Chapter 17
The young wizards bustled out of the train compartments, a mix of excitement and nervousness swirling around them.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Devero squeezed out of the train with the crowd. Devero, at that moment, eagerly scanned the "tags" on each young wizard, even spotting a few rare purple magical talent tags. He immediately added them to his mental shopping cart—thrilling! This was exactly why he came to Hogwarts!
Night had already fallen. The Hogwarts Express had stopped at a remote little station, surrounded by pitch-black darkness, with only the faint glow of distant streetlamps.
"Wait!" Neville suddenly exclaimed, realizing he'd left his luggage in the compartment. He turned to rush back, but Devero quickly stopped him, reassuringly saying, "Don't worry, Neville. The school will take care of getting our luggage to the dorms. You're fine."
Neville hesitated but, seeing everyone else had already disembarked, nodded and followed Devero. They pushed through the crowded platform, where many first-year students had gathered, looking around for their next move.
"First years, this way!" a deep, commanding voice called out. Following the sound, they saw a towering, burly figure standing nearby, holding a bright lantern—Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' Keeper of Keys and Grounds.
"Come on, follow me!" Hagrid boomed, his voice echoing in the night. The young wizards trailed behind him, winding down a narrow path toward the lake, where small boats floated, each lit by a tiny lantern illuminating the way.
"Four to a boat!" Hagrid directed. "Careful! Some critters in the lake don't take kindly to being disturbed at this hour!"
Devero ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville onto one boat, then joined another with a few other students. The boats glided away from the shore, heading toward Hogwarts Castle. The lake shimmered, reflecting a starry sky, creating a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
"Wow, is this Hogwarts?" a girl in Devero's boat gasped. She was adorable, with big, sparkling eyes and features hinting at South Asian heritage, her gaze filled with curiosity and excitement as she looked at the castle.
The boy next to Devero clung tightly to the boat's edge, terrified of falling into the lake. Another boy, meanwhile, dipped his hand into the chilly water, splashing with delight and laughing as if he'd forgotten everything else around him.
"Zacharias, that's dangerous! Stop it!" the girl warned, but the boy ignored her, gleefully splashing more water. Turning back, he grinned smugly, "Heh, you're all such cowards! What's there to be scared of? I bet you lot will end up in Hufflepuff!"
His taunting smile was insufferable, mocking everyone in the boat equally. Devero brushed it off—it was just a kid's attention-seeking antics. Instead, he turned to comfort the nervous boy beside him. "I'm Devero. Don't worry, we'll be there soon."
The tense boy relaxed slightly, managing a small smile. "Thanks. I'm Stebbins."
Devero nodded, but inwardly thought, *This kid's got no presence at all. I don't even remember him.*
Suddenly, the water-splashing boy yelped, flailing wildly and tumbling to the boat's floor. A tiny merperson, with the appearance of a Thumbelina but a fishlike tail, was wrapped around his finger. Clearly displeased at being spotted, it sprayed a jet of water into the boy's face. His screams echoed across the lake, startling the other young wizards.
Quick as a flash, Devero grabbed the boy's hand and plunged it back into the Black Lake. The merperson, satisfied, darted back into the depths. Devero calmed the shaken children, saying sternly, "That's a Scottish lake sprite, a magical creature. They can grow as big as humans when mature, and there are lots of them here."
He'd read about these creatures in books and knew how to handle them. He continued, "They usually don't hurt people—just love playing pranks. If you leave them alone, they won't bother you."
The boy, still shaken, climbed back up, rubbing his water-stung eyes, embarrassed. "Thanks. I'm Zacharias Smith," he muttered stiffly.
"Devero Alexander," Devero replied with a smile, thinking to himself, *Oh, *that* guy—the one who's always arguing with Hermione in the Order of the Phoenix. Not a great dude. Blacklist him!*
The other young wizards gradually calmed down, looking at Devero as if he were an all-knowing expert. "Devero, you're so knowledgeable!" the girl exclaimed. "I'm Padma. Where did you learn all this about magical creatures?"
She was just as charming as Hermione, if not more. Devero smiled and said, "I bought a lot of books in Diagon Alley, and some from home. I've always been interested in this stuff."
He began sharing bits of knowledge from his readings, and soon the kids were listening in awe—except for Zacharias, who seemed annoyed despite Devero's help. Devero didn't care about his attitude.
When the boats reached the shore, the young wizards disembarked, following Hagrid up a long cliffside staircase. Finally, they entered Hogwarts Castle's entrance hall.
They looked up, breathless at the sight. Hogwarts loomed majestically atop the hill, a massive, ancient fortress guarding the mystical land. Its silhouette stood sharp against the night sky, with countless turrets and spires piercing the clouds like spears. The thick stone walls, weathered by centuries, remained steadfast, adorned with climbing ivy and lit by faint, warm lanterns. Large windows glowed softly, as if the castle's eyes were watching the newcomers.
Before them stood two heavy oak doors, intricately carved with magical runes and patterns. Waiting there was an elderly yet elegant woman, poised to greet them.