Hogwarts, A Story

Amaya Lestrange

As the train jolted to a stop, Amaya felt herself go numb. Erin and Severus jumped up. Lily, who had been unable to sit down since the prefect told them about nearly getting to Hogwarts, opened the door and smirked at them. Amaya stood, and turned slowly, taking her case down from the rack. "You won't need that," Severus said. "They take it up separately. They'll take Salazar as well."

Amaya tapped the cat carrier, and Salazar - who'd been sitting with Severus, to his delight and disbelief - leapt up into it, curling into a ball. Erin shot her a glance. "You nervous?" She asked.
"No," lied Amaya. "Are you?"
Erin grinned nervously. "Yes. I'm actually terrified."
"Yeah, me too."
They laughed, more anxiety than actual amusement. All four of them shuffled out into the corridor, pushing through the mass of students heading for the exit. Amaya got left behind a bit, only because the boy who's owl she'd knocked over was about to walk past, and she didn't want him to see her, so she ducked back into the compartment until he passed. Finally pushing out of the train,  she met with her friends on the station.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years, over here!" A deep, warm voice filled the air, apparently coming from the lamp swinging above the crowd. No, it was coming from a man, so tall and vast Amaya had originally taken him to be part of the dark summer sky. The first years from the crush of students began to filter toward the giant, and Amaya's anxiety ebbed slightly. There were so many people, no one would look twice at her.

"Right, follow me," the giant man rumbled, "We'll be heading up to the castle now. Any more firs'-years?"
"Where are all the other students going?" Lily whispered to Erin.
"I'm not sure," Erin murmured, standing on her toes to get a better look at them. She only came up to about Amaya's chin, so when the first years starting moving and Erin lost her balance, Amaya grabbed her arms, pulling her back to stop her from falling.

They stood, facing each other, Amaya gripping Erin's arms tightly. Erin was gazing at her with a small half smirk that made Amaya feel like a butterfly on a board. She could feel her cheeks flaming.
"Thanks," Erin said, and pulled away. Amaya stood there for a moment. Get over yourself. Amaya winced slightly at how stupid she was being and followed her.
The first years all shuffled after the giant, chattering excitedly. They were following a steep, narrow woodland path, and Amaya noticed that Severus kept twisting round, looking in vain for someone. Suddenly, the path opened onto a lake the colour of squid ink, and there was a collective "Ohhhhh," from the students, and one "Blimey, look at that James!" From the back of the group. Severus turned so quickly his robes flapped around him like bat wings.

The lake stretched, far and wide and clear, and on the opposite bank: Hogwarts, perched regally on a mountain. Tall, and magnificent in the moonlight, the castle windows winked down at them, reflecting on the black surface of the lake.
A small fleet of boats were waiting in the water, and the giant called out, "In you get! No more than four to a boat!"
Amaya, Erin, Severus, and Lily all piled into one boat. The giant, who had one boat to himself, checked there was no one left behind, and shouted "FORWARD!"
The boats began to glide smoothly toward the castle. As they approached the mountain cliff, the giant called "Heads down!" And they all ducked as the boats took them through a sheet of vines that concealed a cave.

They traveled through a dark tunnel until the boats bumped against a small beach. They left the boats to stand on the pebbles, and sand that covered the beach. Following the giant's lamp once more, they reached the end of a cave passage, to emerge to moonlight and fresh grass. Erin sighed with relief.
"Don't like the underground?" Amaya asked her quietly as they set off up a flight of stone stairs with great oak doors at the top.
"Not at all. Why, do you?" Erin replied.
"Yes, I do."
"Why?"
Amaya shrugged. "My br- younger brother likes to say it's because I'm a mushroom."
"Everyone here?" The giant rumbled. "All right then."
He raised his hand, and knocked on the doors.

The door flew open, and a tall, thin, black haired witch wearing emerald green robes stood in the frame.
"Professor McGonagall, the firs'-years," the giant said gruffly.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I can take them from here."

Professor McGonagall had a stern voice, and Amaya almost shrank back as she stared around at them.
"Follow me," she said, and the first years filed into the huge entrance hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. The feast will begin shortly, but before you can go and join your houses at the tables you must be sorted. There are four houses at Hogwarts, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Your house will be like your family. Good behaviour and work will earn you points, whilst refusal to do work and misbehaviour will lose you points. Each house has its own traits and rivalries, and you will be expected to be respectful to the older students and your teachers. Do you all understand?"
A chorus of "Yes Professor," came from the assembled first years.
"I will come back when we're ready for you."
And with that, she left them there, in the cold Entrance Hall, through a set of double doors.

Butterflies stirred in Amaya's stomach and she held her breath, tapping her foot.
She noticed Erin's jaw was clenched and that her hands were fists. "Erin?" She whispered. Erin nodded tersely. "You're gonna be fine."
Erin turned her head slightly, and smiled. "Thank you."
Then, a horrible realisation struck her, like a lightning bolt, and without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Erin's wrist. "What?" Erin said, startled.
"Oh," Amaya looked down at her hand and winced slightly. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."
Erin raised one eyebrow, then shook her head. "You're off the hook for now."
It hadn't been nothing.
Rivalries? What rivalries? If Lily or Erin, or even Severus got put in a rival house, what will I do? I can't lose my friends, I won't be able to talk to anyone else. Maybe they won't want to talk to me! Oh no oh no. Maybe I should have told Erin. I can't tell her now, it'll look like I'm attention seeking. What do I do if that happens, then. Oh no oh no. Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid!

"We are ready for you now."
It was Professor McGonagall. She strode back over to the double doors she'd disappeared into, and she and a horrible, grouchy looking old man with a straggly tabby cat following him, opened then fully. Lily immediately started pushing forward, and Severus shrugged and followed her. Erin glanced at Amaya, and did a sweeping "After you," gesture at her. Amaya breathed in, once, held it, and followed Lily into the Great Hall.

Wow that wasn't meant to be so long. Sorry?
As per usual, please comment if you spot any mistakes, or if you just want to comment. I don't mind. Not my life. Thanks for reading, vote if you liked it, hope you did. See you at the sorting! -Echo