The three of them sat in the compartment chatting when, after a while, the door was suddenly pulled open from the outside. Lee Jordan strode in. "I've been looking for you guys for ages."
Angelina and Alicia followed him in, with Alicia adding, "You've only walked through about one and a half carriages. Angelina and I went through more than two and didn't even complain!"
Eda reached out and picked up Garlon, who was on the seat, cradling him in her arms to make space for Angelina and Alicia to sit.
"Is this your pet?" Angelina asked, sitting next to Eda and playing with Garlon.
"We tried to get her to buy an owl, but she ended up with this puppy," Fred remarked.
"Hmph! It was love at first sight," Eda said, handing Garlon over to Angelina. "Out of all the pets in the store, I just knew Garlon was the one."
Garlon, now in Angelina's arms, seemed incredibly content, much happier than when he was with Eda.
George, watching the energetic little dog, teased, "So much for being close! Garlon's met Angelina and Alicia for the first time, but they already seem more like his owners than you do."
"If you're going to talk, why don't you say something useful?" Lee Jordan joked, laughing heartily. Garlon's apparent lack of loyalty to Eda amused him, and he declared that he would officially "look out" for this dog.
This small setback didn't bother Eda much. She had already decided—Garlon's treats would be cut in half next week. She was the owner, after all, and she could be as petty as she wanted.
Outside, the rain began to fall, the heavy drops pattering against the windows. They could no longer make out the scenery rushing past, only knowing that the train was steadily heading north. By nightfall, they would arrive at the school.
The lunch trolley rattled down the aisle, pushed by the same cheerful witch they had seen the previous year. Eda and the others pooled some money and bought a stack of cauldron-shaped cakes and drinks, adding them to the sandwiches and pies Mrs. Weasley had prepared. The six of them enjoyed a satisfying meal together.
The rain outside showed no sign of letting up, and thunder rumbled in the distance. Startled, Garlon leaped into Eda's lap, burying his head in her arms.
The sky grew darker, and they were drawing closer to Hogwarts.
When the Hogwarts Express finally slowed down and stopped at the pitch-black Hogsmeade Station, the downpour outside had begun to ease. Eda and the group moved with the crowd, shuffling across the dark platform.
Outside the station, a hundred carriages were waiting for them.
First-year students would cross the lake to the castle by boat, but the older students would take these carriages.
As second-years, Eda and her friends were spared the need to row across the lake in the aftermath of the storm.
Hitched to the front of the carriages were strange creatures standing still in the night, looking eerie and ominous.
These creatures, which could barely be called horses, had no flesh on them. Their black skin clung tightly to their skeletal frames, making every bone visible. Their heads resembled those of dragons, and their pale, pupil-less eyes stared unblinking into the night. Large wings sprouted from their bony shoulders.
These creatures were called Thestrals, and Eda had read about them in a book on magical creatures. She recognized them instantly.
Thestrals could only be seen by those who had witnessed death. Eda hadn't just witnessed death; she had experienced it firsthand, so she could naturally see them.
It was this unsettling appearance, combined with their mysterious nature, that led people to consider Thestrals as omens of misfortune, believed to bring bad luck and terrible disasters to those who saw them.
The six friends squeezed into the carriage, which smelled a bit musty, with hints of mold and straw. George, the last to climb in, slammed the door shut behind him.
Moments later, the long line of carriages jolted into motion with a bumpy start, splashing water as they rattled down the path toward Hogwarts Castle.
Their carriage finally stopped at the stone steps in front of two large oak doors. Eda jumped out, climbed the stairs, and entered the cavernous entrance hall.
They passed through the hall and through a set of double doors on the right, entering the magnificent Great Hall. Hundreds of candles floated above the tables, casting a bright, warm glow over the entire room.
Eda and the twins made their way to the far end of the Gryffindor table, sitting down among students who were greeting each other after a summer apart, sharing stories of their holidays.
The atmosphere at the other three long tables was much the same, with the hall buzzing with excited chatter and general chaos.
Eda glanced up at the staff table.
Dumbledore was deep in conversation with Professor Flitwick, while Professor Sprout chatted with someone beside her. Snape looked as he always did—sallow-faced, with greasy hair.
There were two empty seats at the staff table, belonging to Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. Hagrid was likely ferrying the first-years across the lake, and McGonagall was probably waiting to meet them.
Eda's attention was drawn to a professor with graying hair whom she had never seen before. He looked quite old, dressed plainly, and wore thick glasses that gave him an air of wisdom.
"Do you think that new, older-looking face could be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Eda asked the twins beside her.
Fred glanced at the professor and said, "He probably is. That's the only position left to fill."
"Figures it's another old guy. Let's just hope he doesn't make us read the textbook aloud in class," George added.
"Let's hope he stays safe!" Angelina and Alicia chimed in together, not wanting to see the seemingly kind old man meet an unfortunate fate.
Older students weren't as startled as the second-years. The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor changing every year was something they had already grown used to.
Eda and her friends continued their conversation for a bit until the doors of the Great Hall opened. Everyone quieted down immediately as Professor McGonagall led a long line of first-years to the front of the hall for the Sorting Ceremony.
Eda didn't pay much attention to what the Sorting Hat sang about—it was the usual stuff about how the school was founded and encouraging unity and hard work. She didn't focus much on the actual Sorting either.
The only names she caught were Cormac McLaggen and Katie Bell, who were both sorted into Gryffindor and sat close to her.
Once the three-legged stool and the Sorting Hat were taken away by Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore stood up. Smiling warmly at the students, he spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture.
"Feast time!" Eda eagerly grabbed her knife and fork, staring at the golden plate in front of her.
"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, his voice echoing through the hall as candlelight gleamed off his beard. "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts! First, let's give a warm welcome to Professor Glover Cecil, who will be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year!"
The unfamiliar professor stood up, greeted everyone briefly, and then sat back down. The applause in the hall was rather lukewarm.
"First-year students, please note that the forest on the school grounds is strictly off-limits to all students. Some of our older students would do well to remember this as well. Additionally, Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you not to cast magic in the corridors between classes, especially certain older students," Dumbledore said, his twinkling eyes fixed on Eda and the twins' direction. It was clear who those older students were.
Eda quickly lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with Professor McGonagall. The twins, however, didn't seem to mind and took it as a kind of acknowledgment from Dumbledore.
"And one final thing," Dumbledore added, pausing slightly. "Two words: Dig in!"
In an instant, the golden plates and goblets filled with food and drink. The sound of cutlery clinking against plates soon filled the hall, accompanied by cheerful chatter and laughter.
After the opening feast, Eda, the twins, and the other Gryffindor students made their way to the hidden entrance of the common room.
The familiar Fat Lady was waiting to welcome them back.
Everything inside was just as they had left it—the familiar common room, the familiar dormitory, and the familiar four-poster beds.
'Haah~ Hogwarts~'
Everything felt like home again.
_________
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