When the train came to a complete stop, Evelyn had three new items in her pockets.
A canister of catnip special-ordered from the System Mall, labeled: *Effective on aquatic creatures under ten tons.*
A delayed fart-bomb toffee shoved into her hands by Fred, and a roughly drawn map of the Black Lake by George, the ink still wet.
“The Giant Squid usually stays near the north-center area of the lake,” George explained, pointing at an X on the map.
“The boats leave from the south shore, so it’s a straight distance of about three hundred yards.”
“Does it usually approach the boats on its own?”
“Occasionally,” Fred gestured with his hands.
“It’ll stretch out a tentacle or two to wave, wait for the first-years to finish screaming, and then submerge again.”
“How long are the tentacles?”
“They say they can stretch up to thirty feet!”
Evelyn twisted the cap of the catnip canister, her eyes glinting slightly.
“Thirty feet is plenty!”
Hermione squeezed over while hugging her textbook, her face practically screaming, *I have a feeling you’re about to commit a crime, but I still have to tag along.*
“Valentine, what’s that green powder in your pocket?”
“Catnip.”
“Catnip doesn’t work on squids!”
“This canister does, because it’s the enhanced version,” Evelyn replied calmly.
Hermione gaped at her.
“What do you mean, ‘enhanced version’?”
“The normal version works on cats.
The enhanced version works on any aquatic animal with a nervous system.”
“That’s completely unscientific!”
“Hermione, we’re going to school in a flying castle.
Science lost its jurisdiction over this place a long time ago.”
Hermione gasped, opening and closing her mouth twice in an attempt to argue, but ultimately just clutched her textbook tighter.
***
The platform was packed with students.
A massive lantern swayed overhead, held by a figure whose frame was even more staggering.
“First-years!
Over here!” Hagrid’s booming voice drowned out all the noise.
He stood at the end of the platform, his wild beard tangled beneath the lantern light.
Evelyn followed the crowd forward, with Hermione right beside her on the right.
“Valentine!
Don’t forget our business plan!” Fred yelled, pushing through the crowd.
“See you in the common room tomorrow!
I want to read the experiment report!” George’s voice followed immediately after.
Evelyn didn’t turn around, simply giving them a thumb-up over her shoulder.
The muddy path leading down the hill was narrow.
Evelyn’s new boots crunched cleanly against the loose gravel.
Neville clutched his toad tightly, looking like he was on the verge of tears at any moment.
Draco had just stepped down from another carriage.
His hair had been washed, but a suspicious trace of brown residue remained near his sideburns.
The moment Draco spotted Evelyn’s back, his footsteps froze.
Crabbe and Goyle quickly stepped in front of him, serving as human shields.
“Let me through.
We’re taking the long way!” Draco muttered under his breath.
“Draco, there’s only one path.”
“Then we’ll walk at the very back!”
“But didn’t you say you wanted to grab the boat at the front?”
“Change of plans!”
***
A row of small wooden boats rested along the lake shore. Get faster updates on g.com.
Moonlight spread across the water’s surface, turning the Black Lake into a mirror of dark bronze.
“No more’n four to a boat!” Hagrid called out from the head boat.
Evelyn hopped into the nearest boat.
Hermione followed close behind, and after a moment’s hesitation, Neville climbed in as well.
“Is there room for one more?” a dark-haired boy asked.
Evelyn glanced at the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.
“There’s room.
Come on up.”
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley squeezed in.
The boat rocked, settling deep into the water.
Ron stared at Evelyn, his pupils dilating in sudden realization.
“You’re the one who had my brothers bouncing all over the floor on the train!”
“Hello, I’m Evelyn.”
“What did you do to my brothers?
When Fred came back to the compartment, he was still twitching while he walked!”
“Offered them some candy.
Muggle candy.”
A complex blend of awe and terror instantly filled Ron’s eyes.
Harry adjusted his glasses, his gaze lingering on the metallic handle of an aluminum baseball bat sticking out from Evelyn’s trunk.
***
“Off we go!” Hagrid barked.
The fleet of boats glided toward the center of the lake, the night wind carrying the damp scent of water.
Hermione pulled her head down into her collar, while Neville gripped the gunwale for dear life.
Evelyn pulled out the catnip, and Hermione’s gaze locked onto it instantly.
“What are you doing?”
“Feeding the fish.”
“That’s not fish food!”
“Then I’m feeding the squid.”
“Are you serious?!” Hermione gasped in horror.
Evelyn unscrewed the cap, revealing a glowing green powder that shimmered under the moonlight.
“Put the lid back on!” Hermione reached out to stop her.
Evelyn dodged her hand and reached out over the water.
“Trust me, this will be fun!”
“Your definition of ‘fun’ is completely different from a normal person’s!” Hermione shrieked.
The catnip poured out in a glowing stream, the fluorescent green spreading across the water like a mist of light.
The bottom of the lake began to vibrate.
Neville’s toad, startled by the motion, leaped straight into the water.
He lunged toward the edge of the boat to catch it, only for Ron to grab him in the nick of time.
The surface of the lake exploded!
A tentacle as thick as an oak tree surged out of the water, throwing up a curtain of spray.
Screams erupted across the fleet.
A second tentacle appeared, then a third…
The Giant Squid surfaced completely!
Neville fainted on the spot.
Ron went deathly pale.
“Merlin’s pants!”
From a boat behind them, Draco let out a thoroughly unrefined scream.
“It’s gonna eat us!”
The Giant Squid’s fifth tentacle slid right under Evelyn’s boat.
The vessel lurched violently, lifted into midair along with the rising limb.
Three feet, five feet, eight feet!
“Hey there, big guy.”
The Giant Squid’s pupil dilated.
It let out a spout of water that formed a shimmering rainbow under the moonlight.
The entire lake fell into dead silence.
“What is it doing?” Hermione squeaked from the floor of the boat.
“Acts of affection,” Evelyn said, continuing to pat the tentacle.
“The catnip makes it feel good.”
“It’s not a cat!”
“But it has a nervous system.”
Hagrid’s lantern nearly dropped into the water.
“Who went an’ got my squid all excited?!”
Evelyn stood at the elevated bow, waving into the moonlight.
“Me!”
Ron looked up at her, the night wind billowing through her robes as moonlight cast a long shadow across the lake.
“Harry,” Ron whispered, “which house is supposed to handle someone like her?”
Harry didn’t answer, merely adjusting his glasses as he looked up.
Evelyn sprinkled the last bit of powder.
The Giant Squid let out a colossal sneeze, kicking up a two-meter wave.
[Ding!
Side Quest Complete: Cause a biological-level disruption!] [Mischief Points +300!
Current Total: 930.] [Bonus Reward: Giant Squid Favorability MAX!]
The Giant Squid gently lowered the boat back onto the water before sinking back into the depths.
“Valentine, you fed an unknown substance to a magical creature!” Hermione sat up, a strand of lake weed caught in her hair.
“It was very happy.”
“Being happy doesn’t mean it’s allowed by the rules!”
“If the school rules explicitly state ‘no catnip,’ I’ll take the penalty.”
Hermione fell silent for a moment, her mind racing.
“It…
*Hogwarts: A History* doesn’t actually mention that.”
“Then I’m innocent.”
***
The silhouette of the castle drew near.
Evelyn grabbed the hem of her robes and wrung out a handful of lake water.
The boats docked at an underground harbor, and the first-years scrambled up the stone steps.
Neville had just woken up, muttering repeatedly, “Tentacles…
so big…
so big…”
Draco had recovered some of his dignity, though his fingers trembled slightly as he clutched his robes.
At the top of the stone stairs, Professor McGonagall stood waiting.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her eyes lingered on Evelyn for half a second longer than the rest.
“Welcome to Hogwarts.
The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly.”
The massive doors swung open, spilling golden light across the stone steps.
Evelyn stepped over the threshold in her dripping boots.
Upon her vision, the system text flared to life once more.
[Main Quest Update: Cause enough chaos during the Sorting Ceremony!] [Hint: The Sorting Hat can read your thoughts.] [Additional Hint: It can also be terrified!]
Evelyn touched the grip of the aluminum baseball bat inside her coat.
Inside the Great Hall, thousands of candles floated in midair.
In the center of the staff table’s front area, an ancient, patched hat sat atop a three-legged stool.
Evelyn stared at the hat.
A tear near its brim looked remarkably like a sleeping mouth.
She let her lips curl into a broad smile.
The tear in the hat twitched violently!