Chapter 15: Chapter 15
Conner quickly left. Kain didn't keep the Galleons she had offered; a simple Levitation Charm sent them back into her pocket. It wasn't in Kain's principles to take money from an eleven-year-old girl, regardless of how wealthy she appeared.
Well... at least until he returned from Dorset.
Cedric, noticing the closed compartment door and Kain's sigh of relief, ventured, "So, am I your first customer then? Can I try the tonic too?"
"What are you talking about? That's quite formal," Kain waved dismissively, a serious look on his face. "You're my close friend, my cousin, my brother, not a customer."
"Right," Cedric nodded. "So, about that trial tonic..."
"There isn't one. That's only for customers."
Cedric stared at Kain, his eye twitching slightly. It was his first time seeing someone justify preferential treatment and ripping off friends so boldly. Well, lesson learned.
Feeling mentally exhausted, Cedric changed the subject back to Hogwarts.
When the conversation turned to Quidditch, a favorite topic for both, the atmosphere naturally shifted to Quidditch teams. But here, a disagreement emerged. Kain was a fan of the Wimbourne Wasps, while Cedric loyally supported the Chudley Cannons.
The mood suddenly grew tense.
As the discussion heated, it seemed the temperature inside the compartment dropped. Their fan rivalry paused only when the train jolted sharply, breaking the standoff.
"In five minutes, we will be arriving at Hogwarts. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be delivered to the school," announced a voice over the train's intercom.
Kain and Cedric simultaneously looked away, silently agreeing to drop the subject as they began to change into their robes.
Kain glanced outside. The sky had darkened considerably, which explained the chill.
Thankfully, the rain had stopped, or he would've needed an umbrella.
As the train slowed and finally stopped, their long journey reached its end.
After checking his robe and wand one last time, Kain joined the bustling crowd disembarking onto a dark, shabby platform. Hogwarts Hogsmeade Station was a dilapidated sight, surrounded by overgrown weeds and a faded sign barely readable. The platform itself lacked proper paving, made worse by recent rain, causing Kain to step into mud immediately.
"Scourgify," he muttered, cleaning his shoes with his wand before carefully moving to a cleaner spot. The state of the platform hardly matched the reputation of a millennia-old prestigious school. Had it not been for its association with Dumbledore and the name 'Hogwarts,' it was hard to believe it would attract anyone.
Kain then noticed Conner standing shivering among the crowd, her face pale from the daunting surroundings. Feeling watched, she turned, spotted Kain, and stumbled over as if grasping for a lifeline.
Kain steadied the nearly-fallen girl and, without a word, waved his wand to clean her robe of mud.
"Don't be afraid; it's safe here, and someone will come to guide us soon," he reassured her, patting her shoulder gently.
"Okay," Conner murmured, looking down.
Then, a lantern appeared overhead.
"First years! First years this way!" bellowed a booming voice. Hagrid's imposing figure was hard to miss with his tangled hair and full beard, startling many of the new students.
Kain even heard a few cries.
Conner didn't cry but clung to Kain's arm tightly, causing him a fair bit of pain.
Despite her obvious terror, Kain didn't pull away, just endured the discomfort. He was surprised by the strength of an eleven-year-old girl.
"I'm Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys at Hogwarts," Hagrid introduced himself, waving to the students. "First years, follow me, and watch your step. I'll take you to Hogwarts by boat."
Kain was the first to follow, leading Conner under the faint lamplight, the brightest spot around.
By then, Conner had calmed down enough to release Kain's arm, murmuring an embarrassed "Sorry."
Though Kain didn't catch her words over the noise, he nodded.
To accommodate the first years, Hagrid moved slowly. It took them over twenty minutes to navigate the steep, narrow path. After rounding the last bend, Hagrid smiled and pointed ahead, "Look ahead, you're about to see Hogwarts for the first time. Don't get distracted; it's one of the most beautiful sights in the wizarding world."
A chorus of gasps and exclamations followed.
Standing beside Kain, Conner stared ahead in awe, whispering, "It's beautiful...!"
At the end of the path lay the famed Black Lake, across which rose a majestic castle on a high hill, its spires mingling with the moonlit sky, looking as if built upon the clouds.
The lit windows of the castle dotted the sky like stars, a truly magical sight.
Even Kain was captivated.
He speculated that perhaps the dilapidated state of Hogsmeade Station was intended to make this view even more impressive.
"All right, first years, let's get to the boats. Don't keep the professors waiting," Hagrid directed them to several boats at the lake's edge. "Remember, no more than four to a boat."
Kain and Conner boarded the nearest boat, joined by two other first-year students, a boy and a girl, both visibly thrilled and chattering about writing home about this moment.
"Is everyone aboard?" Hagrid checked from his own boat, then declared, "Right then... off we go!"
The fleet of boats glided across the lake, skirting low cliffs and ivy-covered bluffs, before entering a dark tunnel.
(End of Chapter)
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