“Goodness, you’ll never guess who I just met!” Hermione and Neville didn’t return until just before the train was about to stop.
Judging by the look on Neville’s face, he clearly hadn’t found his pet.
Hermione looked at Ethan, unable to hide her excitement.
“I met Harry Potter!
The Savior who defeated You-Know-Who!
He’s sitting in the compartment next door!
With a boy named Weasley!” “Really?
That’s great.” Hermione, unsatisfied with Ethan’s reaction, asked in bewilderment, “You don’t know Harry Potter?
He’s practically the biggest news in years!
If it weren’t for him, who knows what a mess the world would be in right now!” Ethan gave a helpless nod.
“I know now.
He’s very impressive.” Of course he knew Harry Potter.
But logically speaking, he shouldn’t know too much since he wasn’t from a wizarding family and hadn’t bought any extracurricular books.
A distracted, timid Neville spoke up.
“Granger, White isn’t from a wizarding family.” Hermione tossed her head.
“I’m not from a wizarding family either, but absolutely everyone knows about it—at least in the wizarding world.
Harry Potter’s name is in books like *Modern Magical History*, *The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts*, and *Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century*!” Ethan didn’t reply.
He turned his head to look out the window, where a deep purple twilight still lingered on the horizon, stretching over endless hills and forests.
The train was gradually slowing down.
“We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes’ time.
Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be brought to the school separately.” The announcement echoed continuously down the corridors.
Ethan stood up, checking his trunk one last time—especially his name tag.
Once satisfied, he stepped out into the corridor, with Hermione and Neville following close behind.
When the train finally ground to a halt, the young wizards flooded toward the doors, stepping down onto a dark, cramped platform.
The night air was biting, making everyone shiver.
“First-years!
First-years over here!” A booming, coarse voice drowned out the surrounding noise, and the crowd instinctively surged toward it.
“Come on, follow me!
Over to the boats!
Simple as that, keep up!” The person welcoming the first-years was none other than Hagrid.
His towering figure was impossible to miss.
Holding a lantern high, he directed the crowd while taking a moment to greet a thin, bespectacled boy.
Hermione gave Ethan’s back a gentle nudge, whispering, “Look, that’s Harry Potter.” Ethan stared for a moment and nodded.
Everyone followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path that opened up at the edge of a great, dark lake.
Perched atop a high cliff on the other side of the lake was a majestic castle, its many turrets and towers reaching toward the sky, windows sparkling under the starry canopy.
Ethan was momentarily lost in thought.
Hogwarts was right here, so breathtakingly real.
“No more’n four to a boat!” Hagrid called out, pointing to a fleet of little boats moored at the shore.
Harry and a red-haired boy boarded the nearest boat, with Hermione and Neville following close behind.
As Hermione stepped in, she didn’t forget to look back at him.
Having no intention of joining the scramble, Ethan picked a boat at random, stepped aboard quietly, and sat down, raising his eyes to gaze at the castle.
“It’s quite spectacular, isn’t it?” a slightly ethereal voice drifted into his ear.
Ethan turned his head slightly and met a pair of pale eyes.
The speaker had a delicate, beautiful face, adorned with a pair of small, radish-shaped earrings.
He nodded.
“It really is.” Luna stared at him dreamily, tilting her head.
“We’ve met before.
At the station, twice.” “What a coincidence, then.
I’m Ethan White.” Ethan proactively held out his hand.
“Luna Lovegood.” Little Luna reached out as well, giving his hand a light shake, and added, “My father is Xenophilius Lovegood.
You’ve seen him.
He’s the editor of *The Quibbler*.” “Nice to meet you.” Ethan suddenly noticed someone staring at them.
He instinctively looked back and saw Neville, on another boat, staring at him blankly.
The little boats glided across the glassy surface of the lake, heading toward an opening hidden by ivy-draped cliffs.
He followed the crowd through a dark tunnel, climbed a flight of stone steps, and eventually arrived in front of a massive oak front door.
A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood waiting before the door.
She wore a stern expression, her gaze carrying an imposing weight.
Under her watchful eyes, the noisy chatter of the young wizards quickly died down.
From within the crowd, Ethan noticed Professor McGonagall glance in his direction.
He bowed slightly to express his gratitude for her sending him the ticket.
Professor McGonagall withdrew her gaze and said solemnly: “Welcome to Hogwarts.
The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your houses.
The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be something like your family.
Your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points…” Ethan listened intently.
“Now, form a single line, everyone.” Everyone did as they were told, following Professor McGonagall as they filed into the Great Hall.
Ethan’s eyes lit up.
At a glance, he saw thousands of candles floating midair, their flickering points of light illuminating the Great Hall in a warm, bright glow.
Hogwarts…
He couldn’t help but lose himself in the sight.
“Hannah Abbott!” “Susan Bones!” “Terry Boot!” “Justin Finch-Fletchley!” Professor McGonagall kept calling out names, and rounds of applause continuously rang out.
“Ethan White!” Hearing his name called, Ethan instinctively looked forward.
While the other young wizards looked around, Professor McGonagall stared at him from a distance.
*My turn…* Ethan squeezed through the crowd, walking toward the dirty, patched old hat.
It was said to have existed since the school’s founding nearly a thousand years ago, and he wondered if it had ever been washed.
All eyes locked onto him.
Ethan sat on the stool.
A moment after the hat dropped over his eyes, a small, unfamiliar voice echoed in his mind: “I can feel the immense courage buried deep in your heart.
You once subdued a hound much larger than yourself to protect a little girl from being mauled, didn’t you?” “Your clever little head also tells me that you are incredibly hardworking, treating tedious study as the sole purpose of your life.” “Fierce courage, unwavering resolve…
you are practically a natural Gryffindor.” “Of course, Ravenclaw would suit you well, too.” “I might have to think on this…
Yes, another difficult choice.” Ethan whispered, “How about Hufflepuff?
Doesn’t Hufflepuff suit me?” “Hufflepuff?
No, Hufflepuff favors loyal and honest young wizards…” “What do you mean?
Are you saying I’m not honest?” “Your heart tells me that while you are upright most of the time, you occasionally tell little lies to avoid things you don’t want to do…” Ethan frowned.
“Those are trivial matters, and I don’t consider them lies.
It’s just a flexible workaround that doesn’t hurt anyone.
So I am very honest…” The Sorting Hat immediately let out a raspy, chuckling laugh.
Time ticked by, and the Great Hall fell into a hushed silence as everyone stared in astonishment at Ethan under the Sorting Hat.
*Is this taking a bit too long?* After what felt like an eternity, the Sorting Hat finally made its decision, shouting aloud: “GRYFFINDOR!” At that moment, the applause from the Gryffindor table erupted with exceptional warmth.