Chapter Two
It was raining harder when the train finally stopped. Everyone was bustling around, trying to get off the train; I kept getting shoved around. I hate to admit that I was kind of freaked out, and had no clue as to what to do.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard Cedric's voice in my ear.
"Once you get off the train, you'll have to find Hagrid. Don't worry, he's not hard to miss. He is the giant man in a moleskin coat and lots of hair. He takes all the first years to the school. Have fun."
I turned to scowl at him, but he just grinned back and headed off. Probably had some stupid prefect duties to attend to. And what did he mean by have fun?
Finally I got off the train. I was soaked within seconds. I looked around to find the man that Cedric had described, but there were so many people!
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
I turned quickly towards the booming voice. Sure enough, I could just make out a very large man with a mane of grizzly black hair and beard in a moleskin coat at the end of the platform. Trust Cedric to give an accurate description. I made my way through the crowd and stood in the crowd of apparent first years.
"Any more firs' years?" the large man, Hagrid, I guess, boomed. "C'mon then, mind yer step. Firs' years follow me!"
The group slid forward after him. The rain was still coming down in buckets, and I was freezing. I'm sure we all were. Hopefully we would be there soon.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called over his shoulder suddenly.
Boat?! We had to take boats, in this weather? I shivered, and suddenly wished that I knew how to swim. Everyone seemed hesitant to step foot into a boat.
"C'mon, you lot! We haven' got all night!" Hagrid shouted over the thunder.
Grumbling and shivering, we all got into boats. They lurched forward, with the wind and rain pounding down on us.
"Bah, this is practically child-abuse," a girl grumbled next to me. At least, I think she was a girl; everyone looked like sexless drowned rats in this weather. "I mean, what if I get pneumonia and die? Wait until my father hears about this!"
I couldn't help but laugh, which earned me a glare.
"Aw, Princess," I smirked.
Suddenly, the boats all stopped. I couldn't see any land, but there seemed to be a big commotion a couple of boats ahead of us. After a few seconds, I saw a boy break through the surface of the water. Hagrid hauled him back into his boat and wrapped his huge coat around him.
"Why would he decide to go for a swim in this weather?" The same girl asked. "And I doubt that he is any more wet than the rest of us."
I had to agree with her there, why did he get a coat to wrap up in?
The little fleet continued on it's journey. Finally we made it to land, an underground harbor that seemed to be right under the school. After a quick climb up a passageway, we were lead into a hall. From the sounds of it, all the other students were on the other side of a pair of large doors. Standing in front of those doors was an old witch.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall, safe an' sound," Hagrid said to the woman.
I had heard of Professor McGonagall, of course. Cedric told me that she was rather strict, but kind. He said that as long as I followed the rules, I shouldn't be bothered by her.
Well, she did look strict.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall addressed the crowd of first years. "The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your house. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts."
I tuned out the rest of her speech. I already knew about the houses, and the Sorting. Cedric told me, and Cedric is always right.
I really wish that he would be wrong about something, though.
Finally we were lead into the Great Hall, and past the other students. I saw Cedric smile at me as I passed, but I ignored him. We were brought to a halt in front of a small stool with a ragged old hat on it.
This must be the Sorting Hat Cedric told me about.
Of course.
Along with everyone else in the hall, I stared hard at the Hat, waiting for it to burst into song. A wide tear opened up near the brim, and it started. It decribed the different qualities each founder favored for their own house. As it ended, everyone applauded it. I really didn't get why it needed applauding; maybe it has low self-esteem? I clapped anyway.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward again. "When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool. When the Hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.
"Ackerley, Stewart!"
A boy walked forward, trembling with cold and fear. He sat and put on the Hat.
"Ravenclaw!" the Hat shouted.
Stewart sighed in relief, and ran to his new "family".
"Baddock, Malcolm!"
"Slytherin!"
As he hopped off the stool and sat down at the proper table, I noticed that some of the students, mostly
from the Gryffindor table, were booing.
Well how rude.
The Sorting continued on slowly; I was impatient to sit down.
"Diggory, Carmen!"
I walked up to the stool and sat down. As the Hat descended on my head, I heard a quiet voice in my
ear.
"So, where shall we put you? Hmm, a thirst to prove yourself different from your brother, and ambition. The best place would be Slytherin!"
The last word rang out in the hall. I quickly got off the stool and sat down beside Malcolm.
He turned to looked at me with curiosity.
I glared. "What do you want?"
He sneered. "Carmen is a girl's name."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's original. Not like I haven't heard that before. And, it is actually a unisex name."
"Sure, whatever you want to believe," he turned away again.
I hate it when people comment on my name. My parents gave Cedric a perfectly fine, masculine name. I get a name everyone tells me is a girl name.
Well screw them.
The Sorting finished, and the feast began. The empty platters all magically filled with food. Everyone ate, and socialized. Mostly I kept to myself, though, prefering to listen to what everyone else was talking about.
After dessert, and all the food disappeared, Professor Dumbledore, easily recognizable, stood. He smiled around at all the students.
"So, now that we are all fed and watered I must ask for your attention while I give out a few notices."
He droned on about some banned things, which the list can be viewed in the caretaker Filch's office (Cedric advised me to avoid him), and out of bounds places.
"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
All around me, voices of outrage broke across the hall.
"Bloody hell!" Malcolm raged. "I was going to try out!"
"First years never make the team." I replied.
"Harry Potter did!"
I had to laugh at that. "Are you kidding me? Harry Potter gets to bend all the rules; he's special."
He glared at me. "You don't sound upset about no quidditch," he muttered suspiously.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "I hate quidditch."
He gasped in shock as Dumbledore continued. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October,
and continuing throughout the school year. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"
He was interupted by the doors to the hall flying open, revealing a man shrouded in a black travelling cloak. As he lowered the hood, I instantly recognized Mad-Eye Moody. Dad always said he was a nutter, and his appearance seemed to contribute to that fact.
He walked with a distinct limp, and thunked on every other step. His hair was grizzled and grey, and his face was horribly scarred. His eyes were terrifying; one was small and beady, the other was bright blue and spun around everywhere.
I do believe Dad was right. Not that I'd ever tell him that.
"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody!" Dumbledore said brightly, applauding. Hagrid was the only one who joined in.
Everyone just broke out in whispers. What is it with this school and whispering?
Dumbledore cleared his throat for attention. "As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for a century. It is my great pleasure to announce that the Triwizard Tournament will be talking place at Hogwarts this year."
This time they didn't whisper. Everyone broke out into loud exclamations of shock.
"Well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves," Dumbledore continued, "so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely." He went on with his explanation.
"How exciting," Malcolm said. "Did you ever think you would see the Triwizard Tournament take place in your lifetime? Hey, I'm talking to you!"
I turned to him, startled. "You actually were talking to me? Sorry. No, I never thought I would see it."
He snorted. I thought I heard him mutter git, but I tried not to pay attention. Dumbledore was saying how only seventeen-year-olds could enter the tournament, and again, the Hall exploded into outrage.
Dumbledore continued on to explain how the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmastrang would be arriving in October, and staying for the rest of the year before finally sending us off to bed.
I followed the Slytherin prefect who was showing us the way to the dungeons, and telling us about the passwords and rules of the common room.
When we arrived and found our dormitory, the other boys started talking and unpacking. I glanced around at the identical green and silver four-poster beds, before finding my own. I just climbed into the
bed and closed the curtains to shut myself off from the annoying ramblings of my roommates.
At least I can get a little privacy in this place.
My last thought before falling asleep was about how lucky I was not to be in Hufflepuff, with bright yellow as one of the colors.
