Chapter 8 An unforgettable boat trip

[AN: Does anyone here know another sorting hat song that is different from harry's that i can use?]

*No pov*

"First years to me, first years to me." Calls a giant figure in the dark on the poorly lit platform.

A new year begins and new students with nervous, excitement and uncertainty feelings once again enter the gates of Hogwarts.

It is his job to get the students safely and whole to Hogwarts. Rubeus Hagrid, half-giant and gamekeeper of Hogwarts.

The gamekeeperwas an occupation held at the school. This Person is in charge of tending to and looking after the grounds of the school.

Duties like looking after magical beasts on the school grounds, tending to matters in the Forbidden Forest or defrosting the school brooms during winter, expected someone of this occupation.

Of course, it can also happen that the person received assignments from professors or the school director himself. Since he was hired, he has been asked to bring the new students to the castle every year, except one.

He held up the lantern and gathered the first years. Some, frightened by his size, his wild hair and beard, stepped back.

Funny was it that often it was newcomers who just entered the world of magic that looked at Hagrid with astonishment.

As the last of the students gathered around him, he counted to see if they were complete.

"Well, everyone is here, follow me closely and don't move away."

Directed the half-giant and with difficulty turns around and walks along a stone path. The students follow him up a small hill and from there they see a jetty with many small paddle boats without the paddles.

The sea looked beautiful and the stars in the sky sparkled at them so that their light could be seen at sea level.

Even from there, the students with good eyesight or glasses could see the high battlements and towers of a castle in the distance.

"Wow." It came from most of the students. Hagrid just said gruffly, "Move or we'll be late."

It didn't matter what the task was, he took it seriously and so it was his job to do every task as excellently as possible. With big strides they get to the jetty and the gamekeeper gives further instructions.

"Two students per boat, no more, no less, go on."

The students obeyed and rushed to fill the boats. When the new students got into the boats and no one was standing on dry land anymore, Hagrid melancholy got into a much larger boat.

Out of nowhere the boats all move at a slow pace towards the great castle and their home for a long time.

*Aurelius Pov*

It's just fantastic this lake the stars and the huge castle. That's it, that's magic right at this moment i feel the magic running through me.

"It's stunning." I say in amazement.

Cederic absentmindedly confirmed with a soft "It is."

When I can take my eyes off the monument that it is I look up at the beautiful starry sky that was clearly visible. I've never seen the stars twinkle so brightly, not even at home.

Next, I marveled at the lake lit up by the stars. When looking closely at the lake, I notice how something is moving under the boat.

I can't see it clearly because it's blurry but it looks like a big almost human sized fish. I hurriedly tap my passenger on the shoulder and wake him from a kind of paralysis.

"Cederic, look under the boat, can you see it too, there's a huge fish below us."

He looks excitedly over the edge down into the water.

"I see it too."

Unnoticed, I hold my hand in the water and feel the cold water enveloping my hand. I only really realized it when something touched my hand.

In the same second I jump back to the other side, It's a miracle the boat didn't tip over.

"What are you doing?"

Asks cedric hastily and I speak very quickly not knowing what it was.

"It touched me, my hand was in water and something grabbed it."

Cedric laughs at my entanglement and I put my hand in the water and take out some water and throw it at the laughing boy.

The sleeve of his robe was now wet and Cederic stops laughing immediately. He takes his other sleeve and rubs it on the wet spot and tries to dry it off.

"If you hadn't laughed at me."

"I laughed with you not at you. Aurel we're almost there I can't get it dry."

"Don't worry my friend." I try to calm him down and get my wand out of the holster and aim at the wet spot.

"What are you doing there?"

He asks still trying to get it dry with rubbing "Cederic we are magicians, I do magic. I have a spell suitable for this, i think" I talk him into it and at the end I speak softly and indistinctly.

"You think?- Have you ever cast it before?"

"I... I have carefully... read every passage in the book about this spell and now hold still."

I tell him and he tries his best not to move. "Let's hope i read about this works." I add, seeing him look scared. I wave my wand and speak with confidence.

"Impervius."

[AN: I know it's not entirely appropriate, but I haven't found another that fits better.]

a small white ray leaves my silver wall and hits exactly the spot. If you look closely you could see the water being pulled out of the fabric and individual drops of water then splattering on the bottom of the boat.

"You manage it." Says Cederic after examining it twice. I answer casually as if it hadn't been a success. "Of course have a little faith in your friend."

Our chat was interrupted when the boat suddenly stopped and arrive at a underground harbor.

*No pov*

"Get off the boats and gather together." The ranger calls to the children and tries to get out of the boat, which he fails to do, the first time.

"Follow me."

On a new, better maintained stone path, the little pupils follow the giant to a staircase that leads up to a large closed door.

Hagrid climbs the stairs and knocks three times on the door, moments later the door opens and a tall old stern woman in a black cloak and with a black pointy hat reveals herself.

"The first years proffesorMcGonagall, healthy and complete" The half giant let her know. The professor thanks her helper and takes over from there.

McGonagall hurriedly leads the students through the school, in the entrance hall all the students were once again impressed. Even children born into a wealthy family exceeded their expectations.

They followProfessor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor and they could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right.

The teacher leads the new students into a small, narrow chamber next to the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I am professor McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorte into your houses.

The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.

You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points.

At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.

I'll come back when everything is ready, Please stay calm while you wait."

Just as she was leaving the chamber some had to swallow, she was worried about how it would be decided where they belonged and if they had to do some kind of test.

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That's the end of the chapter. Thanks for reading. Feedback and powerstones are more than welcome.