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“Hey, is this seat taken?”
A black haired boy who seems to be my age pushes the compartment door open. His hair is slicked back and he’s already wearing his robes.
“No, I’m actually alone. Come in” I say.
He walks in and places his suitcase on the shelf above the seats. I think he’s a little taller than me. When he’s made sure his bag is secure, he turns around to shake my hand.
“Hi. I’m Basilton, but you can call me Baz. What’s your name?” he asks.
I quickly wipe my sweaty hand on my trousers, hoping he won’t notice.
“I’m Simon” I respond.
If he notices my sweaty hand, he doesn’t say anything about it.
“Simon” he repeats. “Is this your first year at Hogwarts too?”
“Yeah.” I feel relieved that he’s also a first year, because maybe that means I’ll feel a little less alone when I get there.
“You nervous?” he asks. Maybe he did notice my hand.
“A little. I don’t really know anything about Hogwarts” I explain.
“Oh, so you’re a muggleborn?” he asks.
Muggle. I came across that word in some of the schoolbooks and I think it means someone without magic. You know, a normal person.
“Yeah” I admit. “Are both of your parents… magic?”
“Yes. I come from a long line of great witches and wizards” he says with pride in his voice.
“That’s so cool! I can’t imagine what it must be like to grow up around magic!”
“And I can’t imagine what it would be like to grow up with muggles. My parents probably wouldn’t even want me to talk to you” he says, now avoiding my eyes with his.
“Why not?” I question.
“You’re muggleborn. They’re very old fashioned, and think that wizards with muggle parents are… worse. Less pure, or something” he explains.
“Wow. And you don’t?” I ask, just to be sure. I was hoping he’d be friends with me.
He shrugs.
“No, not really. You seem okay to me.”
Baz knows a lot about Hogwarts. Since he comes from a magical family, he has lots of people he can ask about it. He tells me about the castle, the ghosts and the history. Also this sport called Quidditch, which is apparently a big deal. First years aren’t allowed to bring brooms, but he has a nice one at home and already knows how to play. He says he’s gonna try out for the team in second year. When the trolley comes by, he buys more candy than I’ve ever been able to afford in my whole life. I’m not surprised at all that his family is rich, he looks like a rich kid, but wow. That’s a lot of candy.
The sorting hat puts me in Hufflepuff. I have no idea what that means, but it said some nice things about them in the song and the table is very welcoming. Baz is there too, and I’m glad we’re in the same house. It’s nice to already know someone.
The food that’s served after the sorting ceremony is incredible. I’ve never had anything like it, and I eat until my robes feel too tight. The dessert is amazing too, and I realise that I didn’t eat any lunch if you don’t count the candy fro the train. No wonder I was so hungry.
I meet Baz again in the Hufflepuff dorms. I’ve just gotten ready for bed when I notice that he has the bed next to mine.
“Oh, hi Baz” I exclaim. He briefly looks up.
“Hi Simon” he sighs. I sit down next to him on his bed.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond and refuses to let me look at his face.
”Are you crying?” I whisper.
“No I’m not” he sniffles. “Piss off!” I put my arm around him.
“Hey, come on, talk to me” I plead, but he lifts my arm off and turns his face further away.
I put my hand on his leg.
“Baz, I won’t tease you. Tell me what’s wrong.”
He turns around towards me, but doesn’t look up.
“I don’t wanna be a Hufflepuff” he mutters.
“Why not?” I ask. “These people seem really nice! Besides, this common room is super cosy.”
“Well” he begins, wiping his eyes. “pretty much all of my family are Slytherins. We have few Ravenclaws here and there, but overall we’re a Slytherin family. My parents don’t want a Hufflepuff son.”
“What do they have against Hufflepuffs? Hufflepuffs are kind, and… loyal, or something like that. The hat said so. I think Hufflepuff is a nice house” I state. Baz looks at me, and his eyes are red and puffy.
“No, it’s a loser house! It’s the boring house, the leftovers! We’re the ones that are left when the other houses have been filled! Hufflepuffs are the people who aren’t brave enough to be in Gryffindor or smart enough to be in Ravenclaw! We’re the ones who weren’t good enough for Slytherin!” he wails, and new tears are running down his cheeks. There’s a pause, because I don’t know what to say. Baz just sobs in to his hands. I grab his wrists, removing his hands from his face.
“Listen Baz” I say. “Maybe that’s what your family thinks. Maybe that’s what the Slytherins and the Gryffindors think. But it’s not what I think. And it’s probably not what the other Hufflepuffs think. Hufflepuff is a house for kind, loyal, and hardworking people, and I think those are admirable traits, And I don’t want to insult your family, but they’re not right about everything. They’re old fashioned, you said so yourself. Maybe they need some new perspective, and you can give them that.”
Baz sniffles, but he’s crying less.
“I’m glad that I’m good enough to be at Hogwarts at all, no matter what house I’m in. And I’m glad we’re in the same house. I think you’ll be a great Hufflepuff” I continue.
“And besides” I add, looking Baz in the eyes, “even if Hufflepuffs are losers, at least we can be losers together.”
Baz wipes his tears and smiles weakly.
“Thanks” he mumbles.
“Is it okay if I hug you?” I ask. He nods shyly, and I embrace him.
“Simon?” he whispers.
“Yeah?”
“Can you promise not to tell anyone about this?”
“I promise.”