[Hogsmeade] The first of many train journeys

[Alice Simmons]

The train ground to a halt and the compartment that Alice had been sitting in suddenly emptied and the older students she had been sharing with pushed their way into the corridors. Alice gave a timid wave at the older Hufflepuff who had been looking after her before sliding off her chair and waiting in the entrance of the compartment for the crowds to die down. She could not believe how many students had managed to fit in her, the wonders of magic were already being made clear to her.
As the amount of students seemed to die down Alice made her way to the exit of the train, jumping out onto the platform trying to make sure she did not slip down the gap of the platform and the track. She managed it and now had to face the crowds of people on the platform. Everyone seemed to be meting their friends again after the summer and because of this they seemed to ignore the fact that small first years would be joining them for the first time.
Alice did not know how many times she was barged out of the way, sent flying in one direction only to be pushed in the other just as quickly. She clung onto her solder bag as if it was the most prized possession in her life and slowly the crowds began to disperse and she could make her way across the platform, trying to find the area where all first years were meant to meet.

[Sam Cooper]

Being full of nervous excitement all day wasn't good for little boys; especially Sam, he'd had to have several trips to the loo and had awoken at the break of dawn, well in fact long before then so was now shattered already. It had hardly been worth keeping his seat in his compartment, he'd had to squeeze past the food and drinks trolley; filled to the brim with all sorts of weird, and admittedly wonderful looking trinkets. But his trips hadn't been for a wee, no some older guy, maybe fifteen or sixteen had supposedly befriended Sam, then once he'd gotten his trust had stabbed him in the back, not literally which he just had to be thankful for. Tricking Sam into eating Puking Pastries was a terrible trick though and had set him running for the loo, only he hadn't made it and puked all over an older girl's brand new shoes. He'd got an earfull for that one.

He'd yelled a few nasty things to the guy who'd been so tricksome, so he now pretty much feared going back into his compartment; he'd have to eventually to get his crammed suitcase, but he was more than happy to wait. The guy was not only bigger bu could probably do magic too, it figured as he was on a train to a magical school, but then Sam wasn't all that quick on the up take.

So he'd ducked into a different compartment, just to sit quietly and look out of the window, but even that little wish hadn't been fulfilled as the compartment full of girls had instantly begun remarking about what he wore, but also how cute he looked, that had made him feel sick too so sticking his tongue out he fled that group now. So instead he'd just roamed up and down the corridors, poking his head out windows and watching as smoke flew past; the steam train puffed away as it drew steadily up a hill, then gathered speed as it descended the other side. Even such a simple thing as that brought a smile to Sam's face.

After a time they reached their destination and his excitement at reaching a new place, and just a little anxiety for good measure, was soaring. As the train smoothly slid to a halt it still sent some people swaying but Sam was used to it as he had often caught the bus to school, when his dad had given him the money.

Everyone began to disembark, kids of all ages jostling past him, but few seemed as short as him, he hadn't seen anyone who looked his age yet, maybe there weren't many first years this time around? He waited a while longer, until the coast was clear in his compartment then went back to it to find his belongings, there they still were tucked within the suitcase, he'd feared all his clothes would be strewn about the place, or worse destroyed, buying new ones would have been a right pain, dad would have been livid. He'd been annoyed enough at all the expense of equipment, but when offered charity by aunty Audrey he had flatly refused, finding it "proposterous" that she think it, mum had recently the word and now dad was using it many a time; in the wrong circumstances mostly.

So Sam breathed a large sigh of relief, sounding like bellows, that his things were still safe and sound. With a quavering smile as his nervousness increased he breathed deeply, calming his heaving chest as his mum had taught him. Heaving his suitcase up, he didn't realise he could leave it on board the train and it would be safely picked up later on. Lugging the suitcase along he stepped off the train into his new life...

Immediately a huge boy accidently nudged his elbow as he tried to push his lanky frame past, Sam muttered, "mind where ye goin'," under his breath but the lad heard and shot him purest evils reaching into an inside pocket for his wand, probably to turn him into a frog.
"S..sorry," yelped Sam grabbing his suitcase quickly and darting into the crowds before his tongue ran him into deeper trouble. He always said what he thought, that was his problem. Dragging his case along, his family couldn't quite afford the luxury of a big trunk, or rathermore his dad had thought it useless, "now where's the point in thart?" He'd said.

Sam was feeling very lost, and finding everybody about him far too tall when he finally saw someone his own size; roughly. Somehow believing he'd be safe with her he ran up to the little girl, as fast as his heavy case would allow, and tugged on her sleeve.
"Hiya, I'm Sam Coopa, who're you? " He asked in a rush knowing that if he stopped his nerves would only increase, he smiled bashfully at the girl, trying to look innocent and meek; trying definitely being the word.

"Uhm I'm lost," he continued, "Do'ye know where we're supposed te go?" Suddenly remembering his manners, as his mum's voice echoed in his ears he dropped his case saying, "pleased to meet your aquaintance," in a way that was so clearly learnt off by heart and repeated from memory. It was far too articulate compared to how he usually sounded. He did hope she knew more than him, they'd be utterly lost otherwise.

[Alice Simmons]

Alice tried to look ahead to try and se where she was meant to go, but all she could see were the backs of all the taller and older students. She guessed all she cold do was follow the crowd and hope that some kind student would point her in the right direction and tell her where to go.
She thought this was just about to happen when she felt a tug on her sleeve and Alice gave a small sigh of relief thinking that she would finally be pointed in the correct direction. However as she quickly turned around, with wide eyes her expectations were cruelly snatched away from her when she looked upon someone who was the same height as her.

He quickly blurted out a brief hello, his name and eventually the fact that he was lost. But all Alice could do was let out a small, childish giggle, mainly when he ended his small speech with a small polite ‘pleased to meet your acquaintance.’
This simple factor that Sam had already made her laugh combined with the fact she was confused and did not know anybody else Alice decided she would befriend him. So with a small smile Alice grinned back and started to answer the boys question.

“Hiya, I am Alice, Alice Simmons.” She pulled her shoulder bag around and pointed to her name which had been embroidered onto the flap in big and bright yellow letters. Dropping the bag back down to her side again she turned back to Sam and shrugged her shoulders.
“All I know is we get lead to the Great Hall by the grounds man…only problem is I can not see him…and if we can not find him we can not go to the sorting ceremony and if we do not do to the sorting ceremony then we will not be put into our houses and then they might kick us out of school.” Alice let out a small gasp and covered her face with her hands. “Come on Sam we need to find Dax!”

Reaching out she took hold of her fellow first years arm and tried to pull him along as she started to try and barge her way through the slowly thinning crowds.

[Sam Cooper]

He hadn't thought he'd said something funny particularly, unless it was his accent, people often sniggered at that. But he could laugh at himself easily enough, especially because he was nervous he was willing to please, and besides her giggle was infectious so his own girlish giggle just flowed out. Stifling it quickly, he didn't want to seem too girlish and young, he grinned instead especially when she gave her name, "oh I knew an Alice back home, she was well nice." He chattered.

Listening intently his mouth even half open he became increasingly worried, "but we've only jus' got 'ere," he complained, "snot our fault we're lost." Gulping he thought he'd look particularly stupid arriving back home on the first day, he really couldn't get chucked out that easily could he? His dad would go bonkers and even mum wouldn't be best pleased, she'd been happy he'd been given this chance at a new life, 'a new leaf turned over' she'd said.

Alice seemed to know a heck of a lot more than he did though, and he gratefully latched onto her hand, deciding to stick to her like glue; she knew what was happening, he thought. "Who's Dax?" He asked bewildered, "where's he gonna be?" Just grabbing a hold of his suitcase in time, he strained his little muscles and heaved it aloft as he was pulled along.

"Are you magical like then?" He asked innocently, forgetting that everyone here had to be capable of at least a little magic, it was all far too new to him, even the train station looked different somehow, and everyone around them seemed like giants. Laughing as he was dragged along he just missed a swinging elbow so said, "cor it's like...err...an assault course that's it, like the army uses, probably more difficult," he announced his words rushing out as he hadn't properly spoken to anyone during the journey here.

[Alice Simmons]

‘Why was everybody so big!’ Alice really could not get her head around it. She knew people at Hogwarts were tall, Dax was tall but for some reason she thought that he was just weird but it seemed not, it seemed Dax was normal. As she ran along dragging Sam as she went Alice tried to shout back over to him over the booming voices of the older students and the panting of her own breath. She had never actually dragged anyone along before, she had only seen it in muggle movies or read it in stories but she had never, never thought it to be this hard.
“Dax is me step brother. I thought he would be easy to spot as he is tall….I didn’t count on other people being the same height as him.”

Alice turned to shout over her shoulder, looking back at Sam’s confused and tired looking face. It was then when she noticed that he was lugging his suitcase with him and she skidded to a stop.

“What you doing with that? You do not need to lug that around with you, should’ve left it on the train. Dax said there are house elves that sort it all out, and once we have been put in our houses Dax said they take everythin to our rooms.”

[Sam Cooper]

Grip slowly loosening upon his suitcase he clenched his fingers all the tighter knowing that if anyoen jostled him now everything would go flying everywhere, as the old clasp on it would probably explode if he wasn't careful.
"Oh your step brother? That makes sense," he commented as things became a little clearer. Laughing Sam said, "yeh everyone's dead tall, it's weird ain't it?" His brothers and sisters, even his parents were small people really, so he'd grown used to smaller company, people around here seemed big too, his family were all pretty skinny as they got plenty of exercise, 'lugging those sacks o' potatos'll do you the world o' good I tell ya.' His dad had claimed, but his muscles hadn't developed from it so it seemed pointless really, he hadn't noticed his stamina had improved and that that was what kept him fit and healthy, especially all the green veg his mum shovelled down his throat. Eating his vegetables hadn't made him big and strong yet, and he did secretly hope he wasn't given vegetables or even worse thin gruel as his brother Tom had teasingly said he'd be fed. 'They'll forcefeed you all sorts a nasty things, brocolli and spinach, no more jam and bread for ya supper.' Sam had scowled and moaned at the prospect and ended up in a playful brawl with Tom over that, who'd obviously beaten him. He did hope the food wasn't bad.

Too busy thinking about food, probably because his stomach was grumbling after only having ham sandwichs on the train he nearly cartwheeled over Alice and landed in a horrible heap when she stopped so suddenly. The weight of the suitcase kept him firmly anchored on the ground though. "What you do that for?" He asked startled and trying to cover up for nearly landing flat on his nose. As she explained everything his face fell, "wha? I coulda just left it? Oh," his mouth formed a curious little 'o' shape, "can I put it back d'you think?" He asked looking eagerly over at the train, they weren't far from the nearest door as they'd only travelled the length of the station platform rather than the breadth, so he quickly dragged it across, heaving it aboard again into the corridor with the help of a chubby faced, but kindly boy. "Th..thanks," muttered Sam in appreciation as he scooted back to Alice, "have ye found 'im yet?" He asked hopefully. "lucky you was 'ere or else I'd have lugged the thing all the way."

[Alice Simmons]

Alice looked on at Sam as he slowly caught on to what she was saying and as his eyes lit up Alice gave a small playful smile and nodded her head in agreement to his plan. It was hard enough for two first years to try and make it through a station full of rude, older students who seem to lack the ability to move out the way for those smaller residents of the school. So as Sam dragged the case off to the train Alice turned her attention to finding Dax, she started to jump up and down to try and see over the heads and it worked on a few occasions, she could see the other side of the platform and what looked like the back of Dax’s head.

A wide grin filled her face and at the sound of Sam’s voice floating back towards her Alice once again took hold of his sleeve and pulled him along, however this time with greater ease since they no longer had the dead weight of his luggage behind them.

“I think I saw Dax. He was at the end of the platform with other first years, come-on we’ve got to run for it.” Alice turned back to look over her shoulder at Sam. “It is lucky you aint got that case anymore otherwise we would never make it through.”

If this is what life at Hogwarts was going to be like Alice was starting to like it, already she was running, laughing and meting new people. Dax told her on a number of occasions how he had been out after curfew and into the forbidden forest. Clearly he did not understand the word ‘forbidden’ and in her first year Alice would never risk going out in the castle at night, she knew she would get lost.

[Sam Cooper]

Having deposited his luggage back in the train from where he should never had taken it, though in his defence he couldn't remember being told he could leave it on board so how had he been expected to know? But know he'd done that he rejoined happy smiling Alice, giving a grin of his own, now he could actually move freely. It was a good job he could as she guided him along at helter-skelter speed, nothing holding them back now, except their short legs. "Show me," was about all Sam had time for before he was whisked away back into the now dispersing crowd. Ducking and weaving they made quick progress, their faces lit up as they joined their fellow first years, who looked around in amazement at the pair of them puffing and panting. "We...made it," he breathed relieved and very thankful to Alice already, he could tell she was the brains, and was glad he'd tugged on her sleeve and nobody elses.

Looking about at the other first years he realised they really were as terrified as he was, 'you're all in the same boat' his mum had said, but only now did he actually believe her wise words. They all stood in a cluster around the young man, who Sam guessed was Alice's half-brother then, it was amazing that he had a job here, Sam was already jealous, his older sister worked at a restaurant, and his two older brothers in a chippy, but nowhere magical, that was the difference. "E's Dax then?" Asked Sam wanting to make sure. "He looks cool, specially 'is hair, and he's tall too." He nodded as if that naturally made Dax great, plus the fact he was related to Alice.
"Where'd we go now then?" He whispered to Alice, his small hand slipping into hers, he was still a little nervous even if Dax was there, and Alice, he still didn't know what was ahead.

[Dax Simmons]

Dax was looking around the platform, he waved at old school friends, shouted at a few Slytherin fourth years for making to much noise and bullying a second year and finally when ever he saw a lost and confused looking first year he would call them over and keep them away from the rest of the hordes. However after some time of waiting and nearly all the first years standing before him and still Alice had not turned up, in fact according to his list he was only missing a few more first years.Glancing down at his watch he noticed that they did still have a good twenty minutes until they needed to be at the boats and starting out across the lake, but then it had become a slight tradition for the first years to be late for their own sorting ceremony.

After already having to console a crying student and pointing out the toilets to more then four different first years he finally saw a blur of his sister and finally she arrived out of breath and panting with another first year close at hand…in fact hand in hand.
Dax watched them whisper together and he could not help but laugh, Alice had not even entered the castle and she had already made a friend. She had picked up there mothers social skills, sadly for Dax he had his fathers. Trying to prise the grasp of the crying first year off his coat Dax wondered over to his step sister and crouched down in front of her with a wide grin on his face.

“Glad you could make it Wonderland.”

[Marcus Conway]

Marcus had had a wonderful send off from his parents. They had been so understanding, having done this many times for his sister too, but they made an extra special surprise for him. His uncle had come to send her off and gave him a present, a cool smooth toad. Marcus loved it and was beginning to like his outcast uncle more and more. He had kept it with him on the train had had attracted much attention with it: girls shrieking and giggling and guys thought it was either gross or “cool”. Marcus ignored them because it was easy enough to do and moved onto the train with his sister.

Amara Conway, his sister, told Marcus how the arrangements for the night would work, how they would travel by train, meet with the grounds keeper and then be taken to Hogwarts castle from there. Amara knew that Marcus liked to be in control and told him what she thought would keep him happy. It worked and Marcus spent the train ride sitting with a few students, one of which could change her appearance. She liked to make people laugh and it worked because she was mighty funny.

Once the train had stopped, the girl informed Marcus that he had to find the grounds keeper. He knew that and thanked her for everything. She offered to take him to her and he began to follow her off the train but as he stepped out of the train he was amazed at the hustle and bustle and misstepped. He fell on his face, his glasses and his new toad going flying. Feeling bruised and sore, Marcus pushed himself onto his hands and knees, feeling around for his glasses. He soon found them but he had lost his guide and his toad.

‘Sprinklers.’

Marcus crawled between all the legs that shuffled past him and looked around for his toad. He couldn’t believe his luck, his first pet and his first day and he had already lost him. ‘Where is it?’ he grumbled. As the people around him got less, Marcus could see some people gathering around a tall man who seemed to be looking around for someone. That must be the grounds keeper, he thought and paused for only a moment, before looking back to the floor for his toad. Crawling a little further, Marcus heard a croak from a few feet off by the feet of a girl’s feet.

Marcus quickly shuffled to her and whispered, not wanting to frighten her, ‘keep very still.’ Before she had time to even look at him, Marcus reached one arm around her legs, the other threw it and grabbed his toad. ‘Gotcha!’ he cried victoriously and took hold of his toad more tightly, retracting his arms from between her legs. ‘Sorry,’ he said as he stood up looking down at his toad. ‘He got away from me.’ He looked up at the girl and smiled at her and the boy that was standing with her.

[Alice Simmons]

As she slowly joined the back of the group of other first years Alice looked up at Dax a wide grin filling her face as her older step-brother crouched down and welcomed her. As soon as he was the same height as her Alice reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly laughing as she did. Dax had had to leave to start to prepare for the new term early and she had not seen him in weeks. As she slowly let go of Dax she heard a small voice come out of no where telling her to keep still. Alice looked at Sam thinking it might have been him but then she felt someone down by her legs. Letting out a small yelp Alice looked down to see a boy who was clearly the same age as them standing up with a toad in his hand.
“What were you doin down there? You could’ve been stood on.”

Although Alice was talking to Marcus she was transfixed by the toad. She had wanted to take a pet with her but her mother and farther bluntly refused and told her that there would be enough animals at the school to look after so she would not need one. Secretly Alice wondered if they thought her incapable of looking after a pet as well as herself, but if Dax could do it why couldn’t she.
Finally deciding to look at the red haired boy Alice ginned at him before turning to look at Sam, merely to make sure that he had not been swept away in the crowds of older students.

“What have you called him or is it her… actually can you get female toads?”

Alice had some how confused herself over something that was pretty obvious but for her it just seemed highly unlikely there were female toads. They all seemed to masculine, such a male thing. They were big and slimy and covered in warts, no Alice much preferred frogs although Dax had to continually remind her that frogs are not magical enough.

[Marcus Conway]

Marcus was picking dirt and dust from his toad when he realised the girl whose legs he had reached through was looking at him. Becoming slightly nervous, Marcus avoided eye contact and stared straight at his toad. Getting away from him had meant that the toad was dirty and it gave Marcus an excuse to not look rude. He flicked a bit of fluff he had pulled off of his toads head and pulled a face at it before flicking it away. Out of the corner of his eye, Marcus saw that the girl was in fact not looking at him but at his toad.

Brightening when she asked about the toads, Marcus smiled. 'Of course you get girl toads,' Marcus said, holding his toad a little higher, 'otherwise there wouldn't be any new toads.' Marcus knew he was being snooty but it was always fun when he had to opportunity, which didn't come around very often. But the girl had raised an important question: what was the name of his toad. He hadn't thought of it and it seemed strange to him now that he had over looked that.

Marcus looked from the girl to his toad, then back again. 'I don't know,' he said with a big smile on his face. 'I know he's a boy so that cuts out a whole bunch of names.' He lifted the toad up and held him up with both hands and looked him in the face. A loud crock erupted from inside the toad and Marcus giggled. 'I'll call him Toad,' Marcus said and lowered him. 'Toad the Toad...' Marcus frowned and shook his head, 'no. That's no good, how's Sherlock?'

[Alice Simmons]

Alice listened to the boys explanation and it seemed so obvious when he said it and she could not help but giggle as he explained it she had only been at Hogwarts for ten minutes and already she had had a blond moment and made a slight floor of herself. However it seemed to be overlooked by the fact the boy was finding the situation rather funny and ended up spending time to try to find a name for his toad. With a wide smile Alice looked on and laughed even more when he suggested called the toad the very original name of Toad. She thought it was a very good name and this he should have stuck with it, however he them move onto the more inventive name of Sherlock. Alice gave a small round of applause in agreement to the name.

“Sherlock the Toad. But if your name was Watson it would work better right?”

It was then when Alice realised she did not actually know the boys name, it had been one of the first things her and Sam had said to one another but in this occasion Alice knew the name of his toad before its owner although it did not bother her too much. You can still have a good conversation with a person even without an introduction, simply knowing someone’s name meant that they did not say ‘oy you!’ or even go to the extreme of making up a name for them.

[Marcus Conway]

Marcus smiled when he heard the girl laugh. It was a happy sound, naturally because you laughed when you were happy, and it made him happy. He was relaxing around this girl and could tell they could get along. It was easy to talk to her and he liked making her laugh and smile. Marcus would be the last person to call himself funny but when people laughed, he was happy. Pushing his glasses up his nose, he looked up at the girl when she applauded and he bowed low.

Standing up again, Marcus had to push his glasses back up his nose again. When she spoke, it was Marcus's turn to laugh. 'That would be mighty funny, though Mother always said that no Conway would ever be named after a book character so they called me Marcus instead.' He lifted his toad again to eye level and look into its beady eyes. He held it there for a moment, before lowering it and smiling. 'So like I said, I'm Marcus. Nice to meet you.' Marcus was never comfortable talking to people, especially girls, but he thought he was doing well so far.

[Sam Cooper]

Little Sam couldn't help but gawp, even at the train station that wasn't entirely disimilar to muggle ones, well not old fashioned ones for steam trains at least. His dad had often taken, or rather dragged, him on days out to see the trains, and Sam loved it.

Shaking his head and bringing his fleeting thoughts back to the present his eyes grew wide on seeing the boy grabbing a toad on his hands and knees, now Sam wasn't unaccustomed to being plastered with dirt, his mum often smeared his cheeks with a damp hanky to wipe away the grime, but picking up a toad just seemed really strange. He'd only do it if dared, and even then he'd be worried, cause one of his brothers had had a toad once, and chased him around the house without it screaming blue murder as he ran after the petrified young boy. That had been a long time ago now, but Sam didn't forget such things quickly, so he gave the toad an uneasy, frankly suspicious look.
"He's lookin' at me funny," exclaimed Sam, pointing hesitantly at the toad when he saw their shared looks of confusion. "The eyes are all weird like," he visibly shuddered, taking a small step out from behind Alice, who he'd very nearly fully hid behind.

Sam felt a little out of it, particularly because he was a little scared of the toad, but he didn't want to annoy the boy either, so very pointedly looking anywhere but at the toad Sam commented, "Sherlock Holmes, cool will 'e solve mysteries n stuff? Ye need a hat for 'im." Somehow if the toad had a hat he'd seem a little more human and less scary, but only a little.

"Av you performed before?" Asked Sam quizzically secretly jealous of the cool bow he'd swept, "did yer mum teach ye that or sommit? My mum taught me to sound more, well posh, but it never works fer long." He grinned hoping neither of them would find his little waffling annoying.

Sam knew 'protocal' as his mum would say, meant he had to shake hands now, though he wasn't overly eager with the toad perched like some sort of predator ready to bite his hand off. But he summoned up his little courage grabbing a hold of the other boys hand and shaking fiercely as young boys trying to prove themselves do, "I'm Sam Coopa, pleased to av met ya Marcus."

Smiling a little nervously Sam asked to nobody in particular, he guessed Marcus knew more than him, he had a toad for goodness sake, which he had to admit was kinda cool really, "what are we supposed te do? Jus' wait?" He wondered casting a quick glance up at Alice's brother he'd seemed cool, well his hair was, plus he was tall, which was always good in Sam's book.