The Legacy (Camren)

Chapter Four

"Alright, listen up!" Hagrid's deep, scruffy voice shouted over the crowd of students that was exiting the train.

Camila's eyes went wide as the girls approached Hagrid, their height only reaching a hair over his waist, and Lauren nudged Camila's arm with her elbow.

"Don't stare," she warned.

"Sorry," Camila mumbled.

The students shuffled along the sidewalk that paralleled the train station, bumping into one another as they tried to get a glimpse of Hagrid over the crowd. Lauren was used to it; first year students were always amazed by everything Hogwarts had to offer for the first few weeks. Lauren was usually the one to explain to the younger Gryffindors how everything worked.

"First years, wait here with me so I can see you across," Hagrid said, his thick accent floating through the night sky. "Second through seventh years, make your way to the carriages to be taken to the castle."

"Go across?" Camila asked.

Lauren hadn't noticed, but Camila had been holding onto the sleeve of her robe since they'd departed from the train. Lauren wasn't even sure that Camila noticed, but she didn't point it out. Instead, she shrugged out of Camila's grip and started for the front of the crowd of first years, which had gathered together in an excited bunch and spilled onto the path leading to the carriages in an attempt to see two dozen small, wooden dinghies rowing themselves across the lake. 

"You'll see!" she called back to Camila.

Dinah and Lauren set off together towards the carriages, stopping momentarily to greet Hagrid as he helped the babbling first years into their boats.

"Nice to see you back again, Miss Jauregui," he greeted, smiling fondly at Lauren. "Miss Hansen."

"Hi, Hagrid," both girls said in unison.

"Remember, no more than four to a boat!" Hagrid called to the eager crowd.

The girls continued on down the path and found themselves at an open gate. On the other side of it were at least twenty-five carriages, each pulled by strange creatures called Thestrals. They were massive horses with long, bony wings and bodies that resembled a decaying corpse, gray and dead-looking, but the animals were very much alive. They were terrifying to look at, but completely harmless.

The trouble was, no one could see them but Lauren.

Every year, Lauren, Ally, and Normani would board the carriages to ride up to the castle, and Lauren would go on and on about how magnificent the Thestrals were.

"What are Thestrals?" Normani would say.

"They're pulling our carriage," Lauren would laugh. "You don't know what they are?"

"There's nothing pulling the carriages," Ally would say, befuddled. "They move on their own. It's a spell."

Lauren always thought they were just pulling her leg. Being an average student instead of a Prefect or Head Girl, Lauren was always the butt end of their jokes, but as each year passed and Normani and Ally refused to acknowledge the monstrous horses pulling the carriages, Lauren began to wonder if only she could see them, and why?

Dinah and Lauren boarded their carriage along with a fifth year from Hufflepuff and a timid-looking second year from Ravenclaw who was on his first carriage ride to the castle ever. His face was pale and his hands were shaking, and as he kept glancing to the front of the carriage nervously, Lauren wondered if he, too, could see the beasts. As the carriage began to move, Lauren reached across and tapped the young boy's knee.