Chapter Text
The whistle of the scarlet steam engine echoed across the station as white clouds of steam drifted along the platform. Students hurried past with trunks and cages while families gathered for final hugs and hurried goodbyes.
Kronii was already is her sit, her suitcase rested neatly beside her seat. On top of it sat a brass cage secured with straps, inside which a barn owl blinked slowly, its feathers puffed slightly as it watched the commotion outside.
Kronii leaned her chin against her hand, staring through the glass.
Parents hugged their children tightly. Some were laughing, others were already crying.
She sighed quietly.
The compartment door slid open.
"Gimurin!" a blonde girl entered the cabin, dropping her suitcase with a thud.
"Surprised you showed up first Gigi."
Gigi shrugged, flopping to the seat opposite of her.
"Couldn't really sleep so I packed early"
Her suitcase was bright yellow with orange lines running across it, the surface covered in messy doodles and little drawings.
A cage sat beside it.
Inside was a white owl, though some of its feathers shimmered faintly green when the light caught them.
"Have your news from the others its almost time." Gigi asked looking outside of the window, in chance of maybe seeing the others.
"They will be coming together, from what Calli told me Bae slept in yet again."
Kronii answered opening her book.
Gigi suddenly pointed out the window.
“Oh, I see them.”
It wasn't that difficult to spot them since bright pink and red hair was easy to see amongst other people. They got on the train almost stumbling from the steps. A moment later the cabin door opens.
"I swear to god next time I am leaving you." Calli enters first a suitcase on her hand and on the other a cage with a great horned owl, its eyes bright orange and wings flapping around as Calli tried to put everything down.
"Hey, it’s not my fault my alarm didn't go off!"
Behind her a red haired girl, she had only a backpack, on her shoulder sat calmly her owl, a tawny owl.
"Hey at least you made it" Gigi jumped in. Calli dropped into the seat beside her while Bae slid down next to Kronii.
Her owl immediately hopped from her shoulder and landed in Kronii’s lap.
She didn't move it away, she started petting it, the owl made soft, pleased cooing noises.
"You remembered to take everything" Kronii asked continuing petting the owl.
"I got my essentials, if anything happens my parents will probably send it to me" Bae said taking her headphones out of her backpack.
"Here I thought it would be you who had the biggest suitcase Kronii"
Calli said comparing their suitcase.
"Since its summer I won't be needing to many clothing and we will be wearing the clothes assigned to us by the school"
The train began to move with a slow lurch, wheels clattering along the tracks. Outside the window, London slowly faded into green countryside.
Inside the compartment the four of them talked about everything they could imagine, the school, how they will be assigned, the roommates and friends who will be meeting again.
Time passed as everyone in the cabin had fallen asleep, Gigi was now laying on the sits her head resting on Calli’s lap. Bae's head had leaned on the window her mouth slightly opened.
Kronii was still awake, she couldn't really put her mind at easy, she was anxious, more than she should be.
Hogwarts
That word itself felt heavy. I sigh escaped her lips, she decided to stand up to stretch herself. Opening the cabin door.
The train corridor was busy.
Students were walking between compartments, laughing, trading candy, or peeking out the windows. Some younger students looked nervous.
Others looked like they already owned the place.
Kronii had just stepped into the hallway when someone bumped into her from behind.
It wasn’t very hard.
But a soft thud sounded behind her.
She turned around to see a small brunet, books and loose papers scattered everywhere.
"I am so sorry" the girl said quickly, scrambling to gather them.
"It’s alright, here let me help you" she Kronii said calmly, kneeling down to help.
Most of them were filled with sketches of different kind of beasts, some she herself hasn’t seen before.
"You draw these?" She asked handing the papers to the brunette.
"I-I yes, I like studying creatures, that’s the reason I wanted to go to this school" Her voice was quiet, almost shy.
When she finally looked up, Kronii noticed her eyes. Warm amber.
A faint blush dusted her cheeks. Her brown hair was tied into a long ponytail, and two small owl feathers were tied into the ribbon holding it.
Wow... she is pretty
"Ouro kronii nice to meet you" she said offering a polite smile.
"Nanashi Mumei, thank you and I am sorry for bumping into you, I wasn’t really paying attention…"
"It’s alright don’t worry."
There was a small silence between them when a girl appeared behind Mumei.
"There you are I been looking for you."
A girl with long green hair appeared behind Mumei. She wore a soft green skirt and a white blouse
"Fauna?" Kronii said
The green hair girl looked at her, a small squeal escaping her lips.
"Kroniii!"
She hugged the girl excitedly
"How have you been, I haven't seen you since you moved" she said letting go of her to see her properly.
"It’s nice seeing you too."
"I suppose you already met Mumei, she is a friend from my home town"
Mumei just did I little bow not really meeting eyes with the taller woman.
"It’s is nice seeing more people that we know means there is a higher chance being in the same classes"
"I suppose yes, but we also have the houses"
They talked for a little, Fauna tried doing small chat for Mumei to also talk.
She liked drawing, from a very little age, she liked the thought of different creatures existing, she also journeyed a lot. Her book was filled with different papers some almost spilling out. Some time had passed and Kronii realized the others might go looking for her, or even go cause trouble.
"I should go back to my cabin Bae and the others might think something happened"
"Alright, tell them I said hi, we will see you at the sorting ceremony"
They waved to each other as they went on their way.
The steady rhythm of the wheels against the tracks faded as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the small station beside the lake. Steam rose into the cool evening air while students poured out of the train, dragging suitcases and cages behind them.
kronii stepped down from the train with the others, adjusting her clothes, again, while Gigi stretched dramatically beside her.
“That ride felt longer than it was,” Gigi muttered.
“You slept through half of it,” Calli pointed out.
“That’s not the point.”
They followed the crowd of students up the stone path toward the castle. As the towering silhouette of Hogwarts came into view, many of the first-years slowed slightly.
Even Kronii paused for a moment.
The castle rose high above the grounds, its many towers and windows glowing with warm golden light.
“Woah…” Bae whispered quietly.
“Okay yeah,” Gigi said, staring upward. “That’s pretty cool.”
Inside the castle, the students were guided through a set of enormous wooden doors.
They had entered the Great Hall.
The room was massive, far larger than she had imagined. Four long house tables stretched across the stone floor, each filled with older students watching the newcomers with curiosity.
Above them floated hundreds of candles, their flames flickering gently in the air.
And the ceiling…
Kronii blinked.
It looked like the night sky.
Stars glittered across the enchanted ceiling exactly as they did outside.
“Oh I need one of those in my house” Bae whispered looking up at the ceiling.
At the front of the hall stood a long table where the professors were seated. In front of it was a small wooden stool.
Students were directed to sit on benches in front of the stool while the older students watched from their house tables.
There were so many people.
Gigi leaned toward Kronii.
“So that’s the hat?”
“Yes.”
“That thing decides our entire future?”
“That is the general idea.”
“…No pressure then.”
The hall slowly quieted as one of the professors stepped forward holding a long scroll.
The Sorting Ceremony was about to begin.
Names began to echo through the hall one by one.
Each student walked up to the stool, sat down, and waited while the hat muttered quietly before announcing a house.
Sometimes the answer came immediately.
Other times it took longer.
Eventually a familiar name rang through the hall.
“Gigi Murin!”
Gigi straightened instantly.
“That’s me.”
She hopped up and practically jogged toward the stool.
“Don’t trip,” Calli muttered.
Gigi ignored her and dropped onto the stool, her legs swinging slightly as the hat was placed over her head.
There was a short pause.
Then the hat began speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“Hmmm… energetic… very energetic.”
A few students chuckled.
“Bold mind, plenty of courage… not afraid to act first and think later.”
“Hey.”
The hat continued.
“But there is cleverness here as well. A cunning spark… ambition…”
A moment of silence followed.
Then the hat shouted.
“GRYFFINDOR!”
The Gryffindor table erupted in applause and cheers.
Gigi jumped off the stool with a wide grin.
“Yes!”
She ran over to the table and immediately started talking to the students around her.
More names were called, students continued to be sorted.
Then another name echoed through the hall.
“Nanashi Mumei!”
Kronii’s head lifted immediately. She watched as the small brunette she had met on the train walked toward the stool.
But something was different. The shy nervous girl from earlier was gone.
Her amber eyes looked calm, almost cold, as she sat down and the hat was lowered over her head.
The hat spoke quietly this time.
Almost whispering.
Seconds passed.
Then the hat finally announced its decision.
“SLYTHERIN!”
The Slytherin table clapped politely as Mumei stood and walked toward them.
Bae leaned closer to Kronii.
“I would never have guessed.”
Kronii didn’t answer.
She was still watching Mumei walk away.
More names.
More houses.
Then…
“Ouro Kronii.”
Kronii stood.
The hall suddenly felt very quiet as she walked toward the stool.
She sat down.
The hat slid over her eyes.
“Hmmm…” the hat murmured.
“Sharp mind… very careful… always thinking ahead.”
Kronii answered calmly in her thoughts.
“I prefer preparation.”
“Yes…”
A pause.
Then it shouted.
“RAVENCLAW!”
Cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw table. Kronii stood, letting out a quiet breath of relief as she walked toward her new housemates.
But halfway there, she felt it again. Someone watching her, as she was looking around the room, there, amber eyes watching her across the hall. She looked at her for a second, she felt a shiver round down her spine and in unfamiliar warmth on her face.
Focus
She said to herself, turning her head away, but that feeling of someone watching didn’t leave.
The ceremony continued, but her focus had already shifted. She managed to hear some of the names, Bae got into Gryffindor, while Calli went to Slytherin.
As the ceremony ended, everyone started to move. The older students started showing around the school, the classes, and their houses, everything that might be needed in the future.
It had started, a new fresh start.