Here is chapter 3, hope you like it. The first upload went wrong, but that
should be fixed now. If you are reading this thank you so much.
Standard disclaimer- any character you recognise is not mine, but the property of Ms Rowling. I make no money out of this. Please don't steal it either. And now on with the fic!
******
The train pulled up at Hogsmede station with a huge roll of steam and a piercing whistle. James rushed out of the compartment and into the corridor. Trying to control the rushing masses was a lanky, redheaded sixth year. He had a prefect badge pinned on his jumper and a stressed expression.
"Right. No pushing. Keep calm. Hey! Don't do that. Form an orderly qu. no wands, and definitely no hexes!" Remus began to help Peter down with his case. When the prefect spotted them. "No, no. Your cases will be brought in and put in your dorms. Don't worry about it" as he said as Remus tried to apologise. The redheaded boy turned suddenly. "Oi! Watch it! You're going to crush him. Who let that toad out?" he hurried off again to battle the crowds.
Remus felt like a fool. He hardly knew any thing about his own world. Unlike James who seemed to know everything about Hogwarts from his parents. In fact, he thought, he'd only ever done one piece of magic in his life. Maybe it was all a mistake and then they would expose him and send him home. And that was a best case scenario. He knew all about what people could do to him. He swallowed his throat suddenly dry. Once, a few years ago, he had found book of stories from Transylvania. The pictures had haunted him for months. And they weren't as bad as the reality.
"Hey Remus wake up." Sirius nudged him. "We've got to get off the train. Unless you want to go home?" he said sarcastically. Remus felt that hid did.
James was standing with Peter on the platform waiting for them. He was also being dwarfed by the tallest man, if that's what he was, Remus had ever seen. James seemed totally unfazed, but Peter was almost pressed into the concrete with fear.
"Sirius, Remus. We're over here." They walked over through crowds of pupils, who were mainly first years, since the rest of the school had filtered away somewhere. "This is Hagrid." Remus with drilled politeness held out a hand, which was engulfed by Hagrid's own. "Pleas'd t' meetcha" he growled and called over the boy's heads for the other first years to follow him.
They all trouped after him like a bewildered crocodile. Spread out in front of them was a fleet of tiny rowing boats. As Remus looked at them he noticed there were no oars in the gates. (AN- that's the swivelly place were the oars go for those of you who have no clue about boats) Having grown up with the minimum of magic, his logical mind started trying to work out how they would move.
Hagrid ushered them all into boats and took up a whole one himself. Remus edged up to allow Peter into the boat. James looked a bit worried and muttered something about not being in his element. Remus still felt nauseous and could sympathise.
The boats began as if by magic, which it was, to sail away from the shore. The dark waters lapped against the sides of the boats, spread out like a deep sparkling cloth under a veil of darkness, lying around the landscape. The mountains were dusky smudges on the far horizon.
"So, Peter." Sirius began, "Have you heard about the giant squid." His eyes had a malicious glint.
"What." Peter gulped, "What squid?"
"Oh just the one that lives in this lake." Sirius leant back and tried to look cool.
"Lives here." Peter gulped again. He turned to James looking worried. "He's kidding right."
James, who by now was grass green, leant out over the water, his knuckles white. "No 's true. Dad tol' me." That was all he dared say in case he threw up, but Remus could tell he was wishing the squid would actually eat him. He felt the same, but for different reasons.
What made Sirius stop tormenting Peter and made the incessant chatter stop was the view. Above them loomed Hogwarts castle, dark and craggy. There was a collective intake of breath. Remus admired how the architect had managed to balance it so precariously on the cliff edge. Its minarets towered at height that would make you dizzy.
"Wow." Sirius said in a way that meant there was nothing more to say. Even James managed to lift his head and stare.
"A prime example of the baronial style." Remus breathed all else forgotten, earning an odd look from Peter.
All to soon, it seemed to Remus, they reached the shore under the castle. Hagrid led them up to the huge oak doors studded with iron. He smashed his watermelon-sized fist against them. The doors opened as if by themselves, but as they widened they revealed a stern, neat, yet rather young witch wearing a broad tartan.
"Thank you Hagrid," She said in a Scottish accent, "I'll take them from here." She beckoned the first years into the warmth of the candlelit entrance hall. "I'm Professor McGonagall the new Deputy Head." This was a definite statement. "I am about to take you through to the great hall where you will be sorted into your houses. For those of you who have not heard from your parents," she shot James a look, "They are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. They will be your home, your family and your base for your time here at Hogwarts. Now follow me."
*****
Thanks to my one reviewer, you made my day.
All the rest of you please review, please, please, please. I don't even mind flames, well not too much. Chapter 4 will be up soon. Love you all #:-)
Standard disclaimer- any character you recognise is not mine, but the property of Ms Rowling. I make no money out of this. Please don't steal it either. And now on with the fic!
******
The train pulled up at Hogsmede station with a huge roll of steam and a piercing whistle. James rushed out of the compartment and into the corridor. Trying to control the rushing masses was a lanky, redheaded sixth year. He had a prefect badge pinned on his jumper and a stressed expression.
"Right. No pushing. Keep calm. Hey! Don't do that. Form an orderly qu. no wands, and definitely no hexes!" Remus began to help Peter down with his case. When the prefect spotted them. "No, no. Your cases will be brought in and put in your dorms. Don't worry about it" as he said as Remus tried to apologise. The redheaded boy turned suddenly. "Oi! Watch it! You're going to crush him. Who let that toad out?" he hurried off again to battle the crowds.
Remus felt like a fool. He hardly knew any thing about his own world. Unlike James who seemed to know everything about Hogwarts from his parents. In fact, he thought, he'd only ever done one piece of magic in his life. Maybe it was all a mistake and then they would expose him and send him home. And that was a best case scenario. He knew all about what people could do to him. He swallowed his throat suddenly dry. Once, a few years ago, he had found book of stories from Transylvania. The pictures had haunted him for months. And they weren't as bad as the reality.
"Hey Remus wake up." Sirius nudged him. "We've got to get off the train. Unless you want to go home?" he said sarcastically. Remus felt that hid did.
James was standing with Peter on the platform waiting for them. He was also being dwarfed by the tallest man, if that's what he was, Remus had ever seen. James seemed totally unfazed, but Peter was almost pressed into the concrete with fear.
"Sirius, Remus. We're over here." They walked over through crowds of pupils, who were mainly first years, since the rest of the school had filtered away somewhere. "This is Hagrid." Remus with drilled politeness held out a hand, which was engulfed by Hagrid's own. "Pleas'd t' meetcha" he growled and called over the boy's heads for the other first years to follow him.
They all trouped after him like a bewildered crocodile. Spread out in front of them was a fleet of tiny rowing boats. As Remus looked at them he noticed there were no oars in the gates. (AN- that's the swivelly place were the oars go for those of you who have no clue about boats) Having grown up with the minimum of magic, his logical mind started trying to work out how they would move.
Hagrid ushered them all into boats and took up a whole one himself. Remus edged up to allow Peter into the boat. James looked a bit worried and muttered something about not being in his element. Remus still felt nauseous and could sympathise.
The boats began as if by magic, which it was, to sail away from the shore. The dark waters lapped against the sides of the boats, spread out like a deep sparkling cloth under a veil of darkness, lying around the landscape. The mountains were dusky smudges on the far horizon.
"So, Peter." Sirius began, "Have you heard about the giant squid." His eyes had a malicious glint.
"What." Peter gulped, "What squid?"
"Oh just the one that lives in this lake." Sirius leant back and tried to look cool.
"Lives here." Peter gulped again. He turned to James looking worried. "He's kidding right."
James, who by now was grass green, leant out over the water, his knuckles white. "No 's true. Dad tol' me." That was all he dared say in case he threw up, but Remus could tell he was wishing the squid would actually eat him. He felt the same, but for different reasons.
What made Sirius stop tormenting Peter and made the incessant chatter stop was the view. Above them loomed Hogwarts castle, dark and craggy. There was a collective intake of breath. Remus admired how the architect had managed to balance it so precariously on the cliff edge. Its minarets towered at height that would make you dizzy.
"Wow." Sirius said in a way that meant there was nothing more to say. Even James managed to lift his head and stare.
"A prime example of the baronial style." Remus breathed all else forgotten, earning an odd look from Peter.
All to soon, it seemed to Remus, they reached the shore under the castle. Hagrid led them up to the huge oak doors studded with iron. He smashed his watermelon-sized fist against them. The doors opened as if by themselves, but as they widened they revealed a stern, neat, yet rather young witch wearing a broad tartan.
"Thank you Hagrid," She said in a Scottish accent, "I'll take them from here." She beckoned the first years into the warmth of the candlelit entrance hall. "I'm Professor McGonagall the new Deputy Head." This was a definite statement. "I am about to take you through to the great hall where you will be sorted into your houses. For those of you who have not heard from your parents," she shot James a look, "They are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. They will be your home, your family and your base for your time here at Hogwarts. Now follow me."
*****
Thanks to my one reviewer, you made my day.
All the rest of you please review, please, please, please. I don't even mind flames, well not too much. Chapter 4 will be up soon. Love you all #:-)