Return of the Resurrection Stone

Chapter 3

It was dark in the street of Diagon Alley, and Eliza was alone. She walked down the alley, frightened and cold, but then a soft, white glow came about at the end of the road. Eliza stopped. It floated toward her, and she recognized the ghostly outline of her great grandmothers.

"Eliza. Destroy it. Destroy the stone that bears the Peverell crest. Destroy it." They cried and moaned. Then, there was a solid, cold hand on her shoulder. She turned slightly and there was-

"Eliza! Wake UP! The trolley witch is here, don't you want anything?" Sandra asked as she dug around in her own pockets for coins.

"Oh, alright then. Um, I'll have two cauldron cakes, and, hmmm, how's about two chocolate frogs as well?" Eliza said to the little old witch as she hunched over the trolley, digging around for their sweets. "Thank you very much miss." Eliza said, and she leaned over Sophie toward the witch to collect the snacks. After stretching over a great deal, Eliza finally retrieved the sweets. She tore open the wrapper to a chocolate frog and stuffed it into her mouth, for she suddenly felt very hungry. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maggie carefully unwrapping a chocolate frog.

"Who did you get?" Eliza asked.

"Huh? Oh, um... Severus Sapei." Maggie said, as if she could care less. "What is it for anyway?"

"What? You don't know what the cards are for? Why, they are for collecting. I've got about six-hundred or so. Oooh, look. I've got Albus Dumbledore. My Uncle was named after him you know, and Severus Snape."

"Snape? I could care less. Apparently my father didn't tell me anything important about the wizarding world, he was a muggle, see. My mother was a witch, but she left when I was two. The miserable old-bat.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I had no idea. If you don't want that card, can I have it? I haven't got Snape yet, they've only just started making him about ten years ago."

"No, you can not." Maggie stuck the card through a crack in the window, and pushed it outside where it floated out of sight. By then the sun was setting, and everyone headed off to change into their uniforms. Once they had sat down again, the train slowed and came to an abrupt halt.

"Firs' years, this way!" A gruff voice shouted as everyone exited the train. Eliza looked around for the source of the voice. Standing in the center of the platform was a ginormous man with a long gray beard. Behind him stood an even larger man, who obviously was a giant.

"Sir, are you professor Hagrid? Is this really Professor GRAWP?" Eliza asked the shorter man, walking up to him fearlessly.

"Why yes, yes we are. Yer must be Lily's daughter, Emily. Am I right?" The shorter man told her.

"Yes, um, it's Eliza. Eliza Brook. Professor Hagrid, I have heard so many good things about you. I am to be taking your class this year, yes? I can hardly wait!"

"Well that's great! You will be in one of my Care of Magical Creatures Classes. I'm sure you have got the proper materials?" Hagrid replied with a large smile before shouting to everyone else," Now first years, follow me to the lake, and DON'T ya fall in!" Everyone began to follow the giants toward the glossy lake. The other other side, stood a humongous castle with lights spilling out from every window. It was absolutely Beautiful! On their side of the lake, several small row boats floated just off of the shore. Eliza sat next to Sandra and Vera on one boat. Once all of the students had boarded and the boats were full, they mysteriously began floating across the lake to the magnificent castle.

"Did you know that my older sister Cameron said that there is a giant squid in the lake, and grindylow, and even merpeople?" Vera said as she gazed down into the depths of the water.

"That's...Incredible." Eliza said, her face in awe at the scene forming around her.

After a short walk across the shadowy castle grounds, which was illuminated by the half moon, and something else non specific and magical that lit the air, they arrived at the grand doors of the castle.