Chapter Text
It felt strange, packing for my first year at Hogwarts. Strange, but not in the way I expected. I’d always dreamed of this moment—of finally leaving the cramped space of the Leaky Cauldron and setting foot on the grand Hogwarts grounds. But the closer the day got, the more the butterflies in my stomach turned to actual, fluttering bats. The whole thing was starting to feel real.
"Reagan, do you need help?" Quinn asked, her voice sharp like a summer storm. She was standing by my door, arms crossed, staring down at the pile of clothes, books, and random bits of junk I’d been too lazy to organize. I looked up at her, barely catching a glance of her fiery Gryffindor hair through the tangle of my own.
"No," I muttered, pulling my last sweater out of the closet and tossing it onto the heap. "I’ve got it. Can you just… can you stop pacing? It’s making me nervous."
"You’re nervous too, then," Quinn grumbled, her arms uncrossing to shove her hands into the pockets of her robe. "I’m not pacing. I’m preparing."
"You’re preparing to attack the house elves in the kitchens," I shot back, trying to lighten the mood. She rolled her eyes.
"Funny," she said dryly, but she grinned.
I finished packing up my things and grabbed my trunk, dragging it down the stairs to where Carver was waiting. He was already grumbling about the state of the Floo Network, muttering something under his breath as he reached for a cup of tea.
"Don’t mind me," he said, taking a sip. "I’ll be at the Cauldron while you kids go off and have all the fun."
I gave him a look that said I’d miss him—at least a little bit—but it was hard to feel anything but excitement. My heart thudded as I thought of the train journey ahead. I could hear it in the distance. The Hogwarts Express was waiting for us.
Quinn already had her things packed and ready to go, but she was still glancing over at me, her brow furrowed with that protective instinct that could drive me mad sometimes.
"I’ll meet you at Platform 9¾," she said, as if I needed to be told that. She wasn’t going to leave me alone for a second if she could help it.
I nodded and gave her a half-smile. "Go, get lost with Kirsty and the twins," I said, rolling my eyes. "You’ve got your own mess to deal with."
She gave me a pointed look and marched off toward the rest of our family—Archer and Liam had already headed out with their trunks, clearly eager to start the school year without dealing with our drama.
I was alone for a second, just me and Carver. The Leaky Cauldron was quiet as always, but there was a heaviness in the air.
"Don’t let them drive you crazy," he said softly, as he bent down to give me a kiss on the forehead. "You’ve got a lot of people pulling at you now."
"Yeah, well, I’ll survive," I said, my voice dry. I squeezed his arm before heading out the door.
Platform 9¾ was a blur of noise and excitement.
There were so many people I couldn’t quite keep track of them all. I could barely see anything over the top of my trunk. My heart was pounding, and for the first time in my life, I had no idea where I belonged. I had spent years hearing about Gryffindor courage, the strength of my family’s name, the legendary bravery of the Merritts. But I had never once thought about which house I wanted to be in.
Hufflepuff, maybe? My adoptive brothers were in Hufflepuff—Liam was. But I didn’t know if I was Hufflepuff material. I wasn’t exactly known for being sweet and patient. And then there was Slytherin. The name alone made my stomach twist. It didn’t help that Quinn had made it clear—her disdain for the house was practically legendary.
No, not Slytherin.
Not Slytherin.
I swallowed hard.
"Reagan!" Tori’s voice broke through my racing thoughts, and I turned to see her waving at me, a mischievous grin stretched across her face. Tori and I were both in Gryffindor, but we had only met recently, through our shared dormitory. She was witty, sharp, and always looking for a laugh—exactly the kind of person I needed around me to distract me from my nerves.
"You made it," I said, grinning back at her.
"Yeah, well, I couldn’t leave you alone to brood," Tori replied with a wink.
"Of course not," I said. "I’d probably explode if you didn’t show up."
"Exactly," she said, offering me a hand.
We boarded the train together, and I could barely breathe.
I was used to chaos, used to loud conversations and boisterous laughter, but everything about this was different. The Hogwarts Express was packed, full of students excited for the coming year. But I wasn’t sure who to sit with—who was my group, my people?
"Oi!"
I looked up. Micha was standing in the corridor, grinning at me. Micha.
I felt a wave of relief.
We’d been friends since we were little, before I even knew what Hogwarts was. Micha was a gentle soul—kind, caring, and slightly more reserved than I was. But his soft smile made everything feel less chaotic.
"Care to join me?" he asked, leaning in the doorframe.
I smiled and nodded, walking over to sit beside him. We didn’t need to say much.
"Everyone’s buzzing, huh?" Micha said, his voice quiet and calm.
"Yeah, I don’t know how I’m going to survive this," I muttered, leaning back.
It wasn’t long before Tori and Percy found us.
"Mind if we join?" Tori asked with that devil-may-care attitude she was known for. Percy, following behind her, gave me a soft smile.
"Sure," I said, sliding over to make room.
"All right, what’s the plan?" Tori asked, grinning at Micha. "You know I’ve been dying to know what House you’re hoping for."
Micha’s eyes twinkled. "Well, I’m not hoping for anything. But I’m hoping not to get into trouble," he said.
I chuckled, leaning back in my seat.
Halfway through the journey, the door to our carriage slammed open.
"Hey, freaks," came the drawl I instantly recognised. Draco Malfoy.
I felt my stomach churn. He must have been following me.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" I said, keeping my voice steady.
"Just wanted to see if your little friends had found someone to hang out with," he sneered. "I’ve got better friends."
"Better friends?" I shot back, standing up. "You mean people who actually like you, not just those you can control?"
He narrowed his eyes. "You’ll regret that, Merritt."
The air crackled around him as he reached for his wand. But before he could do anything, the door swung open again, and Kirsty Vermillion stepped inside, her eyes cold.
"Malfoy," she said, her voice laced with authority, "Go away. Now."
Malfoy hesitated, looking from her to me, then muttered something under his breath before slinking out of the carriage.
Quinn was right behind her. "You two okay?" she asked, looking between me, Micha, and Tori with concern.
"We’re fine," I said quickly, not wanting to seem like I needed any more protection.
"Good," Quinn said. "But if you need anything, let me know."
By the time the train pulled into the station, I had all but forgotten about my nerves. The Sorting Ceremony was just ahead, and with it, a new chapter of my life.
The Great Hall was exactly as I had imagined.
The long tables, the enchanted ceiling, the buzzing of students from all Houses. I could barely hear the conversations over the pounding of my heart.
The Sorting Hat was placed on my head, and for a moment, it was as though the entire world paused. It felt like hours before the Hat spoke to me.
"Ah," it murmured, "Gryffindor? Or Hufflepuff? You are brave, no doubt. But there is also a need for loyalty within you, and a deep sense of fairness."
I held my breath. I felt the tension building inside me, my heart thundering in my chest. But before I could make sense of it, the Hat shouted out—
"Gryffindor!"
I barely heard the applause.
The feast passed by in a blur. I spent most of it talking to Tori, laughing with the twins, and trying to ignore the strange fluttering in my chest.
Dumbledore’s speech was short, as usual, and we were soon being led up to the Gryffindor Tower. Tori and I made our way up the stairs, and as we reached the door to our dorm, I could already
feel the weight of the adventure ahead.
This was it.
This was the start.