The train came to a stop in a town that was lit up by lampposts. Mauve shrunk her suitcases so they fit into the palm of her hand, then she stuck her now shrunk suitcases into her pocket. "Why'd you do that? Our suitcases take care of themselves." April asked, looking confused.
"I don't know where I'll be staying, or if I will be staying." Mauve answered as the group joined the rest of the students walking off the train and up a well-worn path. Mauve was awed to see that the flames on the lampposts were actually floating a few inches above the posts.
"Oh yea" April looked thoughtful. Kara rolled her eyes and Jeremiah looked conflicted between being amused or apologetic.
The students walked up the path in silence for the rest of the way, until they walked towards thestrals tethered to stagecoaches.
"What? Mauve stopped in her tracks, causing the students behind her to bump into her. "Why do you have thestrals? How do you have thestrals?" Mauve was shocked, she had learned thestrals were incredibly dangerous, and incredibly hard to train. Who would risk students' lives by teaching thestrals to pull the stagecoaches?
"Hagrid, the grounds keeper, raises them and trains them" Jeremiah answered.
Mauve had just enough time to wonder who Hagrid was when she heard a yell "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"
"That's him now" Jeremiah said pointing to the largest man Mauve had ever seen.
"Come on, we want to get good seats." Kara said, nudging April to keep walking. The group started walking again and Mauve stared at the scariest animal she had ever seen. The thestral stared back until their glance was broken when Mauve jumped into the stagecoach which smelled like a barn.
"Have you seen Hogwarts before?" Kara asked, looking at Mauve.
"Nope, I'm excited though. From what I've read from 'Hogwarts, A History' it's an amazing building."
"Don't tell me we found another bookworm!" Kara said while lightly smacking her hand against her forehead.
"I resent that." Jeremiah said while frowning at Kara.
April decided to ignore the two while they bantered and instead leaned closer to Mauve and said "Hogwarts is a magical place, I promise you will love it."
Mauve smiled and looked out the window of the stagecoach and saw a giant and beautiful castle coming closer and closer. When the stagecoach stopped Mauve was the first to get out followed by April then Jeremiah and Kara, still bickering.
They walked into the main doors and Mauve was flabbergasted by the size of the room and when they walked into the main hall. She felt like she couldn't be any more amazed: there were five massive tabled in the room, arranged so each house could sit together along with a table for the teachers.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Mauve asked looking at all the male teachers, wondering which one it was she was looking for.
"He's right there." April pointed at the center of the table of teachers. Sitting there was a man with very long white hair, and the same piercing blue eyes Mauve had seen on her mother as well as every time she looked in the mirror.
"You're related to Dumbledore?" Kara asked, shocked. April and Jeremiah stopped, equally shocked.
"He's my grandfather" Mauve responded while looking at Dumbledore, who noticed her and was looking at her in puzzlement.
Kara snapped out of her stillness and once again nudged April, who nudged Jeremiah to sit at their respective tables, leaving Mauve to face her grandfather.
Mauve walked forward while noticing that people were staring at her for two reasons. Foe one, she was still in her muggle clothing. Also, she was walking towards the teachers table, not finding her friends at her houses' table.
Not just the students were staring though, even the teachers were glancing towards her while trying to be sneaky. One teacher however, a middle-aged man with greasy black hair, was openly staring in confusion.
The walk to the teachers table seemed to take forever to Mauve because of all the eyes following her. Finally, she stood in front of Dumbledore. They both watched each other, seeing who would speak first. Dumbledore decided to end the silence and kindly asked "Hello, how may I helps you?"
Mauve had been thinking of this moment since she found out her grandfather was alive, and had come up with a million different scenarios and how to respond to them. But now that she was actually at Hogwarts, in front of Dumbledore, she was at a loss for words.
"Uh, hi. I'm your granddaughter, my grandmother was Mora Kingston." Dumbledore seemed slightly shocked. Mauve didn't think anything surprised him completely.
"Mora? I haven't heard from her since I attended Hogwarts, how is she?"
"She died three years ago." A change was immediate in Dumbledore. Gone was his cheerful moral, replaced with a man older than his years.
"It seemed we have much to talk about, but that will have to wait until after the feast. Are you hungry?" Mauve nodded. "Good, please sit" Dumbledore gestured to the vacated seat to his right and Mauve walked around the teachers' table to sit.
Dumbledore stood up, which was all he needed to do to command the attention of the entire room. Mauve listened as Dumbledore welcomed all the students, then warned them about the dementors. To the relief of Mauve, who expected more bad news, the next announcement was to tell of the two new staff members. Finally, Dumbledore said it was time to eat and sat down.
In front of Mauve food appeared, and she gratefully dug in. Soon she would talk with her grandfather, but for now she was going to enjoy the delicious food and the sight of the beautiful room.
So this chapter is shorter than before, and I realize but I feel like this is a good place to stop for now. If this story isn't enough for your Harry Potter fix please check out ScarletSecrets1234's story titled Destiny's Pawn :) As always please review so I can improve, until next time.