Welcome to Hogwarts

Whooo—

The little red train, billowing clouds of steam, slowly pulled into Hogsmeade.

This was a village inhabited entirely by wizards, and as always, Hogsmeade welcomed the new students about to enter Hogwarts this year.

The moment the train stopped beside the platform, the Little Wizards climbed down from the train onto a dark, narrow platform.

Interestingly, the instant Gemini stepped off the train, an empty zone immediately opened up around him, as if he were some dangerous person. Only Hermione followed at his side without a care.

"First-years! First-years, over here! Harry, come over here! How are you?"

"Hagrid!"

A bearded giant of nearly three meters shouted loudly. He wore a greatcoat made from some unknown animal hide, his face buried beneath a thick beard. His eyes were bright and black, and he held a lantern in one hand as he stood before the crowd.

Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' Keeper of Keys and Grounds.

Gemini noticed the boy named Harry as well. He looked rather thin and a little frail, with several stubborn tufts sticking up from his fluffy hair. Round glasses sat on his fair little face.

Following the surging crowd, Gemini and Hermione quietly joined the line of first-years without causing the slightest stir.

"Come on, follow me. Any more first-years? Watch your step. All right! First-years, follow me."

Holding up his lantern, Hagrid strode ahead in great strides. Behind him, the group of first-years slipped and stumbled, barely managing to keep up with him.

Gemini had it much easier. His powerful vision left the pitch-black night unable to affect him in the slightest. Every so often, he shot out a strand of webbing and stuck it to a nearby tree trunk, swinging along leisurely as he followed the group. Occasionally, he even reached out to steady Hermione.

"What is that? That line?" Hermione asked, looking at Gemini's wrist.

"Web-Shooters, a technological product." Gemini smiled and pointed at Hagrid's back. "See that fellow's weight? One strand of webbing can bear ten times his weight."

"That's amazing." Hermione blinked. "Didn't they say there's a magical field over Hogwarts that prevents electronic products from working?"

"That's true." Gemini shook his head. "What can't be used are electronic instruments and equipment like computers, telephones, and televisions. Mechanical products can still be used, and Web-Shooters fall under the mechanical category."

Unfortunately, the Web-Shooters worked, but an Iron Man suit would not...

Still, it was fine. Even if it worked, he could not afford one right now.

"Once we turn this corner, you'll have your first sight of Hogwarts."

Hagrid turned around at the front of the procession and called out loudly.

This was followed by a burst of astonished exclamations.

At the end of the narrow path, a black lake suddenly appeared. On the high slope across the lake stood an ancient, majestic castle. Its spires rose one after another, and its lit windows gleamed against the starry sky, creating a magnificent sight.

A row of small boats waited at the shore ahead. Hagrid pointed at them and shouted, "No more than four to a boat!"

Gemini jumped into one of the boats and politely held out a hand, helping the slightly bashful Hermione aboard. Then two more students climbed in. One was Justin, whom they had met on the way to Diagon Alley, while the other was a blond boy who appeared to be Justin's new friend.

"Everyone aboard?" Hagrid called out—he could only take a boat by himself, and it looked as though it might sink a little under his weight.

"All right... forward we go!"

The little fleet glided across the mirror-smooth lake, slowly heading toward the castle.

The new students fell silent. Everyone stared at the towering castle that reached into the clouds. As they approached the cliff where it stood, the castle seemed to loom directly above their heads.

Bowing beneath a jagged rocky cliff, the boats carried the first-years through a curtain of ivy covering the face of the cliff and into a hidden, open entrance. They followed a dark tunnel to what seemed like the castle's underground level, eventually reaching something like an underground dock before climbing onto ground covered in loose stones and pebbles.

"Ribbit~"

A huge toad crouched in front of Gemini. He bent down, picked it up, and found Neville among the crowd.

"Though we've only just met, I'm guessing this must be your Trevor. Wild toads don't grow this big."

"Oh! Thank you, Gemini!" Neville was so delighted that he immediately forgot his previous unpleasantness with Gemini, cheering as he gathered Trevor into his arms.

At the same time, Hagrid climbed out of his boat and called for the students to follow him.

After passing through the long tunnel, they finally arrived at a broad, flat stretch of grass beneath the castle's shadow.

Hagrid led the students up a flight of steps. By then, all the students had gathered before a massive oak door.

"Everyone here?" After counting the students several times, Hagrid raised a fist larger than a casserole dish and knocked three times on the castle doors.

"We're about to be sorted." Hermione gently tugged at Gemini's sleeve. "I advise you to think it over carefully. Do you really want to be sorted into Slytherin? This concerns your life for the next several years."

"Where I'm sorted isn't something I can decide." Gemini smiled and shook his head, his voice gentle and mild. "But I do lean toward Slytherin. Look at how happily those people laughed when they left today."

Hermione: "..."

Devil!

This guy was absolutely a devil!

The instant Hagrid finished knocking, the doors swung open.

A tall witch in emerald-green robes stood before the doors. It was none other than Professor McGonagall, who had taken Gemini to Diagon Alley before.

"First-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said in his booming voice.

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

As she spoke, Professor McGonagall pulled the doors fully open.

Beyond the doors was an absurdly vast entrance hall. Its style was somewhat similar to Gringotts, with blazing torches lining the walls and a ceiling so high that its top was almost impossible to see. Directly ahead stood an extraordinarily luxurious marble staircase leading straight upstairs.

The first-years followed Professor McGonagall along the flagstone path.

Gemini guessed that the Great Hall lay to his right. The reason was simple: from behind those doors came the buzzing chatter of hundreds of people, making the place sound extremely noisy.

Professor McGonagall did not lead the students directly into the Great Hall. Instead, she brought them to a small room at the other end of the hall. With several dozen, perhaps nearly a hundred new students inside, the room felt rather crowded, everyone pressed shoulder to shoulder.

Fortunately, no one stood beside Gemini except Hermione. Judging by the looks of several nearby students, they would rather squeeze together than have anything to do with Gemini.

Professor McGonagall swept her gaze across the new students' faces. When she saw Gemini, he noticed that her expression seemed to stiffen slightly.

"So... welcome to Hogwarts."