42 Hogwarts

"Have either of you seen a toad?" she asked without prelude. "Neville's lost one."

Harry looked at her, and considered telling her how rude she was being, barging into their personal space like that, but he was starting to believe that this was just how children his age did things. Rudely. Now, Harry didn't believe in wasting time, but he never talked to people as though he was entitled to their answers. Talking to someone and sharing space with them is an act of generosity, right?

Meanwhile, Weasley looked at her like she had grown a second head, but made to answer her nonetheless. But nothing came out.

Scowling, he kicked Harry in the leg.

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Right. Finite."

The girl's eyes lit up. "You're doing magic?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Just trying a few very basic spells."

Weasley looked at him incredulously.

The girl smiled eagerly, at that. "Well then, go on, let's see!"

Harry shrugged and pointed his wand at Weasley, who didn't have time to react.

"Rictumsempra."

And with that, Weasley burst into uncontrollable giggles.

"S-stop!"

Harry nodded and cancelled the charm.

Meanwhile, the girl looked very, very jealous.

"Anyway," Harry said, oblivious to the girl's envious look and Weasley's glare, "We haven't seen any toads. Some frogs, but they were chocolate. Perhaps one of the prefects could help?"

The girl blinked, before exclaiming, "Oh, why didn't I think of that? Come on Neville!"

And with that, she disappeared just as quickly as she had come, leaving Harry and the Weasley boy awkwardly staring at the door.

Harry shook his head. "Wingardium Leviosa."

"Scabbers!"

Scurrying out of the train with Weasley following behind, Harry followed the deep, rough voice bellowing, "Firs' Years! Firs' Years over here!" It was a friendly bellow, though, not at all like Vernon's, and it made Harry smile.

Following the voice, Harry forced himself not to gawk when he found it coming from an enormous man – in fact, he was fairly sure, based on the proportions of the man's body, that he was at least part giant. Apparently, humans and giants could interbreed – Harry didn't want to know how.

"C'mon, over here, step in the boats! Careful now. Any more firs' years?"

Harry cast one more glance at the man before stepping into one of the boats that still had two seats left, finding himself between the girl and boy he'd met earlier.

"No more'n four to a boat!" he heard the giant call.

"You again!" The girl said as a greeting. "My name is Hermione Granger, who are you?"

Harry turned to the bushy haired girl, finding her staring at him with bright, eager, and rather owlish brown eyes.

"Harry Evans," he returned, ignoring Weasley's snicker behind him.

The girl frowned slightly at Weasley, who was nudging Harry a bit, but her expression immediately cleared and she gestured toward the soft-featured boy beside her. "This is Neville Longbottom. His toad is still missing. You haven't seen it yet by any chance, have you?"

Harry and Weasley both shook their heads again.

"Everyone in?" they suddenly heard the giant shout. When no one protested - "Right then – FORWARD!"

Smoothly, the boats departed from the dock, gliding over the black waters of the lake. The subtle waves were shimmering with the faint evening starlight and the lamps that speckled the distant image of Hogwarts castle, a magnificent, stalwart fortress that managed to appear delicate and enchanting all the same, looming up against the grey-blue sky like a fantasy engendered straight out of the minds of the giddy, eager fleet of first years. All Harry felt was awe; being there, breathing in the brisk, damp air around him and relishing in the tender touches of the cool breeze tickling his face, as what was about to become his new home rose up, coming to life before him, was nothing like visiting it in Tom's memories. It was so much more vivid, so much more enthralling than he had expected. A deep ache was stirring in his chest, and Harry had to wonder if it was possible to miss a place you've never been to before.

"It's so beautiful…" he breathed as the castle came into full view, and he was finally able to see the details of the many towers and turrets ornamenting the stone structure.

Granger nodded rapidly and forcefully. "I can't believe it's real, it's so amazing!"

Harry turned to her with an amused smile. "Of course it's real. Amazing things can be real too, you know."

She scowled at him. "I didn't mean it like that," she said, her cheeks a bit red, "It was an expression, is all."

"Heads down!" came the giant's friendly but loud voice as the boats near the front of the company reached the cliff upon which the castle stood; the group of children immediately ducked their heads as the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that veiled a wide opening in the cliff side. They drifted through a shadowy tunnel, then, until the boats stopped at a subterranean harbour of sorts, where they clambered out of the boats and onto a shore of little pebbles.

"Oi! I go' a toad here! Anyone missing a toad?" called the giant, holding up a rather fat toad for all to see.

Upon seeing the toad, Longbottom bounded up to the giant, crying out blissfully, "Trevor!" and hugging the toad tightly, thanking the giant profusely, causing the large man to scratch the back of his head bashfully.

"Everyone here?" the giant's booming voice once again found them as he raised one of his magnificently enormous fists , and rapped thrice on the castle door.

The eleven-year-olds jumped as the door was flung open, a tall, spindly witch appearing, wearing a pointed hat over her dark hair, peppered with grey, and a matching green robe. Harry was very impressed that she managed not to look silly in her pointed hat.

She looked over the children appraisingly, a stern expression tempered only by the slightest maternal softness on her face.

"Here's all the firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the giant said. Ah, so this was who wrote the letters. No wonder they were so polite and precise sounding - the woman clearly wouldn't tolerate anything less.

....

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