Parts of this are word for word from the first book which I own a copy of but nothing more in case you thought I did. For example I did not write McGonagall's speech but J. K. Rowling did.
The rest of the ride to Hogwarts is uneventful, Neville and Ron being in awe of (and slightly afraid of) Harry and Harry considering the fact that his Auntie Rowena might be right about him running circles around the competition.
I mean even if Ron had only had the rat for a few minutes surely an older witch or wizard should have noticed out of all the people on the platform. Rowena had always taught that safety should come before anything too so surely someone should have had a good look over the rat and realised that it wasn't one?
Harry was beginning to become concerned with his safety.
When the conductor warns that they have five minutes until arrival the boys hurriedly change into their robes, both excited and nervous.
Harry says goodbye to Hedwig who chirrups back, tilting her head a little.
"I'll get something for you if I can." The owl hoots softly and Harry laughs, giving her a pat on the head. She fluffs her feathers up in response and Harry closes the cage before she can bat him out the door.
"I'm going- don't worry!" Harry brings the sleeping man down from the luggage rack and floats him behind him.
That's one piece of luggage that should definitely not be discovered before he figured out what to do with it.
Ron and Neville both pale, trying not to stare at the man.
"Um, Harry, mate?" Ron starts, looking very queasy, "You think you could do whatever you did for Malfoy for us?" Neville nods in agreement and Harry nods pulling the strings joining the man and the two boys apart.
"That any better?" They blink in unison and Neville nods.
"Yeah, thanks." Ron nods in agreement.
"Except we still know he's there but it's better."
A giant waves to them, grinning at everyone as they step off the train.
"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! C'mon, follow me- any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'- years follow me!" The three boys join the crowd following the man carefully over the steep path. Nobody speaks much, trying to focus on not slipping.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec. Jus' round this bend here." The narrow path opens out suddenly on to the edge of a dark lake. On the other aside, on top of a great mountain there is a castle with sparkling windows and towers.
Harry is impressed and judging by the loud 'Oooooh!' so is everyone else.
"No more'n four to a boat!" The giant calls, pointing to a fleet of little boats bobbing gently in the water. Harry is pleased to note the protective magic on them.
He floats the naked man above a boat and clambers in, pulling the other two boys with him. A girl with buck teeth and bushy brown hair joins them, sitting next to Harry.
"I'm Hermione Granger- who are you?" she says as the boats begin to move.
"I'm Ron Weasley." Says Ron, somewhat begrudgingly.
"Neville Longbottom." Neville smiles at her and she smiles back a little.
"Harry Potter." The girl peers at him curiously.
"Are you really? I've read a lot about you- I ordered extra books for some background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." Harry is impressed by her research. He thinks Sam would like her too.
"Oh- I am?" The girl looks at him sharply.
"Yes- surely the people looking after you told you how important you are?" Harry nods.
"Yeah- they did. I just didn't really know it was so big a deal. The whole Voldemort-" The boys gasp.
"You just said You-Know-Who's name!" They look at Harry in mixture of shock and amazement. Both Harry and Hermione stare at the boys oddly.
"Well. Yeah. That whole thing isn't so widespread in America." Ron, Neville and Hermione all look like they're going to say something before the giant's voice booms over their heads.
"Heads down!" Harry frantically wraps another layer of protection around the naked man and drags him beneath the water. He ducks down himself, counting the seconds and hoping the man doesn't die. A curtain of ivy brushes over them all, effectively silencing any further conversation.
After twenty seconds the tunnel widens out into some kind of underground harbour and Harry lifts the man out of the water- thankfully both still alive and still asleep. Ron and Neville climb out of the boat, Neville extending a hand to Hermione with a slight blush and Ron helping Harry pull himself on to dry-ish land.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Asks the giant as he checks the boats.
Neville looks down at the toad curiously as he's dumped back into his hands.
"But I left you with my luggage." Trevor lets out a croak and Ron stares at the creature slightly repulsed.
Harry floats the man above the crowd, hoping that people disregard the dripping as a feature of the cave as they collectively walk up a flight of stone stairs and crowd around a huge, oak door.
"Everyone here?" The giant calls, his beady eyes passing over everyone. Seeing nothing out of place he raises a fist and knocks on the door three times.
Immediately the door swings open. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stands waiting in the door way looking as if she is ready to tell them all off for something.
The giant isn't put off.
"The firs'- years, Professor McGonagall," The woman nods, eyes focusing on the spot where the man floats for a second. She mutters something under her breath but continues regardless.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulls the door open wider. The Entrance Hall is so big Harry is sure they could fit the whole of his home into it. The stone walls are lit with flaming torches, the ceiling fades into the distance when he looks up and a marble staircase leads up to the higher floors.
They all follow Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor, many children looking around in awe at what seems to be a fully functional medieval castle. On the right Harry can feel the large concentration of life and individual magical signatures- even more than when they were in Diagon Alley.
He allows himself a glance upwards to direct the floating man through the door frame as they are all crowded into a small empty chamber. Everyone seems uncomfortable with the proximity of everyone else but no one says anything as the Professor starts speaking.
"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, while you are here, your house will be something like your family at Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes seem to linger on Ron's smudged nose.
"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." The first years watch as the door is closed again and mass speculation begins.