Isabella will pull out her trunk and slips her robe on over her jeans and shirt. "I can't wait to see the school."
Returning to the cabin dressed in his robes, casually twirling his wand between his fingers, Ciaran grins around at the rest of the group. "I can't wait to meet Professor Dumbledore in person. He is so cool!"
Robes in hand, Ken says, "I'll be back, I'm going to go change."
Ken heads to the other compartment to change, then once he's done so, he'll return to his, putting his Muggle clothes into the trunk. [b]"Ready for school. Do you think we'll get Sorted before or after dinner?"[b] He tucks his wand into a pocket in his robes so he can easily draw it out.
Vincent relaxes during this time. If the girls ask him to leave, he of course steps out and waits outside guarding the door so to speak till they knock and let him back in.
As Kenneth reenters the cabin, Greg moves out to go change. "I imagine before dinner, if we're seated by House. I don't know where we would sit otherwise."
Dragoslav changes and then rejoins the group, "everyone ready?'
H.B. peeks in. "Ready. Ha. I guess." . He looks particularly resplendent and dashing in his robes. "Well, time to take the Wizarding world by storm, eh? Or by very slow degrees of book reading and many broken quills."
The Hogwarts express came to a halt and the doors opened. First year students flowed out of the cars and stood upon the platform with the trunks and cages in hand.
A large mountain of a man holding a lantern waved the First years over. He called. "Leave your trunks and pets! They'll be taken care of." Sure enough the trunks where put off into one area with their pets atop them.
The group of first years, just over thirty or so gathered around this tall man who was grinning down at them "Welcom' to Hogwarts youn' uns!" He laughed. "I'm Hagrid, ground keeper at Hogwarts. Fullow, me. I'll be taken ya down to the boat now." He told them as he turned and began to lead them down to a lake where a great number of boats where waiting. "Tis five to a boat." Hagrid told them all. "Well, only two if you're sittin' with me." He laughed.
Vincent sighed in relief as the train came to a halt. He was exhausted from being on a train so long. Honestly, he wished they would just use floo powder but he supposed it was a good time to bond with classmates and play with magic a bit unsupervised.
He stood up and hoisted Beast up onto his shoulders and made his way outside. He was happy to hear that he'd not need to handle his trunk himself but looked surprised he'd have to leave his cat behind.
Someone was gonna get some scratches he was sure but he followed the rules and put his cat on his trunk. It was easy enough for him to find with it having both Ravenclaw"s and Slytherin's styling and crests emblazoned on them. He was proud of his family's heritage and wouldn't change the trunk regardless of his house.
He looked around and found himself an empty boat and clambored in. He wasn't worried who joined him, but the big guy he didn't know and he hadn't heard of anyone so large as a professor.
Ken stops and stares at the mountain of a man. "Woah. He's huge. Wow. How big does the grounds keeper need to be here? Is he wrestling trolls or something?" he asks whoever might happen to be nearby.
Leaving his trunk where it is, he follows Vincent to a boat and climbs in. "So, why is it only the first years who have to take the boat? How does everyone else get to the castle?"
Ciaran smiled up at the huge Gameskeeper and stepped forward, offering him his hand to shake. "Hi! You're Hagrid right? I'm Ciaran, Ciaran Patrick Loughlin. I've heard about you. You are the Gameskeeper. You take care of all of the cool animals." He began to follow Hagrid down to the boat.
"I'm really excited to start Care of Magical Creatures. I love animals. I have a Blakiston's Owl named Goliath. They are one of the biggest Owls in the WORLD. They can carry toddlers, human toddlers. His wings are HUGE!" Ciaran chartered excitedly as he followed the giant man in to the tiny boat.
"I wish we could have taken the Carriage. I want to see a Thestral. But the boats are good too, if we see the Giant Squid!"
"Does it matter how the others are getting to castle?" Dragoslav responds to Ken and climbs into the boat with Ken and Vincent,"I imagine it is part of pageantry and such"
Casting a sideways glance at Ciaran,"well he certainly is excited, hope that large fellow doesn't step on him... on second thought it could be funny."
Izzy was nearer to the boat with Hagrid and Ciaran, but it seemed like it might be a bit too wild, so she slips in with Ken and Vincent. "Later years take the carriages. It's one of those things that probably came from not having enough carriages one year and now is an honored tradition."
"..." H.B. decided to take the boat with Izzy and Dragoslav and the rest. "Did he mean two plus him, or him and one other? ...I'll take this boat," he decided. "Anora! Where'd ye get off ter?"
H.B got his bearings on the boat and chuckled. "Yes, my parents warned me about this. We're in the Highlands. Vincent and I could have spared a trip to London and King's Cross, but tradition and all that. I could have walked here! ...er, well, driven, from Fort George. Maybe." He continued to chuckle at the idea of training it to London only to get back to Scotland.
Anora, who had taken the time to put her cookies and chocolate frog card into her trunk, and place Hecate on top of it. "Be good Hecate!" Anora told the black cat before jogging to catch up with the group.
She could easily hear Ciaran talking over the rest of the group so was sure she was going the right way. What ensured it was when she heard H.B. calling out for her. "I'm here!! I'm her-!" Anora called as she came to a stop at the boats breathing hard. "Too me a moment to get everything put away." She explained before she glanced around the area and noticed groups of five in the boats. She looked at the boat H.B. was in and saw Izzy, Dragoslav, Vincent, and Kenneth which made five. "It's five to a boat isn't it?" Anora asked.
Greg looks over to Ciaran's boat, eager to talk to the amazingly large man. But, that would leave Anora alone. And we can't have that. Greg quickly considered.
"Here, Anora! It looks like there's an open boat! Greg waves his arms to get her attention. "Come on, we can go together." He smiles.
Ken thinks a minute, then says, "I guess it doesn't really matter how one gets to the castle - just so long as the boats don't make us take a swim in it. I don't know what kind of creatures live in this lake, but I'll bet there's at least one or two we don't want to meet."
Peering over the edge, [b]"That could explain why the giant is with us... OH NO WHATS THAT!" he exclaims pointing behind Ken...
Isabella looks in the same direction, going white as a sheet and trembling. "Don't let it get us!"
Ken whirls around, reaching for his wand, to see...nothing. The boat's still tied up at the dock. Groaning, and bracing for the laughter, he sighs. "Yes, yes, you got me. I guess I'm taking the worry a bit too far."
"Don't worry, Ken. The invisible fear parasites are real, and they're settling into brainstem just about....now." H.B. says, his grin visible in the gloom.
Izzy reaches up to offer Drago a high five.
Vincent jerked slightly to try and see as well. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Well played, just try to behave when the boat actually starts moving. I'd hate for all the movement to send one of us into the lake on such a cold night." he said in all serious.
"Agreed, I do not think any of us would be liking to swim tonight."
Anora offered a smile of thanks as she got in the boat alongside Greg. "Thank you Greg." She said as she settled into a seat of her own before the rest of the boat filled with people.
"Soun' rather into magical creatures." Hagrid said with a laugh. "Professor Kettleburn woul' luv to hav ya com' your third year!" He told young Ciaran as he helped him into the boat. However he didn't get in yet. He made sure all of the students got into a boat before nodding.
"Righ' now, each boat has a lantern, each of ya need to choose one in ya group, who will hold it. Don't go worrying about what is in that there water, just keep the lantern up and we'll be fin'." He explained with a shrug.
"How are we suppose to row the boats? There are no ores." A young female voice called from one of the boats.
"They'll do that themselves once the lanterns are gon'." Hagrid said as if it was common knowledge. He them made sure every boat had their lanterns up and lit before untying the ropes and getting into his boat alongside Ciaran. "Here lad, why don't you hold onto it." He grinned as he handed him the lantern.
With a shrug Dragoslav stands up and holds his boat's lantern up. He seems to have made a new friend in that giant, he thinks to himself seeing Ciaran hold his own lantern.
Ken listens to Hagrid’s instructions, then let’s Dragoslav grab the lantern. ”I hope we get underway soon. I’m getting hungry.”
"I truly wonder how we all don't puff up like balloons at Hogwarts. I've heard tales of the food," says H.B. He inspects the water with a practiced eye. "There's probably protective charms on the boat to keep us from falling in...probably."
Greg picks up his own boat's lantern, and takes the time to appreciate the view of Hogwarts. It was certainly imposing, especially at this hour, but Greg felt a bit more comfortable seeing it. It helped that he didn't have to bother himself with rowing, either.
Izzy was a bit concerned. After all, Papa had an issue with food. "Well, there is the Up-chuck charm. If you do it right, the food tastes even better on the way up."
Ken critically eyed Izzy's statement. "I'm not sure I believe you on that one - and regardless, I don't think it's one I'm gonna be researching. I like my food to stay in my belly, thank you very much."
He remembered the last time he'd been that kind of sick - it had been awful. Definitely not an experience he was looking to repeat.
"Ugh, this is taking a bit. Oi! Hagrid! Are we allowed to make music on the loch here? Me pipes are in the trunk, but..." H.B. makes a bit of sleight of hand and produces a long bamboo flute from one of his sleeves.
He starts in on a bit of 'Loch Lomond', chuckles, then switches to 'The Minstrel Boy'.
Ciaran grins at Hagrid before standing up and holding the lantern aloft. "There are Merfolk in the lake, aren't there? My dad told me there were. Though he also said he met them so..." he looked sceptical at that.
"Merflok, Grindilows, lots o' creatures." Hagrid answered with a smile as he let all the boats loss from the dock before jumping in to his own and letting theirs loss as well.
"Righ'! Jus' huld out th' lanterns, in th' front there an' the boats will do the rest!" Hagrid called over the music and sure enough soon the boats where moving on their own across the lake, following Hargid's boat that some how got in front.
Soon enough as the boats glided across the water and within minutes the first years lay eyes upon the large castle of Hogwarts! The towers that seem to reach into the night sky only are able to be seen by the glow from their windows. Many of the students gaze up in shock and awe as the boats still move.
Then the castle was cut from view as the boats entered a cave that has been covered in ivy on the side of the stony hill Hogwarts was on. The boats seemed to know where they where going and fined into a single line that then bumped against a long stone pathway that lead to stone steps.
Hagrid's boats was at the front and he stood and got out before helping Ciaran out. "Now! Jus' hop on ou' of those there boats an' follow the stairs there" He explained as he pointed to the stone steps. "The'll take ya up into Hogwarts ta meet with Professor McGonagall." He grinned as he then went about helping students out of their boats so they could file out and up the steps.
Ken's eyes went wide with wonder as Hogwarts came into view. The castle was amazing, lit up against the night sky. He thought he'd prepared himself for it, but in truth, he hadn't even come close to being ready. The sweeping towers, the sprawling grounds. He even, for a time, forgot about the possibility of creatures in the lake. Then the boats entered the caves and they were in the underwater grotto. As the boat came to halt against the stone pathway, he carefully got out and onto the shore so he could help the others out of the boat. "That view sure was something, wasn't it?" he asked them, as he extended a hand to help the others.
Izzy graciously takes Kens hand to step out of the boat. "What a gentleman."
She'll lift the hem of her robes to better scurry up the steps. Like most of the students, she was eager to get up and see everything close up.
H.B. gave the place the once-over. "Nice...well defended. All those turrets and parapets, not to mention all the magical shielding that I have no idea how to detect...yet." He hopped out of the boat and filed along with the other students.
"Wow..." escaped Dragoslav's lips as the castle came into view. Once the boat came to a halt, Dragoslav replaced the lantern and follows Izzy ashore.
"Indeed, much impressive. I was not expecting my heart to pound so much." replying to Ken.
Ciaran took the help and steadied himself on solid ground once again before nodding to Hagrid with a smile and heading back to the others.
"We are finally here! I can't believe it is this big."
He offered a helping hand to anyone left in the boats and waited before everyone was ready to go, before beginning to walk up the stairs.
Greg notes how large the school is, having never seen anything quite like it. In a state of awe, he momentarily forgets to help the other students, instead staring upwards and stumbling forwards. Catching himself, he quickly turns around. "Ah, sorry!" Greg mumbles, before eagerly helping the other students out of the boats.
Vincent watched in silence as the landscape picture that was Hogwarts comes to life for him like so many tonight. The pictures have never done it justice in the books and the awe inspiring moment keeps him in silence for most of the ride.
It was hard to finally take his eyes on the castle to see anything else about his home for the year but eventually he took in all the sights one would know from people recounting their days at the majestic school. He knew full well all the things his mother had warned him not to do, while his dad mostly recounted the tales of all the trouble he got in.
Anora took Greg's hand to help herself up out of the boat and onto the stone path. "Thanks Greg." She said before she swiftly made her way over to the rest of the group. "Did you see how big this place is?! I wonder where the dorms are? Do you think we get a choice as to where we get to stay?" Anora asked.
Once everyone was out of his boat, Ken headed up the steps to where the other first years were congregating. "This place is huge. I'm pretty sure my mom said something about sleeping in your House dormitory, but you'll probably get to choose your bed in there. As to where they are, maybe in one of the towers? That would be a great place to sleep."
"Towers? Isn't that where they put criminals... that or a dungeon..."
"One or two criminals in a tower, a whole lot in a dungeon...but I don't believe they have a functional dungeon, Dragoslav," said H.B. with a smile. "Dungeons were just where criminals languished before execution, usually. Now we're civilized and have prisons," he says, rolling his eyes. "Oh," he replied softly. He could see the line stretching out, but inexorably leading them in to meet with the Professors. Unconsciously he straightened his back and threw back his shoulders, the result of many a military procession.
The group of students where finally pushed along as they headed up the long stone steps and finally found themselves inside the castle walls of Hogwarts. The history of this place showed in every area area they came to. Soon the group was stopped after they twisted around a small stair case with a tall noble yet stern looking woman in emerald green robes and a black witch hat standing upon the landing. She was an older woman but the air around her was one of authority. "Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall." She began as she gave them a nod. "In a few moments you will step through those doors," She turned slightly a pointed to glass door behind her.
"Though before you could do that however, you must be sorted into your houses. There is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." She explained swiftly yet some how slow enough for them to grasp. "While you are here, your house is like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, though any rule breaking... and you will lose points." She told them as she looked down at each of them to see that they understood before continuing. "At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup."
Then she turned slightly and told them "The sorting ceremony will begin shortly." Professor McGonagell said before she turned and walked through the glass door, leaving them there for a moment.
"Gotta be Gryffindor," said, after McGonagall disappeared H.B. to no one in particular. "I mean, if the Gurkhas aren't brave Auror types, what are they?"
"... What's an Auror?" Anora whispered to H.B., still a little nervous obviously. "And what I'd a Gurkhas?"
"Aurors are Dark Wizard catchers. Highly trained wizards who are gifted at dueling, defending against the dark arts and self preservation!" Ciaran answered before turning to H.B.
"If these Ghurkas are as fearless and dangerous as Aurors, I'd say Gryffindor would be more than happy to have you H.B."