Chapter 1

"Look it's fine, I really don't need that many clothes, Hogwarts has uniform anyway," Hermione groaned to her mother, as she violently tugged at the suitcase. The zip didn't seem to want to budge, and small tufts of fabric over spilt between the seams. The last-minute preparation was stressful and very uncharacteristic, yet the nerves of beginning university 200 miles away from home had led to a serious amount of procrastination. Secondary school may have been a breeze in regards to her academics, but making friends and fitting in within new environments offered far more of a challenge.

What if no one likes me again?

"Darling, it's going to be okay, you'll have the best time. The university is known for its prestige and successful academics. It'll be filled with bright intelligent souls just like you," the comforting words coming from her mother was exactly what she needed to hear, and she knew that her mum was right. Hogwarts, a famous British university hidden within acres of forest and privately owned land, had been her dream choice since the early years of school. Being one of the hardest universities to be offered a place from, Hermione knew how proud all those around her were, and felt blessed to be so lucky. Still, the pressure to succeed had already begun weighing down on her, and she hadn't even arrived yet.

Mr Granger walked over, pulled the zip closed, scooped up the bag, and begun to make his way towards the car. One other large suitcase had already been placed in the boot, filled with Hermione's book collection, a periodic table poster, and a few framed photos of her and her family.

"Is that everything?" he called out as he made his way out the front door, leaving Hermione and her mother to stand to stare at her old empty room. Her walls looked bare and her bookshelf had emptied.

"I think that's everything," she said quietly to herself, and her mother nodded and pulled her into a hug.

"Hermione I am so proud of you," her voice was filled with pure love, and whilst every mother finds it hard accepting their daughter must leave home, Mrs Granger couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes.

The car ride was unbearably long, with the feeling of excitement making every second seem longer, but the dread making every minute pass in a flash. The view of the motorway had been replaced by the view of trees and fields, with the GPS guiding them to what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Hermione sat in the backseat with a school brochure on her lap, alongside an information leaflet and a map of the grounds. She had studied the map before in a lot of detail, trying to visualise the winding corridors, the possible layout of the classrooms, and the beautiful architecture of the library. Her accommodation lay in the east-wing of the main castle, and the map indicated that the rooms were clustered around a common room for socialising with other students. Floors separated fresher's from seniors, but girls and boys were mixed amongst floors. Having only been to a girl's grammar school, the thought of living with boys sent an anxious feeling down her throat.

Her accommodation had been decided by those who interviewed her before receiving an offer, apparently based on the characteristics one displays whilst engaging and answering questions. The accommodation had a bizarre name, Gryffindor, yet a beautiful lion design coloured in gold and red. She flicked through the brochure, pausing at the photos of those dressed in the Gryffindor uniform; the red and gold trimmings on the sweater, the same coloured tie, and the red collar on the cape. The concept of uniforms at universities was unheard of, yet Hermione felt comforted knowing that she wasn't going to be judged for her 'unfashionable' clothing choices.

"Wow look at that," Mr Granger acclaimed, pointing out the window to the glimpse of the magnificent building. Hermione's head snapped up from the brochure to out the window where the castle was slowly approaching, and she gasped at the sight. Pictures didn't do it justice. It towered above every tree and had its own magical aurora, with the stones seeming to glisten under the sunlight.

"Looks like you have a far more beautiful place to call home," Mrs Granger said, gaping out her window beside the front seat.

"Don't be ridiculous mum, a home will always be with you," Hermione responded, squeezing her mum's shoulder with her hand, then returning to press her face against the glass.

The grounds were hectic with over a hundred cars making their way up to the castle, and it took a while until their car got to a close enough distance to get out. Helpers were dotted around, clearly different from the freshers by their authentic and traditional Hogwarts uniform. Hermione spotted one close hovering around in a green and silver uniform, which must have meant they belonged to the Slytherin accommodation.

"Hi, sorry to bother you, where do I go?"

"Oh hi love, welcome to Hogwarts. Parents aren't allowed inside so make sure you say bye to them here, and then a helper will help you get your bags to the right room. Do you know what accommodation you're in?"

"Yes, Gryffindor," Hermione responded proudly, but the information seemed to wipe the smile of the older girls face. Her pretty features automatically seemed to scowl without even realising, and her eyes started darting around as though she was looking for someone.

"Jenny, Jenny!" she called out having fixed her eyes on someone, causing a petite girl in the red and gold uniform to turn around.

"Yes, Jenny, Come here!" The statement made the girl start to walk over, a much warmer and friendlier smile on her face than the girl currently standing in front. Hermione just stood awkwardly and confused, not realising what was going on.

"Jenny, this fresher is meant to be in Gryffindor. Be a doll and help her to her room, I'm going to try to find someone belonging to Slytherin instead," Hermione couldn't help but feel insulted that this person didn't want to help her based on her accommodation, and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment to the situation. How rude.

"Hi nice to meet you, my names Jenny. Honestly, Gryffindor is the best house, don't listen to Tess. Bit of rivalry between houses you see. Oh by the way, we call the accommodation we're allocated to a house, as you become a big family. Cute, right?"

Jenny seemed much friendlier anyway, with a warm face framed by a silky smooth brown bob just under her ears. The wide smile revealed a small gap between her front teeth, and her cheeks bulged out from her face as she talked.

"Hello, I'm Hermione, its lovely to meet you."

"Well let's get you settled in and mingle. Why don't you grab your bags from your parents and say goodbye."

Saying goodbye was emotional, especially as seeing her mother's eyes tear up was a horrible sight to see. But adrenaline from being in a new environment had already kicked in, and the jittery feeling meant Hermione couldn't standstill. She wanted to explore the castle grounds, move her belongings into her room, but most importantly couldn't wait to see the library.

She grabbed her two suitcases and dragged them behind her as Jenny guided them towards the accommodation. Jenny was bubbly and chatted the whole way, explaining how much Hermione was going to love studying here, and how she'd meet her 'best friends for life'. She went on to say it wasn't the usual British university experience, with the intense academic and boarding school-like atmosphere, yet the close campus life meant that relationships ran deep and friendship groups become families. Furthermore, a degree from Hogwarts was universally known and respected.

The infrastructure appeared to be carved out of grey stone, framed with arches and intricate detail. The staircases were wide and steep, and the walls displayed framed photos of former students and sports teams. Hermione felt as though their beaming faces followed her as she walked.

The prospectus had made it clear that Lacrosse was the signature sport, which explained the glass cabinets filled with trophies and battered balls. Hermione herself had not been part of a sports team, hence she let her mind wander and take in the view as Jenny spoke of her involvement with the team.

"Honestly, everyone becomes involved in Lacrosse, even though most students don't particularly show an interest before coming to Hogwarts. You'll find yourself cheering on the teams and getting involved in no time. That and Polo. Obviously, with people's backgrounds Polo is massive here. I guess it feels like flying in the air whilst chasing a ball, how spectacular!"

Once again, Hermione had no interest in Polo. Her background was fairly average, and with both parents being dentists, she didn't exactly pop down to the Polo club on weekends. Yet she was well aware of the stereotypical student here, estimating that around 70% of the students came from affluent backgrounds, whilst 10% from aristocracy heritage. Even the new freshers walking around looked sophisticated, wearing attire that someone having afternoon tea at the Ritz would wear.

"I'm probably going to spend more time studying this term than on sports if I'm honest. Sports isn't my thing."

"Oh don't be so ridiculous, I won't have that. Term one is all about settling in and making friends. You won't make many with your nose buried in books now will you dear," Jenny let out a laugh, dismissing Hermione's words as though they were utter nonsense. There wasn't much she could retaliate to that, so instead she stayed quiet and let Jenny continue rambling on.

The Gryffindor common room looked old and tattered at the edges, yet felt full of life and character. The red plush sofas had clearly been worn in, with the previous vibrant colour having faded, yet the cushions appeared brand new and were beautiful with gold embroidery. A large portrait was hung in the centre of the room, which Hermione assumed was the founder, and took centre stage of the room's decorations. With barely any windows the room was only lit with dim lighting, making space appear small yet cosy and warm. Hermione could picture herself tucked up on a sofa, head buried in a book and a warm tea by her side. This is close enough to perfect for me.

Another student, clearly belonging to the Gryffindor house, was sat just inside the entrance, her fingers tapping away on the MacBook in front of her. The laptop looked strangely funny placed on top of the antique wooden table; as though both elements belonged in completely different eras.

"Lauren I've got a newbie for you. Can you register Hermione… Sorry I didn't get your last name?"

"Hermione Granger"

"Can you register Hermione Granger and get me a room key for her."

The girl smiled and said 'of course' as she tapped something into the laptop, then rummaged in a drawer to find the room key. Hermione expected an actual key on a string but instead was given a small plastic card with her name already written and the number of the room. Corridor C 2B. She hoped Jenny wasn't going to abandon her here to figure out the rest alone, as she had no idea what those numbers and letters meant.

"So here at Hogwarts we each have this card that we refer to as our wand, silly I know. But if you wave or tap the card outside your doorknob it should automatically open up for you, so I'd advise you to not lose it. We charge five pounds for replacement. You can also transfer money onto it, and use it to buy food or drink around campus." Lauren's explanation was clearly well-rehearsed, and Hermione smiled and slipped the card into the pocket of her jeans.

"Thanks, Lauren I'll catch you after I get her settled in. Room C 2B right? That's close to my last year room." Realising that Jenny wasn't just going to leave was a huge relief, and Hermione happily followed her through the common room and up the stairs. Lugging 2 heavy suitcases appeared to be quite the challenge, but the distance between the common room and her new room was conveniently close.

Hermione stood outside the door and took a deep breath. The thought that this was now going to be her home suddenly hit, and she felt the nerves down to the tips of her toes. For some reason, opening the door made saying goodbye to her old room feel ever-more final.

The door was nothing special, just large and wooden. The door handle was sphere-shaped and golden, apart from the tip that had a small touchscreen sensor. The door was one of ten in a corridor, which typically encompassed five girls and five boys. Apparently, she was the third person moving in today, but Jenny hadn't met the others. She said to not expect everyone to be outgoing and talkative, as a lot of people are quiet and quite reserved during freshers week. Hermione didn't want to say that she was most likely to be one of those quiet and reserved freshers.

"Well open up, I want to see the room again, It's going to make me so nostalgic."

Hermione fumbled in her pocket and pulled out the card, tapped it against the handle, and pushed open the door. It looked exactly like the brochure photos. A large single was pressed against the right wall, and a desk was pressed against the left. The floors were wooden, the walls painted fresh white, the window let in a large beam of light. It just looked so empty and clinical, and whilst it was the most modern-looking space she had seen yet, It looked nothing like home.

"Oh your rooms so small, how unlucky. If you pay the university a bit extra they usually try to accommodate a bigger room. Are you a scholarship pupil by any chance?"

The way Jenny phrased it wasn't rude, but Hermione couldn't help but feel embarrassed with the situation she had found herself in. She had been proud of telling people about the scholarship before, but suddenly the topic wasn't something she wanted to be boastful about. Her cheeks flushed, and she nervously wrapped a curl around her finger.

"Yes, I actually won an award for being top of my school, and so Hogwarts offered me a discounted price to make sure I placed them as my first choice. Quite a rare situation really…" Hermione knew she was bragging out of being defensive, but Jenny didn't seem that impressed anyway.

"Mmm, you must be very smart. Anyway, I'm going to leave you to unpack and get settled in, and they'll be a small mixer with other Gryffindor freshers in about two hours. Only about half the students arrive on the first day, so it's a great chance to get to know people without feeling intimidated. Plus, you can't say no to free beer."

Hermione smiled and thanked her for all the help, and Jenny enveloped her into a hug.

"Don't feel shy, honestly you're going to love it here. I'll bring you along to a pre-drink before a night out with my friends. Second years have to move out of the main castle and into other accommodation, but it's not too far to get to."

"That sounds great thanks," Hermione couldn't really picture herself on a night out, but she still appreciated the offer.

"Also, maybe don't mention the scholarship thing much at the start, students can be a bit funny about it. Some individuals who pay the full price can get quite sour that others aren't required to pay, and you can imagine it gets quite nasty. Especially from Slytherin. They use the word muggle for it, so just don't take it to heart."

Hermione's face blushed red again, but she thanked Jenny for the advice and said she would do her best to not take it personally. It sounded like a very trivial and childish mindset for university students to have, yet each to their own. As Hermione watched Jenny leave, she couldn't help but wonder whether Jenny had the same opinion or not.