First Acquaintance with Hogwarts

"My... my God..." Harry's eyes were wider than they had ever been. He felt as if his heart had been seized by an invisible hand, then abruptly released, pounding wildly and uncontrollably in his chest.

This was Hogwarts. This was the magical world that had only ever existed in his dreams—his world.

In that moment, all the grievances, loneliness, and incomprehension he had endured for eleven years in the cramped cupboard under the Dursleys' stairs seemed to be utterly healed and swept away before this magnificent, almost unreal vista.

"Holy shit..." Ron's mouth hung open wide enough to easily fit one of his mother's meat pies. It was the highest praise his limited vocabulary could muster.

"It... it looks exactly like the first-edition color illustrations in A History of Hogwarts! No—it's even more spectacular! Those illustrations didn't capture a tenth of its grandeur!" Hermione's cheeks flushed with excitement, and for the first time, her clever eyes sparkled with pure admiration.

Even Lin Yuan, a transmigrator who had witnessed the "Heavenly Palaces and Immortal Residences" described in cultivation inheritances, couldn't help but take notice.

What he saw was not merely a castle.

In his Spiritual Sense, the entirety of Hogwarts was shrouded by a composite magical array so vast and complex it boggled the mind.

It wasn't a single defensive formation, but an intricate ecosystem formed by thousands upon thousands of interlocking arrays of different functions and attributes, layered and connected to one another.

Like a massive energy core, it continuously drew magical energy from the surrounding environment to sustain its own operation.

Every brick and tile in the castle seemed to have been steeped in this immense magical power for a thousand years, exuding an ancient and majestic aura.

If Hermione's spellcasting on the train had been like a precise code execution, then the Hogwarts before him was a colossal supercomputer with its own independent operating system.

"Jackpot... I've really hit the jackpot this time." Lin Yuan's heart churned with turbulent waves, but his face remained as calm as still water.

His powerful soul, which had been adrift on Earth with no place to go—plenty of processing power but no network or electricity—had finally found its destined home.

This was the root server for deciphering the underlying logic of this world!

As long as he could enter and parse even a ten-thousandth of its rules, it would be enough to benefit him immensely.

What were the Killing Curse or the Patronus Charm compared to this living museum of magic? Mere "application software" at best.

The path to immortality suddenly seemed clear and visible.

"Alright, alright! Stop gawking! Four people per boat—no more, no less! Hurry up, move it!" Hagrid's thunderous shout finally snapped all the first-years out of their petrified state.

By the lakeshore, a fleet of a dozen or so small, dark wooden boats had silently appeared, looking quite aged.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione instinctively formed a group and stumbled into the nearest boat.

No sooner had they settled in than Hermione began nervously looking around. "Strange—there's no boatman, no oars. Is it voice-controlled? Or auto-piloted?"

"How are we supposed to get across?"

The last person to climb unhurriedly into their boat was Lin Yuan.

The little boat glided smoothly across the pitch-black lake without anyone rowing.

The lake water was cold, carrying a hint of mystery. Occasionally, a massive tentacle flashed beneath the surface, drawing gasps from the crowd.

"That's the Giant Squid!" Hermione immediately began her lecture. "A History of Hogwarts mentions it—it's very gentle. Sometimes it even helps students who fall in retrieve their belongings."

Ron, pale with fear, gripped the gunwale tightly, terrified of falling in.

Lin Yuan, meanwhile, extended a thread of his Spiritual Sense into the water to perceive the boat's operation.

"I see. The bottom is engraved with miniature propulsion and balance arrays, driven by the magical energy in the lake water. Simple, efficient, and nearly zero cost. This world's alchemical enchantment techniques are worth studying." He made another mental note in his internal ledger.

As the boats drew closer to the cliff on the opposite shore, Hogwarts Castle loomed ever more imposing.

They passed through a curtain of ivy and entered a tunnel seemingly carved into the mountain itself, eventually arriving at a hidden underground dock.

The group scrambled ashore and, under Hagrid's lead, climbed a steep set of stone steps, finally reaching a massive oak-embedded castle gate.

Hagrid straightened his messy beard, stepped forward, and pounded his fist—the size of a cauldron—against the door three times.

Creak—

The door swung open.

Standing at the entrance was a stern-faced witch in emerald-green robes.

Her black hair was pulled back into an immaculate bun, her lips pressed into a severe line, and her sharp gaze swept over every first-year like an X-ray.

It was Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.

The moment Lin Yuan saw her, he sensed a pressure entirely different from Hagrid's.

If Hagrid's magic was a wild bonfire, then Professor McGonagall's magic was a finely honed sword, sheathed and concealed.

Restrained, precise, and full of order.

Her very presence seemed to stabilize the air around them.

"A Transfiguration master... Her magical form indeed carries a quality of 'reshaping' and 'defining.'" Lin Yuan analyzed silently.

"First-years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid nodded to her.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here." Professor McGonagall's voice was as stern and clear as her expression.

She pushed the gate fully open, revealing the breathtaking stone-walled hall beyond.

The hall's grandeur could dwarf any cathedral.

Blazing torches lined the stone walls, the ceiling soared so high it was nearly invisible, and ahead lay a magnificent marble staircase leading to the upper floors.

The clamor of students drifted from a set of double doors on the right—clearly, the older students were already seated.

Professor McGonagall led the first-years into a small, empty room just off the main hall.

The room was packed tight, everyone pressed nervously against each other, whispering in low voices.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall began. Her voice was not loud, but it instantly silenced the room. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must first undergo the Sorting Ceremony."

"The Sorting Ceremony?" someone repeated in a small voice.

"Sorting is a very important tradition at Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall continued, her gaze sweeping over every anxious face. "During your time here, your House will be like your family at Hogwarts. You will attend classes with your fellow housemates, sleep in your House dormitories, and spend your free time in your House common room."

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own glorious history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, any achievements you earn will win points for your House. Likewise, any rule-breaking will cause your House to lose points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup, a great honor."

She paused, giving the first-years a moment to digest her words.

"I hope that no matter which House you are sorted into, you will bring honor to it."

"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will take place before the entire school. I suggest you all tidy yourselves up while you wait, and try to look as neat as possible." Her gaze lingered briefly on Ron's smudged nose and Harry's perpetually unruly hair.

"Once the Great Hall is ready, I will return to fetch you."

With that, she turned and left the room, leaving behind a roomful of first-years who immediately burst into excited chatter.