Chapter Text
jia hirai ⁀➷
Jia Hirai was finally at Diagon Alley, shopping for her new Hogwarts supplies. She was excited for the new school year. All the years before, she had to watch her older sister, Ema learn magic from Mahoutokoro, the school in Japan, and feel envious because Jia was too young to start school.
Jia’s family had only moved when Ema was finished with her schooling in Mahoutokoro, two years ago. When Ema found out Jia was accepted into Hogwarts, she gifted her Hogwarts: A History. Jia had been reading the book religiously, fascinated by Hogwarts.
Jia had finished up most of her shopping, only needing to get her robes. Her parents were getting the rest of her books.
Jia paused, spotting a shop for robes. As she stepped inside, she was told by a witch to stand back, along with another boy who was waiting his turn to be fitted up.
“Hello, are you going to Hogwarts too?” the boy asked. He had light blonde hair and grey eyes.
“Yeah,” said Jia, giving him a slight smile.
“I’m really excited to go to Hogwarts. I can’t wait to play Quidditch. What house do you think you’ll be in?” the boy questioned.
Jia, having only read about the houses, responded “I hope I’ll be in Ravenclaw.”
“I know I’ll be in slytherin, all my family have been.” he replied. “By the way, I’m Draco Malfoy. What’s your name?” he stuck out his hand for her to shake.
Jia took his hand, feeling his rings against her palm, “I’m Jia-”
Before she could finish, the boy was called to be fitted and Jia was directed to another line. Jia was feeling much better about Hogwarts now. Before, she was worried she wouldn’t have any friends but now, it couldn’t be that bad. That boy, Draco, seemed nice enough.
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Jia’s parents hugged her as they told her to behave well at Hogwarts. She would definitely miss them. Jia waved goodbye again as she boarded the Hogwarts Express. Now, all she had to do was find a compartment to sit in.
Jia walked along the train before finding a mostly empty compartment. Inside was a red haired boy with freckles and a boy with untidy hair and glasses.
“Can I sit here?” she asked, tentatively.
The boy with glasses nodded, making room for her to sit next to him.
“My name’s Jia by the way.” She introduced herself.
“I’m Ron Weasley.” The red haired boy, Ron, said.
The other boy introduced himself as Harry Potter. Jia remembered reading something about Harry Potter in her books but couldn’t remember what.
“You’re really Harry Potter?” Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded, pulling back his bangs to show the scar. Then it clicked, Jia remembered what she read about him.
“Wow.” Ron and Jia marvelled.
“I heard about you in Japan.” Jia said.
“Are all your family wizards?” Harry asked Ron and Jia.
“Yes – at least I think so. How’s it like living with muggles?” Ron asked Harry, curious.
“My aunt, cousin and uncle are horrible. I wish I had wizard brothers.” Harry responded.
“My family’s from Japan. My father was a muggleborn while my mother was a halfblood. My older sister went to school in Japan. Now she studies magizoology.” Jia explained.
“You’re lucky, I’ve got five older brothers.” Ron said gloomily.
Time went on as the three talked, mostly about their families and the wizarding world.
When the trolley lady came around, Jia and Harry bought a ton of chocolate. Surprisingly, most of the chocolate they had in the UK was similar to the candy they had in Japan.
Fortunately, when Jia ate some Every Flavor Beans, she got sweet tasting flavours like pineapple, bubble gum, butterscotch, and orange creme, but that relief was all gone when she took a nibble out of a brown bean that turned out to be dirt.
Then, a girl with brown bushy hair came into the compartment.
“Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost his.” She said in a bossy voice.
“We’ve already told him we haven’t seen it.” said Ron, wand in his hand. He was just about to do a spell on his rat, Scabbers.
“Oh are you doing magic? Let’s see it then.” The girl responded, sitting down.
Ron cleared his throat, “Sunshine Daisies, Butter Mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.”
To Ron’s dismay, nothing happened to Scabbers, as he slept, untouched.
“Are you sure that’s a real spell?” asked the girl. She then went on to tell them she had gone through all of her spell books. Jia learned that her name was Hermione Granger.
Harry, Ron, and Jia exchanged stunned looks. Jia was relieved that she didn’t seem to be the only one who hadn’t learned her course books.
“Whatever house she gets into, I hope I’m not in it.” said Ron, after Hermione had left.
Ron then was telling them about the break in at Gringotts before he and Jia started explaining Quidditch to Harry. Jia loved Quidditch. Ron was telling Harry about the finer points about Quidditch when the compartment door opened again when three boys entered.
Jia recognized the middle boy as Draco Malfoy, the boy from the robe shop. His eyes flickered to Jia as he walked in, before looking at Harry.
“They’re all saying down the train that Harry Potter’s in this compartment. So it’s you, is it?” Draco said.
“Yes.” responded Harry.
“Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,” said Draco, introducing the two mean looking boys that flanked his sides. “And my name’s Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”
Ron gave a slight cough that also suspiciously sounded like a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.
“Think my name’s funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.”
Jia looked at the pale boy in disgust. She really thought he was nice but now she could see his true colours. Jia did not like this Malfoy boy one bit.
Malfoy turned to Harry again. “You'll soon find out that some Wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there"
“I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks.” Harry responded.
Draco’s eye’s flickered over to Jia again, a pink tinge on his pale cheeks. His eyes then widened as he realised something.
“You, you’re a halfblood aren’t you?” Draco asked angrily, disgust in his voice.
“Yes, and?” Jia responded, rolling her eyes.
He ignored her, turning back to Harry. “I’d be careful if I were you, Potter. Unless you’re a bit politer you’ll go the same way as your parents. They didn’t know what was good for them either. You hang around with riff raff like the Weasleys and filthy half bloods, and it’ll rub off on you.”
Harry, Ron, and Jia stood up, angry.
Jia’s wand was in her hand, and although she didn’t know any magic yet, she hoped they were scared.
“Oh you’re going to fight us, are you?” Malfoy sneered.
But then, Goyle reached for a chocolate frog and let out a horrible yell. Scabbers the rat was dangling from his finger. Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle shook Scabbers off and disappeared.
The three of them all shared a look as Ron picked up a knocked out Scabbers off the ground.
“You’ve met Malfoy before?” Ron asked Jia and Harry.
Jia explained how she met the boy first. Then Harry told them how he talked to Malfoy right after her.
“I’ve heard of his family” said Ron, darkly “They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the dark side.”
Jia’s brows furrowed as she took in this new information. It was shocking to her that someone could be so prejudiced.
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Soon, the three of them were in their robes, waiting to be sorted.
Jia was nervous, what if she had no friends in the house she would be sorted into? What if she was sorted into the same house as Malfoy?
Jia shuddered, she didn’t want to think about it.
She looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall. In Hogwarts: A History, Jia had read that it was bewitched to look like the sky outside. The magnificent ceiling was dotted with hundreds of twinkling stars.
Jia took a step forward and nearly bumped into Malfoy. He turned and scowled. Jia shot him a glare. She paused, looking ahead. They were starting to sort students. Jia’s nerves kicked off again as she fidgeted with the cuff of her sleeve.
Then, Jia heard her name be called. Jia nervously walked up, sitting on the stool, the sorting hat placed on her head.
“Oh, such an interesting mind… “ said the hat. “Such bravery… such ambition… Perhaps either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff would be a good fit for you..”
Finally after what seemed like a long pause the hat roared,
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Jia stood up, her legs feeling like jelly and walked to the cheering gryffindor table. Everything blurred as Jia sat next to Hermione, being greeted by Gryffindors.
“Congrats!” Two red haired boys congratulated.
She thanked them, a grin on her face, and watched the sorting continue. It soon came time for Draco Malfoy to be sorted. The pale boy sauntered forward, Jia felt satisfied when she spied a flicker of worry in his arrogant face. The hat barely touched his head before it screamed,
“SLYTHERIN!”
Malfoy got off to join his friends, looking pleased.
Ultimately, to Jia’s relief, Harry and Ron were also sorted to Gryffindor. Jia met some of her fellow Gryffindor first years. A boy named Dean struck up a conversation with her, and the two chatted about the train ride.
Hogwarts was so odd yet so comforting at the same time. A ghost named Sir Nicholas introduced himself as the Gryffindor ghost.
“Do all the other houses have a resident ghost?” asked Jia.
Nearly Headless Nick nodded, showing them the other ghosts. Jia spied the slytherin ghost, a nasty looking fellow, sitting right next to Malfoy, who was looking very grim at how close the Bloody Baron was sitting.
Once food appeared along the long table, Jia realised how hungry she was. Feeling ravenous, she piled food onto her plate.
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The Gryffindor prefect, whom Jia learned was Percy, led them to the Gryffindor common room. As he said the password, a portrait opened up to reveal a cozy round room adorned with red. Percy pointed all the girls to their dormitories and Jia and the rest of the first year girls were in their beds.
Jia yawned, stretching her arms. The whole day felt very long. She easily drifted off to sleep, dreaming about ghosts and toads, and chocolate frogs.