Hours passed and Andromeda and Stephanie never returned to the compartment, James sat in the silence with Sirius who seemed to have taken a great interest in the window.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity the train was slowing down, it was dark now and he could hear there rain pounding on the train. They were there now, was all he could think, he had wanted to go to Hogwarts ever since he had been 3 years old and now here he was, he was finally here so how could he explain the sick feeling in his stomach. Was it nerves? It couldn't be, he wasn't the type of kid who got nervous, but as he took a deep breath, he realized it wasn't steady, his hands were shaking. What if he ended up in Slitherin? Shaking his head to clear it James stood up and followed Sirius out of the compartment.
The corridor was crowded with excited students, all running to get off the train first, they made their way out the door and onto a tiny dark platform. Outside, the night air was cold and the rain started to soak through their robes, but he didn't care... nothing could ruin this feeling, his nerves were jumping in his stomach but he couldn't help feeling happy, he was finally here. There were students everywhere, he could see in the distance several carriages that appeared to be horseless, many of the students were headed toward them but James's attention was drawn to a rather huge man, with matted black hair and beard, covering nearly all of his face.
"Firs years over here" the man was calling "firs years"
"Holy shit" Sirius muttered under his breath and had James glancing at him "look at the size of that dude"
Laughing James led the way over to the man where the first years had all started to gather.
"firs years" the man called again "any more first years, fallow me"
They fallowed the man down a steep, narrow path. It seemed to be getting darker and darker as they walked, James could barely see two steps in front of him. Nobody talked much, maybe a couple nervous whispers.
"Yeh'll get yer firs sight o' Hogwarts in a sec." the man called.
There were many gasps from the students as they rounded the last bend and saw it, the path had opened up onto the edge of a huge lake. On the other side, perched atop a mountain was a great castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called pointing to a fleet of boats sitting in the water by the shores. James and Sirius fallowed a couple of girls into a boat "FORWARD!" the man shouted once he was sure everyone was in a boat. The boats started to move all at once.
"Wow" one of the girls breathed staring up at the castle "isn't it just amazing?"
"Yeah" the other girl said "I knew it would be awesome but this is, this is nothing like I ever imagined"
"Haven't you seen pictures of it before?" James asked.
"Yeah" Sirius put in "you act like you were expecting a shack"
"I," the girls glanced at each other "I'm a muggle born"
Sirius snorted and James glanced away "I guess that would explain it then."
"However" the girl continued "I have been studying up in my text books and I have come across a couple of pictures"
"But they are nothing compared to the real thing" the other girl said. James climbed out of the boat when it crashed lightly onto the rocks. The group fallowed the large man up a passageway coming onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle; they walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. He knocked three times before the door was opened. A tall witch stood in the door, she was wearing maroon robes, and had her black hair pulled back in a tight bun and a stern face
"The firs years Professor McGonagal" the huge man said.
"Thank you Hagred, as usual I will take them from here" The door opened wide to reveal a huge entrance hall, there was a high ceiling and the stone walls were lit with torches. The first years fallowed professor McGonagal into a small, empty chamber off the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts" Professor McGonagal said stiffly "the start of the turn 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 houses will be something like your family. 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 Slitherin. Each house has a history and each house has produced great witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts you triumphs will earn you house points while any rule breakers will lose house points. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes your."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know" Sirius interrupted "now lets get on with it"
"Yeah, I'm starved" James said placing a hand to his stomach. McGongal looked down upon them; she had never had anyone interrupt her starting speech. Especially not that rudely.
"What are your names?"
"Oh I'm James Potter" James told her professor proudly "that's Sirius Black"
"I see" the professor frowned "I'll be keeping my eye on you two.
"The sorting Ceremony" she continued "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 flicked to James's hair "and I shall return when we are ready for you" with that she walked briskly from the room, letting the door click quietly closed behind her.
"Well" James said, running a hand through his hair, making it even messier "I guess this is it, oh and you can pay me those galleons tomorrow at breakfast if you like"
Sirius laughed "you can pay me those galleons tonight in the common room..."
"Black, Potter" A short boy with slicked back pail blond hair and blue eyes made his way toward them "an interesting combination" he commented "why would a Black want to hang with a Potter? Blacks never talk to Potters. you think you are pretty cool don't you" he turned his face to James "interrupting the speech but we all know who you really are, father always says your family should be booted out of the wizarding world, always hanging with mud bloods." he then turned to look at Sirius
"I always thought you could do better Sirius"
Sirius raised an eyebrow "and you are?"
"Malfoy." the boy said smiling "Lucius Malfoy and this is Crabb and Goyle" he pointed to the two rather large boys at each side of him. "You can come with us if you like. We will at least get you hanging out with the right people."
James felt his temper boiling as he shifted uneasily; he wouldn't lose it, not on his very first day at Hogwarts, not now, before he was even sorted. he could ignore this boy, His parents had told him about the malfoy's, they were one of the longest living wizarding families that anyone could remember, and one of the rudest, they were one of those families that thought they were better then everyone else, but then so were the Blacks, he reminded himself as Sirius scowled at Malfoy.
"I think I can pick my own friends thank you" Sirius said coolly.
"You don't mean…" Malfoy broke off laughing as he looked back at James "you don't mean you are making this bloke your friend" Sirius saw James out of the corner of his eye, ready to pounce on Malfoy, without any effort he grabbed James around the waist to hold him off.
"What if I am?"
Malfoy laughed again and looked back at his friends "then you have a lot to learn" he said eyeing James "good healthy pure bloods never talk to mud blood lovers, and, Potter I suppose you could do to remember that one to, pure bloods never talk to mud bloods." It was enough and Sirius let James go.
James had tackled Malfoy before anyone so much as had a chance to gasp. He couldn't stop his fist as it pounded into Malfoy's stomach, then his face, people were backing up as much as the small room would allow, not wanting to get in the middle. It was all a blur for James, he heard voices though he didn't care to make out what they were saying, then someone was grabbing onto the back of his robes and yanking him up. He struggled against it but the person was much stronger then him. Malfoy was still lying on the floor; the bruise around his left eyes was already starting to show, his nose was leaking blood, as was a small cut at the corner of his mouth. James stopped struggling as he had some satisfaction that he, himself had put those there.
"Thank you Hagred that will be all" James recognized professor McGonagal's voice as the hand on his robes released him, he turned around to see Hagred walk out of the room and professor McGonagal give him a stern, disapproving look.
"Well Potter" she said "you haven't been here 10 minutes and you are already fighting. I must tell you that fighting is not permitted on school grounds and you are lucky that I don't give you your first detention. Consider this a warning, your only warning and next time, you will get a detention and I will write to your parents. Mr. Malfoy you will go to the nurse right after the sorting, just ask a prefect at your table for directions. Form a line now and fallow me"
Finally after what seemed like an eternity the train was slowing down, it was dark now and he could hear there rain pounding on the train. They were there now, was all he could think, he had wanted to go to Hogwarts ever since he had been 3 years old and now here he was, he was finally here so how could he explain the sick feeling in his stomach. Was it nerves? It couldn't be, he wasn't the type of kid who got nervous, but as he took a deep breath, he realized it wasn't steady, his hands were shaking. What if he ended up in Slitherin? Shaking his head to clear it James stood up and followed Sirius out of the compartment.
The corridor was crowded with excited students, all running to get off the train first, they made their way out the door and onto a tiny dark platform. Outside, the night air was cold and the rain started to soak through their robes, but he didn't care... nothing could ruin this feeling, his nerves were jumping in his stomach but he couldn't help feeling happy, he was finally here. There were students everywhere, he could see in the distance several carriages that appeared to be horseless, many of the students were headed toward them but James's attention was drawn to a rather huge man, with matted black hair and beard, covering nearly all of his face.
"Firs years over here" the man was calling "firs years"
"Holy shit" Sirius muttered under his breath and had James glancing at him "look at the size of that dude"
Laughing James led the way over to the man where the first years had all started to gather.
"firs years" the man called again "any more first years, fallow me"
They fallowed the man down a steep, narrow path. It seemed to be getting darker and darker as they walked, James could barely see two steps in front of him. Nobody talked much, maybe a couple nervous whispers.
"Yeh'll get yer firs sight o' Hogwarts in a sec." the man called.
There were many gasps from the students as they rounded the last bend and saw it, the path had opened up onto the edge of a huge lake. On the other side, perched atop a mountain was a great castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called pointing to a fleet of boats sitting in the water by the shores. James and Sirius fallowed a couple of girls into a boat "FORWARD!" the man shouted once he was sure everyone was in a boat. The boats started to move all at once.
"Wow" one of the girls breathed staring up at the castle "isn't it just amazing?"
"Yeah" the other girl said "I knew it would be awesome but this is, this is nothing like I ever imagined"
"Haven't you seen pictures of it before?" James asked.
"Yeah" Sirius put in "you act like you were expecting a shack"
"I," the girls glanced at each other "I'm a muggle born"
Sirius snorted and James glanced away "I guess that would explain it then."
"However" the girl continued "I have been studying up in my text books and I have come across a couple of pictures"
"But they are nothing compared to the real thing" the other girl said. James climbed out of the boat when it crashed lightly onto the rocks. The group fallowed the large man up a passageway coming onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle; they walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. He knocked three times before the door was opened. A tall witch stood in the door, she was wearing maroon robes, and had her black hair pulled back in a tight bun and a stern face
"The firs years Professor McGonagal" the huge man said.
"Thank you Hagred, as usual I will take them from here" The door opened wide to reveal a huge entrance hall, there was a high ceiling and the stone walls were lit with torches. The first years fallowed professor McGonagal into a small, empty chamber off the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts" Professor McGonagal said stiffly "the start of the turn 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 houses will be something like your family. 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 Slitherin. Each house has a history and each house has produced great witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts you triumphs will earn you house points while any rule breakers will lose house points. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes your."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know" Sirius interrupted "now lets get on with it"
"Yeah, I'm starved" James said placing a hand to his stomach. McGongal looked down upon them; she had never had anyone interrupt her starting speech. Especially not that rudely.
"What are your names?"
"Oh I'm James Potter" James told her professor proudly "that's Sirius Black"
"I see" the professor frowned "I'll be keeping my eye on you two.
"The sorting Ceremony" she continued "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 flicked to James's hair "and I shall return when we are ready for you" with that she walked briskly from the room, letting the door click quietly closed behind her.
"Well" James said, running a hand through his hair, making it even messier "I guess this is it, oh and you can pay me those galleons tomorrow at breakfast if you like"
Sirius laughed "you can pay me those galleons tonight in the common room..."
"Black, Potter" A short boy with slicked back pail blond hair and blue eyes made his way toward them "an interesting combination" he commented "why would a Black want to hang with a Potter? Blacks never talk to Potters. you think you are pretty cool don't you" he turned his face to James "interrupting the speech but we all know who you really are, father always says your family should be booted out of the wizarding world, always hanging with mud bloods." he then turned to look at Sirius
"I always thought you could do better Sirius"
Sirius raised an eyebrow "and you are?"
"Malfoy." the boy said smiling "Lucius Malfoy and this is Crabb and Goyle" he pointed to the two rather large boys at each side of him. "You can come with us if you like. We will at least get you hanging out with the right people."
James felt his temper boiling as he shifted uneasily; he wouldn't lose it, not on his very first day at Hogwarts, not now, before he was even sorted. he could ignore this boy, His parents had told him about the malfoy's, they were one of the longest living wizarding families that anyone could remember, and one of the rudest, they were one of those families that thought they were better then everyone else, but then so were the Blacks, he reminded himself as Sirius scowled at Malfoy.
"I think I can pick my own friends thank you" Sirius said coolly.
"You don't mean…" Malfoy broke off laughing as he looked back at James "you don't mean you are making this bloke your friend" Sirius saw James out of the corner of his eye, ready to pounce on Malfoy, without any effort he grabbed James around the waist to hold him off.
"What if I am?"
Malfoy laughed again and looked back at his friends "then you have a lot to learn" he said eyeing James "good healthy pure bloods never talk to mud blood lovers, and, Potter I suppose you could do to remember that one to, pure bloods never talk to mud bloods." It was enough and Sirius let James go.
James had tackled Malfoy before anyone so much as had a chance to gasp. He couldn't stop his fist as it pounded into Malfoy's stomach, then his face, people were backing up as much as the small room would allow, not wanting to get in the middle. It was all a blur for James, he heard voices though he didn't care to make out what they were saying, then someone was grabbing onto the back of his robes and yanking him up. He struggled against it but the person was much stronger then him. Malfoy was still lying on the floor; the bruise around his left eyes was already starting to show, his nose was leaking blood, as was a small cut at the corner of his mouth. James stopped struggling as he had some satisfaction that he, himself had put those there.
"Thank you Hagred that will be all" James recognized professor McGonagal's voice as the hand on his robes released him, he turned around to see Hagred walk out of the room and professor McGonagal give him a stern, disapproving look.
"Well Potter" she said "you haven't been here 10 minutes and you are already fighting. I must tell you that fighting is not permitted on school grounds and you are lucky that I don't give you your first detention. Consider this a warning, your only warning and next time, you will get a detention and I will write to your parents. Mr. Malfoy you will go to the nurse right after the sorting, just ask a prefect at your table for directions. Form a line now and fallow me"
