House: Gryffindor
Position: Prefect
Category: Additional
Prompt: First trip to Hogwarts
Word Count:1999 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.
Beta: CK 3
A/N: This was written for The Houses Competition, Y3R1
All of Its Secrets
Hogwarts has always seemed like a myth or a fairytale to me. I used to hear whispers of all of its enchantments as a child. Every corner supposedly held a surprise.
None of my friends were ever as interested in Hogwarts as I was. It was considered a 'lesser' school, not elite like the Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. Hogwarts allowed anyone with magic to attend.
Hogwarts seemed like a myth to me, but I never thought I would get the chance to see it. I always knew that I would attend Beauxbaton like all my sister and mother before me.
I finally got my chance though when Fleur got chosen to be in the Triwizard tournament. When Fleur first told me about the competition, I was insanely jealous. I was too young to go.
Fleur had to jump through hoops to even be allowed the chance to participate. Madame Maxime tested all of the girls to ensure that only the best students represented Beauxbatons in the tournament. Fleur had been so nervous during the trials and tests, not that she would have told anyone, but I always knew that she would be one of the chosen for a chance to participate in the Triwizard Tournament.
When she wrote to me to tell me that she had been selected, I wasn't surprised. Fleur had always been the best in her class, in the whole school even, but that didn't stop the jealousy. Fleur promised me that she would tell me all about Hogwarts, she knew how obsessed I was with it, but it wouldn't be the same as actually getting the opportunity to see it.
Madame Maxime wrote to me shortly after Fleur's letter filling me in on the first task. The minute I read her letter I ran throughout the house to find mother immediately, she was the only person standing in-between me and my dreams of seeing Hogwarts. I had to beg her to allow me to go but she finally agreed. I felt like I was walking on clouds the moment mother said 'yes.'
Madame Maxime came to collect me. I was so excited to see Fleur and Hogwarts that I got yelled at several different times on the way there for not sitting still. When we finally arrived though, she giggled at my eagerness.
I was buzzing with excitement and couldn't wait to see the school, but I was quickly told that I wouldn't get to explore the castle today. She said that I had to stay out of sight because my presence was going to be a surprise for Fleur. I nodded my head in agreement and quickly opened the door. I flew out of the carriage and was greeted with a tiny hut that looked like it was falling. The stones were crudely stacked on top of each other, and the windows were dirty, and some panels were cracked. It looked as if a strong wind would blow the whole thing apart. There was a grey stream of smoke rising from the chimney. I looked back at Madame Maxime who just smiled and nodded her head at me.
I took a quick gulp and ran towards the hut and threw open the door. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but the small room wasn't it. I had thought that maybe it was enchanted to escape the notice of muggles. I thought that I would open the door and be greeted with a long corridor with secret rooms or a grand entrance lined with stars but instead, a hairy man greeted me with surprise.
"This is Hogwarts?" I asked him unimpressed. My eyes roamed the entire room looking for some hidden secret, some enchantment, that would allow me a glimpse of the real school because this couldn't be it.
The man laughed at my question. "No this isn't Hogwarts, this is my home. Hogwarts is just past your carriage in the other direction."
He gave a broad smile, and his eyes twinkled when Madam Maxine walked into the home.
She instantly chastised me. "We do not go entering other people's homes. Gabrielle. What were you thinking?"
I looked down at the dirty floor and apologized. "I'm sorry Madam Maxine, I thought this was the school, I couldn't wait."
The man and Madam Maxine both broke into a new round of laughter.
"No, my dear," she said in between breaths. "This is Hagrid's hut, now please apologize for barging into his home."
"I'm sorry Mr. Hagrid," I mumbled quietly. I looked up at him through my eyelashes, and he beamed at me.
"I don't think I've ever been called mister before." He bent down on one knee and lowered his voice, "This will be your first time visiting Hogwarts, will it?"
I nodded in confirmation.
"Well I can understand your eagerness then, Hogwarts really is something. You can visit me anytime, but I am sure you have waited long enough, let's go see the school now!"
He offered his arm to Madam Maxine, and we walked out the door. Once we passed the carriage, I could see it. I felt silly for missing it before. It was giant! Hogwarts loomed in the distance the towering turrets shooting up into the clouds. It looked like a castle out of one of my story books, and I could feel the magic radiating from the building, and I couldn't wait to discover its secrets.
Mr. Hagrid led us through the giant entryway doors, and I could hear all of the students. The noise growing louder and louder with each step we took. It sounded like Hogwarts housed hundreds of students, much different then Beauxbatons which only housed about twenty students each year. We drew closer to the noise, but Mr. Hagrid walked past it. I was very disappointed that I wouldn't get to be where everyone else is. As we walked past it, I peeked through the slight opening in the door and saw what looked like an eating hall. Four long tables filled the room. Each table was filled with students and banners hung from the ceiling above each table. The walls were lined with golden statues, and the roof looked like the darkening sky outside! I could see stars begin to wink into life and stopped to watch it all. The ceiling was sparkling, and the moon was starting to rise. I would have bet anyone that it mirrored the same sky that would have been outside. I wanted to watch it all longer, but Madam Maxine grew impatient.
"Remember Gabrielle; we don't want you to be seen yet. You are going to be a surprise!"
I nodded and tore my eyes away from the Hall. Statues and knights of armor lined the corridor and candles floated high above my head. I gasped as a ghost floated out of the wall next to me.
"Pardon me," The ghost said with a bow and continued to float on his way.
I had never seen a ghost before and was staring after him when I ran into Mr. Hagrid. He had stopped and was holding open a small door and gesturing for me to enter.
I looked around the door frame and saw a small room with a table, chairs, and a fireplace. There were no statues in here; there wasn't even artwork on the walls. It all looked so dull and boring. I stared longingly behind me at the large corridor filled with artwork and mystery before trudging into the room. I told myself that once I surprised Fleur, I would explore everything that Hogwarts had to offer! I would enter every room and explore every corridor. I would discover all of the secrets that Hogwarts housed.
I sighed as I sat down at the small table and watched Madam Maxine. I could still hear all the noises from the students, so we had to have been close to the giant eating hall. I wondered how Madam Maxine was going to surprise Fleur with me. I blushed as I imagined her parading me through that enormous room in front of everyone. I had hoped that when I got to see Fleur for the first time that it would be in private but making a big show of it would make sense for the tournament.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't even see an old man with purple robes walk into the room.
He gently smiled at me when I finally noticed his presence.
"You must be Miss Delacour." He said quietly, "You look so much like your sister, it's remarkable, but I sense a streak of mischief in you that I don't sense in her. Welcome to Hogwarts, we are so pleased you are here."
I nodded slightly, nervous that this old man could tell so much about me within the first few seconds of meeting me.
"My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
My eyes widened in surprise. I have heard stories about Dumbledore's greatness. He was supposed to be one of the most powerful wizards ever. I eyed him up and down, but he just looked like an ordinary old man to me.
Mr. Dumbledore winked at me and smiled mischievously like he knew what I was thinking.
"I take it that you know why you are here."
"Yes, to surprise Fleur!"
Mr. Dumbledore squinted his eyes and raised an eyebrow to Madame Maxime who just shrugged.
"Well yes," Dumbledore said turning back to me, "Do you want to be a part of the Triwizard Tournament?"
I nodded slowly, confused. I thought I was too young to be in the tournament.
"Well, we would like you to be a part of the next task. Do you think you could manage that?"
Again, I nodded slowly.
"Good! Good! We will start now then."
I watched as he rose his wand and pointed it at me. I wanted to run, but my feet were frozen to the floor. My eyes widened as he began to chant and I could slowly feel my body becoming more and more and stiffer. The feeling of being unable to move began to rise in me, higher and higher each second, slowly immobilizing me. I registered the moment the stiffness entered my lungs and breathing started to get harder, but soon everything was black.
I don't know what exactly happened or how long I was out but the next thing that I know I was cold and wet in a stranger's arms. I was surrounded by water in the middle of the lake. I could hear Fleur calling out for me and began to panic. I still couldn't move, but the stranger gripped me harder and began to kick faster. Fleur ran out to greet us and enveloped me in a hug, she thanked the stranger that had me and immediately began to dry me off.
It wasn't until much later that I learned it was Mr. Harry Potter who had saved me. I wish I had known sooner so I could have actually thanked him or even talked to him but I never got the chance, regardless, I still love to tell the story about how I got saved my Mr. Harry Potter.
That night I was finally able to eat in what the students call "The Great Hall." I was able to take in all of the majesticness of the room without anyone reprimanding me. My eyes drank their fill of the place, and I even got to converse with a ghost!
Once dinner was over, Madam Maxime immediately whisked me away to go home. I was so disappointed I thought I was going to get to stay longer but I was only there for one night, and I didn't even remember it! I promised myself that the next time I came, I would see more than just that one room. Next time, I would discover all of Hogwarts secrets.