Chapter 7: 7. Kings Cross & The sorting
For the rest of August I started to use my new wand, which improved my abilities many fold, having an actually fitting wand that doesn't fight you at all turns, made a huge difference, Moody actually had to step it up a couple of notches since my spells got two or three times more powerful.
Moody explained to me that the difference in wands and wandless were literally about the focus of magic. Imagine using a garden hose, when it just flows out its unfocused, it might be able to splash about, but to actually have some power behind, to "focus" the magic, you needed a focus, and this is where the wand comes in. Again with the garden hose analogy, it would be like adding a nossle to the hose, focusing the power of the water and greatly increasing its range and capabilites. And lastly comparing a wand that fits you with a wand that doesn't, is like using a garden hose with multiple holes in it and a leaking rusted nossle, you can get water out, and it is slightly more effective than wandless, but only slightly, making having a wand that fits that much more important. Again this is the basic theory, wandlore goes into a much greater detail and theory about all this, since the core, the wood and everything also affects the affinity a wizard has to the wand.
I went through my books, and I found two books which I immediately dived into, Animagus - Discover your inner animals, which told of animagus in ancient times and how they were able to become enhanced in their forms, it took a great deal of more magic and more preparation, but i was hooked on the idea of having an animagus form that could do more than normal.
The last one was a thick book, "Secrets to the mind", it had two sections, one on Occlumency and another on legilimency, a must have for any reincarnator. Especially occlumency, since it could improve my memories, and maybe also help me when using my wandless magics. Rufus supervised me in my studies, he told me that I should wait with Legilimency to after I had learned to use Occlumency, he himself was an Occlumence, if I could show proper restraint and maturity he would help teach me and guide me in Legilimency, and get me a license, since it was a restricted magic.
He was also adamant about telling me of the pitfalls in Occlumency, since if used incorrectly to dampen one's emotions, it could stunt your mental growth, and turn you into a cold psychopath. So I was not to use it to dampen my emotions other than in exercises and in emergencies.
The summer went by, I spent it reading the Lamorak books, and of course my school books. I showed Hermione some of them, and we spent some time reading together and talking about all that was possible. She couldn't wait to get her own letter.
I spent a lot of time reading up on Occlumency, and starting the exercises. In the beginning it's mainly about feeding magic into shaping a mind palace to organize your memories, since the more familiar you are with the shape you make, and the more it is logical to you, the easier it will be to create and use. The second part is making barriers where you try to feel any attacks on you, feeling another wizard's magic touching the barrier. But since I couldn't test it, making the barriers proved difficult. But the occlumency part of it was quite a bit easier, it was all about putting in the time to do it.
Hermione still didn't have much control of her magic, I was pretty certain that it was because she still hadn't gone through her maturation, so she didn't go through the occlumency with me, besides showing her the initial meditation exercices.
On the day of the departure I said goodbye to Hermione, she had actually become a dear friend of mine, which I hadn't really had before.
Rufus took me to the train station, emotionally I was maybe still a bit stunted, since I had reincarnated, but I did hug Rufus and thanked him for all he had done for me, he was as close to a father I could get. I still hadn't called him father, but today I said it as I said goodbye, "Goodbye dad, don't feel too lonely without me, I will write to you every week!". Rufus smiled and I think I saw a single tear on his cheek.
He walked us through the pillar at the station and we finally saw the train, with steam bursting out from the front, and people milling about ready to go to Hogwarts and saying their goodbyes to their parents.
I hadn't really made any friends in the magical world, besides Hermione but she was a muggleborn. So waving goodbye to Rufus I walked towards the train with my trunk.
I couldn't help feeling excited, I read about it, and had seen it in the movies, but seeing it for real was a whole different experience, the smell of the train, and the oil from the carriage, it was just so different.
I walked among the people on the platform, I found a stand with snacks, and newspapers and bought the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet, and a sandwich to eat.
I boarded the train and found an empty compartment, where I sat and started to eat, and read the papers.
The Quibbler was just as weird and funny as I imagined, some pages were written so I had to turn the paper to the side or even upside down.
But it also made it that more interesting to read, there were stories about magical animals, strange phenomenons, and obscure theories on magics.
Of Course over half of it was about really obscure and frankly not believable animals, but I enjoyed it non the less.
The Daily Prophet were the more serious paper, talking about politics, some gossip and other news related to business or the Ministry of Magic.
A knock came at the compartment door, and a boy's voice asked, "You mind if I sit in here?"
Looking up I saw a boy with blond hair looking into the compartment, "Sure, there's plenty of room in here, my name is Thomas Scrimgeour Lamorak, what's yours?". I stood up with an outstretched hand and a smile greeting him. "Eddie Carmichael, nice to meet you".
He shook my hand and pulled his trunk into the compartment. He looked confused. "Did you forget your trunk?"
I just smiled, pulled out my wand from nowhere and did a flick and my trunk appeared, a neat trick I learned if I do have to say so myself.
The pouch and trunk I got seemed to be very special, since I could retrieve things from them, even while it was in a tattoo form.
"My trunk is right here '' I said smiling, and another flick the trunk disappeared. I casted a Wingardium leviosa and his trunk was carried into the compartment proper, and placed underneath the seat.
I retook my place and vanished my wand, Eddie was standing gaping like a fish at my displays of magic.
"That was cool! I can't even do anything yet!" He took the seat opposite me, and we started talking.
He was a muggleborn like me, his dad was a mechanic and his mother a secretary at the same business.
He was just as excited as I was about joining Hogwarts and learning magic.
About an hour later the train jerked and we were on our way.
We kept talking during the trip, I paid for some food for us, which he was grateful for, we tried a couple of sandwiches and some candy, it was all magical, tasty and weird. Dad had let me have some candy, but he was firm about restraining it.
Just before arriving at Hogsmeade, we changed and got ready to get off, we stepped off and walked up to Hagrid who was yelling for all first years, he corralled us onto the boats, and we took off.
Sailing along hearing only the water as we slowly sailed forward. The castle appeared large and imposing with the last of the sun bathing the castle in its light, making it appear even more amazing.
I have always dreamed of seeing it in person, as we neared the castle, ducking under the bridge, and getting closer, i tried feeling out the magic in the air surrounding the castle, with my senses wide open i could feel that old magic was at works here, how exactly i knew it was old i can't say other than the fact that, that was the feeling that i got.
We bumped into the small wooden dock, and got off. We walked up to the entrance with Hagrid, I just tried enjoying the view, the sensations and the experience.
McGonagall greeted us at the large double doors, "Come along children, your sorting will happen shortly". We scooted inside in a tight group and were placed waiting right inside the great hall.
I kept having to pinch myself, since now I also got to see the great hall, and see the teachers and Dumbledore sitting at the high table looking out on all of us. I stood out front so I could see it all, I didn't wanna miss a thing.
McGonagall called out the first name and the sorting started, I was around the middle, so she called me shortly after starting.
"Lamorak, Thomas Lamorak" she called and looked at me with a smile. I quickly stepped up, and sat down while she placed the hat on my head.
As soon as the hat was on my head, so many thoughts appeared in my mind, there was so much I wanted to ask it.
A voice chuckled in my mind "My my, you are a curious one, very open minded as well, I know you wish to know of me, but my secrets are only for the heirs to discover, so until then you will just have to prove yourself first. Now where to put you, hmmm i feel great courage in you, Gryffindor would do you well, but you also have a deep longing for friends, but not to the detriment of your own will, in hufflepuff you would have a great chance to get a great many friends, but I think you would end up even more lonely there. Hmmm. I think RAVENCLAW will be your pick".
And just like that I was sorted into Ravenclaw, I had a feeling I would go there, but I wanted the hat to decide, I wanted that genuine experience, even if it had been Slytherin.
I stood up and walked down to the ravenclaw table which was clapping and yelling, and I took a seat with a grin.
Eddie also got into Ravenclaw, so it would seem I already had my first friend.
Dumbledore stood and gave his speech,
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
Thank you!"
And then the food appeared. I really must figure out if those words really are the names of the head elves or they were for words for each of the houses?.
When we were done eating we walked with the prefects up to the dorm rooms, and I finally got to see my room, I was sharing it with Eddie and another kid called Marcus Belby.
As we walked into our room, me and Eddie were talking about the food and how it all looked so magical. Marcus sighed and looked disappointed at me, "Don't tell me your muggleborns?". Me and Eddie just stared at him, "Yes, so? Are you a half or pureblood?" I asked him, with a tired tone, already I had to deal with pureblood bullshit!
"Pureblood of course!", Marcus looked like he would much rather have anybody else than us here, "Not that I have anything against Muggleborn, but it is always difficult to relate to those not born into the magical world!". With that said Marcus turned towards his bed and sighed again, where his stuff was at, and got ready to go to bed, ignoring us completely.
I just nudged Eddie towards his own bed, and I went to mine. I was exhausted after an entire day of traveling and processing all the experiences. So I went to bed and fell asleep fast.
Snoring could be heard in the room where Thomas slept with his roommate Eddie and Marcus, both asleep.
But if you paid extra attention, you would see a small egg that rolled out of the pocket of Thomas' cloak onto his bed, and started to shake slightly while changing colors, before going still again.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
RackTagz
RackTagz This is definetely where my writing lacks, the social interactions and dialogue is really hard for me. So I hope it isn't too bad.
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