“Good luck, Bloom and be careful!” Blossom Moriarty called after her only grandchild as the scarlet steam train pulled out of the station. She put her hand to her mouth in worry for Bloom.
Bloom waved from her compartment; sitting down to face a girl with white, shoulder length hair, and sharp grey eyes, who definitely hadn’t been there when she stood up. Bloom jumped slightly.
“Hello,” She said brightly,
The girl was wearing a lacy white skirt, stripy knee length socks protruding from calf length brown lace up boots, a faded denim jacket over her black tank top, and a sullen expression.
“Hi,” she replied slightly timid,
“I’m Bloom, Bloom Moriarty, What’s your name?” She extended a hand to shake,
“Flo Frost, It’s nice to meet you Bloom,” Flo shook her hand and smiled properly for the first time that day,
“Cool name,” she grinned enthusiastically, as Flo took in her appearance, loose blonde curls framed her childish face, she wore a big grin, ripped jeans and green converse trainers with grass stains on the rubber, she had a white t-shirt underneath her red hooded cardigan the sleeves pulled past her wrists even though the weather was still warm enough for short sleeves.
“Ditto.”
“Are you excited?” she asked still wearing the grin,
“Well, I am, but I’m sort of nervous too. What if nobody likes me?”
“Well then you’ve got me, I’ll stick with you if you want,” Bloom kicked her feet up onto the empty seat next to her.
Scorcha found a compartment with just two other girls inside; blonde and white haired. She slid open the door and the two girls looked up and their eyes widened. She’d forgotten people stare at girls whose hair is not just red, but crimson. Living in London for so long she’d grown accustomed to people avoiding eye contact at all costs.
“Hi, do you mind if I join you?”
“Not at all,” the blonde blurted, swinging her legs off the seat to make room,
Scorcha sat down, “I’m Scorcha Daniels,” she held out her hand,
“Bloom Moriarty,” The blonde smiled,
“Flo Frost,” she seemed sort of shy.
“Do any of you two come from magical heritage, because I’m new at all this.” Scorcha gestured to the world around her,
“Sorry can’t help you there, muggle born,” Bloom shrugged, chewing on her stubby nails,
“I might be, I never knew my mum, she could have been a witch, I doubt it though,” Flo frowned at her socks,
“Ooh good, I’m not the only one then!” she cheered just as a girl with jet black hair stumbled into the compartment landing clumsily on the seat next to Flo,
“Morning,” she wheezed, she looked out of breath as she pushed her black bangs out of her face,
“It’s afternoon,” Scorcha sniffed, she hadn’t even asked to join them,
“Skye Tanberry, nice to meet you too,” she rolled her eyes at Scorcha,
“Bloom Moriarty,”
“Flo Frost,” Flo nodded,
“Scorcha Daniels,”
“Nice hair.” she grinned, “Is that natural?”
“Yes,” Scorcha snapped, affronted,
“Okay, chill, just asking!”
Skye couldn’t resist asking. It was a decent question after all. Okay it wasn’t the best one to ask at that moment but hey, someone had to.
A middle-aged witch stopped by the door and called in an all too cheery voice, “Anything from the trolley dears?” Skye wasn’t the only one in the compartment that thought it sounded like a con,
“Thank god, I’m STARVING!” Bloom cried, loading her arms with candy,
Scorcha and Skye chuckled to themselves, but stopped when they realised the other was doing the same.
“Oh get over yourselves, we should at least try to be friends!” Bloom muttered - a chunk of chocolate between her teeth and two arms cradling candy, “Okay,” she dumped the sweets on the table before them and said, “I have no idea what any of these are, Let’s test them!”
“There a bit different to Liquorice All Sorts...” Skye screwed her face up as she tasted what she had thought was a jelly bean. She picked up the packet and read, “Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.” She smirked, “They weren’t kidding. That one tasted like Vinegar!”
“White wine or Balsamic?” Bloom asked randomly.
Skye ran her tongue around her mouth, “I’m not sure... Though I’m leaning towards Balsamic...”
Scorcha and Flo burst out laughing and Bloom and Skye soon joined in.
“We should probably change soon,” Flo mused after a few hours of scoffing chocolate frogs and liquorice wands and other interesting foods,
The girls all pulled on their robes and watched as the countryside flew by as they shared stories of their childhoods when the door opened for the fourth time on that journey and a petite girl with frazzled dark red hair panted, pink faced in the door frame.
“Can we help?”Skye asked - in an interested manner,
“Oh, My friend’s lost his toad, I was wondering if you’d seen it?”She puffed,
“Sorry, the only frogs in here are made of chocolate,” Bloom gave an apologetic smile, “Are you a first year?” Scorcha asked, looking her up and down,
“Yes,”the girl snapped, “Alright chill, just asking,”She made a face at Skye who was glaring at her from the use of her words, “Since we are too,”She explained, “Scorcha Daniels,”she offered, “And this is Skye Tanberry, Bloom Moriarty and Flo Frost, What’s your name?”
“Oh, Lily Evans,”She smiled sheepishly, “It’s nice to meet you, Lily, sorry we haven’t seen a toad,”Flo apologised,
“That’s okay,” Lily shut the door and left, only for it to be opened moments after,
“No we have not seen a toad, there is no room in the compartment, we don’t want any food!” Scorcha said without turning around,
The three other girls snickered, “What?”
They pointed at the door and she turned around to see a boy of about sixteen whose face was covered in acne saying, “We’ll be arriving in Hogsmeade in five minutes, please don’t leave anything on the train,” he read from a card with a nasal voice, before waddling away,
“Well this ought to be a fun year!” Skye said sarcastically,
Bloom stood amongst the other first years with Scorcha, Flo and Skye at her sides as they loaded themselves into the boats to take them up to the castle. The sight was breathtaking; countless towers stuck out of the huge structure upon the hill; lights shone out of big oak doors shining out onto manicured grounds.
They were handed off to a strict looking woman with a tight bun and tartan robes. “I am Professor McGonagall. In a moment you shall be taken to join the other students. Please prepare yourselves,” with that she turned on her heel and disappeared through a small wooden door.
Bloom could feel the energy radiating from the ground she stood on and she soaked it in willingly.
Scorcha admired the lighting - candle fixtures - just her cup of tea. She focused her concentration on one in particular and increased the flames; catching the attention of the other students. Scorcha tried to tame it but it continued to grow and blaze.
Skye watched as the fire was growing out of control and she exhaled in a quick, sharp motion and the fire went out completely.
How could Scorcha have been so stupid to start meddling with magic she didn’t understand. Scolding herself she flicked her wrist and a small fire ignited again.
Flo didn’t pay attention to the whispers around her but the movements of her three new friends; Bloom had her eyes closed and she seemed to be meditating - unaware of her surroundings; Scorcha was looking upset and angry with herself; while Skye was wiggling her fingers in a calming motion as if trying to settle the angst in her system.
McGonagall returned and ushered them through the golden doors into a huge room filled with four long tables with students sat in different coloured uniforms according to the table they were sitting at.
A fifth table at the far end of the room where thirteen members of staff sat and there was an empty seat for McGonagall.
A shabby patched witches hat sat on a rickety looking three legged stool and began a rhyme that said something about founders and sorting and houses et cetera.
McGonagall began reading names off a scroll....
“Daniels, Scorcha,” McGonagall called and Scorcha gulped nervously, She felt a hand squeeze hers and she looked to her right to see Skye looking straight ahead as though she hadn’t done a thing, however her left eyebrow arched teasingly.
Scorcha took a deep breath and walked slowly up to the stool, as she took her seat McGonagall dropped the hat over her ears, “Hello there,” She heard a croaky voice in her ear, “Now let’s see... it’s been a while since I’ve had one of you.... Very defensive it seems... strong will to prove yourself.... you’re one of those ‘think-on-your-feet’ ones aren’t you? A lot of loyalty... Brave too... Plenty of fire.... GRYFFINDOR!”
The bewitched ceiling - that showed the sky outside - portrayed an inferno of comets. The man with the long white beard and sparkling blue eyes, smiled amused from his seat at the head of the staff table.
The room erupted in cheers so loud she almost didn’t hear the hat whisper, “Sorry it might clash with your hair...” laughing to herself Scorcha felt the hat leave her head and she ran down to the cheering table with red and gold accessorized uniforms.
The sorting hat put Lily from the train in Gryffindor also. A few other students were sorted into different houses before McGonagall called....
“Frost, Flora,”
“Good luck,” Bloom whispered,
“Thanks,” Flo shuffled through the other waiting students to the stool and gingerly took a seat,
“Well, we do have an interesting bunch this year...” a voice wheezed in her thoughts,
Way to sugar coat it... Flo thought back,
“Down to business. Cheeky, very cheeky, Quick, I’ll admit... talent... strong willed although not as expressive as some.... That water element is throwing the game a little bit... You’d make an excellent Slytherin, but then again you are one for trying new things. Tradition isn’t really your thing is it? You seem to be quite selfless towards your family. Courage that shows when needed - not arrogance.... Well I think you’ll be most comfortable in.... GRYFFINDOR!”
She grinned and skipped to sit next to Scorcha at the table cheering.
McGonagall called out a few other names and Remus Lupin joined Gryffindor house to the pleasure of his friend -Sirius Black- whom had already joined the house. She then called out,
“Moriarty, Bloom,” Bloom kept her head high as Skye pinched her hand and she climbed onto the stool and the hat fell over her eyes,
“It takes a lot to surprise me, yet I’ve lost my wits more than once tonight. Your element will be most comfortable in Hufflepuff near the ground.... Though you’re a bit of a risk taker... an experimenter.... Bravery and Courage belong in the house of the lion, so it had better be....GRYFFINDOR!”
Potter, James and Pettigrew, Peter also joined Gryffindor while Nott, Theodore joined Slytherin house and O’Brian, Gwen was sorted into Ravenclaw. Skye stood alone in front of the whole school, an adventurous smirk on her lips as McGonagall announced,
“Tanberry, Skye,” McGonagall rolled up her scroll, Skye walked confidently up to the stool and waited for the hat to be dropped onto her head, the worn leather brushed her ears,
“Quite something you are... And don’t you know it....” the voice laughed,
The whole school was paying rapt attention as she sat having a silent conversation with the sorting hat... One minute passed....Two minutes....
“Cunning... Slytherin could help you there.... Bold if not slightly brash.... a little too honest to please everyone... though that’s not what you want to do is it?”
Oh, please! If someone is offended; let them be offended! What’s the worst that could happen? Skye thought back in response,
“Well that rules out Ravenclaw, who think things through... Although I’m surprised, I’d have thought your element would have made you most comfortable there...”
Do I really seem smart enough for that? Honestly?
“You have a point there....”
Three minutes....Four minutes....
“Well, I’m positive you’ll thrive best in.... GRYFFINDOR!”
She felt the Hat leave her head as she skipped down to the seat Scorcha had saved for her.
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