The stars shone brightly.
Silver moonlight poured through the windows of the towering spires, piercing the night like thin streams and illuminating one corner of the room, coating the ancient Stone Walls and wooden structures in a soft silver glow.
"Don't shove! Upperclassmen, make way for the younger students."
"Almost, almost—I nearly fell and died! When is the school going to expand these stairs? Those old-fashioned professors have no idea how to adapt!"
"My dad was right. Hogwarts really is dangerous!"
The two Ravenclaw prefects led the students back to the Common Room.
The group had remained fairly orderly while passing through the long corridors, but since they were headed for the highest floor, the constantly rotating stairs caught the first-years off guard.
And so—
The once orderly line turned into a holiday travel crowd. Everyone shoved against one another, terrified of missing the moment the stairs turned and being unable to reach their house Common Room.
"Damn it! Prefects, do something! A senior old witch is groping my butt!"
As they made their way upward.
Because of his slight build, Ian only dared to squeeze into a spot near the front. Yet unexpectedly, he was attacked several times from behind by people he had no idea were.
Perhaps.
For a little boy even more handsome than Leonardo, it was sometimes difficult to protect his innocence when out and about.
"It's only the start of term. What are you people doing? Show some restraint!"
Penelope, the female prefect, sternly rebuked the upper-year girls in the group, while the male prefect, Dietrich, hurriedly pulled Ian to his side.
"Our house students have always been bolder than those of the other houses," Dietrich quietly explained to Ian, shooting warning looks at the Witches—and... certain male wizards—behind them.
The line continued climbing.