Within You, Without You

I didn't sleep a second on the train, just like my flight. Transportation and means of it fascinate me, making it almost impossible for me to fall asleep on planes, trains, cars, almost anything, really. It's been well past a day of no sleep for me, but I was fine: I have gone more than three days with no sleep and this was nothing. The beautiful countryside of London flew past me on the other side of my window, and I watched it most of the time, every now and then taking out my book and finishing up the last final chapters I wasn't able to finish on the plane ride.

Finally, I felt the train slow down to a stop. I took my duffel and left my compartment without looking at the window. As I stepped out the train, the conductor tipped his hat to me. I waved, and watched the train started to disappear once again.

"You be Miss Maude, I'm assumin'?" I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned and saw a huge grizzly of a man standing in front of me in front of a gate. He was quite intimidating. "Y-yes..." I answered.

He smiled. "All righ, all righ, good! My name's Hagrid, and this is Hogwarts!" He said, motioning to the castle behind him. That's when I finally looked at the place. To say the least, I was shocking. My god, it's beautiful. I dropped my duffel as I stood there, staring at the beauty of the massive and magical castle with the absolute perfect backdrop. It was a while until I noticed Hagrid was trying to get my attention. "Miss Maude?" He was saying, coming up to me a bit.

I shook my head, picked up my duffel and smiled at him. "Sorry. It's just I've been in the States so long and castles don't come around often around there," I told him. I stuck my hand out, and his massive paw enveloped around mine and we shook hands for a proper introduction. "And you can call me Lucy," I told him when we let go.

He smiled at me. "All righ', Lucy. Let's go inside, I'm sure Dumbledore is waiting to talk ter you."

We went through the gates and they automatically closed behind me. I realized this was the true beginning of it all. The beginning of me finally finding out what I was, who I was. I smiled into the cloudless sky with the sun dipping down into a perfect sunset. I looked over to where Hagrid was walking and followed him, but when I saw what he was walking to, I stopped dead in my tracks.

"H-Hagrid...What is that?" I asked, never before seeing anything like the creature before me. I had no clue as to what it was. It was the closest to a horse, but it seemed more like a skeleton of it than an actual horse. Well that, and that it also had wings. The creature turned and stared at me with its blank, white eyes.

Hagrid, unfazed by the creature, was still smiling and he walked up to it and pet it. "This here is a Thestral. There are many diff'rent creatures in our world, Lucy, and this is one of them," He pat the Thestral's head, and the Thestral nuzzled a bit into his hand. "This one's name is Volatillis."

Slowly, I made my way towards the creature. I tried to keep my hand from shaking as I put my hand up near his nose. Volatillis snorted in my scent, but did nothing that seemed harmful. Slowly, I put my hand down on his mane, and pet him. I smiled as I pet Volatillis. Looks can be deceiving.

"Well now, I didn't expect yer to take such a quick liking to such a creature, and so soon!" Hagrid said, positively beaming. After a bit though, his smile faltered a bit and stayed silent for a bit.

"What's the matter, Hagrid?" I asked him, pausing from petting Volatillis. As I did, he nudged me impatiently. I laughed, and started petting him again.

Hagrid looked down at me. "What? Oh...nothin'. Just thinking about ther Thestrals...and...you can see them which means..." He started talking quieter and to himself. He looked at me once again after being lost in thought for a bit. "But anyway, that will be dealt with all in good time! Let's get you inside and inter see Dumbledore!"

I nodded, and was about to get into the carriage that I noticed only a couple minutes before that Volatillis was supposed to bring me up to the castle in. I realized that Hagrid was too big for the carriage, but I didn't know whether he would find it offensive if I said so. So I opted on a different reasoning. "Is it alright if we just walk? I've been on planes and taxis and trains for way too long and I think walking will do me good."

Hagrid smiled at me. "I understand. Lemme just disconnect Volatillis, and we'll be on our way," he said, and unhooked the Thestral from the carriage. Volatallis, looked at me, snorted, and then trotted off past the trees. I hoped that I'd get to see that creature again.

"That was his way er sayin' see you soon," Hagrid said smiling as we started to make our way up to the castle.

I smiled back. "Good, I'm glad."

Finally we made it to the castle and went inside. Standing in front of what looked like a dining hall for a Queen, was an old and wizened looking man. This, I figured, was the infamous Dumbledore.
I stepped forward from Hagrid.

"Hello, Miss Maude, it is excellent to finally see you again after all these years," The old man said to me, with a twinkle in his eye.

I looked at him, shocked. After all these years? "You knew my parents?" I asked, my voice quavering a bit.

He chuckled. "I did. They went to this exact school at your age, only I was not the Headmaster at that time. But I am getting ahead of myself. My name is Dumbledore, and this is Hogwarts. Now, if you'll follow me to my office, I will explain everything that you have not been told over the past couple of years," He said, and started walking away.

I said my thank you to Hagrid and followed Dumbledore.