Thick Smoke

Sorting

"What happened? Was it my imagination or did she just fall?"

Eliza groaned and moved a bit. She could hear the boys whisper in the back but she couldn't make out who was who.

"What happened?" She finally asked feeling like her head got split in two.

"You fell out of nowhere! Merlin's beard, you scared us!"

She nodded and rubbed her head feeling sorry for making such an impression.

"Dementors were searching for Sirius Black." Dean told her as he helped her stand. "They're gone now. We'll get to Hogwarts real soon." He continued softly.

Eliza nodded and glanced around her, seeing only Seamus standing across her with wide eyes while Dean was awkwardly standing next to her.

"So, where do you come from?" He asked, trying to loosen up the atmosphere.

The ride went awfully silent after the incident - well except the questions they had and the usual talk about Hogwarts and Quidditch.

When they arrived at the station she felt like she couldn't move her feet. She changed in the bathroom into her plain robes and returned to the cabin in record time.

"Are you scared?" Dean asked her as they were making their way down.

"Not exactly scared but I've never been around so many people before. It's a bit overwhelming." She admitted, getting a pat on the back from the boy.

"If you need anything just come looking for me, Seamus or Neville. It doesn't matter what house you get placed into, really." He smiled kindly and waved before running to some other friends of his.

"Right," She mumbled, standing there without a clue.

"Hey! Are ya lost?"

Eliza turned around and glanced up at a giant man who had a worried expression planted on his face. When he saw her eyes, his face brightened.

"Ya're Eliza right? It's nice to meet ya. I've been dyin' to see ya eve' since Dumbledore let everyone know ya're comin'." He seemed very excited for some reason.

"Is that good?" She questioned, making the giant laugh.

"Of course! I'm Hagrid." He leaned in and continued. "How's been Willy doin'? A bit cranky, ay?"

Her eyes widened and finally recognized the name. Hagrid was the one who took care of Willy because the old owl hated everyone.

"Oh, just a moment," The giant man whispered before he straightened and started to announce that every first year should follow him and keep close.

The transfer students had to do the same since she was a newcomer and had to be sorted.

"So, did he bite ya already?" Hagrid started bemusedly.

Eliza ended up in the same boat with him and two first years who looked somewhere between very excited and very scared.

"No but he tried." She responded softly making Hagrid laugh. "Has he always been so violent?"

"No. There was one person he liked 'xcept yar mother," That definitely piqued her interest.

That seemed to be the end of the discussion as they were getting closer to the castle. The sight was marvelous, like nothing Eliza had ever seen in her life and most of the first years were having the same reaction.

Eliza was one of the few transferred students –there were two more from Durmstrang and one from some Italian Academy in the Alps- and while the boys were talking to each other in Bulgarian, she could only walk with the Italian girl in silence. They followed the first years silently and decided to stick together since they were far taller than the rest.