Chapter 26: The Weight of Expectations
Then we searched, and searched. We ran into Ron's twin brothers. But they hadn't seem him. I asked Anthony and the others, no toad. We looked for hours, with Neville, Finally when it looked like the sun was setting and a voice called over the loudspeaker.
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
"I'm sorry." I told the boy.
"It's my fault...if only. I'll go see if Hermione found him" Neville said, I guessed Hermione was the other girl he'd talked about earlier. Neville stalked away as I gave one final sympathetic look, then I headed back to Harry and Ron's compartment. The hall was a mess, with student's clearly getting rowdy. I was thankful to finally make it back. The compartment was filled with wrappers, and the boy's had finally changed into there robes...
"Where have you been?" Harry asked me worriedly.
"Sorry...I bumped into a girl and had to help her pick up some papers, I got into a conversation about house, Then I ran into a boy named Neville and helped him look for his toad, I've been doing that for hours." I said. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and gave a understanding nod.
"Sorry, I was just worried. A lot's happened here." He told me.
"Like what?" I asked confused.
"Well Neville and Hermione asked us about the toad, then Scabber's wouldn't turn yellow, Gringotts was robbed, and Malfoy showed up." Harry said, as he clearly tried to remember everything.
"Who?" I asked.
"The pale boy." Harry answered.
"He's a rotten one." Ron added.
"What did he do?"
"He showed up with his goons, Crabbe and Goyle, he wanted to be my friend. Then he insulted Ron, Scabbers got defensive." Both Ron and Harry grinned at that. I gave them both a questioning look.
"Do you really want to be making enemies so quickly?" I asked.
"His family's dark, if there's anyone to be enemies with. It's him and his cronies." Ron answered firmly. "They'll be in Slytherin anyway, so they'll hate us no matter what." He added nodding.
"Why would they hate us automatically?" I asked.
"Because Gryffindor's and Slytherin's hate each other. It's how's it always been." Ron answered for me.
"How do you know we'll all be in Gryffindor, I don't think we get to choose?" I asked him curiously, at the thought of not being in Gryffindor he got nervous.
"Well...I mean, my entire family's in Gryffindor. I...have to be." He said nervously.
"And our parent's were to." Harry added, I nodded.
"They were, though I still haven't ruled out any house." I admitted. They both looked at me worriedly.
"Not even Slytherin?" Ron asked nervously, I shrugged.
"I don't know how they sort, what if the houses get to choose. What if we don't have a choice?" I asked.
"I guess you're right, just...please not Slytherin." Ron said, seemingly begging to an unknown force.
In all honesty I didn't expect to be in Gryffindor, and was trying to keep Harry's expectations in check. While it was possible given family history, I also knew I didn't possesses some of the qualities of Gryffindor.
The train finally came to a halt, and the deep worried expression of Harry's and Ron's increased dramatically.
"It'll be fine." I said, though for the first time I was staring to feel nervous as well.
We all unloaded onto the train platform, it was dark and cold. Student's with different colored ties and badges went here and there...I looked down at our black ties and guessed they must change when were sorted. We had no idea where to go, until a familiar voice called out through the darkness.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, you two?" Hagrid asked us as he began to gather the first years. I noticed Anthony and the others grouped up towards the other end of the crowd. He was whispering to Lisa, and when she saw me she gave a sympathetic look. When they saw Harry next to me Anthony looked at him, I nodded and he looked excited and began whispering to Terry and Michael behind him, which caused them to glance over and look at Harry in awe.
"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid told us, and we followed him down a dark, steep, and narrow path. No one spoke as we walked, other than the occasional sniffle from poor Neville.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
"Oooooh!" Filled the air as the path opened up onto the shore of a black lake. On the other side stood a full blown castle with a wide assortment of turrets and towers. All amplified by the clear night sky.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid instructed, pointing to a armada of small boats sitting on the shore.
Me, Harry, and Ron took a boat. Followed boy poor Neville. I noticed that Lisa climbed in with Anthony, Michael, and Terry. Which satisfied me that I had placed her with the right group, at least in the short term.
"Everyone in?" Hagrid asked, he had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"
As one the boat began moving forward. We sailed smoothly over the lake, no one spoke as we neared the castle, or as we approached the cliff it sat upon.
"Heads down!" Hagrid ordered as the first boat made it to the cliff. As we ducked we passed through a curtain of ivy, which obscured a large hole in the cliff side. We entered a dark passageway, and I guessed we were heading underneath the school. Finally we reached a underground harbor, which we all began to climb out of.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid asked Neville, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" Neville cried blissfully. I was happy that the boy found his toad after all the hours he'd stressed about it.
After Trevor had been found we followed Hagrid up a passageway in the rock, coming out onto smooth, damp grass right next to the castle.
Hagrid led us up some stone steps, towards a giant oak door.
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"
Neville nodded, then Hagrid turned back to the door. He knocked three time, and the doors sprung open.
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