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“I always enjoyed art. I like creating it but not so much learning about art history.” Kara replies. “That’s cool, hands-on sounds much more up my ally.”

Her boarding school was going to be hands-on magic. She was filled with excited again, the magical flutters she liked to call it. “Is it a speciality school? Like a STEM school or art school?” Kara has heard about those schools, she thought about going to one before she knew she was for sure going to Hogwarts.
 
"Uh, yeah, I guess it's kind of a specialty school. It's pretty hard to get into." Jacinta didn't want to sound like she was crazy smart or anything, but it was the first thing that came to her head. It was true, but in a completely different sense than most people would expect."Not many people know about it, it's a little bit strange. Not like normal boarding schools, I mean. You don't apply or anything, you kinda get selected? And like, you need special supplies and all that. But yeah, it's hands-on, which I like." You are giving so much information away to this random stranger you just met on the street. Stop!
 
Kara raised an eyebrow and played with her bag strap. This school sounded familiar, but she couldn’t just assume it was Hogwarts. They get selected, like Hogwarts. Hogwarts requires special supplies.

“Sounds a lot like the school I’ll be going to. I wonder if it’s the same one.” Kara said half hinting and half hoping it would determine if she was magical.
 
Jacinta shrugged again."How many boarding schools are there in Wellington? Not many that need special supplies, I'd gather!" She hoped that Kara was going to the same school, because that would be surprising and pleasing. Even though they didn't really know each other, it would be nice to go to school and be able to talk to someone."Maybe it is the same school."
 
"I didn't think there were many." Kara wanted to ask the name but was worried the girl would ask her for the name of Hogwarts. "Mine is kind of private. I don't know how my parents feel about me talking about it." She was horrible at lying, but this was a half-truth. Her parents and the wizarding law of secrecy demanding that she didn't talk about magic to a muggle. But if she is magical, I am not breaking any rules.
 
Jacinta was now interested."Same. Expect it's more the school that doesn't like me talking about it. My parents have kind of ignored the fact that I'm going." Is she magical? Surely, I haven't heard of any other magic schools in New Zealand, let alone another near Wellington!
 
Kara shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she wasn't sure what to say now. What other boarding school doesn't like their students talking about it? She glanced around nervously for her dad and for somebody possibly listening in.

"My school's selection process is with a book and a quill." Kara figured this would be a safe statement to make about her school. If the girl was magical, perhaps she would understand. Besides, who else used ink and quills these days besides witches, wizards, and people who do calligraphy.
 
Jacinta looked at her."Funny," she said."So's mine." Could she be magical? Could I have randomly met another magical person? She hoped so. She wanted to talk about the school and find out more about it, but her parents didn't want to speak."Apparently, you bring your own broomstick, though I don't think it's to clean." That'd be a funny statement to say to a non-magical person, but hopefully Kara would get it.
 
Kara was almost 76 percent sure she was magical and going to Hogwarts. At this point the evidence weighed heavily in her favor, she figured it might be fine to ask. Looking around before leaning in to whisper to the girl she asked, "Are you going to Hogwarts too?"
 
Jacinta was surprised."Yes." Surely she is why else would she ask? What were the chances of meeting another magical person here, in a random town."I didn't think that I'd met someone else until I got to school." Jacinta hoped she wasn't in a dream. Could it be real? Yes, it had to be. If she started doubting herself now, it would end badly.
 
Letting out a sigh of relief, Kara relaxed in her seat a little more. "It's a nice feeling. I wish there was an easier way to tell." She said wondering what it could be. "Are you excited for school? I certainly am." Kara couldn't believe she was meeting a magical friend in public and was loving every moment of it.
 
Jacinta nodded."I am excited, though I don't know much about it. All I know is that one day I made a tree branch break and someone fell out of the tree and broke their leg, and a few days later, someone comes to my house and explains to me I can do magic. It was all a little strange." Her parents had made her write an apology note to the kid who broke their leg, but she didn't feel it was her fault. She was being teased, it was a defensive move."How did you find out?" she asked Kara.
 
Kara found it interesting how she found out about magic. "Your parents aren't magical then?" She asked curiously. "I found out when I was 5, a neighbor boy was calling me names and had pushed me. I caused all the leaves to burst off the baby Kauri tree."

She remembered the day vividly because it was the day she learned for sure she had magic like her parents. Kara couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts and couldn't wait until the fall. "What house do you think you'll be in? What are you most excited for in general there?"
 
Jacinta shook her head, a little annoyed at that comment."No, they're not." It's not her fault they are, chill out. She shrugged."I like the sound of all the houses. I don't think I'll mind." In her head, she was hoping not to be in Gryffindor, since she didn't feel that brave. Ravenclaw, maybe, it did cross her mind."Do you know which house you'd like to be in?" she asked.
 
Kara sensed her annoyance with the parent question and realized how rude she must have sounded. "I would like to be in Ravenclaw." She said as she had done a lot thinking on the matter. "My father was in Ravenclaw and I think I am a lot like him."

Her dad and she shared a lot of qualities and it was evident she would probably be a Ravenclaw like him. "I am excited to get my first wand. Are you?"
 
Jacinta nodded, trying to move past the parent question."I think Ravenclaw would be interesting. I am looking forward to getting my wand, though that seems like a while away still." Luckily, she could study up on magic when she realised what was happening. If you looked in the right places, you could get a good idea of what was out there.
 
Kara wondered what questions to ask her for conversation. "Have you ever ridden on a train before? The Hogwarts Express sounds amazing." She had read a book on magical engineering from her dad's office, it included a bunch of information about The Hogwarts Express. "The train is modified with magic so it's much safer than your standard train."
 
Jacinta thought for a moment."I think I have. I feel like I've been told that I was accidentally left on a train once, but I could be imagining that." She wasn't very good at remembering stories."I think it'll be fun though. Lots of new people to meet." And probably not get along with, she thought. Her social anxiety didn't help her make friends. Sure, she could talk to people for short periods of time, but she struggled with it."Are you looking forward to it?"
 
Kara's eyes widened at the thought of being left on a train. She wondered if there was more to the story, but was afraid to ask. "I am absolutely looking forward to it. I'm honored I get to ride in that magical feat." Her thoughts drifted to the scarlet train.

"I am worried I won't be any good at classes." Kara was excited and nervous to learn magic. "I hope there are plenty of places to relax and study."
 
Jacinta agreed."I'm hoping there's a decent library. I love hiding away, reading." Studying was one of the few things she was good at, and she could learn things quite easily. She just didn't like writing about the things she was taught."I think that the professor's will be helpful, especially since we'll be first years."
 
Kara nodded in agreement. "I have heard Hogwarts has one of the best libraries. I can't wait to go and read all the books I can." She was going to map it out once she got there, she doubts she could actually read all the books but figured it was worth a shot. "Do you think there is some kind of magic to help you read faster? Maybe a potion? That would be so cool."
 
"Oo, surely. I'd be surprised if someone hadn't made that." Jacinta loved the idea of a potion that'd make you read faster. It'd make her school reading a lot quicker."I'm sure there's a potion for nearly everything!"
 
Kara reached into her bag, pulling out her notebook and pen. She made a note to ask her potions professor about that when she got to Hogwarts. "I am definitely going to ask." Every day she thought of new things to ask her professors and she always wrote them down. "Do you think the professors are going to be nice?"
 
Jacinta thought about the question."I think that it will depend on our attitude in the class and the professor." She wasn't sure, since she didn't have much experience with a teacher for each class. She'd only ever had up to three teachers in a year, so having one per subject scared her.
 
Kara agreed that as long as she followed the rules like always and studied hard they’d like her all the same. She glanced over to see her dad checking out with the cashier. “I think my dad is almost finished. Would you like to keep in touch before school? Thanks for your help earlier by the way.”
 

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