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Aurora Areli
THE CARRIAGES TRUNDLED THROUGH the gates and up the sweeping drive, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Through the window, I could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain.
Lightning flashed across the sky as our carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and I jumped down from our carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when we were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit Entrance Hall.
"Blimey," Ron said, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soakー ARGH!"
A large, red, water-filled balloon had dropped from out of the ceiling onto Ron's head, and exploded. Drenched and spluttering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, just as a second water bomb dropped — narrowly missing Hermione and me, it burst at Harry's feet.
People all around us shrieked and started pushing each other in their efforts to get out of the line of fire. When I looked up to find the source of the balloons, I saw Peeves floating twenty feet above us. His wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again.
"PEEVES!" an angry voice yelled. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!"
Professor McGonagall had come dashing out of the Great Hall; she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself falling, narrowly missing me. "Ouch — sorry, Miss Granger —"
"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.
"Peeves, get down here NOW!" Professor McGonagall barked straightening her pointed hat and glaring upwards through her square-rimmed spectacles.
"Not doing nothing!" Peeves cackled, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the Great Hall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" And he aimed another bomb at a group of second-years who had just arrived.
"I shall call the Headmaster!" Professor McGonagall shouted. "I'm warning you, Peeves —"
Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air and zoomed off up the marble staircase, cackling insanely.
"Well move along, then!" Professor McGonagall said sharply to the sodden crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"
Harry, Ron, Hermione and I slipped and slid across the Entrance Hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.
