We walked behind the four magical heroes (who advanced as if they had GPS built into their brains), while the forest grew thicker and thicker. Godric and Salazar led the way with steady steps; Rowena and Helga followed behind, talking quietly about very magical and important things... probably magical equations, spells, or who knows what else, I'm not a woman.
I, of course, was busy admiring how my cape moved with every step. A cape, people. A REAL CAPE. That automatically raises the level of any walk.
The silence between me and the other boy had become uncomfortable... very uncomfortable. He walked with his head down, hugging himself, as if he were afraid the wind would steal his thoughts.
So, applying my great social skills, I decided to break the ice.
"Hey... Hey..." I whispered, moving a little closer. "Since we're going to... I don't know, learn magic or something together? It would be nice... you know... to know who you are, right?"
The boy looked up slowly. He had tousled brown hair, large eyes still wet from his previous crying, and he looked younger than me... or maybe it was just that the medieval diet didn't favor height... or maybe he was just scared of life. He wore a light brown tunic and shoes that were made by some apprentice craftsman.
"My name is Edwin," he replied in a low voice, afraid that someone would send him to the stake for speaking loudly.
"So Edwin... huh," I repeated. "That's a nice name. And... how did you... end up here?"
He swallowed before answering.
"I was helping my mother gather firewood," he said. "When some people saw me lift a rock without touching it... they got scared. They said it was the work of the devil and... well..." He glanced for a moment at where they had tried to burn him. "I think you've seen the rest."
His voice trembled a little. I felt my chest tighten. For him, this wasn't an epic adventure or an exciting isekai. It was a horror story with an ending yet to be decided.
"Well... that's it," I searched for the right word, but my brain offered things like "intense," "traumatic," and "dark Disney story." "...heavy."
He nodded with a confused expression.
"Well, as you heard, I'm Arthur," I said, smiling as if I hadn't chosen my name ten minutes ago by pure chance. "And... let's just say I also had a... strange accident before I appeared before everyone."
Edwin looked at me sideways, curious.
"Did they try to burn you too?" he asked, somewhat fearfully.
"No, no," I replied quickly. "Mine was more... 'magical'. With bicycles and thieves."
He frowned, still confused by the words I was using.
"Bi...ci...?"
"Forget it. It's a long story," I said. It's not like I was going to explain the Tour de France to him before I even learned my first spell.
Edwin lowered his shoulders a little, and I could see how he began to feel more comfortable with me... less alone.
"It's good not to be the only weird one," he murmured.
I smiled at him.
"Edwin... you don't have to worry, here being weird is literally the best thing in the world."
He let out a little laugh. It was the first one I had seen from him in all this time, and honestly, it made everything feel a little bit better.
The path continued between tall trees, some so old that they seemed to have witnessed the birth of the forest itself. The leaves swayed in the wind, casting small flashes of light on the ground. Among the branches were small blue dots (which were definitely not fireflies), floating among the trees and giving the forest a mysterious air.
After a few minutes of walking, Godric nodded slightly toward us.
"I'm sure you have some questions," he said in a kind and energetic voice. "That's normal. In fact, it's a very good sign. It means you're still curious, and curiosity is one of the fuels for magic."
Rowena, walking beside him, added in her elegant and precise tone.
"Children with magic are born in different places, families, and circumstances. Some are accepted... others, unfortunately, are persecuted. That's why we decided to create a place for them. A refuge. A center of learning."
Helga smiled with pride and warmth.
"Hogwarts is a home for all those with whom we share this gift."
Edwin looked up hopefully for the first time.
"Is Hogwarts... like a village?"
Rowena shook her head gently.
"Not exactly. It's a fortress. A safe, protected place where magic can be taught, studied, and grown without fear."
Godric puffed out his chest with the same pride as a father showing off a photo of his baby for the first time.
"We built it seven years ago," he said. "At first, it was just the four of us... and a handful of young people. But it's growing. Every year, more arrive."
As soon as the word seven came out of his mouth, my mind clicked instantly.
"Seven years? SERIOUSLY? Of course. It's obvious! The number seven! The most magical number in the Harry Potter universe! Seven books, seven Horcruxes, seven players in Quidditch, seven years to graduate... Even the Weasley family had seven children!"
I tried not to smile like an excited fan... but I failed miserably.
"Seven years..." I repeated with a twinkle in my eyes. "It sounds... important."
Rowena gave me a curious look, as if she had picked up on my strange tone of voice.
"Seven is a powerful number," she said casually, as if she were commenting on the fact that water is wet or that Salazar has a resting elitist face. "Many magical traditions consider it synonymous with balance and potential."
Internally, I thought:
"CONFIRMED: Seven is key, the lore is real, magic is real, memes are real. My inner Potterhead is convulsing."
Helga looked at Edwin and me with maternal sweetness.
"At Hogwarts, you won't be alone. There are other young people like you learning to understand their magic. Our goal is that no child should ever have to fear it."
Edwin looked down, not out of sadness, but because a shy smile was forming on his lips.
I felt something strange.
Maybe hope. Maybe excitement. Maybe it was magic rising in my lungs. Or gas. It was hard to tell.
Without turning around, Salazar added in his soft but sharp tone.
"And we also seek to train capable, intelligent, and ambitious wizards. The world needs strong minds, not just brave hearts with noble intentions."
Godric rolled his eyes slightly.
"What Salazar means..." Godric translated, visibly accustomed to being his "interpreter for normal humans," "...is that each of us contributes something different. At Hogwarts, you will learn from everyone."
I nodded, pretending to understand perfectly.
"Arthur's translation:
—Godric: 'courage and noble spirit'
—Rowena: 'brain and 5D chess-level magic'
—Helga: 'heart, magic cookies, and emotional therapy'
—Salazar: 'elite, snakes, and hot villain vibes'"
I felt like they were walking straight into the prologue of an epic saga. And the best part (or worst) was that I wasn't just a spectator. I was part of it.
The walk continued among increasingly sparse trees. The sunlight began to fade, creating small golden flashes on the leaves, almost magical in themselves, and since we were now officially "recruits bound for Hogwarts," I decided it was a good time to gather information like a good protagonist who needs the tutorial.
"So..." I began, trying to sound casual, "How many... um... students do you have at Hogwarts now?"
Godric smiled.
"About thirty young people. Some live there, others only go for seasons to learn and practice."
Edwin's eyes widened in amazement.
"Thirty? That's like... a whole village full of wizards!"
"Well," I said, remembering the 21st century, "where I come from, that's a small number... I think villages had hundreds?"
Edwin looked at me as if I had said, "In my world, we fly in birds made of metal."
"Hundreds?" he repeated, horrified. "How are you supposed to remember so many names? And... how is the bread distributed? Does he give them food?"
Medieval priorities, I thought. They were very valid questions, though.
I decided to keep asking:
"And how... does it work? Do we take exams? Are there... classes? More teachers?"
Rowena was the one who answered, her tone soft but sparkling with intellectual enthusiasm.
"The four of us are the teachers. We founded Hogwarts to guide and shape new generations of witches and wizards." Her eyes lit up. "You don't have to worry if you don't understand everything right away. That's what we're here for."
Okay, it was a little scary and admirable at the same time.
Helga added with her classic smile.
"We are very well organized. Each of us teaches what we excel at."
Salazar interjected, turning his head slightly.
"I guide those with ambition. Students come to us seeking knowledge. Some succeed. Others... simply break."
Okay, yes, he is definitely the teacher who makes you question your life choices.
I felt that someone was missing, so I asked:
"What about you, Master Godric?"
He smiled broadly.
"I teach them defense, to have courage in battle, to channel their magic through their bodies and the courage necessary to use it. Remember, power without control is dangerous, but control without courage is useless."
Godric is definitely the magical version of Might Guy who yells "AGAIN!" after you fall during training.
Not to be outdone, I decided to try to sound more... medieval. I cleared my throat, straightened my back, and said in an old-fashioned, dramatic voice.
"Well, teachers, your honorable... um... wise... will be well received. Thank you, my lords," I finished with a small bow.
Silence.
Edwin looked at me and slowly began to move away so he wouldn't feel that vicarious embarrassment.
Helga smiled, because she was automatically kind to any social disaster.
Godric let out a loud laugh.
Salazar raised an eyebrow and gave me a look that said, "Never speak like that again."
And Rowena... Rowena just blinked, trying to process the words I had just said.
"I think you meant to say 'your knowledge will be well received,' right?" Rowena corrected me with the tact of a teacher who doesn't want to destroy her student's self-esteem on his first day.
"Exactly. That's what I meant. I... I was just trying out a new style," I said, packing what little dignity I had left into a small box and discreetly burying it in the woods.
To change the subject and salvage my social image, I asked,
"So... the four of you live at Hogwarts... alone with the students?"
Rowena clasped her hands behind her back, a slight but significant gesture.
"Not entirely," she said. "I have a daughter. She's about your age."
Insert dramatic pause.
Edwin had a look on his face that said, "Wizards have children? (Of course they do, Edwin, biology doesn't change with magic). The founders gave him an awkward smile, as if they had mentioned that they raised chickens.
Rowena continued calmly.
"Her name is Helena. She's very intelligent and has a natural talent for magic. I'm sure she'll enjoy meeting other young people her age."
My mind exploded silently and began to spin with excitement.
"Helena Ravenclaw! The future Grey Lady! I'm about to meet a legendary NPC in her childhood stage, DLC, not officially canonized."
I tried to keep a neutral face and not look like a fan at a convention.
"How... interesting," I managed to say. "It will be... uh... cool to meet her."
Edwin frowned.
"What's cool? Is it like tasty?"
"It means... it'll be nice to meet you. It's... Arthur's slang."
He didn't understand, but he nodded anyway, accepting that I was weird in a probably tolerable way.
As we continued walking, I realized something:
I wasn't just going to Hogwarts.
I was going to Hogwarts, but... a quieter one compared to the original, with the founders as teachers, thirty magical students, and the future dramatic ghost in her child form.
If this wasn't an epic adventure... then I didn't know what was.