The platform was alive with sound and steam and color. Owls hooted from cages, trunks clattered across the floor, and the Hogwarts Express loomed over it all—red and proud and magical.
Hadrian stood between Iris and Dora, all of them slightly winded from bursting through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10.
"I cannot believe that worked," Dora said, eyes wide, breathless.
"Magic is amazing," Iris murmured, her gaze scanning the chaos of the station.
Ted and Andromeda gave last-minute hugs and reminders—handkerchiefs, sandwiches, don't duel unless you're winning, all the basics.
And then it was time.
On the Train
They boarded quickly, dodging clusters of first-years trying to fit luggage into too-small compartments. The train rocked gently as they searched for a place to sit.
In one open compartment, a round-faced boy scrambled after a toad.
"Trevor!" he groaned. "Not again—"
Iris knelt quickly. "Here, froggy-froggy..."
The toad plopped into her hands.
"Oh! Thanks," the boy gasped. "He's always disappearing. I'm Neville."
"Nice to meet you," Hadrian said, nodding. "Hadrian. That's Iris, and Dora."
Neville gave them a sheepish smile and tucked Trevor safely back in his pocket. After a little more polite small talk, they moved on.
"That one needs a leash for his toad," Dora muttered with a smirk.
Farther down, a girl with a mess of frizzy hair sat across from a red-haired boy, waving a book in his face and rambling about wand wood and spell pronunciation. Iris glanced curiously through the glass.
"She seems... intense," she whispered.
Hadrian smiled but said nothing. No need to name people early. Let this life unfold.
They finally found an empty compartment near the rear of the train. Iris dropped into one seat with a sigh of relief. Dora sprawled dramatically across two others. Hadrian settled quietly across from them, staring out the window as the landscape began to blur.
The Hogwarts Express had begun its journey.
Later – In Hadrian's Thoughts
With the girls distracted by card games and a chocolate frog duel, Hadrian let his mind slip inward.
The Book waited, silent and still.
He'd been considering how to guide the Sorting. Small adjustments, just enough to nudge fate. He could have made them all lean toward Hufflepuff. Could've asked the Hat to see them as loyal, kind, worthy of staying together.
But now?
He wouldn't do it.
He wouldn't take their choices from them. Not even gently.
Recently an old rule within The Sorting Hat has become active: it shall only decide a student's house if the student is undecided.
If a student expresses a clear and firm desire for a specific house, that wish shall be honored. The founders included this rule with the purpose: To protect the sanctity of choice and identity.
The Book shimmered. Accepted.
Hadrian smiled softly to himself. That felt right.
Back in the Compartment
"Hey," Hadrian said after a while, nudging Iris and Dora.
They looked up from their chaos of cards and exploding sweets.
"I've been thinking. About tomorrow. The Sorting."
"Oh Merlin," Dora groaned. "Don't tell me there's a pop quiz."
Hadrian grinned. "No. Just… I think it'd be nice if we all ended up in Hufflepuff."
"Hufflepuff?" Iris tilted her head. "Is that the nice one?"
"It's the loyal one," he said. "The steady one. The one where people stick together."
Dora squinted. "I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be boring."
"Well, then we'd fix that," Hadrian said simply.
Iris looked unsure. "But... can we choose?"
"Yes," Hadrian said with certainty. "We have to believe that if we know where we want to go—and really mean it—we can."
Dora shrugged. "I mean, I'm practically the definition of delightful and loyal. Fine by me."
Iris wasn't certain it worked like that but smiled. "If you two are there, then… yeah. I want that too."
Hadrian leaned back, relief blooming in his chest.
They were ready.
And soon, they'd find out where the Sorting Hat agreed.