"Devlin right? Devlin Delwyn I recall. I remember you from school. Come have a seat." Hermione says proudly. "I never thought I'd see someone I know in a place like this."
"Me too." Devlin thought to play along as he already knew she would be here. Just not at this room. "This is shocking indeed. How did you find out that you are a wizard?"
Hermione smiled "I was at home studying, and I couldn't find my pen. I always keep it at the same place, so I got frustrated while looking for it. I did end up finding it though. It was floating above me. I was shocked to say the least. Next thing you know after a while, a professor from the school showed up explaining everything to us. How about you?"
"Same thing for me. A bunch of items in my room started floating about. It totally freaked me out. Well, a professor did show up at my home as well, but not really for me. My sister also found out she was a wizard. She is a year older than us, so I found out about the wizarding world earlier." Devlin explained.
"Do you two know each other?" A young boy with a round face and blonde hair holding a toad joined in the conversation.
Devlin nods. "Yes, we were in the same primary school. Although we were never fully acquainted, we have bumped into each other a few times for sure."
"Yes. Our school wasn't that big, so everyone in our grade knew of each other in some way or another Even if they were in different classes." Hermione explained.
"By the way, my name is Devlin, Devlin Delwyn. And you are?" Devlin asks in a friendly manner.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Neville, Neville Long...." Toad in his hand slipped out and leaped out of the room. "Ah wait! Trevor, come back here!" Before Neville could finish his sentence, he rushed out of the door after his toad.
Hermione rolled her eyes "Ugh, he wanted to show me his pet toad before you appeared. I guess I should help him out. We'll chat later." Hermione then leaves the room, shaking her head after Neville leaves Devlin with the other boy who was just staring out the window.
"So that was Neville Longbottom..." Devlin thought to himself. It seems like in the movie he had brown hair, but in this world, he has blonde hair. Once again, he is reminded that although this world is familiar, it is different from what he knows. Devlin then looked at the boy left in the room.
Devlin took a seat next across from the boy. "Nice to meet you. Name is Devlin. Devlin Delwyn." Looking at the boy, he was curious if he's another character he would recognize from the book.
The boy with brown hair and blue eyes turned his face and looked at Devlin. "Stan Littles. It is a pleasure to meet you." Stan kept a neutral look and acknowledged his presence. Devlin did not recognize the name or his characteristics.
"I'm from a muggle family." Devlin continued his introduction. "My sister who is a year ahead of us also happen to become a wizard as well. This is my first year in Hogwarts."
Stan smiled "It's my first year as well. I did come from a muggle family as well. But from my grandfather's generation. My grandfather is a muggle born wizard that married into a wizarding family." Stan explained.
"Interesting! Do you live in the muggle world or wizarding world?" Devlin's eyes widened in excitement. There are not many stories or people he knows of that speaks about the experience of a second-generation wizard coming from a muggle family.
"I live in the wizarding world. We do visit family in London. They do not know we are wizards though. So we have to be careful of that."
Some time has passed, Devlin and Stan continue to chat and got more acquainted. All of a sudden, he could hear familiar voices approaching the room.
"You need to be more careful Neville. He looks like a slippery fellow." Hermione explains as she enters the room.
"Trevor is a good toad. Leave him alone." Neville comforts his toad. "Sorry about that. Devlin right? I'm Neville Longbottom. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Devlin smiled "Pleasures mine. I'm glad you found your toad."
"Thanks. I'm so happy I got him back. I got him from my great-uncle." Neville gave a warm and friendly smile towards Devlin.
"By the way." Hermione joins in the conversation. "You won't believe who I bumped into."
"Oh, who's that?" Neville asked curiously. Devlin gave a curious look as well, but not because of who she will say she saw, but how her reaction is after she left them.
"Harry Potter..you know THE Harry Potter. He has a scar on his head just like I've read about." Hermione explained proudly. Neville gave a shocked look and Stan, who have been quiet this whole time, turned his head curiously as well.
"Blimey the Harry Potter? That means he's going to be in the same school as us. That's amazing!" Neville explained. "What's he like?" Neville asked.
Hermione explains. "He seemed normal. The scar being in the shape of a lightning bolt is true. He seems friendly. His glasses were broken, so I fixed it for him right then and there."
"Interesting." Devlin said. "We are going to attend school with the 'Boy Who Lived'." Devlin already knew about this but said it anyway as it is an interesting topic to discuss.
"I've read about him in the book 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century' and 'Modern Magical History'. It said they didn't know where he was or what he was doing. I brought a few extra books for background reading." Hermione replied.
Stan spoke in turn. "I'm sure Professor Dumbledore knew where he was. He's the most powerful wizard in the world." Neville nodded in agreement.
"Well if he's here with us now, then it totally makes sense." Hermione explains as well. "Anyways, do you all know what House you'll be in? I'm aiming for Gryffindor, it sounds like the best option. I hear Dumbledore himself was also in it."
"I've read about it a little as well. My sister is a Hufflepuff, so I wouldn't mind being in the same house as her. But I'll just leave it up to fate." Devlin explains.
"I'm indifferent," Stan mentions. "Most of my family are from House Slytherin. I think it's a trend more often you see about family members being in the same house. But there's no surprise if you end up in a different house from your sister."
Neville frowns. "That's the same house 'You-Know-Who' was in.."
"And what of it?" Stan asks, giving Neville an intimidating look. "I'm not him."
Neville shrank down in nervousness and everyone sat silently in awkward silence.
Hermione looked outside and noticed the approaching evening. "Devlin is fine since he's already dressed, but you both better put your robes on. I'll check on the conductor and ask how much longer."
Neville took off his jacket and took out his robe. Before putting on his robe, he turned towards a changing Stan. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."
Stan adjusted his robe and looked back at Neville. "It's fine. Sorry I was short."
Devlin said "Well that's all fine and good! But how about the muggle wizard here?" Devlin took out some assorted candy out of his pocket. "Want to try some muggle treats?" Devlin grins at both of them.
Neville took out a snack that looks like a rectangular and a red package. "What is this?"
"You have picked up my sister's favorite snack! The KitKat bar! Chocolate covered wafers! Give it a try now." Devlin explained. Stan helped himself to a cup looking snack. As he opened the top and saw the cup was split. One side had chocolate in it, the other side had small breadsticks. "Those are called Choc Dips! Take the breadstick and dip it into the chocolate."
With the tension down, Hermione returned. She was about to say something but then an announcement from the train echoed. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
The train slowed down and stopped. People pushed their way towards the exit and out to a dark platform. As he stepped off to the platform, a student with blonde hair followed by two other bigger students shoved Devlin.
"Move it." The blonde kid commanded. "Watch where you are going."
"Why don't you watch it? Am I supposed to have eyes in the back of my head?" Devlin snarks back. Looking at the boy, his company and the attitude, he can already guess who this person was.
"What did you say? Do you know why I am?" The blonde kid threatens.
"Leave it, Malfoy." Stan stood next to Devlin glaring at the blonde kid. "Stop being annoying."
Malfoy glared at Stan, "First that Potter person, then this person, and then you... So many rude people! Crabbe, Goyle, lets go!" the kid complained as he walked away being followed by the two bigger students.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy." Stan said standing next to Devlin. "His family comes from a long line of pure-blood wizards. They all have this elite attitude of the privileged. Don't mind them." Stand explained.
"You seem to know him though?" Devlin asked curiously. He thought Stan was just a simple quiet kid, but he looks to know Draco.
"Well that's a story for another day." Stan explains.
Devlin looked at him curiously as the mystery around Stan grows and then a voice was heard. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"
Devlin saw a huge man with a big hairy face from a distance. "He mentioned Harry. Of course, that must be Hagrid." Devlin thought to himself.
"Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Devlin followed with his compartment mates next to him.
"Devlin, look!" Hermione gestured Devlin to look ahead as they walk down a narrow path.
"Wow.." Devlin was speechless. The view in front of him in the night starry sky, was a vast castle sitting on top of a mountain in a majestic view as the moonlight shines down creating a mysterious silhouette.
"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting on the water.
Devlin, Neville, Stan and Hermione enter the boat together and get themselves comfortable. Devlin looked around and saw Ron enter the boat with a boy with glasses. The boy was skinny and normal looking. Actually pretty similar to the movies. It's hard to tell at this age how they will look when they grow up. At least for Devlin.
"Everyone in? Right then -- FORWARD!" The giant said as he sat on a boat alone.
The fleet of boats begin the move towards the castle at once. Devlin out of curiosity looked to see that there was nothing rowing the boat. And no matter how often they move, the boat wouldn't shake. Devlin then looked up and appreciated the approaching castle view overhead.
"Heads down!" Yelled the giant as the first boats reached the cliff. They were carried through a dark tunnel which took them underneath the castle. The boat reached the harbor and Devlin and the others got off the boat and gathered where the majority of the students were.
"Oy! you there!" The giant man yelled. Devlin turned around and saw the man staring at him. "Is this your toad?"
Devlin shook his head but before he could say anything.
"Trevor!" cried Neville holding out his hands. Devlin laughed a little as he turned and saw Hermione rolling her eyes. They followed the giant towards a giant door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Many of the students giggled a little and Neville turned red. "Right then..." The giant man knocked on the door three times and the castle doors swung open. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there at the entrance with a welcome but stern presence.