What about the background characters? The characters that just lived their lives at Hogwarts, happy and carefree only worrying about who they were taking to Hogsmeade that weekend or that mean Slytherin in their Potions class? What about a story that is relatively uneventful except for the few times that classes got cancelled due to a Voldemort attack. These are my OC characters that existed just outside of the Golden Trio, still relevant in Hogwarts, but not quite enough to make it in the movies.

The story of some particularly average wizards living their life in Hogwarts.

~FIRST YEAR~

My mum kissed my cheek in a loud smack, pushing my hair back and smoothing it down. "Your first year!" She took a large breath and looked like she was about to start crying. I rolled my eyes in embarrassment, trying to pull away from her. This is not how I wanted my future class mates to see me, with my mum blubbering away at my side.

"UGH!" I groaned, "Mum, people are LOOKING." I stated, glaring slightly. My trunk was in one hand and was weighing down my wrist like no other. My owl Lolli made a quiet squawk at my obvious discomfort.

My mum laughed lightly and stepped away. "Okay, okay I am sorry you're right. I just got a little over excited thinking about your time here. My time at Hogwarts was the best years of my life and I can't wait for you to experience it. Its where I met your father, it's where we fell in love…" She trailed on and I looked up and made eye contact with my father as if to say This is what you fell in love with and he chuckled, putting his arm around my mother.

I looked like a combination of my parents, as did my two younger brothers. We all had my mum's curly blonde hair and my dad's dark blue eyes. I inherited my mums short stature while my father was incredibly tall. I also got her dimples. Sadly though I inherited my father's thick eyebrows that I was already struggling with at the age of 11.

I looked at the huge red train that was stationed at Platform 9 ¾ and felt a rush of excitement and fear. Hogwarts. The school I have been dreaming of being at since I first made my teddy bear float on top of my chair at 5 years old.

"Yes, yes I will write you and dad every week and tell you what is happening with me I PROMISE." I state getting ready to jump on the train. My dad, sensing my urgency, helped me get my trunk on the cart of the train before stepping back to stand with my mum, who was acting like I was going to war. I waved at them rolling my eyes at my mother's antics before turning into the train and walking through the hallway, searching for somewhere to sit.

I turned my head into each compartment, looking for people that seemed somewhat welcoming and fun. Through the window of the door I made eye contact with a small girl and a lanky boy that looked like siblings. I took a breath and opened the door, "Can I sit here with you?" I asked politely.

The girl smiled brightly and the boy nodded. I smiled at them and sat down next to the girl. "I am Brianna Cartwright! Nice to meet you."

The boy nodded, "I am Carson MacNamara, this is my sister Jane."

"You can call me Janie." Jane said automatically, turning her body toward me and relaxing her shoulders a little more than before. "Is it your first year too?"

I nod a little too eagerly but just meeting these two put my entire being at ease. "Yes it is! Are you as nervous as I am?"

Carson laughed, "Yes we are, neither of us know what to expect, our mother went to Beauxbatons and our father is a Muggle so we couldn't as them for advice or anything. We did a lot of reading to prepare though." Janie nodded in agreement and I laugh.

"Both my parents went to Hogwarts, but I still have no idea what to expect. My mum cannot say enough great things about it though. It is where she met my dad, it is her favorite place in the world I think."

"Do you know what house they were in?" Janie asked. "I have no idea what to expect and I am so worried about being put in a house that isn't anything like me."

"That won't happen!" I say emphatically. "The hat knows where to put you the best. My mum was a Hufflepuff and my father was a Gryffindor. They both had a lot of friends in all the houses, it doesn't matter which one you get put in but whichever one it is will be for the best!"

Janie smiled at me kindly, "Thank you, you are seriously so nice. This is just our first time being away from home and I think both of us are a little worried about being placed in a different house."

"It won't matter if we are in different houses." Carson stated, "You are still going to have me around even if you don't want me." He laughed and so did Janie.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The trolley winch asked poking her head into our cabin. I looked at the trolley confused, practically every piece of food was gone apart for a few Bertie Bott's and pumpkin pasties. "Sorry, dears, one of the boys a few cabins up took most of it, but I can come back with some more later."

I smile at her and ask for a Berties while Janie and Carson both get pumpkin pasties.

The rest of the train ride is spent with us guessing which flavor bean we are about to eat a failing miserably. We also practice a few spells that we had red about before school. I show Janie and Carson my weird ability to levitate basically anything without a spell, just by willing it most of the time. Janie shows off her cool spell of tying basically anything into knots, including her brothers hair.

But Carson shows us both up with his small Ventus jinx, creating a little tornado barely bigger than my thumb but enough to blow my hair out of place. I stare at him opened mouthed, "That was so cool, how did you learn how to do that?"

Carson shrugged, "I have been practicing a lot I was worried that I was going to be behind." Janie rolled her eyes at her brother. She didn't look at all put out by her brother's abilities, in fact she looked very proud of him.

They looked very similar with their tanned skin and thick brown hair. Both had hazel green eyes and wide mouths. Janie was short though and Carson was easily half a head taller than her already at the age of 11. My height was somewhere between the two of theirs.

"We're here!" Janie exclaimed, leaning her head toward the window. I joined her in looking and watched a giant castle come into view. I was shocked. It was beautiful, it was intimidating, oh my god I am so terrified.

Breathe in, Breathe out…a rush of air came out of me and I saw Carson eye me up skeptically. I smiled at him lightly and tried to get out of my own head. It is just a school. Everything is fine.

The three of us walked off of the train together and a clung tight to my new friends. I was worried that all the pushing and shoving of the small 11 year olds like me would make me lose Carson and Janie.

All of the first years were following quite literally the largest man I had ever seen named Hagrid. He seemed so kind and when he introduced himself he gave a little wave to Janie and I who were staring at him in shock and awe. Then he guided us toward these small little row boats that we all got in. I sat next to Janie and Carson sat near the edge of the boat. I think he could sense my uneasiness and that I would rather be in the center of the boat. Behind me was a loud boy that was joking around with a stoic boy with extremely blonde hair. The blonde boy was giving him an evil look of annoyance, "I know you will be a Slytherin, Kai, but I do not think I can handle 7 years with you."

The loud boy, Kai apparently, laughed loudly and ignored the blonde while making eye contact with me. "What?" He asked, annoyed.

My eyes widened and I blinked at him, "Nothing, sorry." He made a face at me and I felt my entire face turn read as I faced the castle again. I heard the boys behind me laugh and I wanted to start crying. God how childish of me. I blinked away the burn in my eyes and focused on my excitement.

I turned to Janie and whispered, "Apparently there is going to be a huge feast of food and desserts, I am so excited."

Janie bounced a little in her seat, "Oh yay! I can't wait I am absolutely starved." Carson nodded his agreement.

Finally we arrived at the castle and walked up toward the intimidating building that was Hogwarts. Hogwarts Hogwarts hoggie hoggie Hogwarts started playing in my mind. My mum had sung it as she danced around the kitchen this morning before we left for kings cross station. I thanked god that there was not a parents weekend for my mother to attend because she certainly would be the first one to burst through these giant doors.

The first years and I walked up the doors in a rush of excitement before being stopped by a stern looking woman dressed all in green. She had a permanent frown on her face but her eyes were incredibly warm despite it.

She greeted us and told us that we were going to be sorted into the four houses using the sorting hat once we walked into the great hall. We followed her into the hall and passed the four long tables with the hundreds of kids in black robes in black hats. It was incredibly intimidating and a little cult-like in my opinion. When we walked up to the front of the room that is when my heart started hammering like no other. I could feel my pulse everywhere, it was horrible. I didn't know what house I wanted to be in. I also knew it wouldn't matter because my parents were just happy I was there and neither of them had a preference for which one I ended up as. My dad once told me that the hat put you in the house of the characteristics you valued over everything, not your actual personality. So someone who was a coward could be placed in Gryffindor because they valued bravery so much. I think I aspire to be the most is like my mother. Her kindness and how fun and carefree she is was inspiring. But I also loved how strong and intelligent my father was and I truly valued that as well. Oof.

Name after name was called before finally "Brianna Cartwright" was said loud and clear through the hall. I took a deep breath and walked up to the old ratty hat. I sat on the stool and allowed Professor McGonagall to place it on my head.

Hmmm a loud rough voice said in my head. This would be straight forward…But I see many paths for a mind like you. You are wise beyond your years and excel in your work. You would fit in well with Ravenclaw. Then again you are spunky and strong and Gryffindor's would enjoy your company. You would maybe become someone of significance if I were to place you in Gryffindor. I made a face at that and the hat laughed. Fame is not what you seek. You look for kindness and friendship and genuine connection. I know where you belong, where you will be happiest.

"HUFFLEPUFF." The hat called, and there was not a person in the room that would not have heard that. I stepped off the stool and headed toward the table with a wide smile on my face. I passed by Kai, the mean boy from the boat. Kai smirked at me, "Hufflepuff dandy, who is surprised." He sneered.

My eyebrows narrowed at that comment but ignored it and headed to my table with excitement. I sat next to the first person that got called into Hufflepuff, a red head named Susan who was very sweet. We both turned our attention back to watching the people in our year being sorted. "Carson MacNamara." Professor McGonagall called. I watched my new friend sit on the stool and tap his foot anxiously as he listened to the hat speak to him. Finally the hat made its decision and my shoulders fell slightly at my new friend being sorted into a different house. "RAVENCLAW." The hat shouted and Carson walked to a different table, just as Janie's name was called.

I took a breath, realizing that Janie would most likely be placed in the same house as her twin brother and that would leave me to fend for myself tonight. But I reminded myself that just because we were in different houses did not mean I wouldn't be friends with them and spend time with them this year.

Then the hat called Janie's house, "HUFFLEPUFF." I jumped to my feet in excitement and watched Janie looked at Carson sadly for a moment before running to me happily. "Brie we are in the same house!"

"I know!"

"But Carson…" Janie said sadly.

"I know." I agreed and we sat and listened to other people being called. There was a large commotion when Harry Potter's name was called and he was sorted into Gryffindor. "I didn't realize he would be in our year, it's the boy that lived right?"

Janie nodded, "My mum told me all about him, sounds pretty amazing and brave so makes sense that that is his house right?" I agreed with her and we watched the boy with black hair and glasses walk to the table cheering incredibly loud.

A boy with curly blonde hair that looked similar to mine was sorted into Hufflepuff and he sat across from Janie and I. His name was Sean and he was very funny. The entire feast he spent doing funny little comedy skits and imitating famous people in the wizarding world, his favorite to imitate being Rita Skita, which he did an incredible imitation of.

The girl sitting next to Janie was tall and quiet and didn't understand many of the jokes because she was muggle born. She had black hair and dark skin and eyes. Janie spoke mainly to her to make sure she didn't feel left out but because of the awkward positioning of the benches I was only able to catch moments of their conversation. Her name was Lilah and apparently when she lit her hair on fire during a temper tantrum at the age of six she almost gave her grandmother who was watching her a stroke. Everyone laughed at that and we all took turns telling each other when we first used magic in front of our parents.

The conversation was lively and loud and my face hurt from laughing and smiling so wide. There was so much warmth at this table, the older kids took time to walk to our side of the table to wish us a happy first year and to tell us their names and where to find them if they have any questions.

Here I was at the Hufflepuff table feeling incredibly at home. And I had a sneaking suspicion that my mother would be beyond herself with happiness when she found out I was in her house.