𝓘'𝓶 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓪 {𝓗𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻}

6

"Firs' years this way!" a loud voice shouted.

We turned and saw the gigantic man on the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

He must be Hagrid the Gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. If I'm correct he was the one who was framed and expelled from Hogwarts because of a monster who killed Myrtle Elizabeth Warren.

Of course, the truth came out it was Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort who killed that girl. His hate for muggle-borns is well known around the world.

"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd.

They waved at him but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform.

We followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

Or so they thought I could see the invisible horse because it was a Thestral. They are only visible to those who have witnessed death at least once. Of course, I have seen death so many times I didn't say anything they might get spooked if I told them something was pulling the carriage.

Harry looked better since he had the chocolate, but guessing he's still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, I saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side.

The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and the four of us got out.

As we stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy" Ron said whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" Malfoy said loudly "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"How about you shut the fuck up" I said glaring at him his getting to my nerves.

"Why you little-" Malfoy didn't finish when Remus showed up.

"Is there a problem?" a mild voice said. Remus had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Remus an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said,

"Oh, no -er -Professor" then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

The four of us joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; We followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! Scott! I would like to have a word with you three!"