"No wonder Enie and Sabrina didn't want to come here," Will says, holding the suitcases in front of him with both hands, kicking them with his knees.
"Indeed, - Paige agrees,- they aren't crazy to volunteer to live here."
She, too, carries suitcases with both hands, but her knees don't touch it because Paige is dragging the luggage on the ground, moving backwards.
Will stops abruptly and says:
"They are definitely crazy."
"But it seems to me that we are the sick ones once agreed," says the green-eyed Paige.
"You're right. It seems to me that it is my roof that has gone somewhere."
Will speaks in an uncharacteristically slow manner, and Paige, noticing this, looks around.
"This… this… this… I have no words," she barely says.
Friends opened their mouths in surprise and admiration. It seems to them that a wonderful castle with four towers came to them directly from a fairy tale, which used to be real only in dreams, but now it is real!
Without saying a word, the girls easily run to the castle, because the suitcases lose their weight and become weightless.
Laughing merrily, two friends run to the entrance. The cat sitting there meows loudly.
"Hello, I'm Professor Sprout, - the woman on the ladder introduces herself.- Why are you with suitcases?"
"Hmmm," the young Muggles looked at each other in disbelief.
"They must be handed over after arrival, things are then carried to the rooms, - the professor explains. - Besides, the first day of the school year begins in the dining room."
"Sorry, we didn't know," Paige says.
"We…" Will begins.
"The new ones," Professor Sprout finishes.
The girls nod.
"Leave your things to me, I will make sure that they are delivered to the right place," the teacher promises.
The girls, of course, thank you and go after the rest of the students, who lead them to a not so big, but a huge dining room, where, in addition to giant tables, there are a lot of people.
"Look, - Paige says, pointing to one of the tables, - it must be the teachers."
The girls go further along the tables and, raising their heads up, are amazed and they aren't alone.
"The ceiling looks like a starry sky!" Page says.
"He's enchanting," Will says.
The crowd stops.
A woman in a pointed hat holds the same old one in her hands.
"What will happen now?" Paige whispers to an eleven-year-old boy on the right.
"What don't you know?" he wonders.
The friends shake their heads.
"Really?" The boy is even more surprised.
The girls shrug their shoulders, and the boy, wondering "how is that?", begins to explain:
"This is a distributive hat, it decides who should study at which faculty."
"Do you know what faculties are?" Will asks.
"I know. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."
Here Page asks an important question about how the hat distributes. Now the first year looked at the girl as the most stupid.
"By your magic," he replied.
The girls looked at each other in fear.
"What we are going to do? We practically screwed up," Paige whispers contritely.
"I didn't think it would end so quickly," Will regrets.
"We need to think of something, and fast," Paige says.
"There must be a way out," Will insists.
"We're lost," Paige whispers.
"We don't stand a chance," Will says quietly.
Against the backdrop of panic, it even seems to them that the chair on which the children sit, the hat and the woman holding it are getting closer and closer. In fact, the distance is not reduced.
"What we are going to do?" Will asks.
"I don't know," Paige shrugs.
"Excuse me, - the same boy addresses them, - I would like to ask you to speak more quietly, I can't hear anything."
"Exactly," Paige smiles.
"Of course, - it dawns on Will too, - we just need to ask."
"It's like in that book, the boy asked for a hat," Paige rejoices.
"You are a genius," the Muggles say to the boy and hug him from both sides.
The boy is completely embarrassed.
"Which one shall we choose?" Will asks Paige.
"Which one do you like better?"
Will thinks.
"Wait, you need to find out how they differ first," she says.
The friends looked expressively at their eleven-year-old acquaintance. The boy blushes, however, begins to speak:
"Well... Slytherin is faculty of pureblood ..."
The girls look at each other and slightly noticeably shake their heads, because they are not wizards at all.
"Ravenclaw is gathering smart wizards..."
The girls shake their heads again, they understand that they cann't show off their knowledge, because, as you know, they know almost nothing about the magical world.
"In Hufflepuff, diligent in work and study ..."
The friends shrug. Why not?
"Gryffindor is the faculty of brave hearts,"
"Brave hearts, - Paige repeats. - I like it!"
"Me too," Will says.
The girls thank the boy.
However, friends in vain worried that they didn't have time to come up with anything. They stood for a long time, watching how the boys and girls, one after the other, take each other on the stool.
"And now, - says the woman in the pointed hat, - the distribution of students who have come to us from other schools. Baden Flora."
A fifteen-year-old girl with a long braid sits on a stool.
"Ravenclaw," decides the distributing hat.
At the table of Ravenclaws applaud.
The woman continues:
"Baden David."
A boy, very similar to the previous girl, is put on a hat on his head.
"And again Ravenclaw."
The applause is even louder.
"Radcliffe Sabrina."
The girls stepped forward at the same time. They looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Go on," Paige whispers.
Will goes on and sits down. She is nervous.
As soon as the hat touches her head, Will whispers, trying to make it distinct.
"Please, Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor, please, please."
"You're distracting me," the hat hisses at her.
"Please, Gryffindor, please…" Will insists.
"OK then. Gryffindor."
A round of applause rolls through the hall. Will has a much calmer seat at the Gryffindor table.
"Gallit Eleanor."
This sorceress is defined in Hufflepuff.
"Grint Enid."
Paige walks confidently towards the hat, but she's still a little nervous. The truth is less than Will.
The hat is lowered on Paige's head.
"Can I…" she starts to whisper.
"The second time already, - the distributor grumbles with displeasure. - I'll see for myself what's in this head and decide where you, young lady, will study."
"No!" Paige says, almost screaming.
"What does "no" mean?" hat is outraged.
"Please put me in Gryffindor," Paige pleads.
"I don't accept applications anymore," the distribution hat continues to be indignant.
"Don't waste time in vain, - does not give up Paige, - I can only study in Gryffindor."
Because the distribution of Paige was delayed, sitting at the table of Gryffindors, Will begins to worry.
"She said Gryffindor," Paige blurts out before the hat can say anything.
The entire room falls silent and looks intently at Paige, who is already barely breathing from fear.
"She said so softly, almost a whisper," Paige tries to smile innocently.
"I heard it too," Will jumps up from her seat.
Silence continues in the hall, only the eyes are now directed to Will, which makes the girl terribly uncomfortable.
"All right, Gryffindor, - the hat announces. - What are the kids now?!" she grumbles as they remove her from Paige's head.
"Carter Aaron."
Paige flops down on the bench, exhausted.
"It was hard," she says to Will.
Paige recovers from stress until the feast begins.
"Dear students, I congratulate you on the beginning of the academic year, - the new director solemnly begins his speech. - I wish you great success in your studies, for which you will receive points."
"But remember that points can be lost, - puts in Professor McGonagall, - and at the end of the year, as always, we will identify the winning faculty. Thank you!"
"Let the feast begin!" the director says.
Food appears on the tables, almost covering it.
"Can man eat it? - Will asks worriedly. - Food's bewitched!"
Paige has already taken the muffin and looks at it hesitantly.
"Food isn't conjured," says the same boy the girls questioned some time ago.
"Where did it come from then?" Paige looks at the same bun in bewilderment.
"The food is carrying it from the kitchen," the boy replies, putting a decent piece of chicken into his mouth.
"By the way what is your name?" Will asks.
"I'm Cameron."
"And I'm Wi ..." - Will wanted to say.
"Her name is Enie," Paige says quickly, pushing her friend in the side.
"In terms of? That's your name," Will reminds.
Paige choke:
"That's right, I'm Enie."
"And I'm Sabrina," Will introduces herself.
Cameron looks at them with interest, the girls find nothing better than to smile idiotically, and even with their mouths full.
The boy continues to chew, the girls also start eating.
"It tastes so good!" Paige praises.
Muggles, without noticing it, how the hungry lean on food. However, they are not alone in absorbing the meal.
"Hermione, are you in a hurry?" Harry asks.
She nods in response.
"To the library!"
"Be careful, you'd choke," says Ron.
"Harry, - Ginny begins cautiously, - I want to ask,- she spoke more slowly than usual. - Do the Dursleys bother you much?"
"They don't notice me at all," Harry replies, a hint of joy in his voice.
"Have you already heard?" George asks as he comes up and sits next to Ginny.
"About what?" Ron asks with a full mouth.
"About Quidditch, - his red-haired brother replies, - there will be competitions this year. The new director approved."
"Does anyone know what his name is?" Ginny asks.
"Jonathan Goodden," George answers, of course.
"I haven't heard anything about him," Hermione says, running away.
"They say he was a minor official in the ministry," George gives out information.
" How do you know everything?" Ginny raises her eyebrows in surprise.
Indeed, George manages to keep abreast of all events and know everything about everyone.
"Well, after the joke shop opened, some acquaintances appeared. Of course," the older Weasley shrugs.
"What about the shop now?" Harry asks.
"It's the same, don't worry. Percy is there," George assures.
"I'm glad you decided to continue your studies," Ginny says.
"I'm glad you're back too," Harry expresses his feelings.
"We are on the same course now," Ron chuckles, almost choking.
"That's all to please mother," George says, ignoring Ron's jokes.
"Your spot on the Quidditch team is yours," Harry promises.
"Three Weasleys on the team plus Harry, - Ginny smiles, - for luck!"
"The school cup is ours," George and Harry say.
"Nobody can't beat the Gryffindors," Ron agrees and champs.
"Ron!" Ginny looks at her brother reproachfully.
"What?"
In the midst of a feast, the ghosts of Hogwarts fly in to please children .
"Hello, students," the bloody baron flies over the table.
"Mom," Paige squeaks, and digs into Will with her nails.
"What are you grabbing onto me for?" she groans.
"I'm scared," Paige squeaks.
"Me too. These are ghosts," Will is ready to burst into tears.
"Hello, Nick, how did you spend your summer?" George asks.
"Great as always," the ghost replies.
Seeing this conversation, Paige unhooks from Will.
"Look, no one is afraid," she says, looking around.
"Everyone is even happy. And, in my opinion, ghosts have been known for a long time," Will notes.
"It's nearly headless Nick," someone whispers.
"I have said more than once that I prefer Sir Nicholas," he draws his posture majestically.
"Tell me, Sir, - Paige turns to him, emboldened. - How is that almost headless?"
"You better not ask that," George says.
"That's it," Nick said and demonstrates.
He tilts his head back, taking hold of her hair, which is connected to the neck by a small piece of skin, and Nick continues to smile friendly.
"He did it again," Hermione says indignantly, having already returned from the library.
"Terrible," everyone says.
"Yeah, I shouldn't have asked," Paige admits.
However, this doesn't spoil anyone's appetite. And besides, there is always a first year student who asks this popular question.
After dinner, the prefects gathered the newcomers of their faculties to go with them to the drawing rooms. Will and Paige are already lost somewhere.
"Hello, my name is Hermione, - she introduces herself, - and this is Ron, - Ron nods, - We are Gryffindor prefects."
Here, at last, muggle girlfriends approach.
"Now we'll take you to our Gryffindor dorm tower," Ron says.
"All your things are already there, - Hermione says. - Please don't fall behind."
They walk along huge corridors with large arches and no less stained-glass windows. And on the walls there are paintings, mostly portraits.
"Good afternoon!" the girl greets with a basket in her hands, bending in a graceful curtsey.
Will and Paige flinch.
"Are they alive?" someone asks.
"Hello," the rest of the paintings greet.
"Don't be afraid, - Cameron approaches the Muggle girls, - they are harmless and friendly. Hello!" he waves to the stately gentleman, who took off his hat.
"Good afternoon!" greets a lady with a pink satin ribbon in her hair.
"Hello!" Paige and Will wave back.
"They are really cute," Will smiles, waving at all the pictures in a row.
"I like them too, - Paige says, - I love them all already," she waves left and right.
"Hello! How are you?" Will asks.
"How are you doing? - Page asks. - I like your dress. And you mine?"
" Listen, where are ours?" Will asks, looking around.
Paige looked around too.
"Here they are," says this green-blue-eyed girl.
The Gryffindors enter the doorway, the door of which is a painting. The girls run to the others. Paige accidentally bumps into George because Will didn't stop in time.
Paige hurries to apologize. George, of course, smiling, says that it's okay and goes into the living room, not looking away and maintaining a smile until he disappears behind the picture.
The girls followed the others.
"The Gryffindor common room," Paige says quietly, admiringly.
It looks like a bazaar hive, where children are everywhere. Very active kids.
The girls tilted their heads to look up at the high ceiling. And the fire in the fireplace is simply mesmerizing, turning their gaze to which, the girls cannot look away. They want to scream, squeal, squeak with delight and even yell songs, confusing notes - in general, behave like idiots.
Paige clenched her fists and stooped heavily, closing her lips: it was very difficult for her to contain her emotions. The same thing is happening with Will, she bit her lower lip so as not to throw out a storm of happiness and joy outward.
When all the girls go up to their wing, Paige can't help but stroke the railing.
"Not now, when we're alone," whispers Will almost without moving his lips.
"I can't anymore, - Paige justifies herself. - Let's overtake everyone, otherwise we'll trail behind."
"One, two ..." for some reason, Will begins to count the steps.
"…three, four…" Paige continues.
" ... five, six ..." they fly up the stairs.
"... seven, eight ..." they overtake other girls.
"Hello, can you tell me where our rooms are?" "swim up" friends to Hermione.
"We just need to go to our rooms," Paige explains for some reason, which is understandable.
"Ok. What are your last names?" Hermione asks helpfully.
"Felton, - Will says, but come to her senses.- No, that is Radcliffe."
Paige wrinkled her brow, agonizingly remembering "hers."
"Ahhh…- she exchanges glances with Will, who looks at her scaredly, - Grint," Paige finally remembers.
Hermione takes it for granted. As if everything is as it should be. The girls are surprised too. Paige shrugs as they look at each other again.
"You go there," the headman points towards one of the doors, practically not raising his eyes from the scroll with the list.
"Clear."
The Muggle girls give thanks and hurry to leave.
"You can now," Page says gleefully, leaning back against the closed door.
"I like everything here. Who would have thought what a whole world is in the neighborhood," Will admires, overwhelmed by emotions, and stroke the pillow with the bed, in one unhurried, calm movement.
Paige, squealing merrily, whirls around the room with Will. They indulge in euphoria. They like this school, which is saturated with magic and sorcery. They like this world, and they have already managed to fall in love with it. And it couldn't have been otherwise.
It even comes down to kissing. They kiss everything in a row, even the glass on the windows, the view from which shocks the girls and even makes them calm down. Paige puts her arm around Will's shoulder and the Muggles just stand there admiringly for a while.
"There aren't even words to describe it," Paige says almost in a whisper, referring to the landscape outside the window.
Will nods in response.
And everything outside the window is light and free, like a flight. Tickles in the chest with joy and delight. Maybe is it a little happiness?