A Different Kind of Magic

Hogwarts

The train whistle blew as it slowed to a stop.

I stretched my arms and looked over at Matt who was sleeping under the seat (he wanted to see if he fit and since he did, he stayed there) and Zander who was laying on the seat while holding a book in front of his face that he accidently dropped on to his face when the train came to a stop.

Zander reached down and poked Matt with his book.

"Wake up."

Matt jolted and smacked his head on the bottom of the seat.

"Ouch!"

"What were you dreaming about?" Zander asked him as Matt rubbed the bump on his head and pulled himself out from under the seat carefully.

"A half man half wolf was chasing me and he bit me." He rubbed his head.

Zander was about to say something when Ashe slid the door open.

"Come on," she said "Or you'll be late for the things the first years do each year.

We hurried and gathered our stuff and followed her.

"How come she thinks she knows so much?" Matt whispered in my ear and Zander gave a defiant look at him.

"Because she does know a lot," I whispered back "She has after all attended Hogwarts a few years."

Zander smirked and caught up with Ashe.

"What exactly do the first years do, Ashe?" Zander asked her.

Ashe smiled.

"You'll see," was all she said.

Zander dropped back to us and whispered something in Matt's ear and Matt nodded vigorously.

"What?" I asked.

Matt put on a know-it-all's face and said with an air so that you could tell he was enjoying his revenge: "Nothing."

Then Zander and Matt slapped each other's hands.

Weird.

Before I had time to ask about it Ashe turned around and pointed to a giant man with a bushy beard.

"You see that man over there?" Ashe asked.

We nodded.

"His name is Hgrid, he's the groundskeeper," she said, "Go stay by him and he'll tell the first years what to do."

Matt, Zander, and I nodded and set off to Hagrid.

"Bye! Love ya, Ashe!" I called over my shoulder.

"Good luck with the sorting! And remember not to worry what house you get into! They all get a bad rap! Even Gryffindor!" She called to us as she waved then turned around and walked to her friends.

As we reached Hagrid he called: "All first years over here! All first years come over here!"

Soon a crowd of excited first years was gathered around him.

"All right! Is this everyone? Then let's be off!" Hagrid called. He led us down to the lake where some boats were and began to load us into them.

Zander, Matt, the girl from the train (who introduced herself as Quinn Casey), a pair of twins (whom Zander seemed acquainted with), another girl who I had never met before, and I were loaded into one boat.

Then all the boats began to glide across the water and towards a breathtaking castle which I knew at once to be Hogwarts.

Zander didn't seem to be enjoying the boat ride as much as the rest of us. He was gripping the side of the boat so hard his knuckles were turning white and he had his eyes squeezed shut.

I stared into the dark water that was becoming ink black now that night had fallen. I thought I saw the face of a young girl who waved at me and then disappeared. I looked over at Zander to see if he had seen it too but I realized he couldn't if his eyes were still squeezed shut.

When we banked on the other side of the river Zander looked like he had just escaped certain death.

"Are you okay?" I whispered to him.

"Yea," he whispered back "I just don't like water."

As soon as everyone was out of the boats Hagrid led everyone to the front of Hogwarts, up the stairs, and then into a huge hallway.

My knees were shaking as we walked and I'm sure that both Matt and Zander were just as nervous as I was.

What house would I be sorted into? What if there was a mistake and I really shouldn't have gotten my Hogwarts letter?

Either Zander was still sick from the boat ride or he was just as nervous as me.

What house would I be put in?