Hogwarts Express Ⅲ

The 1st years creep out of their train compartments into the train corridor anxiously waiting for the train doors to open. The Hogwarts Express rolls to a squeaking stop, before letting out a tired steam-filled sigh. The train doors spring open as the 1st years stumbled out onto a dark train platform. The crowd begins to thin as Rowan and her group made their way out onto the platform. The chilly night breeze flutters across their hair and rustles their robes. Their pointed hats aren't swayed remaining firmly on top of their heads.

Although witches and a wizard's hat are part of the uniform, the older students rarely wore them except upon occasion. It seemed that it was a rite of passage for the 1st years to wear them. For that matter, not all adults wore them either except in certain positions such as in official capacities at the Ministry of Magic (or Wizengamont), (some) Hogwarts Professors, or simply for personal preference really.

The 1st years crowd together with nerves and from the brisk chill. Lily shivers and tugs her cloak up trying to keep warm. She huddles closer to Severus, who doesn't mind Lily's closeness.

A single glowing yellow lamp can be seen bobbing overhead. A loud, male coarse voice calls out, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Towering over the heads of the sea of students is a tall and lofty man, who can be seen smiling from overhead. Rowan's eyes glimmer in recognition at the much younger, Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper and keeper of keys of Hogwarts. His face was smooth lacking wrinkles and lines of worry that had yet to develop having yet actively participated as an active member of the Order of the Phoenix in two Wizarding Wars.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" The first-year students follow Hagrid closely like a brood of ducklings. Hagrid leads them down a steep and narrow pathway slippering and stumbling every so often in the gloom. It was quite dark on both sides of the road as Hagrid calls out over his shoulder, "Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, tis jus' round this bend here."

There are loud, Ooooh's and Ahh's made as the lake leads them to the edge of a giant dark lake. In the nearby distance an enormous, majestic glittering castle can be seen lighting the dark sky with the shady figure of mountains being seen in the background on the other side of the lake. Some of the students eagerly point at the glittering castle while Rowan warily spots the fleet of boats on the lake shores.

Hagrid points to the fleet of boats on the lakeshore. "Alright, no more'n four to a boat!" He ordered in a loud, booming voice. The students instantly surge forward as Rowan clamps firmly onto the shoulders of Lily and Severus pointedly holding them back. In their excitement, James Potter and Sirius Black end up sitting in another boat.

Rowan tugs Lily and Severus after her to a boat with only a single occupant, a pale rather nervous young girl. The girl faintly smiles back and moves over just a tad. They climb into the boat as Lily warmly smiles and sits next to the girl. But before they have a chance to introduce themselves, Hagrid bellows from his own much larger sturdy boat, "Everyone in a boat?"

A chorus of shouts echoes in the night sky in reply, "Yes!"

"Right then…FORWARD!" Hagrid firmly instructed causing the boats to magically glide onto the lake. The first years excitedly let out cries of awe watching the glowing castle grow larger and larger.

Unlike the rest of the first years, Rowan's gaze is not fixated on Hogwarts, but rather on the dark lake waters beside. Severus is the first to notice Rowan's fixation on the lake. "What are you even looking at, Rowan?" Severus hissed in embarrassment and in morbid curiosity.

Hearing Severus's voice, Lily glances at her best friend including the girl in the boat with them. The two girls lean closer to hear Rowan's response to Severus's question. Although, they would very shortly come to regret their action.

"Did you know that there are mermaids living at the bottom of the lake?" Rowan darkly remarked. "I am just calculating the odds, that today of all days they decide to finally rebel and drag us down below to drown before ultimately feasting on our drowned corpses."

The young witch instantly snatches her hand back from the side of the boat in terror. The face of Lily turns pale as she fervently whispers, "Don't jinx us, Rowan! I'm sure that won't happen!"

"I'm sure that's what their last victims said too," Rowan ominously replied turning to solemnly gaze into the lake searching for any signs of unnatural ripples across the inky lake waters.

Shaking his head, Severus frowns and tries to reassure Lily and the other girl. "Ignore, Rowan, she tends to get rather pessimistic and even a bit paranoid, whenever she's nervous."

The young witch visibly sighs in relief at Severus's words."Heads down!" The loud booming voice of Hagrid called out to them crouching low in his boat.

The first years ducked low into their seats as their small boats pass through a curtain of poison ivy hanging overhanding from a cliff. Their boats pass through a hidden opening leading into a dark passageway. The only light in the passageway is the bobbing lamp of Hagrid. The darkness lessens as they arrive at an underground pier.

The boats with a soft sound dock next to the underground pier. With great courtesy, Severus offers Lily a hand and the other girl on the boat. Naturally, Severus did not extend the offer to Rowan. Not that he had an opportunity too since Rowan had already nimbly leaped onto the pier. It would have been a pointless action on his part.

With all the students safely on the pier, (although there had been a few close calls, Hagrid raises his lamp higher in the air. "Stay close," he instructed the first years, before guiding them through the underground area. In the end, they finally emerge onto a neatly trimmed grassy area in the shadow of the castle.

Hagrid leads them to a massive door in the nearby distance. There are stone steps to traverse, and he paused at the top of the stairs. "Everyone here?" He called out.

A chorus of young voices immediately replied, "Yes!"

Relieved, Hagrid turns back to the door and knocks thrice onto the doors. The doors swing open to reveal the thirty-five old figure of Professor McGonagall with dark hair and sharp eyes that have the beginnings of crows' feet. Her sleek hair is tightly pulled into a bun as a pair of square glasses neatly sit on the bridge of her nose. Her elegant emerald-green robes gently flutter behind her in the night breeze.

Professor McGonagall's face and demeanor are strict as ever as she coolly eyes Hagrid. Hagrid hastily says, "The firs' years are all counted for and present, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," Professor McGonagall said as she pulled the door open wide. The 1st year's eyes widen at the size of the entrance hall that could fit an entire row of homes. The stone walls are lit with flaming torches with a ceiling so high that it can't be made out. Along the side is a magnificent staircase that faces them and leads to the upper floors.

Professor McGonagall motions for the children to neatly come in and form a line. Without any verbal instruction, the children neatly line up in a row as Professor McGonagall closes the door behind them. While everyone is amazed by the silver suits and the enormous brightly lit walls, Rowan eyes the castle with resigned eyes.

"So, this is where I will be spending the next few years of my life," Rowan quietly thought to herself. "Oh joy. Well, at least they have indoor plumbing. And I suppose modern technology is out of the question." Alas, some things are simply not meant to be.