Like A Flower Blooming

Chapter 8

The train station was filled with people when I got off. I heard a loud voice, yelling:" First-years! First-years! This way!" I pulled Ron behind me towards Hagrid's loud voice.

" Hagrid!" I said, happily.

" Ari. Nice to see you," he said, winking at me.

I smiled at him as Ron said: " Woah," as he took Hagrid in. He was huge and really scary from a distance. We were led down to the lake where boats bobbed in the water. A boy with silvery-blonde hair sneered at the state of the boats and mumbled something about," If my father found out..."

Me and Ron took one with Hermione and Neville behind us. The boats floated out onto the lake as soon as Hagrid took his own boat and moved faster than any boat I'd ever been on. We moved in the water and around a corner of the mountain came a huge castle with all its lights twinkling like little lamps from a distance.

Everyone gasped and Hagrid threw out his chest proudly. The boats landed in a dock and we walked up to the castle and into a large room where a stern woman was waiting for us. Her green eyes glistened as she took in the sight of us. I nervously tried to rearrange my hair and straighten the skirt and shirt I was dressed in.

" Hello. My name is Professor McGonagall. I am Deputy Headmistress here at Hogwarts. I am also here to explain to you the rules of Hogwarts and the Houses. At Hogwarts, your House is your family. You sleep, eat, drink, and take classes with your House. Your Head is in charge of your House and will punish you for any major rule-breaking that you do." For some reason, she was piercing Ron with her stare.

" All teachers have the power to deduct and add points from your House. Do good and you will be rewarded. Break the rules and you will be punished. I will give you a few minutes to.. ah... straighten yourselves out," she said, looking at me slightly with recognition.

I nervously pulled down my sweater and brushed down my hair. A few minutes later, she came back and ordered us to get into 2 lines. Ron and me stood next to each other as we walked into the Great Hall.

It was amazing! Candles floated all around the heads of the kids and instead of a ceiling was a beautiful night sky with the full moon glowing as bright as the sun.

" It's not really the night sky. It's only enchanted to look so. I read it in Hogwarts: A History," came Hermione's voice out of nowhere.

I looked in front to where McGonagall was standing next to a stool with a dirty, old hat on it. We gathered in the front and I looked around the staff. A man with long silvery hair and beard sat in the middle, staring intensely at us. For a second, I had the weirdest thought that he was staring at ME! Hagrid was sitting a few chairs away from him and he gave me a big smile and the thumbs-up.

" Abbott, Hannah," said Professor McGonagall's clear voice. A girl with blonde pigtails stepped up, obviously extremely nervous. She sat down on the stool and McGonagall put the hat on her.

" HUFFLEPUFF!" it announced. I almost fell backwards. A talking hat! You've got to be kidding me.

Ron was looking extremely nervous. He'd turned the color of green and started to breathe heavily.

" Bones, Susan," announced McGonagall.

" HUFFLEPUFF!" yelled the hat.

" Boot, Terry."

" RAVENCLAW!"

The first Gryffindor was Brown, Lavender who became really pink as she sat down next to the yelling Weasley twins. Bulstrode, Millicent was the first Slytherin. Maybe it was my imagination but they didn't look like the happiest people ever.