Branching Out: Fighting a Troll?

After a long moment, Harry snapped out of his daze and looked at Charlie with admiration.

"Charlie, you're practically the devil incarnate."

Ron nodded vigorously too; he had never heard anything so earth-shattering, and silently resolved never to cross Charlie.

He definitely didn't want anything to happen to his own mother.

Harry rubbed his hands together a little shyly. "Can you teach me?"

Back at the Dursleys', he used to insult Dudley too, but compared to Charlie, it was way too weak.

Once he learned Charlie's Argumentation Manual, wouldn't he be able to tear Dudley apart?

Charlie perked up. These techniques were all honed from arguing with people online in his past life.

They were practically the Sunflower Manual of the insult world. Seeing Harry's interest, he felt his path was not lonely.

He began to impart his wisdom to the two.

"The art of cursing someone out is all about precision strikes and full coverage."

"How exactly?"

"The core secret is: take his mother as the center, three generations up and down as the radius, and greet every inch without mercy."

Ron's eyes went wide. "What does that mean?"

"In simple terms, you curse from his grandparents all the way down to his grandchildren, with special focus on his mother."

Harry gave an awkward smile, a troubled look flickering in his eyes.

Dudley was his aunt's son, and he was Dudley's relative too—wouldn't cursing like that drag himself into it?

Better forget it. This trick wasn't for him.

Just as they were talking, the train began to slow down, and a voice crackled over the loudspeaker: "Hogwarts has arrived. Please leave your luggage on the train, and make your way to the platform."

The three of them excitedly gathered their things and stepped out of the compartment.

The night air was cool and crisp, and the station buzzed with noise.

"First-years! First-years over here!"

A massive figure stood out clearly in the crowd—it was Hagrid.

He held up a lantern and called out loudly.

Charlie, Harry, and Ron hurried over and gathered with the other first-years around Hagrid.

"Oh, Harry."

He spotted Harry and greeted him excitedly.

"Everyone here? Right, follow me." Hagrid turned and led the way.

"Mind your step."

They followed a rough, winding path downhill, flanked by dense forest.

The trees blocked the moonlight, plunging everything into darkness, leaving only Hagrid's lantern to barely light the way.

The young witches and wizards around them grew nervous, instinctively huddling together, which made the already narrow path even more cramped.

Charlie couldn't take it anymore. He kept feeling like someone was brushing against his butt in the crush.

He pulled out his wand.

"Lumos."

A ball of light appeared at the tip of his wand, illuminating the surroundings.

"We can see the path now."

The young witches and wizards cheered up and naturally followed him.

Hagrid turned back and saw the group of first-years trailing behind that figure like stars around the moon.

For a moment, he was stunned.

The graceful bearing and the way others followed him reminded him of someone.

Dumbledore's woolly socks, this year's first-years had a real standout.

Soon, they arrived at the edge of a dark lake.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid pointed at the small boats moored by the shore.

Charlie, Harry, and Ron naturally took one boat, and the fourth spot was taken by a boy Charlie didn't recognize.

The boy looked very nervous, gripping the edge of the boat tightly.

"Forward!" Hagrid shouted.

The boats began to glide across the lake on their own, without oars or anyone steering, moving steadily ahead.

When the full view of Hogwarts Castle appeared before them, everyone let out a gasp of wonder.

The massive castle stood atop the high cliffs, its spires piercing the starry sky.

The castle's windows glittered in the night, their reflections rippling on the surface of the Black Lake. Moonlight spilled over the ancient stone walls, and the entire fortress exuded an air of mystery and majesty.

Charlie was stunned.

Seeing this magical castle with his own eyes left him breathless with awe.

"So this is Hogwarts," Harry couldn't help but murmur.

Ron had grown up in the wizarding world, but this was his first time at Hogwarts too, and he was equally shaken by the magnificent sight.

The boats drifted slowly toward the castle, finally docking at a small harbor beneath it.

"Mind your heads!" Hagrid warned.

They ducked through a rocky passage hung with ivy, emerging onto an open stretch of ground before the castle's main entrance.

Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times on the great oak doors.

The door swung open at once.

Professor McGonagall stood there, clad in dark green robes and a pointed hat.

Hagrid handed the group over to her.

She pushed the door wide, revealing the grand entrance hall beyond.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall's voice rang clearly through the hall.

"The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must first be sorted into your houses."

She explained that Hogwarts was divided into four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes. I suggest you all tidy yourselves up while you wait."

With that, Professor McGonagall turned and left.

The first-years began whispering nervously among themselves.

"I'm so nervous—do you know how the Sorting works? Say something to calm me down," Harry asked anxiously.

Ron was just as tense: "My brother told me you have to fight a troll, and whoever wins gets sorted."

Harry: ...

Thanks. That's... comforting.

Behind them, a certain little witch's face went pale, and she started muttering spells she'd learned over the summer, trying to figure out which one could handle a troll.

Hearing her mutterings only made Harry more nervous.

He didn't know a single spell. If he really had to fight a troll, wouldn't he be minced meat on his very first day?

Charlie shot them a glance. Were these two idiots?

Fighting the final boss on day one? Was this a school or the Yang Yongxin Concentration Camp?

Soon, Professor McGonagall returned.

"Form a single file, and follow me."

The doors swung open, revealing the breathtaking sight of the Great Hall.

The ceiling seemed to stretch endlessly upward, with countless candles floating in midair.

Four long tables filled the hall, each packed with students.

The tables were laden with gleaming golden plates and goblets.

At the far end of the hall stood another table set crosswise—the staff table.

Charlie scanned the staff table. An old man with a beard so long it nearly touched the floor was smiling at them.

That must be Dumbledore.

The first-years shuffled nervously into the Great Hall.

Every eye in the room was fixed on them, making the already anxious little wizards even more flustered.

Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool before them, with a hat resting on it.

The hat was old, patched, and shabby.

Then a tear-like slit opened in the hat, and it began to sing like a mouth:

"You might not think I'm pretty..."

Well, it wasn't that it wasn't pretty—it was just a bit ugly.