SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1991

This was it. It was the day that the term began. Mr. and Mrs. Willow were kind enough to see Y/N off as they escorted her to platform 9¾. She came early, at least earlier than Harry and Ron did so she won't be meeting them so soon.

She walked through the long corridor of the train while peeking at the compartment window, excited to see characters from the book.

The first one she met was a boy with a round face, brown hair, and a pair of green eyes desperately looking for his lost toad. Y/N grinned in awe seeing it was none other than Neville Longbottom himself.

"Excuse me, have you seen Trevor, my pet toad?" Neville asked Y/N with eager eyes.

"No, sorry..." She said apologetically and watched as Neville sighed.

"Well... Please let me know if you see him." He said before scurrying away to look for his pet.

Y/N couldn't help but smile widely in excitement, having a taste of the story already. And that was just from meeting Neville.

Y/N wasn't sure which compartment any of the main characters would be in so she just settled with any that she could find. Unfortunately, the people who joined her compartment were none that she knew and we're all seniors but that didn't stop her from befriending them.

By using her age as an advantage, she acted coy and pretended not to know anything about Hogwarts which made them happily rambled about Hogwarts to the eleven-year-old Y/N, naturally bonding them together and becoming acquaintances.

While the Hogwarts Express continued to travel, there had been a rumor spreading around the compartment like wildfire and it had eventually reached Y/N's compartment.

"Have you heard? Harry Potter is on the train with us!" The girls gossip in the compartment with surprise. Of course, Y/N knew that but she still pretended to be surprised with them. Harry was like a celebrity in the wizarding world and their reaction was to be expected.

TIME SKIP

Once the train had stopped and arrived at its designated location, the rumors didn't stop as the students continued to talk about the boy who lived, Harry Potter.

However, most students didn't know what he looked like and Harry had hidden his lightning bolt scar with his bangs. Thus, no one knew what the legendary Harry Potter looked like.

All they knew was that he was amongst the sea of students and was walking alongside them, but Y/N did. She could see and recognize him from a mile away that THAT boy with round glasses was Harry Potter.

However, she kept it to herself, for now, but that doesn't mean she wasn't screaming internally seeing Harry Potter in person.

She also saw Hermione with her bushy brown hair from behind, and almost immediately knew it was her along with Ron and his signature red hair. It was quite a sore thumb actually. But the one that Y/N couldn't take her eyes off was a boy with platinum blonde hair that was neatly combed back.

She knew, in her heart and her mind that THAT is Draco Malfoy, the same one that she met back in Diagon Alley. She wondered if he still remembered their intersection at Madam Malkin's shop or if had he forgotten all about it already.

Nevertheless, Y/N can't help but feel overwhelmed seeing all of them in person, she thought she was about to explode from excitement.

She wanted so badly to just walk up to their faces and shower them with compliments but she held back as she didn't want to scare them off or make them feel uncomfortable.

THE SORTING CEREMONY

The event of sorting the first year into their houses went exactly as the story goes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sorted into Gryffindor as expected.

Everyone else was anxious about what house they'd be sorted in, mumbling words of doubt as they pondered what house they'd end up in. But amongst the crowd of the first year, Y/N stood calmly while smiling at them in awe.

While everyone was worrying about what house they'd be sorted in, Y/N was busy thinking about how adorable everyone looked at age eleven. She wasn't worried at all for them as she knew exactly what house they'd end up in. She also knew that they'd be alright and that they'd represent their house proudly.

Finally, the time for Y/N to be sorted came as Professor McGonagall called out loudly, "Willow, Serene!"

Y/N snapped out of her thoughts and made her way to the stool before sitting down on it. She never thought she'd suddenly be anticipating what house she'd be sorted in.

She was nervous but also excited to know what house she was in. All eyes were on her as they all waited for the Sorting Hat to say something but it stayed silent for longer than was necessary before he hummed in contemplation.

"Interesting... Quite special this one, indeed," the Hat said which made more people interested in Y/N.

It had been so long since the last time a student had made the Sorting Hat speechless and the last time they checked, it was almost as old as Professor McGonagall.

"It's very rare to see a student who has all the house's traits." The hat comment.

"...Would not hesitate to sacrifice herself for others, overcome obstacles with any means necessary," the hat evaluated Y/N as he continued to list down her traits, "has a great sense of empathy and immense curiosity of the world around her. Hmmm, quite difficult, indeed..."

The Great Hall burst into a whispering court as the students whispered among themselves about Y/N once more.

Even Y/N was getting a little anxious now, not from the students' speculations about her but rather worried about what house she'd end up in or NOT at all.

"You act like a Gryffindor, heart like a Hufflepuff, mind like a Slytherin, and think like a Ravenclaw... I know– RAVENCLAW!" The Sorting Hat concluded.

Then the Great Hall burst into applause as they welcomed Y/N into the Ravenclaw house. Though, if she were to be honest, Y/N was a bit disappointed with her sorting as she much preferred to be in Gryffindor so she could be in the same house as the Golden Trio.

If it's not that then she had hoped that she would maybe be in Slytherin where Draco was. But alas, she was sorted into the house of wits.

But her disappointment quickly vanished when she entered her house's common room. It was absolutely stunning and elegant with the room and interior a mixture of white and blue, the ceiling was twinkling with stars as if there were no roof at all and the window showed the spectacular view of Hogwarts from above.

The tour only got better as they climbed down to their dorm rooms and were shown where they would stay. When Y/N entered, she was pleased to see how spacious and organized the room was for four people to live together.

The beds weren't like Y/N had expected as it wasn't four-posted like the ones that can be seen in Gryffindor but rather they were in bunk beds. It's alright, Y/N thought it made the room much neater and wider with space.

It didn't take long for Y/N to settle into her new Hogwarts life. Everyone was excited amongst the first year but none were more excited than Y/N herself. This was not only a new school experience for her but also the fact that it was even possible. She was someone from another world, after all.

She was so eager to learn everything and anything that the first thing she did was get to know all her housemates. Now the crucial part was getting closer to the main characters of the world, The Golden Trio.

Y/N knew if she stayed with them, it would somehow guarantee her safety from the upcoming dangers that were to come. However, that may not make sense as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were always in some sort of danger. But, if you were to think about it harder, they are the main characters! The main characters don't die so easily, they CAN'T otherwise the story would've ended shortly.

Y/N's attempts to get closer to the Golden Trio were in vain as there was never an opportunity for them to talk. Even though they were classmates and would occasionally see each other and cross paths through the hallways, the differences in their houses wouldn't allow them to interact. Yet.

It was frustrating not being able to be in the same house as the Golden Trio and now it was like a barrier had been placed between them. But Y/N was determined to somehow start a conversation with them.

In the meantime, for every question that a professor asked from the class, Hermione would be the first to stretch out her arm in the air and Y/N would be the first to say the answer, even though she didn't raise her hand.

All of the answers would be deemed correct too and she was quickly known among the class as the brightest student.

Some admired her for her intelligence, especially her housemates, for every right answer earned their house some points, making the other Ravenclaws rely on her abilities more than themselves to boost their house points.

However, others find her intelligence a bit irritating, specifically coming from Slytherin. And Draco was disappointingly, but not surprisingly, one of them.

Time flies by quicker than Y/N realized since she started her term in Hogwarts and Halloween had arrived. They were in Professor Flitwick's class when he thought the first years were ready to learn how to make objects float, teaching the famous levitation charm– Wingardium Leviosa!

Y/N still remembered that she used to recite the spell over and over again back in her past life, loving the way Hermione said it perfectly to teach Ron.

Unfortunately, despite imitating the words perfectly, no object levitated as magic did not exist in her previous world. But here, at that moment, it did.

Y/N sat directly behind Ron and Hermione, who were forced to pair with each other in class. They seemed displeased with each other as they hadn't learned to like the other person yet. Y/N finds the sight immensely amusing and cute, knowing they'll eventually end up together.

Y/N watched in anticipation that the iconic scene from the movie was about to happen. "Don't forget the nice wrist movement that we've been practicing." Squeaked Professor Flitwick while standing on a stack of books, "swish and flick, everyone." Professor Flitwick reminded the class, "...Oh, and enunciate– Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then." He said before the students attempted the charm on their own.

The class was filled with students chanting and mumbling the levitation spell repeatedly and failing repeatedly the same as well. Y/N just observed the class, she couldn't care less about attempting the charm herself and was more interested in the now-bickering Hermione and Ron that sat in front of her.

"You do it, then, if you're so clever." Ron snarled at Hermione.

Hermione rolled her sleeve before proving her point to Ron when she successfully cast the levitation charm on her feather. That seemed to annoy Ron more than he already was.

Getting told he was stupid was one thing, but getting proven that he was one was a whole 'nother low. He was in a bad mood by the end of the class.

Y/N didn't witness any of the hurtful things she knew Ron would say about Hermione after what happened between them earlier.

However, Y/N knew it had unfortunately happened because while walking down one of the corridors, she had caught a glimpse of Hermione in tears as she strides away, presumably towards the girl's bathroom to weep.

She knew this was meant to happen and that deep down, she knew Hermione's pain was what helped the Golden Trio bond together.

But still, seeing someone in tears had never sat right with Y/N. She can't help but want to comfort her and wipe off the tears from her cheeks while assuring her that everything will be all right.

Hermione may be a know-it-all but no knowledge in the world can fill up a lonely heart. She was just a kid– an eleven-year-old kid who was still learning how to make friends in a new environment, surrounded by new people.

Which is why it must be so heartbreaking for Hermione to find out that nobody liked her. Or at least Ron sure didn't.

Y/N signed heavily in defeat against her mind before walking in the same direction as Hermione did...