Black Lake Reflection and Stars

The Hogwarts Express cut through the embrace of the Scottish Highlands, the scenery outside the window shifting from the clamor of the city to rolling hills, dense forests, and deep valleys shrouded in mist. The atmosphere inside the compartment, however, was not entirely harmonious.

Billius Black was an incessant chatterbox who couldn't sit still. He excitedly shared anecdotes about Hogwarts he'd heard from his family, speculated endlessly about the upcoming Sorting Ceremony, and even pulled out a worn deck of playing cards, offering to tell everyone's fortune. Abraxas Malfoy maintained a reserved elegance, spending most of his time quietly reading a leather-bound book, occasionally joining the conversation with remarks that subtly showcased the knowledge and superiority of the Pure-blood families. His gaze frequently drifted between Tom and Ares, carrying a shrewd assessment.

Tom perfectly played the role of a humble yet extraordinarily gifted and polite new student. He listened intently, interjecting at just the right moments with questions that showed he had already previewed the textbooks, earning even Abraxas's slight attention. He showed appropriate respect for the Black family's "glorious history" and the Malfoy family's "ancient legacy," but Ares could see that beneath that respectful exterior lay cold calculation and an ambition that whispered, "That could be mine."

When Billius tried to read Ares's fortune with tea leaves and exclaimed that he saw "interwoven light and shadow" and a "vessel shattered and remade," Tom's hand, holding his teacup, paused almost imperceptibly, a dark glint flashing deep in his black eyes.

Ares, in contrast, was relatively silent. He dealt with Billius's boundless curiosity and responded to Abraxas's subtly recruiting overtures with polite but distant smiles. Most of his attention was focused on sensing the increasingly dense magical aura outside the window and the faint resonance between the "Eternal Cycle" wand within him and this land. He could feel the train heading toward a focal point of magical convergence.

The sky darkened, and a deep purple night began to blanket the land. The train finally slowed to a halt at an unfamiliar small station shrouded in twilight. A wooden sign on the platform read: Hogwarts Station.

"First-years! First-years, over here!" A booming voice stood out among the noisy crowd.

Abraxas rose gracefully, giving Tom and Ares a slight nod. "Well then, we'll see each other later at the castle. Good luck with your Sorting." His gaze lingered on Tom for a moment longer, carrying assessment and faint expectation.

Billius also jumped up, clapping Ares on the shoulder. "Don't forget my fortune! 'Interwoven light and shadow'—I bet you'll be sorted into Gryffindor! And of course, I'll be waiting for you there!" With that, he followed Abraxas out of the compartment, merging into the crowd of older students on the platform who were expertly heading toward the waiting carriages.

Tom and Ares followed the other bewildered yet excited first-years toward the source of the voice. It was an exceptionally tall and burly man with a thick, bushy beard, carrying a huge lantern that cast a swaying halo of light. He stood like an iron tower at the edge of the platform, specifically tasked with guiding the new students.

[Identification: Lantern Man. Identity: Current Hogwarts Gamekeeper (not Rubeus Hagrid). Function: Guide first-years across the Black Lake.]

As they drew closer, they felt the man's immense size even more. He wore a thick moleskin coat, carrying the scent of earth and night dew, looking rugged and dependable.

"Follow me, all of you! Watch your step, the path's a bit slippery!" The Lantern Man's voice rumbled like thunder as he swung his lantern, leading the group of first-years off the platform and down a steep, narrow path.

All around was pitch black, save for the swaying circle of lantern light and the scattered lights of Hogsmeade Village in the distance. The path twisted and turned, flanked by dense woods, with rustling sounds of unknown creatures coming from the darkness. The first-years nervously huddled together, whispering among themselves.

Tom pressed his lips together, walking silently beside Ares. His sharp gaze swept through the darkness, as if assessing potential dangers or memorizing the route. Ares, meanwhile, could feel the surrounding magic growing purer and stronger, the air thick with the scent of lake water and the essence of ancient sorcery.

"Duck!" the Lantern Man suddenly shouted.

Everyone obeyed, lowering their heads to pass through a curtain of hanging vines. Then, the view opened up!

They had arrived at the shore of a vast, black lake. On the high slope across the water stood a majestic castle, its towers bristling, countless twinkling lights shining from its windows. Against the dark lake and the night sky, it looked like a mythical creation studded with stars. Its reflection shimmered on the mirror-like black water, rippling gently, adding to its mystery and grandeur.

"No more than four per boat!" the Lantern Man called out, pointing to a row of small boats that looked like black shells.

The first-years let out stifled gasps of wonder and surged toward the boats. Tom and Ares boarded the same boat, along with two other unfamiliar first-year boys.

The boats needed no oars. At the Lantern Man's deep command of "Set off," they glided automatically and smoothly across the ink-black water, silently heading toward the radiant castle.

The lake was still, broken only by the soft sound of the boat's prow cutting through the water. Everyone looked up, mesmerized, at the castle drawing ever closer. Hogwarts. It was more than just a school; it was a living legend, a dreamland of infinite possibilities.

Tom gazed silently, saying nothing. His handsome face flickered in the interplay of light and shadow cast by the castle, his deep black eyes reflecting the brilliant lights. That light burned in his eyes, no longer mere longing, but transformed into a deeper, more resolute possessiveness. The hand resting on his knee tightened slightly. This place. This will be my stage to display my talent and seize power.

Ares sat across from Tom, watching his profile, which looked like a statue of a god in the starlight and lamplight, then looked down at the mirror-like black lake. In the water, the castle's reflection intertwined with the real stars, and their own vague reflections shimmered on the surface, as if foreshadowing something.

He felt the Blood Pact Mark beneath his left eye grow slightly warm, and the "Eternal Cycle" wand in his inner robe pocket hummed with a steady resonance. Light and darkness, here above the Black Lake, between the castle's splendor and the lake's depth, had reached a strange equilibrium.

The flotilla of boats slowly sailed toward a hidden entrance in the castle's shadow, which looked like a concealed dock. The Lantern Man was already waiting there, his massive figure standing like a guardian spirit in the shadow of the rock face.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, children." The Lantern Man's booming voice echoed off the rock walls, carrying a ceremonial solemnity.

The boats gently bumped against the shore. The first-years disembarked one by one, gathering on the pebbled lakeshore, looking up at the huge, oak castle doors before them. From the road on the slope above their heads came the faint rumble of carriages and the distant chatter of older students—those entering the castle by another route.

The doors slowly swung open. From within spilled warm, bright light, and the figure of a stern-faced witch in emerald green robes—Professor Minerva McGonagall (then Transfiguration assistant, tasked with receiving the first-years).

True Hogwarts life lay just beyond those doors.

Tom took a deep breath, straightened his non-existent collar, and was the first to step forward, mounting the stone steps toward the castle gates. His back was straight, his stride firm, as if he were walking not toward a school, but toward his destined throne.

Ares followed behind him, feeling his heart race with anticipation and a trace of unease.

Stars above, Black Lake below, castle ahead. Their Hogwarts chapter was about to be officially written. And the reflection in the lake seemed to hint that beneath the calm surface lurked unknown undercurrents and great beasts.