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(Caligula) This is It
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 08-24-19 02:36
Caligula walked side by side with his mother right into the heart of platform 9 and 3/4. He had insisted with his mother that he should take the trolley with his luggage himself, but now he was starting to regret it as it was somewhat heavy. He hasn't been able to sleep much last night due to the excitement. This was it: he was finally going to Hogwarts.
His head turned left and right, looking around. There were students and parents everywhere, chatting, laughing even yelling sometimes. He did not know anyone but wearing his brand new Hogwarts robes made him at least feel like he belonged there. His mother had told him to wear the robes right away. She had spent a great deal of time fussing around his clothes and his belongings making sure everything was immaculate. He looked expensive which was what his mother wanted. Caligula still did not have a clue how his mother had been able to afford all his school supplies. They were not exactly rich.
Once all his luggage was stored into the train, it was time to say goodbye to his mother. First she begun to adjust his hair, making sure If was on the right place.
"Remember to always keep yourself presentable," she made a final adjustment to his tie. It was still a black tie, but he quickly realized all other students expect first years had colorful ties. Caligula wondered which tie color he would carry for the next seven years. He had imagined that once he was about to board the Hogwarts Express a teacher would show up and tell each first year student in which house they belonged. But it seemed like he was wrong. His mother refused to tell him anything about the Hogwarts houses. The only thing he knew was she was hoping he would become a Slytherin like most Notts. "And choose your friends carefully."
"Yes, mom."
"Here..." she placed a couple of galleons in his hand."So you can buy sweets to the other students. Charm and impress them, Caligula. They need to know who you are."
Caligula put the money inside his pocket, and gave her a short insecure nod. His mother was eager for him to stand out. Caligula did possess the Nott charm, but at the moment he was too shy to use it. His mother had told him people would recognize his family name and respect him, like they would do if he were a Malfoy, a Lestrange, a Weasley or even a Potter. But there he was, about to board the Hogwarts Express and everyone else was engaged on their own lives, completely oblivious to who he was. And he actually preferred it that way.
"See you at Christmas?" He asked in an attempt to accelerate the goodbyes. He looked at a group of giggling students boarding the train. He too wanted to get inside and find out what awaited him there.
"Wait!" She told him. "When he looks at you, do not deviate your eyes from him. Don't look down, or away. He will stare at you and you stare back at him, understand? If you don't it will seem like you are weak."
"Who will look at me?" Caligula asked, confused.
"You will know when the time comes," his mother said. "Write to me and study hard. Do not get yourself involved in confusions. Behave yourself and make me proud."
She kissed his cheek and hugged him. For a moment Caligula felt a little bit frightened. He never been away from his mother and now here was ready to go to a boarding school, on his own. But the fear was quickly dismissed, as he entered the train. The general good mood of everyone around him, the excitement of meeting new people and finally be able to go to Hogwarts overcome all his concerns. His mother's mysterious recommendation about someone looking at him vanished from his mind right away.
He sat on his seat in a compartment half filled with other first years, smiled and greeted:
"Hello, I'm Cal!" For now that was all everyone needed to know.
(Alexandra) On the Train
Author: Illyria
Date: 08-24-19 18:33
The whole Crumm family had gone to King's Cross Station to see Alexandra off on the Hogwarts Express. Going through the barrier with her new trunk, a gift from her parents with her name engraved on it in gold lettering, had been exciting. Despite the thrill of experiencing something new, when it came time to say goodbye to her parents and young sisters, Alexandra had grown very sad and even a bit teary-eyed.
She'd waved at them through a window in the car's vestibule while fighting back tears and looked at them for as long as she could. Eventually, the train had gone too far, forcing her to find a compartment. The first few she'd checked had been all full, but just when she began to wonder if she ought to just go back to the vestibule and spend the whole journey all alone, she'd found space in a compartment full of other first year students.
Another girl had offered her a tissue. Her eyes were also a bit red, which made Alexandra feel a little bit better about nearly crying. At least she hadn't been the only one. She'd accepted the tissue greatly. The girl introduced herself as Violet.
Now the train was approximately a third of the way to Hogsmeade Station. Alexandra and Violet had each gotten over their initial sadness about leaving home and their families. They told each other about themselves and got to know the other first years in the compartment, too.
"What do you think the teachers will be like?" asked another girl.
"One of them is my aunt," Alexandra revealed.
"What does she teach?" "Is she nice?" "Will you live with her in the castle?"
"She teaches Astronomy," Alexandra said. "She'll be our teacher, in fact, because she only teaches the younger students." Alexandra confirmed that her aunt was indeed nice but no, she didn't think she'd get to live with her.
The other first years suddenly considered her an expert at Hogwarts, even though she really didn't know all that much about it all. They peppered her with all sorts of questions, which Alexandra did her very best to answer.
(Magnus) Hilarious
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 08-25-19 08:16
"Do you got your Hogsmeade permission form signed?" Ned asked Magnus.
"Yes," Magnus said. The two Slytherin friends were sharing a compartment together."You?"
"Of course! We are not babies anymore, Magnus! While the little children stay in the castle we can hang out in the village. We can buy whatever we want, eat wherever we want, even spend the entire day at Blossom's Gaming Centre!"
"There's also that haunted place right?"
"Yes, the Shrieking Shack! We need to go there! And not just stand at the door. We will get inside!"
"That can give an interesting article," Magnus thought. He needed good stories for the Hogwarts Herald's readers. A trip to a haunted house might be something they would like to read. Although he wasn't sure if Professor Hodfuffer would like to know that he broke into a haunted house with Ned.
"You know, my parents were this close to forbid me to go Hogsmeade."
"How so?" Magnus asked. He had spent a week at Ned's place during the summer. He had met Ned's parents and his siblings. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfcastle did not seem the kind of restrictive parents. Magnus went with the Wolfcastles to the Quidditch Con and they were even allowed to have ice-cream twice.
"Those news about the Death Eaters at Hogwarts and You Know Who's return. My parents were even unsure I should hang out with you anymore. You're a Muggle-born and they are afraid I might get hurt or something for associating myself with you."
"Huh?" Magnus didn't understand much of what Ned had just told him. "Death Eaters? What are those?"
"Oh right, I forgot you don't know this stuff."
Ned cleared his throat and tried to explain to Magnus everything about Lord Voldemort and his followers. He told them about their aversion to Muggle-borns, and how apparently Hogwarts students have been recruited to the Dark Lord's side. Magnus listened to everything with attention. Ned seemed pretty serious about what he was saying but when he ended all Magnus could do was laugh.
"I don't see where is the fun in all this. They would eliminate you in a blink."
"It's just…from what you're telling me this is a group of masked people, doing the bids of some guy who calls himself Dark Lord, and they all have identical tattoos…it's hilarious! You say he is after the Muggles, but I would love him to try to face an entire army."
Magnus was picturing a group of tattooed wizards flying around on their broomsticks being chased by a jet fighter. They would not have a chance. Or even this Voldemort guy pointing his wand at an experimented soldier carrying a potent machine gun. In his immaturity of 13 years of age, in which during only 2 he had spent in the Wizarding world, he could not see the gravity of the issue. Ned was shocked by his friend's reaction. Magnus clearly was underestimating You Know Who.
"No wonder he thinks Muggleborns are stupid," Ned muttered, while Magnus kept laughing and talking about bombs, shotguns and drones, whatever those things were.
(Oliver) New Prefect
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 08-25-19 08:34
The journey on the Hogwarts Express had begun with a meeting in the prefects compartment. Led by Kurt Blackwell and Finley Pride, this year's Head Boy and Head Girl, the new and returning prefects received reminders and assignments for the train ride and beyond. Oliver, being one of the new first year prefects, listened attentively. He was greatly honored at having been chosen one of the two new Gryffindor prefects, Blair Hazelton being the other one. He was also glad that Grace had been chosen. If only Rand could have made prefect, too!
Grace normally didn't ride the Hogwarts Express in, because she lived in Hogsmeade. Since she was a new prefect, she needed to be on the train this year. When Kurt and Finley asked for volunteers for patrol shifts for the remainder of the journey, Grace and Oliver jumped at the chance to work together.
They walked down the center aisle together from car to car, glancing into the compartment windows to make sure no shenanigans were underway. While they worked, they also socialized. There was a lot to talk about, from the lighthearted discussions about summer and what the new first year students would be like, to the more serious. Both noted that it wasn't just prefects patrolling the Hogwarts Express. There appeared to be a few members of law enforcement escorting the students as well.
They knew why, and compared to some of the other students, had more reason to pay attention to it. Oliver knew that his uncle had worked for and with the Death Eaters long ago, and Grace's maternal grandparents had been Death Eaters themselves. His family didn't subscribe to the Daily Prophet, so Oliver hadn't seen the different articles surrounding the controversy at Hogwarts, but he'd heard all about it, of course.
It had also been a subject in the prefects meeting. Kurt and Finley urged the others to keep an eye out for suspicious activity and to report it immediately. No one said it out loud, but it was plain on some faces that not even the prefects were necessarily trusted not to be young Death Eater recruits themselves. Oliver didn't particularly feel targeted himself, but how could he prove himself otherwise if someone did suspect him? Rumors ran rampant, after all, and it was hard to change minds that were already decided.
"It's a bit worrisome, isn't it?" Oliver asked. "The not knowing who else was recruited."
"That's assuming others were," Grace pointed out, "but if it has been going on as long as the Prophet said, then you can bet there are others. Probably some who graduated before Asher and Malden did, too."
"You know what I'm afraid of?" Oliver queried.
"What?"
"I'm afraid of something similar to what happened to my uncle happening to me or you or anybody, really. Sure, some would go willingly, but can't you see others being forced into it, either by threats or magical coercion?"
"Yeah," Grace said. "There's what happened to your uncle and there's the Imperius Curse… and probably other magical means as well. It is scary."
Oliver jumped suddenly, when someone's chocolate frog in the compartment he was passing smashed up against the window.
Grace laughed, and Oliver grinned sheepishly upon realizing what startled him. The two friends and new prefects continued patrolling and fortunately didn't come across any shenanigans, suspicious or otherwise.
End Of Patrol (Libby)
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 08-25-19 17:49
As her first patrol as a prefect comes to an end the other Slytherin fifth year prefect asks Libby, "Would you find out if Julia likes me?"
"Julia Vernon? Um, yeah, but why don't you just ask her for sweets in the commons or something?"
Looking sheepish Walter Wickham explains with a shrug, "I'd rather not be rejected. You're her roommate. It would be easy for you to find out if I have a chance."
Libby rolls her eyes but agrees. "Yeah, okay." She keeps her thoughts to herself that Walter is no sex god but Julia's standards might be lower than Libby's. Then again, Julia isn't waiting for her cheeky monkey of a sister to divorce The Sex God so that Libby can swoop in and console him. Julia might be more open to a pie faced boy like Walter.
Libby takes a sidelong look at Walter. He has matured somewhat over summer hols. He's not quite so blank in the face. Has he always had dimples? Huh. She'd never noticed them before. Or his muscles. When did he go from skinny nothing to defined muscle?
Julia may be interested after all.
Parting ways with Walter with another promise to feel Julia out on him as a potential boyfriend, Libby heads for the compartment where Edwina and Bertie are already waiting. They'd taken an earlier patrol and have probably been snogging since that shift ended. They do that a lot lately. Snog. If those two ever break up Libby isn't sure how she'll handle it. Edwina is her cousin but Bertie has always been Libby's Burpie, sort of like a brother. There's also the fact that she did threaten to hurt Edwina if Edwina ever hurt Bertie. If Edwina ever breaks Bertie's heart, Libby is prepared to carry through with her threat.
Libby enters the compartment to find Edwina and Bertie aren't alone. One of the others with them is Frederick Benwick who's saying, "Thought your sister started this term, Bertie."
Shaking his head Bertie replies, "Both Mamie and our cousin Dalbert start next year. Both turn eleven this month and both are annoyed they still have to wait another year to start Hogwarts."
His face scrunched now Fred asks, "Your Albert and have a cousin called Dalbert."
"There's a Cuthbert and a Tolbert too. A bunch of others. It's a thing in my family. I don't know why."
Soon, the entire compartment is laughing as Fred and others try to guess what the names of the "bunch of others" are with Libby contributing Egbert, Catbert, and Bertbert.
Hogsmeade Station
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 08-26-19 19:01
Bill could hear the train approaching. He and several other members of the Order of the Phoenix had agreed to patrol the part of Hogsmeade near the train station and the Hogwarts gates. Their presence was in addition to the members of law enforcement canvassing the village and the school. The two entities were not officially collaborating in the effort to keep the students safe or to identify potential dark wizards, though there were a few members of law enforcement who were also members of the Order and therefore knew about the secondary patrol group.
Bill walked towards the station entrance and climbed the few steps to the platform. Charlie was already there with Schuyler and Artie. Both had their trunks and were wearing their Gryffindor robes. Their eyes were on the track, waiting for the scarlet locomotive to come into view, but then Schuyler noticed his uncle and asked, "What are you doing here, Uncle Bill?"
"I was out for a walk and heard the train. Thought I would have a look and ran into you three. Ready for term to start?"
Schuyler and Artie both shrugged. "I'm looking forward to the feast," Artie added, "and to see the first years. Do you think there will be any good Gryffindors?"
"Definitely!"
The train pulled into view and chugged slowly to a stop. The Weasleys stepped out of the way to allow the students to disembark. It didn't take long for the platform to become crowded with students and their belongings, which included trunks, animal cages and broomsticks. Then Hagrid filled up even more space as he arrived and called out to the first years to follow him to the boat. He gave Bill and Charlie a knowing look as he passed them.
Charlie turned to his boys. "Off you go now. Write to your mother and sister tomorrow after you've settled back in."
"Bye Dad, bye Uncle Bill." The boys melded into the crowd heading to the carriages.
Bill and Charlie left the station together and headed in the direction of The Magic Neep. They could see the carriages begin to carry the older students to the castle, which was lit up brightly against the darkening sky. Soon, the Sorting Ceremony would be underway, followed by the Start of Term Feast. Professor McGonagall no doubt had a speech prepared about what had put the school in the news lately. Bill definitely didn't envy her position!