Disclaimer: I do not own the world or the characters originally created by, and world created by J K Rowling. I have just created my own original characters and placed them into her magical world.

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to post. Life :D Anyway let up continue on with the story.

Quest for Merlin

Nineteen Years Later

Chapter 4

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The three could feel the train begin to slow as it whistled at the approaching station. Megs ran to the compartment window and looked outside, pressing her face to the glass, a broad smile appearing on her face.

"Hey I see the stations lights now, I'm so excited!" she bounced happily.

Clugin's stomach rumbled loudly, the noise caused both girls to look at him and then giggle.

"I know what you mean" Megs said as she took her pack from the floor and slung it over her shoulder. "I'm so hungry. I hear that at Hogwarts, the feasts they serve are unrivaled".

Clugin smiled back as he was beginning to imagine all the wondrous foods he was going to enjoy eating. He looked at Wren who was now staring at him as if in a daze. When Wren noticed, her face again flushed a bright red and standing up, she turned to hide her face and prepared her things to disembark.

"Did I do or say somethin to offend you Wren?" Clugin asked. His face burned too, but he wasn't sure as to why. "I always seem to offend people. I'm used to it though. Was like that at me school back home." He said as he began to think of home. Then a thought popped into his head. "Wonder what would 'appen if I ended up offendin a teacher. What do you think they would do to me?" He asked.

Megs patted Clugin on the shoulder "Don't worry Clugin. You're not the only one who has come to Hogwarts, not knowing about magic. Even Harry Potter himself was raised in a Muggle family. He didn't know anything at all about magic in his first year. Then you have Hermione Granger, She's Muggle born, just like you. She was by far more talented than most in her year, and she grew up to achieve so much. So don't worry too much about it" She said, trying her best to brighten the atmosphere.

Though to Megs, Wren seemed to be on a strange personal mission to annoy her. Wren turned around, her blush seeming to have subsided greatly as she voiced what was on her mind.

"I just don't understand what you see in Harry potter, or the Chosen Three", She scoffed. "I mean really, I don't see why everyone must make such a big fuss over them."

Megs let out an annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes as Clugin couldn't help but smile.

"And no Clugin, you didn't say anything. I'm just super anxious is all. Why does the train have to take so long?" Wren whined impatiently.

Wren didn't have much longer to wait as the train shortly arrived at its final designation. The students were herded out of the train. The first years were last to leave for it was Hogwarts tradition to arrive at the school a different way. They students filed out and waited in the cold misty air for the one who was to lead them.

Then from the distance a huge shadow formed. The shadow grew larger and larger, causing some of the first years to back up, gasp or cling to the student next to them. However when the light hit the shadow, it was no monster but a very tall man. His dark graying beard and rosy cheeks, gave him a look like Saint Nick. When he smiled down at the group before him, he waved his hand cheerily calling.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere please! C'mon, follow me!" his voice boomed loudly startling the lot.

The students gave what little they had to the baggage man, and then quickly followed the large man down a dark winding path. The wetness of the prior rain on the ground made it slippery, so most did not talk, as they concentrated on keeping their footing.

"Um, sir" Spoke up a tall blond haired boy. "You wouldn't happen to be Hagrid would ya?" He asked excitedly.

"O' course" Hagrid beamed at the boy.

"THE HAGRID!? WOAH!" The blond haired boy said as he chucked his friend next to him in the ribs. Both seemed star struck by this mans very presence. Hagrid just continued forward as he seemed a bit more chipper then he was moments before.

"Yeh'll see o'Hogwarts in a mo" Hagrid said as the group walked another steep hill, then down to a beach clearing.

The first years all let out a mixture of gasps and excited whispers amongst their friends. Hagrid lead the group to the shores edge, and drew a large wand from his inner pocket, pointing in the direction of the water and cast a bright light into its dark murky recesses. The light slowly spread in the depths, casting a faint luminous light, which eventually began to split into many little lights. Those lights eventually began to come closer to the surface, and beneath those lights, came many dark shapes. Then breaching the surface of the water, those shapes could be seen as many boats, enough for three to four students to ride in, with little lanterns as their fronts, to light the way.

"I didn't know Hagrid could cast magic?" Wren whispered from behind Clugin, making him jump.

Megs who now joined the two, stood on the other side of Clugin and leaned in so that their conversation could reach both their ears.

"Hermione and Harry had him reinstated as a wizard, and had him complete his wizarding schooling. It's all quite brilliant really when you think about it. He never did any wrong, caused no deaths. It was Tom Riddle, who framed him." She said beaming up at his giant stature admiringly.

"So he's free then? He doesn't 'av to hide himself from the world no more?" Clugin asked.

"Yup" Megs replied cheerily.

Hagrid than began pointing to students at random and sent them in the direction of the boats. Clugin was separated from the girls, and assigned a boat with the blond haired boy who was talking to Hagrid before, his friend and a rather shy girl, who kept her eyes too her feet.

Then once all were in their boats, Hagrid once again lifted his wand into the air, and as if casting a fishing line, shot a thin light into the air. The light streamed forward and eventually was but a faint glow in the far distance. Suddenly the boats began to move, and those who were still standing, quickly sat down, least they should fall off into the dark cold waters bellow.

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As the boats silently drifted along the water, the students took in the looming castle in the distance, with its many inviting lights. The girl next to Clugin shivered a little bit keeping mostly to herself, yet the two boys at the front couldn't help but talk excitedly to each other. Then when the blond hair boy turned around to see who else was on the boat with them, he offered a hand to the girl with a goofy smile.

"Hiya!" he said a bit too loudly, for his voice seemed to cause the girl to retreat more into herself. Shrugging this off, the boy turned his attention to Clugin instead, while hoping for a warmer greeting.

"Names Connell Taurus and this here" he nudged his friend to pay attention "Is my friend Finnik."

Clugin gladly shook Connell's hand in greeting, showing the same too Finnik in turn. "Me names Clugin, Clugin Lawcurn, pleased to meet ya" he said beaming at the two.

"So Clugin" Connell said leaning closer "What's your blood status?" He asked as Finnik sniggered next to him.

"My what?" Clugin asked confused.

"Your blood status! You know! Are you Pure-blood, Half-blood or Muggle-born?" he inquired.

"Well me mum and dad are both Muggles, so I guess I'd 'av to be Muggle-born, then don't I" Clugin replied, rather confused as to the importance of this information.

"No harm mind you" Finnik piped in. "It's good to know if you come from a Pure-blooded family. Gives us the heads up to know who we need to watch out for, so don't worry, you're all good. Well that being if you are what you're saying you are" he raised a brow at him.

"I am" Clugin defended himself.

"Right on mate" Connell said. "Finnik here is Half-blood so he at least has one wizarding side to his family. My Parents both completed their training at Hogwarts. My dad practically pissed himself when he remembered it was my first year. They are hoping that both of us get in the same house as them."

"What house?" Clugin asked, intrigued by these boys intake on the house system at Hogwarts.

"Gryffindor" Finnik replied. "Connell and I, we've been close mates since we were really young. So we have our families honor to uphold, but neither of us is all too concerned, we know we will make the house." He puffed his chest proudly.

"That is unless you get Hufflepuff!" Connell teased his friend.

"Hey now, I'd rather Hufflepuff then those slimy gits of Slytherin." Finnik retaliated justly.

"True that" Connell agreed. "You know Clugin. It's some of the worst, or should I say, evil wizards that come out of Slytherin house. Mind you there were some good ones as well, but most were pretty bad"

Clugin thought about this before. Slytherin house didn't seem all that popular. Sure that Meggan girl said it was the best house, but to be sorted in a house with her sounded less than preferable.

Then from up ahead the school was now hidden from view as the boats neared a great dock beneath a grand cliff face. It cast heavy shadows over the ground below it, which allowed the many flickering lights of the boats to be their only source of light. That is until Hagrid lifted his wand and its tip illuminated the surrounding area with its light.

Hagrid than motioned for the students to follow him as he lead the way, up dark steps to more flat lighted grounds. The ground slightly shaking with each step his giant feet took.

Megs had been in a boat with Wren, which was alright. The two kept to arguing for a bit about the importance of the historic second wizarding war, and its saviors. Shortly after they exhausted that topic they found their conversation drift away as the two sat, staring at the marvelous scene before them.

This was it. They were finally going to be inside those great stone walls, completely immersed in the magical world. Wren smiled at Megs excitement and could feel her own feelings begin to bottle up inside her. Their boat was one of the last to near the dock. Megs sat forward in the prow of the boat, gripping the gun rails tightly, as if she could will the boat to move faster.

When the boat did reach the docks, Megs was the first out and ran to the front of the line, leaving Wren to slowly get out and make her way to the back. Maybe it was the fact that she had lived around witches and wizards her whole life, but though this was very exciting, she couldn't help but feel a bit less excited than the others. She felt more nerves and anxiety over the consuming joy of it all.

Wren searched for her friends, but had a hard time as the path was rather narrow as it took a good climb to get to the huge doors to the front entrance of Hogwarts.

Hagrid waited until all students had caught up before pushing the doors open and leading the way to the main hall. Then turning around he addressed the students before him.

"Welcome ter Hogwarts" He said beaming down through his thick beard.

"Now, befer yeh are gettin' ter eat an al'. Yer need ter be sorted. Wha' yeh're goin' ter do, 's, line up 'n fron' o' er ed' mistress. Righ' proper 'n be silen' till yer called, al'righ?" He instructed the students.

All students filed in three straight lines behind him and did their best to smooth out wrinkles from their robes or brush bits of twig from their hair. Then the lot waited but a moment before Hagrid pushed the doors open with his two large hands and began to lead the way.

The great hall fell silent as all eyes were now on the first years as they entered and walked down to where the head mistress was standing, waiting by a podium with a rather large scroll in her hands. Next to her was a rather old pointed wizarding hat, sitting on a four legged stool. The hats brim was broad and its fabric looked to have been singed by some kind of fire, but it still looked interestingly magical in appearance.

Hagrid took one more look at the students before him before giving the Headmistress a friendly nod and walking to the teachers table to join his fellow comrades.

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"Hogwarts is a safe place, Hogwarts is a safe place" Wren whispered to herself as her hand began to shake violently. She tried desperately to calm her nerves but found that each time she managed to get a hold on them, something else like the hundreds of staring eyes would set them off again.

Megs however barely noticed the stares of the students around her, but instead was lost in the magical ceiling above, that was now imitating a star-frosted night sky. Her attention was also caught by the rows of teacher tables behind the Headmistress. A teach or two she thought she recognized but she wasn't too sure.

Clugin on the other hand was off in his own little world, thinking hard on what house he wanted to be in, and if he really had a choice in the matter. "What kinds of tests will they put us through?" He thought to himself. "What 'appens if I fail?"

The commotion in the great hall began to rise again as the whispers from the many students joined together. Yet that noise was quickly silenced as Headmistress raised her hand. She, then smiling directed her hand towards the pointed hat.

Quiet descended on the hall as the students stared at the hat, and then slowly, quite slowly, the hat began to twitch. It twitched, and it shifted. It shrunk and it grew. Then a few of the first years let out a gasp of disbelieve as just above the brim of the hat a rip appeared as if it were a mouth – and the hat began to sing.

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"Far away, long ago,

There lived a wizard with one toe,

His name was Godric and he was good,

At climbing trees and rolling in mud.

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One day upon his travels he saw,

An insufferable old bag called Rowena Ravenclaw,

In his opinion he was enough,

But along for the ride was Hulga Hufflepuff.

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Both Huffle and Raven found him rather dishy,

But Godric suspected that something was fishy.

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"What are two ladies, like yourselves,

Doing wandering in a wood, full of goblins and elves?"

"To create a Wizarding school at which students can reside."

"What a good idea, let me come too,

Three brains are much better than two!"

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Then from behind a tree stepped an evil thing indeed.

Salthazar Slytherin, full of malice and greed.

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"Let me join your merry band of men,

And instead of three, we will be four then!"

There and then they made a pact,

They spat on their hands and that's a fact.

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To build the best magic school they could,

And within a year before them the castle stood.

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"It needs a library," said swotty Rowena,

Gryffindor saw what was missing and said "A Quidditch Arena!"

"How about a hall, with an enchanted sky?"

Said Helga with a glean in her eye.

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Last up was Slytherin, "I hope there's a bar!"

The other three turned and looked at Salthazar,

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Rowena pursed her lips, "This is a school, not a pub!

No more silly suggestions, understood?"

And so began the first seeds of dissent,

Of the four heroes, Slytherin's patience was spent.

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So Slytherin went off on his own path,

Shouting behind him, "This school is going to be so naff!"

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But the founders continued, not bothered by Salthazar's moans,

and worked until they ached to their bones.

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"There's just one question, how do we choose?"

Asked Helga, Godric then took off one of his shoes.

"We'll use my trainer to sort lion from crow,"

"It's a raven," said Rowena, "And anyway, no.

We'll use a hat, and teach it to speak,

It can assess the qualities amongst the elite."

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And that's why, dear listeners, it's me you've got.

So shut up complaining it's me who'll decide,

What house you're in and I don't mind,

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If you beg to be in one, I'll give you another,

For my own amusement, so don't even bother!.

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There was a moment of silence before it was definite that the hats song was done, when the great hall erupted in applause and laughter. The hat bowed to each of the four tables in turn and then straightening up became quite still once more.

Clugin could feet his mouth agape as he stared at the hat. "A hat that not only talked but sang?" he marveled.

Megs was jumping excitingly as she could barely contain her excitement any longer, to find out what house she was in.

While Wren closed her eyes and concentrated on the house she wanted the most.

"Breathe Wren, just breathe."

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There you go. Off the train, a familiar face and a dark boat journey. Next will be the sorting. From what you can tell from their personalities. What house do you think the three will be in? Let me know by commenting on the chapter.

Also remember to show your support by either, following, favorite or commenting on my story. All are most welcome, and will give me a good boost.