Harry potter and the stone

Chapter 9: The Shadows of Hogwarts

The stone steps seemed to stretch endlessly as Harry followed the line of first-years trailing after Hagrid. Each step echoed faintly in the enclosed space, the sound bouncing off the damp, cold walls. Harry's chest tightened, and it wasn't just from the climb—it was the atmosphere. The air itself felt heavy, like an invisible weight pressing down on him.

"Not much further now," Hagrid rumbled, his voice loud and comforting, though it did little to dispel the unease creeping into Harry's chest.

The steps finally opened into a wide corridor lit by flickering torches. Harry slowed, his eyes scanning the space as they moved deeper into the heart of the castle. The walls were ancient, their stones worn smooth by time and countless generations of students. Shadows danced across the surfaces, their edges flickering and sharp, as if the flames in the sconces were alive.

Harry didn't know what it was exactly, but something about the castle felt… wrong. Not in an obvious way, but there was an undercurrent to the air, something cold and unsettling that didn't match the welcoming warmth of the glowing torches.

He paused for a moment, letting the other first-years drift ahead of him, and placed a hand against the wall. The stone was colder than he expected, almost icy.

"Something wrong, Potter?"

The drawling voice made him jump. He turned to see Draco Malfoy standing a few feet away, arms crossed and a smug smirk plastered across his pale face.

Harry quickly pulled his hand away from the wall. "No. Just looking."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, stepping past Harry to rejoin the group.

As they continued down the corridor, Harry's unease deepened. The other first-years seemed oblivious, whispering excitedly among themselves, their voices bouncing off the high ceilings. But Harry felt a prickling at the back of his neck, as though he were being watched.

The feeling wasn't new. He'd felt it before, back at Privet Drive, when he was alone in the dark cupboard under the stairs. But this was different. The presence here wasn't just watching—it was waiting.

They passed a row of tall, arched windows, and Harry glanced outside. The night stretched out beyond the glass, the grounds bathed in faint moonlight. For a moment, he thought he saw something move in the shadows near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, but when he blinked, it was gone.

"Stick together now!" Hagrid's voice boomed, jolting Harry from his thoughts.

The group turned a corner, and the corridor widened into a grand hall. Statues of witches and wizards lined the walls, their stone faces frozen in expressions of triumph, sorrow, or quiet contemplation. Harry's eyes were drawn to one statue in particular—a tall, robed wizard with a long, twisted staff. His expression was severe, his eyes carved to look as though they were staring directly at Harry.

Harry shivered and hurried to catch up with the group.

At last, they reached a set of massive double doors made of dark wood and bound with iron. Hagrid stopped and turned to face them, his lantern casting long shadows across the group.

"Here we are," he said, his voice softer now. "Behind these doors is the Great Hall, where you'll be sorted into your houses. But before we go in, Professor McGonagall'll want a word with yeh."

As if summoned by his words, a stern-looking witch in emerald robes appeared from a side door. Her sharp eyes swept over the group, lingering briefly on Harry before moving on.

"Thank you, Hagrid," she said briskly. "I'll take it from here."

Hagrid nodded and gave Harry a small smile before retreating down the corridor. The sound of his heavy footsteps faded into the distance, leaving the group in silence.

Professor McGonagall began to speak, explaining the Sorting Ceremony and the four houses, but Harry barely heard her. His focus was elsewhere—on the door behind her.

There was something emanating from the Great Hall, something he couldn't explain. It wasn't the warmth of the torches or the murmur of magic he'd come to expect from the castle. It was colder, darker, and it sent a chill down his spine.

His scar prickled faintly, and he resisted the urge to touch it.

"Potter," McGonagall's sharp voice broke through his thoughts, and he realized she was staring at him. "Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, Professor," he said quickly, his face heating up.

She gave him a long, appraising look before continuing her speech.

When McGonagall finished, she led the group into a smaller chamber just off the main corridor, instructing them to wait while preparations were made. Harry stood near the back of the group, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Malfoy was whispering to his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, while Ron Weasley was nervously picking at the hem of his robes.

Harry's gaze wandered to the walls of the chamber. They were lined with old tapestries depicting scenes of battles, magical creatures, and enchanted forests. One tapestry in particular caught his eye—a scene of a wizard standing in the center of a dark forest, his wand raised against a massive serpent coiled around a tree.

The serpent's eyes seemed to glint in the torchlight, and Harry could almost swear the tapestry moved, the snake shifting slightly as though it were alive.

He shook his head, trying to dispel the thought.

"You all right?"

Harry turned to see Ron standing beside him, his freckled face lined with worry.

"Yeah," Harry said, though his voice sounded uncertain even to his own ears. "Just… nervous, I guess."

"Me too," Ron admitted, glancing around. "I've got five brothers who've been through this. They've told me all kinds of things about the Sorting. What if I mess it up?"

Harry shrugged, trying to ignore the gnawing sense of wrongness that had been building since they entered the castle.

Before he could say anything more, the door to the chamber creaked open, and McGonagall reappeared.

"It's time," she said simply.

Harry's heart thudded in his chest as he followed the other first-years out of the room, toward the Great Hall and whatever waited for them inside.