After checking on John, Professor Lupin said he needed to speak with the conductor and then left.
The chubby boy from the compartment earlier was named Titus Crawley.
He was also a first-year.
Judging by the voice, the screams from before had come from this little chubby fellow.
After Professor Lupin left, he thanked John profusely and introduced himself.
The other two girls were sisters.
The elder sister was a third-year named Daphne Greengrass, and the younger sister was Astoria Greengrass, who was a first-year like John.
After a brief chat with them, John returned to their previous compartment with Neville and Luna.
Once back inside, Luna returned John’s school robes to him.
“Thank you for the clothes.
I didn’t expect you to be such a brave and considerate first year.” Despite what had just happened, Luna’s face still held that calm smile, without a hint of panic.
However, John felt that the sense of distance from before had vanished.
Could this be considered going through something together?
Neville, on the other hand, wiped away his sweat and gripped John’s arm with lingering fear.
“John, when you were attacked by the Dementor just now, you weren’t injured, were you?
I mean, mentally.” “I don’t think so.
It’s just that my mind keeps recalling the feeling of stubbing my toe, giving me a sort of phantom pain in my toes…” John moved his foot somewhat speechlessly.
It clearly didn’t hurt at all, yet this phantom pain simply wouldn’t go away.
Was the Dementor’s method of attack really this lacking in style?
Hearing John’s words, Neville was also a bit speechless, while Luna lowered her head to hide a smile.
…
There were no more accidents for the rest of the journey.
Not long after the Dementors were driven away, the train started moving again and arrived at Hogsmeade Station around six in the evening.
Several people who looked like nurses were standing at the station.
As soon as the train stopped, they boarded and went through the carriages one by one, checking on those who had been attacked or frightened by the Dementors.
John was also examined, and after finding nothing wrong, he was allowed to leave.
Although he couldn’t hear what the adults outside were saying, he could tell from their grim expressions that the Dementor attack was no small matter.
After the inspection, it was time to disembark.
Neville and Luna said their goodbyes to John.
They said goodbye early because they knew that first-year students entered the school in a different way from them.
As John stepped off the train, he heard a gruff shout from near the front: “First-years!
First-years over here!” The call was repeated several times, and the first-year students began to gather in front of the incredibly tall man at the front of the train.
“Hey, John.” As he approached, someone nearby spoke to him.
Looking back, it was Titus, the chubby boy from the train.
They had become somewhat acquainted on the train earlier.
There was little barrier between students, so they addressed each other by their first names.
“Let’s share a boat later,” Titus whispered beside John.
“What boat?” “You don’t know?
When Hogwarts freshmen enter for the first time, they pay tribute to the four founders by entering Hogwarts by boat, just as the founders did back then.” Titus began explaining Hogwarts traditions to John.
This was something John really did not know.
Hogwarts: A History had not mentioned it.
According to Titus’s introduction, the giant of a man greeting them was nearly three meters tall, carried a large lantern, and sported a full, long beard.
His name was Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
Sure enough, not long after Titus finished his explanation, Hagrid led the first-years to the edge of a lake.
From across the lake, John could see the ancient castle under the moonlight in the distance.
This kind of magnificent sight, which could only exist in fantasies in his previous life, now appeared before his eyes like a dream.
John stopped and stared involuntarily.
It was not until Titus called out to him that John snapped out of it.
Under Hagrid’s direction, all the freshmen boarded small wooden boats in groups of three or four.
Then, propelled by magic, the wooden boats carried this year’s freshmen toward the castle.
John and Titus shared a boat, and Titus talked incessantly beside him.
According to his self-introduction, he came from a pure-blood wizarding family.
His parents had told him many things about the wizarding world since he was a child, so he knew a lot.
For example, the reputations of the four houses.
Gryffindor was a bunch of troublemakers, while Ravenclaw was a group of bookworms or mad scholars.
Hufflepuffs were all gluttons — literally, gluttons.
Slytherins were a bunch of arrogant snobs who looked down on everyone.
After hearing Titus’s remarks, John was somewhat speechless.
In Titus’s mouth, not a single one of the four houses had a good reputation.
“I hope I can go to Hufflepuff, because I am a glutton, in every sense of the word, hehehe.” After his introduction, Titus admitted with a silly grin that he was indeed a glutton.
“…” Admitting one’s own weaknesses required more courage than putting on a brave face.
In a way, maybe Titus was suited for Gryffindor too?
As their small boats docked one by one, the first-year students gathered at the boathouse beneath the castle cliffs and then climbed the stairs to enter the magic academy.
They arrived at the academy’s entrance courtyard, which was connected to a stone bridge.
The upper-year students entered the school by taking carriages to this area.
Waiting for them at the courtyard entrance was a tall female professor wearing a pointed hat and a deep green robe.
Titus knew who she was as soon as he saw her and introduced her to John.
This was the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, the Head of Gryffindor, and the Transfiguration professor, Professor McGonagall.
Seeing that the freshmen had all gathered, Professor McGonagall clapped her hands and began to speak.
“Welcome to Hogwarts.” “You may call me Professor McGonagall.
You will get to know me in the future.” Professor McGonagall looked around at everyone, gave a brief self-introduction, and then got straight to the point.
“In a moment, I will lead you into the Great Hall for the start-of-term banquet, but before the banquet begins, you will be sorted into your houses.” “Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.” “While you are at school, your house will be like your family.” “Good behavior will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will result in points being deducted.” “At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup.” After Professor McGonagall finished speaking, she looked around to see that everyone was listening attentively.
She nodded and then turned to lead the way.
“Follow me.” Only now did they truly step into the castle.
As the doors opened, a huge school crest appeared before their eyes.
The crest hung on the wall with the school motto written below it: Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.
To the left and right of the crest were double staircases leading further up.
Upon reaching the second floor, there was another set of large doors.
After entering, they could see four tall hourglasses placed on the left.
These four hourglasses had different designs, representing the characteristics of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
“These are the house point hourglasses.
In the future, any points earned or lost through your performance in your respective houses will be directly reflected in these hourglasses.” Professor McGonagall did not give much more of an introduction but continued leading the freshmen forward.
After passing through another set of doors, everyone finally arrived at the Great Hall.
There were four long tables here, filled with students from the four houses.
Countless candles floated above the Great Hall, providing ample light to the chamber.
The most magical part was the ceiling.
The school history books had also mentioned that this ceiling was enchanted to reflect the sky above the castle.
At the end of the hall was the staff table, a long row of seats for the professors, and an owl lectern.
Under the gaze of the upper-year students, they followed Professor McGonagall to the very front of the hall, where a high stool stood with a pointed hat placed upon it.
Interestingly, the wrinkles on this hat looked exactly like a human face, complete with a mouth and eyes.