Arrival

Harry, in the boat ahead, also noticed something was wrong and whispered to Hagrid beside him, "That blond first-year doesn't seem to be in mortal danger. It feels like something is toying with him."

After Harry's reminder, Hagrid also felt that something was off. Everyone else had climbed back into their boats, so why was he the only one still bobbing up and down in the water?

Hagrid looked around, observing for quite a while without spotting anyone casting a spell. All he could do was say in puzzlement, "There aren't any signs of Magic Power fluctuations anywhere. That kid probably provoked some magical creature in the Black Lake."

After tormenting Malfoy for a while, Chu Yang had vented enough of his anger. He released the power of Wood Release and let Malfoy escape.

Malfoy immediately felt the force gripping his legs vanish and swam toward the boat with every ounce of strength he had.

When the branches and vines wrapped around the boat receded, Goyle and Crabbe cautiously pulled the utterly exhausted Malfoy back aboard.

"Bleurgh!"

The moment Malfoy lay down, he began vomiting water violently. Who knew what was in that lake? He had swallowed quite a lot just now, making for a thoroughly miserable sight.

"I think his first stop after school starts will be the infirmary. I hope the staff there can help him." Hermione's expression held three parts sympathy, while the rest was disgust.

Chu Yang nodded, smiling happily.

Hogwarts stood atop a cliff, surrounded by water on three sides. The cavern directly below was the entrance to the school's waterway, and its pitch-black opening looked like the snarling maw of a monster.

The young wizards gazed up at the towering school atop the cliff from close range, unable to stop themselves from exclaiming in amazement.

Only now did they gain a real understanding of the school they were about to attend, rather than merely knowing it through legends written on paper.

The young wizards truly felt that Hogwarts was the grandest and most magnificent school in the history of magic—without equal!

The boats sailed into the cavern. After a brief spell of darkness, the surroundings gradually brightened, and only then did Chu Yang see that deep within the cavern beneath the castle, there was another dock.

At Hagrid's reminder, the first-years disembarked in an orderly manner, then gathered together in groups.

Malfoy had vomited until he was like a limp pile of mud and could not stand at all. Goyle and Crabbe held him up, and he looked utterly dazed.

"He probably won't be able to take part in tonight's Sorting Ceremony..."

Hagrid muttered, then walked ahead to lead the students up a winding flight of Stone Steps.

At the end of the Stone Steps lay a flat garden, and beyond it stood Hogwarts's main entrance.

The doors were open at that moment, as though they had just welcomed a group inside.

"Your older schoolmates should have already arrived. Go up the stairs and you'll see Professor McGonagall. Remember, be respectful," Hagrid reminded the first-years. Then he walked straight over to Malfoy, scooped him up, and slung him over his shoulder.

Malfoy had almost finished vomiting and had only just started to feel better when he caught Hagrid's strong body odor and the stench of animals. He immediately began vomiting again.

Chu Yang faintly caught sight of green bile and began to reflect on whether he had gone a little too far.

"You poor child. I need to get you to the infirmary right away." Hagrid shook his head sympathetically and strode away.

The remaining young wizards looked at one another, then followed Hagrid's instructions and went up the steps. Before long, they saw a tall, elderly witch with a stern expression.

"Hello, first-years. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, who will teach you Transfiguration Class in the future. I am also the Head of Gryffindor House and the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Professor McGonagall wore a dark green robe that made her impassive expression appear even sterner. Standing before her, the first-years scarcely dared to breathe.

"Your older schoolmates, the professors of each subject, and Headmaster Dumbledore are waiting for you inside. But before the start-of-term feast begins, you must first undergo the Sorting Ceremony."

"You will be assigned to different Houses, where you will spend the next seven years of your studies."

"The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own glorious history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards."

"During your time at school, you will attend classes with the other students in your House, live together in your House dormitories, and spend your free time together in your House Common Room."

"Excellent conduct will earn points for your House, while any violation of the rules will cost your House points. At the end of the year, the House with the highest score will receive the House Cup. It is a great honor, and I hope that no matter which House you are assigned to, you will bring glory to it."

As Chu Yang listened to this familiar orientation speech, a teasing smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Chu Yang believed that no matter how many points Harry deducted from Gryffindor in the early days, Dumbledore would ultimately give them back using all kinds of reasons.

Dumbledore certainly intended to cultivate Harry Potter into a savior, but regardless of his motives, such behavior itself was unfair to the other Houses.

Fortunately, Chu Yang had no interest whatsoever in the so-called House Cup. Whoever won it was none of his concern, as long as it did not interfere with his research into magic.

After the orientation was over, Professor McGonagall had intended to lead the students into the Great Hall, but then the corner of her eye caught the water stains on Goyle and Crabbe.

Professor McGonagall frowned and walked over to them. Goyle and Crabbe were so frightened that they did not know what to do with themselves, as if they would hear Professor McGonagall reprimand them at any moment.

Yet the seemingly stern Professor McGonagall asked gently, "What happened to you two? Don't tell me you fell into the lake on the way here?"

Professor McGonagall had meant it as a joke, but she saw Goyle and Crabbe carefully nod.

"You actually fell in?" Professor McGonagall's face was full of disbelief. She had cast spells on every boat. Besides making them automatically travel to the dock in the cavern, the spells also protected the students from accidentally falling into the lake.

"We encountered a monster!" Goyle first glanced fearfully at Chu Yang, then explained, "There was a monster in the lake attacking our boat. It kept throwing us into the lake before it finally stopped."

"A monster?" Professor McGonagall said in surprise. "That's impossible. The route you took is not within the range of activity of the magical creatures in the Black Lake."

"It's true, Professor. Goyle and I were all right, but Malfoy couldn't get back into the boat no matter what. That monster trapped him in the water, and he swallowed so much lake water that he was just taken to the medical wing." Crabbe shouted from the side, afraid that Professor McGonagall would not believe them.