Harry Potter : the next generation

chapter 3

Al Potter didn't see anyone he knew as he stepped off the train; it seemed that he was swept up in a crowd of people, black-robed students moving this way and that; everyone else seemed to know what to do, and he felt frightened and lost—

            "Firs' years, firs' years right here!" Al recognized the voice, and he brightened as he saw a massive man, swinging a lantern, making his way towards him.

            "Hey there, Al!" Rubeus Hagrid smiled brightly at him. "Right here!"

            Other students were congregating nearby; Al caught a flash of red hair and saw Rose standing with the boy who James had been tormenting; he made his way over to them.

            "I'm sorry," he said to the boy, choking out the words. "I should've done something—"

            "It's all right," the slight blonde boy replied; he didn't seem to hold a grudge.

            "This is Scorpius," Rose said. "Scorpius, this is my cousin Albus, but most of the time we just call him Al."

            "I hope you get into whatever House you want," Al said to him. He looked to Rose, thinking of how brave she had been on the train. "I know you will."

            Rose flushed bright pink and suddenly became very interested in her shoes; before Al could wonder about it, he heard Hagrid say, "Firs' years follow me! Watch your step!"

            They stumbled down a narrow trail; Al nearly tripped once, and found himself grasping the sleeve of his nearest neighbor for help, a brown-haired girl who nearly tripped with him before shaking him off. "Sorry," he gulped as they rounded a bend in the path.

            "Look there! Jus' round the bend!" Hagrid shouted. "Hogwarts – that's it!"

            Al gasped; the narrow path had opened suddenly, the lake appearing directly in front of them. Beyond the lake was the castle in all its glory, the turrets spiraling up into the sky, the windows sparkling as brightly as the stars.

            "Four to a boat!" Hagrid called. Albus bundled in with Scorpius and Rose; another boy, this one tall and dark-haired, climbed in after them.

            "Everyone in? FORWARD!" Hagrid was in a little boat at their head, still holding his lantern.

            For a moment, Albus thought about introducing himself to the dark-haired boy, but then they moved forward towards the castle, and everyone became quiet: it was as someone had Silenced the entire class of first-years. All of them stared at the great castle, spellbound by its majesty.

            Hogwarts, Albus thought. He could imagine the Great Hall, imagine the feast that awaited, imagine the moment the Sorting Hat would call out his House.

            He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Hagrid's cry of "Heads down!" and didn't duck as the curtain of ivy approached, but Scorpius tugged on his sleeve and he lowered his head in time.

            "Thanks," Albus said as they came to a halt, the boats stopping at an underground harbor. Their boat stopped, but only the dark-haired boy who hadn't introduced himself climbed out eagerly.

            "Al, Rose, what're you waitin' for?" Hagrid asked. Hagrid's friendly smile shook Al out of his frozen pose, and he climbed from the boat onto the gravel. Rose and Scorpius followed him, but he noticed that they were no faster than he: Scorpius looked just as nervous as he did, while Rose's face was a mask except for her wide eyes.