After being handed off to this young curly haired girl you two are making your way from compartment to compartment looking for a place to sit. You don't understand why but there seems to be significant bigotry directed at your semi-voluntary travel companion, despite her not exhibiting any features that would markedly differentiate her from the majority of kids on this transport. "Come on Vadiv, maybe we can get some peace further in the back!" With determined steps this girl with wild curly hair weaves between raucous students towards the next vehicle segment.
Gasping in relief at the brief respite from the bewildering cacophony, you stop briefly before pressing on. The layout of the next segment has changed - no longer a single open space but now consisting of several smaller compartments divided by crude hand operated doors. Most pretty full. Squeezing past a large, empty, wooden pushcart you find a compartment with only two occupants - both apparrently roughly your age. Exchanging unsure glances, Hermoine opens the door and you follow her in. "May... we join you?" she inquires with a puzzled look on her face as she takes in the veritable buffet of nutritionally questionable food items distributed across seats, luggage, floor, window sil... "Sure, sure!" the ginger-haired boy replies between mouthfuls of chocolate, quickly brushing away some snacks to liberate barely sufficient seating area for their two visitors. "This is Harry..." he continues - "Potter!" the girl interjects excitedly. "Oh my god! You're the boy who lived!"
Clearly there is cultural context required for this conversation that you do not posess. Thankfully your companion seems more than willing to elaborate on it without prompting. What you learn is that the black haired boy's parents were murdered by an infamous figure when he was just a baby and it is alleged that this Voldemort character had attempted to kill the boy as well, somehow failed and hadn't been seen or heard from since. As the ginger-haired boy - Ron - begins to trail off from his introduction to ramble on about the trivialities regarding his family you lean over to Hermoine and ask "Are you ok? From before... I don't understand what was said but it couldn't have been nice." Her eyes momentarily tense up but then relax into a warm smile. "I... will be fine. Thank you for asking." she responds. Harry, likely taking the chance to steer the "conversation" away from Ron's family, inquires: "You had trouble on the train?" - "Some students took offense to me not being of magic blood." - "Oh, your parents are muggles?" Ron's attention had now swung over hard to the new conversation topic. "My father has told me so much about muggles. But he still doesn't understand so many things. What do Muggles use electricity for?" "Uhm." the three of you respond, not quite sure how to answer this rather wide-scoped question. "Many things... Lights for example. Cooking." Harry begins to explain. "Teev" but suddelnly stops as he notices Hermoine desperately signaling "No No" with her eyes, sensing that this would become a never ending rabbit hole of questions. "Making tea. Loads of things!" After a thoughtful pause, Ron nods and eventually turns to you: "So, what about you?"
"Well, that's a long story. Maybe I should start with my name, Vadiv. I'm pretty new here, I got turned around on a school excursion and suddenly found myself in London. I got taken in by the Ministry of Magic but somehow they haven't been able to find my parents. So in the meantime they're sending me to this, uhm, what's it called?" - "Hogwarts" - "Thank you Hermoine. But I hadn't heard of magic until 3 months ago and I'm pretty sure I can't do this but the people from the ministry insisted that I was in fact a Wizard. So I was pretty scared but now I'm relieved a bit seeing as it's new for you two as well!" As you adress an onslaught of questions regarding your strange circumstances you can't help but be glad that not only did they believe your story but reacted with sincere sympathy and support. Not that you lied to them. You did get lost on a school trip... from the 25th century to the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. And that the "magic" the Ministry had seen you perform was nothing more than your quantum effector providing you with food and shelter while you waited for a rescue that never came. Still you are going to follow the instructions you were given: Don't tell anyone you're from the future!
As the conversation normalized again going back and forth between you, you begin to feel something. Something you haven't felt in months. This little groups of 4 weirdos is the first time, since you left home, that you feel like you belong. Soon the atmosphere in your small compartment is as lively as it was in the large open wagons, but much warmer and between your taddling you hardly register arriving at the station, getting out and making your way up to the school. Only on the last stretches of the road as the majestic medieval looking building begins to tower over you, your little group quiets up and realizes that your lives are about to change drastically.
The older students begin to assemble along the sides of the large dining hall, old fashioned candles suspended with some kind of anti-gravity effect illuminating the space while the first years are queueing up in the middle being led to the front, sat on a stool and made to wear a... talking leather hat??? Apparently this would sort you into one of four "houses" according to your disposition. Ron is the first of you to be called up and quickly declared a Griffindoor. Hermoine goes next and is assigned to Ravenclaw. When Harry is called up the whole room falls silent, everyone eagerly awaiting the verdict of the hat. Unlike with every student before, the hat hesitates as if internally deliberating before ultimately declaring: Slithering. Many students have gone between you four but ultimately it is your turn. As the leather warmed by at least 80 previous heads is placed on yours you begin to hear a voice in your mind, not unlike the mental interface that controls your quantum effector. "... ... Gotta tell you boy... I haven't the foggiest what to do with you!" Great! You're making more of a spectacle of yourself than the legendary boy who lived. "You sure you're even a Wizard?" - Thoughts race in your mind. Can I tell this piece of technology the truth or will it rat me out? Would that maybe even be for the better? Shit! Can it read my thoughts? "I don't know. The Ministry insisted that I was!" you blurt out in your mind hoping this would move the process along and it does: "Well then, I'll let you decide. What is it that you find most important: Recognition and accomplishment? Knowledge and wisdom? Courage and bravery? Or kindness and loyalty?" You think back to what you experienced in this world so far and as you conclude your review with the train ride you just had you answer "Kindness", upon which the hat announces loudly: Hufflepuff.
As the remaining few students are sorted, you race to find your friends, all of you looking somewhat bummed over being assigned different houses. You break the akward silence: "I don't know about you, but I don't want this to break us up!" Hermoine, Harry and Ron immediately smile and agree that this would not be the end to your friendship.