YOKAI: Ghosts & Demons of Japan
Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shapeshifters, tricksters, and other kinds of supernatural beings and mysterious phenomena. Yokai interact with the human world and spark common notions...
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As the scarlet engine hisses to a stop, Hadleigh with Draco holding her hand and Blaise and Theo behind them, they walked forward as a giant of a man started calling out to them. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" The four make their way over as Hadleigh is surrounded by the boys, Draco was becoming more possessive as other males looked at her with adoration. Hadleigh held tighter to Draco's hand as Blaise and Theo glared at the wandering eyes.
They walked to the Black Lake; the giant called out to them ordering them on what to do. "Four to a boat."
Draco helped Hadleigh into a boat, as he sat beside her, the young witch talking to Blaise and Theo about the latest trends. The fleet of tiny boats glide silently over the glassy lake. Hadleigh was gazing at the dark trees of the forest that surrounds them. A glint of silver flickers through the black trees, like a dream. Her fingers glided over the Black Lake, her eyes glowing gold as she saw deep in the water the Giant Squid.
"You there! Don' be trailin' yer fingers in the water. Yeh might find yeh don' get 'em all back." The giant shouted at her, Hadleigh blinked before pulling her hand away from the water and resting it on her lap. Draco glared at the giant annoyed that he would talk to Hadleigh that way. Hadleigh continues to peer into the black water, she sees her own pale face looking back, then a soft glitter of reflected light dances on the surface. She looks up and watches as a magnificent castle drift into view. This was Hogwarts.
They stepped in front of the towering doors that allowed them entrance; the door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Hadleigh's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid the giant. She had finally learnt his name after whispering with Draco.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it, well from what Hadleigh could remember of her aunt and uncles home. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
Draco and Hadleigh continued to whisper to one another as they followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Hadleigh could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, the rest of the school must already be inside, she thought. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather close together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."
