The Sovereign Of Purity

Beautiful, you're beautiful, as beautiful as the sun
Wonderful, you're wonderful, as wonderful as they come
And I can't help but feel attached
To the feelings I can't even match
With my face pressed up to the glass, wanting you
Beautiful, you're beautiful, as beautiful as the sky
Wonderful, it's wonderful, to know that you're just like I
And I'm sure you know me well, as I'm sure you don't
But you just can't tell
Who'll you love and who you won't

-Smashing Pumpkins, "Beautiful"

King’s Cross Station was abnormally hectic on the morning of September the first. The hallways were packed with busy, hurrying people. There especially was quite a traffic jam between platforms nine and ten, because there appeared to be a young girl sitting on a large trunk right in the middle of the hallway between the two platforms. People passing by looked at her oddly, but said nothing.

Jordan looked around, searching for any signs of a family that looked as if they would be boarding the Hogwarts Express, but found none. She had managed to get her taxi cab driver to drag her corpulent trunk to the station- but seeing as he was a Muggle, she couldn’t let him take it all the way onto her train. So she sat there- making a scene in front of the Muggles- with no way to get her trunk to the train.

Even though people surrounded her, Jordan felt alone at that moment. The two months had passed by so quickly. Merely thirty days after the attack on United, Jordan had boarded the plane with her mother that took them to the U.K. And only a week after that, her mother went back to America, for she had work to finish back at home. Secured away in a room at the Leaky Cauldron, Jordan was free to wander the streets of Diagon Alley alone for three weeks. She rendezvoused with Eli once in a while, and also had her meals with him, as he was also staying at the Leaky Cauldron. But most of the time Jordan was by herself, which wasn’t altogether horrible. After a catastrophe like the one she had experienced, she felt she should spend more time with her family and the ones she loved, but mostly needed time to remember who she was. Jordan liked being by herself, it gave her a sense of where she was in the world, and rejuvenated her positive outlook.

"Hey Jordan!" Startled, Jordan gave a little jump of fright, but then settled down when she saw the cheerful face of Kumori. Kumori was a girl a year ahead of Jordan, and half Japanese. Although the two had never been too close, Kumori had introduced Jordan to many of her favorite things- anime, manga, sushi, as well as taught Jordan to defend herself. Although Kumori had a tendency to b selfish and vain, Jordan held great respect for her.

"Hullo Kumori," Jordan said, smiling cheerfully. She eyed Kumori’s trunk- it was twice as big as hers-, and Kumori was pulling it along as if it weighed no more than a breadbasket.

Kumori stood there for a while, humming and rocking back and forth on her heels. She then noticed Jordan eyeing her trunk and sitting on top of her own trunk helplessly, and pieced together that Jordan’s trunk was too heavy for her.

"Need help?" Kumori questioned, offering her hand.

"Absolutely," Jordan smiled appreciatively and hopped off her trunk. In amazement, she watched Kumori lift her trunk clear into the air, and place it on top of her own luggage with ease. Noticing Jordan’s queer look, Kumori pointed to her arm and smiled.

"Strength potion," she explained nervously.

The two girls made it through the barrier easily, and Jordan followed Kumori across the platform to the train, wildly looking about for Eli. Finding no traces of him, Jordan made her way to an empty compartment with Kumori. Jordan took the window seat and looked through the glass, knowing that eventually Eli had to come on the train, and waited for him to make an appearance.

Kumori and Jordan made small talk for a while as they waited for the train to make its way out of London. They talked about when new manga and animes would come out, what they had bought in Diagon Alley, anything to stray away from the subject that was really tugging on their minds… United. When they felt that the conversation was headed for that subject, Jordan could sense Kumori jerk it in another direction.

At about half past noon, a whistle sounded, signaling that the train would be leaving soon. Jordan looked out the window, searching for Eli once more. What she saw was a mass of kids, sobbing and saying their goodbyes to their families, greeting their friends, finding their way onto the train; but no Eli. Jordan’s heart sank when the train gave a jerk, and started to leave the platform behind.

"Here we go!" Kumori chirped. "Off to start our lives over again. See new places, meet new people, do new things. Aren’t you excited? I always get shivers up my spine when I feel like I’m starting over." To emphasize her point, Kumori shivered pleasantly. Jordan turned her attention from the window and smiled amusedly at Kumori. Even though she felt that the older girl talked maybe a little bit too much, Jordan was grateful for the company.

"Ron, I don’t understand why you refuse to sit with my friends!"

Startled by the angry voices outside of their compartment, the two girls turned their heads toward the door of their compartment.

"Why?! ‘Oh, Malfoy’s changed so much over the summer!’ ‘He’s so cute!’ Honestly, I haven’t even seen him yet and already I’m sick of him!" Shouted a voice that appeared to be Ron.

"It’s O.K. Ginny- O.K. Gin- GET OFF YOUR BROTHER! O.K… Let’s just find a new compartment. No problem…" Another male voice tried to make peace between the quarreling ones.

Abruptly, the curly-haired head of a girl popped into the compartment.

"Er… can we share your room?" The girl asked hesitantly.

Kumori and Jordan looked quizzically at each other, then at the girl. Jordan was the first to speak up.

"Of course! We’d love to have company." The girl smiled appreciatively, swung open the door- then quickly hopped out of the way. A mass of robes and fiery red hair tumbled into the compartment- Jordan realized it was actually three people- two with red hair grabbing at each other violently, and a black haired boy desperately trying to pry the two apart. Finally, the third wheel was able to get the other two off each other and Jordan observed that they were a boy and a girl and appeared to be siblings- both with the same flaming hair, same freckles, same flushed cheeks- but with very different eyes. The girl had wild green eyes, while her brother had eyes the color of soft blue. They immediately started ignoring each other and putting themselves back together.

The boy with black hair turned around and jumped when he saw Kumori and Jordan sitting there. The two quarrelers also then noticed the two and both began to blush and suddenly become very interested in their shoes. The curly haired girl reappeared and hesitantly looked at the red haired siblings.

"Uh… sorry about that," the black haired boy started. "I’m Harry. Harry Potter." He halfway cringed at his last name, as if he expected Kumori and Jordan to jump on him. Jordan was a bit shocked- already; she had met the famous Harry Potter! She and Kumori stood up.

"Wow, Harry Potter. It’s an honor to meet you." Kumori smiled and shook Harry’s hand heartily. "I’m Kumori Nøkkel. She’s Jordan McKensey," Kumori said gesturing to Jordan. Jordan smiled and waved shyly.

"Good to see some fresh new faces. So you’re from America?" Harry asked hesitantly, noticing their accents. The two girls nodded solemnly. A sorrowful silence followed their reply. Then, a coughing noise was heard from behind Harry, and he turned around to see his three companions looking at him expectantly.

"Oh! Right, and this is Hermione Granger, and Ron and Ginny Weasely." Harry said, gesturing to the three others in order. More greetings were made by Jordan and Kumori. After the frenzy was over, they all settled down and chatted.

"You know, I think the whole Malfoy bit by Ginny’s friends was probably blown out of proportion," Hermione dictated wisely. "I mean, how can he transform over the summer from a greasy slime ball to a heart throb?"

"Right Herm. Of course," Ron said, "A bunch of hormone driven girls just decide a greasy slime ball is worth drooling over. I’ll believe that when I see it."

"Now now, don’t worry girls… I’ll be right back," Draco lied to pry himself away from the hormone-driven mob and move to the door of the compartment. "There is enough of Draco Malfoy to go around." Giggles were heard from the group of Slytherin girls, and seductive dirty comments were said just loud enough so that Draco could hear as he slid the door shut.

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Draco moved down the hallway. It was nice to be away from the mindless lumps of Crabbe and Goyle; in fact, he felt he could get used to being alone.

But the fact was, Draco was bored. Without Crabbe and Goyle around, there was no one to chuckle stupidly at his jokes or to look menacing when terrorizing younger students. Draco pondered what to do besides wander around idly when a thought came to mind: Potter. That was the perfect thing to keep him amused; a good row with Potter and his Potterettes was always exciting. Draco just had to find him…

Draco heard laughter coming from one of the compartments. Perhaps… Potter does hang with those two Weasley twins- always up to their goofy pranks. Pressing his ear up against the door from behind which he had heard the laughter, Draco listened intensely.

"-you should have seen the look on Malfoy’s face!" Draco recognized Ron Weasley’s voice. More laughing. Now was time for his dramatic entrance. Draco swept the door open and leaned against the doorway.

"Really, Weasel? And what did Malfoy’s face look like?"

The words fell dead as soon as they left Draco’s mouth. The room stopped for a moment. Draco gave a somewhat lurch forward as a powerful force seemed to twist his insides. He began to feel an odd sensation in his stomach, like butterflies; or lightning. Draco tried to move forward but froze; he was rendered motionless. Somehow, something was telling him, deep inside, that there was something special about where he was and whom he was with at that very moment. He paused for a moment to take in the surprised, and equally frozen faces of the six inhabitants of the compartment: four he recognized, two he didn’t. His eyes focused on the two girls he had never seen before.

They were both stunningly different: beautiful in that unique way; like no one would ever come close to their allure. The girl with raven black hair and intense blue eyes set off something of… a warning to him, maybe. She seemed oriental in decent… but with a trace of European lineage. Draco could tell she was wearing makeup- but she wore it in some way that it looked natural- like she had been born to wear makeup, and it was necessary for her; as it might just be something a normal girl only applies for effect. Something didn’t sit right with Draco about her.

Draco then looked at the other girl and felt a sensation more intense than the lightning butterflies in his stomach; a numbness like hundreds of bubbles exploding into his head like champagne. She had natural, radiant beauty: not like the unnerving beauty of the first girl, but a beauty that put him at ease, and made the world at that moment seem like it wasn’t such a bad place after all, and that everything would be all right in the end. Draco stared into her eyes, and found she was intensely staring back with her dark, dark, passionate brown eyes. The outline of her pupil was hard to distinguish, as it was so close to the hue of the iris. Her hair that seemed wild, yet oddly right and well put together, framed her ivory face like the mane of a black lion. The freckles that were sprinkled across her nose and cheekbones stood out vividly against her pale skin. Draco felt some bond being uncovered between them, like something lost being found again, something familiar, like he had felt something like this long before…

As quickly as the numbness that had frozen them had begun, it ended. Rapidly, Draco felt that he could move his legs and mouth again. Somehow, he managed to finish his insult.

"I’m sure it couldn’t have looked much worse than yours." Draco spluttered out, his need to be better than Weasley not seeming significant anymore.

Quickly snapping to his senses, Ron ignored Draco’s snide comment and retorted angrily, but just has sloppily, "Well, if it isn’t Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret. Come to show us more of those clever tricks of yours?"

"Why yes, Weasley. But I’m charging for them you know- oh, I guess that counts you out. Your family still couldn’t afford to buy you new robes, I see." Brought back to earth by Weasley’s comment, Draco felt like himself again, observing the other boy’s tattered robes. Draco smirked as he watched Weasley’s face turn red.

"What do you want Malfoy?" An agitated Harry stood up and boldly stepped toward Draco. The latter shrugged and smirked lazily.

"I read in the Daily Prophet that students from America were coming to Hogwarts," Draco motioned to the two girls in the corner of the compartment, "I figured you would abduct some into your little clan."

Walking past a flustered Potter, Draco moved towards the two American girls, his eyes fixed on the dark-eyed one. She looked back at him, and Draco felt a slight reminisce of the bubbly feeling he had felt before when their eyes had locked.

"I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced," Draco said, producing his hand properly and keeping eye contact with the dark-eyed girl. "I’m Draco Malfoy, and Weasley has been telling you all about me, I see." He shot a smoldering glare at Ron who looked like he had swallowed one too many Fizzing Whizzbees before returning his gaze to the girl.

Jordan returned the blond boy’s stare. There was something, something about him that she was sure she recognized. She had felt it the moment he had walked into the room: a frightening, pleasant, dizzying sensation that froze everything. And when he looked at her- it seemed like everything thing was still but spinning around and around in circles at the same time. Her eyes had swept over him, and if it wasn’t for the dreadful things Harry and the others had already told Jordan about this boy in front of her, she would have thrown herself at his feet and proclaimed him her god.

Draco’s hair was as fine and pale as a unicorn’s hair- it fell into his eyes just enough to give an heir of mystery without seeming hirsute. A slightly pointed chin and clouded gray eyes gave him an edge of evanescent sadness. But the heavenly frisson Jordan felt was ruined by the smirk on Draco’s face, which made it evident that he was clearly of this world and not the sort of character that would be called an angel after being gotten to know better. But his gaze as he stood in front of her now with his extended hand was enough to send shivers down Jordan’s spine.

Slowly the girl stood up, holding Draco’s intent gaze. She looked so small and young next to him- but she had an heir of wisdom and wits about her that made her look her age at the same time. Draco looked down at her and he watched as she grasped his hand with one of hers. She shook his hand with determination.

"I’m Jordan McKensey. I’m sure I’ll have an…" she paused and looked over Draco, "…interesting year here at Hogwarts."

The other inhabitants of the compartment looked on in horror as Draco smiled at Jordan- not quite a genuine smile, but an amused one- and she smiled back. Draco returned her firm handshake, her glittering eyes pressing into his.

"All right! That’s enough Malfoy," a hysteric Ron grabbed Draco’s collar and began dragging him to the door. "Buh-bye now! Don’t forget to fall off a cliff and get eaten by rabid wolves!" Ignoring a protesting Draco, Ron pushed the shorter boy out the door.

Draco pushed Ron back and straightened out his collar. "Fine Weasley, I’ll leave. I’ll see you when we get off the train." Draco smirked and strutted down the train as Weasley shut the compartment door behind him. The image of Jordan McKensey’s glittering dark eyes remained in his mind.

He wasn’t quite so bored anymore.

Ron rounded on Jordan with a flushed face.

"What were you doing?" he breathed, gawking at her with wide eyes. "You do not want to get friendly with Malfoy. He’ll turn on you in an instant."

Jordan blinked confusedly at him. Maybe it was because Ron had known Draco for the last four years, but Jordan couldn’t see what he was so upset about. From the stories they had told her, Draco did seem awful, but in person… he was quite stunning, really.

"Er- sorry… Won’t happen again, scout’s honor," Jordan saluted Ron and returned to her seat next to Kumori, who looked put out at not being able to introduce herself.

"Don’t worry my friend, you’ll have many more people to introduce yourself to later," Jordan comforted the pouting girl, putting her elbow on Kumori’s shoulder.

"He was a cute one too…" Kumori whined, crossing her arms. Next to her, Ginny choked on her chocolate frog. Everyone watched her in alarm as she proceeded to cough.

"Malfoy—," cough, cough, "—is not—," cough, cough, "—cute." Ginny cleared her windpipe of the chocolate frog and continued to look disgusted with the fact that Kumori had called Draco Malfoy, of all people, cute. "His father gave me Tom Riddle’s diary so that he could open the Chamber of Secrets," Ginny shuddered at the painful memory, "Malfoy was probably in on it too."

"Well… I must say, the smirk he wears on his face really does not do justice to any of his features," Jordan said, agreeing with Ginny that Draco certainly was not cute. More like beautiful. Jordan mentally kicked herself at the thought. If people could speak of him this hatefully, he must not be a pleasant person.

Kumori sighed. "What a waste of a great physique." She turned to Hermione and Ginny. "Are there any gorgeous guys around here who are not evil bastards?" The two girls looked thoughtful for a moment, while Harry and Ron looked at them expectantly.

Hermione spoke up first.

"Well, there is—"

But she was interrupted as the door to the compartment swung violently open on its hinges, and in bustled two more red heads.

"—them." Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes at the pair of flustered boys as they hastily shut the door.

"Quick everyone! Quiet!" One of them motioned to the group that was already in the compartment and pressed his ear against the door with his companion.

In the few tense silent moments that followed, Jordan studied the two boys that had just entered the compartment. Like Ron and Ginny, they both had red hair, freckles and red cheeks; but unlike Ron and Ginny, they were exactly the same. Jordan guessed that they must be twins; and somehow related to the brother and sister.

The twins listened intently to the hall outside the compartment, and as Jordan strained her ears, she could faintly hear the sound of footsteps thundering down the corridor. The footsteps grew louder and louder until they reached right outside of Jordan’s compartment; where they paused. The person outside the door breathed heavily and mumbled angrily to them self.

"I know you guys are around here somewhere! You can’t hide from me forever, Fred and George! You’ll pay for this!" A girls voice announced to the train. The twins looked at each other and grinned mischievously: Jordan presumed they were Fred and George. The footsteps started again, and whoever had made the declaration moved down the hallway.

When the footsteps had completely faded away, the twins gave hearty sighs of relief and turned to face the rest of the compartment.

"Well!" One of the twins beamed when he recognized who was in the train. "Hullo my dear siblings! Harry and Hermione! Two… other people!"

"Hi Fred!… or George," Harry said confusedly.

Hermione eyed them suspiciously. "Who was that girl, and what havoc have you been releasing?"

Fred and George grinned devilishly. "That was Angelina," Fred said, "We gave her a Blue Skin Truffle. Unfortunately, it only turned her hair blue." He winked at Harry. "I guess you didn’t try them, eh Harry?" Harry laughed.

"No, I’m afraid Aunt Petunia would have forced me to take baths and scrub my skin until it turned red instead of blue if I had."

"That is a shame," George replied, his eyes straying to Jordan and Kumori. "Hey! You haven’t introduced us to your friends." His eyes focused on Jordan and he smiled, turning a little red.

At the thought of an introduction, Kumori jumped up excitedly. Grabbing George’s hand hysterically and shaking it with great enthusiasm, Kumori gave the twin the brightest smile Jordan had ever seen on the other girl’s face.

"I’m Kumori Nøkkle," Kumori said cheerfully, still vigorously shaking George’s hand, causing his whole upper body to shake.

"N-n-n-nice to m-m-m-meet you," George smiled shyly at her, a little overwhelmed by her gusto. His eyes went over Kumori’s head, where they fell on Jordan. He smiled at her with a much warmer smile than he had given Kumori, and he gave her a sort of pleading look. Jordan blushed slightly. A bad feeling was beginning to arise in her stomach…

Jordan arose from her seat, stepped forward and tapped Kumori on the shoulder. Getting no response from the robustly hand-shaking girl, Jordan tried again, jabbing her finger into the other girl’s shoulder blade.

"Yow!" Kumori spun around and glared at Jordan, who grinned apologetically.

"Give the boy a break already, will you?" Jordan said, as she watched Kumori go immediately red. Murmuring an apology, Kumori moved on to greet Fred; somewhat less enthusiastically.

Jordan stood there awkwardly in front of George, who was still smiling at her affectionately, shuffling her feet. "Sorry about Kumori there… she’s been deprived of boys for the last few months. It’s beginning to get to her."

George laughed warmly. "It’s alright. I’m used to it, if you know what I mean." He grinned and winked at Jordan, who giggled. She held her hand out to the tall redhead.

"I’m Jordan McKensey," she said for what seemed the millionth time that day as George took her hand.

"George Weasley. Easily mistaken for Fred Weasley," he smiled goofily at Jordan, dreamily shaking her hand and staring at her as if in a sweet reverie. Moments ticked by as he stood there gazing at her and holding her hand, while Jordan began to feel a little uncomfortable under the stare of his eyes. Her eyes fluttered around the room, refusing to make eye contact, with the fear of hurting his feelings by showing her restlessness. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like George was quite ready to let go of her hand yet.

Jordan looked fleetingly at the others in the compartment: Kumori was talking animatedly with Harry, and she shot Jordan with a piercing stare. Jordan gave her puppy eyes, signaling for help. Kumori beamed and rushed over, breaking Harry off in mid sentence.

"Say, George!’ Taking him by surprise, Kumori came up behind George and put her hands on his shoulders, putting her weight—but it seemed to Jordan as if she was hardly trying at all—on the boy’s back, forcing him down to the black-haired girl’s eye level. "I hear you and Fred are quite the tricksters. Why don’t you tell us some stories?"

George regretfully looked away from Jordan, but smiled and joined his brother, ready to excite them with a Weasley Wheezes tale. Once again, Jordan gratefully slunk back into her chair. She watched amusedly as the twins spiritedly reenacted one of their pranks, but didn’t really listen to what they were saying. She twitched unconsciously each time George’s eyes strayed in her direction.

Jordan’s minds strayed to Draco. She hadn’t felt uneasy when he had looked at her… only excited, jittery, and dizzy. Somehow it felt… right when he looked at her, unlike how she felt queasy when George’s eyes found their way to hers. Was that a good thing? George seemed like a much warmer person than Draco… but he didn’t stir the feelings in Jordan that Draco had.

Kicking herself mentally, Jordan forced her attention back the story the twins were telling.

"—And then mum said—"

"THERE YOU ARE, YOU RUFFIANS! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU TWO!"

Angelina Johnson had swung open the compartment door and burst into the room, her blue hair blazing against her dark skin. Jordan could see Kumori stifling a giggle. The twins grinned nervously at the furious girl that had interrupted their story.

"Oy, Angelina, no—she said—," protested Fred, looking jittery.

"I DON’T CARE WHAT YOUR MOTHER SAID," Angelina roared, grabbing the collar of each twin with one of her hands, "You’re coming with me!" By now the entire compartment was giggling at the sight of the blue-haired girl releasing her fury on the two twins.

"Well, sorry folks! Looks like we have some—Ouch! —Unfinished business to attend to," Fred waved merrily to the room before being dragged out by the fuming Angelina. George waved too, and cast a last dreamy look at Jordan before being yanked away. Jordan heaved a great sigh of relief that she hoped wasn’t too noticeable to the others in the room.

Kumori bounded to the door and waved down the hallway. "Bye George! See you later!" she yelled cheerfully to the helpless twin, before turning to the others in the compartment. "They’re nice," she sighed happily before taking her seat next to Jordan.

Jordan rolled her eyes and grinned at Kumori. "Yeah, we could see your affection when you nearly shook the brains out of poor George."

"Well it’s not like you weren’t goggling at him—"

"I was not goggling at him! He was goggling at me!"

Kumori looked sick with jealousy. She opened her mouth, thought better of it, and instead stomped her foot angrily and threw herself into her seat, scowling. Jordan did likewise and crossed her arms over her chest. Together they looked like angry toddlers deprived of their much-loved candy.

Ginny giggled and turned to Hermione in the seat next to her. "Now I know why Harry and Ron roll their eyes when we fight." Hermione laughed.

"Yes, it does make arguments among girls seem silly," she agreed. Jordan and Kumori’s scowls deepened.

Suddenly, a knock at the door broke them from their angry tension. Eli’s head popped into the room.

"Have any of you seen—ah! There you are Jordan!"

Jordan beamed as soon as she saw her friend’s face. "There you are! I was looking for you!" Jordan got up and stepped forward to welcome him into the compartment. Eli slid the door open and Jordan stopped as he stepped into the room—with someone hanging on his arm. It was a girl—about Kumori’s age, with black hair and striking friendly Chinese features. Harry gulped and started fidgeting nervously when he saw her.

"Oh! This is Cho. Cho, this is Jordan," Eli introduced them, gesturing between the two girls. Jordan smiled at Cho who smiled back. "Sorry I didn’t meet up with you earlier, J. I just sort of ran into Cho—"

Cho giggled and looked amusedly up at Eli, "Yeah, literally." Eli chuckled too and continued his story. Out of the corner of her eye, Jordan saw Harry flinch when Eli’s arm made its way around Cho’s shoulders.

"And we started talking and found we have lots in common—"

"We both love Quidditch and were born in China! And he also reads The Chronicles of Narnia, my favorites!"

Cho had all the enthusiasm of a woman who had just found out she was pregnant. The eagerness was obviously contagious as Eli and Cho both burst into fits of laughter. Jordan smiled at Eli’s newfound happiness; then looked at the others in the compartment. Harry was about to rip the cuff of his robes off the sleeve; Hermione and Ron were smiling nervously, their eyes twitching from Harry to Cho; and Ginny was grinning, and looked like she was trying to hide it. Jordan was a bit taken back by their odd behavior, but as long as Eli and Cho didn’t notice, she didn’t let it bother her.

"Hey Cho," Harry squeaked from his corner, smiling sadly and drawing Cho’s attention to him, "I’m glad to see you’re feeling better."

The Chinese girl’s giddy smile immediately softened into a gloomy expression. "Yes," she choked, forlornly looking at the floor. "It has been a hard summer," she looked back up into Eli’s face, entwining her fingers into his, "For all of us."

A long, melancholy silence followed, in which everyone refused to look at anyone else. Kumori and Ginny were expressionlessly gazing out the window, while everyone else stared blankly at the floor or at a wall. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Cho were all remembering the tragic death of Cedric. Jordan, Eli and Kumori cast their eyes downward as they thought of all their lost friends from United that had been so cruelly taken away from them too soon. Cho finally broke the lachrymose stillness of the air.

"So, do you know what houses you guys want to be sorted in?" She asked, directing the question to Kumori and Jordan. They blinked blankly at her.

"Houses?" Kumori asked, speaking what was on Jordan’s mind.

"Haven’t you read Hogwarts, A History?" Hermione spoke up.

"Hermione, get with the picture already! No one’s read Hogwarts, A History except you!" Ron said exhaustedly, rolling his eyes.

"Well they should! It’s very interesting, for your information."

"If you’re such an expert, then you should explain the houses."

"Well," Hermione started, turning to Kumori and Jordan, "Hogwarts was founded by two witches and two wizards: Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin. To organize students, they created four houses, one for each founder. Students are put into houses depending on which founder they most resemble."

"Neat," Jordan said dumbly, "So what houses are you all in?"

"I’m in Ravenclaw," Cho said proudly.

"The rest of us are in Gryffindor," Hermione said smiling.

"How are we sorted into houses?" Kumori questioned.

Jordan watched as the Hogwarts students exchanged evil glances with one another.

"Oh, a you have to go through a series of tests—"

"Wrestle a troll—"

"Perform hexes—"

"Name goblin rebellions—"

"Answer riddles—"

"Duel vampires—"

The six students paused for a moment as they thought of more ridiculous tasks that would have to be performed during the sorting. Kumori folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"I’m afraid pulling our legs won’t work, my friends," she said skeptically.

Ginny chuckled. "I guess that only works when you’re a terrified and gullible first year."

"What do you really have to do?" Jordan asked.

"You’ll find out all in good time," Cho said, winking. "Oh! And it looks like it’ll be soon. Look!" She pointed at the window. The sky was beginning to darken and the rolling hills had considerably slowed down, signaling the train was getting ready to stop. As they watched the hills go by, the train grew slower and slower until it came to an abrupt stop and a shrill whistle blew.

Ginny turned to the three American students and smiled. "Welcome to Hogwarts."