I remember when...

by LaurieE, a 5th Year Hufflepuff

I remember when I got my Hogwarts admission letter. It finally explained why all those strange things would happen when I got emotional. And I got emotional, a lot. You see, I have muggle parents who knew nothing about magic until that day. Thankfully we lived near the Bones family and Mrs. Bones was gracious enough to help get me ready for school and to explain to my parents what magic is.

When we went to Diagon Alley, I was beginning to think my head would come off. I didn’t know which way to look. I was turning my head this way and that way so quickly, trying to take everything in, that I was beginning to get dizzy. Mrs. Bones took us to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor so I could give my ever turning head a rest.

It took all day to get my school supplies because all the shops were extremely crowded with other students and their families especially at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. The robes had to be fitted just right before Madam Malkin was satisfied. Thankfully Flourish & Blotts had the Hogwarts’ books already in bags. It only took us two minutes to pick up the correct bag, pay for it, and be out the door.

We went to Eeylops Owl Emporium last. I got a young Snowy owl named Fergus. We got Fergus at a really discounted price. You see, Fergus wears glasses. Without his glasses, he flies into things, like walls and closed windows.

But the shop I loved the best was Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. I couldn’t take my eyes off all the bins with all the different colored potions. There was a potion for socks, another for mittens and hats, and even multi-colored potions for afghans. And some potions, when mixed together, turned into strange textures like fur.

I couldn’t wait for school to start. I spent weeks looking over my books, running my fingers along my magic wands, and drooling over the different potions.

Then the day arrived when I would board the Hogwarts Express at last. Oh, the exhilaration I felt. I was finally on my way. Oh dear reader, I must be honest, I was scared to death, too. What if I didn’t do well in my classes? What if I really didn’t have any magical ability at all?

At the Start of Term Banquet, I was sorted into Hufflepuff. Prof. brcctexas was our Head of Household then. Everyone was so kind and friendly, I felt right at home and all my fears melted away.

That’s not to say I didn’t have some problems, because I did. I can’t tell you the number of times I got caught on the staircase when it decided to move or how many times I forgot the password to get into the common room. Fergus kept losing his glasses and I even stepped on them once. But even with all that, I finished just about every class my first year. I did better in some classes than in others. I wasn’t very good at History of Magic and I don’t even remember taking Arithmancy. That year, Ravenclaw came in first; Hufflepuff, second; Syltherin, third; and Gryffindor, fourth.

That first year was an experience I will always treasure.