In her excitement, Hermione completely forgot why she had come. She didn't even notice Daphne's murderous glare. Plopping down beside Tom, she chattered like a machine gun: "Riddle, I read Modern Wizardry and The Rise and Fall of Dark Magic over the summer, along with most of my extra reading. What about you? Oh, and I've already learned a few simple spells. Which House do you want to join? I'm going to Gryffindor. I hear it's the best!"
Tom kept his eyes closed, feeling as though a hundred sparrows were chirping beside his ear. The noise was giving him a headache.
When she finally paused for breath, he pointed toward the chubby boy by the door, who looked ready to cry. "Granger, your friend's about to cry. Did you forget? And we don't have a toad here, so try another compartment."
Hermione turned around and only then remembered that she was helping the chubby boy look for his toad. She quickly gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Longbottom. I got so excited that I forgot about you."
"N-no, it's all right." Neville Longbottom stammered, waving his hands, his face turning bright red.
Hermione turned back and glared at Tom, putting on a fierce expression. "Just you wait. We'll be classmates from now on, so don't fall too far behind me, or beating you won't even feel like an achievement!" After delivering her threat, she grabbed Neville and hurried off to continue searching for the toad.
As soon as she was gone, Daphne burst out, fuming. "Tom, who was that? She was so rude! She barged in without saying hello, then went on and on at you. What was with that attitude?"
Tom watched her puffed-up expression and couldn't help laughing. He also noticed that Daphne had started calling him "Tom."
"A friend I met at the competition. Hermione Granger. That's just how she is—competitive, but not mean. You'll understand once you get to know her."
"I don't want to get to know her!" Daphne's snobbish side came out too. Pursing her lips, she complained, "No wonder she wants to go to Gryffindor. She really is the stupid lion Mum told me about. So uncivilized!"
Tom's mouth twitched, but he didn't argue. He knew perfectly well that Hermione hadn't been very likable in her first year. From her roommates to Ginny and Luna, she'd clashed with almost everyone.
Only Harry and Ron were easygoing and quick to forgive. They'd make up right after an argument. Otherwise, Hermione wouldn't have had many real friends.
Not wanting Daphne to keep complaining, he changed the subject, and the two of them chatted on and off.
Before long, Hermione came by again. This time Daphne had fallen asleep, so Tom gestured for Hermione to be quiet. Hermione could only pout and tiptoe away.
The sky gradually darkened, and the train began to slow. Tom knew they were nearly there, so he gently woke Daphne.
Still groggy, Daphne blinked at him with a sweet, confused expression. It took her a moment to realize she was on the train, and then she hurriedly asked, "Tom, are we almost there?"
"Yeah. The train's slowing down," Tom said with a nod.
"Oh no, I need to put on my robes!" Daphne jumped up in a hurry. Her hand brushed her mouth, and she felt something damp. Her face instantly turned scarlet—she'd been drooling! Had Tom seen? How embarrassing. Would he think she looked awful when she slept?
Tom hadn't noticed a thing. He just thought the talkative girl had suddenly become fidgety and quiet, and smiled to himself. Girls really were strange.
The train finally reached its destination with a long blast of the whistle.
Tom and Daphne followed the crowd off the train. As soon as they stepped down, they saw a huge Giant waving his thick arms and shouting, his voice loud enough to make their ears ring. "First-years, over here! Line up! You're going to Hogwarts by boat. No wandering off!" It was obvious that this was Hagrid.
Tom and Daphne found a boat and climbed in, squeezing in beside two unfamiliar first-years. He quietly counted the students. There were only eighty or ninety in this year's intake, fewer than a hundred.
He silently did the math. This was the dark era of Voldemort, with wizards living in fear every day. Who would be thinking about having children? Once things settled down, there would surely be more and more new students. Hogwarts's capacity of a thousand would probably be reached within a few years.
The little boats drifted along the water. As they passed a sheer cliff, Hagrid shouted again, "Duck your heads! Don't hit them!"
Tom glanced at Hagrid, who was nearly tall enough to reach the cliff, and thought, Only a big oaf like you needs to duck. We little ones would have to try pretty hard to hit our heads.
Later, one of the Pure-blood first-years sitting beside him told him that the Four Founders had traveled this route when they built the school. It was a tradition passed down to every new class, and only after making the journey had they truly set foot inside Hogwarts.
After about fifteen minutes, the boats finally reached the dock. The first-years followed Hagrid up a long flight of stone steps and stopped before a huge oak door.
Hagrid raised his fist and knocked three times. The doors swung open, revealing a stern-looking witch in emerald-green robes. It was Professor McGonagall.
The first-years, who had been chattering moments earlier, fell silent at once. They stood stiffly, hardly daring to breathe, like mice facing a cat.
Professor McGonagall looked over them before speaking. "I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor House. Next comes the Sorting Ceremony. You will be placed in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. For the next seven years, you will attend classes and live alongside your fellow House members."
She paused, her gaze suddenly sharp. "Everything you do and say will affect your House's points. Breaking school rules will cost your House points. Let me make one thing clear: even though I am Head of Gryffindor, I will not protect anyone I catch breaking the rules. I will punish them twice as severely!"
At that, several first-years who had been clamoring to join Gryffindor immediately lost their nerve and quietly reconsidered. Children from wizarding families had already heard about the mystery of the Sorting from their families, while the Muggle-born children were completely bewildered. Fear of the unknown made many of them frown. A few girls even had tears in their eyes, afraid that none of the Houses would want them.
Tom noticed Daphne muttering under her breath. He leaned closer and listened for a while before making out what she was saying: "Not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor. Slytherin, Slytherin..."
He couldn't help smiling to himself. The girl really had her mother's words etched into her bones.
Seeing the children's worried faces, Professor McGonagall's stern mouth softened into a slight smile, and a hint of warmth appeared in her eyes. "There's no need to be nervous. From the moment you received your acceptance letters, you became students of Hogwarts. The Sorting simply helps you find the House that suits you best. Think of this place as your home. How could a home ever turn you away?"
Before you continue