บท 18: Entering Hogwarts Castle
The train slowed down and came to a halt with a whistle.
The young wizards pushed and shoved towards the side door, stepping onto a small, dark platform.
Ethan, just off the train, felt a sudden chill. The Scottish Highlands in September had already embraced autumn, and the night temperature had dropped into single digits.
"Focillo!"
He quickly cast a warming spell on himself, feeling a bit more comfortable.
The warming spell, a handy little charm. It was mentioned in the third-year textbook!
"Focillo!"
Naturally, he didn't forget about Hermione and the others, casting the spell for them as well.
"Th-thank you!"
Cassandra whispered her thanks before she separated from Ethan and his group, heading in a different direction.
Like Draco, she had her own pure-blood friends, or perhaps more accurately, followers.
But today, to enjoy a compartment alone, she had chosen not to sit with them.
Unfortunately, her wish hadn't come true. Instead of a private space, she had to endure hours of chatter in a full compartment. It wasn't exactly what she'd hoped for.
Now that she had disembarked, she naturally returned to the pure-blood crowd. After all, she was destined to be a future pride of Slytherin.
"First-years, first-years, over here! Watch your step!"
A giant over three meters tall, wide and heavy-set, approached with an oil lamp. Though he appeared kind, many of the first-years were startled and took a step back.
This was Hagrid, a half-giant.
Ethan couldn't help but wonder how his parents had managed it. Full-blooded giants were taller than Hagrid, standing at least four meters, while normal human men were around 1.78 meters tall. The image was amusing.
A small horse pulling a large cart?
A toothpick stirring a big cauldron?
Tsk Tsk Tsk!
The older students went one way while the first-years followed Hagrid.
The path wasn't easy. It was narrow, steep, and slippery, with darkness stretching out on either side. Only the light from Hagrid's lantern guided their way.
At the end of the path lay a dark lake, and across the bank stood a towering castle, its sharp spires and glowing windows glimmering under the starry sky.
Each boat could only hold four people. Ethan, Hermione, Neville, and another young witch climbed into one together.
The girl introduced herself as Hannah Abbott, a name Ethan recognized.
As they drew closer to the castle, Hermione and Neville seemed to grow more anxious.
Hermione nervously wiped her sweaty palms. "I really hope I get sorted into Gryffindor!"
Thanks to Dumbledore's influence and the reputation of several wizarding magazines, many young witches and wizards regarded Gryffindor as the greatest of all the houses.
Hermione was no exception.
However, she was unsure if she would be chosen for Gryffindor.
"My grandmother wants me to be in Gryffindor. My whole family was in Gryffindor, but I don't know if I'll make it."
Neville looked equally disheartened. Courage didn't seem to be his strong suit.
He thought he'd be more suited to Hufflepuff, but his grandmother had high hopes for Gryffindor.
"As for me, I want to go to Hufflepuff."
Hannah Abbott said this with a smile. Though her family hadn't told her much about the sorting ceremony, they were confident she'd end up in Hufflepuff.
Her reasons were simple.
Most of her family had been in Hufflepuff. She had grown up hearing Hufflepuff stories and was set to take over the family tavern in the future.
The Hufflepuff dormitory was closest to the kitchens, and the house had the best relationship with the house-elves.
She was hoping to pick up a few tricks that could add new specialties to the tavern.
"Ethan, what about you?"
After hearing everyone else's thoughts, Hermione turned curiously to Ethan.
As a fellow Muggle-born, and someone who seemed even more talented than her, she was interested in hearing his choice.
"Well, aside from Slytherin, which isn't an option for me due to bloodline, I'd be fine with any of the other three. Each has its own merits."
Slytherin was typically reserved for pure-bloods, although some talented and ambitious half-bloods could also get in. But those from fully Muggle families were rarely accepted.
Of the remaining three houses, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff both seemed like good choices. Honestly, Ethan wasn't too keen on Gryffindor. They were noisy, not as united as Hufflepuff, and their atmosphere was more chaotic.
Ravenclaw, on the other hand, offered a better learning environment, and they even had their own exclusive library.
As everyone knew, since Voldemort's rise, Dumbledore had managed to hoard much of the valuable literature at Hogwarts. The current library wasn't what it used to be.
Ravenclaws valued wisdom and had a natural hunger for knowledge. They guarded their exclusive library fiercely, refusing to let even Dumbledore interfere.
"You're really not helping!"
Hermione sighed at Ethan's vague response.
"Actually, Ravenclaw would suit you the most. Extraordinary wisdom is the greatest treasure of mankind—that's their motto."
Ethan tried to steer the conversation away from the plot of the original story. To be honest, it made sense that Hermione would be an outsider in Gryffindor until she befriended Harry and Ron.
In a school where most students loved pranks, wizard's chess, and Quidditch, but weren't fond of studying, a good student like her, who also liked to lecture others, wasn't likely to be popular!
Especially one who didn't let others copy homework—she'd naturally be even more unliked.
"I've thought about Ravenclaw, but I still believe Gryffindor is the best."
Hermione stuck to her belief. The greatest wizards came from Gryffindor, so in her mind, it had to be the best.
It was a lot like the Muggle world—if a school was famous and had enough celebrity alumni, people often assumed it was the best place to study.
As they chatted, the boat passed beneath steep cliffs and curtains of ivy before finally docking at a small pier.
Once ashore, they followed a tunnel through the rocks and emerged into a damp, grassy meadow beneath the towering castle.
Hagrid counted the students before leading them up a stone staircase. He raised a giant fist and knocked three times on the castle's grand doors.
They swung open immediately, and Professor McGonagall, whom they had met earlier, slowly stepped out.
"Here are the first-year students, Professor McGonagall!"
Hagrid said earnestly.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take them from here."
Professor McGonagall replied politely before leading the young wizards into the thousand-year-old Hogwarts Castle.
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