Chapter 4 - Hogwarts (2/2)

”H-how could you change clothes so brazenly in the company of a girl? Do you have no shame?”

Arth frowned. ”I'm just taking off my outer layers and putting on a robe, how is that shameful?”

”I-it just is.” Daphne said embarrassed for overreacting.

Arth sighed before picking up the happily chirping Corvus. ”Imma go out now. You can change by yourself if you are that embarrassed. See you later.”

Before Daphne could say another world. Arth opened the door and walked out before quickly shutting it.

As he walked through the hallway, Corvus peeped cutely before snuggling into his arms. Arth didn't know what kind of Raven Corvus was, it was too fluffy for a recently born baby bird. Most of the time, the baby bird would look ugly and wet. The black egg was also something unique, for he had never heard of a completely black egg before.

Corvus peeped and poked its head out of Arth's embrace before hiding once more. Arth couldn't help but smile. The little bird was just too cute.

”Ah, Arth! There you are!” Daphne had caught up to him while wearing her black robes. ”I didn't know you were capable of smiling but it seems like you are.”

”Whatever.”

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Corvus shivered in the cold night air and submerged into Arth's arms. Seeing this, Arth placed Corvus in his bag that was lined with blankets. 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.

”C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!”

They followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. All was silent until it was broken by the big man.

”Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec,” the big man said over his shoulder, ”jus' round this bend here.”

There was a loud ”Oooooh!”

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Almost all of the windows on the castle were lit while the lake reflected the starry sky on top of its black lake with near perfection.

”No more'n four to a boat!” The man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Arth chose a boat and sat down, Daphne following close behind him. ”Everyone in?” shouted the man, 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.

”Heads down!” yelled the man 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. 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.

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the man'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?” The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.