Secret Descendants (Marauders)

Chapter 4

The September sun had long ago slithered under a blanket of blackness, littered with dazzling specks of stars. They had arrived at Hogsmeade Station, people were everywhere. James, Sirius, Remus and Ophelia stood together, shivering slightly in the cold night air. Out of nowhere, a lamp appeared to the right of them. "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" A man towered over them, roughly twice the height of a normal man and five times as wide.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Suddenly a swarm of bodies grouped towards the four, each looking as nervous yet excited as the next. He beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me- any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"

Stumbling slightly, they followed Hagrid down an askew path. It couldn't have been any darker than it was, they assumed they were travelling through thick trees. Only quiet muttering, accompanied with the occasional hoot from an owl, and heavy sets of footprints could be heard.

"You'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Jus' round here now." The narrow path had unexpectedly opened up to reveal a great black lake. Resting upon a tall mountain on the other side windows glinting in the moonlight, was a vast castle with many towers.

"No more'n four to a boat now!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of small boats resting on the water edge. The four sat together, grinning. "My uncle was telling me about this years ago, it's as amazing as he described." Sirius whispered in awe.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, fitting a boat by himself, "Right them- FORWARD!"

The dozens of little boats departed all at once, gliding gracefully across the lake, gently creating light ripples around them. Everyone stayed silent, staring up at the ancient castle overhead.

"Heads down" yelled Hagrid as the first set of boats reached the cliff. They all bent their heads down as they were carried through a curtain of ivy, revealing a wide opening in the cliff face. Through a long tunnel they went, making it feel as though they were going under the mighty castle, until they reached an underground docking point, where they clambered out, feet settling on the pebbles. Still following Hagrid's lamp, they continued for a short distance up a trail of damp grass underneath the shadow of the school. They walked up a noticeably uneven flight of steps and crowded around a huge, oak door.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid raised his huge fist and knocked three times. Instantly the door swung gown, A lady with greying hair and a stern expression. "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I shall take them from here." With a swish of her emerald-green robes she pulled the door open wide. The entrance hall was huge, stone walls were lit with flaming torches such as the ones in Gringotts. A magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Following Professor McGonagall across the flagstone floor, Ophelia heard a drone of what had to be hundreds of voices from a doorway to her right, most likely the rest of the school. Unfamiliar with the noise of other people, she shrunk slightly, Remus noticed and gave her a comforting smile. McGonagall brought them to a small empty chamber off the hall. They gathered in, closer together than they would have consciously done, seeing as they were strangers, and peered nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The beginning-of-term banquet will commence shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is very important, you will be placed in either Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin or my own house, Gryffindor. It will become something familiar to a family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, eat at the same table, sleep in your house's dormitory and spend free time in your respective common room. It is the house you will be in for the next seven years of your time at Hogwarts."