After Alexie came into the compartment the journey seemed to speed up considerably. Dora told Alexie all about the muggle world and a lot about the coronavirus pandemic, and in return Alexie informed Dora of all the wizarding things she needed to know about.
"Do you have a Hogwarts house preference?" Alexie asked suddenly, nibbling cautiously at a bertie botts bean.
Dora shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it. But Hufflepuff seems nice..."
Alexie raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
Dora frowned slightly. "Well?"
Alexie paused. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm thinking I'd like to be either Ravenclaw or Slytherin."
"The resourceful ones." Dora nodded. "Yes, I can imagine that. But we'll just have to wait and see... I'm more worried about how I'll do in my studies. I get restless in classrooms, you know."
Alexie's eyes flashed bright. "Well, we could always - you know, miss class sometimes, if we wanted."
Dora raised her eyebrows, but then grinned. "I used to do that at muggle school."
"With your friends?" Suddenly, there was something like bitterness in Alexie's voice.
Dora blushed slightly. "Er - well... no."
At Alexie's questioning look she continued, "I...I didn't really have friends." Then she brightened. "I was weird, I suppose. But then I found out that I actually had magic!" She laughed, and then added, "But I'm still weird."
Albion gave a little bark in his sleep (he had dropped off with his head Dora's lap) and Alexie asked his name.
"His name is Albion." Dora said, scratching behind his ear. "After the magical realm of Albion."
"You are weird, Dora," Alexie answered, leaning forward to let Albion sniff her hand, "But I like you."
Dora was about to reply when the train whistled. They changed hurriedly into their Hogwarts Robes and gathered their things together. Just as they had finished, the train slowed and, with a loud groan, came to a halt.
"What about Albion?" Dora said anxiously, looking at Albion, who had been put back in his crate.
"It's fine, someone'll look after him until after dinner." Alexie said offhandedly. At Dora's uncertain look she smiled exasperatedly and said, "Come on! He'll be fine."
Reluctantly Dora obeyed, leaving a desperately whining Albion in his crate. Leaving their compartment, they mingled with the crowd of students sweeping off the train.
"Firs' Years this way!" Called a gruff but friendly voice. Dora, grinning broadly in her excitement of hearing Hagrid, whom she had heard all about, followed the rest of the first years towards the lake's edge, where the rowboats were lined up on the shore. Dora thought it was a beautiful sight; the castle and starry sky above, the lake reflecting the windows of the castle, and the rowboats with their lanterns swaying gently on the water. She stood looking for a moment, but soon found herself being jostled towards the boats with the rest of the first years. She climbed into one with Alexie and two students she didn't know, and then by magic the boats pushed off and skimmed over the dark midnight blue water. Dora skimmed a finger through the water. She jumped slightly as she felt something touch her hand, and looked down to see the giant squid swimming along with their boat.
"Oh my -" Alexie gasped. "Careful, Dora!"
But Dora was smiling. "I think he can - yes." She had pulled the leftover of a chocolate frog out of her pocket. She dropped it into the water and the giant squid raised itself slightly above the surface, took the chocolate in his tentacle, and vanished back into the lake. "He smelt it." She explained to a shocked and exasperated Alexie.
Dora thought she heard a chuckle from the boat in front of them, which held Hagrid. Then he called, "Remember to duck!"
They swept under the vines and a moment after the boats pulled up on the shore. They climbed up to the huge front doors which opened immediately, and then they were inside Hogwarts Castle.