Chapter 3 - Misdirection
"Mate that was wicked!"
Harry spun around. Facing him were two identical redheaded boys who looked to be a little bit older than he was. They most certainly were taller.
"Er, hi," he said. "It's just a levitation charm," hoping to downplay things a bit. The identical twins (Harry guessed) turned to each other.
"Just a levitation charm, says the first year student," one of the redheads said.
"Most first years have trouble lifting a feather," the other redhead added, "and that's after they've had the lesson."
"By the time we were all finally able to get the feathers to float, we were moving on to a different charm."
"I bet there are some that can still only levitate a feather," the one redhead said and they chortled for a moment, before looking at him peculiarly.
"Care to explain your secrets?," one said.
"If you don't, be prepared to be pranked mercilessly until you do." They grinned maliciously.
Harry smiled nervously, "It's no big deal, I just read into the charms book a little, I've been practicing that one for a couple weeks," he lied.
"Ah so you're one of those prodigies?"
"Er, maybe," Harry said. "I guess it just comes easier to me. No need to prank me mercilessly now right?"
"Well George? What do you say?"
"I suppose his story, checks out Fred." They turned back to him.
"Alright, little firstie, we're letting you free this time."
"But if we catch you performing unexplainable-"
"Life changing-"
"Heroic-"
"Acts of magic."
"We will be hauling you in for questioning."
"After all, we can't have you, taking all the ladies to yourself now can we?" They looked at him with identical evil grins.
It was hard trying to keep up with these two, bantering back and forth but he did manage it.
"Right, no crazy magic and no stealing the ladies. Anything else?"
"I think that just about covers it," the one who was referred to as Fred said.
"We'll see you at the castle firstie."
And with that they left the room. There was quiet for a moment before Harry said,
"So…what do we do when we start performing unexplainable, life-changing, heroic acts of magic?
"Damned if I know."
"Wonderful."
—
The throng of people around her dispersed quickly. She grabbed her trunk and tried not to get stepped on. She began making her way down the car looking into compartments to see if there might be some students her age. She was more than a little nervous. Most people here seemed to know somebody, and she was unsure about joining a group of people that seemed to already know each other so well. Compartment after compartment she looked into. Many of them already had older students in them and she passed them by quickly. She went into the next car. Inside was a boy, a little baby faced and a little bit on the chubby side. He seemed to be her age. He was walking slowly with his eyes on the floor scanning for something it seemed.
"Here Trevor. Here little toady, toady."
"Excuse me," she said. The boy looked up quickly. "Are you looking for something?"
"Oh hi there," said the boy rather glumly, "I can't find Trevor, he's my pet toad," he explained. "Gran is not going to be happy with me."
Finally she thought, a way to make a friend. "Do you need some help looking," she asked.
"Yes," he said, "that would be great. I'm Neville by the way, Neville Longbottom."
"Hermione Granger," she replied. "Maybe if we look together we'll be able to find him."
"Thanks," he said and seemed to perk up a bit. I've looked in the cars in the direction you came in. He's always escaping on me, I'm hopeless at keeping him reigned in."
"You know I bet you there are spells for finding lost things, maybe some older students could help us."
"You think they would help us? They might not want to help a first year."
"Well the Prefects should help us, it's there job to look after the students. I read it in Hogwarts, A History."
"Well if you say so," he said, "why don't we throw our trunks in this empty compartment."
After stowing their luggage away, the two first years began their search for the elusive Trevor.
"So," Neville began. "Is this your first year too?"
"It is," she said, "I was thrilled when I got my Hogwarts letter. It explained all the strange stuff that kept happening around me."
"Wait, you mean you're a… I mean your parents, there muggles?"
"Well they don't have magic if that's what you're asking. They're dentists." At his blank look she continued. "It means they take care of people's teeth."
"Oh," said Neville, "So they're like Healers, but for muggles."
"Exactly," Hermione said, pleased he understood.
"Um, Hermione, I'm sure your parents are great folks and all, but um, how do I say this?"
"What is it?" she asked frowning.
"Well some of the students here, they've had witch and wizard parents for generations. Some have had wizard and muggle parents, but it's not that often."
"So what about that?" she said.
"Well, I'm not saying all wizards are like this, but there are some that think they are better than others because they're blood is well… purer than others.
"What? Thats crazy!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah I know, but there are some that would make life difficult for you if they knew you had no wizard family at all. You just might want to keep it to yourself, if you know what I mean."
"Well alright, Neville." They walked together a little more and came to a compartment that had people inside
"We should ask if they've seen Trevor," said Hermione.
"Ah I don't know," said Neville. Really he was hoping it wouldn't get out that he had a toad as a pet.
"It doesn't hurt to ask," she said, and walked to the compartment. Inside were three boys. Two of the boys were definitely overweight she figured, while the third looked to be in much better shape. He had blond hair, slicked back smoothly and was already changed into pristine looking robes.
"Excuse me," she said, cutting off the blond who was talking. "Have any of you seen a toad?"
The boys looked at her and the blond's lipped thinned a little.
"I don't believe we have," he silkily. "And I do believe its considered rude to ask somebody a question before you've introduced yourself," he said.
"Oh sorry," she said slightly taken aback, but then gathered herself and smiled, "I'm Hermione Granger. And the toad is his," she said motioning to Neville. "This is-"
"Longbottom," the blond said. "I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. This here is Crabbe and Goyle."
The two boys grunted in turn. Draco turned back to Hermione. "Granger, did you say? I've never heard of a wizard name Granger."
"Well you wouldn't have," began Hermione. "I'm the first of my family with magic. I still can't believe it's all real."
"Well if it's all too much for you, we wouldn't fault you for wanting to go back home." Draco smirked. "School has enough muggleborns as it is I say."
"What do you mean by that?" she said, getting upset.
"Come on Hermione," Neville urged, "let's go."
"Yeah go with your boyfriend, Granger, together you might have enough magic to make one wizard. A very bad one at that," Draco and his goons laughed.
They quickly fled Draco's compartment, Hermione's face burned in humiliation.
"That utter prat," she seethed. "Where does he get off saying those kind of things? And do you know each other?"
"Don't let him get to you," said Neville, "Draco's father was a really bad guy. It's no surprise his son is the same. Draco and I have seen each other at formal events over the years. Let's just be glad Harry Potter stopped You-Know-Who, or things would be a lot worse."
"I read about Harry Potter," she said. "He's in some of the wizarding books I picked up. Did he really defeat Lord Vol-"
"SSHH!" shushed Neville.
"What?" she said.
"Look I know you're new here and all," he whispered, "but if there is one thing you should know, it's that nobody, and I mean nobody, save for people like Professor Dumbledore, say the name."
"That's ridiculous," she said, "What could saying a name do?"
"The war may have been a decade ago, Hermione, but people are still scared. So many lost family to him." He sighed. "Yes Harry really did beat him, even if no-one knows why."
"Oh… Neville, did you… lose family in the war?" she looked at him in concern.
He swallowed thickly, "Yeah. Can we talk about something else though?" his eyes pleaded with her.
"Yeah of course," she said quickly, looking away from him. She searched for a topic. "So this Harry Potter. He must be coming to Hogwarts this year, wouldn't he?"
"Um, I guess so," he said. "Gran told me that he was the same age as me."
"You mean born in the same year?" she said.
"No I mean same age, he was born one day after me."
"Wow, what a coincidence."
"Yeah. I bet he's super powerful too, if he defeated You-Know-Who."
"Really? He was only a baby wasn't he? It's not like he was casting spells."
"Well yeah, but he must have done something." He then chuckled. "Poor You-Know-Who, stopped by a baby. That's a serious blow to his credibility, I reckon."
"Do you think Harry Potter would be on the train?"
"I couldn't say. Maybe we'll run into him though."
And they continued their search for Trevor and keeping an eye out for Harry Potter.
—
"This is really not good. I mean like really, really not good." Harry Potter was pacing the compartment he was in brooding about the situation that had just happened with the twins.
"I really think you're over reacting a bit son."
"Your father's right dear. Lots of the spells we can do, could be explained by reading ahead"
"It's not just the spells we can do mum and dad. Sure at first they might think I'm some sort of super mage, but what happens when I write an essay on charms and throw in a couple of concepts that you told me we don't learn until 7th year? Or when I start talking about the finer points of the animagus transformation, something that I'm not even sure we will learn in school. I'm telling you it's all down hill from here."
He huffed and sat down on the bench. Absently he pulled his glasses off and rubbed his face with his hand.
"Hello?" The voice cut into Harry's internal debate and he whipped his head up to see, yet another redheaded boy.
"Are gingers taking over the earth?" Harry asked.
"Um…what?" said the boy.
"Never mind," Harry replied. "Can I help you?"
"Oh yeah," he said. "Mind if I join you? Most everywhere else is full."
"Sure, sure, plenty of room here."
The boy pulled his trunk in and sat down on the bench opposite Harry. He was taller than Harry was, if a little bit gangly. "I'm Ron Weasley."
"Oh I wonder if he's one of Molly and Arthur's boys."
"Nice to meet you Ron. You a first year?" Ron nodded. "Me too. Tell me, do you have any siblings?
"Oh yeah! I've got 5 brothers and a sister. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. Any of your brother's twins by any chance?"
"Yeah that would be Fred and George. They're third years now. Did you meet them or something?"
"We may have crossed paths."
"Oh. They can be a real pain sometimes, they like to prank everyone. Hope they didn't bug you or anything."
"No no we just said hi."
"Thats good then. Hey do you mind if I let Scabbers out of my pocket?"
"Who?" Harry asked perplexed.
"Oh he's my pet rat. He won't bite or anything, he doesn't do much to be honest."
"If you want to go ahead."
Ron reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a lump of fur. He placed it on the seat beside him. 'Scabbers' took a couple of steps before curling up and going to sleep.
"Told you he doesn't do much." Ron said. "He was my brother Percy's before he was mine." He looked up at Harry, who was transfixed on the rat. "Er, are you ok?"
"Are you guys seeing this?"
"James," Lily asked, "Could it be?"
"…I.. I can't say for sure. It could be Peter, it could just as well be a common garden rat."
"Is there any way to check?" asked Harry.
"Oh there is a spell," James replied. "I don't remember the name of it though."
"Ron, how old is your pet rat?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes off of it.
"Scabbers? Percy found him in the garden when he was five years old, so I guess about 10 years now."
"Well guys?"
"We don't actually know what happened to Peter after the Hallowe'en night son. For all we know, he could be in Azkaban right now. It would be kind of foolish to kidnap a rat that might be Peter, only to find out he's rotting away in prison as we speak."
"Fine, but we are looking into this when we get to Hogwarts."
"Of course."
"Do rats normally live that long?"
"Well I don't think so. Hey maybe he's a magical rat and that's why he's still alive!" Ron exclaimed.
"Perhaps he is," mused Harry, thinking of a different reason the rat might be magical. The sat in silence for a moment watching the countryside go by.
"Hey," Ron said, "I've told you my name, but you never did tell me yours."
"Right, Harry Potter, at your service."
Ron's eyes went so wide it was almost comical.
"You're kidding!" he blurted out. Harry was taken slightly aback.
"Um no, that really is my name. Should I be somebody else?"
"No, it's just that…I can't believe it…I mean, well, you're the boy-who-lived!" he looked at Harry as if waiting for some kind of affirmative. He didn't get it.
"I'm the what now?" Now Harry was really getting confused.
"The one who defeated You-Know-Who!"
"Uh, you mean Voldemort?"
Ron gasped, "You said the name! I mean I would have thought you of all people, but still! And do you really have the scar?"
"How on earth do you know I have a scar? I've been keeping that hidden since I was 7!" Harry was getting more and more agitated with every word Ron spoke.
"Well everyone knows," Ron said, "I mean it's in all the books and…"
"I'M IN BOOKS!" Harry stood up and shouted. Ron suddenly stopped talking and looked up at Harry, slightly fearful now.
"Easy there son."
"I think you're scaring him."
"Harry took a breath to calm himself and sat back down.
"I'm in books?" he repeated almost a whisper.
"Yeah mate. You mean…you really didn't know?"
"No," he growled. "Why am I in books?"
Ron took a moment before starting.
"Well cause you lived obviously." At Harry's raised eyebrow he continued, "Well I mean, I only here about these things from my parents, but from what they say, times were really bad a decade ago. You-Know-Who, he was killing everyone that stood against him. My parents tell me," he swallowed and whispered, "Once You-Know-Who wanted somebody dead, they always, always ended up dead." Harry listened with rapt attention. As did his parents.
"That's what makes you so amazing," said Ron speaking louder now. "For whatever reason he couldn't kill you. All those witches and wizards he killed over the years and he couldn't kill one baby. The only mark that was left on you was that scar. It's why they call you the boy-who-lived."
Harry slowly reached up and brushed his hair out of the way of the scar, tracing his finger along the lighting bolt for the first time in a while. He stared off into space for a moment taking this all in.
"So you're saying…I'm like a famous person or something?"
Ron laughed, "A famous person? Little girls and even boys grew up hearing about how Harry Potter saved the world from the most evil dark wizard of all time. Even my own little sister Ginny knows all about Harry Potter. You know I bet she'll have a crush on you when she gets to Hogwarts."
"So much for not stealing all the ladies now, eh son?"
"James! Really I'm sure he's just exaggerating Harry."
"I'm not sure he is mum. Did you see his face when I told him my name? I thought he was going to have heart failure."
"Well even if he is right, it doesn't change anything. You're still going to have work hard in your classes and you definitely are not going to let any fame go to your head. Understand mister?"
"Yes mum. You know I won't."
"I know you won't hon. Just a reminder."
"Hey Ron, do you think you could keep this to yourself for now? I'd really like to meet people without them know I'm this famous person."
"Oh sure Harry. Wait…if I call you Harry, they might realize you're Harry Potter."
"Call me James then. It's my middle name, so technically I wouldn't be lying to anyone."
"Sure thing, James," he said with a grin. "How about a last name? People will definitely ask you it."
"Oh, right…James Evans then. Something from my mother and father."
"That gets my approval."
"And mine."
"Sounds good to me. Hey Harry… I mean James, how do you not know about being the boy-who-lived? You didn't grow up with muggles did you?" he laughed. Harry just stared at him.
"Wait did you?" he asked.
"I grew up with my aunt, uncle and cousin and yes they are muggles."
"Wow, what are they like?"
Harry raised an eyebrow for a moment. "Muggles are just like us without magic. The Dursley's? The world would go on without them, probably for the better. If it wasn't for some help from up here…," Harry pointed at his head, knowing Ron wouldn't really understand what he meant, "They probably would have tried to stop me from going. Luckily I can be quite…convincing." Harry smirked.
"And he just went all, death-to-all-who-stand-in-my-way. I think he gets it from your side of the family Lils."
"James, if I had a fist and you had a face you would seriously regret saying that."
"Just kidding now. You know I love you honey."
"Mmm-hmm."
"Well it's a good thing you got them to let you go," said Ron, "Say what's your Quidditch team?"
And with that, both boys began talking about the finer points of Quidditch. James had once explained the game to Harry who found it interesting (I mean a sport you play while flying had to be awesome, even if it was just tag), but James couldn't explain all of the moves the players pulled. Ron was able to fill Harry in on some of the maneuvers and which teams were doing well in the National League. In what felt like minutes, a couple hours went by. There was a knock at the door and it opened to a Lady who was pushing a trolley that seemed to be loaded with candies.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" she said.
Ron looked down. "Nothing for me, thanks,"
Harry got up and looked in trolley, he was hoping he might be able to grab a couple of Mars Bars. Instead of Mars Bars though, he found the trolley to be full of strange wizard candies. There's everything there from Pumpkin Pastries to Chocolate Frogs.
"Wow!" he exclaimed. "How much are they?" he asked.
"Well, depending on what you get the price will range from 1 knut to 1 Sickle and 3 knuts."
"Hmm" Harry thought.
"Hey Dad, you said that only third years and up get to go to this town called Hogsmeade near the school right?"
"Er yeah, unless they've changed the rules…"
"Right, and the only time we get to leave the school is during Christmas break and Easter when we can go visit our families which will definitely not be happening."
"Um I guess so, why?"
"Harry you're not possibly thinking of-"
"How much for everything on the trolley please?"
Behind him Ron's jaw dropped.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" said Lily.
The trolley lady went speechless for a moment.
"Wait… did you say everything?" he nodded.
"Well that would… let me see," she said, quite flustered. She quickly began counting everything.
"Alright that would come to 78 galleons, 14 Sickles and 4 knuts. Are you sure about this? I mean that's a lot of money-," she trailed off when Harry began pulling out galleons in stacks of ten and passed her 8 stacks.
"There you go," he said. "Keep the change. Mind leaving the trolley here?"
She stared at the money in her hand dazed.
"No not at all," she mumbled. "I think I'll take a holiday now."
The trolley lady left the cart and slowly walked away, still gazing at the galleons.
"Hey James, remember how you said, death-to-all or whatever, comes from my side of the family?"
"Yes?"
"Well this comes from your side of the family."
"Touché."
Harry wheeled the trolley inside and looked at it for a moment before grabbing a pumpkin pastry and picking it up. Then he noticed Ron who was still looking at him with an expression of awe.
"You can have some too if you want."
Ron looked away.
"No that's ok," he sighed, "My mom packed me a sandwich for the ride I think."
Although Harry could tell it wasn't ok with Ron.
"Tell you what," said Harry. "You give me that sandwich and you can have whatever you want from the trolley."
Ron's eyes went wide, "You serious?"
"Absolutely," said Harry.
"Well sure then," said Ron cheerfully. He reached into his trunk and pulled out a brown bag and pulled a wrapped up sandwich out of it.
"Here," he said and tossed it to Harry before reaching for the trolley and grabbing a chocolate frog. "Thanks!"
"No problem."
As Harry idly chewed his way through the pastry and then the sandwich, Ron told him about chocolate frog cards. Ron gave him all the cards from the chocolate frogs he ate, "Its only fair." he had said, "You did buy them." Now Harry had his own set of chocolate frog cards. He watched as 'Dumbledore' moved around in his frame before wandering off. He chatted with Ron and learned about his siblings and hobbies. They were interrupted when the door opened to a group of boys. There were two rather large boys flanking one skinnier pale boy, with blond hair and grey eyes. They stepped in and the blond one spoke
"I've heard Harry Potter might be on the train." He turned to look at Harry. "Are you him?"
"Nice to meet you," said Harry. "I'm James Evans."
"Hmmph," Malfoy said. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. Oh and this Crabbe and Goyle."
"Watch yourself around him Harry. Senior Malfoy would be cooling his heels in Azkaban, if he ever got caught on any of those death-eater raids."
"Noted."
Ron sniggered.
"Think my name's funny do you? No need to tell me who you are… red hair, hand me down robes and more freckles than you can afford, you must be a Weasely." Draco turned back to Harry. "You'll find out Evans, that some Wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I can help you there."
Draco stuck out his hand. Harry looked up and saw Ron's red face.
"Really now?" said Harry , "You'd do that for me?"
Draco nodded. Ron looked on in horror. Harry thought for a moment before reaching out and shaking Draco's hand. Draco smiled (a fake smile, but a smile nonetheless). Harry smiled back.
"Well Draco I appreciate that. However because wizardry and magic is all new to me, I'm afraid I won't be able to take your advice until I become a little more, how do i say it…integrated with the world. For all I know you yourself could be the wrong sort and I would have no way to know, now would I?"
"I'm not the wrong sort!" Draco cried out, flustered things weren't going the way he intended.
"I never said you were." Harry easily replied. "It's just that I have no way of knowing."
Ron still looked a bit upset, but seemed to be slightly calmer after Harry rebuffed Draco.
"Anyway, I'm still getting to know Ron here, yes this Weasey does have a name, and so far he seems to be the right sort. We'll be sitting together for the rest of the train ride, so if you want to meet with me later and prove yourself to be the right sort it will have to be at Hogwarts. I'm not sure how long classes are, but I'm sure there would be sometime for us to meet up." Harry got up and was ushering Draco and company towards the door. "Anyway nice meeting you Draco, look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts. Bye now."
And with that he slammed the door shut before Draco could get a word in edgewise.
"Pheww." said Harry, "I thought he'd never leave." He turned to look at Ron, "What?"
"You just shook Malfoy's hand!" Ron said in anger. "How could you?"
"Shake his hand? Quite easily," Harry replied. "You just reach forward with your own hand, put it in his-"
"That's not what I meant!" Ron nearly exploded. "He's Malfoy! He follows you-know-who and his family-" Harry cut him off before he could get going.
"Look Ron, shaking someone's hand doesn't mean that you necessarily agree with them. I know that Malfoy is scum, but he is also a student here that I'm going to see for the next seven years. By letting him think that I'm on friendly terms with him he'll probably not annoy me at school to much."
"Oh," said Ron starting to understand, "Still it is Malfoy. Not sure I'd want to shake his hand even if I was pretending."
"Well you can't shake his hand now anyway."
"Er, I can't?" he asked.
"No," said Harry. "You see he publicly insulted you and that just won't do. The only way you could shake his hand now is if he apologized to you. He didn't insult me which is why I could shake his hand."
"Oh, that's kind of complicated, I think."
"Maybe now, but you'll pick up on it. Besides you didn't even pick up on the best parts."
Ron looked intrigued now. "The best part? What do you mean?"
"Well there's two actually. You see, if Draco wants to talk with me he's going to have to prove he's the right kind of person, which he has no chance of doing by the way. And secondly, can you imagine his face when they call 'Harry Potter' at the sorting feast and I walk up?"
Ron suddenly broke into a grin, "Why he'll be furious!" and he laughed then thought for a moment. "But won't he be upset with you for saying that you weren't Harry Potter?"
"I never said I wasn't, I just said that I was James Evans, which is technically correct."
Ron stared open mouthed at Harry.
"You," he said, "Are completely brilliant!"
"I know, it comes with being Harry Potter."
"Is your head going to fit out the doorway, young man?"
"I don't know, there are three of us in here," He responded cheekily.
"Touché."
—
Several hours passed and the hills and rolling country side around them turned into denser forest and woodland. The sun had just gone down and sky had darkened considerably. The door to Ron and Harry's compartment opened and a boy looked inside. He was slightly chubby faced with dark brown hair.
"You haven't seen a toad, have you?" he asked anxiously. Harry and Ron shook there heads.
"Ok thanks." the boy left dejected.
"Don't know why he's so upset," Ron said. "If I had a toad, I'd lose it soon as I could. Mind you I've got Scabbers so I can't talk." He looked at Scabbers who lay curled up still.
"He could have died and you wouldn't know the difference," Ron said disgusted. "I tried turning him yellow the other day to make him less boring." He pulled out his wand, an old battered thing and raised it. "I'll try it again."
Just then the door opened and a girl stepped with the toadless boy behind her. She had big bushy hair and slightly large front teeth and she was already changed into her witch's robes.
"Have either of you seen a toad? Neville's lost one" she asked.
"We told him already that we haven't seen it." Ron replied.
"Oh," she said. Then she saw Ron had his wand out. "Oh are you doing magic? Go on then let's see."
"Oh umm alright," said Ron a bit miffed to suddenly be having an audience.
"Sunshine, Daises, Butter, Mellow. Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"
There was a pregnant pause, while they stared at Scabbers who remained unchanged.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" the girl asked. "Well if it is it's not a very good one is it? I've tried a few spells from the textbook and they all worked for me. I'm Hermione Granger by the way. And you are?"
"Ron Weasley."
"James Evans"
"Pleasure to meet you then. Say I don't suppose either of you have seen Harry Potter on the train have you."
Ron nearly gave away the secret then and there but was able to hold it in.
"No haven't seen him."
"Who's Harry Potter?" Harry asked, ignoring the laughing in his head.
"Why you don't know who Harry Potter is?" she asked incredulously.
"Sorry I'm muggle raised. Grew up with my Aunt and Uncle."
"Well I guess we're going into Slytherin for sure now. I wonder if my body is rolling in it's grave."
"Oh give it a rest James. They're ambitious, not evil."
"So you say."
"Why he's like the most famous wizard ever," she said sitting down next to Harry. "He defeated You-Know-Who, this evil wizard when he was only just one year's old. He's our age now so he should be attending Hogwarts. He's in many wizarding books too, Modern Magical Events, Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. I would so love to meet him. I wonder if he remembers You-Know-Who." she said quite fast.
"I'm sure you'll get to meet him someday," Harry said innocently. "Although being quite the hero, I'm sure he's a busy guy. You know how it is with famous people."
Ron was trying not to laugh, but couldn't hold it in any longer. He was able to turn it into a series of coughs though. Hermione looked up.
"What's wrong with him," she said leaning away from him.
"Oh he'll be fine," Harry said. "Probably swallowed the wrong way."
Ron pulled himself together. "Yeah that's what happened."
"Well alright," she said standing up. "We're going to arrive at the castle soon, so you better change into your robes. I'll see you at Hogwarts." Then she noticed the candy and trolley. "I hope you're not planning to eat all that anytime soon, your teeth will go bad."
Hermione and Neville left the compartment and both boys had a laugh before deciding that they probably should change and did so. Only ten minutes later the train started to slow down. Up and ahead they could see lights from a station platform. Harry pulled down his trunk and started to stuff the candy they hadn't eaten inside of it, before realizing there was no way it would all fit.
"Crap," he said.
Ron looked over and noticed the problem.
"Aw no. Hey want to throw what won't fit in my trunk," he offered. Harry agreed and they began throwing the extra candy in his trunk filling it to capacity. Still there was some left that just wouldn't fit.
"We are so getting a magical trunk next year."
"Your robes have pockets right?" Harry asked Ron. He nodded and then they both crammed the remainder of the candy into there robes.
"There, got it all," said Harry, pleased.
Harry and Ron grabbed their trunks and walked out of the compartment. They joined a crowd of students and made there way off the train when it finally came to a halt. Students seemed to be moving up a pathway. Harry and Ron were about to follow when a booming voice shouted out above the ruckus.
"Firs' years, follow me. All firs' years this way!"
They left the large crowd heading up the hill and joined into a smaller one that followed the voice to a man that seemed larger than life. He seemed to be twice as tall as a normal man and three times as wide.
"Blimey," said Ron.
"Hey that's Hagrid," said James
"It is," said Lily, "I miss that big guy."
"No need to worry about Hagrid, Harry, he may cut an imposing figure but he wouldn't hurt a fly."
"You should get to know him," Lily added.
"I will," said Harry accidentally out loud.
"Sorry?" said Ron.
"Nothing."
The first years followed Hagrid down a dark steep path. The only light came from the stars and the lamp that Hagrid was holding.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' look o' Hogwarts in just a sec," he called. "Jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "ooooh."
The path had opened up at the edge of a huge lake. Sitting up high on a mountain on the other side of the lake was a giant castle with many turrets and towers.
"Alright!" said Hagrid, "No more'n four to a boat!" pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron quickly grabbed a boat and were followed in by Hermione and Neville.
When everyone was in, Hagrid yelled, "Forward," and the boats took off across the smooth lake. Everyone was quiet staring at the grand spectacle. They reached the cliff on which the castle stood and went right underneath it through a wall of ivy which hid an opening. They seemed to be going right underneath the castle. The boats reached an underground harbour and came to a stop. The kids disembarked onto the stone dock.
"Is this anyone's toad?" Hagrid called out, checking the boats for stragglers.
"Trevor!" Neville called out. He retrieved his toad and seemed to be much happier than Harry or Ron had seen him all day. They walked in a path cut out from the rock coming out near a large oak door in the castle. Hagrid led them up the stone steps to the door.
"Everyone here?" he said. "Still got your toad?" looking at Neville who nodded.
Hagrid turned around and swung a meaty fist at the door three times.