Captain Revealed

Chapter Three: Hogwarts at Last

"I can feel the magic floating in the air…"
-Faith Hill

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After a long and cold ride across the lake, Velia finally saw the shore. She shivered, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Dan scoot a little closer to her. After sighing in contentment, Dan looked her in the eye.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked, his brown eyes searching hers. He took his left hand and ran it through her hair, brushing away a few strands. Lifting her hand to cover his, Velia closed her eyes and thought for moment. She dropped her hand as he did, and just looked at him for a minute.

The boat clunked as it hit the rocky shore, and he turned to Velia, shivering and dripping wet. Out of the goodness of his heart, he took his cloak off and set it down on her shoulders over Velma's, but she assured she was fine and returned it. She turned to Velma, and gave the damp cloak back to its owner. All she received was a curious look.

"Are you sure you're okay, Vel?" He asked, concerned, as Velia turned to gaze at him.

"You're as sweet as I remember. Thank you," she said, as she got lost in the depths of his gorgeous brown eyes. He smiled politely, and then turned away shyly. *Ugh! If only we could just... ugh!* Velia thought. She couldn't help but notice the two girls in back of her whispering and giggling. Correction, the tall one, Luella, was giggling and whispering while the shorter, tan one, Velma, was looking at her stonily.
Velia cleared her throat and got their attention immediately as she stood up. Dan popped up and carefully stepped out of the boat, making sure he didn't dip his cloak in the icy water. He turned his head and gave a picture perfect smile, then walked away. Velia's knees wobbled as she sighed. *How in the world does he do that to me?* "Whew," she said out loud. The tall girl with reddish brown hair raised one of her eyebrows.

"You've got it bad," she said as the two girls shook their head in disappointment.

"What?" Velia replied.

"Could you be more into him? I mean, sheesh! You're like Luella here with Oliver!" Velma poked at the other girl.

"Hey!" Luella tried to hide her embarrassed grin, but she didn't, or couldn't, hide her face from blushing.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the way I jumped in here like this. Nice first impression, huh? Dan and I were best friends in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade until he got a girlfriend. Which was me. It didn't work out at the time because he was in a different popularity group, ya know, we had different friends, and there were girls hounding over him, so---"

"Ella, Velia, we gotta get going," Velma interrupted. "Sorry Vel, but we really gotta hurry. You can jump back into Memory Lane some other time." Velma grunted, hopped out of the boat and started following the other students toward the castle.

"Well, here we go. Hogwarts!" Luella exclaimed, smiling at Velia as she hopped out of the boat. Velia followed a little clumsily, still shivering from her little swim. A chill wind blew, as if just to make her even colder. *Today better get… better or….* Velia thought. *Or what? You'll moan to Daddy how things haven't been going well, that you feel out of place?* A snide voice contradicted. She just shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. Wiping some snot that was running down her nose with her sleeve, Velia continued.

"Hey, sorry if I was encroaching on your territory earlier…" Luella chattered, pulling her long hair behind her ears. "I didn't know Dan was yours, I mean, I was just being nice, ya know, handing him his cloak and stuff… I know what it feels like when a girl approaches your guy…"

"Look, Luella or whoever you are, its ok! Chill and leave me alone!" Velia's mood soured, she could feel it curdling into a lump in her throat. What had triggered it? *Who knows?*

"I-I… I'm sorry…" Her lip trembling, Luella frowned as she stared at the ground, slowly fading back into the crowd of chattering first years. Disgusted with herself for that callous outburst, Velia looked ahead and marched forward, tripping on a root.

Falling flat on her face, Velia just lay there for a moment. Totally in a slump, the pre-teen girl sat up, folding her legs under her and thinking. What had brought this strange mood on? The fall into the lake? The hostile treatment from a stranger? A person seemingly happier than she?

But she had to get up. If she didn't, she would sit there, all night, shivering and thinking miserable thoughts as the people around her went inside a castle to learn their fate. That just wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all.

*Look at me,* she almost laughed. *Daddy always asked me not to do this. 'Sit and weep and watch the world go by? No, not you my baby girl… You're going to do something, whether it be collecting garbage or singing on a stage, you're never going to complain. Velia, promise me.'*

Brushing dirt and grass off her outfit, Velia stood up and ran towards the castle, not tripping or even thinking. Running past as twigs fractured and leaves slapped her. A tear streamed down her face-or was it blood? -And she emerged from the little grove that stood between the boats and her future.

The castle was even more amazing up close than it had from the boats. Giant stone steps led the way up the treacherous cliff, and some students were already climbing them. Slowing to a stop, Velia nearly fell backwards looking at the scene, feeling the magic already floating throughout the air.

* * * * *

Luella trudged slowly on the dirt path, taking care not to trip or tear her robes; she didn't know how long they would need to last her. The forest was dark, but with the students trudging along, it didn't seem that way. Bowing her head, she wondered how she became to be all by herself like this.

"Hey…" A rich voice that had a hint of wit came from behind her. Luella turned, and there stood the most striking creature she had ever seen. Pointed ears, long white-blonde hair, ice blue eyes and a gorgeous torso… a tall boy smiled at her. "You seem lonely miss, may I accompany you?"

"S-sure!" *Oh…oh dear…this is…* "I'm Luella Nickson, you…are?"

"Orlando Legolas Covikia, but you may call me Legos or Legolas, everyone does anyway…" He blushed, a pink tinge that complimented his pale skin nicely. "I'm Velia's brother, I believe you met her?"

*She is related to…him!? Oh dear Bob…* "Why, yes I did, how did you know? And I mean no offense, but you look nothing like her…" Luella was surprised at the formality of Legolas, he seemed so, polite… not something you found in everyday boys. But then, this guy was no ordinary teenager was he?

Legos laughed, a joyful, fiery, sound that made Luella smile. "Yes, I know. I'm actually-"

"Hey, keep 'er moving kids, the feast will be startin' in a moment…" Hagrid lumbered behind them, holding a lantern of glowing moths up above their heads.

"Why don't you use your wand?" An undersized boy asked, sneering at the giant. "I mean, you know how to use one don't you?" Luella saw that his eyes were not of the normal colors, like blue or green, but a bright yellow. Quite frankly, they scared her.

"Well… Lets get moving rig't?" Hagrid moved quickly past the students, his footsteps almost shaking the ground.