(HOGWARTS MYSTERY) Janelle Morgan -- Year 1: The Forbidden Corridor

Chapter 5: The Sorting Ceremony

"Look!" Rowan pointed excitedly to a large sign that read in bold black lettering 'Hogsmeade Station.' "We're here! Hogsmeade Station!"

The nice blonde girl, Penny Haywood, decided to leave to chat with other students, so Rowan and I had the compartment to ourselves. Shortly after she left, I had decided to change into my Hogwarts robes, since we were not far from the castle, and Rowan was kind enough to close the compartment curtains and stand outside while I changed. After that, Rowan reentered the compartment, and we continued chatting about all the things we were most excited for once arriving to Hogwarts.

Now, forty-five minutes later, the Hogwarts Express was finally pulling into Hogsmeade Station, and Rowan was immediately out of her seat and bolting to the door before the train even came to a complete stop.

Once the train came to a complete stop, Rowan was the first to exit the train, with me following close behind. We glanced around at the other students departing the train, most walking through an archway that lead into town. I figured that was where we would go in order to get to the castle; Mum said it was a short walk through town, and then we would take rickety carriages pulled by invisible forces to the main entrance of the castle, but I also remembered Mum saying that First-Years had to take boats over a large lake, which was located outside of town (in other words, not through the archway).

Rowan stole the words right out of my mouth. "So where do we go? My parents said not to follow everyone else through the archway. Apparently, First-Years take a different route to the castle."

I was about to answer when a booming voice echoed through the station, "Firs'-Years! This way please! Come on, Firs'-Years! Don' be shy!"

We turned to see a tall and exceedingly buff-looking man with a scruffy beard, carrying a large, bright lantern in his meaty hands.

"Merlin's beard!" Rowan exclaimed in shock upon seeing the man. "That guy is huge!"

"He's a giant," I explained, recognizing the man. "I think he's the gamekeeper. Mum told me the gamekeeper of Hogwarts was a giant, though she never mentioned how giant he actually was."

Rowan laughed. "Ha! I see what you did there. Clever."

I frowned, puzzled at Rowan's comment toward mine. "Um...that comment was not meant to be a pun, but never mind. Let's go." I was honestly surprised at the man's largeness as well and had not said my comment as a joke.

We walked toward the giant man and saw several students—possibly other First-Years like us—gathering around him. I smiled at the thought of how the giant man must've been thinking about us; we must've looked like ants compared to him.

Once all the First-Years had gathered, the giant announced with a wave of a hand, "Alri', then! This way teh the boats! Come on, follow me!" It was a good thing we decided to follow the giant instead of the upper students; otherwise, we would've been in a very embarrassing situation in the near future.

As a group, we walked out of the station and through the dark forest for about ten minutes before we came across a large lake. There were several small boats that were bobbing innocently on its surface as the moonlight reflected off of them. The giant instructed four to a boat, which Rowan and I shared with a dark-skinned boy and a redheaded girl with an Asian complexion. Shortly after everyone was situated to each boat, the boats started moving by themselves across the lake.

In the distance, we could see a large castle standing proudly over the lake, like a queen looking out over her kingdom. I heard the dark-skinned boy, the redheaded girl, and Rowan making sounds of amazement at the majestic-ness of the school, which I instinctively mimicked. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was exactly as I imagined it would be, with its tall towers and ancient brickwork. This place had been in existence for centuries and, amazingly, still continued to impress new witches and wizards today. I didn't think I would ever see a more beautiful place than this and couldn't wait to find out what mysterious secrets it held, particularly the Cursed Vaults.