"First years! First years over here!" A woman holding a lantern waved her free hand. Shiro felt his stomach clinch as the crowd pushed him along. He followed the sea of eleven year olds, trying to keep the other paladins in sight. The events of how they had ended up here were still so fresh in shiro's mind. They had woken up on the train, with no clue on how they had gotten there. Keith had tried to jump out of the compartment window, until he had realized that it was locked. Shiro had scolded him for being so brash of course, after he had scolded Lance for laughing.
Now they were walking in a crowd of kids raging from eleven to seventeen years old. They had been told to follow the first years and go along from there. Keith didn't look happy his arms were crossed and he looked on the verge of pouting. Hunk looked like he was going to be sick. Pidge kept looking around frantically as if she was afraid something was going to jump out at her. Lance was...
"Lance leave her be." Shiro scolded, he grabbed Lance by the back of the black robes he was wearing. He had been flirting with a girl with flaming red hair.
"Aw come on Shiro." Lance complained, "I'm just trying to get to know some people,"
"You shouldn't be getting to know anyone." Keith grumbled, "we won't be staying,"
"I second that," Hunk said, "this place gives me the creeps," he was eyeing a girl who was carrying a very large bat in a bird cage.
"Alright, none of us are happy about this," Shiro said in hushed voice so no one but the paladins could hear him. "The best thing we can do is stick together,"
And that was that. They continued on following the group of eleven year olds and the woman at the head of them. They were led to a large dock with a fleet of small boats tethered to it. "Three to a boat," the woman said climbing into her own.
"I'm staying with Shiro," Keith said at once. Lance glared at him.
"Why do you get to stick with the leader, mullet?" He snapped. Lance got up into Keith's face and they both started to growl like angry dogs.
"Alright, knock it off you two," shiro said pushing them apart, "you can both ride with me. She said three to a boat. Hunk, Pidge, you can meet back up with us on the shore." The other two nodded and climbed into the nearest boat. Shiro was the first to get into the one closest to them.
"Now, can you two promise not to strangle each other? And don't shake the boat." Shiro told Lance and Keith.
"Didn't tell me you still get sea sick." Keith said, he looked like he was trying to hold in laughter.
"More than a year spent in space doesn't mean I'm over that," Shiro said, crossing his arms. The boat started moving on its own and soon they were drifting across the surface of the lake.
"What do you think's going to happen?" Lance asked after a long pause. Shiro's stomach knotted. Of course he would ask that.
"I wish I knew." Shiro said, "the best we can do is stick together."
"It would be nice if we had the lions." Keith grumbled, "we could just leave."
"We shouldn't even be here." Lance complained. "At least that Harry Potter guy was nice to us." He added.
The boats stopped the ropes tying themselves to the dock just like magic. Shiro wearily climbed out of the boat, glad to be back on dry land. Hunk and Pidge caught up to them. They continued up a trail leading up to a massive castle. Just as Harry had described it, though Shiro had slept through most of it. Already he felt tired again, his feet dragging slightly. They walked up to the large double oak doors leading into the castle. The doors opened and light spilled out onto the gathered kids and five paladins. They walked inside, and stood at the foot of a staircase. A strict looking woman cams walking in front of the group at the top of the stairs.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said, just like everyone else they had run into she had a british accent. "In a few moments you will pass threw these doors and join your classmates, but first you must be sorted into your houses." As she spoke Keith shot Shiro a nervous sideways glance. "There are Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. My name is Professor Magonagle." She looked at the five paladins, her eyes narrowed slightly. "You five are our unique case. Just follow along," she said. She waved a wooden wand and the doors behind her opened. Professor Magonagle led them into a large dining hall with four long tables. Each table had students crammed into every available seat.
"I don't like this," Keith whispered to Shiro. Shiro couldn't help but agree with him. The last time he had been around this many people he had been fighting in the Galra arena.
"Now when I call your name," Professor Magonagle said, "I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be seated with you house." She held up a patchy old wizard's hat. Professor Magonagle set the hat down and unrolled a scroll. "Garrett, Hunk," She said. Hunk's face drained of most of its color but he walked up to the stool and sat down. The hat was placed on his head and it appeared to come to life. After a few minutes of tense silence the hat shouted.
"Gryffindor!"
Hunk got out of the chair and made his way quickly to the table on the far right. A few more names were called when. "Holt, Katie,"
Pidge was the next to sit down, and just like with Hunk the hat shouted.
"Gryffindor!"
Pidge rushed over and sat next to Hunk.
"McClain , Lance,"
Lance's usual charisma was no where to be seen as the sorting hat was placed on his head.
"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. Lance rushed over to the others.
"Kogane, Keith,"
Keith's already pale face turned a slight pink color. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted.
"Gryffindor!"
Shiro felt sweat bead on his forehead, at least being in the same house would make it easier to stick together.
"Shirogane, Takashi." Again Shiro tensed. No one ever used his full name unless it was a formal event at the garrison. He walked stiff legged up to the front of the hall, and sat down on the stool. The sorting hat was placed on his head and he heard a small voice in the back of his mind.
Ah... you are the leader of those outsiders. I see why it's you. You've seen much, been through much. But where to put you? You've got plenty of courage. Not a bad mind... and there is that thirst. A thirst...
"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted, Shiro let out a breath of relief as the hat was taken off of his head. He rushed to the table and sat down between Keith and a tall red haired boy.
"I hope I don't have to put that thing on again." Shiro said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Don't worry mate, you won't." The boy with red hair said. "I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley. So your name is Takashi?"
"You can just call me Shiro. Takashi is reserved for my mother and grandparents." Shiro said. Ron was taking in Shiro's appearance, his eyes darting from Shiro's white hair, to the scar on his nose.
"Bloody Hell mate, what happened to you?" Ron asked amazed. A girl with frizzy brown hair smacked Ron on the back of his head. "Ouch! Hermione, What was that for!" He whined nursing the spot.
"Leave him alone." Heroine scolded, she looked at shiro apologetically. "You'll have to forgive him. He can be real thick sometimes."
"I am not?" Ron said indignantly, Hermione just rolled her eyes.
"Your Japanese, aren't you?" She went on, Shiro nodded.
"It wasn't that hard to follow," Keith grumbled. Hermione ignored him.
"Your name, Takashi. Doesn't it mean one who experiences great misfortune?" Hermione went on.
"It does, but I don't believe in that sort of stuff." Shiro said, "But a lot of people do. So, I go by a shortened version of my last name." He explained, "Shiro just means white,"
"Have you always had white hair?" Ron asked. to avoid more invasive questions Shiro nodded.
"I met these guys on the train," harry chimed in. This made Shiro jump he hadn't noticed harry was there. "They let me sit in their compartment."
"They're great in my books then." Ron said.
"Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts." A very old thin man with long silver hair and beard spoke. He held out his hands as if to embrace the whole hall. "Before our feast can begin I need to say a few words. First off please welcome back Professor Grublyplank, who will be taking care of magical creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. And I hope you will join me in wishing our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Deloris Umbrage,"
There was a tiny cough from the short toad like woman in foul pink robes.
"Thank you headmaster for those kind words of Welcome." She said in a sickly sweet voice. Her voice was so honeyed it made Shiro wander where she was hiding the bees and their stingers. "And it is so wonderful to see all your bright happy faces smiling up at me." Professor Umbrage went on; Shiro noticed that no one was smiling at all. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."
Hushed whispers began to break out.
"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan." A Gryffindor girl said to her friend across the table. Professor Umbrage began again ignoring the quiet talk. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizard of vital importance. Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school. Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." She ended this little speech with a simpering laugh that made Shiro's skin crawl. The students reluctantly started to clap when Umbrage sat back down at the staff table.
"Thank you professor." Dumbledore said with a smile. "That really was most illuminating."
"Illuminating?" Ron asked.
"It means the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts." Hermione said in a hushed voice.
"Now let the feast Begin." Dumbledore waves his hands and the plates on all the tables filled with food.
"Oh yeah!" Lance cheer piling whatever he could onto his plate.
"That's a neat trick." Keith said, just as eager to fill his own plate. Shiro smiled and joined in as well. They all needed the food, Shiro couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a decent meal. Maybe their stay here wouldn't be as bad as he had thought.
