The enthusiastic greetings quickly shifted Zhao Lun's focus, pulling him out of the farewell atmosphere.
On the way into the carriage, he encountered familiar classmates who greeted him warmly.
"Dear friends, how was your holiday?"
Zhao Lun looked at their lively and youthful smiles, responding with warmth, and his own smile came naturally.
"It was great! Unfortunately, the time was too short; there were so many things I didn't get to do!"
"I feel the same."
"Alan, I heard you were attacked during the holiday; what happened?"
"The newspaper said you solved the trouble! That's really cool!"
"Yes, it was a vampire! Even an Auror might not be able to handle that!"
"Do you really believe what the newspaper says? Well, I have to correct you; the report was somewhat off the mark."
Zhao Lun was quickly ushered into a carriage. Inside were some girls he hadn't spoken to before, ones he had never seen. It was clear they were the quieter type.
As he entered, they all nodded at him as a form of greeting, and seeing them like this, Zhao Lun didn't want to disturb them and chose to sit beside two of them.
The atmosphere among the two girls was somewhat delicate, making Zhao Lun hesitant to intrude, so he introduced himself to the people beside him.
As the train started moving, Zhao Lun opened the window, looking outside to see if he could spot any flying cars.
"Alan, what are you looking at?"
Initially, regardless of their previous interactions, everyone had grown familiar, and a few noticed him craning his head outside, curiosity getting the better of them.
"I'm watching the cars outside; they're flying above us. Hmm, that's a Ford!"
"Listen! Someone's shouting; it sounds like two people!"
Zhao Lun cheerfully shared his discoveries, sounding quite certain, which convinced the three girls to look outside, and sure enough, they spotted a flying car.
The car was wobbling through the air, almost colliding with the train several times.
"Oh! My goodness!"
"I knew it! I knew they would cause some trouble!"
"They're hopeless!"
Hermione recognized the voices outside immediately, sighing in exasperation as she realized who it was. The two troublemakers had gone beyond all bounds, and books couldn't contain them.
"Uh! It's them!"
"As expected, their entrance is as unpredictable as they are."
The other classmates in the carriage were also astonished, and they opened the windows to get a better look, confirming the sight of the flying car.
After a while of flying, the vehicle finally stabilized, flying steadily above the train.
"Looks like they're going to become famous again."
"Do you think they'll get expelled for this?"
"I'll go check to see if they're in that car."
Hermione still held onto a sliver of hope and went to check the carriage, hoping it wasn't those two. Unfortunately, they weren't on the car.
Without any incidents, the car safely arrived at the station, and they entered the school to attend the entrance ceremony.
Last year, they participated in the ceremony; this year, they watched others do so.
Arriving at the Gryffindor section, they were pulled over by the Weasley twins, creating a distinctly different atmosphere.
They awaited their sister's sorting ceremony while chatting amongst themselves.
"Ron and Harry drove off with the car; I bet they're going to get into trouble!"
"It's their first time driving; it'd be strange if nothing happened!"
The two started joking at that moment, showing no concern for the potential consequences of their actions.
"Alan, I heard there are vampires around you again, and you managed to deal with them without magic."
"Tell us how you did it."
Their talk about vampires attracted a crowd, many curious eyes turning their way, creating a lively atmosphere.
Zhao Lun felt several pairs of eyes on him, as if they were pricking at his back. Following their gaze, he saw Professor McGonagall staring at them with a stern expression.
The twins noticed too, immediately sitting up straight, pretending they hadn't said anything, which diverted Professor McGonagall's gaze elsewhere.
The sorting ceremony continued, and Zhao Lun fell silent, watching attentively.
One by one, students were called, but none left a significant impression on Zhao Lun until a familiar name caused him to sit up straight.
"Ginny Weasley!"
The Sorting Hat called out Ginny's name, a little girl with red hair stepped forward—she was their sister. The twins watched nervously, awaiting the Sorting Hat's decision.
"Gryffindor!"
"Ginny! Haha! Our sister is here!"
"Alan, remember, don't get any ideas about her!"
"…"
"Luna Lovegood!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Colin Creevey! Gryffindor!"
These were people Zhao Lun knew; the situation continued without any significant changes.
Zhao Lun observed the events closely, feeling as if he were watching adults punishing unruly children.
The most exciting part of the school year had come to a close, and the new term began under these circumstances.
Potter and his friends once again drew the admiration of all the students at the school.
Children their age found them cool, while those who understood some truths silently condemned them.
Others simply laughed it off, showing understanding; they too had passed through that mischievous age, just without being as troublesome.
Mischief had its price, and as for what price that would be, Zhao Lun didn't concern himself; he still had his own matters to settle.
He had little interest in the antics of those children, and at most, he observed them from the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle.
The next day's howler arrived, and Zhao Lun learned of it, taking a look; he had to admit it was far more amusing than in the movies.
The new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, had become the latest sensation.
This fellow was nothing more than a publicity star, garnering attention throughout the magical world. His teaching here was merely a way to gild his reputation, always seeking to display his vast knowledge.
With his charming smile, he captured the hearts of many female students.
Zhao Lun referred to these girls as naive, using this to tease a certain academic girl.
The academic girl firmly denied being naive, instead defending Lockhart; if Zhao Lun spoke too much ill of Lockhart, she would become upset.
There was one person who gave Potter headaches—Colin Creevey, the enthusiastic fan with a camera, constantly taking pictures of him and even digging up his gossip.
Malfoy was back again, an ever-present annoyance, seeking to make life difficult for him. To that end, he began discussing with his little friends how to get back at him, then approached Zhao Lun.
They hoped Zhao Lun could concoct a plan to teach that guy a lesson and make him behave.
"Harry, I know something; the Malfoys have a house-elf named Dobby."
Ian felt uncomfortable bullying a kid who would run away at the sight of him, so he reluctantly shared some information.
"A house-elf? Dobby? Is he under Malfoy's orders? I knew it! The Malfoy family is full of rotten people!"
Zhao Lun's clue made the two boys spark their imaginations, and after thanking Zhao Lun, they left to plot their revenge.
With a sense of calm returning to Zhao Lun, he actively participated in classes, earning Lockhart's favor, and after acquiring his autograph, he headed to the restricted section of the library to peruse some forbidden books.
The books in the restricted section were quite intriguing, filled with magical knowledge and key points. He could access them with the professor's note, but to read any truly forbidden material would require permission from Professor McGonagall or even the headmaster.
With Madam Pince, the librarian, keeping watch, Zhao Lun didn't dare venture into the restricted area, so he settled for reading. These books were sufficient for his needs, and the truly forbidden ones were too dangerous. Ever since the rise of the Dark Lord, students were rarely allowed to view them. Zhao Lun decided to address that later.
This time, using Lockhart's note, Zhao Lun researched vampires, werewolves, and even the legendary dense forest.
The records about the dense forest opened Zhao Lun's eyes.
Between reading, he received letters regularly, keeping him updated on happenings back home.
He also began wandering upstairs, searching for the legendary room—the Room of Requirement.
This room was quite magical, known to few. If there was a secret room here, it would be perfect.
"I want a secret room; I want a secret room."
Zhao Lun paced back and forth, mentally repeating this several times, and finally, a room appeared.
Satisfied, Zhao Lun pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Some things were bound to happen, such as the incidents of students being attacked, but the essence of the people remained unchanged; they were still the same individuals, only slightly different in between.
That notebook appeared in the hands of a certain girl in a different manner.
"Alan, are you still reading?"
"Big things are happening!"
Halloween was approaching, and events were unfolding, pulling Zhao Lun from his daily routine.
The Chamber of Secrets incident, the elimination of Muggle-born wizards, and various rumors made all the students at Hogwarts anxious.
Zhao Lun began his plan, but changes he hadn't anticipated still occurred. (To be continued.)
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