The Next Generation: Year One [a Harry Potter fanfiction]

Chapter Three - Hogwarts

Chapter Three – Hogwarts

Echo departed the train with his new friends, Solaris’ fur brushing his leg slightly as he walked. His excitement was replaced by anxiousness as they stepped onto the platform and into a crowd of jostling people. Echo hated crowds, as all the noise and activity tended to dull his senses from picking up on possible dangers. He couldn’t keep his gaze from flitting from face to face, trying to determine if they would or could bring him harm.

“Firs’ years! Firs’ years! All firs’ years over here!” a voice boomed. Echo turned and saw that the voice belonged to a HUGE man with a long scruffy brown beard streaked with grey and hair to match. Despite his intimidating stature, his eyes were kind and he had a pleasant aura about him.

Albus and Rose immediately recognized the man.

“Evening, Hagrid!” Rose called as they neared.

“Hi, Hagrid!” Albus called as well, dropping Echo’s hand.

Catching sight of them, Hagrid beamed. “Hello there, Rosie. Albus.” His happy gaze shifted to Echo. “New friend o’ yers?”

Albus nodded with a smile. “Yeah, this is Echo. Echo, meet Rubeus Hagrid. He’s the groundskeeper at Hogwarts and he teaches Care of Magical Creatures.”

Echo nodded and smiled pleasantly at the large man. “Nice to meet you, Professor Hagrid.”

Hagrid’s face scrunched up. “I’m not yer professor fer a few years yet. Call me Hagrid.”

Echo’s smile turned more genuine. “Alright, Hagrid.”

Hagrid continued to round up all the first years for the next few minutes. When he thought everyone was gathered, he began leading them down a dirt path, which was muddy from recent rainfall. Suddenly, the path opened up into a clearing. A large black lake lay in front of the crowd of first years, a fleet of small boats at the shore. But the sight that had all the children gasping and gaping was the castle. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood tall and proud high on a cliff on the other side of the black lake. It was dark, so the details were hard to see but anyone could see that it was large, with countless piercing towers and turrets, windows lit up to look like twinkling stars against the dark backdrop.

“Wow,” Albus couldn’t help but say as he stood looking at it. He’d heard countless stories of the place, of course, as it was both his parents’ alma mater, as well as that of his uncles and most of his aunts. He had been told hundreds of times how magnificent a sight she was but to see it himself was an entirely different experience.

It’s so beautiful, Echo thought.

‘It is,’ Solaris agreed, awe in her voice.

Have you never been here before? Echo asked. Solaris had been pretty much every place under the sun and Echo had yet to find a place she hadn’t been before.

‘Oh, I have,’ Solaris replied, amusement mixing with nostalgia. ‘It’s just that it’s been years. It has to have been over eighty years now. Who did you say is the headmaster now?’

Miss Minerva McGonagall, I think.

‘Ah. Yes, I remember her. Though, my master at the time called her Minnie back then.’

Minnie? That’s so cute!

“Echo!” Albus called, snapping Echo out of his thoughts. “Come on!”

Echo looked up to see the green-eyed boy waving from inside of one of the small boats that rested on the lake. “Coming!” he called.

“Echo!” another voice shouted.