Be Brave N.L

1

I stumble out of the carriage after the last of the kids get out. I felt invisible, even in front of the whole of Hogwarts school. I was cold, considering my thin robe. I could see everyone else was, too, due to the shaking of their fragile Beauxbaton frames. I realize how frail everyone from my school looks next to the rather beefy Hogwarts students. Madame Maxime walks up too Dumbledore. He kisses her hand, looking short next to the giantness of her. "My dear Madame Maxime," He greets. "Welcome to Hogwarts,"

"Dumbly-dorr, I hope I find you well?" She greets back, her voice rough and low compared to Dumbledors' smooth one.

"In excellent form, I thank you,"

Madame gestures back too us, saying, "My pupils," She pauses for a second, letting the other students take us in. "'As Karkaroff arrived yet?"

"He should be should be here any moment," Dumbledores caressing voice askes. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

Madame doesn't even think before saying, "Warm up, I think. But ze orses-"

She gets cut off. "Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them, the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other- er- charges."

"My steeds require -er- forceful handling. They are very strong..." Madame trailed off doubtfully. She's underexaggerating. They almost killed me before we left.

Dumbledore, however, does not look doubtful and smiles, "I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job,"

Madame is not reassured. "Very well. Will you please inform zis Agrid that zat se orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"It will be attended to." He says quickly yet calmly.

Madame gestures too us again. "Come." She says and I leap to shadow her, in the middle of the group, where I'd be nearly unseen. I follow them into the building. Hogwarts was old and dark in an unsettling way. Beauxbaton was the same size, and probably just as old, but it had been renovated so that window light streamed in every handsome, sterile corridor. As we got farther into the building, it seemed too get dusty, and a musty scent filled my nostrils. The other kids seemed just as aware of the dirtiness as I was, and many of them lifted there robes so that they didn't drag on the floor. I didn't have too. Remus couldn't often afford to buy new robes, due to lack of job stability. Being a werewolf and all was hard to hide; he'd find work, and then someone would see him transform, and he'd get fired. It was all one big loop, and during the summer we'd move at least twice. I never cared, though, and I've always appreciated Remus. He didn't haven to take me in, in fact, he was very kind in doing so, considering that up until last year he thought my father betrayed him and committed mass murder... he broke out and proved innocent, to us atleast, but he's on the run from the dementors, I recall the time I met him: The strange, raggedy man took my face in his hands, and silent tears started running down his cheeks. "Em-er-yn," He croaks my name syllable by syllable. "Emeryn. I'm so sorry," He pulls me into a hug and his tears wet my hair. Normally I'd be mad, I wouldn't want to be hugged by someone so dirty. But I wasn't. I had a good dad. A really good one that is sorry. I hug him back. "You look just like your mother. So, so, like your mother." Remus had always said I looked like a perfect mix of both my mom and my dad; shiny dark brown hair, a mix of my mum's golden and my dad's black, facial features sharp as both there's, and I was tiny. Dad was normal sized and mum was very small. She and the rest of my family on her side were murdered mere months after I was born. By death eaters. Once, when I was 11, Remus looked at my face and had a mental breakdown. He said I looked like him on his first day at Hogwarts. I'm knocked back to the present as we enter the cafeteria-like room. It has five long tables, and I make to follow Madame to what must be the staff table. "Emeryn, when I said I'd bring you along as my assistant, I didn't mean carry on. Go sit with the other students," Madames words surprise me. She had brought me as her assistant; Remus convinced her as soon as he heard the triwizard tournament would be going on, for I was too young to even try to participate, and he wanted to go see Sirius, but refused to get to far from me. I don't know why all of a sudden he's so paranoid. Last year he taught here, at Hogwarts, and left me at Beauxbaton, no problem at all. Anyway, I turn around and head for the table my fellow students have sat down at. I try to sit close to them, so that I don't float oddly, but not so they thought I was trying to be friendly. I can always try to go by the sir name Lupin, but in situations like attendance its nearly impossible, so now most everyone avoids me... I guess its ok, though, Remus is the best friend I could ever ask for. He listens to me, and tends to understand well. I do miss him in the school year, I miss him terribly, but thats what owls are for. After a few minutes of silently and coldly waiting, the Hogwarts and Durmstrang students clambered in. All Hogwarts kids in blue robes sat at the table I was at. A girl and a boy, who must be in my grade sat on either side of me. The girl, who has warm brown skin, black hair, and a skinny face, immediately started talking. "Hi, I'm Padma," She pauses and stares at my blank face before adding "Patil. You look young. Are you sure your allowed to participate?"