Twice Chosen | Esmerelda Potter

6. The Boat Ride

"First years, oveh' here!" Hagrid shouts. 

"Hey look, it's Hagrid!" I say to Harry. 

Harry and I run over to Hagrid, the first familiar face since arriving. Ron follows behind and gapes at the giant over twice our height. 

"Hi guys, go ride on te boats," Hagrid says quietly, only to us. We smile at Hagrid and run in the same direction as the rest of the kids while Hagrid continues to shout. 

I watch as kids who seem older, bigger, and taller than us walk down a dirt path in the other direction. I wonder if that is where we will be going next year.

People race to grab partners to ride with. Soon, almost everyone has a partner or two and soon there are only a few people that don't have anyone to ride with.

"Only three per boat!" Hagrid shouts over all the screaming eleven-year olds.

"Esmerelda, come with us!" Ron shouts to me.

"Okay!" I say.

All three of us carefully step into a small brown boat. There are only three seats, and I sit in the very front, with Harry behind me, then Ron behind him. I stare at the water. My auburn hair looks ragged, I didn't have time to make it look nice when I was rushed today. It takes quite a while to completely calm down and straighten my hair, which annoys me beyond all end.

"So, what house do you think you'll be in?" Ron asked, interrupting me looking at the water. "I'll be in Gryffindor; all my brothers are in there."

"I think my parents were in Gryffindor too," I say. "I did hear Hermione say that."

"What are you two talking about?" Harry asks.

"Did you read any books on the train?" I ask.

"No."

"There's four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Our parents were in Gryffindor. I'm sure we will be there too," I explain.

The boats began to move with magic. I look up at the majestic building that would be my new home. The moon behind Hogwarts is exceptionally bright tonight, it even happens to be a full moon. 

There is a large, dense forest that encircles the whole building. I hear a coyote, or something like it, howl to the left of me. 

The towering building has many points and edges to it. There are countless windows and everything just seems to have a magical glow to it. I can't take my eyes off it.

==========

The second the boats hit the other side of the lake, my hands begin to shake again. Everyone immediately jumps out of their boats. I can see someone ahead leading the pack of students up the hill and into the castle. She has a green robe on, but I can't see her face. I can tell that she isn't a student based on the way she walks.

She leads us through an ancient-looking hallway filled with a variety of pictures and up two flights of stairs. 

When she turns around, I can see that she has thin glasses and a thin nose with green eyes. Her face has many wrinkles on it, from old age.

"I am Professor Minerva Mcgonagall. In just a moment, you will be led through these doors and you will begin the sorting process, where you will be sorted into your houses, which are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, based on your personalities. Your house is like your family. Good deeds shall help your house receive points, and bad deeds shall help your house lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points receives the House Cup."

"Trevor!" A boy pushes through the crowd and picks up a dark green toad and glances at Professor Mcgonagall. He turns back, embarrassed, and disappears back into the crowd.

"I'll check to see if they are ready for you," Professor Mcgonagall says.

Professor Mcgonagall disappears through the large doors.

"It's true! The Potter twins have come to Hogwarts! I met them in Diagon Alley!" The entire group turns to talk to each other.

"Harry Potter?"

"That's impossible!"

"Where?"

"What house will they be in?"

"Did they really fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

A boy appears right in front of Harry and I. I recognize him immediately: it's the boy from the robe shop. I tried for the life of me to remember his name, but to no avail. 

"You'll learn, Potters, that some wizarding families are better than others." He stares at Ron while he says that. 

"Shut up!" Ron shouts with force.

"Pipe down, Weasley!" the boy shouts when Ron gasps. "Yes, I know you are a Weasley. Red hair, hand-me-down-robe, it's pretty obvious!" he guffaws. 

"You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you with that." he, says, addressing Harry. The blonde boy puts his hand out, obviously waiting for us to shake on whatever agreement he's making.

I glance at Harry who says, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks Malfoy." 

Right. That's his name: Draco Malfoy. His gray, cold eyes bore into me next. "What about you, Potter?  Will you take me up on my offer? Be smarter than your twin brother." 

I first nod, hoping Harry's answer would speak for itself. 

"Don't let him speak for you," Draco starts. "You are more than capable of thinking for yourself. And I can be the one to help you with that! Now, Potter, will you join me?"

I pause again, thinking of a good answer. I feel my face turning red, anger coursing through me. Of course I can speak for myself! Who does he think he is?

"I'd rather be with the wrong wizarding sort than with the right sort if it means that I have to leave people who have been so incredibly kind to me." I can see Harry and Ron smile out of the corner of my eye. However, I try to keep my composure while Draco stares me down. 

"I thought you both would be better than that," Draco says demeaningly. A chill runs through my spine. "What a shame," Draco finishes. 

Professor Mcgonagall suddenly taps Malfoy on the shoulder with a scroll. He steps back down to where he stood before, me thanking Professor Mcgonagall under my breath. 

"They're ready for you."