Bad Reputation

Chapter 4

Rigel was busy looking out the window admiring the beautiful country side. "i love this view" he said smiling to himself. his attention was drawn to a voice that echoed through out 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." Rigel began to feel nervous. he took a deep soothing  breath and began to feel relaxed. "lets do this thing" he said to his reflection and smiled.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. "hey you break it you buy it" Rigel said angry to someone who had almost pushed him to the ground. " Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Rigel heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" said the voice. Rigel reconsidered it as the man Hagrid who he had met in Diagon Ally. "  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 asteep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that gave Rigel shivers. "i hate these woods" he said. "aww is little Lestrange scared" said a voice teasing.

Rigel turned and from what he saw he guessed it as Ron. "oh yeah then why are your knuckle shaking" Rigel asked smirking at the sight of Rons trembling knuckles. Ron quickly hid them behind his back. "if you want you can hold my hand if you want to till your not scared anymore" he offered his hand. ron took it carefully like he was plucking a flower. Rigel began to blush a litte. it was to dark to see but Ron was blushing as well.

  "Ye' all 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 take.Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling inthe starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.No more'n five to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Rigel got into a boat while still holding Rons hand with Ron and harry, and a boy who looked scared and a girl with big bushy hair. "why are you two holding hands" Harry asked. pointing to Ron and Rigels hands who were still locked together. "no reason" Ron said letting go of Rigels hand. Rigel didn't know why but it made him feel bad when Ron let go.  "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 thelake, 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 harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

  "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking theboats as people climbed out of them.  "Trevor!" cried the boy from Rigels boat  blissfully, holding out his hands. Then theyclambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out atlast 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.

  The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-greenrobes stood there. She had a very stern face his cousin had told him about her. she was Professor McGonagall teacher of Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor house  ."The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid."Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could havefit a large mansion in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.