Ethan had a very fulfilling time before the start of term.
The first thing he did was cram all the spells from the first-year textbooks—from Levitation Charm and Lumos in *The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)* to all the weird little charms—into his skill library.
Master them instantly, use them right away.
He was now a qualified first-year wizard.
He even secretly tested the Apparition he'd "borrowed" from Headmaster Dumbledore.
This skill was incredibly useful!
No more trudging to the river to fish—with just a thought, he could flash to his usual spot.
Unfortunately, the convenience of magic couldn't change his fate as the "King of Air Fishing."
He still went every day full of enthusiasm, only to return dejected, without catching even a single scale.
This made him seriously suspect: Was the river cursed by some shady wizard?
"No way~ No way~" Ethan muttered to himself as he stared at the empty fish bucket.
"Are there really anglers these days who can consistently go skunked like me? That's straight-up abnormal!"
...
Time flew by, and the first day of school arrived.
Ethan, carrying his undetectable extension suitcase—stuffed full but feeling as light as if it were empty—arrived at the bustling King's Cross Station.
He pulled out the acceptance letter Dumbledore had given him and double-checked: "Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."
"What the hell? Nine and three-quarters? (`A´)" Ethan fumed. This naming scheme was pure wizarding wicked humor.
He pocketed the letter and discreetly observed his surroundings. Soon, he spotted several families pushing luggage carts, hurrying along in somewhat "retro" attire.
They rushed toward the stone pillar between platforms nine and ten—and in a flash, they and their carts vanished right into it!
"Oh, I get it." Ethan suddenly realized, thinking this entry method was way cooler than tapping a brick wall.
He followed suit and sped toward the pillar.
No impact—just a brief sensation like passing through an icy curtain of water. The next moment, he stood on a brand-new, noisy platform.
A deep red steam locomotive waited beside it, with a prominent sign on the front: "Hogwarts Express."
Thick white steam mixed with the barking of pets and the chatter of students, creating a lively atmosphere.
After Ethan boarded, he found the first few carriages packed and bustling.
Nothing he could do—he was a bit late.
He simply cast a Levitation Charm to float his suitcase behind him and headed to the back of the train until he found a reasonably spacious empty compartment.
He claimed a seat by the window and let out a long sigh of relief.
Knowing school started today, he'd been so excited last night that he'd barely slept.
The train ride to Hogwarts was long, so he might as well nap.
With that thought, Ethan pulled a comfortable eye mask from his suitcase, put it on, adjusted his position, and prepared to drift off.
He didn't know how much time passed...
*Slurp slurp.*
A wet, sticky sensation hit his face.
Ethan groggily sat up, ripped off the blindfold, and saw... a toad squatting on the small table in front of him!
It stared at him with big, blank eyes, mouth still moving.
This thing woke him up?!
Human and toad stared wide-eyed at each other. (⊙_☉)
[Ding! Mission issued: A hungry "hereditary toad" has been detected. Feed it to obtain: Big Tongue]
[Effect: The cursed person's tongue will briefly become confused and inverted, resulting in disordered speech for one minute. The effect cannot be dispelled during this time.]
Looking at the system's task and the amusing prank spell, Ethan suddenly felt that a couple of toad licks wasn't so bad.
The toad even looked handsomer now.
"Hello, do you have any food?" The toad actually spoke, its voice a little hoarse. "My master is lost—I forgot where I put him. I'm very hungry."
[Language Mastery] covered toad language too? Ethan mentally gave the ability another thumbs-up.
Just then, as if on cue, the snack trolley creaked to a stop right outside his compartment.
"Do you eat candy?" Ethan asked the toad tentatively.
After an affirmative croak, Ethan bought a bunch: Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and more.
The toad was starving and devoured everything with relish.
[Quest complete! Obtained the magic: Lickitung]
After eating its fill, the toad let out a satisfied burp and hopped off.
As it left, it even waved a front paw like a human and mumbled, "Goodbye, kind person! I hope you don't fail any courses at your new school!"
Ethan: "..." This toad knew a lot.
...
The train rushed onward.
The scenery outside flashed by: London's urban sprawl long gone, replaced by open fields, then dense forests, winding rivers, and dark green hills.
This long journey from England's southeastern plains to the Scottish Highlands finally reached its end as night fell—Hogwarts, Hogsmeade Station.
"First-year students! First-year students, come this way!"
A loud, booming voice cut through the noise.
Ethan looked toward the sound and was immediately stunned.
He'd never seen anyone so tall and imposing! Whose bodyguard was this?
"My name is Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I've come to take yeh to the castle!" Hagrid carried a huge lantern, his smile honest and friendly.
...
"Alright, let's get yeh across the lake! Don't keep the professors waitin'!"
Hagrid pointed to a row of small boats moored on the Black Lake and shouted, "Remember! No more than four to a boat!"
Ethan and three other unfamiliar first-years exchanged curious glances before boarding one together.
"Everyone aboard?" Hagrid, alone on his massive boat at the back, checked. "Then... off we go!"
At his command, all the boats glided forward as if pulled by invisible ropes, slicing through the calm, inky water toward the majestic castle on the opposite shore.
After passing through an ivy-covered cliff and a dark tunnel, they arrived at an underground dock.
Hagrid led them up a gravel path to a huge oak door in the castle's shadow.
At the entrance stood a witch in emerald robes, hair in a tight bun, expression stern—she'd clearly been waiting.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here." Her voice was clear and commanding.
Hagrid grinned at the new students, then hefted his lantern and left.
The witch's sharp gaze swept over the nervous, curious first-years.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and your Transfiguration professor."
She opened the huge oak door and led them into the magnificent castle.
The entrance hall was enormous, torches burning brightly on stone walls, the ceiling so high it vanished into shadow. A grand marble staircase swept upward.
Professor McGonagall didn't take them straight to the noisy Great Hall. Instead, she led them to a small empty chamber off the entrance hall.
The Opening Feast was about to begin.
Looking at the anxious faces, she said seriously, "Before you enter the hall and take your seats, you must first be sorted into your houses... The Sorting Ceremony is a very important tradition..."
After explaining the four houses, she said she needed to leave briefly and asked them to wait quietly. She'd return soon to escort them to the Great Hall for the Sorting.