Thank you to fenderbender505, and meforyou for reviewing!
Disclaimer: if you recognize them I don't own them.
"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" A large hairy man with hands the size of garbage can lids called, beckoning the first years to him. Trill, Leo, Ginny, and Logan made their way over to him, pushing through the crowd.
"Leave your things on the platform; they'll be taken up to the castle later." The large man told them. The four simultaneously dropped their trunks with a thud.
"Is everybody here? Good. My name is Rubeus Hagrid, but you can call me Hagrid. I'm the groundskeeper and Keeper of the Keys here at Hogwarts. I'll be takin' you up to the castle." The large man – Hagrid – said.
"How are we getting there, sir? All the carriages are gone." A small boy asked from the back of the crowd.
"We're not takin' the carriages. We're takin' boats. No more than four to a boat, and mind you don't slip." Hagrid warned as he led them to an assemblage of rickety rowboats on the shore of a lake. Ginny ran ahead and claimed the closest one to shore and climbed in, Logan and Leo after her. Trill placed one foot into the boat and slipped, falling into the icy water.
"Trill! Are you okay!" Logan asked as he pulled her out.
"I'm okay, but I landed on my wrist." Trill said, wincing as she held her sprained wrist.
"This really isn't your day, is it?" Ginny asked.
"No it isn't." Trill replied, shivering. Leo put an arm around her to keep her warm.
All of a sudden the boats left the shore on their own. Hagrid was in his own boat, leading the odd looking fleet of first years. The boats rounded a bend and the first years got their first real look at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An audible gasp simultaneously rose from all of the boats.
"Yep. That's Hogwarts. It's a beautiful school. You'll all have a great time here, I can guarantee it." Hagrid could be heard saying from the front of the fleet. Before they knew it, the boats had come to the other side of the lake and docked at the shore. Both Leo and Logan helped Trill out of the boat, making sure she didn't slip. Ginny climbed out on her own after Trill.
"Thanks for the help boys. I really appreciated it." Ginny said sarcastically from behind them.
"Oh sorry, Gin! Would you like help up the stairs?" Logan said, playfully bowing and holding out his hand. Ginny took it and started up the steps, arm in arm with Logan. Leo and Trill exchanged grins behind them.
"You're hair is really pretty, Trillium." Leo said shyly, holding a sodden curl that had come loose in his fingers.
"Thank you. And please, call me Trill. Everyone else does." Trill said with a smile.
"Okay. You're hair is really pretty, Trill." Leo said, smiling back.
The first years were met by a stern looking witch at the top of the stairs.
"Hello. My name is Professor McGonagall. I am head of Gryffindor House. In a moment I will be taking you into the Great Hall to be sorted into your Houses. The four Houses are: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts your Housemates will be like your family. You will eat together, attend classes together, and sleep together. Now if you will wait a moment I will notify the school of your arrival." The stern witch said.
As soon as she left whispers broke out among the group.
"How do you think they're going to sort us?" Logan asked.
"I'm not sure but Fred and George said something about battling a troll." Ginny said nervously.
"A troll? But I don't know any magic. I can't battle a troll." Leo said, a note of panic in his voice.
"We're not going to battle a troll." Trill said bracingly.
"Did Harry or your parents tell you what happens?" Logan asked.
"No, but they wouldn't make a group of 11 year old inexperienced witches and wizards take on a troll while everybody was waiting for dinner. And besides, how would that discern which House we should be in?" Trill said logically. Nobody had a chance to argue because at that moment Professor McGonagall came back and quieted the group with a stern glare.
"Follow me." Was all she said before turning back to the large doors leading to the Great Hall. The first years followed nervously.
Upon entering the Great Hall, the group was awestruck. The millions of candles lighting the large room were floating above four long tables and the roof seemed nonexistent because it looked exactly like the sky outside. It was dark and had millions of stars scattered across it. As the first years walked towards a long table set up higher than the rest, looking over them all, they saw a stool, with a tattered hat sitting on it. Trill wondered if they had to transfigure it into something a little prettier.
Before anybody could do anything a rip near the brim of the hat opened and it started to sing.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The Sorting Hat finished it's song and the entire room filled with applause. A strict look from Professor McGonagall quieted them, however.
"When I call your name, come sit on the stool and I shall place the hat on your head. When it calls out your House, kindly go sit at the appropriate table." Professor McGonagall said as she unrolled a long scroll.
"Allan, Victoria." Victoria Allan walked up to the stool and sat down as the sorting hat was placed on her head. After a couple of seconds it called out: "Ravenclaw!" She got up and walked over to the table that was cheering the loudest.
"Corner, Michael"
"Hufflepuff!"
Several names later…
"Lovegood, Luna."
"Ravenclaw!"
"Granger, Leonardo." Leo grimaced as he walked up to the stool. The hat shouted: "Gryffindor!" shortly after touching Leo's head. He walked down to the Gryffindor table and sat next to his sister who looked proud.
"Lupin, Logan." Logan walked slowly up to the stool and sat down, looking extremely nervous. After several minutes the sorting hat called out: "Gryffindor!" Logan looked relieved as he got up and walked down to the Gryffindor table where his sister gave him a hug.
"Potter, Trillium." Trill walked up to the stool and sat down, extremely nervous, and extremely excited. As soon as the hat touched her head, she could hear a little voice whispering in her head.
"You've got lots of bravery, no doubt. Very quick witted. Brains a plenty. You'd do well in Ravenclaw…but then again…maybe not. You'd do best in Gryffindor!" The hat shouted the last word. Trill handed the hat back to Professor McGonagall and ran to the Gryffindor table and plunked herself down next to her brother who gave her a big hug.
"Congratu – why are you all wet!" Harry asked.
"I slipped getting into the boat and fell in the water. I think I hurt my wrist more, too." Trill answered.
"Good job. Now, shh, Ginny's about to get sorted." Hermione said.
"Weasley, Ginevra."
"Gryffindor!" The eight kids already at the table cheered loudly as Ginny joined them, looking a little pale.
"Way to go, everybody! All nine of us are in Gryffindor!" Emily said happily.
"What are the chances of that?" Haille asked. Hermione looked as if she was ready with the answer when Dumbledore stood up.
"There is a time for speeches. This is not it. Tuck in!" was all he said. As he sat down the tables groaned under the food that had magically appeared there. The four first year's eyes opened in amazement, but quickly joined the rest of the table in grabbing everything edible in sight. Just as they thought they could eat no more, their plates cleared and desserts of every sort and colour appeared. Amazingly the group managed to have seconds on dessert. When at last the desserts had cleared Dumbledore stood for his opening speech.
"To our new students, welcome! To our old hands, welcome back! First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students. Some of our older students should know this as well." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye as he looked at the Fred and George Weasley, identical fourth year twins known for causing trouble.
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. Quidditch tryouts will be held within the month. For more information, contact your House Quidditch Captain. First years are not permitted on the teams.
We have a new teacher this year at Hogwarts. Teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, we have Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. And now I believe it is time for bed. You all want to be well rested for classes tomorrow. Pip pip!" Dumbledore finished. There was a loud scraping from the benches being pushed back as everybody stood up.
"First years follow me, please!" Percy Weasley called up and down the Gryffindor table. Trill, Logan, Leo, and Ginny lead the other first years behind Percy.
"This is the most direct route to the Gryffindor Tower. It is easiest to go this way. And watch the stairs. They like to change." Percy said. Most of the first years looked slightly confused by his last comment, but chose not to say anything.
Percy walked towards a large painting of a very large woman in a pink dress.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked as they approached.
"Wattlebird." Percy said confidently. The portrait swung open, revealing a hole the size a large man could climb through in the wall. Percy climbed through, the first years following him. On the other side they found a large room, decorated in red, with a fireplace and many tables and squashy armchairs. Two staircases led away from the room.
"Those staircases lead to the dormitories. Boy's on the right, girls on the left." Percy said, before leaving the crowd of first years.
"Well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you guys later." Ginny said before going up the stairs on the left.
"Yep, I'm off as well. See you two tomorrow." Trill said to the boys before following Ginny. She walked up a tightly winding stone staircase which came out onto a long hallway. She went along it looking at the signs on the doors. Finally she came across one that said "First Years". She entered and found a large round room with four large four poster beds set around it. She found her trunk at the end of one. Ginny's bed was next to hers. So far they were the only ones in there. Trill flopped down on her bed and sighed.
"Wow." Ginny's voice could be heard from her bed.
"Wow is right." Trill agreed. She almost fell asleep just laying there.
"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot to write to my parents!" Trill gasped jumping off her bed as though she had been electrocuted.
"Why did they want you to write them?" Ginny asked.
"They wanted to know what House I'm in. Oh they'll be so proud! They were both in Gryffindor, and so is Harry, obviously. I'm just so glad I'm not in Slytherin." Trill said as she got out a blank piece of parchment and a quill.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I'm in Gryffindor. The castle is amazing. And I know I haven't seen it all yet. I'm really excited. Logan's in Gryffindor too! So is Ginny, Ron's sister, and Leo, Hermione's brother. Well, I'd better go to bed; I want to be well rested for classes tomorrow!
Love,
Trill
Trill ran down the stairs into the common room and up the boys staircase. She ran along the hallway until she found the door labeled "Second Years". She knocked. Ron opened the door.
"Hi is Harry there?" Trill panted.
"Erm, yeah. Just a sec." Ron said, looking at her weirdly. After a couple of seconds Harry showed up at the door in his pajamas.
"What do you want, Trill?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Can I borrow Hedwig? I need to send a letter to Mum and Dad." Trill asked.
"Sure, but Hedwig's up in the Owlery. You'll have to go there get her." Harry said. "I'd wait till the morning if I were you." He said as he shut the door.
Trill walked down the stairs, through the common room, and back up to her own dormitory pondering what her brother had said.
"Hey, Ginny, do you know where the Owlery is?" Trill asked upon entering the room. Ginny was half changed into her pajamas.
"I don't know. But I'll help you go find it, if you'd like." Ginny offered.
"That would be great. Thanks Gin." Trill said as Ginny grabbed a bathrobe and tied it around herself. They went down into the common room and out the portrait hole.
"So…where's the Owlery?" Trill asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's this way?" Ginny suggested, pointing to their right.
"Okay." Trill agreed. They pair set off quietly down the hallway, searching for any sign of an Owlery.
"You'd think an Owlery would be up, wouldn't you?" Trill asked, as they passed a staircase.
"Good point. And up we go." Ginny said as she started up the stairs.
After climbing seven flights of stairs and wandering down nine hallways, the girls had to admit that they didn't have a clue where they were going.
"Gin, I think we should give up and go back to the dormitory and get some sleep." Trill panted after climbing another flight of stairs.
"Okay." Ginny panted behind her.
The girls went down every flight of stairs they went up.
"So where do we go from here?" Ginny asked.
"I'm not sure. I don't recognize this hallway. Do you?" Trill asked.
"Nope. Have we gone down enough staircases?" Ginny suggested.
"I'm not sure. I lost count a long time ago." Trill said.
"Well let's just keep going down. We might just end up at the Great Hall and we know how to get back from there." Ginny suggested logically.
"Sounds like a plan." Trill said. The two girls went down every staircase they came across and eventually they found themselves going down a large marble staircase. They saw the Entrance Hall and raced down the stairs to it, hoping to remember the way back to Gryffindor Tower. Instead however the ran headlong into something very solid.
"Well, well, well, what have we got here?"
Well there's chapter 3. I'm sorry it took so long. Yesterday I was feeling very unmotivated, and today was my birthday. But I got it done for you! Tell me what you think!
LittleCrazy1