Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters associated with the story

Albus Severus Potter stepped quickly down from the Hogwarts Express onto the cement platform below. The sky above him was dark and specked with stars, glinting in the pre-Autumn sky. Albus glanced upwards at the great sapphire dome for comfort as, together with his cousin, Rosie, he was jostled forward by the crowds of older students moving away from the tracks. Albus was lost in his own thoughts. The same words kept echoing in his head.

"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin..."

Albus felt as if he were going to be sick. He remembered just last night when his older brother James has taunted him, telling him if he were to be sorted into Slytherin he would be disowned. Just the thought of that terrified him. He pictured the expressions on his parents faces when they found out and it made his stomach hurt even more. Most of his family had been in Gryffindor and he admired the house far too much to consider ending up anywhere else. But was he noble and brave...?

I'm no lion-heart, he thought to himself meekly.

Albus had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed his cousin, Rosie, fighting through the crowd of people (who almost all towered over them), as he was pulled along in tow. Looking around him, at the larger figures who were shoving to maneuver through the tide of bodies, he suddenly felt vulnerable and claustrophobic. With the fear of being trampled on alight in his aching head, he grasped Rosie's hand firmly and pushed onward with all his might through the mob they had been lost in. Finally they were free and could breathe again. Rosie turned to him and smiled.

"Thanks Al!" she inhaled deeply and stretched her arms wide with a grin on her face, "I didn't think we'd ever get out of there. I was afraid they'd just step on us and keep walking. We'd be stuck to the bottoms of their shoes like Drooble's Best Blowing Gum."

She chuckled loudly at the thought. Albus didn't find it nearly as funny. In fact, it just made him start worrying again. A loud, bellowing, and yet very familiar voice cut through his dark thoughts then and he jerked his head towards the source, grinning finally.

"Firs' years, this way!", Hagrid's booming voice called over the chattering and movement of the other students. as he loomed over them in the lamplight, "Follow me, you lot!"

Albus and Rose looked to where Hagrid had broken away from the rest of the group and saw a crowd of terrified-looking younger students following in his wake. They seemed to be making their was down a dirt trail surrounded by trees. Hagrid has finally spotted them and he motioned them towards the group with his huge hands the size of trash can lids. The timid-looking first years around him ducked dramatically to avoid being swept off their feet.

"Come on you two! Don't wanna miss the feast now, do ya'?", he called at them cheerfully.

First glancing at Rosie to see her reassuring smile, they ran forward to join the rest of the group. Albus immediately felt safer as they moved along the path through the thick foliage that was now blocking out the sky. Though the lack of stars discomforted him, the feel of the other first years pressing up against each other for support helped clear some of the nauseous feelings that had taken up residence in my gut. It was clear by the looks on their faces in the half-light that they were just as terrified as he was. Maybe he was worrying himself over nothing. There seemed to be a spot of moonlight showing up ahead, which meant that they had to be nearing the end of their walk through the trees. Looking back over his shoulder, Albus realized that they had left the scarlet engine far behind. At the moment, he was wishing longingly for the comfortable compartment he'd enjoyed the last few hours. Still looking back, he realized another boy was staring at him. The boy had light blond hair and as Albus looked back at him, he gave a reassuring smile. Albus shakily returned the smile and the boy nodded up ahead. Albus turned back just as Hagrid started talking again.

"Righ', this way, you lot." Hagrid motioned again, "It's jus' up ahead now."

As they came to the end of the tree line, Albus heard several students gasp in awe and he momentarily forgot his wallowing to try to take in the sight before him.

The largest structure Albus has ever seen in his life loomed before him, separated by a dark lake, which was glinting and sparkling with the reflection of the moon and stars. The castle, full of turrets and towers jutting up, lit windows now tiny specks, like fireflies in the distance could only be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before they could spend more time with their mouths agape in awe of the school, Hagrid called their attention again, this time towards something, or several somethings, floating in the water ahead of them. As the first years moved forward to congregate at the water's edge, his stomach gave a definite lurch and he gripped Rosie's arm to steady himself. The things Hagrid was pointing towards were bobbing up and down on the small waves in the dark waters; a small fleet of little boats. Whatever nauseous feelings Albus had managed to dispel were back.

What fresh hell?

"Albus! Al!"

He felt someone shaking his arm. Looking to his right, he saw it was Rosie.

"Hagrid said no more than four to a boat. C'mon."

Albus glanced around and saw that most of the other students had already clambered into the boats and were now sitting huddled together with sick expressions on their faces. He caught some movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see the blond boy from a few minutes ago motioning towards them. There was only one other person in his boat; an Asian boy with dark hair and a huge smile. Rosie pulled Albus towards the shore and they both climbed in.

"That everyone?" Hagrid shouted from the boat he was filling on his own, "Good. FORWARD!"

The little fleet started to drift forward. Albus saw Rosie lean over the side to watch the ripples the boats were making in the silent, sparkling waters. As the boat gave a small lurch he pulled her back in frantically. She giggled a little at the expression on his face.

"You want to be careful," the dark haired boy said cheerfully, "I hear there's a giant squid in there."

Albus felt himself pale in the moonlight. Suddenly, all he wanted was to be back on safe, dry land again. His nails dug into the side of the little boat and he tried not to peer down into the dark lake. Meanwhile, Rosie was making conversation.

"My name's Rosie." she held out her hand and they took it in turns to shake it, "And this is my cousin Albus, or Al, as we like to call him."

Albus gave them a nervous little wave and they both smiled back at him. He felt a little ashamed at his behavior. He didn't want them to think he was a coward.

The darker haired boy waved jauntily at them, "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Alex Prewett."

"And I'm-", the blond haired boy started, but his voice was cut off by Hagrid's much more carrying one.

"You all, duck yer heads up here!"

Everyone bent their heads down as the little boats glided under the edge of the cliff and through a thick, hanging veil of ivy. Through the curtain of vines there was a lamp-lit tunnel and they all remained silent now as they sensed they were on the last leg of their journey. At long last, the little boats brought them to a rocky landing spot with ancient-looking stone steps leading upwards. The boats pulled up to dock and they all clambered out. Hagrid cast his gleaming, dark eyes around at them and they stopped when they landed on Al's terrified-looking ones. His great, bearded face broke out into a warm smile before he pointed towards the steps.

"C'mon, almos' there."

Single file, they ascended the steps and found themselves on the sprawling lawn in front of the school. As a group, they made their way forward towards the giant front doors of the castle. Many of the students were craning their necks to stare upwards at the school, trying to catch a glimpse of the tops of the towers. The moon was now behind the school, casting a gargantuan shadow on the lawn, making them all feel minuscule They finally reached the castle and crowded around the giant man who was leading them. Hagrid reached forward and knocked very loudly on the oak doors three times. They waited only seconds before one of the doors opened and a new figure stood before them.

Hi guys, I'm new on this site and this is the first thing I've written in a long time. I'm trying to motivate myself to start writing again. If you could comment on what you liked or thought could be improved upon, it would mean the world to me. It'll also encourage me to keep writing so I can get better. Thanks so much :)