Part One: The Journey to Hogwarts: Ana Thistlethorn dragged her trunk across the polished floor of King's Cross, her palms sweaty against the handle. The station was loud and ordinary, yet her heart was racing with the knowledge that something extraordinary was hidden here. *Platform Nine and Three-Quarters... it has to be real. It has to be.* she reassures herself. Her parents had hugged her tightly before leaving, still bewildered by the letter that had arrived weeks ago. They didn't understand, not really, but they believed in her. That was enough. Ana scanned the signs. Nine. Ten. But nothing in between. Her stomach twisted. *What if I can't find the it? What if I miss the train?* She twisted the hem of her sleeve nervously. Then she noticed him — a boy with messy hair and rounded glasses, standing uncertainty near the barrier. He looked just as lost as she felt. Before Ana could approach, a bustling family of redheads swept past. "Packed with Muggles, of course," the mother said cheerfully. Ana's ears burned at the word. *Muggles. So they must be... wizards.* She watched as they disappeared through the barrier, followed by the youngest red-haired boy. Ana's breath caught. *He just... vanished. That's it. That's the way. It has to be.* Clutching her trunk, Ana ran straight at the wall. For a terrifying second she thought she'd crash and crack her skull open — but then the world shifted, and she stumbled onto a platform filled with owls, cats, and the gleaming scarlet steam engine. Her mouth fell open. *It's real. It's all real.* _____________________________________________________ On the train, Ana found an empty compartment near the back. She pressed her forehead to the window as the countryside rolled past, green fields stretching endlessly. Her nerves busted inside. *What if I'm terrible at magic and they realize it was a mistake and kick me out? What if they all know that I don't belong?* The door slid open, and a red-haired boy — the same one from the platform — stepped inside. "Mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." Ana nodded quickly, her cheeks warm. Ron plopped down beside Ana, unwrapping his sandwich. "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley," he said, grinning. Ana shifted nervously. "Ana Thistlethorn," she replied. *Weasley. That names sounds wizard-y. He must know everything. Maybe he'll explain things.* Before Ron could say more, the door slid open again. The boy with messy hair and round glasses stepped inside. "Can I sit I here?" he asked. Ron's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of something behind the black-haired boy's bangs. "Blimey, you're Harry Potter!" Ana blinked. *Harry Potter? Who's that?* She glanced between them, confused. Harry looked embarrassed, muttering, "Yeah, that's me." Ana tilted her head. *Why's Ron acting like he just met a rock star? He's just a boy, just a kid. Same as us.* _____________________________________________________ A little while later, when Ron was about to show them a spell his two of his brothers had showed him the other day, the door banged open once more. A bushy-haired girl poked her head in, looking determined. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one," she said briskly. Ron shook his head. "Nope." The girl's eyes flicked to Harry. "You're Harry Potter!" she exclaimed, launching into a rapid-fire introduction. "I'm Hermione Granger. And you are?" she added, turning to Ana suddenly. "Ana Thistlethorn," Ana said quickly, cheeks flushing red from embarrassment. Hermions gave her a sharp nod and a sympathetic smile, before rounding on Ron, fiddling with his wand. "You're doing magic, aren't you? Let's see it." Ron cleared his throat, looking sheepish. He lounged his hand at his rat, Scabbers, and muttered: "Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" Ana clapped a hand over her mouth to stiffle a laugh. *That can't possibly work... can it?* Hermione sniffed. "Are you sure that's a real spell? Well it's not very good, is it?" Ana burst out laughing, unable to help herself. "And here I thought he was actually gonna turn yellow!" she said, grinning at Ron. Ron's ears went red. "It's not my fault! Fred gave me that one!" __________________________________________________ The train rattled on, sweets from the trolley passed around, laughter filling the compartment. Ana felt her nerves ease. She wasn't just a Muggle-born girl anymore — she was a part of something. Sitting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she felt the spark of belonging. As the sky darkened and lanterns flickered on, Ana pressed her forehead to the glass. The outline of mountains loomed in the distance. Hogwarts. Her new home. (Please no remixing, please and thank you! Under certain circumstances, though, I will allow specific people to remix.)
