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ᏟᎻᎪᏢᎢᎬᎡ ᎾNᎬ
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     VALENTINA let out a sigh as she clenched her clammy hands around the cart holding her trunk. She tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear. Valentina fixed the purple butterfly clips that were tucked expertly in her hair by her mother. She was doing whatever she could to drag out her beginning in this new world. Her body was placed in front of the sign that read nine and three quarters. She knew what to do. Her parents had instructed her so. She just couldn't seem to force her body forward into the wall.

    "Miss, Do you need help with that?" A young boy already in black robes asked, snapping Valentina out of a trance she hadn't realised she was in. She blushed, embarrassed that she had been standing there like an idiot long enough for people to notice.

    "No thank you. I'm perfectly capable myself." Valentina personally didn't want anyone to touch the handles of the cart where sweat had built up from nerves.

     Valentina gathered her jumper that had slid down onto the cart and prepared a mental countdown for her to run through the wall. She glanced back at the boy who offered her help and recognised the blond boy in front of her.

     "Oh my gosh! Neville, I didn't realise it was you. I haven't seen you in ages!"

     "Val? Grandma told me to meet you here. You look different."

     "So do you! I remember when I used to be taller than you. You've definitely grown." Valentina was only a couple inches shorter than him now but as children, she used to tower over him. "How's Grandmother by the way?"

     "Oh, she's good. I could do without all the Howler's though." Neville rolled his eyes and Valentina let out a chuckle.

     "I'm glad she couldn't send those to my schooling in America. Not that I had any anyway. I hope she doesn't send me any at Hogwarts."

     "I doubt she'd send you a howler. You never get in trouble." Neville grumbled, obviously peeved that his cousin had never experienced the embarrassment like him.

     "I can't help being perfect Neville. I'm sorry there's no luck for you I probably got it from my dad's side of the family." Valentina joked and it warmed her soul that she could see her cousin once again, and especially to see him happy too.

     "Shall we?"

     "I don't know Neville. What will they think of me? As far as I know, it's unheard of for there to be a transfer student at Hogwarts." Valentina started to subconsciously play with her hair again.

     "Just be yourself and everyone will love you. I'll introduce you to some of my friends if you'd like. Well acquaintances rather."

     "Thank you, Neville." Valentina sent a warm grin to him before taking a deep breath and she shoved the steel cart into the brick pillar in front of her.

     The atmosphere changed within microseconds as robes and carts flashed around her vision. There were many families saying tearful goodbyes to their children. Valentina spotted a panicking mother fretting over her child's jumper, which she had forgotten at home. The mother had already redone the child's scarf three times but still felt the urge to tug on the child's neck and cover up his neck with even more of the wool material. Valentina smiled at the familiarity between the mother and son. It reminded her of her relationship with her father. He was always worrying over her but now she was thousands of miles away from him.

     The large profusion of steam floated towards Valentina's nose and her nose crinkled in response. She did not particularly find the smell of steam vehicles pleasant. It reminded her too much of farewells and endings, even though this was a beginning. It was her first year at a boarding school. She always said goodbye to her father near the smell of a steam engine, though that smell was from a ship, a completely different type of vehicle than the locomotive in front of her.

     Cold air brushed against Valentina's arm and she looked over to see that her cousin had made the passage through the brick wall as well. Neither of the two brought pets with them so it was easy to jostle their trunks around without worry. Valentina was still confused as to what happened to Neville's toad Trevor but didn't want to sour the mood by bringing the subject up. Valentina had an owl but it was shared by her family and it was unlikely that she would see it soon considering her mother wanted to keep in touch with her father who was thousands of miles away.

     Valentina got onto the train and put her trunk away without any trouble. However, she was still unsure where to sit on the train. It seemed that everyone had already found their place with their friends and she hadn't. She was the outsider here after all. She travelled down the aisle and looked lost. Valentina had lost track of her cousin with all the commotion outside and was unsure what compartment he was in.

     Valentina popped her head into yet another compartment, hoping her cousin was inside. She did not see him but recognised the jumper on the seat next to a brown-haired boy with terribly untidy hair and an extremely lanky body. His bright green eyes stood out to her but not as much as the giant lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.

     "Have either of you seen Neville Longbottom?"

     "Yes, he's just gone to the lavatory." A blonde girl told Valentina in a melodic voice.

     "Well, he's said I could sit with him. Have you got any room in here?"

      "Oh, you're Neville's cousin! Of course, come in." The other girl spoke to her and slapped the space next to her.

     Valentina sat down next to them and awkwardly smiled at the three. She could practically feel all of their thoughts jump out towards her but decided it would be polite to ask them questions than rather prod their minds. It was hard not to though.

     "So, I'm Valentina. Valentina Belrose. What're your names?"

    "Luna Lovegood. It's a pleasure to meet you." Valentina just noticed the weird jewellery she was wearing but decided not to ask.

     "I'm Ginny Weasley."

     "Harry Potter."

     "What's Ilvermorny like?" Luna Lovegood asked.

     "Oh, I wouldn't know. My mom would never send me there. Said she'd rather teach me herself than send me to that shithole."

     "Oh, well you'll really like Hogwarts. I'm sure of it."

     "Do you know what happened to Neville's toad. I didn't see it with him earlier."

     "Oh he found it after all the commotion in the corridor." Potter said.

     Valentina was relieved that her cousin's pet hadn't died yet. He was still overly attached to Trevor. Neville came back in shortly after Valentina did with his trunk in one hand, and what appeared to be a grey cactus in the other.

     "Oh Neville, is that Mimbulus mimbletonia!"

     Neville smiled at his cousin. "It's really, really rare. I don't think there's even one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts. Great-uncle Algie got it in Assyria for me..."

     Neville started going off on a tangent about his plant and Valentina could hardly focus. Thoughts were crowding all around her, prodding at her to be let in. She did not like it at all and tried to focus on te scenery outside instead. The rest of the way to Hogwarts was spent without incident except for when Neville's cactus spewed out Stinksap all over their compartment. Luckily Ginny made the Stinksap vanish. Valentina didn't buy anything from the trolley to eat but Neville shared a chocolate frog with her. Two new students joined their compartment: Ron and Hermione. It was very crowded in there with all six of them in there but no one seemed to mind. Valentina learned that Ron and Hermione were the fifth year prefects for Gryffindor. They all changed into their robes when they were nearing Hogwarts.

     Once they were let off the train, Valentina followed her cousin, unsure of where she was supposed to go. Both Harry and Luna seemed to see something the others didn't. Valentina knew they were seeing some kind of horse from what they were thinking but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see them herself. She just shut up and listened to the group's interesting stories as they rode the carriage to Hogwarts.