriage and into the school. The friends didn't realize how much they missed the ever changing staircases in the main corridor, the pictures that moved and talked along the hallways, and the armored statues that Maria swears she's seen move at least four times last year. Everyone goes to their spots at the Great Hall before the Sorting begins. Agnes and Alana sit next to Julia and Hannah at the Gryffindor table along with David and their other friends. Lauren sits next to her brother at the Ravenclaw table, and also meets up with two of her roommates Jasmine and Jenna. Maria finds her cousin Claudia at the Hufflepuff table.

"Hey, Ria!" Claudia lights up when her cousin sits down next to her. "The train ride go smoothly?"

"Yep! You too?" Claudia nods and Maria realizes that they're missing a few people around them at the table. "Hey, Ccii, it looks like Mary and Kyah are gonna be late. I was on one of the last carriages so they must have been here by now."

"Oh, I heard Mary isn't coming back this year. I'm not sure why, but it looks like we'll have one less person as our roommate." Claudia shrugs sadly. The Hufflepuffs don't know what to think. They didn't really talk to Mary that much last year, but it's a bit sad to think she isn't coming back.

Before Maria can say anything else, the Sorting begins. Professor McGonagall sets the hat on a stool and pulls out a long scroll with first years' names on it. "Atlantic Claire."

A short, sweet looking girl with white hair in a bob cut walks up timidly and sits on the stool. Right when the hat drops over her eyes, it says in a booming voice, "RAVENCLAW!" The girl fixes her sleeves and quickly walks over to the cheering blue and bronze table.

The girls all zone out for the rest of the Sorting. They clap occasionally whenever someone joins their house to welcome them. The only time when the girls start paying attention again is when Hannah's brother is called. "Miller Stephen!"

Stephen walks out onto the stage-like platform and gives his siblings a thumbs up before the hat blocks his view of them. After a few moments of intense waiting, the hat opens its mouth in one of its folds and shouts, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Everyone is completely shocked. They would have thought Gryffindor for sure, maybe Ravenclaw. Slytherin if anything else! David whistles between his teeth as Stephen gladly walks over to Maria's table. Hannah holds her hands over her mouth to keep people from seeing it open in shock, and David pats his hand hard on her back. "The first ever Miller Hufflepuff of the seven kids! Dad is going to be so thrilled that one of his kids is finally in his house!"

Julia, Hannah, David, and Katie get over their surprise by the time the Sorting is over and Dumbledore goes up to the podium. Everyone stops talking and listens to him before they eat. "I would like to apologize again for the late owls. There will be no announcements after the feast tonight due to an important faculty meeting. But, I will mention that the Forbidden Woods is out of range, even if there is something you'd like to investigate." Hannah, Maria, Julia, Lauren, and Agnes see the headmaster's blue eyes twinkle and glance at them. "Filch has also asked me to remind all of you that hexes are to be practiced in class and not on each other. That's it, dig in!"

Food appears on everyone's golden plates and no one hesitates before grabbing their silverware. Alana talks the most at the Gryffindor table. She explains that at Ilvermorny, everyone sat together at one big table. There were houses, but they weren't like the ones here. "Their philosophy was to help everyone be one community, but honestly, this way is far better."

"Exactly. It's more competitive. Besides, it's not like we never see the other houses. We are paired up with another house for each class," Agnes adds to Alana's argument.

"How does it feel?" Maria shouts a bit and looks diagonally at the newcomer.

Stephen smiles with his lips closed, his mouth full of food. Once he swallows, his grin is wider than ever. "I knew I was going to be a Hufflepuff for a few weeks now, I just wanted to surprise my family. This is awesome! I'm excited for some classes tomorrow. My flying class is going to be the best I bet."

Maria twirls her spaghetti noodles with her fork, not wanting to sound like a downer. All of her memories of flying class were filled with fear and more fear from heights. Thankfully Lauren was in her class and could relate. At the Ravenclaw table, Katie is a lot more talkative than usual. She keeps going on about how she never thought Stephen would be in Hufflepuff and was so sure he'd be in Slytherin. Everyone listens with half their attention directed at their food. Lauren lets Katie talk, glad that she gets more time for eating.

After a good half hour, every student is stuffed with their favorite foods and are nibbling at the sweet desserts. Julia stands up once people start leaving and holds her stomach with one hand. "I'm beat. See you all upstairs."

Hannah nods and reaches her hand out for Julia to help her stand. "I'm going up to the room too. Might get my robes ready for tomorrow but then I'm going to get to sleep."

"Night, Hannah and Julia! I'm going to walk Alana to Dumbledore's office after she's done." Agnes waves at her Gryffindor friends as they leave the Great Hall.

Maria and Claudia meet up with another one of their roommates, Emmy, and walk with her and Stephen over to the Hufflepuff common room. The three girls teach Stephen how to get into the room by tapping the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff on a specific drum. Once they're inside, they go over to their rooms. Maria gets a little worried when she doesn't see either Kyah or Mary, her two other roommates, but gets ready for bed nonetheless.

Lauren walks with Ian, Katie, Jenna, and Jasmine to their common room. She makes Ian carry her, which only lasts a few moments. Ian isn't the strongest person ever and it doesn't help when he's only one year older than Lauren. However, he does hold her hand and leads her to her dorm room. Lauren plops on her bed without changing into her nightgown and goes to sleep almost instantly.

"Come on, let's go get you sorted." Agnes stands up the moment Alana is finished with her food. "I'm pretty sure I know the way there."

Agnes sounded more confident than she actually was. She thought his office was on the west side of the castle somewhere. Alana gets a bit concerned after wandering around the castle for twenty minutes. "You sure it's this way?"

"Yes! Come on, I just-" Agnes leads Alana around another corner but gets stopped by almost running into a professor. And not just any professor. "Professor Snape!"

"Still think the rules of the school are above you, Ms. Higgins?" Professor Snape glares down at Agnes without hunching his back to express his tall stature. "One small victory last year makes you believe that you own these grounds."

"That's not it at all! You don't understand, I was helping Alana get to Professor Dumbledore's office so she could be sorted. She's a transfer and-" Agnes is cut off by Snape raising his hand.

Snape turns to Alana. "I will escort you to the Headmaster's office since your current company seems to not know what a map is. Five points from Gryffindor, and I suggest, Ms. Higgins, that you return to your common room before I give you a detention."

Agnes is about to insult Professor Snape right back, but Alana puts her hand on her shoulder and says, "It's okay, Agnes. Once I'm put into Gryffindor I'll say goodnight."

"Okay, fine." Agnes huffs and marches back angrily to the Gryffindor common room. When she gets there, she lies in her bed and stares up at the ceiling for half the night, waiting for Alana. She gets worried when she doesn't hear a knock at the door, but realizes that Alana might have forgotten. It's late anyway, and Alana has always been more on the forgetful side. Agnes sighs and goes to sleep.

Maria is still worried when she doesn't see Kyah walk in the dorm. She is about to leave and go look for her, but someone opens the door and awkwardly looks around. "H-hi, Maria. Um, I heard you have an open bed. Can I, uh..."

Maria smiles softly and leads Alana inside to where Mary used to sleep. "Here. My friend Mary isn't coming back this year."

"You look stressed. Are you okay?" Alana has only known Maria for a short time, but the girl is a master at reading others emotions through their facial expressions.

"Yeah. I'm sure it's nothing. Night, Alana." Maria decides its best to go to sleep rather than wandering around aimlessly for Kyah. Her, Claudia, Emmy, and Alana get comfortable and after a while, they go to sleep.