Chapter 7. September 1, 1885

"Mom, come on, for God's sake!" grumbled the first-year boy, wriggling and dodging his mother's attempts to tidy up his unruly chestnut hair. His sister stood nearby, giggling softly into her hand, observing the railway platform with interest as more and more students and their parents gathered with each passing minute.

"Sebastian, stop fidgeting! We don't want you to look like a street urchin. The sorting ceremony is a very important event; you need to look the part," urged the young woman with a concerned and attentive expression, "darling, please double-check the list. If we forgot something, we still have a chance to rush to Diagonal Alley."

"Alright, three plain black robes... In our case, six... Got them. One... I mean, two plain pointed hats... Here they are," a tall man in a suit leaned over the suitcases, holding a slightly crumpled list in his hands. He was going through the items for what felt like the hundredth time. Sending the children off to school turned out to be a much more nerve-wracking task than any of the most dangerous secret missions for the Ministry. His head was spinning from the amount of things, the excited chatter of the twins, and the ubiquitous Muggles who didn't allow them to slip unnoticed onto Platform 9¾. He was already looking forward to the moment when he and his wife would finally put their offspring on the train and return to their cozy nest. He adored his children and cherished them with all his heart, but at this moment, he really wanted a break from them.

Sebastian finally managed to break free from his mother's caring hands, which immediately switched their attention to his sister. Anne didn't struggle; she simply waited patiently while their mom tried to perfect her already smooth bun, trying to keep an eye on everything happening on the platform. They had been to central London only a couple of times in their lives, and now they were about to take the train all by themselves, without their parents. It was so exciting and thrilling; they couldn't wait for the Hogwarts Express to arrive as soon as possible. "I wonder what it even looks like?" Anne thought, glancing in the direction from which it was supposed to come.

"Anne, look! That sixth-year student has such a cool broomstick! It's the Sky Scythe! Wow!" Sebastian exclaimed, admiring the sixth-year showing off his broomstick to the other students.

"Where? I don't see it. Mom, please let go," Anne began turning her head from side to side, and her carefully crafted bun, which her mom had spent so much time on, came undone. The woman sighed with a tolerant smile, remembering her own first day at Hogwarts. What did hairstyles matter when there was so much new and exciting around?

"There it is! There it is! It's coming!" Sebastian yelled, grabbing his father's sleeve and pointing at the approaching train.

The enormous, puffing steam engine, deafeningly whistling, brilliantly red, shimmering with polished sides. For some, it had become commonplace, just a way to get to school once again, but for the first-years, it was almost a wonder of the world. The mouths of the twins hung open in awe as the Hogwarts Express approached, slowing down. Their eyes were glued to the slowly enlarging locomotive. In a moment, it rushed past, nearly blowing the children away with dusty wind. The train gradually came to a stop, the wheels rumbling quieter and quieter. Coming to a halt, the gigantic metal beast let out a summoning, piercing whistle. Some immediately rushed into the open carriage doors, others ran to check their luggage, and some older students continued chatting nonchalantly on the platform. The parents of Anne and Sebastian, after instructing them to stay put and wait for their return, headed to the end of the train with the suitcases.

"It's so huge!" exclaimed Sebastian in admiration, his eyes fixed on the marvel of technology. They had never seen a train so up close before.

"And very noisy!" laughed Anne, grabbing her brother's sleeve to keep herself from being swept away by the crowd heading towards the carriage entrance.

"Kids, it's time to board," smiled their father, returning without suitcases. Behind him, their mother, glowing with pride and excitement, walked. Tears glistened on her long eyelashes, signifying both joy and sadness at the thought of her children will spend so much time away from home.

"Send us owls at least a couple of times a month," she said, hugging the twins and kissing their foreheads.

"Okay, mom," replied Sebastian, hugging her back. Anne simply snuggled closer, feeling a sudden wave of gentle melancholy.

"Behave well, listen to the professors," their father began to advise, but then changed his tone and smiled conspiratorially, "explore Hogwarts, there are so many things in it that only the curious can discover."

"Okay, dad," Sebastian responded again. Their father took over from their mother and hugged his children tightly too. He gently patted Anne's cheek, ruffled Sebastian's hair, eliciting a mockingly disapproving look from his wife.

"Well then, go ahead," their father nudged them towards the entrance, and they quickly climbed up the steps and found themselves inside the train.

Walking along the long corridors of the carriages, they peered into each compartment in search of an empty or at least partially empty one. Apparently, some had wisely jumped into the carriages right after the train's stop, as every compartment already had some cheerful company. Only the small, frightened first-year students were scurrying around, searching for a place to settle. They didn't know any of their fellow first-years or any of the older students (except for those lucky ones with older siblings), so they were forced to either group up randomly with each other or awkwardly sit in a corner, listening to the mature and intriguing conversations of the older students. Anne and Sebastian were somewhat fortunate in their own way: there were two of them, and no matter which company they squeezed into, they would feel comfortable. Sebastian swung open another compartment door and exclaimed joyfully upon seeing just one other student inside. Apparently, also a first-year.

"Hey, hi! Do you mind if we sit here?" Sebastian inquired, examining the delicate, melancholic figure gazing out of the window.

"No, not at all," the boy replied without even turning to the door.

"Great! Anne! There are vacant seats here!" he called out into the corridor where Anne continued to walk, peering into the next compartments. She looked at him, nodded, and slowly made her way back since the train had just started moving, and running along it was a bit scary.

Sebastian plopped down on the sofa opposite their fellow passenger, studying his profile with curiosity. "Definitely from some wealthy ancient family," he thought, noticing how neatly the boy's light hair was arranged and his strict, impeccable posture. The boy continued to gaze calmly at the slowly receding platform through the window, paying no attention to Sebastian. "Look at how important he thinks he is," irritably flashed through Sebastian's mind.

"I'm Sebastian, Sebastian Sallow," he said reluctantly. After all, they would be traveling together for several hours, and it would be strange if they ignored each other the whole way.

"I'm Ominis, Ominis Gaunt," the boy replied, turning to face him. Sebastian didn't know what surprised him more: the uncertain, shy smile that he definitely hadn't expected to see, shattering the image of an arrogant heir in his mind, or the light-blue eyes veiled with a dense white mist that seemed to be directed at him but not focused on anything in particular.

"P-pleased to meet you," he responded after a momentary stupor, extending his hand.

"Likewise," Ominis replied, not moving from his spot. It wasn't because he was unfriendly. A hunch flashed in Sebastian's mind, and he waved his hand a couple of times in front of the new acquaintance's face. Ominis didn't react at all, continuing to look as though he was seeing through Sebastian.

"Do you... Can you not see anything?" he asked, wondering how polite it was to ask such questions to someone he just met.

"Ah, yes. I should have said it right away; otherwise, my behavior might seem strange. But my wand can show me certain things, or rather, their outlines — sometimes clearer, sometimes quite blurry. I just need to direct it to where I want to look," Ominis explained eagerly, sharing the information in one breath. He had been rehearsing this explanation since he received his letter from Hogwarts, and now that he had said it, he let out a relieved sigh. He picked up the wand lying next to him, hidden under his cloak, and a faint reddish glow appeared at its tip. Anne was already standing in the doorway, attentively listening to Ominis's explanation while cautiously observing him.

"And this is my twin sister, Anne," Sebastian said, waving his hand towards his sister, who greeted Ominis and sat on the couch beside her brother, "Anne, this is Ominis Gaunt. Are you also a first-year?"

"Yes," Ominis replied.

"What do you think the Sorting Hat will decide for you? After all, all Gaunts were sorted into Slytherin, right?" Sebastian continued, observing Ominis with curiosity. He had never interacted with a member of a pure-blood aristocratic family before.

"Yes, I think the Sorting Hat won't even touch my head before sending me to Slytherin," Ominis answered, lowering his head slightly, "and what about you?"

"Our dad was in Slytherin, and mom was in Gryffindor. I don't know where we'll end up, but I hope it's not Hufflepuff. Hard work is definitely not our strong suit," Sebastian chuckled, settling comfortably on the couch, preparing for the long journey ahead.

After about an hour, a witch with a trolley of sweets appeared in the corridor. Sebastian and Anne eagerly filled their hands with various treats. "And no one will say a word," Sebastian declared with a mouthful of Pepper Imps. Ominis only took a couple of Chocolate Frogs to collect the trading cards; the rest of the sweets didn't interest him much. Throughout the journey, Sebastian kept telling funny stories from their lives, with his sister occasionally adding something and laughing, while Ominis listened silently, smiling. Could it really be so easy to connect with peers? Was this what friendship was? Perhaps not entirely, but it certainly was the start of it.

Outside the window, picturesque landscapes of Victorian England flashed by. Bright yellow smooth fields gave way to dark green walls of the forest, blue ribbons of rivers intersected with the silver mirrors of lakes, cozy little villages warmly flickered in their pastel shades amidst the riot of nature's colors. Clouds raced faster than the train itself, and the sun, following the Express, was starting to tire, gradually dipping towards the horizon. The chatter in all the carriages noticeably subsided; the previous excitement had waned, and only the most incorrigible jokers continued to laugh, disrupting the quiet tranquility of students, mesmerized by beauty outside the window and the rhythmic clatter of wheels.

Anne had been dozed on Sebastian's shoulder for about fifteen minutes, while he stubbornly fought against sleepiness, occasionally bumping his forehead against the windowpane and trying to start a conversation after each such attempt. Ominis, already not very talkative or noisy, fell completely silent, responding only monosyllabically to Sebastian's sleepy attempts to engage in dialogue. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the setting sun on his face, not even realizing when he drifted off to sleep.

"Look! There it is!" - they heard the instantly invigorating cry from the first-year students in the adjacent compartment. Night had already fallen, and the surrounding forests took on a mysteriously eerie hue. Anne and Sebastian pressed their noses against the window and gazed in awe. There, beyond the glass, stood the majestic Hogwarts. It was so enormous, as if rising straight from the cliffs, looming over the cold surface of the lake, dominating the entire sky. Numerous windows sparkled, as if mirroring the twinkling stars in the evening sky. The spires of the towers reached up into the clouds. Numerous bridges and passages turned the castle into a magical labyrinth, while the surrounding forests seemed to be trying to hide this splendor from prying eyes. There it was - Hogwarts, an everyday sight for some and a magical dream for others.

***

"First-year students, gather here! My name is Matilda Weasley, I am the Deputy Headmistress and a Transfiguration professor. The sorting ceremony is about to begin. You will be called by your name and surname, step onto the pedestal, sit on the stool, and listen to what the Sorting Hat has to say. After that, you will move to your respective house tables," the pleasant and kind woman in glasses announced loudly and clearly, addressing the excited crowd of first-year students, "if everything is clear and there are no questions, follow me."

"Wow!" exclaimed Sebastian, pulling Anne and Ominis along with him to keep them from getting separated in the crowd. Thinking about Ominis not being able to see all this, Sebastian began describing everything out loud, "the tables here are unbelievably huge. If you put them all together, it must be about four kilometers long, I swear! And the ceiling! It looks like a starry sky! And the floating candles! They're right under the ceiling, above the tables! The windows are simply massive. And over there is the teacher's table; they sit there looking so dignified. I think I can see the headmaster. He looks quite stern."

Sebastian fell silent as he bumped into the back of a fellow first-year student who had stopped in front of him. The buzz and chatter that had filled the hall when the first-years entered gradually subsided. The twins tried to peek over the heads of those in front of them to catch a glimpse of what was happening, but it was in vain. They patiently waited for their turn, listening as the Sorting Hat called out the names and sent students to their respective houses. Each time a name was called, one of the four tables erupted in cheers, whistles, and applause.

"It would be great if all three of us end up in the same house," Sebastian thought, pondering which house would suit them all and shifting from one foot to another in anticipation of his turn. He stole a quick glance at Ominis, who appeared completely calm, probably because he already knew where he belonged. Then his gaze fell upon Anne, who looked back at him with excitement in her eyes.

"Ominis Gaunt!" professor Weasley finally called out, and Ominis began to squeeze through the tight rows of students, holding his wand out in front of him. Sebastian gave his elbow an encouraging squeeze and wished him good luck. Ominis, not accustomed to physical contact, flinched at first, but then turned his face towards his new acquaintance, and his lips quivered into a smile.

Professor Weasley offered to help him, but he declined and slowly made his way to the chair with the Sorting Hat. Contrary to Ominis' predictions, the hat hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to send him to Slytherin, as it saw some traits in him not typical of Slytherins. However, the heritage of his ancient dark family prevailed, and within a minute, Ominis sat down to the cheers of approval, joining the table where his entire family had been before him.

"Anne Sallow!" called professor Weasley. Anne, carefully pushing aside anyone in her way, practically skipped to the Sorting Hat. The hat seemed to ponder for a moment, fidgeting around in the head of the first-year student. Anne noticed Sebastian waving approvingly from the crowd and giggled, waving back in response. This caused the hat to slip down over her eyes, shielding them from hundreds of student gazes.

"You could fit perfectly into Ravenclaw. So witty and clever. But I can see that Slytherin will offer you far more opportunities, just as it did for your father once," the hat whispered into her ear. Anne impatiently fidgeted, and then the Sorting Hat shouted, "Slytherin!" The announcement was met with cheers, and Anne, tearing off the hat, rushed to join her new house at the table.

"Sebastian Sallow!" professor Weasley called invitingly, gesturing toward the chair. Sebastian ascended the platform, locking eyes with Anne and conveying through his expression that he intended to join the same house.

"Another Sallow this evening? Hm… Loyal, brave, curious. But I see pride and a touch of selfishness in you… Slyness. Dangerous inclinations? Yes, indeed," echoed in Sebastian's mind. He wondered what the hat meant by dangerous inclinations. Sebastian glanced at Anne, who stood frozen in anticipation, and then at Ominis, who listened attentively.

"Slytherin!" announced the Sorting Hat, releasing Sebastian to join his new house at the table.

Sebastian burst into enthusiastic cheers as he squeezed himself between Anne and Ominis, playfully squishing their faces together. He began animatedly sharing all his – and now their – plans for the upcoming school year. Anne caught on to everything he said, continuing his fragmented sentences, as they had spent almost the entire summer devising these plans by prying every bit of information about Hogwarts from their parents. Ominis simply smiled shyly, listening to their conversation, until Sebastian declared that he liked Ominis and it was essential for him to join their group. It seemed that a new chapter had begun in the young Gaunt's life, and he joyfully acknowledged this new turn of events.

As the sorting ceremony came to an end, the tables were filled with food and drinks, and the candles burned brighter, voices echoed louder. Despite the early classes awaiting everyone the next day, nobody was in a hurry to finish and head to their dormitories. Not even the little first-years were rushed or pushed along, although the clock's hands were rapidly approaching midnight. For some, it was merely the start of a new school year, but for others, it marked the beginning of an entirely new life.