Outside of the train, Hagrid was waiting. He was waiting for the first year students to get off of the Hogwarts Express, as he had been tasked with bringing them to the castle for the first time.

Hagrid swelled with excitement. He had done this for many years, but even so, he couldn't help sharing the enthusiasm of the students starting at Hogwarts. He was so proud to have this job, and was honoured that Headmistress McGonagall had allowed him to continue bringing first years to Hogwarts for the first time.

As the students began to disembark from the train, he cupped his hands to his face and loudly started calling, "Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!"

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Eli grinned broadly and helped both girls get their luggage down from the overhead compartment. For the first time, he felt a flicker of anxiety, hoping that he would fit in at Hogwarts as well as he hoped and that the other students would be as welcoming as Bryn and Min had been.

Min thanked Eli for helping her get her luggage down, as it was quite high for her short stature. They brought their luggage off the train, and followed the voice that was calling for the first years. They arrived in front of a very tall, hairy man, who smiled warmly at them in between his calling for the first years.

Eli exchanged excited glances with Bryn and Min. "It's really happening," he said, his voice shaking with excitement and nerves.


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Maddie nodded her head, agreeing with Vivienne. Though, she seldom disagreed with her friend at all. 

Jacob blew a final bubble with his gum, before spitting it out the window. "Yeah, lets wait. The last thing we want is to get mixed up with [i]those[/i] students. Ugh."

They waited a while, until most of the train had emptied out, and then took their luggage and carrier it outside. They heard a voice calling for the first years and followed it, and when Hagrid came into view, Jacob groaned. "Ugh, that old oaf is still here? I can't believe it...that's absolutely revolting. He should have been fired ages ago."


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Archie had never felt happier in his entire life. His side was sore from being constantly elbowed by his brother, though he had completely enjoyed the train ride and was thrilled to have already made two friends. He thought privately that Nadia was kind of a stick in the mud, but he liked Ben, and hoped they would be in the same house.

He leapt out of his seat and helped everyone get the luggage down, though he was nowhere near the tallest among them. "C'mon, let's go! I can't wait to get sorted, these are gonna be the best years of our lives!" He gave his brother a huge hug, knowing how it annoyed him, before practically bounding off the train, nearly tripping over his own luggage in excitement. 

Nadia sighed. All she had wanted was a nice, quiet train ride, and this annoying Archie had completely ruined it. She was even more anxious about the sorting now, running through everything she had memorized from her textbooks in hopes of still being successful. She had liked the other two boys she'd sat with, and wouldn't mind if they were all sorted in the same house. [i]Just please, no Archie.[/i]

They made their way over to where the first years were gathering, Archie trying very hard to contain his excitement.


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Carter had thoroughly enjoyed his train ride, and was absolutely thrilled to have met Liqin. He was now even more excited to start at Hogwarts with the prospect of having a partner to run his newspaper with. [i]It's going to be a hit, I just know it![/i] he thought ti himself excitedly. 

"Ishbel is right," he said happily. "There will be way more exciting things to take photos of when we're actually at Hogwarts!" He smiled kindly at Ishbel, and helped her take down her luggage. "Let's go to Hogwarts!"

He led the way off the train, and confidently walked over to the gathering of the other first years around a tall man with long hair and a beard. Carter could hardly wait to set his eyes on Hogwarts for the first time!


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Saoirse had a far better time than she had ever imagined while riding the Hogwarts Express. She was very happy with who the other two students sitting in her compartment had turned out to be. Things just felt absolutely perfect, as if she was precisely where she needed to be in her life.

She turned to Olivia and locked eyes with her, suddenly very serious. "Don't worry," she said gently. "You will be placed in the house that is absolutely perfect for you." She blinked once, feeling a little fuzzy in the head. She shook her head and smiled at the other two. "Well, let's go!"

Saoirse took her luggage and, alongside the other two, got off the train and joined up with the rest of what she assumed were the first year students. She looked up at the man who was calling them over, and smiled, getting the feeling that he was someone she was going to get along with, though she couldn't explain why.


"Right," Hagrid said, clearing his throat. "Is e'reyone off the train?" He looked around, and as no new students had approached for a while despite his near constant yelling. "Right, er, well, leave yer luggage in a pile o'er there, it'll be brought ter Hogwarts for ye." 

Once all the students had all placed their luggage in a somewhat haphazard pile, Hagrid nodded. "Right, foller me then." He began walking off, and the students followed him until they reached the edge of a lake, with many little boats floating. "Alright all, into the boats. Four students only fer each boat, four only!" He clambered into a boat in which he barely fit, and waiting for the other students to choose their boats, keeping a watchful eye out to ensure that the students would comply with his four-to-a-boat order.