As the train continued north, the sky gradually darkened.
Aside from Hermione returning once more after she had left earlier, no one else came to disturb their compartment.
The snacks Wayne had bought were divided and eaten by the four of them—except for a few lingering Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
Fred swore on his hair that the remaining beans were either booger-flavored or cockroach-flavored and absolutely not edible.
But as night completely fell, and their stomachs rumbled again, they felt the hunger creeping back.
"We should be arriving soon, right?" Cedric guessed, looking out at the now pitch-black sky.
Sure enough, about half an hour later, the train's announcement came on:
"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train—we will transport it to the school for you."
"We're finally here. I'm so hungry I could eat a whole cow," Fred groaned as they all stood up, taking off their jackets and pulling on their robes.
It was now 6:30 p.m., and the train had been running for almost eight hours.
After traveling over a thousand kilometers, they had arrived at the remote northwestern corner of the British Isles—namely, the Scottish Highlands.
Wayne recalled that in the future, there was quite an uproar over Scottish independence, with fierce attempts to leave the United Kingdom.
He wondered—if they ever succeeded, would Hogwarts still count as part of the British magical world?
Amused by the thought, Wayne stepped out of the compartment and disembarked from the train.
They arrived at a small, dark station.
Though it was only September, the air was already chilly and damp, carrying a biting wind. Many of the young witches and wizards pulled their robes tighter.
"Wayne, over here!"
Hermione was the first to spot him and called out loudly. Wayne walked over to her, noticing that Neville was no longer by her side.
Just then, a lantern lit up:
"First years! First years over here! Follow me!"
Seeing Hagrid's enormous figure, many of the first-years shivered like quails, obediently following behind like chicks following a mother hen.
They made their way along a narrow, steep path flanked by darkness on either side. Suddenly, Wayne felt a tug on his arm.
It was Hermione. The young witch didn't say anything—she simply clutched his sleeve a little tightly.
"Afraid of the dark?" Wayne smiled, turning his head toward her.
"Of course not!" Hermione insisted, a bit defensively. "I'm just a little nervous about being in a totally unfamiliar place. I mean, I'm already eleven—who's afraid of the dark at this age?!"
"Ah—ow!"
A small wizard ahead of them cried out. A girl had fallen. The damp air had made the path extra muddy, and Hermione quickly moved forward to help her up.
"Thank you," the girl said gratefully, though she nearly burst into tears again after seeing how dirty her robe was.
At that moment, Wayne pulled out his wand and whispered,
"Scourgify."
In an instant, all the grime vanished from the girl's clothes, and her robe looked clean and tidy again.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "You already know how to use magic? That's amazing!"
"Not bad, Wayne," Hermione raised her brows with a slight smile.
Just earlier, she had run into a red-haired boy on the train who had struggled for ages and couldn't even manage a simple spell. Compared to Wayne's confident casting, the difference was stark.
"Well, those books I bought weren't for nothing," Wayne chuckled. "Let's keep up—we should stay with the group."
The two girls nodded and followed close behind Wayne.
After another ten minutes of walking, they turned a bend—and were met with a chorus of gasps:
A narrow path ended in view of a vast black lake. Across the lake, towering cliffs stood tall, and atop one of them sat a magnificent castle, its turrets sharp and proud, glowing with warm lights that twinkled like stars through the windows.
Wayne gazed at the breathtaking sight of Hogwarts Castle, utterly enchanted by its mystery and wonder.
In another world, countless children waited every day, hoping for an owl to bring them a letter.
Now, Wayne had come in their place—and fulfilled that dream.
"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to the small boats docked by the shore. He took one for himself.
The wooden boat visibly sank a large notch, making people worry whether it could bear the weight of the half-giant.
Wayne's group was the last to land. With only the three of them on the boat, it began to head toward the castle. The girl finally introduced herself.
Susan Bones.
Wayne remembered that name—it was someone from the original story, with relatives holding high positions in the Ministry of Magic.
"Duck your heads!"
As the boat approached the cliff, Hagrid's shout rang out. Hermione and Bones quickly obeyed, but Wayne didn't move at all.
It wasn't until they passed through the vines that Hermione sat back up and angrily asked,
"Why didn't you follow instructions just now? What if there had been danger?"
Wayne gave her a look like he was caring for someone mentally challenged.
"Even with that giant lying down in the boat, he's still taller than me sitting upright. If he can get through, why should I duck?"
Hermione's mouth fell open. For a moment, she couldn't find anything to argue with, and in her frustration she snapped:
"Then why didn't you remind us?"
Susan Bones nodded vigorously, showing her support for Hermione.
Yeah!
Too mean!
Wayne waved his hand indifferently.
"If I had reminded you, wouldn't it have made you look even dumber?"
This time, Hermione was truly at a loss for words.
Fortunately, the boat reached shore quickly, breaking the awkward tension. The group followed behind Hagrid, climbing a short flight of stone steps and gathering before a huge oak door.
Hagrid did a quick headcount and, seeing that no one was missing, raised his massive fist and knocked three times on the castle doors.
The door slowly creaked open. Standing in front was Professor McGonagall in her signature emerald-green robes. Many of the first-years immediately felt the weight of her stern presence and didn't even dare to breathe.
"All first-year students are here, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take over from here."
McGonagall waved her hand, and the doors swung open fully. The young wizards filed in one after another. The entrance hall was bright and warm, with torches burning every half meter.
The buzz of conversation could already be heard coming from the right side, but McGonagall led them to a small room on the other side of the hall.
There, she gave a brief explanation—after the upcoming Sorting, she would return in five minutes.
This time was meant for the young wizards to tidy their robes and mentally prepare themselves.
Though the professor had left, the room became even more stifling.
No one spoke. Everyone was extremely nervous.
Wayne glanced around, then began muttering something to himself, his expression growing agitated.
His striking appearance already made him stand out, and eventually, a little witch couldn't help but ask:
"What are you doing?"
Hooked.
Wayne narrowed his eyes, like a cunningly beautiful fox.