28
On the Hogsnorts Express
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Neither the boy from the robe shop nor the girl from the spell book shop seemed that friendly when you met them before, so you decide to try another carriage.

Waving goodbye to your Dad and brother you run down the platform and leap into a carriage just as the doors are closing.

There are lots of children wearing wizard and witch outfits, some older, some younger. Most children are listening to headphones and playing with their phones and one or two are reading a book.

You spot a spare seat next to an unassuming young witch about your age and sit down next to her.

"Hello," you say, keen to make friends. "I'm Arthur Otley, what's your name?"

"Kensley Potato," comes back the quiet reply. "I'm a first year."

"So am I! Do you know what House you want to be in, when we get to Hogsnorts?"

A look of defiance flashes in Kensley's eyes.

"I know which houses I don't want to be in. I don't want to be Snakefang House, trying to take over the world. I don't want to be in Ravenwing House, thinking you're so much cleverer than everyone else. And I don't want to be in Lionpaw House, always right all the time and thumping anyone who is wrong."

"You want to be in Hedgehog House," you say, not quite as a question.

"Yes I do! All the other Houses tease the Hoggers for being boring, but they're not actually. They're not fighting, they're not power hungry, they're not clever clogs, they are just normal. Just normal, ordinary wizards trying to get through the term without getting our hats blasted off by a stray magic spell. And if you call that boring well then I want to be boring, thank you very much."

It does sound a bit boring, you think, but don't say anything. Instead you offer Kensley a Smarty from your sweet collection. She happily shares them with you and is quite excited when you choose a brown Smarty.

"Arthur, did you realise that brown is the colour of Hedgehog House? Maybe this is a sign that you will be in Hedgehog House too? Wouldn't you like that?"

"Well maybe. I don't want a stray spell blasting my hat off, I guess."

"Of course you don't," says Kensley. "That's why you need to keep your head down with the Hoggers - we call ourselves Hoggers in Hedgehog House."

While you are talking the train chugs into daylight, and the railway tracks emerge from the dark tunnel out into the countryside.

You twist in your seat to peer out of the window. As far as you can see there are rolling hills covered in pine trees. In the distance, craggy mountains emerge, their tops clouded in mist. It looks like nowhere you have ever seen before, except perhaps in the illustrations to one of your favourite books, The Hobbit.

You feel like you have entered a magical new land and your adventure has truly begun.

A magically amplified voice interrupts your daydreams of dwarves and dragons, trolls and treasure.

"Train terminates here. All change please, all change. Mind the gap."

Hogsnorts station! This is it. You've arrived.