Teaching Malfoy a lesson was nothing more than a minor incident to Vaughn.
But for Hermione, it left her with a strange feeling.
It was unfamiliar, something she had never experienced before…
Watching Vaughn walk over, she had prepared countless words of thanks.
Yet for some reason, when she opened her mouth, what came out instead was a stumbling lecture.
“Y-you shouldn’t have used spells to attack them.
What if they report you to the school…” Before she could finish, Hermione was already regretting it.
Fortunately, Vaughn didn’t seem to mind.
He simply smiled.
“At least they won’t dare come bother us for the next few hours.
I’m heading back to my compartment to rest.
See you later, Miss Granger.” Merlin’s beard!
Hermione Granger, what exactly is wrong with your brain?
She wanted nothing more than to punch herself several times in the head.
Seeing Vaughn about to leave, she finally managed to salvage the situation.
“Thank you for helping me just now.
Y-you can call me Hermione!” Vaughn nodded.
“Alright, Hermione.
You can call me Vaughn too.” As he spoke, he raised his wand slightly.
Just like the first time they had met many days ago, a small magical trick brushed past the girl’s hair.
This time, however, it didn’t float into the air.
Instead, her bushy hair became smooth and tidy, falling neatly along her cheeks.
He smiled at her.
“And don’t listen to Malfoy’s nonsense.
You’re actually very pretty.” “…” At that moment, Hermione was certain the temperature inside her head had risen by a hundred degrees.
Her face burned hot.
After teasing the young girl a little, Vaughn’s mood, which had been spoiled by Draco Malfoy’s interruption, became cheerful once again.
Humming a tune, he made his way back toward his compartment.
Before he even entered, he heard Ron boasting.
“…I found out.
It was Vaughn who taught Malfoy a lesson.
I’d bet anything he hit them with a curse.
Did you see Malfoy’s teeth?
They looked like a wild boar’s tusks.
Maybe they’ll never go back to normal.” Harry’s excited whisper followed.
“What kind of curse was that?
It was incredible!” “Who knows?
Vaughn always knows weird stuff.
Besides, his personality is terrible.
Even if you told me he used an Unforgivable Curse on Malfoy, I wouldn’t be surprised!” Vaughn rolled his eyes.
Pushing open the compartment door, he pulled out his wand and casually pointed it at Ron.
“AAAH!” Ron screamed in terror.
The sudden shout startled Harry as well.
Before Harry could even react, Ron had already hidden behind him.
The movement was so practiced it was almost heartbreaking.
The only question was— Why was Harry being used as a shield?
Having successfully scared his little brother, Vaughn couldn’t be bothered with him anymore.
Returning to his seat, he pulled out a Potions book and began reading with great interest.
Harry looked at Ron, whose face had gone pale enough to rival Malfoy’s, and covered his mouth to hide a laugh.
Ron felt utterly embarrassed, but he didn’t dare say anything.
All he could do was glare angrily at Harry.
Before long, however, the two new friends were huddled together again, enthusiastically discussing topics they both enjoyed.
Nothing else particularly noteworthy happened during the remainder of the journey.
The only interruption came when the twins stopped by.
Fred and George clearly understood how to please a benefactor.
After greeting Harry, they proudly announced that they had borrowed a camera from an upper-year student and planned to photograph Draco Malfoy’s miserable appearance.
Then they would distribute the pictures throughout the entire school free of charge.
Obviously, this was all to publicize “their beloved younger brother’s glorious achievements.” By evening, the Hogwarts Express finally began slowing down.
By the time darkness had completely fallen, the train came to a stop.
A voice echoed through the carriages.
“Hogwarts has been reached.
First-years, please change into your robes if you haven’t already.
Leave your luggage on the train.
It will be delivered to your dormitories…” More than ten minutes earlier, Vaughn had already helped Harry and Ron change into their robes.
The two boys now stood nervously behind him.
Harry continuously rubbed his legs.
The freckles on Ron’s face looked as though they had turned white.
The countless rumors surrounding the Sorting Ceremony had created all kinds of horrifying scenarios inside their young minds.
When the train finally stopped, Harry and Ron followed behind Vaughn almost entirely on instinct.
Their ability to think had completely shut down.
Only after being swept along by the crowd and finally stepping onto a tiny, dark station platform did the cold wind help them regain some awareness.
The Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, Hagrid, was waving a lantern above the heads of the first-years.
“First-years!
Any more first-years?
Over here, all of you…
Oh, Harry!
Y’alright?” Even Hagrid’s warm smile failed to comfort Harry.
He noticed Ron clutching desperately at the back of Vaughn’s robe.
Without hesitation, Harry grabbed hold as well.
Vaughn glanced back at them.
“Don’t hold on so tightly.” The two boys shook their heads furiously.
Soon, all the older students had departed.
After calling out several more times and confirming every first-year was present, Hagrid raised his lantern and led the way.
The path ahead was narrow, steep, and completely dark.
No one could see anything.
No one dared speak.
All they could do was follow the swaying lantern ahead, stumbling onward and trying not to get separated.
Then Vaughn raised his wand high.
“Lumos!” Soft light immediately blossomed from the tip, driving away the darkness.
The fluffy-haired little wizards around him resembled baby chicks discovering their mother hen, instinctively gathering around him.
The procession continued in silence.
After another stretch of walking, they rounded a corner.
Suddenly, the narrow view before them opened up.
At the end of the path lay a vast black lake, so expansive it resembled an ocean.
It stretched all the way to the foot of a distant mountain.
And atop that mountain stood a magnificent castle.
Its stone walls rose and fell across the landscape.
Countless towers pierced the night sky, while warm golden light shone from hundreds of windows.
Even Vaughn had to admit it.
The sight was breathtaking.
Hagrid led everyone down to the lakeshore and pointed at a row of small boats.
“Four to a boat!
No crowdin’!
No more than four!” Vaughn boarded one with Harry and Ron.
The surrounding “little chicks” immediately tried squeezing in as well.
Unfortunately, Vaughn suddenly called out, “Hermione!
Hermione!
Over here!” Thankfully, it was dark enough that nobody noticed Hermione’s face turning completely red.
Doing her best to appear calm, she hurried over and climbed into the boat.
Throughout the entire process, Ron stared at her suspiciously.
Harry, however, was delighted.
Everyone in the boat was someone he knew.
Once all the first-years had boarded, Hagrid shouted loudly, and the boats automatically formed a line before gliding across the calm lake.
As they advanced, the mountain and the towering castle beneath the night sky grew larger and larger.
Eventually they reached the cliffs beneath Hogwarts.
Everything above them seemed suspended in the heavens.
The overwhelming scale of the sight left every student holding their breath.
No one spoke.
Hagrid guided them off the boats.
They walked along a cobblestone path, climbed a flight of stone steps, and finally arrived before enormous doors.
His gigantic fist pounded against them several times.
A moment later, the doors opened.
A familiar figure appeared before Vaughn.
“The first-years, Professor McGonagall.” “Thank you, Hagrid.
I’ll take them from here.” Professor McGonagall wore the same stern expression as always.
Under her severe gaze, every first-year instinctively stopped fidgeting and obediently followed behind her.
Only Vaughn kept looking around, carefully observing his surroundings.
They first passed through a stone entrance hall.
Simple stone walls lined the corridor, decorated with numerous torches.
Along the walls stood relief carvings and statues resembling sacred shrines, rising upward toward a vaulted ceiling so high it vanished from sight.
The atmosphere felt mysterious and solemn.
But once they passed through, the view suddenly changed.
Before them stretched a vast and magnificent hall.
Brilliant lights illuminated every corner.
Grand marble staircases spiraled upward, connecting to the shadowy upper levels of the castle far above.