Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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Kanna left quickly. Kyle didn't take the gold galleons on the table; a simple levitation spell returned them to Kanna's pocket.
Kyle wouldn't cheat an eleven-year-old out of her money, even if she appeared wealthy.
It was a matter of principle.
Well... at least wait until he returned from Dorset.
Cedric glanced at the closed door of the private room, then at Kyle, who was clearly relieved, and said subconsciously, "Well, I'm your first customer, right? Can I try the tonic?"
"What are you talking about? That's too polite."
Kyle waved his hand seriously. "You're my best friend, my brother, not a customer."
"Yeah," Cedric nodded. "And the tonic trial..."
"No, that's only for customers."
"Uh..." Cedric stared at Kyle, his eyes twitching slightly.
It was the first time he'd seen someone so brazenly justify treating someone differently and taking advantage of someone they knew. Did they really have no shame at all?
I've learned something new.
Cedric felt a wave of exhaustion and had to change the subject, continuing to talk about Hogwarts.
Speaking of Hogwarts, the topic of Quidditch was inevitable; they both loved it.
The conversation naturally turned to professional Quidditch teams, but here, Kyle and Cedric disagreed.
Kyle loved the Wimbourne Wasps, while Cedric was a die-hard Chudley Cannons fan.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Kyle and Cedric stared at each other, their eyes meeting, and invisible sparks seemed to crackle.
Once a fan's argument begins, there's no such thing as surrendering. Neither of them gave in, and as time went on, the temperature in the carriage seemed to drop significantly.
It wasn't until a dozen minutes later, with a sharp jolt, that their confrontation was interrupted.
"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on board and we'll take it to school for you," a voice echoed through the train.
Kyle and Cedric simultaneously looked away, their gazes tacitly ignoring each other as they began to change into their robes.
Kyle glanced out the window. It was already getting dark outside; no wonder it felt so cold.
Fortunately, the rain had stopped, or he would have needed an umbrella.
The train slowed and slowed until it finally stopped.
After ten hours, the journey finally reached its destination.
Kyle checked his robes and wand once more, making sure they were in good condition. He joined the throng of people on the train and emerged onto a small, dark platform.
The place was truly shabby, overgrown with weeds. The sign was so faded that the words "Hogsmeade Station" were barely readable without careful scrutiny.
There wasn't even a single tiled floor, and the recent rain meant Kyle stepped into mud as he stepped off the train.
"Scourgify."
Kyle waved his wand at his shoes and carefully moved to a relatively clean area.
Who would believe that the platform of a thousand-year-old prestigious school was in such a mess?
If it weren't called Hogwarts, if the headmaster wasn't called Dumbledore, it would be impossible to attract people just because of this platform.
At this time, Kyle also saw Kanna.
The little girl stood trembling in the crowd. Even from such a distance, Kyle could see her pale face, obviously frightened by the scene before her.
Perhaps noticing that someone was looking at her, Kanna subconsciously turned her head and saw Kyle.
Suddenly, she stumbled over as if she had found a lifeline.
Kyle reached out to help Kanna, who nearly fell, and without saying a word, he simply drew his wand again and waved it at her robes.
"Scourgify."
The girl hadn't even looked where she was running, leaving her covered in mud.
After doing all this, he smiled, patted the girl's shoulder, and said soothingly, "Don't be afraid. It's safe here. Someone will be here to pick us up soon."
"Yes," Kanna said softly, lowering her head.
At the same time, an oil lamp appeared above their heads.
"First-years! First-years, come this way!"
Surrounded by the first-year wizards, Hagrid's massive frame stood out. Combined with his messy hair and full beard, his presence frightened many of them.
Kyle could even hear tears.
Kanna didn't cry, but she wasn't much better. She clutched Kyle's arm tightly, causing him to grimace in pain.
But seeing Kanna's terrified expression, Kyle was too embarrassed to pull it out directly, so he could only force himself to hold it in.
He couldn't understand how an eleven-year-old could be so strong.
"My name is Rubeus Hagrid, the keeper of the keys to Hogwarts." Hagrid waved to the others.
"First-years, follow me. Watch your step. I'll take you on the boat to Hogwarts."
Kyle was the first to follow, leading Kanna into the dim light, the brightest spot around.
By then, Kanna had calmed down considerably. She quickly let go of Kyle's arm, blushing and mumbling, "I'm sorry."
Unfortunately, her voice was too quiet, and with the constant noises of others startling around, Kyle couldn't hear what she said, only nodding subconsciously.
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To be considerate of the first-year wizard, Hagrid walked slowly. It took them over twenty minutes of stumbling and scrambling to finally reach the end of the steep, narrow path.
After turning the final corner, Hagrid turned to look at the others, smiling and pointing ahead. "Come on, you're about to see Hogwarts for the first time. Don't get distracted. This is the most beautiful view in the wizarding world."
A flurry of gasps and exclamations followed.
Kanna, standing beside Kyle, stared blankly ahead, muttering to herself, "Beautiful...!"
The path ended at the famous Black Lake. Across the lake, on a towering hillside, stood a majestic castle.
Its towering spires, shimmering against the bright moon, made it seem as if it were built into the clouds.
The illuminated windows of the castle resembled the stars dotting the sky. It was a breathtaking sight, akin to a miracle.
Even Kyle was stunned.
For a moment, he wondered if the Hogsmeade platform had been left in such dilapidated condition to highlight this scene.
"Okay, first years, let's get ready for the ferry. Don't keep the professors waiting." Hagrid pointed to a fleet of small boats parked by the lake and said loudly, "Remember, no more than four people can be on each boat."
Kyle and Kanna boarded the nearest small boat, followed by two unfamiliar first-year wizards, also a boy and a girl.
Judging from their looks, they must have been very excited. Even after getting on the boat, they kept muttering that they must write a letter to tell their families about this scene.
"Are you all on board?" Hagrid, sitting alone in a small boat, turned back to confirm one last time: "Okay... let's go!"
A fleet of small boats immediately crossed the lake and sailed forward, passing the low cliffs, through the ivy covering the cliffs, and finally entered a dark tunnel.
[End of the chapter]