“_They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall,” _I read, reading the passage for what must be the fourth time in a row. Nothing seems to be sticking in my mind as I sit here, listening to my teacher drone on about something or other. I’m barely even a Harry Potter fan. It’s just the only book that was in my bag. I turn back to the book. “_They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. ‘Welcome to Hogwarts,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because-” _my reading is abruptly cut off by the bell. I shut the book and hurry out the door, making my way towards my lunch table, where I sit down by myself, just as usual. No one’s ever offered to sit here with me, and I don’t think anyone’s planning on it. I’d love to have someone to talk to about books I’m reading and stories I’m cooking up, but no one’s interested. 

I flip the book back open to the page I left on and continue. “_The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwards. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.” _I look up from the book and glance around myself, seeing the people around me talking and laughing with each other, and feel a pang of jealousy. I wish I could have that. Why is it that it’s only popular kids and sporty kids that get to have friends? It’s not fair. I wish I had friends that I could talk and laugh with, go to the mall with, and have sleepovers with. Well, there’s still two and a half more years of middle school to make friends. Not that I’ll be able to do it, anyways. 

I look back at the book and do a double take when the pages start glowing. Like, glowing _bright_. I try to shut it, but it seems to want to stay open. I glance around the room to make sure that no one is watching before touching the page. My finger goes into the book. _Into the book_. 

I quickly pull back, but before I can get away, it pulls me in, and after a second surrounded by white light, I find myself in a room crammed with people. My heart starts racing as I look around, trying to figure out where I am. 

“Hey, you there!” A voice calls to me with a sharp English accent. 

I turn around and find myself face-to-face with a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes. My eyes widen as I realized exactly where I am. I’m _in the book_.

“Where are your robes?” she asks, annoyed. 

I look down at myself and realize that I’m still wearing jeans and a t-shirt with my favorite hoodie. 

“Oh, uh, I guess that I don’t have them?” I say with a stutter. 

“Oh, for goodness sake,” she mumbles. She waves her wand and says some very magic-sounding words and a set of robes appears over my school clothes. 

“Woah,” I mutter. Magic. _Real magic_. “Thank you,” I say, amazed. 

“I’ll find you some better ones after the Sorting Ceremony,” she says, walking away. 

Oh shoot. I forgot about the ceremony. 

Not long after, we get called out of the room and people start getting sorted. I run a hand through my hair, anxious. Thankfully, I’m close to the front of the line, and it doesn’t take long for me to get up to the Sorting Hat. It very quickly decides that I am a Ravenclaw before I get sent off to one of the long tables arranged in the Great Hall. 

A group of kids waves me over to them, inviting me to sit with them. That’s a first. 

“Hello!” A boy with short, ginger hair says with a smile. “I’m Nolan. Nice to meet you!” 

“I’m Kelly, nice to meet you too,” I say, timidly. As they keep talking to me, I find myself warming up. It really is nice to talk to people for a change. 

Later on, we get sent to dormitories, where I meet my roommates. They’re all quite excited to talk to me, and we stay up late chatting about where we’re from and our family and hobbies. I’ve never done this before. 

That night, laying in bed, I think about how I’m going to get home. I glance over at the others, some of whom are still whispering to each other. I smile to myself. This is the life I’ve always wanted. Maybe getting home can wait a little bit longer.