Hogwarts

Kanna left soon after.

Kyle did not take the Galleons left on the table; a simple Levitation Charm sent them right back into Kanna's pocket.

Kyle would never swindle an eleven-year-old girl out of her money, even if she did look like she was truly loaded.

This was a matter of principle.

Well... at least he would wait until he returned from Dorset to reconsider.

Cedric glanced at the closed compartment door, then back at Kyle, who was visibly relieved, and asked subconsciously, "Say, I'm technically your first customer, right? Can I try out that tonic too?"

"What are you talking about? That's way too formal."

Kyle waved his hand with a dead-serious expression. "You're my best friend, my brother-in-arms. You're no customer."

"Mhm, mhm." Cedric nodded. "So, about that trial tonic..."

"None. That stuff is only for customers."

"Uh..." Cedric stared blankly at Kyle, the corner of his eye twitching slightly.

It was his first time seeing someone be so righteous about double standards and ripping off their own friends. Did he really have no shame at all?

Lesson learned.

Cedric felt a wave of mental exhaustion and decided to change the subject, moving on to matters regarding Hogwarts.

And when it came to Hogwarts, Quidditch was inevitable, as both of them were fans.

Naturally, the conversation drifted toward professional Quidditch teams, but this was where Kyle and Cedric hit a snag.

Kyle favored the Wimbourne Wasps, while Cedric was a die-hard fan of the Chudley Cannons.

The atmosphere instantly turned heavy.

Kyle and Cedric stared at each other, and where their gazes met, invisible sparks seemed to be crackling.

Once a dispute between fans began, there was no such thing as backing down. Neither would yield, and as time passed, the temperature in the compartment seemed to drop significantly.

It wasn't until ten minutes later that a violent jolt interrupted their standoff.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately," a voice echoed through the train.

Kyle and Cedric looked away simultaneously. By tacit agreement, neither looked at the other again, instead busying themselves with changing into their robes.

Kyle glanced out the window. The sky outside had grown quite dark; no wonder it felt so cold.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped, or he would have needed an umbrella.

The train slowed down, finally coming to a complete halt.

After ten hours, the journey had finally reached its end.

Kyle checked his robes and wand once more, and after confirming everything was in order, he followed the bustling crowd off the train and onto a dark, cramped platform.

This place was truly dilapidated. Weeds grew in patches, the station sign was severely faded, and the words "Hogsmeade Station" were so blurred they were barely recognizable without a close look.

There wasn't even a decent floor tile to be found, and thanks to the recent rain, Kyle stepped straight into a puddle of mud the moment he disembarked.

"Scourgify."

Kyle flicked his wand at his shoes and carefully shuffled toward a cleaner patch of ground.

Who would believe that a thousand-year-old prestigious school had a platform this pathetic?

If it weren't for the name Hogwarts, and if the headmaster weren't Dumbledore, this platform alone would be enough to scare off any prospective student.

Just then, Kyle spotted Kanna.

The young girl was shivering in the crowd. Even from this distance, Kyle could see her pale complexion; she was clearly terrified by the scene before her.

Perhaps sensing someone watching her, Kanna turned her head instinctively and spotted Kyle.

In an instant, as if she had found a lifeline, she stumbled toward him.

Kyle reached out to steady Kanna, who had nearly tripped, and without a word, he pulled out his wand again and flicked it toward her robes.

"Scourgify."

The girl hadn't been watching where she was going and had splattered mud all over herself.

After finishing, he patted the girl's shoulder with a smile to reassure her. "Don't be afraid. It's safe here; someone will be here to collect us soon."

"Mhm," Kanna replied softly, her head bowed.

At that moment, a lantern appeared above their heads.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Amidst the crowd of first-year students, Hagrid's massive frame was exceptionally conspicuous. Combined with his messy hair and a face full of whiskers, his appearance alone frightened quite a few of the young wizards.

Kyle even heard the sound of sobbing.

Kanna wasn't crying, but she wasn't doing much better; she gripped Kyle's arm so tightly it made him wince.

But seeing the look of sheer terror on her face, Kyle couldn't bring himself to pull away, so he just had to grit his teeth and bear it.

He really didn't understand—how did an eleven-year-old girl have such a grip?

"I am Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." Hagrid waved at the crowd and said, "First-years, follow me! Watch your step, I'm taking you to Hogwarts by boat."

Kyle was the first to follow, leading Kanna into the dim, yellow light—the brightest spot in the immediate area.

By now, Kanna had calmed down significantly. She hurriedly let go of Kyle's arm, her face flushing as she mumbled, "I'm sorry."

Unfortunately, her voice was too soft, and with the constant startled noises coming from the others around them, Kyle didn't catch what she said and simply nodded instinctively.

To accommodate the first-year young wizards, Hagrid walked very slowly. The group stumbled along for over twenty minutes before finally finishing the steep, narrow path.

Rounding the final bend, Hagrid turned to look at the group, pointing ahead with a smile: "Come on, you're about to see Hogwarts for the first time! Don't get distracted—this is the most beautiful sight in the wizarding world."

A chorus of gasps and startled cries erupted immediately.

Kanna stood beside Kyle, staring blankly ahead as she murmured to herself, "So beautiful...!"

At the end of the path lay the famous Black Lake, and on the towering hillside across the water stood a majestic castle.

The castle's many spires reached toward the sky, reflecting the bright moon as if the structure were built upon the clouds.

The windows of the castle, glowing with warm light, looked like stars scattered across the night sky.

It was breathtaking, like a divine miracle.

Even Kyle was left dumbstruck.

He briefly wondered if Hogsmeade Station had been left in such a dilapidated state specifically to accentuate this very scene.

"Alright, first-years, time to board the boats. Don't keep the professors waiting." Hagrid pointed to a fleet of small boats moored by the shore and shouted, "Remember, no more than four to a boat!"

Kyle and Kanna boarded the nearest boat, joined by two other first-year students they didn't recognize—a boy and a girl.

They seemed absolutely thrilled, still chattering incessantly even after boarding, talking about how they had to write home to tell their families about this moment.

"Everyone on board?" Hagrid, who had taken a boat to himself, looked back one last time to confirm. "Right then... off we go!"

The fleet of small boats immediately glided across the lake, passing beneath the low cliffs, slipping through the ivy covering the crags, and finally entering a pitch-black tunnel.