Hufflepuffs

Chap 2

During the train ride, after they had changed into their robes, Yverline and the two siblings talked about anything and everything that came to mind. Annabelle did her best to steer away from the subject of Yverline's mum, wanting to make her first year at Hogwarts as enjoyable as possible.

"The food just appears on the tables?!" Yverline asked in excitement.

"Yes! And there's all sorts of things to eat. There's pudding, pies, tracheal tarts, potatoes in every form, five different kinds of meat." Thomas had a glow in his eye. "Anna told me all about it."

"The feast is the best time to fill up on food." Annabelle smiled. "It's worth the stomach aches. Though I heard that some of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students were working on a spell to empty their stomachs so that they could eat more." She shook her head and chuckled. "We have seven years of feasts, that should be plenty of time to try everything." Yverline nodded, though she thought that it might be fun to try everything in one night.

"So how do we know what house we get into?" Yverline asked.

"They put the sorting hat on your head, and it calls out what house you would do best in." Annabelle replied, taking a moment to ponder her next question,
"Didn't your mother tell you anything about Hogwarts?"

"No." Yverline puffed out a breath of air. "She's not magical, doesn't know anything about it."

"She's a muggle?" Annabelle said.

"Is that what they're called?" Yverline looked up from her hands.

"what about your da?" Thomas asked.

"Dad?" Yverline frowned. "He mostly stays locked in his room. I don't ever talk to him apart from dinner time." She smiled suddenly. "But I remember playing games with him in the field by our house when I was little." Her smile grew. "We would play lions, catch, hide and seek." She sighed contently.

Just then the train lurched as it slowed down, coming to a stop at a small train station.
The excitement grew, and many students started filing past the compartment the trio was in.

Yverline breathed in deep shaky breaths. She had managed to distract herself from the fear of a new school for the train ride, but it was coming back now.

"Hey." Annabelle smiled and placed a hand on Yverline's shoulder, "We will be right there with you. I can't ride over with you, as the boats are only for first years, but Thomas will stick to you like glue. Won't you?" Annabelle looked at her brother.

"Like superglue." He grinned.

Yverline smiled back and took a deep breath, assuring herself that it would be ok.

"I hope I'm in slytherin, cause then I could be with you guys." She stood and shook her robes out, looking up to see two very bright smiles directed at her.

_________
Yverline stepped out from the train, her arm linked with Thomas's, and she gasped as she spotted possibly the biggest man in existence.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" He called out, holding a lamp up above his head. It illuminated his burly face, showing the white and grey streaks in his bushy beard and hair.

Thomas started towards him, stopping when he was held back by Yverline.

"Hey." He said, "you'll be fine. Anna told me about Hagrid," he gestured to the giant. "He's really nice. Don't worry." Yverline swallowed and nodded her head, tightening her grip on Thomas's arm as they walked up to Hagrid.

"Firs' years!" Hagrid looked around at the children before him, "alrigh' that all of ye?" His voice boomed. "Follow me to t'e boats." He lumbered away towards a lake, Thomas and Yverline just behind him.

"Scared?" Hagrid asked.

"What?" Yverline jumped.

"Yer grippin' yer friends arm pretty tigh' there." He explained. Yverline loosened her grip.

"Firs' year is always the scariest." Hagrid smiled. "Come over for tea some time, I'll show you some of the be'er parts of Hogwarts." He looked toward the boats.

"Alright, no more than three people per boat." He called out. "You two can ride wit' me." He winked at Yverline and Thomas. Thomas grinned and Yverline offered a weak smile. Her mother had warned her against strangers her whole life, and now she was getting in a boat with one.

Needless to say, the boat ride eased her fears.

There was something strangely calming about riding a boat across a lake in the dark. The water was smooth, and it reflected the stars, making it seem as thought they were gliding through the very night sky.

Yverline tore her gaze from the lake, directing it towards Hogwarts. the incredible castle loomed above them, windows illuminated on every level, windows holding many secrets of magic, many of which Yverline was excited to find out, despite her nervousness.

Just as they grew near to the pier at the bank of the lake, huge tentacles suddenly burst out of the water around the boats, making everyone, apart from Hagrid, scream.

Water splattered the children when the tentacles came out of the water, and a strong stench of rotting fish filled the air. Some of the tentacles waved in the air, while others creeped up the boats towards the children.

"Don' Worry!" Hagrid yelled, "It's Jus' sayin' hi!" he whacked a tentacle out of the way of the boat, and slowly the other tentacles followed the first in their descent into the water.

They reached the bank, and Yverline's heart was beating so fast she was sure she was having a heart attack. It didn't help that it was difficult to get onto the pier without falling into the water. Thomas and Hagrid helped her onto the pier, Thomas taking her arm and linking it with his as soon as she was steady. They marched up the hill and soon came close to the looming, magnificent castle. When they reached the doors, and they were greeted by a plump woman with curly hair.

"Hello, my dears." She greeted, "come inside, come inside. it's much too cold for you young ones out here. Thank you Hagrid dear for escorting them thus far." She ushered the shivering children into the castle, though it was unclear if it was from fright or cold.

"Alright, come together here." She directed them to a staircase in front of two enormous doors. "Just wait a moment, i'll be back in a few." She bustled away through the doors and left the first years on the staircase, each murmuring to one another about what houses they hoped they'd get into.

Yverline clutched Thomas's arm, refusing to let go until she absolutely had to. It seemed years before The plump woman came back, and time slowed down for sure when they had to walk through the open doors.

They entered the hall, greeted by many stares, and floating candles.