Chapter Text
~Tessa
My mother gave me a kiss on the cheek while telling me to take care of myself.
My father patted my shoulder and told me everything would be alright.
Everything would be alright.
I was walking down the aisles of the train. The Hogwarts-Express smelled like cinnamon and wood, it felt so homey and familiar, yet for me it was completely new. Everywhere I looked, I saw students laughing and talking in small, exclusive groups.
They know where they belong...
In my old school, I've had a lot of friends, good grades, I was popular...
And now I had to start all over again.
This summer, I woke up in the middle of the night to find our house on fire and my parents badly injured.
No one could explain the cause of the fire but my gut feeling told me I had something to do with it...
Then a series of events happened that I neither understood nor could explain. At some point, I thought I was simply losing my mind.
But here I am, a witch.
I honestly can't believe it.
And again, just like the last 3 weeks, I pinched myself in the arm.
Because maybe this really is just a dream...
*****
I remember sitting on the window, looking outside, loudly hearing my parents arguing over me again.
They knew something was wrong with me, I knew it too.
And then I read the letter.
I can hardly remember the words.
My heart stopped, my hands trembled, and a thousand questions flooded my mind.
I was afraid, worried, but at the same time, I was glad...
Knowing that there are others like me...
*****
I walked around, probably looking stupid and clueless. I was searching for a free train compartment, a place where I could rest until we would arrive, but most of the compartments were full and if they weren't, I got strange looks.
Obviously... I'm new here, most of the students in Hogwarts arrived in year 1 or 2.
I'm as old as the 5th graders, and to keep up with them, I'll probably have to take extra lessons.
It's quite embarrassing to join Hogwarts in the fifth year, most children develop their magical abilities by age 10.
I continued searching for an empty compartment, the bag I carried in my hands was so heavy, it almost slipped out of my hands.
«Excuse me, excuse me can you move?» I said sharply, trying to push the little kids away.
There were plenty of first years standing in my way, even though I was way taller than them it was still hard to get through them.
The passageway was narrow and while I wasn't paying attention I bumped into a curly haired boy.
«Damn, you're in a hurry» he bent down and picked up his chocolate frogs. One of them hopped away.
He cursed and looked longingly after the frog.
«I'm so sorry, didn't want that»I replied quickly, my glance seemed slightly embarrassed.
«I was just trying to find a compartment where I can sit down»
He looked at me skeptically but couldn't hide his little grinn anymore.
«Nevermind, it's just chocolate.
But I have actually never seen you before... Are you a new student, I doubt you're a first grader.»
I smiled and answered confidently:«no I'm obviously not, my parents moved to London and before that, I went to a different school.»
«That sounds interesting, good luck.»
He grinned again.
«Good luck? Why?» my smile faded.
«You will soon be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts...You'd better pray it's not Hufflepuff»
I didn't understand a word he said, I was to nervous to think about the sorting and my new home.
He walked away quietly, I almost didn't notice him walking away.
«Wait!» I shouted «What's your name?»
«Mattheo Riddle, it was nice meeting you» he responded.
«Tessa, I'm Tessa» I mumbled but he was already gone.
-
Time passed and the train arrived.
The sky has already became dark and you could see the stars particularly well.
The air smelled like fresh grass and there was a light breeze.
I watched the castle precisely from far away, it was bigger than I imagined it and somehow everything felt so familiar, this could be my new home, I thought.
My attention went to Mattheo, he was talking with a bunch of other students, they were all wearing the same uniform.
I tried to read what their uniforms said.
Slytherin.
I was deeply in my thoughts and didn't even notice how much I was staring at Mattheo.
He waved at me and looked down on the ground, smiling.
Maybe finding friends here wouldn't be that hard...
-
I slowly stepped into the Great Hall, most of the students were already sitting on the tables of their houses.
Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Huffelpuff and Slytherin...
I glanced over to the Slytherin-table, Mattheo...
He and his friends sat down together.
Next to him a pretty girl with short black hair.
She was the definition of perfect, her rosy cheeks and her light green eyes hypnotised everyone around her.
Mattheo couldn't stop looking at her lips while she simply continued talking and acted as if she didn't notice him staring at her.
I swallowed, then I slowly walked to the front, where Professor Mcgonagall was already waiting for me.
My hands were shaking a little bit, my stomach felt sick and my heart was beating 100 times faster than normal.
Everyone was watching me.
Mattheo was watching me.
And somehow I really cared what he would think of me.
I cared about it, because I really wanted to make friends here soon.
I don't want to be an outsider.
I want to belong...
Proffesor Mcgonagall waved at me, «Good evening Mrs Kingston, you will now get sorted into your house, the house the talking hat tells you, is going to be your home for the following years in Hogwarts.»
I nodded automatically, pretending like I understood any of the words she said.
Proffesor Mcgonagall took the hat and placed it on my head.
The hat started mumbling.
I should have probably focused on the hat but I was busy looking around.
Mattheo and his friends, sitting on the Slytherin-table were listening closely,
the girl next to Mattheo asked curiously:«who is this girl? She's new»
Mattheo grinned:«She used to go to another magical-school before her parents decided to move to London.»
A tall brunette boy sitting next to them, mumbled:« She's probably going to be a Hufflepuff, I mean look at her she looks lost as fuck.»
The girl shook her head and answered:«No, I don't think so. She looks like a Gryffindor to me. Like a typical main character.»
Her gaze was pejorative and she looked me up and down.
So I simply pretended like I couldn't hear or see her.
«Main character?» the brunette boy laughed «hell no».
Mattheo stared at me and then slightly smiled.
I tried to hide my little grinn and suddenly I wasn't nervous anymore at all.
The hat yelled «Slytherin» and everyone applauded.
«Slytherin?» the girl asked outraged, her jaw was clenching and she continued talking:«No way, she's a Slytherin.»
Mattheo rolled his eyes «Come on, you don't even know her»
«Yeah and I'm fine with that».
The Slytherin-table cheered and waved at me, they actually seemed nice. As the girl next to Mattheo saw me, she left the table without hesitation.
I smiled as soon as I saw Mattheo clapping.
At least I know someone here, I headed towards Mattheo and his friends.
«Hey, I'm Tessa Kingston» I looked at Mattheo and mumbled a quiet «hi».
He grinned and added:«So guys as I told you this is Tess, I met her in the Hogwarts-Express».
Tess...?
The brunette boy lifted his eyebrow:«Ah, nice meeting you, how do you like Hogwarts so far?»
I looked up and noticed the enchanted ceiling.
«I like it, but I guess I'll never get used to all this magic here.» I giggled.
Mattheo's smile faded.
His friends and him looked at each other skeptically and confused.
Mattheo then stood up frantically.
«Alright let's go now! Theodore are you coming?».
He followed Mattheo and the others without looking back.
Did I say something wrong?
Why did Mattheo suddenly become so strange?
I tucked my hair behind my head.
For a little moment I thought I belonged to something.
I walked through the castle until I finally reached the Slytherin-common-room.
The door opened and I stood in a cold, large room.
The walls were decorated with old valuable paintings and the windows showed an incredible view of the black lake.
The atmosphere was uncomfortable and uninviting.
I swallowed.
My bag was heavy, and my shoulder was already hurting.
Exhausted, I wandered through the aisles.
Finally my dorm.
I unpacked my bag and put my clothes into the closet.
After I finished everything, I listened closely...
Laugher from the common-room.
Even though I would have loved going there and make friends, I thought about before and the weird moment with Mattheo and his friends.
I felt like an outsider and that wouldn't change so quickly.
Something inside told me that I had been sorted into the wrong house.