The train gradually slowed down. For a long time nothing was visible outside the window, only a solid wall of forest at a short distance from the railway. The movement became slower and slower, and finally the train stopped.
Immediately the sounds of multiple compartment openings were heard. Schoolchildren can't wait to get off the train. Multiple children's voices and the stomping of feet could be heard from everywhere. Most likely, there was a slight crush at the exits of the cars.
I was in no hurry. For what? I'd rather wait until the main crowd leaves and then go out myself.
The noise began to subside only after about 3 minutes. It's time to go out. Getting up and leaving the compartment, I noticed the almost complete absence of children, only rare senior students left their compartments. They, apparently, learned from the bitter experience of previous years, or they were simply late in coming out. You never know.
I left my things in the compartment; none of the schoolchildren took them.
Stepping onto the ground near the carriage, I breathed in the frozen air, smelling of a damp and wild forest. Incredible feeling. Looking around, I noticed a crowd of freshmen clustered near the center of the train. Rare first-class people approached them. I headed there too.
In general, not only the air was incredible, but also the mana. As I said earlier, everything in Diagon Alley breathed with mana. I was mistaken, there was definitely a lack of mana, it felt like you were having an epileptic seizure.
Why do I say this? It's simple. Here the concentration of mana was so strong that when I turned on my magical vision, I saw better than normal. And this is an indicator. Here even the sand was saturated with mana.
Approaching the first group, I settled down at the end of the crowd. In front of the crowd stood an incredibly tall figure, about 3 meters tall. This must be the Keeper of the Hogwarts Keys, Hagrid. What can you say about him? He is incredibly tall and hairy. In the dark you can't make out his facial features. Yes, I think even in daylight it will be impossible to make out. In the end, hair covered 80-90 percent of his face. You can't follow the facial expressions.
After standing for another 10 minutes, we moved together in a crowd after the giant. Interestingly, there was no list of students, as if everything was needed. Maybe Hagrid knows the exact number of applicants?
We walked in pitch darkness. Ahead, sometimes, flashes of a lantern were visible. The giant, with his powerful back, blocked the light of the lantern from us. Because of this, many tripped over the roots of trees that were located right under their feet.
We didn't walk for long, about 5-7 minutes. At the end of the journey, everyone found themselves at the pier, on the shore of a lake so dark that even the light of a lantern could not illuminate the surface of the water. The feeling is as if the abyss itself is beyond the shore. In the magical light, it, the lake, looked like an interweaving of magical flows of various planes. It felt like there was mana from such planes as water, darkness, life and death.
For the life of me, I have no idea how such a cocktail can exist in nature. But I'm willing to swear that those plans were involved. In the end, everything that a magician sees in a magician's vision is understood on an intuitive level. At least that's how it is for me.
There was a whole line of four local boats at the pier. They swam to the pier according to one scheme that only they understood, picked up the students and sailed away.
"Get into the boats of four people," the forester's bass voice was heard. Well, his voice corresponds to a true giant, albeit only half. -Sit down and hold on tight, otherwise you will fall overboard.
Having finished speaking, he himself got into the boat, thereby setting an example for the children. The leaders began to take turns getting into the boats. I found myself in a boat with an unfamiliar couple of girls, a brunette and a brown-haired one, and one dark-skinned guy. Nodding to each other in greeting, we began to await departure.
After 4 minutes, when all the children got into the boats, Hagrid knocked on his boat several times and said:
-Let's leave.
And as if obeying his command, the boats set off. While sailing, we observed a beautiful picture of a majestic castle appearing in the distance, in the light of the moon and stars. First, the arrow-shaped towers became visible from behind the treetops, and then the castle itself.
Hogwarts was simply burning with various lights. All the windows and loopholes were illuminated, which created a bizarre pattern in his body. In magician's vision the picture was even more incredible. From the bowels of the castle a whole table of mana rose, which at the top of the castle was sprayed into streams that went to their undoubtedly important needs.
"Bend down, now you might hit yourself," the giant shouted and ducked down himself.
Not all the children ducked down, in the end they were not destined to hit, they are not as big as Hagrid. But there were also those who ducked after him. It looked interesting, the mana of the castle washing over those who crouched down. The children's auras seemed to be filled with power and mana. I decided to bow to Hogwarts in the same way. My companions looked at me strangely, but also ducked down. In the end, no one ducked down from the middle of the formation.
As soon as I bowed to the castle and swam under the huge branches of trees, I felt a sea of mana, which, as if scanning me, filled my aura with mana.
I straightened my back and smiled. Hogwarts approved of me. I don't know what awaits me ahead, but undoubtedly it will be much easier for me within the walls of the castle.
We sailed to the other shore in a couple of minutes. Coming out of the boat, I shook hands with the girl who was sitting opposite me. In principle, the guy who swam with us did the same thing. Having offered help to the girl, I went to other schoolchildren.
Having gathered us all, Hagrit led the crowd towards the castle. Stopping at a strong, wooden gate that was all bound with steel plates, he knocked on it with his mighty fist.
A moment later, the gates silently opened. A tall, incredibly thin lady in a green robe and glasses came out of the castle. Even now, hire her to the post of deputy director in any school, scare the children. In fact, it was the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall.
"Good evening, professor," the forester began. - I delivered these, uh, new ones.
"First years, Hagrid," the deputy headmaster corrected him. -Are there any problems?
-Yes, freshmen. Uh, no. There were no problems.
-Very good Hagrid, I'll take them then.
-Eh, yes. So can I, uh, go?
"Go, Hagrid, go," said McGonagall, in his dry voice.
"Well, I'll go," replied Hagrid and walked away into the darkness of the night.
"Follow me," she ordered, and this was exactly an order, the professor and went into the depths of the castle.
The crowd followed her. Behind us the gate closed with a creak. We found ourselves in a spacious corridor. On its sides hung paintings and candlesticks, there were statues and armor. The corridor itself was made of light stone. In general, everything was furnished with taste.
We followed the professor for about 7 minutes. We finally stopped at the double doors that most likely led to the Great Hall.
"Good evening, children," the deputy director began her mini-lecture. -As of today, you are entering Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Deputy Headmaster - Professor Minerva McGonagall. You can contact me Professor McGonagall.
Having fallen silent, she waited until the children had absorbed the information and continued:
Behind this door," she pointed her palm towards this door. -The Great Hall is located. There we will carry out your distribution, as a result of which you will be distributed into four houses. The names of these houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own dormitory in which you will live for at least 5 years. And I will not tolerate it if over the course of these years you do not follow the school rules," having said this, she looked around the quiet schoolchildren with her stern gaze. -Expect that you will be called upon completion of preparations.
Turning around, the professor went to the Great Hall. We were left alone in a small room in an unfamiliar castle. Hmmm, this is a service.
What started here? Each of the children wanted to prove or tell something to someone. Someone argued, someone started to cry. Such a cacophony of sounds is simply terrifying. Only a few children did not participate in this brawl.
Suddenly everything stopped. All the children fell silent and stared at the silhouettes that floated out of the wall. These were the famous school ghosts. The ghosts and children started talking, but I didn't hear them. I looked at their magic vision.
What can you say about them? All ghosts had a solid and active aura, which indirectly indicates their intelligence. Also, all the ghosts had an active connection with Hogwarts, which went somewhere under the castle, where the source of mana was most likely located.
The connection itself resembles the same one between me and the wand. It turns out that ghosts do not live at the expense of people, as they wrote in many fan fictions, they live at the expense of the castle. He gives them life and development. Are they really part of the notorious defense system? Or is it an appendage of one of the past directors?
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The deputy director stood at the entrance to the Great Hall.
"Line up in pairs of two," she commanded. - And follow me. Move over.
Having said this phrase, she turned around, opened the door wide and entered the Great Hall. We lined up in about 15 seconds and followed her.
We found ourselves in an incredibly large hall. Along its entire length stood the 4th pillar, behind which sat the representatives of the 4 houses. I won't say exactly how many there were, but at first glance there were 3-4 times more than shown in the film. There was armor around the perimeter of the hall. A projection of the sky above the castle stretched overhead. An incredible picture, what does it look like in magical vision? I have never seen such an interweaving of Runes and threads in my life.
Gradually we approached the teaching table. All the seats behind him were occupied, except for the deputy director's seat on his right. What can you say about professors? They inspired. No matter what anyone says, the aura of each of them simply radiated with power. Of course, all of their stature could not be compared with the one who sat at the head of the table on a golden, bulky throne that towered above the others, as if saying: "I am the king and god of this place. I ask you to remember and never forget."
Albus goes by many names as Dumbledore. His figure was impressive. At first glance, he resembled the Merlin everyone imagines. A kind old man with a long, snow-white beard. A thin figure with a sequined eye robe draped over it.
What can be said after secondary observation? Because of the glasses and beard, it is very difficult to make out facial expressions on his face, which makes it difficult to see the dialogue with him. The robe is baggy, which makes it difficult to determine from his body language what he will do next. Yes, even the color of the robe, you involuntarily either stare at it or turn your gaze to her face, and then it's not far from making eye contact.
In the magician's vision, he was simply burning. His aura was overflowing with power. I don't know what to do to become the owner of such power. And the aura was not white; light tones definitely predominated in it, but there were also plenty of dark ones. There are two options: either he is disguising it, or he really is what he seems. Judging by the canon, then most likely the first.
We approached the teacher's table. I looked around and saw Professor McGonagall placing a four-legged chair in front of the newcomers. She placed a tall magic hat on top. The hat was patched, frayed, and terribly dirty. In the magician's vision it is clearly visible: the hat is one of the central points of the entire magical system of the castle, but there are visible holes in the patches. It was as if part of the magic channels had been torn out. Suddenly the hat twitched. The seam that represented the mouth parted and the hat began to sing:
I don't seem to be the most beautiful thing in the world,
There is no need to decide everything on the margins.
I'll eat myself as soon as you find me
A more resourceful hat than me and more fashionable...
Only when I heard the beginning of the song did I close my ears. Well, what the hell, you can kill a dragon with such singing, but here they sing it to children.
The whole hall burst into applause when the hat finished its song. She bowed to all four tables and froze again.
-So we just have to put on a hat! – the sixth voice was heard from somewhere. "I'll kill Fred, he promised something like a duel with a troll."
So everything is according to the canon, but I don't believe the sixth one. It cannot be that during his entire childhood, none of his 5 brothers spilled the beans about the method of distribution, a conclusion can be drawn from this. This is a performance.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, clutching a long scroll of parchment. This scroll was also part of the castle system. It looks like the names of all applicants are written down on it.
"When I call your name, you will put on your hat and sit on the chair," she said. – Abbott, Hannah!
A pink-cheeked girl with two blonde ponytails stepped out of line, put on her Hat, which immediately fell on her head and closed her eyes. The hat and the girl exchange mana. Apparently she actually reads minds. A minute has passed...
-HUFFLEPUFF! - the hat shouted. The table to the right cheered as Hannah walked towards them. The table of badgers is indeed friendly.
-Bones, Suzanne!
-HUFFLEPUFF! – the hat screamed again, and Suzanne quickly joined Hannah.
A line of students stretched out, everyone gradually found their homes for the next 5 years. I stood and patiently waited for my turn.
Suddenly a cry was heard:
-Harry Potter!
A thin boy with shaggy hair came out wearing a hat. There were bicycle glasses on his nose. His whole gait expressed uncertainty. This is what our hero is like.
He slowly walked up to the stool, nodded to the deputy director and sat down. At the same moment a hat was placed on his head. The exchange of mana between them took a long time, at least 3-4 minutes, and the pressure of mana there was incredibly high. Something is wrong with our hero.
-Gryffindor! – the hat finally made its decision. And at that moment, when they removed the hat from the hero's head, I noticed his smile. Oh, it was not the smile of a child or a hero. This smile signified the joy of finishing a job well done. It looks like fun times are ahead for the castle, because our hero is not who he seems.
The line of students continued. I waited for about 10 more minutes until it was my turn, and then the moment came.
-Wilson, Calder!
I left the crowd and walked up to the hat, carefully imitating a nervous child. They sat down on a stool and placed the sorting hat on my head.
"Good evening, dear hat," I began the dialogue.
"And you, young man," she answered in a male voice. -And where should we assign you? In Hufflepuff?
"No," I answered categorically. – I'm not interested in friendship, all I care about is self-development, learning new things and exploring this world.
-You are sure? With your problem, it will be better in Hufflepuff, where I can shake you up.
-You yourself know, or rather, you learned that my problem is gradually correcting itself. Yes, it will not be fast, and it will take more than a dozen years, but it will improve. And I don't want to waste the best time for development for the sake of my problems.
-Well, I understand you. As you wish.
-Ravenclaw!
Getting up, I headed towards the table of my house to the sound of their clapping. Well, here comes a new round of events