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Chapter 8
The Midnight Brawl
Year 1 - Hogwarts Castle - Earth
As the three boys removed their jackets to put on their long black school robes, Harry glanced out of the compartment window. It was getting rather dark, and he could see tall mountains and large forests under a deep purplish sky. The train also seemed to be gradually slowing down, and a strange-sounding voice promptly echoed throughout the passenger car.
"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes time," it bluntly stated. "Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."
The train slowed right down and finally stopped a few minutes later as Harry, Ron, and Neville all joined the very large crowd of both first-year students, as well as second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and last but not least, seventh-year students who were all thronging the corridor as passengers pushed their way toward the exit doors and out onto a tiny dark platform.
A large glowing lamp suddenly came bobbing over the heads of the students, as Harry, Ron, and Neville all simultaneously heard a familiar voice.
"First-years! First-years over here!" Hagrid loudly called out, as his big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. He immediately glanced down to see Harry, Ron, and Neville all striding up to meet him. "Hello there, Harry! Ron! Neville! You boys alright?"
"Hi, Hagrid!" exclaimed the three little boys, one after the other, upon seeing him as they smiled.
The half-giant then gestured towards what appeared to be a steeply narrow pathway that lead out onto an enormous black lake, where a fleet of small boats sat waiting in the water by the shoreline for the students to climb into and take them across the lake.
"Come on, follow me!" he called out to the massive crowd of students. "Anymore first-years? Mind your step now! First-years, come on now, this way!"
Hagrid then turned and lead the first-year students carefully down the narrow path, while Harry noticed that the older students had broken off into different groups based on their school year-level, with each group promptly taking different pathways out away from the train which all presumably lead directly to the castle.
As all of the youngest students came out into the clearing near the shoreline where the boats were docked, there was a loud "oooooh!" of utter amazement in unison as the first-years were suddenly met by the wondrous sight of the castle with it's many turrets and towers, which in turn was perched atop the opposite side of a high mountain; it's windows sparkling in the starry night sky.
"No more than four students per boat!" Hagrid called out as everyone reached the dock.
Harry, Ron, and Neville all climbed into one boat along with another little boy who was a bit shorter than the rest of them, while Parvati and Padma both climbed into another boat alongside a redheaded little girl and a little girl with short black hair.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat all to himself. "Right then. Forward!"
The fleet of small boats promptly sailed off all at once across the water and headed directly for the castle; each and everyone of them quietly gliding across the surface of the lake which was as smooth as glass.
Everyone was silent as all of the students stared up in absolute wonder and astonishment at the enormous castle which began to tower gradually overhead as the boats moved closer and closer towards the cliff-face on which it stood.
"All you lot, get your heads down!" yelled Hagrid over his shoulder as the first of the boats reached the cliff-side.
The students immediately bent their heads forward as the boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hit a wide opening in the cliff-face. They were all carried along a deep dark tunnel which seemed to be leading them directly underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they then promptly clambered out of their boats; stepping at once onto small rocks and pebbles.
Everyone immediately clambered up a passageway which was carved out of the rock after Hagrid's lamp, once the half-giant had finished checking each one of the boats after all of the students had climbed out of them, and suddenly came out at last onto smooth damp grass to everyone's great relief; right in the shadow of the castle, before walking up a small flight of stone steps which lead them to a set of two huge oak front doors.
Hagrid then raised his gigantic fist and knocked precisely three times on the castle's massive double-doors.
The two doors swung wide-open instantly and a tall black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood just behind them. She had a very stern face about her and Harry immediately recognized her as being the same witch that both he and Varner had met before, while visiting the Headmaster's office.
"First years, meet Professor McGonagall," announced Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," the Professor remarked to the half-giant. She turned her attention towards the three little boys who were standing only but a few yards away, and nodded her head in their direction, with Potter nodding his head back at her in response without so much as hesitating; knowing immediately that the gesture from McGonagall was solely meant for him as a greeting.
All of the students, as well as Hagrid, must have noticed the rather brief exchange between them 'cause all of the first-years instantly glanced back and forth at both Potter and McGonagall in absolute confusion, while Hagrid shot a questioning look at the Professor: a look that seemed to non-verbally ask if she was going to tell the students about the meeting that had taken place between her, Dumbledore, Varner, and of course Harry inside the Headmaster's Office. But McGonagall gave him a stern look in return that immediately told him that "no" she wasn't going to, and that it was of no importance or concern to any of the students.
While the first-years were following the Professor through the massive entrance hall as they gaped in both awe and wonder at the sheer rich detail and enormous size of the castle, Harry saw that the stone walls on either side were lit with flaming torches just like the ones at Gringotts Bank. The ceiling was too high-up for anyone to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase that was facing the group of students lead directly to the upper floors. And as everyone followed McGonagall across the flagged stone floor, Harry could hear the drone of several hundred voices just beyond a doorway to the right of him as he passed by it - the rest of the school must already be here - but the Professor instead showed all of the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall.
Everyone crowded in, standing closer together than they usually would have as almost all of the students looked around quite nervously, and wondering inwardly to themselves as to ether what they were supposed to do, or what was going to happen next.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "Now, in just a few moments, you will all pass through these doors and join the rest of your class-mates in the start-of-term banquet, which will begin shortly. But before you can take your seats in the Great Hall, you must all be sorted into your Houses. The ceremony, known as the Sorting, is very important because while you are here at Hogwarts, your House will be like your family. There are four Houses in total, which are so-named Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your triumphs will earn you House points, while any rule-breaking will lose you House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will awarded the House Cup, which is a great honor to be sure. And I fully expect each and everyone of you to be an outstanding credit to whichever House becomes your own."
The students glanced around at one another, even more nervously than before, as they thus began quietly whispering to themselves most anxiously in unison.
"Silence, please," commanded McGonagall, and everyone who was murmuring instantly quieted down. "Now I suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as possible while waiting. I shall return once we are ready for you in the Great Hall. So, please wait…quietly."
She then turned to face the now opening doorway and walked into the Great Hall before the massive double-doors closed behind her once again, thus leaving all of the first-year students alone in the corridor.
Harry glanced about at all of the other students present, almost all of whom looked positively terrified out of their minds. One boy however with silvery-blonde hair was smirking quite rather menacingly.
"So, it's true, then. What they're saying on the train," the boy suddenly voiced loudly. "Harry Potter has returned to our world."
As the youth then slowly began pushing his way through the crowd of other students, who were all now whispering amongst one another over what they had just now heard, he was immediately followed by two rather chubby dark-haired boys, both of whom looked very, VERY mean. To Harry, as well as both Ron and Neville, the two dark-haired boys looked like bodyguards.
"Oh, that's Crabbe and this is Goyle," the blonde-haired boy stated, as he gestured to each of the two dark-haired boys in turn, who were now standing on either side of him. "And my name is Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
Ronald instantly let out a sharp snicker of laughter in sheer amusement at hearing the little boy's funny-sounding name, and Malfoy snapped his head at once in the redhead's direction; glaring at him angrily in response.
"You think my name's funny, do you?" spat Malfoy bitterly, with a cruel look of malice on his face. "No need to ask what yours is, do I? Red hair, freckles, and a hand-me-down robe? My father has told me all about you… Weasley!"
There was a few moments of utter silence among all of the first-years, before Malfoy then piped-up again as he turned to look directly at Harry.
"You're soon going to find out that there are some Wizarding families which are better than others, Potter," he remarked coldly. "And you don't want to go around making friends with the wrong sort of Wizarding folk." He briefly shot another cruel sneer at Ron, before turning his attention back to Harry once more. "I can help you there."
Malfoy then held out his hand for Harry to shake, but Potter immediately refused the gesture of friendship, knowing full-well that he was about to make his very first enemy within the student-body at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, given what he was just about to say.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks… Malfoy," Harry expressed in a rather cocky tone of voice, while flexing his eyebrows the instant he spoke the little boy's name.
At that moment, Draco Malfoy didn't just go red in the face, but turned a very pink tinge as he lowered his hand back to his side.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he remarked coldly. "Unless you're a bit more polite you'll end up in the exact same way as your filthy parents did. They didn't know what was good for them, either. And if you continue to hang around with pathetic swine like the Weasleys, well then mark my words, Potter, it will be the last thing you ever do."
Ron balled-up his fists and his knuckles cracked upon hearing the insult to his family that Malfoy had just made. "Say that again," he challenged, as his face went as red as his hair.
Draco turned on the redhead instantly, his eyes glaring with fire in them. "Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" he sneered. "Well, come on then, I dare you to. You're whole wrecked family are nothing more that sniveling, Muggle-loving, blood traitors to our kind who embarrassingly give proper witches and wizards everywhere a bad name, you little Weasel."
Before anyone knew what had happened, Ron lunged forward with a loud yell and promptly tackled not only Malfoy, but also Crabbe and Goyle all at once onto the hard stone floor, then proceeded to beat the crap out of all three of them in turn to the astonishment of nearly every other one of the students present as they simply stood there watching; all of them glancing at one another in stunned confusion and silence.
After a moment, Harry then stepped forward and gently pulled his friend off of the three boys, who now all had broken and bloody noses. At least one of them had a black eye, while Malfoy had received a cut on his lower lip.
"Ron, stop it!" scolded Harry gently. "I know that you have a right to be angry with Malfoy, but believe me when I tell you that you don't want to fuel that emotion. It's-"
"What is going on here?" asked a sharp stern voice. Everyone immediately turned to see Percy Weasley coming up behind them.
Ron pointed directly at Draco and the other two boys, who were now looking as though they were trying desperately not to tear-up in front of the other students because of the intense pain due to the beating they had just received from the youngest Weasley boy.
"Those snakes were insulting our family, Percy!" he exclaimed quite ferociously. "They should be thrown out of the castle!"
"What is the meaning of all this ruckus!?" came Professor McGonagall's severe tone from clear the other direction, as no-one seemed to hear the large double-doors of the Great Hall open and then promptly close an instant later. "I specifically told you all to wait quietly!"
Ron turned sharply around to face her, a still angry expression on his face. "Professor, will you please throw those vipers out of here?" he requested. "They are nothing but pure evil!"
"That is quite enough from you, Ronald Bilius Weasley!" chided Percy sharply. "You ever do anything like that again, and I'll be writing to Mother about it!"
Harry's friend suddenly went pale in the face upon hearing that from his own big brother. How could Percy simply just stand by and do absolutely nothing about this, and especially after what Malfoy had just said about their family?
McGonagall looked over at Percy directly. "Mr. Weasley, will you be good enough to escort those three to the Hospital Wing?" she instructed.
Percy then quietly lead Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle out of the small chamber and straight to the Hospital Wing for treatment. The three injured boys in question were all now silently crying in pain as they hid their faces from view of all the other students who watched them leave the corridor.
Harry immediately felt bad for them, but only for the reason that they had been injured by his friend. And even if they had indeed deserved it, he still didn't like seeing other small children get hurt, regardless of whether they were either friend or foe.
"Well, with a few of the students now absent, I'm afraid we may just have to postpone the Sorting Ceremony a little longer," said McGonagall, who was looking directly at Ronald with a very severe expression of utter disappointment. "If you had already been sorted, Mr. Weasley, I would most certainly have deducted House points, as well as given you full detention, for your serious lack of behavior just now."
Suddenly, without any warning, the Professor moved forward and sharply grabbed Ron by his wrist.
**WACK!**
"Ow!" Ron expressed somewhat painfully the moment McGonagall slapped him on the back of his hand.
She then gave the redhead a stern warning look before turning around and walking slowly back through the double-doors of the Great Hall once again, thus leaving all of the first-year students, who were all now glaring bitterly at Ron (except for Harry and Neville), alone once more for the second time as they all stood there now waiting quite rather impatiently for the Ceremony to start so that they could finally sit down and get something to eat, as they were all practically starving after the long journey on the Hogwarts Express earlier: their anxiety and fear about the Sorting now totally forgotten. And some of them, namely the smaller children, were beginning to get rather tired, almost to the point of wanting to nod-off while still on their feet.
"Way to go, Weasley!" one of the students voiced in an irritated manner. "Now, because of you, we'll have to wait even longer!"
The first-years were starting to get rather antsy due to their hunger and tiredness. One little girl, who was a redhead just like Ron was, looked very close to breaking down into tears as she clutched at her empty tummy in agony. Finally, after a few more tense minutes, she couldn't take it any longer and started to cry in pain.
Harry, upon hearing the little girl's anguished sobs, slowly walked over to her. "Hey, what's wrong?" he gently asked.
"It's my stomach. It hurts. I'm just so hungry," she sobbed terribly.
Potter gently put his arms around the little girl in a comforting embrace, immediately assuring her that everything would be okay and that they'd all be able to eat soon. Although, inwardly he hoped that what he had just told her was in fact true, as he was beginning to feel the effects of being hungry himself.
Just then, the doors which lead into the Great Hall opened up, and Professor McGonagall casually stepped into the small chamber once again. She immediately noticed Harry with his arms around the still crying redheaded little girl.
"Potter, what is the meaning of this?" she demanded.
Harry looked up at her from where he was standing, and he immediately told the Professor about the little girl's problem: that she was hungry and that her stomach hurt because of it. And so he felt the need to comfort her and to tell her that everything was going to be alright. McGonagall eased up after hearing Harry explain the current situation to her, and she immediately walked over to the two children; gently placing her hand on the little girl's shoulder.
The little girl promptly glanced up at McGonagall as her tears slowly slid down her cheeks. And the Professor slowly let a soft warmly caring smile cross her lips.
"It's alright, dear. I've spoken to the other Professors, as well as to the Headmaster, and they've all unanimously agreed that we will postpone the Sorting Ceremony until the morning. But that the start-of-term banquet shall proceed immediately," she stated gently, before putting an arm around both of the children, and lightly nudging them along with everyone else towards the entrance doors that lead into the Great Hall. "Come on now, dear. Let's get you something to eat."
