of Thestrals and dark forests
A nudge on the shoulder was what woke him of his slumber several hours later. Outside the sun was already setting and filled their compartment in a warm light.
Slowly a conversation of Ron and Harry seeped into his sleepy brain. They stood in the space between the seating benches, putting on their school ropes, all while gushing on about the Quidditch skills of Victor Krum. 'The Wronski Feint he pulled at the game was the craziest one I have ever seen! I mean no offense Harry, you have skills. But seeing Krum flying makes me think, that you still have a loong way to go.'
So they were still, or again, talking about the Worldchampionship, but Hermione seemed to have left. As he asked about her, Harry explained that she left to change in private. Her cat was curled up on unoccupied seat in her stead.
He sat up straighter, stretching his stiff neck a little bit and gazed to the window.
The nature outside still flew past them in the same constant speed. And it was breathtaking. It was filled with rich green hills, only interrupted by occasional rivers, lakes and dense forests. The light made everything look like a painting. He had come around the world quite a lot in his young age, but this scenery made him feel warm inside, almost like it welcomed him home.
And as he sat there, next to his brother, looking into the warm light of the sun, he felt more optimistic and excited about what was to come then ever before.He was here and Dean was here. It would all be fine.
He wouldn't have to desperately hope for replies of his letters, stuck with his Dad, while Dean had a great time at school without him. It was always hard to communicate through an owl. He sometimes wished that this stupid school would allow phones already, the wizards could not deny what an outdated and unconvient form of communication it was to use owls.
And it was even harder in his situation, since he would be on the road with his father, hunting. Meaning either somewhere in England with their car or even abroad via floo network or side by side apparation. Not even the best owl would be able to keep up with their constant travelling and so he exchanged way less letters with his brothers as he would have wished.
Them now going to Hogwarts together meant that he could talk to his brother whenever he wanted and the relief of that almost made him tear up the first time he held his acceptance letter in his hands.
Dean, still sitting next to him, nudged his shoulder once again, 'you should change into your Uniform as well. We're almost there, sleeping beauty', he adviced while putting on his last piece of outer rope. Sam just nodded, stretched some more and started to wrench his uniform out of his suitcase.
The other three were finished with changing by now and resumed their conversation. 'It's really a pity that you two couldn't be there for the Championship. You missed out a lot Dean, you could've joined us, maybe even Sam if he liked. Have you ever slept in a magical tent? We borrowed ours from a colleague of dad, it was huge!' Harry nodded affirmatively.
Deans face darkenend a bit and Sams optimism damped slightly. This was a sensitive topic for his brother, it caused him and their father to have their first proper falling out since years at the start of their summer.
Ron had already invited Dean shortly after the summer holidays had started to join him and his Family to the tournament, but the little hope Dean had to be allowed to go was instantly crushed by their dad as be brought that topic up one evening. Their summer plans were set and they consisted of hunting. Their father always seemed extra determined to make the best out of his time with both his sons by his side, during the long school break in summer. Which meant a lot of work.
And so they had neither the time, nor the permission to go. No way around it, not with their dad.
'I told you, we visited family, over in America. No time for us, right Sammy?' Huh, Sam had wondered how he got his friends to stop trying to convince him to come. 'Right.' He agreed dryly.
'Your family couln't possibly have been more exciting than the event of the year though?' Oh it definitly was. Considering that they spend their time hunting monsters instead of sitting on some Aunts couch. But as it was, they just pretended to agree.
Just as Sam finished changing, the door was energetically ripped open and Hermione stepped back in. Her long ropes fluttered as she turned to slam the door back shut again. 'Malfoy is infuriating!'
Sam, who had flinched from the sudden intrusion, tried to not let it show on his face.
He had heard of Malfoy, of course he had. Apparently the biggest git in Hogwarts and the self proclaimed 'prince of slytherin'. And all of Deans Gryffindor-Friends hated him, a feeling mutually shared.
But this time nothing particularly horrid had happend apparently, just Malfoy prancing around like his usual self was enough to get Hermione fed up. Dean started telling him, with the biggest grin, that Hermione had actually punched him right in the face last year. 'My biggest regret is that I was not there with you while it happened, I could only listen to the great stories.' He looked positively crushed at that. 'I would still pay a lot of money to turn back time to that exact moment.' At Deans last comment, the three others laughed a bit too hard if you asked Sam. His brother is not that funny.
After her rant about Malfoy finished, Hermione started to stuff her cat into his admittedly too tiny box. Sam was a bit worried that she let out her remaining anger on that poor thing. He was a big animal lover, other than his dad and Dean. Whose main reason for the dislike of anything with fur was exactly that, the fur. 'It gets everywhere!' Dean always complained after they spend some time with Bobbys Rottweiler Rumsfeld.
But this cat...he couln't really place how he felt about it yet. It was huge and grumpy and looked oddly wrong assembled. Still he was curious, so he asked: 'What's his name by the way?' He gestured towards the orange fur that was now sticking out of every possible corner of the catbox, being the only remaining visible parts of the beast. 'Crookshanks', was the reply and it was the most fitting name he had ever heard for a pet.
As he voiced his opinion Harry snorted and gestured to Ron: 'Show him!' Upon that Ron pulled a small cage out of a corner. Similar to his owl cage, there was a small blanked draped across. 'I'm warning you, the only reason he was so silent this whole time was this blanket stopping him.' As he pulled it off, loud high pitched chirping filled the compartment immediately. 'This is Pig.' Well, that was the most unfitting name he had ever heard for a pet. 'Pig?' 'It's actually Pigwidgeon', Harry added amused. As if that would make it any less weird.
Dean had apparently not met this creature before as well, 'this is the tiniest owl I've ever seen. Can it even carry a letter?'
As Ron defended his miniscule owl (which seemed content to just keep on chirping till it would faint), the world outside got darker and trees started to surround them. And Sam realized something else; they were slowing down which could only mean one thing- they arrived.
Right away his heart started to flutter again. He took off Deans jacket of Bones cage, so she would wake up and be able to observe what was happening around her, just the way she liked it the most while being carried in her cage.
They rolled into a dimly lit, Hogsmeade station. A view stone buildings bordered on the platform, giving of warm lights through the windows. But no person was to be seen, except for one big shadow looming further down the station.
As the train stopped, they started to gather their things.'I'm gonna take Bones okay? So you don't have to bother with her cage for now. And tomorrow or so I will show you the Owlery, so you finally know where she lives most of the time.' As Dean took the cage, he let her nibble at his finger one more time, promising her silently to visit her the following day. Dean was right, he did treat her like a puppy. But this would probably be as close to owning a dog than he will ever be, so he took what he could.
Upon stepping into the hallway he was promptly reminded, that they were not the only ones on the ride. There were fellow students all around him once again, as they all pushed towards the exit to finally bring their journey to an end.
Sam himself had to admit, that the ride took longer than he had expected and he was just as eager as everyone else, to finally leave the train.
On the platform everyone seemed to know exactly where to go, except for a view lost looking children standing here and there. Obviously first years like him. 'Sammy!' his brothers shouted from behind, making him turn towards him. 'I'll leave you now. You just have to join Hagrid over there, he'll gather all the first years and show you where to go and everything', as he said that hes gestured over to the huge figure standing further back. Sam nodded, you couldn't possibly oversee Hagrid. 'Okay then, we will probably see each other again in the great hall. But don't be so nervous about the whole sorting business and honestly about everything else, it'll be fine you will see.' Sam nodded again, just being reminded about that 'whole sorting business' made him nervous again. Dean ruffled his hair for good measure and turn around to follow the stream of students that had already swallowed the golden trio. 'And Sam', he turned around once more, 'talk to people!' With that he left.
Sam rolled his eyes, he could very well talk to people if wanted to, thank you very much. Just, most of the time, he didn't want to.
And so he strengthened his grip on his suitcase and started making his way towards Hagrid. He floor was uneven and soon he was dragging his luggage with two hands and was suddenly really greatful for not having to carry an extra owl cage.
Hagrid was tall. Very tall and with all his hair in the way, you could barely see the smile that stretched over his face. But you could see it in his eyes, which looked down on them filled with warmth. 'Welcome! Welcome!' He waved the huge lamp he was holding around a view times, to indicate some students who stood further away, to come closer. 'First years over here!'
The platform slowly emptied as all the other students went ahead first, knowing the way by themselves.
'I'm Rubeus Hagrid, just Hagrid for you, and I'm the gamekeeper and professor for 'Care of magical creatures'. Tonight I will show you the way over to the castle, so follow along!' He spoke loud enough for everyone to understand him even with his rough way of speech.
They followed him obediently towards the dark trees, which surrounded the station. Everyone around him was nervously and excitedly whispering around and Sam couldn't help but wonder if they rather looked like a flock of little ducklings following their oversized mother duck.
At the exit of the station Hagrid told them to put their luggage to the side and explained that the house elves would transport it to the school for them. To Sams immense relief, because he certainly couldn't picture himself dragging his suitcase through all of Hogwarts.
Sam was glad, that he had talked about everything and everyone at Hogwarts with Dean countless times, because now he was a little bit less surprised by the creatures appearing in front of them.
Thestrals. He knew what they were and he knew that he would be able to see them, but he was still not entirely prepared for the morbid image they gave. In front of them, amidst a broad road surrounded by the dark forest, stood several empty carriage with bony, winged horse-like creatures in front of them. They huffed or scraped their hooves every now and then and as Sam stepped around one of the carriages to get a better view at them, he stared right into empty eye sockets. Or they stared at him? He would question more on how they can even go around without eyes, if they weren't magical creatures, but they were and that was enough of an explanation for now. He'll probably do more research on them at some point though. They're very intriguing, maybe because most of the time when he encounters such scary looking beings, they usually tend to try to kill him.
But the Thestrals stood still and seemed to wait paitently.
Hagrid explained what they were seeing. Or better weren't seeing, because really not that many eleven year olds had witnessed death before. Sam had. More times than he likes to count.
The general excitement from before had mostly vanished, the ones who could see the Thestrals were unnerved by their appearance and those who couldn't see them were unnerved by the reaction of those who could. Sam couldn't blame them really.
But after some time they had all entered the carriages in groups of six and they started moving along the road.
That's how Sam found himself surrounded by other first years, whose nervous eyes scattered all around, trying to take in the dark forest around them.
Sam was fascinated by the moving Thestrals and couldn't help but stare. 'You can see them right?' The boy sitting right next to him asked, following Sams gaze to the front. But by the way his eyes didn't fixate on anything it was clear, he couldn't see them. 'My mother told me about them. She could always see them, but even if they scared her at first, she rather liked them at the end, she always says. So I figured we don't need to be afraid of them', the boy continued. He had black shaggy hair, hanging almost over his eyes and a friendly smile spread out over his face. 'My brother said something similar. Hi, I'm Sam by the way', he extended his hand and the boy took it without hesitation. He was quite a bit taller than Sam, 'I'm Yunho. Nice to meet you.' And his smile widened even further. Sam decided right there and then that he liked him, he seemed genuine and approachable.
'My brother Dean is in his fourth year now. He told me all about the school. And your mother went here?' See Dean, he could make conversation perfectly fine. 'Yes, her parents are korean but they moved here when she was around seven. But your brother...', he hesitated for a second. 'When he's in fourth year that means he is the same grade as Harry Potter right?' Sam was not surprised, every child with wizarding parents knew about the legendary Harry Potter, so he couldn't blame Yunho for his excitement. 'Yeah, they're kind of friends. Not super close but still, they're both in Gryffindor so...' Yunho just exhaled a small 'wow'.
'Then you will probably end up in Gryffindor as well right? Siblings mostly end up in the same house I heard.' Oh how Sam hoped that he would end up in Gryffindor. 'I hope so. But Dean always says I could end up in Ravenclaw as well, because I like studying so much.' Sam doubted, that just his passion for research and studying will make him end up in Ravenclaw though, Hermione was the best example for that. 'My mum was a Slytherin, but believe me I'm really not prejudiced!', he added hastily. Sam sadly couldn't say the same thing for himself. The only Slytherins he heard of were bad. Either 'Malfoy level' bad or 'Lord Voldemort level' bad. So he was clearly prejudiced towards slytherins. 'My dad is a muggle you know? So really not all the Slytherins are proud pure bloods with a bad attitude.' It was clear to which family he was pointing here.
Sam was still a bit disappointed, he wanted to get into Gryffindor and Yunho into Slytherin, meaning if they both got what they wanted, he would see much less of Yunho as he had hoped. Maybe not the first friend he found here then.
Nonetheless they continued to hold an easygoing conversation on the whole way up to the castle grounds. At some point the dense forest opened up and before them layed Hogwarts.
And the feeling of being welcomed home, which he had in the train, came back full force. The castle, warmly light all around, sat high on rocks. Its towers were surrounded by stars and moonlight, while the great lake laid still at its feet.
This was going to be his home for the next seven years. A fixed, unchanging home for the first time since he could remember. No more constant travelling with his dad or being left behind alone for weeks.
This would be his home. His and Deans as well.
They exited the carriage and took their last hurdle on their journey as they started the long path towards the castle, led by Hagrid.
Before Sam could comprehend, that he was now actually here, they stopped in front of the wide opened portal. A woman, with a pointy hat, wearing festive green robes looked down on them over the edge of her glasses. She thanked Hagrid, who walked past her into the castle, disappearing somewhere around a corner, and bid them to follow her up the stairs.
As they reached the top of those, they stopped in front of a solid set of closed doors and she introduced herself as Professor Mcgonagall, the scroll she was holding in her hands contained their names and shortly they would be sorted into their houses. 'I ask you to wait here for a moment, as I announce your arrival to the Headmaster.' And with that she slipped past the huge doors leaving them nervously waiting outside.
Sam exchanged anxious glances with Yunho, their time at Hogwarts was about to start.