Strange Beginnings

Chapter II

Hogsmeade station was brightly lit with lanterns all along the port. Masses of black robbed students made it hard to discern friends from strangers but Y/N kept close to Cedric as they walked to the edge of the terminal. A large burly wizard towered over the tops of the students calling out for all first years to follow him to the dock. Grasping the end of the grey sweater nervously Y/N looked back to Cedric. The boy put his hands on both their shoulders and eyed them with an encouraging grin.

"I'll see you inside okay?"

Y/N nodded and turned to follow the other first years to the boats. Students climbed in the long thin canoes with three to four in each. Y/N didn't pay much attention to who was boarding with them and soon after the small ship started to float away. The sound of Chattering students and lake water lapping against side of the boats droned on during trip across the lake. Some stuck their hands out to touch the cold water and Y/N was about to as well but remembered from their book why it was called "the black lake" and decided against it.

The sounds of creatures from the forest could be heard, birds flying over head occasionally, but a croaking sound came from somewhere relatively close by. Y/N looked around for a possible rock or driftwood where a frog could be perched but as the calls continued they bent over to look under their bench. There was a toda, not a frog, that had some how gotten on the boats with the students. Y/N remembered Hermione looking for a toda and thought this must be the one. They reached under and grabbed the toad who didn't resist being picked up and put the small creature in their robe pocket. They figured at the sorting ceremony they'd wait to hear the. name Neville be called out and return the pet to him.

The caravan met underneath the castle and everyone disembarked, walking towards the stairs that led to the front doors. Inside a tall older woman waited for them at the top of the stairs. She welcomed the new students to Hogwarts and instructed them on what will happen when they enter the great hall to be sorted. In the middle of her explanation a boy near the top of the steps interrupted her.

"Trevor!" he pushed passed the others to the top step and bent down to pick up a toad.

Y/N's eyes widened and checked their robe pocket where they thought the animal was stored. Apparently the toad had escaped amongst the shuffle but now he was returned to his owner, even if in an awkward disruption on the boy's part. The professor informed the students to wait and left, most likely to prepare for the ceremony. Not long after a bold kid with a smug grin addressed his fellow classmates.

"So it's true - Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Murmuring erupted, some in disbelief that the child legend was amongst them, others trying to find out which boy was the famed wizard. The confident, perhaps more accurately pompous, blonde boy made his acquaintance with famous young wizard. His slicked back hair made Y/N turn their nose upward in distaste for the style. He made his status known, most in the wizarding community knew of the Malfoy's prestige (mainly because they made it a point to alert everyone of it), and had the impudence to insult a red head named Ronald Weasley standing beside Mr. Potter.

Y/N hadn't met the Weasley children yet but knew Molly and Arthur after having dinner with them once when Mr. Diggory had invited them over. They took a great liking to the couple but couldn't assume the same for their offspring. Y/N's aversion for the Malfoy boy however was already on its way to forming a negative opinion on his character.

The woman returned, ending any further comments Draco Malfoy might have wanted to add, and directed the students to follow her. When the massive doors opened all eyes turned upward to the illusion on the ceiling. Reading about it didn't compare to seeing it with one's own eyes. The first years gathered around the front of the hall's steps before a chair where an old tattered hat sat. Y/N felt the rhythm of their heart beat quicken, those same nauseating nerves twisting their stomach.