This was new for Gabe. Usually starting a new school year meant promising to keep out of trouble under threat of being sent to military school, ditching class to hang out with the guys and never EVER being excited for it. Gabe couldn't remember the last time he had been excited to go to school. But this was obviously different, he always knew he was destined for greater things but he never imagined in a million years that would mean he was the only wizard in a long line of unremarkable immigrants from Spain.
The summer after his eleventh birthday turned out to be a defining moment for him. The day he got in trouble with the local police for fighting in public was the day that the representative from Hogwarts visited the small apartment he and his dad shared. Thank god he did too because Gabe was sure he had pushed it to far that time and it looked like he was destined for a military monkey suit and not a set of robes.
Over the course of the next few months different Hogwarts staff would visit him to help him get ready for the transition. The school supplied a very generous donation to help him get his basic school supplies, they explained the nature of the house system and even provided transportation to King's Cross Station when it was time to leave.
His father was confused by all of this, especially when Gabe tried to show off his new wand and shattered his grandmothers urn, but tried to remain supportive to his son who finally had a chance to be something better. The goodbye before his son boarded the train was not tearful, though their was a sadness in his fathers eyes, which Gabe tried to ignore, finally a brief hug and Gabe was on his way to a brighter and more magical future.
The train ride was confusing, this was the first time he had ever really been around other magical children. They talked of many confusing things like Squidich, they measured money in nuts, sickles and gallons and he could of swore the jelly beans he bought tasted like dirt. All and all he was grateful when the train announced they would be arriving at the school soon and that they needed to prepare.
He donned his robes, which made him feel quite silly, and tried to ignore the older wizard born students who tried to tell him that he needed to kill a troll to even be accepted into the school, which just seemed like nonsense. Surely the teachers here wouldn't let a group of untrained wizards fight a troll.
Finally the trained arrived at Hogsmead station and Gabe attempted to clear his head as he disembarked, one look at the school however froze him in his tracks. They told him that Hogwarts was a castle but he didn't seriously believe it. It was so beautiful against the night sky that he could barely stand it. What the hell was he doing here? He CLEARLY didn't belong here. He was just a poor factory workers son, this was another level entirely.
Some students jostled him from the back and pushed him toward the lake, where all the first years seemed to be heading so he followed the crowd down to a fleet of small boats, all filling up rapidly. He looked around unsure of himself and eventually settled on a boat that held a mousy looking asain girl and a boy with white hair.
As he gazed at the boys hair he was puzzled, never had he encountered another kid his age with anything closely resembling the same grey hair he had.
"Bloody hell," He said incredulously to the other boy. "What are the odds?"
Soon he realized he was staring and shook his head in disbelief and finally looked at the other two full on. "Sorry about that, I'm still new to all of... this" He gestured to everything around him. He then extended a hand to the other boy and said "My name is Gabe, nice to meet you."
