"Muggle world snacks?" Ron instantly became interested.
When it comes to eating, Ronald has never fallen short in his life.
Only Slytherin's Crabbe and Gall can beat him in this aspect.
"Try this." Harry pulled out a red can and handed it to Ron.
"Wow, it's Coke." Seamus said excitedly, "It's Coca-Cola, not Pepsi!"
"You like Pepsi?" Harry raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Oh no, no, how could I like that pot-cleaning water?" Seamus said with a face full of disgust.
Harry solemnly reached out his hand, and seeing this, Seamus shook the outstretched hand.
"In that case, we're friends now."
"Friends!" Seamus nodded emphatically in agreement.
The rivalry between Pepsi and Coke is no less than the sweet and salty debate.
"Is this a drink?" Ron curiously looked at the can in his hand, pulled the tab, and poured the coke into a cup.
He stared at the fizzing bubbles and hesitantly asked, "Ugh, this color, can you really drink it? I mean, I haven't had a drink better than Butter Beer."
"Try it." Seamus replied.
Ron picked up the cup, and the potion-like dark color made him show a reluctant expression, let alone the bubbling liquid.
"I have to ask, is this thing really not a magic potion?"
"Have a sip and see." Harry said.
With his good friend's prompting, Ron reluctantly showed a resolute expression, closed his eyes, and took a gulp.
"Wow—" he exclaimed.
"How is it, tastes good, right?" Harry raised an eyebrow and asked, "How does it compare to Butter Beer?"
"Butter Beer?" Ron took another big gulp of Coke, "What is that? Really unfamiliar."
At Ron's words, everyone burst into laughter.
Harry then shared a pile of snacks with his new friends. At their first meeting and first time entering school (except for Harry), no one felt like sleeping, chatting until late night before finally saying goodnight and drifting into sleep.
The next day, when Harry walked out of the dormitory, he found whispers always trailing behind him, like whether that one with glasses, did anyone see his scar, etc.
Even students from other houses stood in line at the Gryffindor dormitory door to see him, as if he were a rare creature in a zoo. Wherever he went, they'd follow and whispered among themselves, showing no boundaries at all.
He didn't mind, for when they got used to his presence, sooner or later they would stop.
The staircase perplexed new students at Hogwarts, totaling one hundred and forty-two.
Some are wide and large; others are narrow and small, shaky; some lead to different places on Fridays; some vanish mid-stairs, requiring you to remember to jump at certain spots.
Also, many doors require a polite request or hitting the right spot to open; some aren't doors but seemingly door-like solid walls. Remembering where everything is, is difficult because everything seems to move constantly. Portrait occupants keep exchanging visits, even engaging in friendly conversations.
Harry wasn't surprised, having been here six years, feeling like he's returning home at Hogwarts.
A hundred years ago he had no home—much like now, if there was a place where he felt he belonged, it would be Hogwarts.
Ron was amazed at his friend's familiarity, quickly accepting the rationale of good sense of direction after hearing him say so.
But what really troubled freshmen wasn't Hogwarts' maze-like paths, but ghosts whose presence could be seen but not touched.
Often, when a freshman was about to open a door, a ghost would suddenly spring forth from behind, giving a scare.
But, Nearly Headless Nick was glad to guide Gryffindor freshmen; if late for a class, meanwhile running into prank-loving Peeves, it's worse than locked doors plus a trap-ridden staircase.
He would dump waste baskets on your head, yank the carpet underfoot, fling chalk heads; or quietly sneak behind, grabbing your nose yelling, "Caught your nose!"
Several freshmen even broke down crying after Peeves' pranks because they were late for class.
No one noticed one thing, Peeves never pranked Harry; he didn't even appear within Harry's sight.
Ron followed Harry closely, to the point of completely forgetting Peeves.
Given first-year freshmen are new, adapting to and familiarizing with the school's environment, the schedule is surprisingly relaxed, leaving ample time for exploration.
(Gryffindor First-Year Schedule, Source: Zhihu @Chen Ma)
Upon receiving the class schedule, Harry pondered how times have indeed changed; during Phineas Black's tenure as Headmaster, did you expect leisure time?
All must go learn etiquette! You uncouth Little Giant!
When Harry and Ron reached the Transformation Spell classroom, they found only a few people dotting seats.
It seemed that not everyone got up early, Harry thought maybe like them, they chatted deep into the night.
At the front's lectern, perched a silver-gray tabby cat.
Upon seeing Harry and Ron enter, its tail twitched, eyes squinting into slits.
"Wow, Professor McGonagall brought a cat to class?" Ron said with a grin, moving forward seemingly to pet the cat: "I bet, mate, she's using it as an instructional aid."
Harry quickly pulled Ron back, sensing something was off—the cat's eye rims look like a pair of square glasses.
He definitely remembered those square glasses, whose owner was none other than Gryffindor House's stern head; what if this cat…wait, could Professor McGonagall be an Animagus?
The more he thought, the more plausible it seemed, that he quietly advised Ron: "Sit down Ron, even if it is an instructional aid, Professor McGonagall wouldn't want anyone touching her cat."
"You're right." Ron quickly followed Harry to sit aside, recalling Professor McGonagall's serious visage, while imaginatively sketching an angry Professor McGonagall.
"Hiss..." he lightly drew a breath, his imagined Professor McGonagall indeed frightened him!