The Hogwarts Express steadily traveled through the countryside.
Fields, forests, and distant hills passed by outside the windows.
Inside the compartment, the atmosphere was peaceful.
Emily leaned comfortably against her seat while occasionally looking out the window.
Mohit sat opposite her, reading a book he had purchased from Diagon Alley.
The subject was introductory alchemy.
Although the material was basic, he found it interesting.
Knowledge was knowledge, regardless of difficulty.
Several minutes passed in silence.
Then a knock sounded against the compartment door.
Knock. Knock.
Emily glanced toward Mohit.
Mohit looked up from his book.
"Come in."
The compartment door slowly slid open.
Three girls stood outside.
All of them appeared to be around the same age.
The first girl possessed long black hair and almond-shaped eyes.
The second had light brown hair and a confident expression.
The third wore glasses and seemed slightly more reserved than her companions.
"Excuse us," the black-haired girl said politely.
"Is there any room available here?"
Before Mohit could answer, Emily smiled.
"Of course."
The girls visibly relaxed.
"Thank you."
They entered one after another and began placing their luggage inside.
Mohit stood and helped them organize several heavier bags.
The gesture immediately earned appreciative smiles.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Once everyone had settled into their seats, a brief silence followed.
Eventually, the confident girl introduced herself first.
"My name is Katie Bell."
The black-haired girl smiled.
"Cho Chang."
The final girl adjusted her glasses.
"Marietta Edgecombe."
Mohit immediately recognized all three names.
Although they would become more important in later years, they were still ordinary first-year students at the moment.
Keeping his thoughts hidden, Mohit introduced himself.
"I'm Mohit Rautela."
Emily followed.
"And I'm Emily Rautela."
The introductions quickly broke the remaining awkwardness.
For several minutes, the five children chatted casually.
Most topics were simple.
Favorite foods.
Hobbies.
Books.
Their expectations regarding Hogwarts.
The conversation flowed naturally.
Eventually, Cho tilted her head curiously.
"Both of you have the same surname."
Katie immediately noticed the implication.
"Are you related?"
Marietta looked equally curious.
Emily smiled knowingly.
She had expected this question.
"No."
The three girls blinked.
"No?"
Emily shook her head.
"We grew up together."
"We lived in the same orphanage."
The girls immediately fell silent.
Their expressions became slightly embarrassed.
They hadn't intended to bring up a sensitive topic.
Noticing their discomfort, Mohit calmly explained.
"We left the orphanage together."
"Emily chose to use my surname."
The explanation only increased their confusion.
From their perspective, wizarding society rarely worked that way.
Still, none of them wished to appear rude.
Fortunately, Emily quickly changed the subject.
"We're used to it."
That immediately eased the atmosphere.
As the conversation continued, the girls gradually relaxed.
Cho proved thoughtful and intelligent.
Katie was energetic and straightforward.
Marietta was quieter but surprisingly observant.
Meanwhile, Emily effortlessly kept everyone engaged.
Her cheerful personality naturally drew people in.
Even Mohit occasionally joined the discussion.
Though less frequently than the others.
At one point, Katie folded her arms.
"You know, I thought Hogwarts students would be scarier."
Emily laughed.
"Why?"
Katie shrugged.
"Magic."
"Ancient castles."
"Secret spells."
"It sounded intimidating."
Cho nodded.
"I felt the same way."
Marietta quietly agreed.
To them, the wizarding world still felt mysterious.
Everything was new.
Everything was unfamiliar.
And everything seemed exciting.
Several hours into the journey, the topic eventually shifted toward Hogwarts Houses.
Cho was the first to ask.
"What House do you think you'll join?"
The question immediately caught everyone's attention.
Katie answered first.
"I don't really care."
She shrugged.
"As long as it's not Slytherin."
Marietta looked curious.
"Why not?"
Katie lowered her voice slightly.
"My brother says most Dark Wizards come from Slytherin."
Cho rolled her eyes.
"That's probably exaggerated."
"Maybe."
Katie still appeared unconvinced.
The discussion continued until attention shifted toward Cho.
"What about you?"
Cho thought for several moments.
"Ravenclaw."
Everyone looked surprised.
"You sound certain."
Cho smiled.
"I like reading."
"I like learning."
"It seems like the best fit."
The reasoning was simple.
Yet nobody could argue with it.
Marietta considered the question carefully.
"I don't know."
"Maybe Ravenclaw too."
"Or Hufflepuff."
Katie laughed.
"Very decisive."
Marietta rolled her eyes.
Eventually, attention shifted toward Mohit.
"What about you?"
Mohit closed his book.
"If given a choice, Ravenclaw."
The girls looked interested.
"Why?"
His answer came immediately.
"Knowledge."
"Magic exists to be studied."
"Hogwarts contains centuries of magical information."
"Ravenclaw has access to a private library unavailable to other Houses."
The compartment fell silent.
The girls exchanged glances.
Then Cho slowly nodded.
"That actually makes sense."
Even Marietta seemed impressed.
Most children thought about friendship.
Or adventure.
Or reputation.
Mohit thought about access to information.
It was a very Ravenclaw answer.
Finally, everyone's attention shifted toward Emily.
She immediately noticed.
"What?"
Katie grinned.
"Your turn."
Emily smiled.
"My answer is easy."
Everyone waited.
"If possible, I'll choose the same House as Mohit."
The compartment instantly became quiet.
Katie stared.
Cho blinked.
Marietta looked confused.
Emily calmly continued drinking her tea.
The three girls slowly turned toward Mohit.
Then back toward Emily.
Then back toward Mohit.
Several conclusions immediately formed inside their minds.
Most of them completely incorrect.
Seeing their expressions, Mohit sighed.
"It's not what you're thinking."
The girls clearly didn't believe him.
Emily found the entire situation hilarious.
The remainder of the journey passed pleasantly.
Stories were exchanged.
Snacks were shared.
Laughter became increasingly common.
At one point, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans appeared.
This led directly to disaster.
Several girls convinced Mohit to eat an unfamiliar bean.
The result was immediate.
His expression froze.
The girls burst into laughter.
Emily laughed the hardest.
"That was definitely a vomit-flavored bean."
Mohit slowly placed the remaining beans aside.
"I'll remember this."
Katie grinned.
"Good luck getting revenge."
Cho laughed.
"You're outnumbered."
Marietta nodded.
"Completely outnumbered."
Mohit simply smiled.
The expression somehow made all four girls slightly nervous.
Hours later, the train whistle sounded.
The countryside outside had grown darker.
The sun was beginning to set.
Students throughout the train started preparing their robes.
Hogwarts was close.
Very close.
Excitement filled the air once again.
Cho stood.
"We should probably change."
Katie nodded.
"So should you."
The girls quickly gathered their things.
Within minutes, they left the compartment to change.
Before leaving, Emily pointed toward Mohit.
"No peeking."
Mohit raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't planning to."
Emily grinned.
"Good answer."
The girls disappeared into the corridor.
Left alone, Mohit returned to his book.
However, a small smile appeared on his face.
The journey had already proven worthwhile.
Without realizing it, they had formed their first group of friends.
And soon, Hogwarts itself would finally appear.
The real adventure was about to begin.