Pheonix

The Arrival

The month past without incident, a rather peaceful start to the new school year. Now though was the time to welcome the new schools temporarily staying with them.

There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter. When the bell rang early, Asura and Brook hurried down to the Slytherin dorms, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back upstairs into the entrance hall.

The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Asura and Brook in the seventh row from the front, most of the house had bored expressions on their faces but all paid attention anyway.

Nearly six," said Asura, checking her watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it," said brook.

"How, then? Broomsticks?"

"I don't think so. . . not from that far away. . . . "

"A Portkey?"

"I think they're gonna ride in on a massive dragon that comes and kills us all so they win by default."

"That's most likely to be fair."

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual. Asura was starting to feel cold. She wished they'd hurry up. . . . Maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance.

And then Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers -

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled the sixth year, pointing over the forest.

Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Told you so, " Asura said blankly.

Brook snorted, "about time."

A gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backwards as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump back onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery-red eyes.

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully.

"Aren't veelas supposed to be good looking, " Brook whispered and Asura giggled.

Then Asura saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sledge - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman she had ever seen in her life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped.