Chapter 9 - Candice

Candice read the book until she felt the train come to a stop. In all honesty, it was a good story - despite its... Scenes. She wanted to hand it back, yet the professor mumbled something along the lines of "Keep it. I don't want it". The girl could've laughed out loud, if she hadn't have still been a bit fearful of the Potions Master.

They soon made their way off onto the platform. The student was about to ask Professor Snape on where to go as she lacked the idea, but by the time she turned he was gone. With a sigh, she held her owl cage and moved to retrieve her luggage.

"Ey there! Wha' are yer up te?" a voice interrupted, making her jump out of her skin.

She wished Sirius would have explained more about Hogwarts and its people, as she stared at a massive black bearded man. He was at least double the height of her.

"E-erm..." Candice took a step back, when recognition passed over the giants face.

"Ay! Yer Candice Black righ'? Pleasu' to meet ya!" he stuck a huge hand out, "I'm Rubeus Hagrid! The gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts." he said proudly.

"N-nice to meet y-you too." she replied quietly, her hand getting lost in his.

"Dumbledore informed me of yer arrival." he said after a confused look over the girl's stuttering, "I mean no harm ya know. No need ta look so tense!"

"S-sorry."

Hagrid waved off her apology.

"Yer luggage will be taken te yer room. Don't yer worry 'bout that."

"Oh r-right." she looked around, and all the students who had previously got off the train have seemed to have left.

"Come on Candice. This way" Hagrid said giving her a friendly push, "Yer need to get on a carriage. Sorry te leave yer here, but I need te go with the first years on the boats. Tradition an' all. But come an' visit me sometime!"

With that Hagrid was gone too and the student stood alone. Or she thought until she noticed a black pegasus-like creatures stood a few millimetres from her face. Candice let out a yelp and hurriedly step back, unaware of the harmless creature not even acknowledging her presence.

"Miss Black?"

The voice belonged to no one other than Professor Snape. Of course, he's here. Just my luck, Candice thought. He was sitting on what she noticed to be a carriage tied to the strange animal she feared.

"I suggest you take a seat up here, Miss Black. Or if you wish to walk that's a choice you need to make."

The student looked up at him with pure confusion. Walk? She didn't even know where she was to begin!

"This is the last carriage, Miss Black." Snape spoke again, calm yet mockingly.

"R-right." Candice replied, and rapidly got on the seat across Snape.

She mentally sighed at the fact that this was the second time alone with the professor. Not that she wasn't glad in a way to see him again - she was overjoyed! He was the only one who she really knew here. Except Hagrid. He seemed nice too.

How was she to make friends? She silently shook her head, and decided to not bear another awkward silence, no matter how long the ride was.

"W-what are these c-creatures?" she asked in hope of starting a conversation.

"Thestrals." the Potions Master replied then paused, "You can see them?"

The professor had a hint of shock on his face, but Candice chose to ignore it.

"Y-yeah. Why? C-can't you?"

"I can. Others can't." he again returned to his emotionless self.

The girl was hungry for more answers to her endless questions, however his last answer seemed to be a conversation closer. The thestrals finally started pulling the carriages, and as they went, the trees seemed more and more sparsely populated. Therefore, Candice could now see a large castle with a lake in front of it, where lanterns shone on the boats that paddled along. She could make out a larger figure to be Hagrid, and first years looking scared but excited too.

"Only people, who have witnessed death, and gained an emotional understanding of what death means, can see them." Snape randomly mumbled.

Candice's attention snapped back to the professor, but he was looking down. Maybe she wasn't meant to hear that? She thought.

"H-hm?" she questioned unsure.

"The thestrals."

"Oh."

Her mind then processed the words, sending her off thinking about the professor's past. Obviously, she has been told things by Sirius, but not an awful lot, nor in much detail.

Not long after, the carriage stopped right in front of the castle's large wooden doors that were wide open as everyone piled in.

Snape got off quickly, his black cloak swishing with his movements and disappeared into the crowd. Candice got off remarkably fast too, trying to keep up with the other students (unlike her failed attempt at the station). She blended in with the crowd, but when the crowd got to the double door of the Great Hall - Sirius has mentioned that - people went to their different house tables.

Darn it! She hasn't been sorted yet. Candice tried to move back not knowing where to go; though had no luck as students were pushing in the opposite direction. It took a bit of time and claustrophobic moments to keep herself against a wall until the crowd dispersed. The girl let out a breath she had found to had been holding in, and looked around for something that could help her. Or someone...

Anyone, to come down that empty corridor and help me, Candice thought. Perhaps in hope of telepathically attracting an individual. As if on queue, a man in black rounded the corner. Oh thank the gods! She thought then realised who it was and slightly deflated.

"Miss Black?" Severus Snape queried, "What are you doing out here?"

It could've been worse Candice, she assured herself.

"W-well.. I'm n-not exactly sure where t-to go." she looked at the floortiles sheepishly.

"Ah right. Come with me."