Todd gaped at the great hall.
They sure did call it great for a reason- it was huge!
The candles are astounding...
Sure, Todd had seen many-a candles in his life, but never this many in one place. It was almost overwhelming.
He looked around at the people beside him.

Valery and William were to Todd's left, fighting over some thing or other as if they were siblings, while Vincent stood like a fourth year to his right, considering his height, that is- and his maturity. Todd reminded himself he needed to ask Vincent how he did that later- being mature, it could come in handy at times.

Vincent glanced down at the short blonde, making silent eye-contact, he lifted his eyebrows to show he was equally impressed.

Todd grinned and nodded before noticing something.
Vincent's eyes reflected the light of all the candles- it was magnifying, mesmerizing really. He broke eye-contact to see if Valery and William were the same. Making awkward eye-contact with them, he could see that they were indeed. Todd hoped his own eyes had that same sparkle, that'd be nice.

Todd looked forward at the vast amount of people who were self-consciously sitting down, as if unsure if where they sit might affect their house.
Students of all years were here, the older years previously seated while the first years stumbled around, a few recognizing siblings or friends and waving wildly, bounding over to them.

"You suppose we should sit with the house we want to be with?" Todd frowned in thought.

"I don't think it makes a difference." William piped in.

"He makes a good point though, I'm sure it makes some difference." Valery put in.

"Let's sit with Hufflepuff then?" Todd suggested sheepishly.

William and Valery gave each other awkward looks.

Todd furrowed his brow, "What? What's wrong with Hufflepuff?"

"They think the house is full of blighters." Vincent chuckled at his friends' reactions.

Todd scoffed in irritation, "That's not true! Hufflepuff's ar-"

"Not the brightest." William crossed his arms.

"And not particularly daring.." Valery murmured, guilty of her own opinion.

"I just jumped on a bloody train!" Todd threw his hands up.

This seemed to be said too loud as some local attention was brought to him with concerned looks. However, not loud enough to drown out the buzz of all other conversations, as those continued normally.

Todd put his arms down self-consciously.

"Well, if you end up in that house, they'll get a nice taste of something new." William sniffed.

"Just for that, I hope I see you there." Todd tossed his curls back before picking up pace to walk beside Vincent with an amused grin.

"You're not really offended?" Vincent smirked.

"'Course I'm not, my mum and da have known I'd be a Hufflepuff since the moment I could crawl, not like they've been all too proud about it either- mum tries, but da.." Todd shrugged, "I'm used to it, I can try and defend but I'm more of a chaser than I am a keeper."

"Good analogy." Vincent shrugged.

"Well, thank you then."

"'Course."

As they'd all been talking, they'd been slowly moved down the hall, shoulder to shoulder with other students to find a seat.

"So where exactly are we sitting? I think it best if we make a start for there for now." William commented, "Ravenclaw?"

Valery groaned, "They're all sticks in the mud."

"Hey!" William glared.

Todd looked up to read Vincent's expression, knowing his friends identified him as a Ravenclaw. However, Vincent looked only amused.

"What about Slytherin?" Todd suggested.
This caught Vincent's attention as their bets were recalled.

"And be hissed at all evening? I don't think so." William shook his head.

"They're not that bad." Vincent mumbled.

Todd smiled at this.

"While I love being stereotypical about houses, let's just focus on the fact that Ravenclaw's table is by far the calmest- look, it's the first day and some of them already have their textbooks out. Oh, Merlin, they're studying." Valery shuttered.

"If their hands are focused on keeping books open- it means more food for us, let's go!" Todd grinned.

Vincent gave a nonchalant shrug and turned to follow the others.

In a moment, Todd was on his hands and knees, feeling he was back in the station as he elbowed people's shins to get through.

There were multiple yelps and shouts but not enough to disturb anything significantly.

Todd could see the edge of the Ravenclaw table and stood up abruptly, only to feel his head hit contact with something hard.

There was a shout at Todd and he scrambled back.

"The bloody hell do you think you're doing, you squib!" A slurring voice hissed at Todd.

Todd focused in on the voice.
It was a boy he'd socked in the jaw, and it looked like it hurt a fine bit from what he could see.

A lithe ginger with an amber glare that bore into Todd.

"Oh-um- I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-"

"Of course you didn't, you were too busy crawling around on the ground like a rat!" The boy glared.

Todd took a moment to examine him.
He wore a Ravenclaw robe but didn't look much older than Todd, he must be a second year.

"First years." The boy rolled his eyes.

He was definitely older.

"I didn't mean to, I swear, I was just trying to get to the table and-"

"Oh, please don't tell me you're planning to sit here?" The boy motioned to the Ravenclaw table.

"I...um.."

"For Merlin's sake, Felix! Cut him a break, he just got here!" A brunette from the table called, he seemed older than the ginger, Felix.

Felix glared but seemed to know when to back down.
He cast a final glare at Todd before turning around abruptly and heading to the other end of the table, far from Todd.

Todd stood there, shaking slightly from fear and from adrenaline.

"Hey! First-Year, you said you're sitting here?" The brunette who'd come to his rescue called from the table.

"Um, yeah.." Todd nodded.

The boy scooted over, patting down the seat beside him, "Come on, then."

Todd paused before smiling, approaching the seat before sitting down on the bench, beside the brunette.

"What's your name, floor boy?"

Floor boy? Wh- oh, oh yeah, the shins. "Todd, my name's Todd."

"Well, Todd, I'm Elliot- I run the lot of this bunch." Elliot offered his hand to Todd.

Todd shook it, "So, the head of the house?"

"No, not the head, that'd be Flitwick." Elliot motioned over to the table of staff that faced them, pointing to a particularly short man, "Every house's got one like myself though, and that'd be me here. I'm to make sure these fellows don't cause much trouble- which, they usually don't. But, Felix- not the best idea to make an enemy on your first day, eh?" Elliot chuckled.

"Yeah.." Todd sighed.
Then came a tiny cry from Todd's pocket.

Elliot's eyebrows lifted in surprise and curiosity.

"Rimshal! Sh!" Todd whispered sharply to the small owlet that poked out of his velvet black jacket he had on.

The owlet gave another cry of distress.

"Is that an owl?" Elliot's eyes widened.

"Uh- Yes, that'd be what he is...his name is Rimshal." Todd smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I've heard stranger names.." Elliot blinked his wide eyes.

"Seems as if his name isn't exactly sitting well with people." Todd chuckled.

"It's unique." Elliot shrugged.

"It is, isn't it?" Todd grinned.

"I see how you caught that train!" An exasperated voice gasped behind Todd.

The short blonde turned to see William, bent over slightly.

"Stop being so dramatic." Valery squeezed her way from the crowd to stand beside William.

"He's faster than-"

"You when you see a bee?" Valery suggested.

"Bees are evil, that's just a fact." William defended himself.

"Muggles think they make the world go round." Valery pointed out.

"Ah, rubbish." William waved his hand dismissively.

"These your friends?" Elliot asked Todd.

"Yep." Vincent made his way from the crowd last.

Todd's eyes sparkled, "Really?"

"We saved you from falling off a speeding train- if that doesn't initiate friendship, I don't know what does." William grinned.

Todd beamed happily.

"Well, there's room for three more- aye! Scoot down!" Elliot called to the students beside him.

They grumbled in disagreement.

"One moment of moving your books down the bench isn't going to effect your IQ, now come on." Elliot encouraged.

There were groans but the students scooted down, along with Elliot, Todd beginning to scoot before Vincent took a seat beside him and William next, Valery on Todd's other side.

"Can't have you getting used to Ravenclaw if I'm to win that bet of ours." Vincent grinned at Todd.

"I suppose that's true." Todd shrugged, "But it's okay for you to fraternize with them?"

"Yep." Vincent winked.

"Booo.." Todd chuckled.

"Settle down, settle down!" A commanding voice came from the head table.

The crowd only did little to settle down.

There was a groan from the table and then all the candles flickered out.

There was a gasp of fear and it only got louder until a lightning bolt flashed and everyone was silenced.

The room then returned to light.

"Thank you." And elderly woman sighed.

"That's Head Mistress McGon-"

"To those of you making yourself comfortable- I suggest you not," She cleared her throat, "Please make your way into the center of the hall to be sorted."

"Ah, of course, you lot better go over there then." Elliot chirped.

It was then that Todd noticed they were only one of few groups of first-years joining the tables- everyone else was there previously.

There was some snickering as all sat down but the first years who were about, singling them out as they, including Todd and his bunch, bursting towards a row of first years in the center row of the hall.

"I guess that happens every year, then." Todd murmured quietly.

"I guess." Vincent nodded.

"Quiet down, now!" McGonagall commanded.

The crowd hushed.

McGonagall cleared her throat, "Please turn your attention to the stool in the center of the platform."

The students murmured quietly as they did so.

"The sorting hat will determine which house you will be placed in- now," With a flick of her wrist, McGonagall pulled a scroll from her sleeve and opened it, beginning to call names.

"Who do you suppose out of us will be called first?" Valery whispered.

"You don't think they go alphabetically?" William frowned.

"They might go by family." Vincent shrugged.

Todd flinched, "Like call you by family?"

"Well, they have to call you by full name, now don't they?" William cocked an eyebrow.

Todd paled, "But- Why?"

"Don't you think there's more than just one William at this school?" William scoffed.

"Well, yes, but, magic and all-"

"William Fitzgerald!" The name caught William's attention and he began to push past everyone to make his way to the stool, excitedly sitting down.

Todd hardly tried to see, at least two inches shorter than most students and standing behind Vincent.

"Ah, right then, right, okay.." The hat murmured before humming, "Ravenclaw!"

William beamed excitedly and the students at the Ravenclaw table cheered, Elliot making a particularly loud whoop of a cheer.

William cast a happy glance at Vincent, him being the only one visible out of the crowd, before proudly making his way over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Alright, then.." McGonagall continued on.

"Guess we were right on that one, then." Todd nodded.

"It would have been strange to see him go to any other house." Valery chuckled, "You joining him then, Vince?"

Vincent gave a shrug, "'Dunno."

Todd grinned, still hoping on his bet.

"Valery Hopkins!" The name was called.

Valery perked up excitedly, energetically pushing past the other students who politely clapped while they still waited for their turn to be called.

Valery plopped down on the stool, buzzing with excitement.

"Oh...I see...hm, yes, well...hm...Gryffindor!" The hat declared.

Loud roars of cheers came up from the Gryffindor table and Valery happily skipped over, waving to Vincent and the tip of Todd's head as she went to sit at her house's table.

The sorting continued.

"That leaves you and me, Hufflepuff." Vincent crossed his arms over his chest.

"That it does, Slytherin." Todd smirked.

"You suppose any of this'll effect which house we get placed in?" Vincent questioned.

"Not really like it can, we're only up there for a few seconds, not much happens." Todd shrugged.

Vincent shook his head, "It speaks to ya'- nobody but you can hear it though, didn't you know that?"

Todd bashfully shook his head, "No, sorry...I mean- my da' probably told me at some point or other, jus' wasn't listening is all."

"Well, I'm sure-"

"Todd Wilownick!"

A startled gasp made its way around the sea of students.

Vincent seemed to do a double-take and furrowed his brow, looking at Todd as if he was offended.

Todd's face turned red as all eyes were on him. There came a tiny squawk that broke the silence and Todd realized Rimshal was still in his pocket.

There were a few murmurs and giggles as Todd reached into his pocket and took out Rimshal, nudging Vincent, "Can, um...can you hold him?"

"You want me to hold him?" Vincent whispered sharply.

"Um, yes?"

The silence was a humming silence of rumored murmurs as Vincent picked up the owl and held his hand flat for the small creature to lay down in.

A way was cleared for Todd to make his way to the stool, passing William as he went by the Ravenclaw table, "May want to have mentioned beforehand that your father was the prime minister." He hissed, looking particularly at Vincent as if that mattered.

Todd murmured a Sorry, before stepping up onto the platform and sitting on the stool.

"For future reference, Mr.Wilownick, no pets in the mess-hall without permission." McGonagall whispered.

"Yes, Miss." Todd nodded.

Head Mistress McGonagall nodded before placing the hat atop Todd's head.

It was as if all other thoughts were drowned out and it was only Todd and the sorting hat.

"You've got a long line of Ravenclaw in your family.." The hat murmured.

"Doesn't apply to me.." Todd whispered before realizing nobody but he and the hat could hear him.

"No?"

"I'd hate that- I mean- they're nice and all, but not for me."

"Certainly...you've already got a house in mind, I see?"

"I do."

"Hm...yes, alright then..."

It was then that the sounds of the hall returned to Todd.

"Hufflepuff!" The hat announced.

Hollers of welcome sounded from the Hugfflepuff table and Todd grinned happily, heading towards the table before remembering Rimshal and opting to walk through the center first, passing a curious William on the way who looked more surprised than angered.

Todd kept his head down before reaching Vincent and looking up meekly, "William says I should have told you all that- um- sorry, can I have...Rimshal?"

Vincent blinked before nodding and handing the bird over gently, "He's hungry- had a bit of my finger again- and, don't be sorry, we can't control our family names."

Todd took the owlet gratefully, "Thanks.."

"Yeah." Vincent smiled, "You owe me one, Hufflepuff." His lips curled up so he smirked.

"Ah, the bet, that's right!" Todd scoffed, "Fine, fine, what do you-"

"Vincent Mirifiral!"

Todd looked at Vincent in sudden horror.

The silence that came for Todd's name was nothing compared to the stunned fear installed in this name as Vincent made his way forward.

***
////
Yay, now we can get to soooommmee ploooooottt
Rimshal is Shrimpity 's kid now by the way
He's just a screechy boy that wants all your food
Also props to them for assisting in Vincent's last name
-Jay 💚💛