A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 18
Echoing through the train from a string of loudspeakers, a voice who must've belonged to the conductor said "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Harry and Ron now rushed to get ready changing into their school robes. Harry had been assured that Hedwig and the rest of his belongings would be transported up to the school and to his new dorm later on. So he needn't worry too much about that. When Harry was done slipping on his robes he quickly put Bailey's harness on.
Finished, pecking Bailey on the head, Harry said "There you go, Bailey. All set."
Bailey blinked licking his cheek.
Harry chuckled stroking his hand over the exposed spots on her back.
If Bailey were a cat she'd be purring with her back arched in pleasure.
The tiny group of three joined the wave of students both old and new disembarking from the train. Ron and Harry had their pockets filled with the last of the sweets not wanting anything of them to spoil needlessly.
Stepping onto the platform the cold night air hit Bailey. On the train the compartments had been kept warm, but not they faced the full brunt of the chill in the air. Harry and Ron stood there not knowing where to go until Harry heard a welcome voice.
"Firs' year! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"
Hagrid's face beamed at them over the throng of students. He'd detected singled them out.
Waving, Harry said "Hi, Hagrid!" He then turned to Ron. "I know him. Let's go."
Harry led the way with Bailey as they broke through the crowd to reach Hagrid.
"All right there, Harry," asked Hagrid. "Train ride, okay."
Nodding, Harry said "Yeah, no problems at all. By the way, thanks for convincing the headmaster to let me bring Bailey. Don't know what I would've done if I had to leave her behind with the Dursleys."
"Ah, it was nothing, you're welcome," said Hagrid, bashfully.
Hagrid then went about rounding up the remaining first years while the students in 2nd year and up headed for the carriages. Strange thing was Bailey could smell animals at the head of the carriages pulling them, but she couldn't see it. It's like they were being tugged by thin air.
"C'mon, follow me! Any more first years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me," called Hagrid.
Hagrid led them all down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It took them down to a small harbor on the edge of a great black lake where a fleet of little boats was sitting in the water by the shore.
"There it is. Yer first sight of Hogwarts," said Hagrid, proudly.
Perched atop a high mountain on the other side of the lake with windows sparkling like stars in the night sky is a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"Wow," muttered Harry, awestruck.
Harry wasn't the only one. Everyone was basically rendered silent staring up at the magnificent and majestic castle overheard.
"All right no more'n four to a boat," instructed Hagrid.
Bailey scratched idly at an inch on her ear with a hind leg as they waited for a boat to load onto. Harry and Ron got onto a boat with Neville and Hermione. Their count would have to be five with the addition of Bailey. The boat wobbled once they all got on, but steadied. Bailey assumed they were fine.
"Everyone in," shouted Hagrid, large enough to have a whole boat to himself for the ride. "Right then, forward!"
As if that one word had flipped a switch the fleet of rowboats left the shore gliding effortlessly across the lake towards the castle. The ride was quite smooth…well almost.
Halfway across the lake Neville had shifted in his seat to get a better look at the castle and in the process he kind of knocked Bailey out of the boat.
Bailey fell with a splash into the water.
"Bailey," shouted Harry, horrified.
Yelping from the cold water, instinctively doing the doggie paddle Bailey struggled to keep up with Harry's boat though she was quickly losing ground. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and even Neville encouraged her to go faster, but it was no use. It got even worse that from behind Bailey the water rippled. A small waved formed that speed towards Bailey revealing that something big in the water was pursuing her. That's when Harry's cries became more frantic. What didn't make sense to him is that Hagrid wasn't really doing anything to help when most of the kids were freaking out that some creature in the lake was about to consume the dog as its evening meal.
Bailey could feel it closing in on her and she whined frantically trying to get to her boy. Her heart dropped when she felt a large appendage wrap itself around her torso. But instead of being dragged under the surface of the lake to drown to her death Bailey was abruptly lifted bodily from it. Dripping lake water heavily Bailey was carried over to Harry's boat and deposited in her boys arms at its center. Turning to see what it was that saved her Bailey could only see a large tentacle vanish into the lake leaving the top clear and calm as if the incident hadn't occurred.
"Oh, Bailey," said Harry, hugging her tight.
Bailey nibbled Harry's nose as the others petted her.
When they pulled away Bailey shook out her fur causing water to go everywhere and get the four kids sitting in the boat soaking wet much to their displeasure.
"Heads down," called Hagrid, ducking his head as the boats traveled into a dark tunnel that took them inside underneath the castle.
The passage took them all to an underground harbor where, once they hits land, clambered out onto a rocky incline.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad," said Hagrid, double checking one of the already emptied boats.
"Trevor," yelled Neville, holding out his hands. The toad Trevor climbed into them and Neville held his beloved toad close to the chest.
"Uh, Hagrid, what was that in the lake," asked.
"That was the Giant Squid," said Hagrid. "Lived in the lake for hundreds of years. A very old and memorable beast here at the school."
The large party of new first years walked up a steep flight of stone steps and ended up crowding together at the front entrance of the school which is a massive oak door.
"Everyone here," said Hagrid, doing a headcount. "You there, still got your toad?"
When Hagrid got an affirmative from Neville he raised a gigantic fist and delicately knocked three times on the castle door.
Authors Note:
I think we can all guess what the creature that helped Bailey out of the lake was. I bet I had a few of you going there, but don't worry. I mean it's no secret that the Giant Squid in the lake is a big softie and relatively harmless to the inhabitants of Hogwarts.
Hope you all had a good Memorial Day! :D