Herlena Leafe: A Magical Year

The Sorting Ceremony

The group stepped out of the train, onto the platform together. They were trying to see where to go, until...

"Alrighty firs' years! C'mere! Follow me and you'll not get lost!" Someone shouted. When the group turned around to look at who that was, they saw a huge man, with long black hair, a big black beard and he was at least 11 feet! He walked up towards the group, and smiled.
"Well c'mon! You don't wan' to be standin' here all day, right?" He said kindly.

He passed the group and walked towards a gate that leaded to stone stairs that went down to a lake. "C'mon? You don't wan' to go inside?" He said as he proceeded to walk on. He opened the gate and turned around.

"Alrighty, are all the firs' years here? Good! Listen to me very closely. My name is Rubeus Hagrid, and I'm the gamekeeper 'ere! Now I want yeh to stand in groups of four an' follow me to the boats!"
The group looked at each other and smiled. They went to the gate and walked after Hagrid. Once the whole group of first years was down at the docks, the sun was already falling and darkness started to come up.

"Alrighty now. I assume you all made your groups. I wan' yeh to proceed as follows. I go in the firs' boat, you all go in the others, and don' jump out, alright? Good!" He said as he stepped in the first boat and slowly drifted from the docks. He turned around. "Well go on then!"

The students all went in the boat, and so did our group. The boats started drifting from the docks. No motor. No wizard doing anything. Just the boats who made their own movement. Herlena looked surprised as to how this was even possible.

"They are enchanted, Herlena." Alora said.
"Oh, yes I was indeed thinking how they moved."
"I saw that from the look in your face. Trust me, everything will be alright here."

Herlena was looking at the castle they were approaching. "Is that the school?!" She asked.
"It sure is. Gorgeous isn't it?" Vincere said
"But it is so gigantic! How are we even going to find each other in there?"
"Maybe you won't and you will be lonely forever, which I would expect from you!" Someone said, but it was no one from their boat. They looked to the left, and another boat is drifting exactly next to theirs. In there was Aureto, with apparently his friends.

"Shut your mouth Aureto! Nobody asked for your opinion!" Alora said.
"Well nobody asked for your presence here either, so just jump off the boat and let the squid eat you, will you?"
"Squid?" Herlena said.
"Yes squid, are you not only stupid but also deaf? There is a giant squid in this lake. So when she jumps, you join her? Good plan!"
"Guys just let him be, he isn't worth the effort." said Vincere wisely as the boat of Aureto slowly drifts off to the left again.

Herlena was looking down into the water to look for the giant squid. She first thought it was a joke, but then remembered the weird candy, train and stories. So this might very much be true!

"Herlena, stop worrying please." Merlina said. "Yes there is a squid in here, but it is as tame as it could ever be. This animal has been living here for multiple decades, so don't worry." This comforted Herlena as she sat back, all relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the sight.

"So Herlena." Vincere began as they closed up to the boathouse of Hogwarts "Do you have any clue by now as to which house you are going to be placed?"
"I don't know yet. But like Merlina said, I shall have to let it come over me. The more I worry about it, the more I get stressed and that isn't fun for us all."
"Hmpf I'm okay with any house, as long as I don't have to be stuck with that jerk of an Aureto." Merlina said grumpy.
"Well you're right. As long as we don't have to deal with him, I am alright with every house. Herlena added.

The boat finally approaches the boat house. All boats go in one by one. When a boat is empty, it floats up and gets put into place in the boathouse. Hagrid was waiting for all the students just outside of the boathouse.