It felt... sudden.

Being here. Hearing the Groundkeeper’s voice. Maxie has barely had enough time to get himself into a proper lather when the whistle blew and the almighty train shuddered to a stop.

Bewildered was a good word to describe the young boy’s current state- as were: freaked, shook, pixelated and un-ready. He had no choice but to follow the tide - he hoped Niko would understand and forgive him - out of the train and onto the station platform.

Rain. Darkness. Maxie didn’t think it could be worst.

... And then he realized he was meant to jump into one of those rickety boats by the shoreline...

It took a fair bit of convincing- and a solid push from another first year- before Maxie ambled into one of those boats.

Fear was pulsing through his entire being and spilling out into the cold September night. Maxie was trying very hard not to let his emotions overwhelm him, but it was dark and raining and he was heading to the very castle his parents had promised him he would only see when /he was ready/, and nothing felt right and it was his /birthday/.

He hadn’t hated his birthday since Damien was too busy with school to be around for it.

How could they have done this to him? Maybe it was a punishment for not making friends like he said he would this summer? Maxie truly couldn’t believe they were doing it for his own good as they’d said- it made no sense, Hogwarts was a death trap and no good for anyone.

in case you weren’t sure anyone happened to include Maxie Anderson-Belfort.

The same Maxie Anderson-Belfort who was tightly sat, awaiting a partner on Hogwarts pitch black lake. Miserable, Maxie angrily pushed his wet hair from his face and quietly wished (not for the first time) that Niko was also a first year.