Chapter 13

Hagrid and Little Boats

Heather could feel her fears about the sorting resurfacing. She started to fiddle with her hair, twirling around her finger. There was disorganized chaos when the students filed out of the train. The porters had gone down the length of the train telling them to leave their luggage. With only her book bag filled to the brim with books and candy Heather got off the train following Hugo. Alice was behind her and James behind her. They didn't really know where to be do they stood on the platform and looked lost. Then they heard a booming voice calling

"Firs' years o'er here!" There was a light in the direction of the voice and it illuminated the largest and hairiest man that Heather had ever seen. His hair was thick and wiry. It was also a dark gray, salt and pepper.

"Hagrid!" James was clearly happy to see this giant of a man. And he made their little group hurry to meet him.

"Hi'ay Hagrid!" James said brightly when they arrived.

"Hello" James "'bout time you got to Hogwarts. And you too, Alice, Hugo. Good ter see ya again." His eyes then fell on Heather. "Who's yer friend?"

"Heather, sir." She thought that this man sounded nice and he was friends with the others and she liked them, so what did she have to lose.

"Well hello Heather, an' welcome ter Hogwarts." He stuck out a big hand and Heather nervously took it. She was worried about having her hand squashed into a pulp or having her arm ripped out of its socket, this man was clearly going to be as strong as his size suggested. Her worries were unfounded however because the shake was like any other normal sized persons would have been. This relieved Heather.

With their introduction over he turned his attention to the other first years. "Alright everyone here? Don' want ter leave anyone behind." The group squeezed in tighter. "Alright, off ter the boats."

Heather's stomach did flips. She didn't like boats. There was too much rocking. The dock came upon them sooner than she would have liked.

"Four ter a boat now." Heather let the others get in first. Then made the plunge herself. Amazingly when she got in the little boat didn't rock like she thought it should. Even though this was true she scrunched her eyes shut as soon as she was seated and wrapped her arms around her middle. Waiting for the others to get in their boats was torture for Heather; she was dreading the sea sickness that she knew was coming.

"Tell me when we're going to push off."

"We already have."

"What?" Heather ventured to open on e eye and saw that James was telling the truth. Their little boat was gliding across the lake toward a great castle. "Oh wow."

"It is beautiful." Alice commented.

"It is but I was talking about my lack of sea sickness." They all looked at her. Her stomach may by ok with the boat ride but her nerves were getting to her. She was worried about the sorting.

"What do you think about the sorting? Where do you think you'll go?" She asked

"I personally hope that I got to Ravenclaw." Alice answered.

"Gryffindor" James and Hugo said in unison.

"Well those make sense for you but what about me? Where do you think i'll fit in?"

"I believe that Ravenclaw would be pleased to have you. You have already shown your ability with charms."

The others all agreed with Alice. If she and Alice were both placed in Ravenclaw that wouldn't be so bad. She would already know someone. She was starting to relax when the little boats hit the shore on the other side of the lake and she was reminded that her fate would change depending on how she was placed. What if she wasn't placed? What if this was all a big mistake and she wasn't supposed to be a witch? She was starting to give herself a panic attack. Alice noticed and took her hand in hers with a smile. This helped a little bit.

Hagrid let them up to the front doors of the school, they were huge. At least as tall as Heather's house. Them though the entrance way and up to the boors of the great hall.