New Friends

It was breakfast time again in Hogwarts. Andrew tucked Frog into his shirt pocket, put on his robes, and picked up his books. He double checked that he had his quills and headed downstairs from the Gryffindor common room to the Great Hall.

In his opinion, breakfast was the best meal the house elves made. He was a bit early, so there were a lot of empty places at the tables. He sat down and chose things for his plate. Eggs, bacon, a scone, and a cup of tea. He tucked an orange into his robe pocket for later.

He heard some thunder overhead. A bit unusual this early into Spring, but he rather liked the sound of thunder and rain. Especially if it meant a quicker end to the snow and the cold. He added some sugar and milk to his tea, knowing that there would be more places at the tables filled with students.

Anne rubbed her tummy as the sound of her growling stomach filled the empty hallway. She had tried to remember the way by following the funny looking painting but after spotting what looked like a cat she had no choice but to pursue it. Now she was lost, yet again and the aching in her belly grew worse. Her face wore a defeated look, she hadn’t even been able to pet the mysterious cat.

She wandered around until she spotted Mr. old fuzzy mustache, the painting she had talked to the previous day on her way to dinner, she must be close now! Her excitement was only enforced by the wonderful smell of eggs, bacon, newly baked bread and sausages. She opened the door where the smell orgined from and the great hall meet her. She flinched from the sound and thunder and hurried quickly to sit down at the closes seats with people nearby, not wanting to be alone. Filling her plate with eggs and bacon she looked up study the boy sitting not far from her. I wonder what year he is in. He looks old, and he does not seem to care about the thunder. She forced her question down along with the bacon and looked back down on her plate.

Andrew saw some of the other students arriving, and he saw a younger girl sit down near him and start to fill her plate. He thought he knew a lot of people, but he didn't recognize her. Besides that, she had the look of someone who was new, trying to figure out how to fit in, looking as lost as he had felt when he had started here.

"You're new," he said quietly, stirring his tea and then taking a sip. "I'm Andrew. Welcome to Hogwarts. What's your name?"

Before she had had a chance even to answer, Andrew heard an ordinary housefly buzzing not far from him. And it had attracted Frog's attention. He went to lay his hand over his pocket, but the little green frog had poked his head out of Andrew's shirt pocket and had flicked his long tongue at lightning speed and caught the fly.

"I did feed you, you know," Andrew frowned at the little frog. He looked at the girl. "Sorry. He can't resist. This is Frog."

Anne looked shocked at the frog peeking out of the shirt pocket. Her eyes traveled then up to the older boy. Had he really talked to her? She looked around to see no one else sitting within distance, her green curious eyes returning back to the frog. She had seen frogs before, but never inside. Her mom would never let her. It had a really long tongue, poor fly never stood a chance. Her trails of thoughts were disrupted by another thundering sound. She jolted out of thought and blushed a deep color of red.

“Um, my name is… Anne Elisabeth… um..” She looked at the frog and blushed even deeper. “Anne Elisabeth Frogg” She almost whispered the last part, hoping the boy would take no notice and thing a fool of her.

"Nice to meet you," he smiled, gently poking Frog back into his pocket. "I don't remember seeing you here before. Is this your first day of classes here?"

He remembered his own first day here. The castle was bigger than he imagined it could ever be, and with all its enchantments, it was easy to get turned around and end up in someplace bizarre. And Hogwarts had no shortage of bizarre little places.

"I can't tell you how many times I got lost in this place the first few days I was here. I felt like I needed a map. I hope you're better with directions than I was. Either that, or you should find people who are in the same classes and go with them for a few days. It really helps. Especially when the castle gets a mind of its own."