Hogwarts

Teaching a Malfoy a lesson was nothing more than a small matter to Vaughn.

But for Hermione, it filled her heart with a strange feeling.

It was unfamiliar, something she had never felt before...

Watching Vaughn walk over, she had prepared so many words of thanks, yet for some reason, when they left her mouth, they turned into a stammering lecture: "Y-you shouldn't have attacked them with magic. What if they report you to the school..."

Before she could finish, Hermione already regretted it a little.

But Vaughn did not seem to mind. He merely smiled. "At least they won't dare come and be an eyesore for the next few hours. I'm going back to the compartment to rest. See you later, Miss Granger!"

Merlin's beard!

Hermione Granger, what on earth was wrong with your brain?

Hermione practically wanted to punch herself in the head. Seeing Vaughn leave, she finally tried to make up for it. "Thank you for just now. Y-you can call me Hermione!"

Vaughn nodded. "All right, Hermione. You can call me Vaughn too."

As he spoke, he raised his wand again. Just like when they had first met days ago, a small trick brushed over the girl's hair.

But this time, it did not float up. Instead, it became smooth and fell softly around her cheeks.

He smiled at her and added, "Don't listen to Malfoy's nonsense. You're actually very pretty~"

"..."

Hermione only felt that, in that instant, the temperature inside her head must have shot up by a hundred degrees. Her face burned hot.

After teasing the young girl, Vaughn's mood, which Draco Malfoy had ruined, became cheerful again. He hummed a tune all the way back to the compartment.

Before he even entered, he heard Ron boasting, "...I found out Vaughn was the one who taught Malfoy a lesson. I'd bet he used some nasty curse on them. Did you see it? Malfoy's teeth grew like a warthog's. Maybe he'll never be able to fix them."

Harry's trembling yet excited whisper followed. "What kind of nasty curse is that powerful?"

"Who knows? Vaughn always knows all sorts of weird things, and he's got a nasty personality too. I wouldn't even be surprised if he used an Unforgivable Curse on Malfoy!"

Vaughn rolled his eyes, pushed open the door, and, under the two boys' astonished gazes, pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ron.

"Ah—"

Ron screamed in fright, startling Harry as well. Before Harry could react, Ron had already shrunk behind him.

The movement was so practiced it was almost heartbreaking. But... why was Harry being used as a shield?

After scaring his younger brother, Vaughn could not be bothered with him anymore. He returned to his seat, pulled out a Potions book, and began reading it with great interest.

Harry covered his mouth and snickered as he looked at Ron, whose face was pale enough to rival Malfoy's.

Ron felt a little embarrassed, but he did not dare say anything. All he could do was glare at Harry sulkily.

But soon enough, the two new friends huddled together again, quietly chatting about things that interested them.

Nothing else happened afterward. The only interruption came when the twins stopped by, and they certainly knew how to please their financier.

After greeting Harry, they said they had borrowed a camera from an older student and were planning to photograph Draco Malfoy's miserable state, then hand out the pictures to every student in the school for free.

All to publicize the glorious achievements of their "dear little brother."

By evening, the Hogwarts Express finally began to slow down. When darkness had fully fallen, it came to a stop, and a voice echoed through the train: "Hogwarts has arrived. New students, please change into your robes as soon as possible and leave your luggage on the train. It will be delivered to your dormitories..."

More than ten minutes earlier, Vaughn had already changed with Harry and Ron.

The two stood nervously behind Vaughn. Harry kept rubbing his hands over his legs, while even Ron's freckles had gone pale. All sorts of rumors about the Sorting had conjured terrifying scenes in their young minds.

When the train finally stopped, Harry and Ron followed behind Vaughn almost by instinct, having completely lost the ability to think.

It was not until everyone jostled their way down onto a dark, tiny platform that the cold wind brought them somewhat back to their senses.

Hogwarts's Keeper of Keys, Hagrid, held a lantern high and waved it above the new students' heads. "First-years! Any more first-years? Over here, all of you... Oh, Harry, are you all right?"

Not even Hagrid's smile could make Harry feel warm. He saw Ron clutching Vaughn's robes tightly, so he grabbed on too.

Vaughn looked back at the two of them and said quietly, "Don't hold on so tight!"

The two desperately shook their heads.

The older students soon left. After calling out a few more times and confirming that all the new students had arrived, Hagrid raised his lantern and began leading the way.

It was a steep, narrow path, pitch-black all around. Nothing could be seen, and no one dared speak.

All they could see was a lantern swaying ahead of them. They stumbled after it, trying not to fall behind, until Vaughn raised his wand high.

"Lumos!"

A soft glow instantly drove away the darkness. The fluffy-headed young wizards around them, like chicks that had found their mother hen, crowded and squirmed around Vaughn.

They walked on in silence for a while longer. Then, as they rounded a corner, their cramped view suddenly opened up.

At the end of the path lay a stretch of black water as vast as the sea, extending all the way to the foot of distant mountains. Upon one of those mountains stood a majestic castle, its stone walls rising and falling, its towers soaring high, and its windows glowing with warm light in the darkness.

Looking at the sight before him, Vaughn had to admit that it was a little breathtaking.

Hagrid led everyone to the lakeshore and pointed at a row of small boats moored there. "Four to a boat. Don't crowd in, and don't exceed four!"

Vaughn took Harry and Ron aboard a boat, while the little chicks around them also wanted to squeeze in.

Unfortunately, Vaughn shouted, "Hermione? Hermione! Over here!"

Thank goodness it was night—no one saw that Hermione's cheeks had nearly turned scarlet. She tried her best to act as though nothing had happened and jogged all the way onto the boat.

Ron had been glaring at her throughout, while Harry was quite pleased; everyone on this boat was someone he knew.

Once all the young wizards had boarded, Hagrid gave a loud shout, and the little boats lined up in a row before automatically gliding across the calm lake.

As they moved forward, the mountain and the towering castle beneath the night sky drew ever closer. By the time they reached the cliff beneath the castle, everything overhead seemed to hang in the sky. The sheer visual impact made everyone hold their breath. No one spoke.

Hagrid led them off the boats, then along a cobblestone path and up a flight of stone steps until they arrived before a large door. He raised his enormous fist and knocked on it several times.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a figure Vaughn knew well.

"First-year students, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here!"

Professor McGonagall still wore that stern expression. Under her severe gaze, every new student unconsciously stopped fidgeting and obediently followed behind her.

Only Vaughn kept looking around, observing his surroundings. They first passed through an archway: plain stone walls lined with numerous torches, and reliefs and stone statues like shrines rose along the walls toward a dome so high its peak could not be seen.

It looked mysterious and solemn.

But once they passed through, an expansive and luxurious hall opened before them, brilliantly lit. Marble staircases spiraled upward, leading into the dark depths of the castle's upper floors.