Hogwarts: Transmigrated as the Top Student

"Oh… oh… oh…"

Jon jolted awake to the piercing shriek of his alarm clock.

It was 7:10 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, and the sky outside was nearly dark. He quickly retrieved his black Hogwarts robe from his suitcase and slipped it on.

"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on board—it will be delivered to the school," came a voice over the loudspeakers.

That was good news—no need to drag his heavy suitcase along.

The train gradually slowed to a halt.

Jon squeezed toward the exit as the other students pushed and shoved their way to the doors, spilling out onto a small, pitch-dark platform.

"First-years! First-years over here!" a booming voice called from ahead.

Through the crowd, Jon spotted a massive man who stood out easily. His face was almost completely hidden beneath wild tangles of hair and a thick beard, but his beetle-black eyes still gleamed from beneath the mess.

"I'm Hagrid—Rubeus Hagrid! Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts!" the big man called out with a warm smile on his bearded face. "Come on, follow me. Any more first-years?"

"Watch your step! All right, first-years, with me!"

Most of the first-years trailed behind Hagrid but kept a cautious distance, wary of his towering frame and fierce appearance.

Jon, on the other hand, followed him without hesitation. He knew full well that despite Hagrid's intimidating look, he was a genuinely kind-hearted man.

Walking beside Jon was a rather peculiar girl. She had long, waist-length white hair in a tangled mess, ghost-pale eyebrows, and wide, protruding eyes.

"What a marvelous journey, don't you think?" she said dreamily.

"Yeah," Jon replied, though he wasn't sure what exactly had been marvelous.

They stumbled and slipped as they followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path.

"Round that bend—you'll see Hogwarts for the first time!" Hagrid called back.

At the end of the trail, a vast black lake suddenly came into view, drawing gasps from everyone—even Jon, who had mentally prepared himself.

"There it is—Hogwarts!" Hagrid shouted, pointing across the lake.

High on a hillside on the opposite shore stood a majestic castle, its towers spiking into the sky, windows twinkling like stars.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid barked, pointing to a line of small boats moored along the bank.

Jon stepped into one boat, joined by the strange white-haired girl and two unfamiliar boys.

"Everyone aboard?" Hagrid shouted. He took a boat to himself. "All right—forward!" The fleet of boats glided smoothly over the mirror-like surface of the lake.

This must be part of the traditional first-year ritual, Jon mused as he rowed.

The four founders—Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin—had arrived at Hogwarts by boat, so every new student now retraced that same journey.

The boats carried them beneath ivy-draped cliffs, into a hidden opening.

They passed through a pitch-black tunnel that seemed to lead under the castle, arriving at what looked like an underground dock. From there, they clambered up a path covered in loose gravel and stones.

Under the glow of Hagrid's lantern, the group climbed a set of stone steps and gathered before a giant oak door.

Hagrid raised a battered pink umbrella and knocked three times on the castle door.

...

The door swung open immediately.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Hagrid said cheerfully, winking at the young witches and wizards before leading the way.

Ahead stood a stone wall, surrounded by blazing torches. The ceiling was so high it disappeared into darkness, and a grand marble staircase rose straight up ahead.

"Jon!" someone tugged on the back of his robe.

"What is it?" Jon turned around calmly at the familiar voice. "Miss Greengrass."

Under the flickering torchlight, Astoria Greengrass's face looked even paler than it had during the day.

At the stiff formality of his response, her hand trembled slightly.

Astoria whispered, "Daphne… she really didn't mean to… She didn't mean to call you Mudblood. She just…"

"Just let it slip?" Jon's voice was cold, devoid of sympathy. "Maybe you call us that every day at home, and today she just got angry and accidentally said it in front of others?"

"No… that's not it…"

Astoria tried to explain further.

But Hagrid's booming voice interrupted them from up ahead:

"Professor Snape—what are you doing here?"

A middle-aged man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin emerged from a small hut off to the side.

Jon suddenly felt Professor Severus Snape's eyes lock onto him and instinctively lowered his head.

Snape had come through a door very close to where Jon and Astoria were standing—he might have overheard their conversation.

Snape stopped just a yard away from Jon and said slowly, "I heard from Barrow that a very valuable Whomping Willow may have been damaged by something. I'm going to inspect it."

"Right," Hagrid nodded. "I'm taking the first-years to the Sorting Ceremony!"

With that, Hagrid moved on. Jon quickly bowed his head and followed.

Whether it was his imagination or not, he could feel Snape's gaze fixed on the back of his head until he was out of sight.

Hagrid led them to a small empty chamber. The new students crowded in, shoulder to shoulder, nervously scanning their surroundings.

Inside, dressed in emerald-green robes, Professor Minerva McGonagall was waiting for them.

"First-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here."