Four Yellow Flowers, Two Blue, & a Red One

Hermione Granger was an early riser. She can respect other early risers for the dedication and willpower it takes to roll out of bed at six in the morning. She's a light sleeper too, waking up at the smallest noise

Hazel Stickney was on another level entirely.

At three in the morning, after only a couple of hours asleep, Hermione was woken by the sound of the shower turning on in the room next door. The girl groaned, trying to bury herself back into the comfy bed and sleep again, but then the singing came.

"take me home, country road, to the place I beloooooong!"

Hermione reluctantly pulled herself from the bed, wrapping into a blanket burrito, and trudging to the door. She exited at the same time as Justin stumbled from his room, wrapped in a thick robe.

"Is she insane?" Hermione whispered, causing her new friend to laugh.

"Can you go in there?" Justin nodded. "If she's... uhh..."

"Naked?" Hermione offered, and the embarrassed boy nodded. "I'll go quietly yell at her." A grateful look crossed the boy's face, and he returned to his room. 

Hermione went into Hazel's room, which was a similar lavender-themed room to her own. The bathroom door was ajar, and Hazel's singing rung out. "Hazel?" Hermione called.

"Hey Herman. Come on in, there's a bathroom curtain," Hazel told her. 

Hermione entered and immediately looked away, slapping her hand to her eyes. "No there's not!!" she exclaimed. "Hazel!"

"Your bathroom is the same as mine, you shouldn't have believed me!" Hazel shouted over the sound of running water.

"Haze, why are you having a shower at three o'clock? People are sleeping!" Hermione sighed.

"You guys don't get up at three in the morning? I thought you were morning people?" 

Hermione could almost hear the frown in the other girl's voice and sighed deeply. "Yes Hazel, we are morning people. But three o'clock is not morning! Six or seven is the morning!" she shouted, giving up her care about the others in the house.

The sound of falling water turned off. "Well, I couldn't sleep. I have a big ass bed in a big ass room, and I usually share my room with Isla and Jane," Hazel sighed, then paused. "Unless..."

Hermione knew exactly what she was asking. "No. I don't share rooms, I am not about to crawl into your bed and rock you to sleep like a child," she folded her arms, her eyes still squeezed tightly shut.

"Don't be ridiculous. You can just lie there until I fall asleep. Either that or I keep the house awake," Hazel said

Hermione groaned. "Fiiiiine. I'm going to have to learn to share a room anyway. You better not snore!" She turned back around and blinked to get rid of the flashes from the bright lights on her irises, before walking over to the bed and crawling in.

A minute later, the light turned off and Hazel collapsed agressively into the bed. "I feel sorry for whoever your roommates are," Hermione huffed before turning over and drifting back off to sleep

When Hermione woke up at five in the morning, she had a moustache. 

Unsurprisingly, Hazel woke up before her, and the three minutes had been enough to draw a hippie goatee on the sleeping girl's face with Sharpie. Hermione spent twenty minutes in the shower scrubbing it off.

When Hermione emerged, Hazel insisted on styling her outfit, spending the next hour holding up items to her body and debating whether or not it would work. 

Finally, she decided on some red tee-shirt with a yellow smiley face and a pair of dark grey jean shorts. Hermione decided not to argue with the girl, but refused when Hazel offered makeup.

"I am not going to this place looking like a ghoul. Not happening. No way," Hermione folded her arms.

Hazel pouted, but placed the box of make-up supplies on the desk. "Okay. But at least let me help you will that situation," she gestured to her untameable curls.

Hermione looked at the other girl, who had curly hair just like Hermione's wrung into a sleek ponytail. "That I will accept."

Hazel spent the next ten minutes braiding Hermione's hair into a long plait that reached down to her chest. "Perfecto," she glanced at the time, which read 6:20am. "Now it's time to introduce you to something called a television."

The two girls spent the next few hours parked in front of the TV, binge-watching random shows. One of Hazel's favourite was something called Full House, a show Hermione had never heard of.

Dean was the next up, joining them at quarter to eight before falling asleep on the couch. Hermione had to smack her hand away to stop Hazel from drawing another moustache.

"You are no fun," the Irish girl huffed, going back to the television.

Astrid came down half an hour later, Roland plopping next to them at half-past eight. Eventually, Justin and Manaia came down, the latter looking as if she'd been dragged through a bush backwards.

"You are all insane," the girl yawned. "How long have you been up?"

"Since five," Hermione said.

"Eight," Dean blinked.

"Eight-thirty," Roland and Astrid said.

"And have any of you eaten?" Justin asked as Dean's stomach rumbled.

"We didn't know if they-"

"So no," Justin sighed. "They started making waffles fifteen minutes ago, so it's probably ready."

"Cool," Hazel stood up, still wrapped in a blanket burrito that she had made after Dean came down, and began to bunny hop over to the kitchen.

"Don't break anything!" Astrid called as Hazel fell over.

"Get out of the blanket you idiot," Manaia laugh-yawned, kicking her body lightly.

Breakfast was just as amazing as dinner, and after they finished, the group went upstairs to finish packing and getting ready. By ten o'clock, they were all piling into two cars Justin's family owned, the boys in the first car, and the girls in the second.

The station was a lot more packed than when they had last been there. Manaia, Hazel, and Dean were having the time of their lives running across the platform with three carts that had all of the trunks on them.

"Don't break my things," Hermione threatened as Hazel spun round a corner and charged towards the brick wall leading towards platform nine and three-quarters, vanishing inside. Dean and Manaia followed suit, and the rest of the muggleborns hurried as to not lose them.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

Hazel, Manaia, and Dean were standing by one of the carriages, trying to lug one of the trunks up the stairs. A burly older boy was helping them carry it in. By the time Roland, Justin, Astrid, and Hermione got over there, two of the trunks were inside already, and the boy was explaining some sort of sport to the other three as they lifted the next one.

" - and the Beaters try and knock people off their brooms by hitting these balls called Bludgers at them and -"

"Are you explaining quidditch to them?" Hermione asked as they approached, and the boy turned to look at her, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"You look familiar," he mumbled.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Hermione lifted the other end of the trunk and helped place it in the compartment.

"These are the other muggle-borns - Astrid, Roland, Hermione, and Justin. This is Oliver Wood. He's the Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor," Dean introduced as he and the other two girls pushed the next trunk in.

"Really?" Astrid's eyes widened. "Who is the other captain?"

Oliver frowned. "Other Captain?"

"You know? Captain of the other Gryffindor team?" Astrid tried.

"There is only one Gryffindor team," Oliver sounded confused.

"Wait, so this sport has seven people, and you only have four teams? So out of a school of hundreds of students, only twenty-eight people can play a sport? That's stupid!" Manaia threw her hands in the air, dropping the trunk on Roland's foot.

"Uhh," Oliver looked a bit awkward now. "I mean, there are some non-competitive teams-"

"But they can't even play! My primary school had seven rugby teams for eighty kids," Manaia folded her arms. "That is stupid. The first thing I'm doing is making a petition for more teams."

"You do that," a girl with curly blonde hair laughed as she draped an arm across Oliver's shoulder. She'd came out of one of the compartments wearing her robes already, a blue-and-bronze Prefect pin underneath an emblem. The emblem had a blue background with a silver raven and a banner underneath that read Ravenclaw.

"Penelope, meet the new firsties," Oliver introduced.

"Muggleborns, I'm guessing," Penelope said. 

"And so it begins," Hermione raised her eyebrows, climbing down the stairs to grab the next trunk. "The muggle-born discrimination. We've barely even been here a minute."

Penelope laughed, reaching for the other side of Hazel's trunk. "Hey, I'm a muggle-born too. It's not discriminatory if you're in the group too," she said.

"How many more trunks are down there?" Oliver called down to Astrid and Justin.

"Just one," Astrid pushed it up the steps and the older boy pulled it the rest of the way in.

"Anything else we can help you with?" Penelope asked, clapping her hands. "I just have to find Sam - the other Ravenclaw Prefect. He's completely hopeless without me."

"All boys are," Hazel patted her on the shoulder. "And nah, we're all good."

"Actually," Hermione turned to them. "What in your opinion is the best Hogwarts House?"

Penelope drummed her fingers on the doorframe. "The good thing about Ravenclaw is there is always someone who shares an interest, and people you can go to if you get stuck with something. It is very competitive though," she mused.

"Bye Penny," Oliver turned back to us. "Gryffindor is very loyal, stubborn, and very co-"

"They are the self-sacrificing idiots in movies who have stupid rivalries with everyone," a voice corrected, and they turned to see a girl in a dark blue shirt and black skirt walking over. She had a high ponytail of bright blonde hair and sharp brown eyes.

"Here is our wild Slytherin, Addie Murton," Penelope introduced. "Adds, have you seen Salmon?"

"Yeah, he's busy playing lip-lockers with Rosalyn Ewhurst, he'll be occupied for the next twenty minutes," Addie told the prefect. "These the firsties? Hey, I'm Adelaide Murton, Slytherin Prefect and one of Slytherin's Quidditch Chasers."

"Snape actually made you a prefect?" Oliver raised an eyebrow. Hermione recoiled. What was that supposed to mean? How responsible are the people they're leaving partly in charge of the students?

"Yes, he did. Don't ask me why, I've got enough to deal with as it is - O.W.L.s, Quidditch, along with taking my GCEs. Anyway," Adelaide turned to the first years. "We have to go, we'll see you around. Have a nice train ride - oh, and if a red-haired boy comes up to you and offers something, don't take it. Identical prankster twins."

"Bye," Manaia waved cheerfully. 

"Well that was interesting," Justin mused as they all took a seat in the compartment. Hazel and Manaia immediately claimed the seats closest to the window, with Astrid, Roland, and Justin on the left next to Hazel, and Hermione and Dean next to Manaia

"I don't think we're supposed to question it," Astrid shrugged.

They spent the next half hour chatting about the school and what they were each most looking forward to. The train glided away from the station at exactly eleven o'clock, and they all stopped to watch out the window as they made their way into the countryside. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

"Now what?" Hazel asked. She'd moved to the floor and was currently getting her hair braided by Manaia. They had all changed into their uniforms so they didn't have to do it later

"I'm going for a walk, who wants to come make the rounds with me?" Astrid asked.

"I'll come," Hermione scrambled to her feet.

The two trailed down the train, glancing at the different compartments. They were filled with most of the older years. Hermione questioned a lot of them about the best houses, and it confirmed what she'd already heard - Gryffindor is overhyped, Slytherin is hated, Hufflepuff is underestimated, and Ravenclaw is forgotten.

"Susan!" Astrid exclaimed, opening a compartment door, and Susan looked up, grinning.

"Hey, it's the tour girls!" Susan shuffled so that there was more room on the seat. Hermione sat down and looked around.

There were three others in the compartment: two boys and a girl. The first boy had light brown hair and green eyes, while the pale boy next to him had a mop of black hair and blue eyes. The girl had curly light blonde hair tied in two plaits with a purple headband tucking it back. She had light blue eyes.

But what drew Hermione the most was the signet rings that all four were wearing. The girl had the House of Brown's coat of arms, the black-haired boy had the House of Corner's and the brown-haired boy had the House of Boot's. 

The House of Boot's coat of arms had a knight's helmet crest with a blue-and-yellow mantle. The escutcheon had a split yellow-and-white background with a blue sash adorned with pale flowers across the center. 

The House of Brown's coat of arms had a knight's helmet crest with a dark green-and-white mantle. The escutcheon had a light grey background with a dark green tree in the center.

The House of Corner's had a knight's helmet crest with a green-and-light-grey mantle. The coat of arms was light grey while the escutcheon was green.

"Hello, I'm Astrid Maybank, this is Hermione Granger. M, try not to vomit words yet," Astrid teased, and Hermione went red as Susan laughed.

"Well excuse me for asking hundreds of questions about this new world I just discovered," Hermione scoffed, feigning offense.

"Your aunt is from the closest thing this world has to the royal family, it's not as if you weren't aware," Astrid raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" Michael Corner hadn't been paying attention, but he snapped back at Astrid's words, glancing at Hermione and narrowing his eyes. "Who?"

"Andromeda Black, she married my mum's brother," Hermione said quickly, hoping to banish any thoughts of genetic relation from the boy's mind. However, the Blacks did have a history of marrying cousins.

Luckily, the statement seemed to work as Michael visibly lost interest, turning back to his book. 

Lavender, however, seemed to grow more excited. "Your aunt is Andromeda? She's a legend!" she gushed.

"She is?" Hermione frowned. She hadn't heard anything about that and assumed all of the purebloods disliked her aunt because of her marriage.

"Absolutely. She's got guts. Andromeda is my idol. Did you hear what the Black sisters did to Matilda Ross? Ruined," Lavender leaned back, a wistful look on her face. "Absolutely ruined. Ruined her entire life and reputation without even cracking a single expression. Completely deadpan the entire time. And then she turned the whole wizarding world on its head by marrying a muggle-born and leaving the pureblood society. That woman is a revolutionary."

Hermione grinned. She'd barely heard anything about what her mother and aunt had gotten up to over their younger years but didn't doubt that Bellatrix Black was a force to be reckoned with, even as a teenager. 

"You should see her when she's telling Dora off. Menace to society - both of them," Hermione laughed.

Lavender's eyes lit up, and she insisted on hearing all about her idol. Hermione told tales of the Tonks family, and in return, the purebloods told them about the school and some of the teachers, reiterating and elaborating on what Susan had said weeks ago.

At around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door. "Anything off the trolly, dears?" she asked in a sweet voice.

Hermione got up to take a look at the selection. Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, pretty much every kind of major pureblooded candy.

Astrid was frozen, frowning at all of the food. "What is this?" she murmured.

"I've got you," Hermione laughed, handing over eleven Sickles and seven Knuts for some of everything. 

"I can pay-"

"Don't," Hermione shook her head. "I've got it. Don't worry about it." She carried the armfuls of food back into the compartment and placed it on a seat. Susan, Lavender, Terry, and Michael entered with their own piles. 

For the next half hour, the six ate their lunch quietly. A few other kids came in from time to time - the Patil twins, Hannah Abbott, and some red-haired twins who offered sweets that Hermione quickly denied, remembering the warning from Adelaide.

They didn't get anymore visitors until after they'd finished eating. A blonde round-faced crying boy came in asking if anyone had seen his toad.

"Oh Neville, it's okay," Lavender reassured him, giving him a hug.

"It's not okay? These girls came in, and they left and I went to find Trevor and he was gone!" Neville exclaimed.

"Did you try and find these girls?" Astrid asked. "What did they look like?"

"Well, they had coloured hair-"

"Oh my god," Astrid and Hermione groaned immediately, and the purebloods turned to frown at them. "We'll go deal with those two menaces. Why don't you take Neville around to ask if anyone's seen his toad while I try and find the two?" Astrid turned to Hermione, who nodded, guiding the blonde boy out of his seat.

Hermione led Neville to the next compartment over. Inside sat two boys around her age. The first boy had was the one from Gringotts that her mother had told her about, but Hermione hadn't been able to get a good look at him before. He had untidy jet black hair and almond-shaped green eyes covered by round-rimmed glasses. He was an uncommonly small and skinny boy with a thin face. He seemed to be malnourished, and the clothes he was wearing were way oversized and almost swallowed him whole. His scar was hidden under the mess of his hair - not that Hermione could talk given her own hair.

Harry Potter looked exactly how Hermione expected up close. Luckily for the boy, she could get away with not gushing immediately by playing the muggleborn card.

The second boy had ginger hair similar to the twins she'd met. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose. He was holding a wand that looked very battered and worn, and a pathetic looking rat squeaked in his lap.

Neville gave a small whimper beside her, and Hermione lathered on her bossiest voice. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she asked. 

The red-haired boy scowled slighly, and Hermione's eyes went back to his battered wand. "We've already told him we haven't seen it," the boy stated.

How could his parents possibly let him go to school with that? It would only limit him, and even if his parents are poor, if Hogwarts can afford to spend heaps on muggle-born students' things, they can afford to buy a wand to further a boy's education. 

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Hermione sat down opposite the boy. It's best to see how this boy's wand works now, and bring up the issue with the staff if it's useless enough.

The boy looked taken aback. "Er -- all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. The rat stayed gray and fast asleep.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. How thick is this boy? Did his family really teach him nothing? Although due to the resemblance and recessive nature of red hair, Hermione guessed he was related to the twins, who likely gave him the spell in the first place.

Now it was time for Hermione's least favorite part - making everyone automatically hate her.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" She asked. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard --I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" 

Hermione had said all of that very fast, and both boys looked taken aback. Harry turned to look at the red-head, and visible relief flooded his body when he saw the expression on the other boy's face.

"I'm Ron Weasley," the red-haired boy muttered.

"Harry Potter," Harry said.

Here we go. There was no avoiding it - not with the reputation Hermione planned for herself.

"Are you really?" Hermione gushed. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" Harry looked dazed.

He didn't know about him being in a book? How secluded was this boy that he doesn't even know about the fame? If he doesn't know about this, does this mean that he hasn't been getting paid any royalties off his name and likeness being used?

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," Hermione said pompously. 

Oh goodness, this boy probably doesn't even know about the houses! The ginger was clearly a Weasley, if she promoted any house other than Gryffindor, it would cause an argument.

"Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad.... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." 

Hermione left, taking Neville with her. "I'm sorry, this is such an inconvienience," Neville mumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione reassured him. "It's your pet, of course I am going to help you look. Besides, there's a ninety-eight percent chance Manaia Gate and Hazel Stickney stole your toad. You look that way, I'll look in here," she smiled at him before looking into a compartment.

None of the compartments down her end had seen the toad, and there was no sign of the likely thieves. With a sigh, Hermione moved to the next compartment.

Inside were three girls and four boys. The first girl had fair skin, blue eyes, and long dark hair, while the girl next to her had a pointed face, round green eyes, and dark hair held in a bun on her head. 

On their other side sat two very broad-shouldered boys. The one against the window had small dull eyes, and short, bristly hair low on his forehead, while the boy next to him had a thick neck, flat nose, and wore a pudding bowl-style haircut. He was the largest boy Hermione had ever seen.

On the other side sat a bored looking boy with light brown hair that reached his shoulders, and blue eyes. He had a similar face structure to the blue-eyed girl, who Hermione assumed to be his sister.

The last girl had tumbling strawberry-blonde hair and grey eyes. She was popping a packet of gum while the last boy scowled at her. He was pale and slender, with sleek white-blonde hair and cold grey eyes.

Hermione recognised the two immediately. The boy may have the hair and smug attitude of his father, but he was Narcissa all over. The girl was no doubt Narcissa's daughter - she was the spitting image of her. 

Please work, Hermione prayed as she knocked before opening the door and sticking her head in. Don't recognise me, please.

All eyes turned to her, and widening slightly in shock, apart from the two broad boys. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," Hermione asked.

"Yay, something to do!" the Malfoy daughter scrambled to her feet. "No toad in here. See ya losers, I'm gonna go cure my boredom!"

Hermione blinked a bit, stunned at the reaction. She'd expected the girl to be more like Narcissa and her eldest daughter, Leta, hiding and waiting to escape, yet she had more of Sirius Black in her than Narcissa.

The girl left the compartment, and Hermione followed silently, shutting the door behind her. "I'm Maliana Malfoy, but you can call me Lia," the other girl introduced.

Hermione opened her name to introduce herself, but then the compartment door opened again, and the dark-haired girl with blue eyes slipped out. "I'm joining you lot," she said, turning to Hermione. "Halley Nott. Hey, that rhymes!" Halley laughed.

Halley Nott, Hermione remembered her name. She was the twin sister of Theodore Nott, the Heir to the House of Nott. He must be the other boy from the compartment.

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione introduced, and the other two's shoulders sagged. Were they expecting her last name to be Black? In this society?

"Nice to meet you. What are we looking for again?" Maliana asked Hermione.

"Neville's toad," Hermione reiterated.

"Fun. Let's go!" Halley walked off down the train the way Hermione had just come from.

"Halley, I've already asked down there," Hermione called after her, and the girl spun around dramatically, leading them down towards the front instead

The toad wasn't down their end, but Halley and Maliana seemed to be having fun. Maliana started complaining about her horrible brother, and the group launched into a World's Worst Brother competition. Halley lost by a long shot, having a decent brother, but Hermione and Maliana were neck-and-neck. 

Draco Malfoy, it seemed, was exactly how Eudoria had expected him to be - whiny, insensitive, elitist, bratty, narcissistic - a Mini Lucius. Maliana had been raised by Narcissa instead, so she had morals. Hermione's mother had made the right decision in not passing the Heirships to him.

The others in the compartment were also Slytherin Legacies. The other girl was Pansy Parkinson, the two broad boys were Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, and the final boy was - as Hermione predicted - Halley's brother Theodore.

When they finally reached the front, there was still no sign of the toad. The conductor warned the other two girls they would be arriving soon, and it were best to change into their robes quickly.

A few of the compartments still weren't changed, so Hermione warned a few of them about the robes. They'd just reached Halley and Maliana's compartment to drop them out, when there was a howl from further down the train. Halley squeaked with joy and hurried them down to Harry and Ron's compartment. Heads were poking out of compartments all the way down.

Draco and Crabbe were watching as Goyle was swinging round the compartment with the rat's teeth dug deep into his knuckle. Ron and Harry were watching with shock on their faces. The rat finally flew off and hit the window, and the three boys ran out. Hermione glanced back at the other two girls, both of whom were holding back laughter, before looking round the compartment.

Sweets were scattered all over the floor. "What has been going on?" Hermione gasped as Ron picked the rat up by his tail. She left them for ten minutes and they'd started a fight. That was a clear idea of just how exhausting the next seven years would be. Both of those boys would be Gryffindor judging by their eagerness to fight.

Ron ignored her. "I think he's been knocked out," he said to Harry, and Halley snorted, smothering her laughter again. Ron squinted at his rat before sighing. "No, I don't believe it, he's gone back to sleep. You've met Malfoy before?"

"I'm guessing he found out you aren't Daniel," Maliana giggled, and Hermione narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Who are you? And who's Daniel?" Ron frowned.

"I'm Maliana, call me Lia, and this is Halley Nott and Hermione Granger. I helped Harry escape from my foul git of a brother, and pretended like Harry's name was Daniel Radcliffe so my brother didn't go all fanboy," Maliana smiled.

Hermione almost choked with laughter at her explanation. Harry explained it a lot more thoroughly - he'd met Draco at Madam Malkin's, and the boy had predictably shoved a lot of his pureblooded mindset on Harry. Maliana went with Harry and Hagrid around to the rest of their stores for shopping, before calling him Daniel in front of her family to throw Draco off - her parents wouldn't fall for that, they would've recognised him immediately.

Once Harry was finished explaining, Ron turned to the girls. "I'm Ron. Can we help you with something?"

Hermione remembered what they had been coming to say, and quickly reminded them, amping up the Hermione Granger personality to stuck-up annoyance. "You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, we've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!" Hermione warned them. Harry smiled for some reason, coughing to hide laughter at something.

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," Ron scowled, and Hermione sighed at the excuse. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

Did he really expect her to stay? "All right -- "

"You've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" Ron glared at Halley, who flashed a grin as they left.

"Well that was entertaining," Maliana shook her head. "We have to go change, see you on the boats, Mi." Maliana and Halley left towards the front to go to their compartment, and Hermione travelled back to her original compartment.

Astrid was in the middle of scolding Manaia and Hazel while the others laughed in the background. A few of the compartments nearby were laughing as they listened in.

"- you made the boy cry for gods sake, what is this going to do for the reputation of muggleborns? They already hate us, you are making it worse!" Astrid was shouting.

"How long has this been going on?" Hermione whispered as she sat next to Dean, who was munching on rainbow popcorn.

"At least ten minutes," Roland told her, holding up a timer on his watch.

"Yikes," Hermione drummed her fingers on her knee, stealing a piece of popcorn and watching.

Astrid went on for another few minutes before turning to glare at the boys and Hermione. "Anything you would like to add?" she asked.

"I think you covered most of it," Dean sent a thumbs up.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The group got up and gathered everything they needed on their person before joining the crowd thronging the corridor. The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform.

Most of the kids were shivering as they exited into the cold night air, but Manaia, who had recovered from her scolding, just scoffed "weaklings" and marched forward.

A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students.  "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" a big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads, and jaws dropped at the sight of the man.

"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, the first years followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark on either side of them. and nobody spoke much.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called overhis shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." 

There was a loud "Oooooh!" 

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take.Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling inthe starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. 

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. 

Astrid dragged Hazel and Manaia with her and Dean followed with a wink. Justin and Roland were seated with Halley and Maliana, while Hermione found herself with Harry, Ron, and Neville.

"Everyone in?" the man shouted, who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. It was a beautiful piece of architecture that wasn't done justice by pictures.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. 

Hermione laughed to herself as she saw Astrid forcibly holding Manaia and Hazel's heads down, whispering something to them.

They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" the man called. He'd been checking the boats as people climbed out of them. Hermione glanced at Hazel and Manaia, who were both snickering.

"Trevor!" Neville cried blissfully, holding out his hands.

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" the man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.