The barrier as it turned out, was a brick wall between platforms nine and ten. This, somehow, didn't surprise me as much as I would have assumed. Nothing seemed to be coming as too much of a shock these days. North glowered at the man who'd accompanied them and jerked his chin towards Luke.

"Go."

Luke pouted at him, but winked in my direction with a curiosity in his eyes, before pushing his trolley straight for the brick wall. Even though I knew that this wall was some sort of magical gateway, I still flinched at the point where Luke would have crashed if not for magic.

I felt North's heavy gaze on me as I watched the way the wall consumed his brother. Instead of wilting under his gaze I managed to straighten, pull my shoulders back and pull confidence from a supply I didn't know I possessed.

"Go," he murmured at my back.

The word was just as much as an order as it had been towards Luke, but softer somehow. I didn't mind the order, as it gave me the courage to take a step forward, and then another. Uncertainty didn't cross my mind, not even as the front of my trolley connected, and the brick wall gave away like a waterfall.

It was strange, walking through something solid and coming out of the other side without so much as a hair out of place. It was like swimming without being wet, the water neither being warm nor cold.

The curious sensation was quickly forgotten as my eyes took in the black and red train, the coat of arms on the front that was made up of four different animals. People in robes swarmed the platform, and the sign above my head read 9 ¾.

Robes of all sorts of colors from sunset orange to toad green swirled around as parents said goodbye to their children. Some people were dressed in what I assume they thought were muggle trends, though they may have stood out more than those in the robes in my opinion. There was one made who wore a bright pink shirt and purple shorts with pink dots on them. He looked proud of his attire though.

My attention moved quickly from object to object, there was so much to see, and I wanted to absorb it all. Somewhere a clock chimed fifteen minutes to eleven. Fifteen minutes to figure out where to drop my trolley's contents and find a spot to sit.

I glanced towards my trolley, or where my trolley had been. It was missing, and in the crowd full of people with their own trunks and their own trolley's, I wasn't sure where mine had gone. Panic seized my heart and brushed down my spine.  When had I let go of it?

"Missing something?" A warm voice laughed at my shoulder.

I spun around to meet Luke's teasing eyes, a grin spread across his whole face that lit up not only him, but the air around him.

"Yes," I breathed, searching the area, "I can't find my trolley, it's, it's.." I trailed off, the words 'all I own,' on the tip of my tongue but too sad to speak.

Luke's expression turned serious, but before whatever words he could say were halted with North's hand on the back of his head.

"Don't be an ass Luke," he grunted and turned his stony expression landed on my face, "he took it and had it loaded already, come on. You're sitting with us."

I pursed my lips, but it was Luke who spoke.

"You can't just tell her what to do North, I thought you had at least some game in you," he turned to me, "Would you do us the honor of sitting with us?"

Down the platform a man whistled and urged students to board the train, that departure was in five minutes. I didn't hesitate in my agreement. They were the ones who knew what they were doing, afterall.

We boarded the train, Luke going ahead and North bringing up the rear. Students hushed as we walked by. At first I thought it was due to the boys, they were attractive enough to warrant such a response, but then I noticed where their eyes were. It wasn't just the girls who stopped mid sentence and stared, but boys too.

Their eyes followed me until I was out of sight. It wasn't until we found a nearly empty compartment that I understood why I had been placed in the middle of the boys. Luke's shoulder's slumped as he walked into the compartment and he seemed to relax back into his usual self. I hadn't noticed because of the stares, but they were acting as body guards.

I wondered to myself what the walk to find a free seat would have been like if I'd been alone.

"Who is this?"

I looked around Luke to find a guy with brown hair and green eyes that were magnified slightly with the glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He stood quickly at my attention and stuck out a hand.

Instinctively, I placed mine in his and he bobbed them once before releasing.

"Dakota Lee, Ravenclaw. It's a pleasure to meet you..."

North grunted, "Her name is Sally."

I started, looking at him in confusion. It dawned on me that I'd never told him my name, or Luke for that matter. He must have heard it at some point during the party. Did I correct him? The headmistress knew me by Sang, but he thought my name was Sally.

I swallowed, "Actually, it's Sang."

North's frown as he gazed at me was unnerving, and Dakota's glance to him made me blush. It was as if Dakota thought North had either forgotten my name, or mistaken me for someone else.

"I mean," I continued, "It was Sally, but now it's Sang."

There was a brief, heavy silence, but then Dakota cleared his throat and spoke.

"Well, Sang, you can call me Kota. What house are you in? I don't believe I've seen you around before?"

Luke laughed as he plopped down in a seat and gestured for me to accompany him.

"She doesn't have a house. Can you believe it? She's never been sorted, never been to a school at all."

Kota's green eyes sparkled as he looked at me, "That sounds like an interesting story," he said, politely though. He clearly wanted to hear about it, but was being too nice to ask outright.

I was about to make up an excuse of some sort when the door to the compartment opened once more, and a girl stepped in. Her bright green eyes took in the scene, and she smiled very slowly when they landed on Kota. Today her hair was pulled back in an intricate braid. It took a moment for her to stop staring at Kota, who didn't seem to notice the attention, and focus on me.

"Darling, how did I know I'd find you in an interesting situation once again? I see you've met Lucian and," she paused to eye Kota again, "Dakota."

North made a face at the girl as he sat in a seat across from Luke and I, next to Kota.

"What do you want Violet? Find another compartment, this one's full."

Violet rolled her eyes, "Don't mind me, I've come to retrieve Sang. She's to sit with me, headmistress ordered it. Something about a good influence or something," she waved her hand airily and grinned at me.

"Fuck no she's with us."

Something about his statement warmed me right down to my toes. I'd never belonged to any groups before, never been claimed by anyone. Violet looked at him as if he were a tasty snack and rolled her eyes.

"North Taylor, did I ask for your permission?"

Violet's eyes sparkled with the promise of a showdown, and by the look on North's face, he wouldn't be the one to back down.