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Rumor had it there was a transfer student coming to Hogwarts. Students had seen him on the Hogwarts Express; too old to be a first year but no one knew him from their house or their classes. Supposedly he was old enough to be fourth or fifth year and sitting alone in one of the compartments. He’d looked scrawny and shabby, wearing robes that were much too large and quite worn at the seams and edges. Students had attempted to approach him but he’d curled around a brown tabby cat and buried his face against his knees.
Eventually Nott, Hufflepuff fifth year, had intervened and began shooing people away from the boy when it became clear to her he was distressed by it. Nott was small for her age and was often confused for a student much younger than she actually was. She didn’t try to get the boy to talk to her, instead reading a muggle book and keeping watch on the compartment door. Once word got out that Nott was guarding the boy from people seeking his attention, they were left alone. Nott didn’t have the best reputation; she had a way of getting even with anyone who dared to touch someone she considered under her protection though the trouble could never be traced back to her.
“What are you reading?”
Nott looked up from her book, surprised she’d been addressed. The boy was looking at her book rather than directly at her. He had red hair and startling blue eyes, blue eyes that were much older than the rest of him. The cat was looking at her as well, gold eyes peeking up over the boy’s knees. He had a slight accent and almost ducked behind his cat when Nott looked at him. She was used to unusual reactions when people got a good look at her, she was not what anyone would consider conventionally attractive.
“It’s a muggle book. It’s about alchemy.”
The kid’s blue eyes flicked up to her face and then back to the book. His lips moved as though he’d started to say something but stopped before anything came out.
“My name is Nott. I’m sorry everyone was bothering you, they should leave you alone until we get to the castle at least.” Nott offered her name and a small little smile that showed her crooked teeth.
There was several minutes of silence while he kept looking at the book in Nott’s hand rather than directly at her. She was about to return to return to reading when the boy spoke up finally. “Caleb. My name is Caleb. Is ah, is muggle alchemy very different from magical alchemy?”
Nott grinned, lighting up because his interest seemed genuine. Mostly her fascination with trying to mix muggle alchemy with magical alchemy had been laughed at and considered useless. There were, of course, spells that could be used to blow many things up, but did they have the same effect and use as gunpowder might have in potion making? “It’s nice to meet you, Caleb. It’s quite different. Ancient alchemy is all about muggles attempting to do some of what the magical world can but using science and old timey philosophy. Modern alchemy is called chemistry, at least I think so. And I think it could have its uses in alchemy and potions.”
She expected to see scorn on Caleb’s face but he seemed interested, looking at her intently while she explained. “Do you take those classes? Alchemy and potions? What house are you in, your school has houses, yes?”
She was so happy that the boy had actually engaged into the conversation, talking animatedly. Caleb kept touching the cat sitting in the space between his torso and his knees, seeming to find reassurance in the brown tabby who seemed quite content with the attention. “Yes, I’m in both alchemy and potions, everyone takes potions at least until fifth year when we do OWLs. We do sort into houses, I’m in Hufflepuff. Does your cat have a name?”
“My- Oh, this is Frumpkin.” Caleb paused here and scritched under the cat’s chin, resting his forehead against it and disappearing behind the cat for a moment.
“Hello Frumpkin, it’s nice to meet you,” Nott looked at the cat and spoke directly to it as though the cat might understand her.
“When you are done with your book, would if be alright if I borrowed it?”
“Of course. I have one I haven’t started yet, if you’d like.”
Caleb answered almost before Nott had finished offering. “Ja, bitte.”
The rest of the train ride to the school passed in companionable silence. Caleb immediately buried himself in the book Nott had given him. Once or twice a nosey someone would peer into the compartment to get a look at the new transfer student, sometimes even attempting to linger to get his attention to try to ask a question. Nott glowered until they left, as each time Caleb would shrink down behind his book until they left. It grew dark outside and the lamps flickered to life, soft yellow and orange flames casting warm light across the compartment.
When they finally arrived at the castle, Caleb started to pull his trunk down from the rack overhead and Nott spoke up. “They’ll take them to your rooms once you’re sorted, you don’t have to carry them.”
Caleb blinked down at her, apparently only now realizing just how short she was. “But my books are in there.”
“They’ll be safe,” Nott said, speaking carefully because there was a note of panic in Caleb’s voice.
He set the trunk, as battered and second hand looking as the rest of him, on the seat he’d been on minutes ago. Frumpkin twined around Caleb’s ankles and sniffed in the direction of Nott. “Maybe if I just bring a few books?”
Nott was about to point out he didn’t need them just yet but stopped herself before actually letting the words out. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”
Caleb unlocked the trunk with a flick of his wand and Nott had a glimpse of the inside of his trunk. It was mostly books by the look of things, more than should have fit into the trunk were it ordinary. The magic involved in making the inside of the trunk larger than the outside was quite complicated for someone Caleb’s age, whatever his age was, most people student age would not have been able to accomplish it. If Caleb had done the enchantment, Nott was impressed, that was OWL or NEWT level spellwork if he had. There was a lot of noise out in the corridor as people filed out and ran into people they had not seen since summer began, and Caleb spent a long time deliberating over which book to bring along, so long in fact the train had almost started to empty out.
“Ja okay I think these are good,” Caleb selected two older books and stuffed them into a satchel which he slung across his shoulder.
“The corridors are almost empty, if you’re okay to go now,” Nott suggested.
“I do not want to be sorted,” Caleb confessed, picking up Frumpkin and holding the cat against his chest.
“It will be alright, whatever house you get into I’m sure they’ll want you. If you like, I can talk to Professor McGonagall and maybe she will let you get sorted before the first years even come into the hall. If we hurry, we can catch her before the first years get to the castle, they have to cross the lake,” Nott thought quick, trying to decide if there was a way to get Caleb into the castle faster than the horseless carriages. Nothing came to mind, at least, nothing came to mind that didn’t have the potential of getting Caleb in trouble before he was even in a house. At least he couldn’t lose points for his house yet.
“Alright, ja. Let’s do that. Thank you, Nott.”
“You’re welcome, Caleb.”
There were no empty carriages and several of them had already departed for the castle. The first years were gathering around the groundskeeper who was collecting them for the boat ride across the moat. Nott was looking for a carriage that didn’t have someone in it who was particularly likely to pester her new friend with questions when she heard her name from nearby.
“Nott! Nott over here. C’mon.” Pike was leaning out the door to one of the carriages, waving at her.
“Come on, Caleb, let’s go ride with Pike,” Nott suggested.
Caleb was staring at the space in front of the carriages, mouth open just a fraction. Nott turned and followed his gaze but saw nothing, there was nothing pulling the carriages as always.
“Caleb?”
“Ja, ja.” His answer was vague and distracted at best but he followed Nott to where his fellow Hufflepuff was waving them over.
“Hello Nott. Have you see Grog? I was waiting for him but maybe he’s already headed in. Oh no close the door, there’s Shorthalt. Get in get in.” Caleb had hesitated on the threshold but climbed in on her insistence and the door slammed shut before anyone else could get in. It rolled into motion and Pike made an exaggerated show of shrugging at Scanlan Shorthalt on the other side as though she couldn’t help that they were going without him.
“Why don’t you just tell him to shove off?” Nott asked. “Or, better yet, put something foul in his bag everytime he tries to bother you.”
Pike rolled her eyes, glancing at Caleb but not trying to get him to engage. Caleb had closed himself off again, holding Frumpkin like a shield. “He’s not really a bad sort, just really annoying. And persistent. Really really annoying.”
Nott laughed. “Pike, this is Caleb. Caleb, this is Pike, she’s in my year in Hufflepuff as well.”
Caleb glanced up from his cat and sort of in the direction of Pike without making eye contact. “Ja. Hello.” He opened Nott’s book and proceeded to disappear behind it.
Once they’d reached the castle, Pike climbed out to go find Grog and avoid getting caught by Shorthalt while Caleb and Nott waited until most of the carriages had emptied before stepping out. Nott stayed close to Caleb, watching him from the corner of her eye. She didn’t know what he wasn’t saying and it didn’t matter, Caleb needed someone to look out for him.
“Professor,” Nott waved Professor McGonagall down, feeling nervous. She was the head of a different house and had a way of looking down at Nott that made her feel guilty even when she hadn’t done anything. Most of their interactions were limited to Nott getting into trouble, being suspected of trouble, or getting things literally backwards in transfiguration class. “Professor, this is-”
“You must be Widogast. Yes, I heard about you,” Professor McGonagall’s lips drew into a thin line, looking down at Caleb. “Thank you, Nott, you may-”
“Professor I know Caleb needs to be sorted but please may you sort him not in front of the whole hall?” Nott felt her stomach twist when she interrupted the professor, so nervous and talking very fast before she could lose her nerve.
McGonagall looked at Nott again, then back to Caleb. “Yes, I think that can be arranged. Get along to the Great Hall. Widogast, come with me.”
Nott watched them leave before finally jogging off toward the Great Hall. She found a seat near Pike, who had found a seat where she could lean back to talk to Strongjaw at the Gryffindor table.
The chatter in the room fell quiet other soft quiet whispers when Caleb entered the room with a Gilmore, the Ravenclaw prefect, at his side. They walked to the Ravenclaw table together and Caleb clutched Frumpkin to his chest, searching the table for something, then searching the whole hall until his eyes fell on Nott at a different table. Caleb’s shoulders slumped a fraction and he sat alone, withdrawing into the curve that was simply him and Frumpkin.
There was a little knot in Nott’s chest, she had suspected Caleb might be sorted into Ravenclaw, he seemed so smart, but she had been hoping he might get Hufflepuff so that she could look out for him. Who would look out for him now?
With a little rearranging, Nott could see Caleb across the Great Hall and over the course of the sorting and dinner their eyes met several times. Although Caleb gave short answers once or twice when his new housemates asked him a question, Caleb stayed to himself until the tables started to split up. Nott dodged through students from all the houses and popped up beside Caleb, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention.
“Oh, Nott,” he looked so relieved to see her, even smiling.
“Caleb, I just wanted to tell you that I am really happy you’re in a Ravenclaw but if you need anything...” Nott trailed off, not really certain what she was trying to say.
“I’ll come find you, Nott. I have to trade books with you after all, ja?” Caleb crouched down, getting to a level they could look one another in the eye. “Thank you Nott. I’m glad you’re the person I met today.”
Nott smiled and reached out to pet Frumpkin. “Yes, good. Well. That’s good.”
The hall started to clear around them as students went off toward their houses, full and sleepy after an exciting first day. Gilmore stood off to one side, waiting for his transfer student he’d been put in charge of while the other prefect gathered the first years and shepherded them off to the Ravenclaw tower.
Nott released Frumpkin and waved to Caleb, not wanting to keep him any longer. She jogged over to where Pike waited with Strongjaw, a bubble of first years going around the massive Gryffindor. Nott looked back just once to make sure Caleb was alright and watched his red hair disappear around a doorway.