Hagrid was a lot taller than he'd been in the movies. Even the shorter wizards wouldn't have their view blocked by the people in front of them, and could easily follow along behind.
As they drew closer to Hogwarts Castle, the young wizards grew more and more nervous.
"By the way, I heard that all the new students have to go through a Sorting Ceremony. Does anyone know how they sort us?"
"My brother said that on the first day, we have to fight a Troll, and they sort us based on how we do..."
"If you can beat a Troll, you go to Ravenclaw. If you can eat a Troll, you go to Hufflepuff. If you're stronger than a Troll, you go to Gryffindor. And if you can make a Troll submit, you go to Slytherin."
The young wizards were talking loudly. At the word "Troll," all the wizarding children who had grown up in the magical world grew even more nervous.
Hearing this, Ron couldn't help edging closer to Tom. Nervously, he grabbed Tom's sleeve.
"Big brother Tom, save me."
"..." Tom was speechless.
He wondered where the rumor about fighting a Troll had come from. He'd already heard some of the young wizards talking about how to deal with Trolls when he'd been looking for the toad on the train.
Could it be...
Tom looked at Hagrid up ahead. Could the rumor have started because new students saw Hagrid, who was as tall as a Troll, every year when they arrived at school?
Just then, a pretty little girl with a neat appearance parted the crowd and walked toward him. When she reached Tom, she slowly held out a hand. "Daphne, Daphne Greengrass Nott. May I get to know you?"
"Tom, Tom Riddle."
"If we're allowed to work in groups during the Sorting Ceremony later, could I trouble you to partner with me?"
As a pure-blood from one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, her knowledge of the theory was definitely more extensive than that of an ordinary young wizard. She knew perfectly well that the Sorting Ceremony couldn't be as frightening as the others made it sound. Still, just in case, she'd decided to find someone reliable who could help her out.
Someone like Tom, who'd beaten three opponents in a one-on-three fight on the train.
"If we can, I'll consider it." Tom nodded.
"I want to team up too!"
"Me too!"
Seeing Daphne's move, a large crowd of young wizards immediately swarmed over and gathered around Tom.
At first, only the wizards in Tom's carriage and the Pure-blood Carriage knew about his fight on the train. But then the young heir to the Malfoy family had been dragged off, looking unwilling, to help find the toad, which had made plenty of other wizards curious.
And since the train ride lasted several hours and everyone was bored, word of the fight had spread from one person to ten, and then to even more.
Now everyone on the train knew that a tough guy had turned up among the first-years.
"Tom Riddle?" Hagrid looked back at the crowd of young wizards and the boy surrounded in their midst.
He couldn't help picking at his ears to make sure he hadn't imagined it.
But when he heard that familiar, hated name among the crowd again, his massive frame couldn't help but shudder.
Was it really just a case of two people having the same name?
It wasn't just the name. Back then, Riddle had also been the center of everyone's attention, just like this boy.
So alike. Too alike!
Merlin's Fantastic Beasts, what sort of fellow had found his way into this year's first-year class?
Before long, they reached a huge, gleaming black lake. The castle, towers, pitch... The magnificent buildings, with their thousand-year history, came into view as moonlight reflected off the water.
At that moment, Tom seemed to hear a mysterious, solemn orchestral tune in his ears.
What a sight!
Even Ron, who'd grown up in the magical world, couldn't help widening his eyes.
"First-years, pick a boat. Four to a boat."
At Hagrid's instruction, the students gathered around Tom reluctantly dispersed, each finding someone they knew to share a boat with.
Naturally, Tom shared a boat with Harry and Ron. Daphne, whom he'd just met, joined them as the fourth passenger.
"Forward," Hagrid commanded.
Without anyone rowing, their little boats began moving on their own toward the castle at the center of the lake.
With the magical world just ahead, Tom rested his chin on his hand and began to think about which House he should choose.
First of all, he definitely had to rule out Slytherin.
Although he'd always been shaping his Persona in the image of the Dark Lord, he hadn't yet established his positive image in everyone's minds. So if he joined Slytherin today, he'd probably have a whole line of professors using Legilimency on him tomorrow.
That left three Houses, and Ravenclaw was clearly the best choice. After all, there weren't many workaholics like him.
"Mind your heads," Hagrid warned.
After sailing through a rocky passage draped in ivy, they reached the far end of the Black Lake.
Hagrid knocked three times on the castle door with his huge fist. It opened without a sound.
A tall witch stood inside, her expression stern. She wore a dark green robe and a pointed hat. She seemed to have been waiting for them for a long time.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Minerva McGonagall spread her arms toward the students, putting on a warm, welcoming expression.
She then began to describe the four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
As she spoke, a few transparent ghosts drifted by, curiously eyeing the first-years.
"My brother once told me that wizards killed by Trolls don't really die. They turn into vengeful spirits and haunt the places where they died."
Someone spoke up, and the young wizards immediately grew even more frightened. A couple of mischievous ghosts were making faces nearby, and some of the first-years were on the verge of tears.
"Ahem!" McGonagall cleared her throat twice, her voice ringing through the Entrance Hall.
The ghosts scattered at once, and the frightened first-years settled down.
"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Follow me."
McGonagall had the students line up, then led the way, with the others following behind.
The Sorting Ceremony was held in Hogwarts' Great Hall, where all the older students from the four Houses had gathered. Candles floated beneath the vast, vaulted ceiling, which looked just like the night sky and seemed to stretch out beyond sight.
In front of Dumbledore and the other professors seated at the far end of the Great Hall stood a four-legged stool. On it rested a hat that was old, dirty, and battered.
As the first-years stared in confusion, a wide rip appeared in the hat, like an ugly face resembling a squash.
The hat began to twist and sing a rather unpleasant song.
But the first-years were more concerned about where the Troll was than about the hat.
"So there aren't any Trolls? Did our brothers trick me again?" Ron immediately looked around.
Then he spotted George and Fred snickering below.
Damn it! Not again!
Ron felt his blood boil. If he weren't outmatched, he'd have loved to teach those two shameless old-timers a lesson.
When the hat finished its song, Professor McGonagall took out a long list.
"Next, when I call your name, come up and put on the hat."
"Hannah Abbott!"
A little girl with two golden braids stepped forward, her cheeks flushed.
After a brief pause, the Sorting Hat announced loudly, "Hufflepuff!"
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