"Five minutes until we reach our final stop. Please do not carry too many personal items—leave your luggage on the train, and we'll deliver it to your dormitories at the school..."
The announcement echoed through the train, rousing Hermione from her sleep.
Still groggy, she pushed herself up from Qin Yu's arms, blinking in confusion. "We're there already?"
"What did you expect? Didn't get enough sleep?" Qin Yu teased, gently smoothing a few tangled strands of her hair.
"Not nearly enough... I didn't really sleep well last night... I wanted to come find you, but I was afraid you'd send me away..." Hermione mumbled, rubbing her eyes and finishing with a wide yawn.
...
Qin Yu hadn't realized she'd been so nervous she couldn't sleep. Thinking back to his own first night before arriving at Hogwarts, even with two lifetimes' worth of experience, he'd still been buzzing with excitement.
If that was true for him, how much more so for a girl like Hermione?
"Don't worry. Hagrid will take you all across the lake to the castle—you've met him before. When you get to the Great Hall, you'll be sorted. Just put on the Sorting Hat and wait for your house to be announced..." Qin Yu cupped her small face in his hands, walking her through the new-student routine and gently patting her cheeks to help her shake off the last of her sleep.
"Mm-hmm!" Hermione nodded twice, her head still cradled in his palms.
He let her go and gathered a few things to carry with him. Hermione's luggage would be handled separately, ready to be delivered to her new room after the Sorting.
"Ah!" Hermione suddenly squeaked.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yu asked, curious.
"Qin... my robes are all wrinkled..." she said, tugging at the creased fabric in dismay.
She'd fallen asleep in his arms after changing into her school robes, and her restless nap had left them rumpled. Hermione tried to smooth them out with her hands, but it was no use.
"Hands off—let me," Qin Yu said.
He didn't reach out to tug at her clothes. Instead, he drew his wand and cast a simple household spell. Instantly, Hermione's robes were perfectly crisp and neat again.
—Honestly, knowing a few handy domestic spells is a must for any qualified big brother... or boyfriend.
"Qin, you're amazing!" Hermione beamed at him, her eyes sparkling.
If they were at home, she'd do a lot more than just praise him with words.
But she reminded herself, over and over, that she was about to start school. She had to mind her manners—and remember she was now a young witch.
...
The train rolled to a stop. Students poured out, jostling and crowding near the doors.
"First years, over here! First years, this way!" boomed Hagrid's voice.
Qin Yu led Hermione over to say hello to Hagrid, and exchanged a few words with Harry, Ron, and Adam.
Harry and Ron looked so nervous, Qin Yu thought they might forget how to walk. Adam, on the other hand, showed not a hint of nerves—just a faint, curious smile as he took in everything around him.
"See you at school!" Qin Yu waved to Hermione.
"Mm-hmm, see you at school!" she replied solemnly, nodding her little head.
Harry, Ron, and Adam also waved their goodbyes.
Qin Yu then joined Elvis and the others in a carriage drawn by Thestrals, following the tree-lined path along the lake and arriving at Hogwarts ahead of the first years.
They chatted about their summer holidays—Elvis especially grateful for Qin Yu's help with his studies by owl post.
Soon, they reached the castle.
Climbing down and walking through the long corridors, everyone felt a rush of nostalgia.
Qin Yu felt it, too. This magical school had been his world for the past year. Every blade of grass, every stone, every shadow felt familiar—almost as if the castle itself was welcoming him back.
But many familiar faces were gone: Charlie, who'd graduated and moved to Romania; Professor Swinton, off chasing ancient ruins; and a handful of older Gryffindors whose names he barely remembered.
In their place were the new first years—kids he was now expected to mentor.
It really did feel like "the things remain, but the people have changed."
...
Lost in thought, Qin Yu followed the crowd into the Great Hall.
Just a year ago, he'd stood here with his classmates, waiting for the Sorting Hat to decide their fate.
Now it was Hermione, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the new students' turn.
Once the upper years had taken their seats at their house tables, the Great Hall doors swung open. Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House, led the nervous first years inside.
In the crowd, Hermione instinctively searched for Qin Yu. As soon as she spotted him, her face relaxed.
Harry did the same—every so often, he'd glance over at Qin Yu for reassurance. Apart from Hagrid, Qin Yu was the only familiar face here.
"...Next, the Sorting Hat will decide which house you'll join... When I call your name, please come forward, sit on the stool, and put on the Sorting Hat..." Professor McGonagall announced, holding a long parchment list.
The first years were called up one by one.
A girl named Hannah Abbott went first, and the Sorting Hat quickly declared, "Hufflepuff!"
One by one, more than twenty students were sorted into Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff.
"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall called.
To his surprise, Qin Yu felt a sudden, inexplicable nervousness—like a father watching his little girl grow up.
Ugh, what a weird thought, he chided himself.
He watched as the little girl scampered up to the stool, sat down, and had the Sorting Hat placed on her head. She pressed her lips together, blinking, waiting for the verdict.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted.
Hermione's face lit up with joy. She removed the hat, bowed politely to Professor McGonagall, and then hurried down from the stage, making a beeline for the Gryffindor table.
As she got closer, she slowed her steps, gliding gracefully into the empty seat beside Qin Yu.
The Gryffindors welcomed her with thunderous applause.
The little witch answered with a smile—polite, yet unmistakably proud.
"Adam Quinn!"
After Hermione, it was Adam's turn.
Qin Yu couldn't help but watch closely.
There was something about this boy—an ordinary name, an unremarkable face, a personality so mild he almost disappeared into the background. Yet, somehow, he kept popping up in Qin Yu's line of sight. Maybe that meant something.
Or maybe he was just being paranoid. If Adam were truly suspicious, surely the system would have given him a warning by now.
Wait...
Why was he so sure the system would always warn him? Was it really that reliable?
That thought sent a chill through Qin Yu.
But then he remembered—he knew the story. Aside from Voldemort and the Death Eaters, what other villains could there be? And Adam was just a kid—he couldn't possibly be a Death Eater, right?
I'm probably just overthinking it, Qin Yu told himself, shaking his head.
The thought passed in a flash. He turned his attention back to the stage.
The Sorting Hat was muttering to itself, bobbing and nodding, clearly debating where to place the quiet boy beneath it.
——Dimensional Wall——
As you can see, this is a tricky spot—readers already know Adam is suspicious, so it's hard to build any real suspense. I have to rely on other characters' perspectives to write about him, which isn't easy for a newbie author like me.
And honestly, the protagonist is smart enough to sense something's off about Adam, but he can't have omniscient knowledge. Think of this as a little bit of foreshadowing.
In short, it's a tough balance to strike.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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