Nat shrank away from the windows as rain started lashing against the glass. She had a morbid fear of water and everything that went along with it - she didn't know why, it was completely irrational - but she was terrified of the wet stuff. Even showering made her nervous. Her face was white as she turned away, and instead she concentrated on the others in the compartment chatting about the different Houses.

"My whole family's been in Slytherin," she said gloomily. "They expect me to be too...but I really hate Slytherin, the whole pure-blood mania thing drives me mad - I mean, what's so bad about Muggle-borns? They're just as good as the rest of us, don't you think?" She frowned slightly. "It really sucks. If I don't get in Slytherin, my family will be really upset, especially my Dad. But if I do get in Slytherin, I'll spend seven years at Hogwarts being completely miserable. It's really quite a bind."

She popped a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean in her mouth and choked slightly. "Augh - broccoli." She chewed and swallowed with a grimace, and then laughed.

Suddenly, a cheery sort of voice came onto the intercom. "We will be arriving in Hogsmeade in ten minutes time. Please be dressed in your robes and be ready for when the train stops. Leave your luggage aboard, it will be brought up to the school later. Have a good first day back!"

Nat rummaged through her trunk and found her robes, and left to find a bathroom to change. "Anyone else coming?" she called behind her as she went.

"Yeah, I will start to get changed!" Jollivan quickly ran away from the window.

" Oh and what is Hogsmede anyway! My mum and dad never told me" He then started crying and being very sad.

"My dad was a Hufflepuff...I don't particularly want to be one of them... and my mum was a Muggle." Ayla watched the rain as she pulled her robes out. "Hogsmeade is... well its where the station is I guess..." she added.

"I'm off to get changed too." Heading out the door she called to Nat to wait up.

Valisilwen pulled her bag out under her feet and tried to get the unlock undone. The lock was stuck together though and she couldn't undo it.

"Bloody lock," she muttered fusterated as she kept on pulling it and at last the lock broke off.

"Oh great, just great" she said sarcastically.

"Oh well," she sighed, "Won't be able to use that again." She fumbled through her bag looking for her robes when she took them out she got up and followed Nat and Ayla out the door and into the corridor. She was greeted by some windows showing the storm outside. Her eyes lit up and she felt calmmer than before. She never understood why but she always seemed to be in peace during storms or even if it was just raining. She remembered what her grandmother had told her when she was just five. "Water and air, deary, those are your elements"

"Elements Grams? What are elements?" Valisilwen asked her.

"Oh nothing of importance dear, nothing of importance." With that said the left the cold rain pouring down on them and into the nice warm house.

Valisilwen grabbed onto the handrail, not wanting to fall again. Went to into the bathroom and changed into the plain black robes and went back to the carriage. She didn't feel like talking anyone at the moment and figuring they only had another five minutes until they arrived she grabbed her bag. She then snuggled into the smallest position in the corner of the seats right next to the windows. She pulled out her journal and began to write. She escaped into a world all her own and was oblivious to the world around her.

As soon as Jollivan was finished getting changed, he started fumbling around his bag for something.

"Here you go Valisilwen you can have my spare lock. I have no use for it since i have another spare. Unless you don't want it of course. So you think that Hogsmede is a station? Then how do we get to hogwarts? Do we walk or go by buses? Anyway, i guess i should start getting used to the rain, my mum can't hide me from them forever. She thinks that they can kill me if I get to close! I guess then my mum was a little weird Embarassed I think that my mum was a hufflepuff and my dad was a griffindor! What do you guys think i will be in? I hope that i am in gryfinndor because my dad said that it was the best house that they can pick."

Valisilwen was jerked from her writing as soon as she heard her name, it was a bit of an atomatic relex that as soon as she heard her name she would stop what she was doing. It took her awhile to realize where she was and who was talking to. She finally understood that Jollivan was offering her his spare lock.

"Oh great! Thank you!" She replied thankfully and put it on her bag.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about Hogsmede. I haven't heard anything about it. Actually I didn't know anything about the Wizard World until I got my Hogwart's letter. It's such a weird idea to get to used to but in a way I've known about it forever." She laughed a bit at something she really didn't understand and then realized what he said about the killings.

"Wait, why would your mum think they would kill you? Who is they anyway, who is she trying to hide you from? " Valisilwen asked with a worried look on her face. Killings was not one of her favorite subject it brougt on some very painful memories that she could never forget no matter how hard she tried. Sometimes she didn't want to forget the one who had died, the one that was gone forever. As the train halted to a stop she almost fell on her face again but clutched onto the windowsill before she left her seat.

"Sorry I'm such a clutz," she said attempting a grin but it was worthless. The whole speech of killings was still on her mind and she was worried about her friend.

"Oh i don't know what it is with my mum and thunderstorms but ever since i was born she has been hiding me from thunderstorms! that is why i am a bit weird with thunderstorms. either way, i am going to have to get used to it!" With that Jollivan got into a very sad mood.

Nat came back in to hear the two left in the carriage wondering what Hogsmeade was.

"Hogsmeade is the only all-wizarding community in Britain," she explained to the two of them. "But I think we have to wait until third year before we're allowed to go." The train suddenly began to slow down, causing Nat to fall down as she wasn't expecting the sudden change in speed.

"Augh...I'm so clumsy." She muttered to herself, getting to her feet and dusting off her robes.

The same cool female voice came onto the intercom. "We have now arrived in Hogsmeade. Please exit on the right side of the train in a calm and orderly fashion. Remember, leave all of your luggage on the train, as it will be brought up to the school later."

Nat gulped and followed a group of other nervous-looking first years towards one of the exits on the train. She could see rain still pouring down outside, and cringed at the thought of having to walk through it. But, there was nothing for it. She stuck her chin out in a facade of bravery and headed towards the exit, her face white, but set in a determined sort of way.

Valisilwen put her journal back in her bag. She looked doubtfully at the bag, she didn't want to leave it on the train. What if it wasn't brought up to the school? What if it's left on the train and she'll never get it back? She shook her head as well as her worries away and got up and stuck close to Nat. She noticed how white Nat's face was and wondered what was up.

"Hey Nat are you okay? You're sorta pale," not waiting for an answer she thought of something else.

"You know how everyone keeps on saying that we'll be sorted into either Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Slytherin, but what exactly do you mean by sorted? How do we know what house we're in?" as she said she stepped off the train was refreshened by the cold rain splashing on her face and the rest of her bodie. Forgetting about the people around her she looked up to the sky and broke into a smile. She twirled around a few times watched the lightning dance arcoss the sky. She then remembered Nat. She turned to and started to ask her a question but no one could hear because of the loud thunder that shook the ground.

As Jollivan got off the train, he just jumped and said, "Wow, i never knew how nice thunderstorms are!" As he got off, he went to find Valisilwen and said, "What's wrong with Nat? She looks so determined." So, Jollivan went to find where Hogwarts is. He went to find a older person to follow but he couldn't so he went back to find Jamillian "Oh no!" he said. He left Jamillian, his cat on the train but he muttered to himself and Jamilian somehow found him! He then smiled.

"See, thunderstorms are great!" said Ayla, coming up behind Jollivan.

"I think its something to do with which house we'll be in. She said something about her whole family being in Slytherin..." he voice trailed off when she caught sight of a very large man.

She stopped and stared. "Who is that?"

"Firs' Years this way." He called. " Over here..."

"Who is this guy?" Jollivan asked Ayla. So Jollivan just walked up to the giant since he seemed to be a teacher. As Jollivan looked behind him he was looking for the other first years but it was only him and Ayla for know.

Valisilwen hesitated but then went ahead of Nat. Nat might be a bit white but she would be fine. . . she hoped. She followed a bunch of kids who seemed to be her age and ran into Alya and Jollivan.

"Hey, you guys. Do any of you know where we are supposed to be going?" she asked them. Right then she heard a voice calling repeatingly

"Firs' Years this way. Over here..."

She directed her gaze to where the voice was coming from. She was started to see a man that was, er abnormally large. True, she was a witch and knew that magic was possible but it did not accure to her that giants, hags, warwolves or anything dangerous actually exsisted. She assumed he must be a giant. Funny thing was that she always imagined giants to be taller when ever she read about them. She thought of all the stories that she read about giants and most of them were told as if giants were dangerous creatures. That didn't make any sence to her what so ever. They wouldn't have anything dangerous at the school. . . would they?

As Jollivan looked at Valisilwen she looked like she was thinking of something very hard. Jollivan looked further back and saw Nat still standing very still.

Nat went towards the huge man with relief. iJust get me out of this storm/i she thought frantically. Then she realized that the man wanted all the first years to get into little boats and paddle across a lake that was currently ravaged with waves taller than her head.

She stopped dead. "I'm not going in the thing!" she said shrilly, clenching her fists and stumbling a little as the rain drove at her back. "I'll walk up to the castle - I - I won't get in that boat! I won't do it!"

"Nat you have to" Jollivan said. Once he looked at that little boat, he was dizzy and felt like vomiting, he had never went in a row-boat before.

"We seriously have to go in those boats?" Ayla looked towards them in faint disbelief. "But its a storm! Surely..."

All around her, children seemed to be clambering into them. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the nearest one. "Come on, can't put it off forever..." she said to the others

"If you say so Ayla" Jollivan called out, "Jamillian! Come here kitty!" as he went into the boat and Jamillian came running into the boat and sar on Ayla's lap. "Why doesn't he like you!" Jollivan said

Valisilwen had come to a conlusion that the large man couldn't be dangerous and just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. If the large man wasn't dangerous (or so she hoped), than going into the boats in a storm wouldn't be dangerous either. The row-boats seemed a bit smaller than she was used to. She lived right by a river and they owned quiet a number of boats, some where even too big to sail in the river. Besides even if someone fell in it wasn't like they would drown they could always swim to shore. She finally realized that she was being very naive (spelling?) about it. Maybe some people couldn't swim or didn't like the water. All the people at the muggle school she went to didn't really like water either. She sometimes wondered if that was why she never got along with them. Now, she realized it was probably because she was a witch. She was about to follow Jollivan and Ayla into the boat but then Alexa probably didn't want to go with some strange kids.

"Well, niether do I," she thought.

Well it couldn't be that bad to ask her what she wants to do. I guess if I must I could go sit with some other kids. Wait, where is Alexa anyways? " she argued with herself.

"Jollivan, Ayla can I go in the boat with you two or do you know where Alexa is and do you guys want to go with her?" she just then noticed that people were actually going as more than four in a boat. "Oh, wait nevermind. I'm just so slow sometimes. We can fit Alxa in too, if we can find her. . . is it okay if I come with you guys?" she then turned to Nat, "Nat, I don't think you can get to the castle without getting on these boats. It won't be that bad, I promise. Are you going with these two or are you jumping on another boat?" she asked.

Alex climbed out of the train with the others and stared around her. There were so many students and they all loked far older than she did. She looked around and couldn't see any of of the other first years she had travelled with.

Trying to remember her new friends names she called "Jollivan... , Ayla..., Valisilwen.., Nat..."

And got no reply

Panicing Alexa followed a group of older students who were walking towards hugh carriages which looked as if they were pulled by invible horses.

She was about to go up to one when an older boy pulled her back.

"Not you stupid" he said to her, "you're first year aren't you? First years go with Hagrid. That's him over there" he pointed. The boy rolled his eyes and clambered into the carriage that Alexa was about to get into.

Blushing Alexa looked the way the boy had pointed and saw a huge giant of a man standing on the shore of a great lake surronded by people her age. They were all climbing into boats. Slipping and sliding on the wet ground Alexa ran over to him.

To her great relief she saw Valisilwen and Nat standing on the shore and Jollivan and Ayla already in a boat.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Don't tell me we are expected to row across the lake in this weather?"

She felt nervous about being in such a small boat in such a big storm but not nearly as scared as she had felt when she thought she had lost the others.

As Jollivan saw Alexa coming towards Hagrid he said, "Don't worry, he's not as dangerous as he looks.

Alexa grinned at Jollivan feeling very pleased to see him again

"I didn't really think he looked dangerous appart from his size of course. His face actually looks quite kind. But is he a giant? Do some of the people and creatures from story books really exist in the wizard world?"

Alexa lowered her voice as the giant man came towards them, what was the name that boy had called him? Hagrid?

She hoped he hadn't heard what she had been saying.

Jollivan was wondering if what Alexa said was true. "I hope not, the books that i have read have had alot of dragons in them" Jollivan started worrying.

"They do exist, well, most of them anyway. I've always wanted to see a dragon! But i'm not sure about Giants, i always thought they would be bigger and my dad told me they didn't really trust wizards... that guy seems to be alright though..." Ayla grinned. "Shouldn't be anything to worry about though, dragons can't get us here!"

Valisilwen didn't think the dragons sounded that bad as giants, but what other creatures were real? Were any "good" creatures real? Like unicorns, faeries, phenix (sp?), centaurs, wood nymphs? Valisilwen thought that having unicorns and faeries real would be really cool. Especially unicorns. Even having Vampyers would be cool, but then again she was thinking of how muggles portrayed them on Angel or Buffy the Vampire. Valisilwen looked across the lake. The dark blue water surronded all of the land infornt of her with dark green trees all around it. She looked behind her to see a trail with black carriges being pulled by weird looking horses. Then, a little while back was the train station, all surronded with trees.

"More magical creatures, I suppose," she thought. There were no hints of where they were supposed to be staying. It seemed to be a perfect place for animals to live, even dragons. She shuddered she just couldn't help but imagine a dragon silently flying behind her and grabbing her with her claws.

"Are you sure that there isn't any dragons around here? There doesn't seem much habited land, a perfect place for animals. How long are we going to be in those boats do you suppose? How far away is Hogwarts? Is it really that far away or just around the corner? I suppose if its just around the corner dragons wouldn't live here," she paused realizing how long she was talking.

"Sorry for blabbering," she apologized. She then saw the large man go into a larger boat then the rest. She then climded into the boat and sat just behind Jollivan and Alya. She turned around to Nat and Alexa.

"I think we're going to be moving soon, you guys better get in," she told them.

As Jollivan saw Valisilwen climbing into the boat, he quickly told Nat and Alexa to go in the boat because he saw all the other first years starting to move.

Alexa climbed into the boat and it rocked dangerously.

"sorry about that" she apoligised to the others and sat down nearer the middle of the boat.

She wondered about what Valisilwen had been saying about dragons and unicorns. It seemed very unbelievable that they could exist but a month ago she had thought that wizards and witchs only existed in stories too.

When Valisilwen saw the boats in front of her moving she wanted to pull Nat right into the boat. She actually had moved her hand out of the boat to pull her in when she overheard the conversation of the two boys in the boat next to her.

"Did you hear that there's a giant squid in the lake? My older brother told me that. This boat ride is going to be wicked!"

The other boy looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yeah, wicked," he repeated nervously. He then moved his face to the ice cold water splashing against all the boats. He seemed to be on a lookout for something. Valisilwen shuddered and did the same thing. She strained her eyes into the deeps of the lake. Looking for that one thing, the giant squid. She then forze and looked up arubtly.

"giant squid?" she thought, "Hold on, that's ridicolous! Sure dragons and things are real but squids are real for muggles and none of them are giant. His older brother must be pulling his leg, right?"

Sure she didn't mind water but wasn't fond of slimy things. She couldn't stand slugs, octi, or squids for that matter. They were just so . . . gross. Valisilwen dropped her hand which she realised looked odd raised in the air.

"None of you heard of a giant squid living in this lake have you?" she asked totatally forgetting Nat was still onland and that they were about to move.