Fire On Fire

1: Starting Out Perfect

Once the little boat that had led them to the sloping lawn of Hogwarts had reached the crisp edge of the lawn, El and Emma jumped out of it and heaved their trunks out along with them, then walked over to Ron and Harry who had also just pulled out their trunks from the boat they had traveled in. After every first year had got themselves and their trunks out of their boats, the large group began following Hagrid up the sloping lawn towards the dark castle that sat amidst the vast, black sky.

"What are we doing now?" Emma asked as they were led into the castle, "Are we going to our rooms to put away our trunks and stuff?"

"Nope, that'll be taken care of for yeh," Hagrid answered, "You guys will be going teh eat dinner but yeh'll be sorted into yer houses first."

Before Emma could say anything back, Hagrid left the entrance hall of the castle, leaving the first years to wait for a teacher called Professor McGonagall to come and get them and bring them to the great hall where they would be sorted.

"What house do you want to be in?" El asked Harry and Ron, as she and her sister had already had the conversation multiple times previously.

"I don't know," Harry said with a small shrug, "I heard that-"

"So, it's true then," a drawling voice interrupted Harry, coming from the blonde boy from the train as he stepped forward, "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Whispers broke out amongst the large group of first years as Harry watched the blonde boy and his two dark-haired friends come closer to him. El was glancing between him and Harry as she didn't know what was going on and Emma was glaring at the blonde for unknown reasons. Perhaps she could sense something bad about him or maybe it was because Ron seemed to be uncomfortable around him.

"This is Crabbe," Draco jabbed his finger in the direction of the shorter of his two friends then to the taller, "And this is Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

The sound of a small snort coming from Ron's mouth was heard and both El and Emma threw him cautious looks as the rest of the first years watched the interaction between Malfoy and the small group of friends with entertainment.

"Think my name's funny, do you?" Draco sneered at Ron, "No need to ask you yours. Red hair... and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley," he looked back at Harry, "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Draco stuck his hand out towards Harry for him to shake but Harry, however, merely looked at it then looked back at Draco, straight in the eyes.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks," Harry said.

For a split second it looked as though Draco had been offended or hurt but the look soon vanished off of his face as he gave Harry a hardened look. An old woman with her gray hair in a tight bun on the top of her head walked forward to the group of first years and lightly smacked Draco on the shoulder with a rolled up parchment.

"We're ready for you," the lady who was assumed to be Professor McGonagall said once Malfoy had moved back to his original spot.

El and Emma exchanged grins before following McGonagall into the great hall with the rest of the first years. As they walked through the double doors, it felt as though excitement was buzzing through the air as the other students at the school watched them enter. The ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky, one of the many fascinating things magic could accomplish.

"Is it bad that I want to be Malfoy's friend?" El asked Emma in a whisper once they reached the stool where a raggedy, old hat sat.

"What?" Ron said, caught off guard as he had overheard her, "He's not a good person, you know, El."