The Hogwarts Express
Techna arrived at the platform with her parents through the Floo powder. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. Techna herself had bought a barn owl and had named her Athena. The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.
At the platform Techna met her cousin Narcissa and they found an empty compartment for themselves and after Lucius helped them set their trunks inside he went off. Lucius has been made the Slytherin prefect. Techna was feeling very nervous. Unlike most students, Techna didn't have any sort of pressure on her that she must be in Slytherin or anything.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Techna and Narcissa bought four cauldron cakes, five chocolate frogs and six licorice wands and a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Techna got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, and sardine.
Soon, Narcissa's friends came to look for her and she went with them, wishing Techna luck and leaving her alone. Techna looked out of the window and saw that the countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.
After sometime, the door of the compartment slid open and a redheaded girl came in followed by a boy with black, long hair. "Anyone sitting there?" the girl asked, pointing at the seat opposite Techna. "Everywhere else is full." Techna shook her head and they sat down.
"My name is Lily Evans by the way" said the girl, "and this is Severus Snape" she said pointing at the black haired boy.
"I am Techna Malfoy", said Techna, "Nice to meet you."
The girl — Lily Evans — smiled at her while the boy — Severus Snape — had a permanent scowl fixed on his face.
After some time, Techna peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. She and Lily took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Snape had already changed into his robes.
A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Techna shivered in the cold night air.
Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Techna heard a say voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" A giant of a man with big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Techna thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. "No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. "Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.