Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Potter world. I own only Mia Ferris and Sylas the owl. I wish I owned it, but sadly that's not the case
Broken Roses: Howarts
Not too long after Hermione left, the trio was laughing at a joke that Ron had just told when a blonde boy walked in flanked by two very large boys.
"Is it true? They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" Mia looked from Harry to the blonde in bewilderment.
"Yes," Harry replied. Mia looked at the blonde boy and the other two big ones and saw that they were standing on either side of him like bodyguards.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle. And my name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Mia and Ron both gave a little cough at this, both trying to suppress a laugh. Draco looked at the two.
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." Ron turned red nect to Mia as she stood up in rage.
"Don't insult him. He's twice the man you'll ever be. And I'm not a Weasley. My name is Mia Ferris." Malfoy looked taken aback after Mia told him this. He then regained himself and looked at Harry.
"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort," he said, gesturing to Mia and Ron. "I can help you there."
He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.
"I think it's best you leave now. Clearly you can't see when you're not wanted." Mia said this with such ferocity, the blonde boy took a step back.
"This isn't over. Not hardly," he said before exiting the compartment, still flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. Mia immediately looked at Harry.
"You have some explaining to do."
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The train stopped about ten minutes after the confrontation with Malfoy. Harry had explained to Mia all that had happened and why people knew him, with many interjections from Ron of, "Don't say the name!"
Harry and Ron grabbed their trunks and dragged them outside the train where they left them. Mia followed behind them, helping when she could. The three hadn't noticed how dark it had gotten, and could easily see a lantern bobbing over the heads of many children. Mia heard a deep voice calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"
Mia looked at the source of the noise and saw a very large man. She looked at Harry, realizing the man had been talking to him. Harry nodded and when she looked back the man Harry was looking back and forth between Mia and Harry in bewilderment.
Shaking his head, the man started talking again.
"C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
The first years followed the man down a rocky path and soon he was talking again.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec. Jus' round this bend here." There was a collective gasp as the students looked at the castle looming in the distance on a hill. A black lake surrounded it.
"No more'n four to a boat!" A boy who introduced himself as Aidan accompanied Harry, Ron, and Mia in their boat.
"Everyone in? Right then- FORWARD!" As soon as these word were shouted the boats moved as one towards the castle. Everyone stared at the castle that became larger as they neared it.
"Heads down!" They all ducked their heads as they reached and opening in the cliff face. The boats sailed on through a tunnel and came to a stop at an underground tunnel.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?"
The boy Mia recognized at Neville ran up to the man yelling, "Trevor!" The students then followed as the giant led them through a passageway, coming out on grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up some stairs and crowded around a huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"
The man then raised a huge fist and pounded on the door three times. Soon enough, the door swung open revealing a strict-looking witch in emerald-green robes.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
So that's his name!
They followed the woman across the stone floor of the castle. Mia heard other voices, those of the rest of the students, off to the right. McGonagall showed them into a small, empty chamber off the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because…" It was then that the professor started to loose Mia. She heard bits and pieces that sounded like "family" and "house points," but didn't really pay attention. She was more interested in the faces around her that were growing extremely worried.
"… will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She gave one last sweeping look around the room before adding, "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." McGonagall then exited.
Mia heard Harry asking Ron how they got sorted.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Harry looked like he was about to throw up.
"Oh, nonsense. They wouldn't hurt us, or test us for that matter. We're eleven. We can't know that much." No matter how much she tried to show how not nervous she was, she was nervous. Very nervous. The two boys looked at her with pale faces, then turned toward the door that had opened again.
"The Sorting Ceremony is about to start. Now, form a line and follow me." Mia gulped and looked at the faces of her friends. They looked just as scared as her.