"What was that?"
Sherry stared out the train window, watching the fading orange glow in the distance. The train jolted as it crossed a rail seam, her slight shoulders swaying with the carriage. Instinctively, she shifted half an inch closer to Adam.
"It looks like some kind of special dragon fire, but it's too far to tell which kind of dragon—or maybe it's an unknown spell…"
Adam's nose was practically pressed against the fogged-up glass, his fingers tapping absently on the window frame.
In the reflection of his dark eyes, faint glints of dragon scales shimmered in the firelight.
The compartment door clicked open with a soft thud.
Cedric squeezed in, reeking of smoke and ash. He brushed off his robe, the black-and-yellow striped scarf around his neck speckled with tiny dark spots.
"Only our carriage noticed what's going on outside," he said, wiping sweat from his face. His usually neat, bronze-blond fringe clung damply to his forehead.
His knuckles whitened as he gripped the doorframe, locking the latch behind him.
"Most people think it's just another Weasley twins' prank. They tossed Filibuster Fireworks into the Slytherin carriage, and now the whole place stinks of burnt peacock feathers."
He lowered his voice, glancing nervously into the corridor outside.
"But this might not be so simple. At King's Cross today, I spotted at least three Aurors disguised as Muggle porters. Even my dad stayed at the platform, which is weird—he works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and usually only deals with beasts."
Adam tilted his head, puzzled. "Isn't it normal for Aurors to keep order during Hogwarts' opening? To make sure Muggles don't notice anything?"
Cedric nodded, but his expression remained grim. "You're right. The Ministry always sends people to maintain order and keep things hidden from Muggles."
"But this year's different. There were more Aurors than I've ever seen. I only noticed because I stayed with my dad until the last minute and saw Cho rushing in."
Cedric glanced out the compartment again, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, before leaning in closer under Cho's curious gaze and whispering, "The night before last, I overheard my dad talking with colleagues over drinks. They were discussing an illegal magical creature smuggling ring."
"They said the suspect often carries a dangerous suitcase—possibly containing a dragon."
His eyes flicked to the angular black suitcase at Adam's feet, its copper-edged corners glinting coldly in the lamplight.
"It's almost identical to yours. Black leather, with those odd yellow buttons. It's practically the same…"
Cedric's voice faltered, his throat bobbing as if an invisible hand had gripped it. His pupils shrank in shock.
Following his gaze, the others felt the hair on their necks stand on end. The suitcase's clasp was trembling eerily, as if something alive was thrashing inside—
Until Adam pulled his hand back from behind the case, and they all let out a collective sigh.
"Don't do that again. That was seriously creepy," Cedric said sternly, glancing at Cho, who was visibly shaken.
Adam shrugged helplessly. He'd pieced together what Cedric meant—this was likely unrelated to the commotion outside.
Those gray-robed Aurors were clearly here to keep an eye on Newt. Adam couldn't help but recall the chaos from Newt's last visit to the Ministry.
When that curly-haired old man with his battered suitcase approached, nearly the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement had rushed out, wands at the ready.
It was like a horde of Nifflers spotting a dragon invading their hoard, determined to protect their shiny gold.
Adam doubted even Voldemort's return would cause such a stir—though some might've fled early.
Compared to last time's spectacle, the Ministry sending just a handful of Aurors this time was downright restrained.
For the sake of his mentor's reputation, Adam decided to explain things tactfully.
"What?! You're Newt Scamander's student?"
As twilight spilled across the sky like ink, the train let out a heavy groan at the end of the tracks. The group slipped on their robes.
Adam checked the suitcase's copper clasps one last time—anti-Niffler charms Newt had commissioned. His wand glowed faintly golden, illuminating the runes on the clasps to ensure they were stable before he turned to the rain-soaked window.
Sherry and Cho followed nervously behind him, eyeing the desolate, rundown platform.
Under the dim sky, weeds choked the ground, and the rusted iron canopy dripped water, splattering mud onto the stone steps.
A faded sign leaned against the grass, barely legible as "Hogsmeade Station."
There wasn't even proper flooring. A few unlucky young wizards were shaking mud off their trouser legs, their boots leaving long streaks in the puddles.
Sherry, unnerved by the barren platform, edged closer to Adam. When an owl hooted in the distant woods, several students visibly trembled.
A booming voice suddenly thundered across the empty platform.
"First-years! Over here!"
Adam looked up to see a towering figure emerge from the trees, holding a gleaming brass lantern. The man's massive frame nearly filled the lamplight's glow.
Tangled, ginger hair was flecked with dried leaves, and the polished brass lantern cast flickering light on his bushy beard.
"Don't be scared, little ones," he said, crouching down. The lantern illuminated his rugged face, but his voice was surprisingly gentle.
"I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."
Many first-years had been intimidated by his size, but his warm tone eased their fears.
"Follow me, and watch your step. We're taking boats to Hogwarts."
He tapped the lamppost with a thick knuckle, and the oil lamp flared twice as bright, casting long, wavering shadows across the muddy ground.
Adam drew his wand, its tip glowing with soft light to illuminate the path.
The huddled first-years immediately gathered around him. One young witch stared at his face, outlined by the gentle glow, and froze until a friend nudged her. Blushing, she looked down at her mud-splattered shoes.
Perhaps to accommodate the nervous first-years, Hagrid slowed his pace. The group stumbled along a steep, narrow path.
At a bend, Hagrid turned to the anxious students with a wide grin, delivering his annual tradition.
"Come on, kids! This'll be your first glimpse of Hogwarts—the most unforgettable sight in the wizarding world, at least in my life…"
The fear gripping the students melted away.
Sherry clutched Adam's sleeve, staring in awe at the dreamlike scene ahead, whispering, "This is Hogwarts… it's beautiful…"
At the path's end lay a vast lake, reflecting the starry sky, its surface shimmering with silver ripples.
On the far shore, atop a steep hill, stood a majestic castle. Its countless turrets glowed with radiant lights, a crescent moon hanging above the highest spire, bathing the ancient fortress in a delicate veil of starlight and lamplight.
The castle seemed to float in a dream, so real you could see the glowing windows, yet so ethereal it felt like stepping into a painting.
Hagrid led the first-years to the lake's edge, gruffly instructing that each boat could hold no more than four.
Sherry stayed close to Adam, boarding the nearest boat alongside Cho and another young witch, who couldn't stop staring at Adam's face.
But Sherry was too distracted to notice, her eyes catching Adam's subtle movements.
He'd pulled out a familiar set of repair tools, studying the boat's structure.
She quickly grabbed his hand, ignoring his disappointed look, and yanked his sleeve, tucking the tools away.
"Off we go, kids!" Hagrid bellowed from his own boat. His voice echoed across the still lake, startling a few waterfowl.
A cool lake breeze brushed their faces, carrying a damp scent. The boats glided smoothly, as if pushed by an invisible hand, across the mirror-like water.
The starry lake blended with the sky, making it impossible to tell where the heavens ended and the water began.
Adam propped his head up, bored, and glanced at Sherry with a raised eyebrow.
"Ugh, why do I have to play along? I'm starting to think you wanted to dismantle the boat on purpose."
Sherry sighed, taking a note he handed her and reading softly.
"According to Hogwarts: A History, to honor the four founders, first-years cross the Black Lake by boat to reach the castle's base. That's why every new student…"
Adam nodded, satisfied. This was the proper Hogwarts experience. Last time, not getting a letter by owl had felt off.
Now, swaying gently on the lake, he finally felt like he was truly stepping into the wizarding world.
The magical journey neared its end as the boats glided into a hidden underground dock, the water lapping softly against the hulls.
Following Hagrid, they stepped onto a solid cobblestone path. The pale-faced first-years, rattled by the journey, looked relieved.
They crossed a damp lawn to a massive oak door. Hagrid raised a fist and knocked heavily.
Sherry nervously clutched Adam's sleeve. He chuckled, poking her white-knuckled hand, but froze as he felt a gaze on him.
Looking up at the castle walls, his pupils shrank, his blood seeming to freeze.
Moonlight spilled coldly across the stone, illuminating a figure standing with hands behind their back. A white robe billowed in the night breeze, the face calm and unreadable.
Only the faint curve of their lips made Adam's face twinge with phantom pain.
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