Hogwarts Raven

The sky gradually darkened as the cold temperature and gathering dark clouds hastened the arrival of night.

"Found it!" Hagrid, the enormous half-giant with a wild beard, lit the lantern in his hand and led a group of bustling little wizards toward the Black Lake.

"What's going on with those two over there?" One of the students asked.

"Are they also new students starting this year? Why didn't they take the train with us?" another chimed in.

"Maybe they live near Hogwarts..."

Ian and Aurora, who were squatting by the Black Lake and playing with the water, quickly attracted the attention of the other young wizards. They chattered and whispered behind Hagrid.

"Are you the two children Dumbledore mentioned?" Hagrid asked, holding his pink umbrella in his other hand, creating a stark contrast with his burly figure.

"If there's no one else here, then it must be us," Aurora replied, tilting her head back to see Hagrid's bearded face.

"Professor, you've finally arrived! We've been waiting so long," Ian said, quickly grabbing his suitcase and walking with Aurora toward the group of new students.

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry! I was delayed looking for a lost student," Hagrid laughed, his beard shaking as he ruffled Ian's hair with a large hand. "Just call me Hagrid, that'll be fine. I'm just the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, don't get it wrong. You're such a likable little fellow."

Clearly, the title of "professor" really touched Hagrid's heart.

"It's all the same, all the same," Ian thought, feeling that Hagrid's large hand could almost cover his entire head.

"Everyone's here, so let's hurry and get on the boats. We're running out of time!" Hagrid called out. His favor was always easy to win. Seeing the skinny Ian, he tucked his small red umbrella into his belt and effortlessly freed a hand to help Ian and Aurora carry their suitcases.

"Thank you, Professor Hagrid. You're a good person," Ian said, eagerly following behind Hagrid, while Aurora seemed to be lost in thought. The two joined the group of little wizards trailing after Hagrid.

However, no one spoke to them. Initial friendships often began on the Hogwarts Express, and the encounters in the train compartments largely determined the social circles of the young wizards.

The group quickly arrived at the boat docking area in the middle of the Black Lake.

"Four people to a boat, no pushing, no crowding. This is for your safety," Hagrid shouted at the eager little wizards.

He casually tossed Ian and Aurora's suitcases into the boat in front of them, leaving Ian and Aurora with no choice but to climb in.

"You! I'm talking to you! No ten people in one boat!" Hagrid called out as he ran toward the other little wizards.

At that moment, two girls approached and climbed into the boat with Ian and Aurora. They might not have been very familiar with each other, as they sat quite apart from one another across from Ian and Aurora.

"Hello," One of the girls greeted warmly.

Aurora nodded slightly.

"I thought we'd have to ride to school with the big guy Hagrid," Ian replied, feeling somewhat relieved that the boat was filled with kids like him.

"You just called him professor and said he was a good person, but now you say you don't want to ride with him?" Aurora looked at Ian with surprise.

"It's not about wanting or not," Ian replied confidently. "Of course, I think he's a good person, but what does that have to do with the potential capsizing incident?"

Such a logical statement even made the girl who had greeted them earlier nod in agreement.

At that moment, Hagrid shouted, "Everyone, hold on! We're setting off!" He found a boat for himself, and with his command, all the boats began to move across the mirror-like surface of the lake.

"This isn't scientific!" Ian exclaimed, surprised to see that Hagrid's boat had the same draft as the others. Then he seemed to understand and softly added, "But this is indeed magical."

Hagrid's weight couldn't possibly be equivalent to just four little wizards. The boats ferrying the young students to Hogwarts were clearly some kind of alchemical artifact with multiple capabilities.

Feeling the boat's automatic movement, Ian began to look forward to learning about alchemy.

"Your eyes are so beautiful," The enthusiastic girl said, noticing Aurora's striking heterochromatic eyes.

"Thank you," Aurora replied flatly.

"My name is Cho Chang. I hope we can become friends," The girl said, extending her hand. Aurora hesitated but then lightly shook it.

However, she did not introduce herself.

"She has autism and doesn't like to talk," Ian quickly made an excuse for his companion, sensing the awkward atmosphere. However, this explanation made Aurora look at him several times in disbelief.

"So that's how it is," Cho said, unsure whether to believe it.

"Just call me Ian. I'm different from her; I love to talk," Ian said enthusiastically, shaking Cho's hand. He looked at Harry Potter's first love, who indeed had the delicate features of a standard Asian girl.

"Lumos!"

As the sky darkened, the usually quiet girl suddenly drew her wand and cast a spell. A soft white light hovered at the tip of her wand.

This girl really seemed naturally quiet, having no interaction with Ian and the others.

"Lumos!"

"Lumos!"

...

Other boats around them also lit up with white light.

On the lake, the boats floated neatly toward Hogwarts Castle, leaving winding trails on the water and sketching out a picturesque path in the boundless night.

"It's said that the four founders of Hogwarts arrived by boat and established the school," Cho said, looking toward the silhouette of Hogwarts Castle in the distance. 

Her desire to share knowledge was evident, as she seemed eager to impart what she knew. "I remember someone once told me a story that when first-year wizards and witches cross the lake, they receive the blessings of the four founders. The legacy of the four founders would bestow a baptism of magical power upon them."

Ian felt invigorated by her words.

A moment later, he sighed in disappointment. "They are Rumors! Pure rumors!" After checking his personal panel, he felt let down.

Women might deceive him, but the personal panel would not.

"It's just a story; of course, it doesn't have to be true," Cho said, brushing her hair back and smiling lightly, not minding Ian's skepticism.

"I don't mind you chatting," The aloof girl suddenly spoke. "But I suggest that instead of talking about some ethereal legend, perhaps you should pay more attention to the crisis at hand."

Her sudden statement left Ian and the others momentarily stunned.

Crisis? What crisis could there be at Hogwarts?

(End of chapter)

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