The tender green shoot grew rapidly, reaching over a meter tall in the blink of an eye.
Only then did some of the young witches and wizards notice the pale green plant swaying in the wind.
"What's that?"
"Wow-look, everyone! It's growing so fast!"
Karkaroff, who had just led his students toward the steps, turned back and stroked his goatee, his thoughts unreadable.
"Ahem..." Krum coughed twice under his breath.
Only then did Karkaroff put an arm around his shoulders.
"Come along, Viktor. Let's go inside and warm up. Hopefully, the Hogwarts Hospital Wing really is as good as its reputation."
His words drifted on the wind. Zhang Xiao's ears twitched twice, and he curled his lip.
As if I wouldn't know how good the Hospital Wing is. That's my territory!
In that brief span of time, the plant had kept growing larger and larger. Before the young witches and wizards' astonished eyes, an enormous banyan tree had appeared.
It was already November, yet the banyan ignored the bitter cold, continuing to stretch out its branches at speed.
A vast expanse of emerald green spread outward, blocking the moonlight like an enormous umbrella opening overhead.
Suddenly, accompanied by the fresh scent of vegetation and a breath of damp air, plants beneath the banyan began to grow wildly. Ferns and shrubs crowded together, while unknown wild fruits of every color trembled gently.
The vegetation continued spreading, soon reaching the first-years' feet. They looked down to find flowering vines growing even over the hard flagstones.
"Which school is this?" one young wizard murmured in wonder.
"No idea. Professor Dumbledore hasn't introduced them!"
"Where are the students? Why can't I see them?"
Aerial roots lowered gently to the ground. Once they touched down, the banyan's dense foliage began to shake, and figures in