Adam thought he could enjoy the solitude of the journey to Hogwarts.
Who could have guessed that just as he was beginning to experiment with using magic to control fire, the door slid open again? Hermione appeared, panting slightly as she leaned against the door frame, looking a bit embarrassed.
"I forgot to introduce myself... My name is Hermione Granger."
Adam blinked before responding, "I'm Adam . Nice to meet you."
After an awkward pause, Adam added, "So, did you find the toad?"
"Oh… no, not yet. Still looking," Hermione replied, slapping her forehead.
She had just finished introducing herself to two other boys and realized she hadn't introduced herself to Adam. It seemed rude not to.
"I should get back to it. You can continue reading," Hermione said quickly, before hurrying off again.
Adam chuckled to himself as he watched her go. "Isn't that the same direction she was searching before?" Mark asked, glancing up from his book.
"Maybe she hasn't finished yet... Want some macarons?" Adam offered, pulling out lunch from his satchel.
"Yes, please!"
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the Hogwarts Express arrived at its destination. Students were instructed not to worry about their luggage; house-elves would deliver it to their dormitories. They just needed to change into their uniforms on the train.
"First years! All first-years, gather around!" Hagrid's booming voice cut through the noise as soon as Adam stepped off the train. The half-giant held up a lantern, attracting the attention of the new students.
After a quick headcount, ensuring all the first-years were present, Hagrid began leading them on the traditional journey every new student took upon arriving at Hogwarts.
"I heard this is a Hogwarts tradition," whispered a new student nearby. "We're retracing the steps the founders took when they discovered the castle."
The comment sparked excitement and whispers among the group.
"Right, over here! Get on the boats!" Hagrid directed them to the pier by the Black Lake. The boats, designed for four passengers each, would ferry them across the water.
"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid warned, pulling away a student who was about to board with a fifth person.
Adam was about to board one of the boats when someone grabbed his arm.
"Ah! There you are, come on, we need one more!" Hermione called, pulling him toward a boat where Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were already seated.
"Uh, hello," Adam said, feeling slightly awkward but smiling politely.
"Hi, I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter!" Ron introduced them both enthusiastically.
"My name's Adam "
Ron blinked, surprised by Adam's calm response. "Wait, you don't know who Harry Potter is?"
Adam smiled to himself, knowing Harry would one day marry Ron's sister. "Sorry, my parents aren't wizards. I guess I missed a lot. Is he famous in the wizarding world?"
Harry quickly interrupted before Ron could explain further. "No big deal! I only found out I'm a wizard recently."
"Look down!" Hagrid's voice echoed from the distance. While Ron, Harry, and Hermione obediently ducked, Adam raised an eyebrow, pointing at Hagrid. "I think he's just talking to himself."
They looked over and saw Hagrid ducking under some low-hanging vines from the bridge above. The three of them turned red with embarrassment, but thankfully, it was too dark for anyone to notice.
The awkward silence that followed allowed Adam to take in the majestic sight of the illuminated castle in the distance. Although he had initially been reluctant to come to Hogwarts, seeing the school in person stirred a sense of excitement within him. The towering spires and glowing windows seemed to hide stories and people he had yet to meet but already felt connected to.
Sorry, Grandma. I guess Hogwarts really is the best wizarding school in the world, he thought to himself.
The boats finally reached the dock by Hogwarts. The first-years disembarked one by one, following Hagrid up the winding path toward the castle. The towering gates of Hogwarts were even larger than Adam had imagined. Hagrid knocked a few times, and soon the doors opened to reveal a tall figure in a dark green robe.
It was Professor McGonagall.
Adam, a self-proclaimed fan of all things soft and cuddly, remained outwardly calm but couldn't suppress his excitement inside. His hands twitched beneath his sleeves as he recalled that Professor McGonagall's Animagus form was a tabby cat with square markings around her eyes.
Unaware of Adam's musings, Professor McGonagall quickly assessed the group of first-years, nodded to Hagrid, and said, "Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here."
With Hagrid excused, she led the students down a different corridor toward the entrance hall in front of the Great Hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began. "In just a few moments, you'll walk through these doors to join your classmates for dinner. But before that, you must be sorted into your houses."
The students exchanged nervous glances. Some were whispering about what challenges they might face next.
"A dragon? A troll? A banshee?"
Another first-year whispered, "I heard we have to cross the Black Lake to find a mermaid's treasure!"
Adam couldn't help but smile as he noticed some students pulling out strange objects they'd brought in preparation. One was holding a bottle of Gillyweed, ready to dive if necessary.
"Are they seriously expecting us to fight ghosts?" Adam mused aloud, observing a group of pale, translucent figures gliding through the air and vanishing into a wall. His comment brought a sudden hush to the group.
Professor McGonagall returned, her sharp gaze sweeping over the jittery first-years. "Everything is ready. Form a single line and follow me."
With that, she led them into the Great Hall, its long tables filled with older students. Adam glanced around, his eyes landing on the array of food waiting for them—roast beef, grilled sausages, pumpkin, potatoes, lamb chops, bread, and even Yorkshire puddings.
Adam, coming from a family of restaurateurs, automatically identified each dish and its preparation method. It all looked quite appetizing, though he couldn't help but hope the house-elves' cooking skills lived up to the presentation.
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