The train's motion gradually slowed, and the girls heard the mass exodus going out onto the platform. They decided to follow rather carefully, and, as they exited, saw a huge castle looming in the distance.
"WHAT have we gotten ourselves into this time?" Ajina asked as they walked out in wonder. Most of the students were now in robes, and milling about on the platform. And, above them all, stood a gigantic man. He was wearing a huge mink skin coat, and swinging a lantern, yelling "Firs' Years! Firs' Years!"
Immediately, Opal and Kokoro raced to the man, and each glomped onto once of his enormous arms. Ajina followed them, at a stately pace, and Trinn and Ignatia were far, far behind and trying to pretend they didn't know the first two.
Hagrid looked at the two girls who had attached themselves to his arms. "erm.. an' who are you?" he asked, as Ajina arrived.
"I'm Opal!" Opal yelled, as her dragonly parts reappeared.
"I'm Kokoro!" Kokoro agreed. "You're cool!", and she was half cat again. Hagrid looked at them doubtfully.
"What are yer, then?"
"Genoise." Ignatia replied, as Opal and Kokoro voiced the coolness of Hagrid and his coat.
"Err.. wot now?" He asked, and attempted to remove the two girls. "Are yer.. firs' years? Yeh look a mite big for that…" he said, scanning with a doubtful expression the tiny-ness of Opal's clothing, and the scary-ness of Trinn's, who had begun trying to set fire to a bench.
"What's a first year?" Ignatia demanded, scowling at the huge man.
"Yer don't know..?" Hagrid asked, again trying to peel the two young women with assorted animal characteristics off of his nice, new coat. "An, wot's goin' on with them two?" He gestured to Opal and Kokoro, who were now dancing in circles around him, singing "big mink coat man, big mink coat man…"
"Goodness knows." Ajina said. "But, Uh, Mr…" she slowed, and realized the man had not dropped his name.
"Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid." He said, and began motioning a large group of shivering children towards a fleet of boats.
"Well, Mr. Hagrid, might you tell us where we are?" Ajina asked, and she in turn motioned to her two child-like companions. They came back from where they had been admiring the castle in the distance, and speculating about whether it had wine inside, or was made of cheese.
"Yer at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft an' Wizardry, but don't yer know that?" He said, and began walking to the boats. Ajina and co. followed.
"What's that?" Ignatia asked, challenging anyone to disagree with her question.
Hagrid just turned and stared.
"WHAT have we gotten ourselves into this time?" Ajina asked as they walked out in wonder. Most of the students were now in robes, and milling about on the platform. And, above them all, stood a gigantic man. He was wearing a huge mink skin coat, and swinging a lantern, yelling "Firs' Years! Firs' Years!"
Immediately, Opal and Kokoro raced to the man, and each glomped onto once of his enormous arms. Ajina followed them, at a stately pace, and Trinn and Ignatia were far, far behind and trying to pretend they didn't know the first two.
Hagrid looked at the two girls who had attached themselves to his arms. "erm.. an' who are you?" he asked, as Ajina arrived.
"I'm Opal!" Opal yelled, as her dragonly parts reappeared.
"I'm Kokoro!" Kokoro agreed. "You're cool!", and she was half cat again. Hagrid looked at them doubtfully.
"What are yer, then?"
"Genoise." Ignatia replied, as Opal and Kokoro voiced the coolness of Hagrid and his coat.
"Err.. wot now?" He asked, and attempted to remove the two girls. "Are yer.. firs' years? Yeh look a mite big for that…" he said, scanning with a doubtful expression the tiny-ness of Opal's clothing, and the scary-ness of Trinn's, who had begun trying to set fire to a bench.
"What's a first year?" Ignatia demanded, scowling at the huge man.
"Yer don't know..?" Hagrid asked, again trying to peel the two young women with assorted animal characteristics off of his nice, new coat. "An, wot's goin' on with them two?" He gestured to Opal and Kokoro, who were now dancing in circles around him, singing "big mink coat man, big mink coat man…"
"Goodness knows." Ajina said. "But, Uh, Mr…" she slowed, and realized the man had not dropped his name.
"Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid." He said, and began motioning a large group of shivering children towards a fleet of boats.
"Well, Mr. Hagrid, might you tell us where we are?" Ajina asked, and she in turn motioned to her two child-like companions. They came back from where they had been admiring the castle in the distance, and speculating about whether it had wine inside, or was made of cheese.
"Yer at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft an' Wizardry, but don't yer know that?" He said, and began walking to the boats. Ajina and co. followed.
"What's that?" Ignatia asked, challenging anyone to disagree with her question.
Hagrid just turned and stared.