Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.
Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.
Enjoy!
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An hour or so passed in a similar fashion before a stout plump woman pulled up alongside them. She was pushing a trolley bedecked in all sorts of wonderful sweets that made Xanadu realize just how hungry she was. She fumbled around in her black handbag and retrieved some gold gnuts, which she handed to the woman in exchange for two pumpkin cakes and several chocolate frogs. Sarafina was apparently much hungrier, for she purchased nearly the entire cart's worth of goodies with one flash of her change purse. As Xanadu watched her bite the head off of a chocolate frog and look over the enclosed wizard card disinterestedly, Xanadu felt all thoughts of nervousness being pushed from her mind. This was certainly turning out to be a much more comfortable train ride than she had expected.
The hours flew by within the train, and Xanadu felt that no time at all had passed by the time they finally arrived at Hogwarts. She peered out the window, filled with renewed excitement as she took in the dark shades of purple and blue of the sky and the fading light of the sun. Her stomach growled loudly, and she realized how little she'd eaten all day.
"The 'our of judgment awaits," Sarafina declared with a Cheshire cat grin, leaning over to elbow Xanadu as they rose from their seats and joined the jostling mob that had formed in the aisles and was slowly moving toward the exit.
"An' some'ow, I feel much bettah about the 'ole bloody thing," she replied, returning the grin.
The two pushed through the crowd of noisy students and burst out into the clean night air, cool and crisp on their faces. The evening was enchanting, there was certainly no denying that, and as the brilliant hues of the sky faded to black above them, it became even more invigorating.
A bobbing sphere of light came towards them, and for a moment Xanadu half expected it to be suspended in mid-air. However, as it neared them and their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the outline of a giant of a man became clear, and before either of them could say anything a great jolly voice erupted from beneath what they guessed was a tangled, furry beard.
"Ye must be Xanadu Severina, then," he stated more than asked.
"That I am," she replied with a grin, glancing over to see Sarafina's reaction; she was rather disappointed to see how nonplussed she was.
"Very pleased ter be makin' yer acquaintance, Miss Severina. Allow me te introduce meself: Rubeus 'agrid, Keeper of Keys an' Grounds at Hogwarts." He beamed down at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile despite the fact that she had to tilt her head practically all the way back just to look up into his face. "Right then, follow me."
"I guess they're goin' te sort ye with the firs' years," Sarafina guessed with a shrug. "Knock 'em dead out there." Xanadu barely made out a wink in the dark before she was lost in a sea of eleven-year-olds. A few moments later she thought she saw her familiar silvery hair bobbing towards an older student wearing blue and black, but she couldn't be sure.
Determined not to get lost before her first class even began, Xanadu shuffled off after the bobbing light that was cutting easily through the crowd ahead. "Firs' years, follow me! Firs' years! Come along then, everyone. Firs' years this way!"
She was much happier to follow the booming voice and the bobbing lantern, just to make sure she didn't get lost in the tumultuous crowd of students which threatened to swallow her whole at any given moment. She pushed her way through the swell of eleven-year-old first years in more than slight irritation; she knew she had once been this excitable and annoying, but she chose not to remember that period in her life.
"Oi, watch the baggage, kid!" she growled at a blonde-haired boy who had just careened into her right boob.
He looked about to apologize when his face lit up and he seemed to recognize her from somewhere. "Hey, aren't you a fifth year? What are you doing with the first years? Did Dumbledore hold you back or something?" His voice grated on her ears, and she glared down at him crossly, her eye beginning to twitch.
"Listen ye little firs' year brat," she growled, grabbing him by the collar, "if ye wanna make it past yer firs' day at Hogwarts, I suggest ye keep those kinds'a comments to yerself." She glared at him for a few more seconds before throwing him forcibly aside and continuing on in the general direction of the bobbing light, which had managed to get fairly far ahead of her in that short amount of time.
Despite the annoying run-in with the "firs' year brat," all thoughts were pushed from her mind as they neared several small boats resting on a black satin lake. High above them on a huge hillside was the most magnificent castle she had ever seen, its windows glowing yellow in warm welcome. She breathed in a deep breath of the chilled night air, so fresh and crisp inside her lungs. She could feel the buzz of the castle even before she entered the great establishment, and the feeling only grew stronger the closer she got to it.
"Alright then," Hagrid said, his voice carrying over the excited chatter that had erupted from the sea of first years. "No more 'n four te a boat; Xanadu, ye'll be ridin' with me."
She was glad to be rid of the pesky first years, which she was finding to be increasingly annoying despite herself. It was a mere few minutes boat ride up to the school, but she was glad to be rid of the little blighters nonetheless.
