Chapter Twenty-One - Allison

                                    

                                          
When I go down to breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, I find that the Great Hall has been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hang from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts house. Red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bears the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake unite around a large letter 'H'.
                          
There's a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air today. Nobody is very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival this evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.
                          
When the bell rings early, I hurry up to Ravenclaw Tower, deposit my bag and books, pull on my cloak and rush back downstairs into the Entrance Hall.
                          
The heads of houses are ordering students into lines. "Mr. Corner, tuck in your shirt," Professor Flitwick instructs. Michael looks down at his semi-tucked in shirt and grumbles as he tucks it in properly. "Ms. Whitley, please remove your wand from your hair. And Ms. Lovegood, take yours out from behind your ear," Flitwick sighs. I pull my wand from my hair and my hair tumbles down in a long sheet. I then proceed to tuck it into my robes.
                          
"Follow me, please," says Professor Flitwick, "first years in front...no pushing...:" We file down the front steps and line up in front of the castle.
                          
It's a cold, clear evening. Dusk is falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon is already shining over the Forbidden Forest. We scan the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing moves. Everything is still, silent and quiet as usual.
                          
And then Dumbledore calls out from the back row, where he stands with the other teachers. "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"
                          
"There!" yells someone, pointing over the Forest. Something large hurtles across the deep blue sky towards the castle, growing larger as it comes closer. The gigantic black shape skims over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle window hit it. We see a gigantic, powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house soaring towards us. It's pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.
                          
Then, with an almighty crash the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage lands too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses toss their enormous heads and roll large, fiery red eyes. The door of the carriage bears a coat of arms, two crossed golden wands, each emitting three stars.
                          
The door opens and a boy in pale blue robes jumps down from the carriage, bends forwards, fumbles for a moment with something on the carriage floor and unfolds a set of golden steps. He springs back respectfully.
                          
Then, a shining high-heeled black shoe emerges from the inside of the carriage. A shoe the size of a child's sled. It's followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman I've ever seen. A few people gasp.
                          
As she steps into the light flooding from the Entrance Hall, she's revealed to have a beautiful olive-skinned face, large, black eyes, and a rather beaky nose. Her hair is drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She's dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleam at her throat and on her thick fingers.
                          
Dumbledore starts to clap. I join my classmates, breaking into applause. Her face relaxes into a gracious smile and she walks forward towards Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, has barely to bend to kiss it.
                          
"My dear Madame Maxime," he says. "Welcome to Hogwarts."
                          
"Dumbly-dorr," says Madam Maxime, in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"