38 Hogwarts

"Who dares-oh, Misha." Draco whirls around in a fury at who would dare to put their arm around him. But when he sees that it's me, he calms down. Mostly.

"Even if we know each other, you shouldn't put your arm around someone so casually. It's improper." I shrug off his words. Propriety can shod off if it's for my amusement.

Before we can continue our conversation, Hagrid's booming voice rings out over the lakeside. "One minute! Departing in one minute!"

The four of us board the boat and wait for the apparently self propelling boats to push off into the lake. There are a few shouts of surprise, but nothing that sounds like someone falling in.

As the boats cut through the fog, I resume the previous discussion with a question. "So who are these two?" I point to the two unnamed students in the boat with us.

"This is Crabbe, and this is Goyle. Both come from distinguished pureblood families." Honestly, the two of them kind of give off the same vibe as the other, to the point where I feel like it would be easy to confuse the two even though they look nothing alike. Kind of… sidekicky.

Anyways, Crabbe is a pudgy boy, with a pudgy face. Still nothing on Dudley though, and leagues behind Vernon. Goyle, meanwhile, looks like a stereotypical meathead bully. I should know, considering I'm familiar with the Vacants. In response to their introductions they each give me a respectful nod of their heads, which I return with a halfhearted wave.

Back to important things. "What's a pureblood? Is it like how the Middle Ages had nobles who were elevated above the general populace because their ancestors did something impressive, but then assumed that made them themselves special while in reality they tarnished their ancestors' names?"

He blinks at me, suddenly looking both offended and unsure. "Wh- Ho- No! Pureblood families are wizarding families whose blood runs pure in the wizarding world. Which means that everyone in that family has always been a wizard, with no muggles having mixed their blood with ours."

I nod my head in understanding. "Except the first ones of course."

He looks at me questioningly. "Huh?"

"Well, someone had to be the first wizard, right?" He nods his head, uncertain as to my point. I raise a finger as I explain. "So either the first person in your family was born from a muggle family, or eventually a magicless person, a muggle, was born into a wizarding family. And since wizards are the ones in hiding…" I trail off leadingly.

Draco looks at me, stunned, his mouth hanging open. I wave my hand in front of his face but get no reaction. I look at the other duo in the boat and see them staring blankly into the distance. Deciding that there must be something interesting, I adopt the same look and gaze into the forest with them.

It's another few minutes when Hagrids booming voice disturbs the tranquil lake. And just when I notice something flickering through the forest too. But now I've lost sight of it due to the distraction. Irritating.

"Hogwarts castle, as magnificent as the day she were built!" Sighing, I turn my attention to the front of the boat. And my jaw drops at the sight.

Magnificent is right, the castle sits atop an outcropping of land that slowly rises into a cliff. At the very top of the cliff sits what I assume the main building to be, since it's the largest. Various towers adorn the grounds, intermingling with the squatter buildings in a dazzling architectural symphony. Lights scattered across the grounds give it an air of mystique, of mystery and adventure.

Even knowing that they've done their best to make the first look so impactful, or perhaps because of it, the sight takes my breath away. It's a picturesque scene.

One that is promptly ruined by Hagrid's shouting for everyone to stay inside the boats to avoid falling in the water. Really, does he seriously think someone will suddenly decide to go for a swim in the middle of the night while on the way to our first night of school!?

I can feel my eye starting to twitch, so I turn my attention to Draco, who is looking at the school, but doesn't seem to have recovered from our earlier conversation. So I flick his earlobe.

He lets out a yelp as he jerks in his seat, slamming a hand against his ear. He gives me an aggrieved look to which I just chuckle.

I turn my attention back to the view, Draco reluctantly doing the same. Together we watch as the castle comes closer, the boats heading to a dock sequestered into an alcove of the cliff. Once there, the boats dock and everyone departs.

There, we're guided through a tunnel. Not even a man made tunnel, but a natural looking one. Sure, it looks pretty with sparkling crystals poking out of the walls, but still.

But as we walk it gradually evens out, the natural stone transitioning to evenly worked stone as we enter a hallway lined with lit braziers. At the end of the hallway we turn, immediately going up a set of stairs that switches back again. At the top of them stands an old woman in deep green robes and a matching pointy hat. Professor McGonagall.

She welcomes us, as well as telling us about what's about to happen. That we're about to be sorted into our houses for the next seven years. While naming the houses, I notice a few students with changing expressions. Draco looks smug when Slytherin is named, while Ron twists his face into a grimace. The opposite happens when Gryffindor is named. At Ravenclaw I notice Hermione perk up a bit, and in the back I spy Clarity also looking more attentive.

Apparently we can earn points for our house by doing well or impressing the teachers, which is essentially the same thing. But we can also lose them if we displease them or break any rules. Before she can continue though, McGonagall's speech is interrupted by a loud shout.

"Trevor!" A skinny boy with chubby cheeks makes his way through the crowd and to the professor. There he crouches down and picks up a toad. 'Must be that kid from the train. But if he lost it on the train, how did it end up at the castle before us…?'

While pondering this, a chuckle rolls through the crowd at his actions. Seeming to realize what he's just done, he looks up. There he sees the stern face of McGonagall, though I can see one corner of her mouth twitching ever so slightly upward.

He returns to the crowd, toad in hand, with a cowed expression. Informing us that the ceremony will start in a moment, she turns and leaves us alone.

"It's true then. What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Murmurs spread through the crows at his words, everyone murmuring my brother's name. Meanwhile I fade into the background, curious as to where this will lead.

Draco gestures to the sidekicks. "This is Crabbe, Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco, Malfoy." At Harry's side, Ron snickers. Hearing him, Draco glares at him while Harry looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "Think my name is, funny do you? No need to ask for yours. Red hair, and a hand-me down robe. You must be a Weasley. You'll soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." After exchanging glares with Ron,he holds out his hand to Harry with a smile.

He just looks at it for a moment before looking back up. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Draco immediately loses his smile. So I decide now is the time to pop in.

"The conflict between the rich and the poor, only two ways it can end. Either in death, or glorious death!" At my words, not just the three troublemakers, but also everyone around them looks at me. I smirk at them, about to make my grand introduction before I realize McGonagall has come back.

Looking on with mild disapproval, she speaks. "We're ready for you now. Follow me." With that, she leads everyone through the giant doors behind her."