Beneath Her Skin

Chapter Twelve

The whole of Hogwarts was lined up in their respective Houses out the front of the Hogwarts castle.

Alastriona jumped up and down, because she was in her fourth year there were three lines of students in front of her, majority of whom were all much taller than her.

She turned to Darcy, "What's happening?" She asked.

Darcy shook her head, frowning quizzically. "Nothing, nothing's happening."

Alastriona groaned and jumped up and down again. Susan Bones laughed a little at her and Alastriona stuck her tongue out in retaliation. 

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" Professor Dumbledore announced. 

Alastriona hopped up and down, looking around but could see nothing. 

"There!" Someone in the crowd yelled and they pointed in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

Alastriona groaned, everyone was exclaiming and pointing but she couldn't see it yet! 

And then it came closer and she gasped, her mouth dropping open.

It was a giant baby blue horse-drawn carriage flying through the air! The horses were a stunning gold in colour had wings and were absolutely enormous, larger than any animal Alastriona had ever seen! It landed with a tremendous clattering of giant hooves and large wheels of the carriage. And Alastriona once more lost sight of it and sighed in disappointment.

There was a tap on her shoulder and she smiled weakly up at Cedric Diggory. He walked in front of her and for a second Alastriona was ready to hex him for blocking even more of her view, but then, facing forward, he knelt down and smiled back at her. "Come on, Little Red, you don't want to miss this."

Alastriona grinned and squealed happily, she got onto his back and laughed as he stood up, holding onto her legs, lifting her easily.

She was up in the air just in time to see the largest woman she had ever seen in her entire life step out of the carriage. Alastriona thought she was also quite possibly one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen with smooth olive-skin, large dark, almost black eyes and a sharp angular nose. Her hair was the darkest shade of black and looked silky in the light coming from the entrance hall of Hogwarts. She was dressed in black satin and had shimmering jewels around her neck and covering her large fingers. 

Dumbledore began to clap and the rest of Hogwarts followed. Alastriona clapped loudly and lent down to speak in Cedric's ear as Dumbledore welcomed this woman to Hogwarts. "She's so beautiful!"

Alastriona heard Dumbledore call her Madame Maxime. Madam Maxime gestured behind her and Alastriona saw students begin to file out of the carriage. Alastriona frowned, their robes were made of silk and they weren't wearing cloaks, they were shivering and Alastriona thought they probably should've planned for colder weather. Some were a little smarter and had scarves or wraps around their necks and heads. 

Alastriona waved to a few of the students as they passed by and headed into the warmth of the castle. The rest of Hogwarts continued to wait, rather impatiently, as the wind brought on a bit of a chill. 

"The lake!" Alastriona flinched at Lee Jordan's loud call, "Look at the lake!"

In the very centre of the Great Lake bubbles were forming and large waves were washing over the banks and then in the centre a large whirlpool formed and as the whirlpool became larger and deeper a black pole began to rise to the surface. As more and more of it began to show it was obvious to the students that this was a very, very large black ship! As the ship sailed closer to the shore the steadiness of the Great Lake returned and Alastriona could imagine the Giant Squid being quite unhappy at the disturbance.