The Train's Final Stop

"Magic like that? How do they do it?" Wizet was very curious about this. "It can't just be simple magic, right? How do they know where we live?"

"That's a bit complicated... Maybe some kind of magical creature?" Cho Chang tilted her head and thought. "According to our guess, House-elves probably help move our luggage."

Wizet heard a new term. "House-elves?"

"Mm-hmm..." Cho Chang stretched. "Their height and appearance are very similar to goblins, but House-elves look much friendlier."

"They usually live in old magical manors, taking care of the housework every day and unconditionally satisfying every demand of their wizard masters."

"A qualified House-elf is very hard for wizards to notice, so I've never seen what they actually look like either."

The train gradually slowed down, and another commotion broke out in the carriage, accompanied by "aw-aw" screams.

Many students had changed into their robes, and when they heard the noise, they all hurried toward the end of the carriage.

"It sounds like Harry Potter is fighting someone..."

"Harry Potter? The boy who lived? He's finally enrolled!"

"Quick, let's go see! The one fighting seems to be someone from the Malfoy family. He's actually fighting the savior!"

Wizet stepped into the corridor and saw that the far end was packed with students, all squeezing toward the back. "This is crazy. It's like chasing a celebrity..."

Night fell, and the Hogwarts Express finally came to a stop at a small, uneven platform.

There were no lamps around the platform, nor any torches. A cold wind whistled, and many of the students getting off the train started sneezing.

"We'll say goodbye for now." Cho Chang waved at Wizet. "You first years need to follow tradition and enter Hogwarts from another place."

Wizet asked, "Follow tradition? Is it the Sorting Ceremony?"

"Nope!" Cho Chang breathed into her palms and rubbed them hard. "It's retracing the path the four founders took when they discovered the castle. Anyway, that road is pretty rugged."

"First years! First years over here!" A thunderous voice rang out. "Watch your step! Be very careful! Hurry over to me!"

Wizet turned his head and saw a huge lantern appear in the distance, and the person holding the lantern was Hagrid.

"Hey! Wizet! Finally found you!" Hagrid spotted him too and waved a large hand in greeting. "Come here quickly! Come over to me!"

Relying on his height of more than three meters, Hagrid reached over several people and lifted Wizet to his side.

He said cheerfully, "It's wonderful to see you. Have you been harassed again lately? The Daily Prophet has behaved itself a lot more, so I reckon not, right?"

"After all, Harry's enrolled now, and all the reports are focused on him. He's famous in the wizarding world! I'll introduce you to him... Harry, where are you?"

Hagrid's height really was too much of an advantage. Like the claw of a claw machine, he very easily caught hold of Harry.

Harry had a pair of emerald-green eyes, and his messy black hair looked tousled. He seemed rather thin.

He was lifted over, and another familiar face squeezed out of the crowd and came up in front of Wizet.

Ron waved and said, "We've met before! That time with the Floo Network. Do you remember me?"

Wizet nodded. "Of course I remember. It's very nice to meet you."

Ron said to Harry, "This is Wizet. I told you about him on the train!"

Harry showed a look of sudden realization. "So it was you. When Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley, he often talked about you and said you helped him a lot."

Wizet explained, "It was no trouble. I had no choice at the time either."

Hagrid cut in, "That wasn't no trouble. You didn't just help me; you actually helped Headmaster Dumbledore too!"

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" Wizet looked puzzled.

"Oh... nothing!" Hagrid realized something and clumsily changed the subject. "We should set off! There's still a long way to go!"

The road to Hogwarts was not easy to walk. The ground was full of bumps and pits, and without the lantern's light, it would have been very easy to step into a hole and trip.

Accidents like that happened often, and Hagrid had to stop frequently to pick up children who had fallen.

Intimidated by Hagrid's astonishing size, those children did not cry or fuss, though tears could be seen at the corners of their eyes.

Ron sighed with feeling. "Good thing I squeezed up to the front. There are still plenty of trials today!"

"What other trials?" Harry quickly asked.

Ron said with great seriousness, "Anyway, Fred and the others said the Sorting Ceremony is terrifying. We might have to wrestle a giant!"

"A giant?" Harry looked up at Hagrid. "Even taller than him?"

Ron shook his head. "I don't know. Anyway, taller than Hagrid!"

Hermione's voice sounded rather abrupt. "Real giants are at least twenty feet tall. Those short ones actually get discriminated against."

"Oh..." Ron groaned and suddenly stopped talking.

Harry's reaction was much the same as his, and the two of them shut their mouths together.

Just as Hermione was about to say something more, Hagrid let out another deafening shout.

"Hang in there a little longer. Once we turn this corner, you'll be able to see Hogwarts!"

Before long, a black lake appeared before Wizet's eyes.

On the far side of the vast lake stood a high hillside, and upon it rose a magnificent castle bristling with towers.

This was a castle with a strongly Gothic style, warm light shining from window after window, like glittering stars beneath the night sky.

Wizet let out a long breath. Though in his previous life he had seen plenty of majestic buildings through television, only by standing there in person could he truly feel that grandeur.

Especially under the Magic Eye, the towering castle glowed from top to bottom, its silver-blue magic dazzling like the sun, making him afraid to look straight at it.

This castle contained a vast power of ancient magic. That power was like treasure sealed away in a chest, drawing him to explore it.

A great deal of information surged into Wizet's mind, and his head instantly began to ache and spin.

He hurriedly circulated the Guardian Meditation Method, and only then did the dizzy, swollen feeling in his head ease and fade away.

Just then, the Wizard's Practical Guide in his mind suddenly flipped open, and a map appeared on the Notebook. It was the map of the area where Hogwarts was located.

This map was shrouded in mist; the castle and lake could only just barely be made out.

Only one route was clearly visible: the rugged little path from the station to the lake.

Clearly, if he wanted to disperse the mist on the map, he would have to explore the surroundings of Hogwarts.

"Looks like life won't be boring in the future!" Wizet smiled.

Hagrid pointed at the little boats. "Get into the boats in order! We're going to cross to the other side of the lake by boat. Each boat holds four people at most."

Wizet got into a boat. With him were Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

At Hagrid's command, the little boats began moving on their own, heading toward the opposite shore at a decent speed.

"Trevor! Don't run!" Along with Neville's scream, the pet toad once again broke free from its owner's arms and leaped into the water.

Ron looked at Trevor the toad as it fell into the water and murmured softly, "At least Scabbers isn't that rebellious. He won't think about running away..."

Wizet drew his wand. "Trevor the toad, come here!"

With the help of the Guardian Meditation Method, his casting speed was even faster this time.

Trevor the toad had only just touched the lake water when he was pulled by magic and suddenly flew backward out of the lake, bringing up a spray of water.

Amid the children's cries of astonishment, Trevor the toad traced half an arc through the air, then fell back into Neville's arms.

Harry and Ron's eyes widened. "What kind of magic was that?"