Harry Potter and the Mysterious Legacy

Hogwarts

After the Malfoy incident in which Scabbers bit Goyle and Malfoy didn't know that he was talking to Harry Potter, Harry said -

'Best be dressed, we're near Hogwarts.'

'Yeah' Neville agreed.

The three of them took out their robe sets from their trunks. 'You've got Diamond section robes!' said Ron looking at the blue and red tag.

'Whoa, Harry!'

'I also got them, what's so special' said Hermione.

'Wow! I asked Gran to get me those but she said I'll lose them...'

'Well,  I guess I'll have to be convinced with mine...' Ron muttered with a pang of jealousy at Harry and Hermione, even Neville.

Then Harry removed the tag and dressed, so did Neville and Ron. Ron's did not have a tag. His robes were battered. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.'

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Hermione was muttering spells under her breath. Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles and Neville also paled. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: 'Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?'

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

'C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!'

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

'Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec,' Hagrid called over his shoulder, 'jus' round this bend here.'

There was a loud 'Oooooh!'

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

'No more'n four to a boat!' Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Hermione were followed into their boat by Neville and Ron.

'Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. 'Right then -- FORWARD!'

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

'Heads down!' yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

'Oi, you there! Is this your toad?' said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

'Trevor!' cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

'Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?'

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.