Love is All; Love is New

Five: New faces.

"Aha! Unless I am very  much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" Dumbledore shouts, from his spot beside the other teachers, behind the entire student body.

I go on my tippy-toes to see over everyone's heads. Oliver looks down and laughs, so I just elbow him playfully.

"I don't see anything," Fred frowns,

"There!" I shout, pointing over the forest.

Everyone turns to look and instantly breaks into chatter. Whatever it is, it grows larger and larger by the moment.

"What in the world...?" Oliver mutters, squinting to try and figure it out. It looks like, a flying house, or something along the lines of that. It was huge!

As it gets closer, flying above the Forbidden Forest, I can see a horse-drawn carriage, pulled by at least a dozen flying horses. The 'carriage' is larger than a house, and the horses are larger than elephants.

Those standing in the front, take a few steps back, leaving more room for the horses to land. I look to Oliver with excitement. He smiles and steps in closer to me.

The carriage lands with a loud crash, causing a few students to jump back, nearly causing fights to break out. Everyone is fighting to be able to see. Students are pushing, and shoving to be able to be visible. I get shoved roughly, but luckily, Oliver catches me before I fall to the ground,

"Hey, watch it!" He yells at a few Hufflepuff first years. They stare at Oliver in fear and retreat back towards the rear of the group.

"Thanks," I smile, and settle in closer to Oliver. He doesn't take his hands from my sides. I try to refrain from smiling like an idiot.

The rather fancy doors open and a boy dressed in all blue jumps down to set up a pair of golden steps. He jumps back into the carriage, quickly. Then, out of the carriage, comes, who must be the headmistress.

"Bloody hell!" George hisses to us,

I look up to see the largest woman I've ever laid eyes on, coming out of the carriage. She stands probably the same height as Hagrid, who towers over everyone in the school. That probably explains the size of the carriage.

But, surprisingly, she isn't hideous. Despite the gasps that ring out from the student body, she isn't frightening looking. If she were a few feet shorter, she might even be pretty. She has large, dark eyes that seem so wise. Her hair is pulled back into a low, professional-looking bun. She dresses so regally, I feel silly even standing before her in my pathetic robes and uniform. Now I see all the fuss from the teachers.

Dumbledore starts applauding, and the rest of us follow suit. Her uptight features relax slightly as she approaches Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers.

"My dear Madame Maxime, Welcome to Hogwarts," Dumbledore takes the woman's hand and kisses it. He doesn't even have to bend to kiss it, it's right at eye-level.

"Dumbly-dorr, I 'ope I find you well," She says, in a deep, rich french accent. The more I look at her, the more I feel as if I'm watching royalty.

"In excellent form, I thank you," Dumbledore smiles, speaking as if they're old friends.

"My pupils," Madame Maxime says, waving one of her hands behind her, nearly knocking a group of Ravenclaws to the ground. I stifle laughter.

Everyone was distracted by the large headmistress that they hadn't notice the small student body forming behind her. A group of students, all around my age, stand shivering. They all wear robes made of fine, blue silk. So, it's no surprise that they look as if they're caught in a snowstorm.