The Golden Emerald [#1]

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

First Year

 The train came to a stop. Finally we arrived at Hogwarts. I have never felt so much happiness in my entire life. It was hard to believe something good was actually happening to me for once. I stepped off of the dark red train alongside Jake and the rest. The sun had already set. So far from what I could see we were surrounded by a massive forest. "Firs' years! Firs' year over here!" I heard a loud voice yell. I turned to see a large man, probably the biggest I have ever seen, standing there while holding up a lantern.

"That's Hagrid," Jake told me. "He's a cool guy. First years have to take the boats to get to the castle. I'm sure we'll see you up there. You better be in Gryffindor." He joked and then walked away towards the carriages with the others. I saw Dasha and Eowyn standing in the pack of first years so I walked over to them. They were the only somewhat familiar faces in the entire group.

"Hey," I greeted them quickly, happy to see familiar faces. They both greeted me back kindly. At least I had people to stand with. Most people seemed to already have a friend or two to stand with.

"Alrigh', this looks like the lot of them. Follow me!" Hagrid said. We began following him towards the lake where we were all divided into boats. Dasha, Eowyn, a read haired girl named Ginny, and I all got into a boat together. When we passed the sight of the trees...I saw the castle. It was the most magnificent sight I have ever seen. The castle was lit and was reflecting off the lake. This was going to be my home for the next few months. It was nicer than I ever imagined it to be. I could see a Quidditch pitch in the distance. I wish I knew how to play. Silvius was always talking about the game at home. I heard a splash and turned to see that a small boy named Colin Creevey fell head first into the lake and was being lifted back into the boat by a giant octopus. Some students screamed while others laughed. Unfortunately I couldn't hold back a laugh but I also backed away from the edge of the boat.

When we docked our boats, we entered into the castle through the large and very beautiful french doors. The steps were steep and I tried to take in everything around me. The entrance way had a very medieval feel to it, but it was welcoming nonetheless. Hagrid left us with an older looking witch with a tight bun and a strict look on her face. "Good evening," she greeted us with a nod. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I am professor McGonagall. The sorting will begin momentarily." She left to go check and see if they were ready for us.

"Which house do you think you'll be in?" Dasha asked me. I tore my eyes away from the portraits on the walls.

"I'm not really sure, what about you?" I asked.

"I'm hoping to be in Slytherin. It's where all my family members were when they went here. I almost had to attend a different Wizarding school because of our move to Australia, when I was little but Mother insisted we continue the tradition."

"Slytherin for me too," Eowyn agreed. "I'll be so mad if I don't make Slytherin." I then remembered what Jake was saying on the train earlier while we were talking, about how nearly every other house in the school hated the Slytherin's. Now I was wondering why. Dasha and Eowyn didn't seem like people I could bring myself to hate.

"They are ready," McGonagall said when she came back. We followed her into the room they called the Great Hall. The lighting was bright and the design of the room was breathtaking. There were four very long tables packed with students already. Each table wore a different color. I was looking around, until a hat began to sing to us. Weird... I saw the Malfoy boy sitting at the green table with a sneer on his face as he saw me, so I turned my head. I was hoping to spot the famous Harry Potter but still no sight of him. Not that I even knew what he looked like, all I knew was that he had a lighting bolt scar on his forehead.