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chapter two / the ravenclaw and the hufflepuff
COMPARED TO THE DEMENTOR ATTACK, the rest of the train ride to Hogwarts was quite uneventful. The only thing that really caused a commotion was when Hermione's cat chased Ron's rat around the floor of the carriage and Harry ended up with a long claw mark going up his leg.
When they arrived at the school, Cassie was immediately overwhelmed with awe. The first years broke off into a section of nervous eleven year olds at the docks. Ron squeezed into a spot next to Cassie in the crowd of older students, a smirk on his lips as he watched the amazed girl.
"You should go with them," he mused, and Cassie rolled her eyes. "It is your first year."
"But it's not, really–"
"Oh, but it is," Harry added, as he slid into a spot next to Cassie. He wore a devious smirk that matched Ron's. "It's only fair. Hagrid!"
The unnaturally large man that had been directing the first years into boats turned at the sound of Harry's voice. Hagrid grinned widely at the sight of Harry, and Cassie could only assume they were friends.
"You're missing a first year!" Harry shouted over the heads of the eleven year olds. Cassie's face turned red and she frantically shook her head.
"No, no! You've got everyone!" she yelled, and Hagrid furrowed his eyebrows.
He shook his hairy head. "Nah, if yer a firs' year, you gotta come with me!"
Cassie hit Ron and Harry on the arms as she moved over to join the younger students, squeezing her way into a spot between two children. They didn't even notice her. She did suppose she wasn't nearly as interesting as the train station and boating dock.
The boat ride was exceptionally beautiful, Cassie had to admit. The stars twinkled over the Black Lake and the water reflected them right back, until the boats rippled the water's surface. Cassie caught herself staring at the water until a thunk signified they had arrived at their destination.
She walked with the first years, an awkward head above the sea of four-feet-tall students, until they had reached the top of a tall, grand staircase and stood before a closed pair of wooden doors.
A stern-looking woman wearing emerald green robes with a greying knot of hair at the base of her head entered the hall and cleared her throat for the students' attention, and the hushed chattering fell silent.
"My name is Professor Mcgonagall," she began, and Cassie quickly recognized her name to be the deputy headmistress. "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.
