A First Year Entrance First Years Only

It would be a lie if Hestia had said she wasn't scared. She was a bit apprehensive and nervous, especially about making friends. She'd sat alone on the train ride, unsure of what to say to the other people in her cabin apart from "do you mind if I open the window".

As soon as Hestia stepped off the train with her trunk (which was nearly as tall as her), she speedily headed over to the first year group forming a little distance away. She figured that she should make friends with - or at least talk to - some of the people in her year. After all, they might be in her house in a matter of minutes.

She smiled awkwardly towards a couple of the people stood around, unsure of where to begin. Brushing her red hair away from her freckled face, she pulled the cloak closer around her to prevent the September breeze chilling her. Most of the group was talking already, and Hestia had no intention to interrupt their discussions. Instead, she stood on the outskirts of the group, cautiously looking around the station, occasionally making eye contact with another new student as she listened to the strains of conversation on the afternoon air.

The train ground to a halt aa they arrived. Elena stepped off briskly, trunk in hand as she glanced around. The boats sat peacefully on top of the lake ready to escort them to the castle which stood out. Hogwarts, the school of magic from where many great wizards and witches had passed through. She hoped to be like them one day. A loud voice cut through her imagination and the girl snapped back to reality seeing someone waving them over. A professor, she assumed. There were already a bunch of first years bunched together so the girl hurried over to join the rabble.

She was a bit nervous as she took in the faces. Some of them might be in her house so it was good to get to know her peers while she still had a chance."Hello..."Elena said , her voice a bit shaky to whoever would be closest. The female was still a shy, not really a social person. For the most part, she had kept to herself during the train ride not really interacting. That would have to change here. The others had seemed to get along nicely already talking. That was a skill Elena lacked. She didnt have any friends, her parents had sent her here so she could do something to change her personality and hopefully become that aspiring Auror she so wanted to be.

After her intial greeting, she didnt really say much listening to what the other students were saying. The only thing she was stressing over was her house. Maybe Ravenclaw or Gryffindor? She couldn't see herself in Hufflepuff. Slytherin was another story altogether. If she got sorted into the, who knew what people would say. She'd heard rumours..dark stories. Taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts, she turned her attention to the assumed professor awaiting instruction.

He wasn't one of the last ones off the train, but he had definitely seen Moreland, the other first year he sat with on the Hogwarts Express, get off first. That was fine by the blond haired boy; it wasn't like Daniel was in a rush anyways. Once all the students were off the Express, they'd part their separate way; from what he understood, older students went one way, and the first years went via boat over the Great Black Lake. That was fine. Daniel just had to get a few things...

He pocketed some of the left over Cauldron Cakes from Moreland's trolley and then stepped off finally. A teacher was calling over first years, with quite a crowd already mingling. Soon, very soon, they'd be making their way to Hogwarts and being sorted for the next seven years. He pondered it as he wandered himself towards the group of quickly growing first years. He'd be a face in the crowd.

He saw Moreland, already talking with a rather interesting looking group of people, and turned to avoiding them; it wasn't like Moreland wasn't a bad... acquaintance, he just didn't have the current patience to deal with a ton of people. He glanced around, smirking; ah, Anastasia. She was up near the teacher, and he was tempted to slip towards her and ask if she was already trying to suck up at being a teacher's pet. He figured it wasn't a good idea, though, and just trudged towards her anyways. Nothing wrong with, well, polite egging.

"It's almost time for you not to be put in Slytherin, Beckett. Heart racing, yet? I wonder what the hat'll do when it's finally set on your big head," he stated as he came up besides her. He didn't really care if other first years heard him. Or even the teacher. It wasn't like he really said anything bad - and he knew Anastasia could deal with his words.

tagging anastasia beckett; anyone can jump in, tho. ana you don't have to reply if you don't wanna!

Anastasia was quite filled with awe, which was rather surprising for anyone who knew her. First of all, awe was rather rare for Anatasia since she always had all the answers and was almost completely in control of whatever the situation might be, and second, she'd grown up hearing about all of this.

 It shouldn't have thrilled her quite as much as it did, but she was brimming with joy, and her normally scheming mind was just taking everything in. There'd be time for schemes and making teachers like her and books and all her normal priorities later, right now, she just wanted to commit this moment to memory. The last few minutes of her life before she was officially a Slytherin.


She was yanked out of her bubble of bliss when she heard a familiar, highly irritating voice. She turned over her shoulder, her innocent smile replaced by her normal more catlike one.  "Ah, Danny, I wish I could say that I was pleased to see you, but I'm really not. We both know I'm obviously going to be in Slytherin, and you'll probably be declared a Squib in front of the entire school," Anastasia said, a bit annoyed at his physical closeness. She knew that there were many first years, but of course, her luck had landed her centimeters from Daniel Weaver of all people. 

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the name, but he allowed himself to plaster the sweetest looking, most innocent smile on his face. He enjoyed making Anastasia uncomfortable or annoyed with simply his presence. As she retorted towards him, his blue eyes danced in amusement. Or, at least, the amusement danced within them. He tilted his head thoughtfully as she pointed out she really wasn't glad to see him, and he snorted. "You'd probably do better in the Forbidden Forest with the trolls," Daniel retorted dryly. It was fine with him, anyways. This banter was child's play, and the more they grew up, the more annoying she grew.

But, of course as she retorted to pointing out he could very well be a squib, he snorted. "We both know, Anastasia," and there was that hint of amusement in his voice - the clearly I'm the smarter of us sound - "That if I was a squib, as you say the hat will declare me, I wouldn't be here, now would I? We both know that the Ministry of Magic wouldn't just put my name in the registry of 'children able to go to Hogwarts' if I didn't have any magical capabilities." And he knew what he was saying was true.

But, of course, he couldn't help but rub it in her face. I was smarter than you, Anastasia. Don't you know your own school's lore??

A smirk crept onto his face. If anything, he'd be the winner this round.

Anastasia laughed at Daniel's tone. He sounded like he thought he was actually smarter than her for once. Would he ever learn? She could think of a handful of instances where a Squib had actually slipped through the cracks and been humiliated in front of the entire school. One of them had been the Filch guy, one of the previous janitors. Honestly, how stupid could Daniel be? 

She considered insisting she was right like she would normally, but she wanted to enjoy her entrance to Hogwarts. Her first-year entrance only happened the once and she didn't want the memories to be tainted with an argument with Daniel Weaver of all people. She could argue with him anytime, and some things were more important than always getting the last word. She tossed her long hair, hoping it was close enough to Daniel to hit him in the face. Petty, true, but it would have been extremely satisfying.

She pushed her way back to the front of the group, listening for whatever instructions the red-headed teacher might give them. Despite the confrontation with Daniel,  she was still quite full of awe and just thrilled to be at Hogwarts. Right now was one of the last moments of her childhood. One of the first moments of first steps into growing up. That was part of the reason that she wasn't going to bicker with Daniel. Obviously, she wasn't perfect and she assumed she would argue with him plenty in the future, but not now. 

As the trains engine died, slowly, down and the students finally seemed to clear the cabins and off to their carriages, Adelaide thought she finally had all the first years. Thankfully it seemed most first years had heard her message and the large group would be able to go on their way now.

As she watched the kids, a few seemed to have already made friends, either in the train on the way here, which was classic for most wizarding children, though perhaps some already knew each other from their childhood. That would be nice for those specific pairs, Hogwarts can certainly be a strange place to be alone.

Well, she thought, they better not keep Darren waiting too long. The lakes edge was not far, but would take a couple of minutes to navigate there with such a large group of excited students. At the water the students would be net with numerous little boats, ready to wisk them to the castle.

"Alright new students! So glad everyone made it safely! We have quite an adventure ahead of you here at the school, is everyone ready to go?" She expected a few whoops of excitements, maybe some cheers from the more outgoing kids, but if everything was silent, it was no matter to her, she understood everyone was probably nervous, with that, though, she headed away from the group.

Instructing the children to follow, she headed towards the lake. "Follow me, kids! The Great Lake awaits! Now, while we walk over there, it is important for you to know that the boats only hold two people each! So in the meantime, partner up! Make some new friends!" She did not have a ton of hope on all of the kids being able to pair up on their own, but she thought some would and that would make her job easier when the time came. Until then, she kept walking.

Soon the group was met with the water, the boats floating on the top of the near black surface. Each boat had. Lit lantern at the head, and the lights danced off the mirror of the water, glistening like stars. She grinned, Adelaide enjoyed the waters at night.

There the group was met with Darren Hurst, the Groundskeeper.

DO NOT POST AGAIN UNTIL DARREN HURST POSTS

The Groundskeeper was a man of few words. It wasn’t that he was shy but he tended to keep to himself. His job was enjoyable, extremely so as he left his stuffy job in the Ministry nearly ten years ago to help care for the castle that he had gotten his own education in. Subsequently, he cared for the children as if they were his own. His upbringing had been lacking and he spent most of his breaks from school in the comfort of the Hufflepuff common room so even before he landed the Groundskeeper job, he thought of Hogwarts as his home.

“Welcome new students,” he began, using a professional but friendly tone. “Be careful as you get into the boats.” Though he did this every year with each batch of new students, he struggled to find the words to convey how strongly he felt about the school - the opportunities they would have and the friendships they would make. “I hope that each and every one of you have a fantastic time at school. You’ll see me around so don’t hesitate to stop me if you need help or want to talk.”

Darren had an open door policy for the students. Well, open cabin policy more like. Though he could be found around the grounds and throughout the coordiors more often than in his place of living. The cabin on the grounds wasn’t much but he was a simple man with simple pleasures in life. “After you, Professor.” He gestures towards their boat where they would ride together. “Hop on in and only two to a boat please.”

Anastasia cheered uncharacteristically loudly when the redheaded professor asked if everyone was ready to go. She blushed a bit after the loud whoop exited her lips. It wasn't that she was particularly shy or anything, quite the opposite, in fact, it was just that that seemed rather juvenile and silly behavior, needless to say, her mother would find it most unladylike. 

She followed the professor, staying at the front of the group as to get the best view and hear instructions easily. Anastasia listened intently to the groundskeeper's instructions. After he was done, she looked around for a potential boat mate. She knew she didn't want to get stuck with Daniel, and ideally, she would meet someone that she hadn't already met, but she supposed she would see. She saw another first year who looked alright enough and waved at them to get their attention before beckoned them over. She didn't recognize the student, but based on their appearance, they seemed like decent company. Even if they turned out to be absolutely horrid, it was only a boat ride and she could get away as soon as they reached the castle. After her selected partner joined her, she found an empty boat and daintily climbed aboard. 

She listened intently to the groundskeeper giving the boats a wary look. They looked stable enough but she wasn't one for water. What if it sank, what if they had to swim to Hogwarts? The fear began to build up insider of her until finally, she shook herself back to reality just to hear the groundskeeper last dreaded words. Two to a boat? She had to find a partner. That meant she would have to talk, socialize. She barely knew any of these kids let alone the professors."Great"She muttered to herself looking around for a potential partner. Spying Anatasia, she approached her hesitantly thinking to herself.What are you doing, Elena. Stop it, stop it.She gave the first-year a nervous smile as she managed to conjure up some words."Hi..uh...do you mind...if I hop..on with...you/"
She said nodding towards the boat which bobbed peacefully on the glistening lake."Names Elena by the way."She said not wanting to make this a awkward boat ride. Might as well get to know the other while she still could.

There. She had talked. Her first actual converstation with someone and they had not even entered the castle yet. She was getting better at this,hopefully.Say yes..say yes...She silently hoped looking at the student. Worst came to worst, she would respectfully decline. Would she be like the others whom avoided her, unwanting to welcome a stranger into their midst. Elena hated that. She wanted to be acknowledged, needed freedom away from that accursed place her parents called her home.It wasn't home. It was a prison. She looked around at the other kids, they seemed perfectly unfazed by the groundskeeper instructions. Perhaps that was because they knew each other beforehand. Despite being wizardborn, she never really had interacted with children in her youth which led to this predicament. Hopefully, all would be well. These next few seconds would determine that.