Daughter of Mine | Harry Potter

IX.

The morning of the thirtieth of October held a newly decorated Great Hall. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black elysium badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teacher's table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H. 

The day held a pleasant feeling of anticipation for the arrival of the delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstang. When the bell rang early, Lalia, Sue, and Morag hurried up to Ravenclaw Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back downstairs into the entrance halls. 

The Head of Houses were ordering their students into lines.  The girls quickly shuffled into the Ravenclaw group, joining Luna, who had separated from Ginny. They were filed down the steps and out the doors to stand in front of the castle. 

"I wonder what they will arrive on," Luna said in her wistful voice. 

"Oh, it would be lovely to meet a new magical creature," Lalia said, pulling her hands together towards her cheek. 

"I could care less, as long as they arrive soon," said a shivering Morag. "I'm freezing."

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!"

Studens began speaking up excitedly, inquiring where the delegation was. 

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

Something extremely large was hurting 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. 

"Don't be stupid ... it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevy, Colin's younger brother. 

As the 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. 

"Abraxans..." Lalia whispered. Her wide eyes focused on the beautiful creatures landed. The carriage bouncing on its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled larger, fiery red eyes. 

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriafe, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. A massive high-heeled black shoe emerged from the inside of the carriage, followed by the largest woman Lalia had ever seen. 

The woman stepped into the light and revealed her olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was in a bun at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin. 

Dumbledroe started to clap and she walked towards him, extending her hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it. 

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope to find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore. 

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.

A dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madam Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. They stared at Hogwarts apprehensively.