A Journey to Hogwarts: Arrival and Anticipation

During meditation, time always seems to pass quickly. Jon didn't realize how long it had been until Bella's tapping brought him back to reality.

"Wake up, don't fall asleep. We're almost there. Hurry up and change your clothes," Bella said to her drowsy brother.

"Are we already there?" Jon rubbed his eyes a couple of times. Although he pretended to be asleep, keeping his eyes closed for a long time made him feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah, the carriage is about to stop. Quickly put on your robe. I'll wait outside," Bella said.

Bella intended to give Jon some space to change his clothes, but she didn't expect Jon had no intention of changing. He just pulled out the outermost robe from the small trunk and put it on.

"Well, I guess it'll do," Bella said as she saw that time was running out. She didn't want to nitpick at her brother. She grabbed Jon and headed toward the compartment, muttering, "The trunks are labeled, and the attendants will deliver our things to our respective houses. You go quickly and find the group of new students. You'll be in the first batch crossing the lake, and it's almost 1 o'clock... Lumos."

A light emanated from the tip of Bella's wand, dispelling the darkness in front of the siblings. Only then did Jon see the countless students in front of him, all wearing the same robes.

"The group of new students is over there," Bella pointed to the lake's edge. Jon followed her gaze and saw a massive figure.

That should be Hagrid. He really lives up to his reputation as a half-giant with such height.

"What are you staring at?" Bella pushed Jon lightly and held his hand. She reached into her robe pocket and took something out, stuffing it into Jon's robe pocket. "I saved two Chocolate Frogs for you. You must be hungry after sleeping for so long. It will be quite some time before we get to our houses. Eat this to keep you full for a while."

"Okay." Jon felt a warm sensation in his heart. Bella usually seemed carefree and unreliable, but her sudden sisterly concern caught Jon by surprise and touched him.

Well... if she wants to date Cedric, then let her. If things don't work out, he can secretly do something to help Cedric. But getting married is something that needs careful consideration!

Bella didn't expect her younger brother to have so many random thoughts. After she sent Jon to the end of the new students' line, she hurriedly returned to her own house's line.

Jon joined the new students' line, arriving a bit late. However, taking advantage of the cover of the night, no one noticed his sudden presence.

He discreetly squeezed the ring on his index finger and opened the hidden compartment above it, taking out his wand from inside.

"Lumos."

The fruits of his diligent studies were now apparent. Although Jon hadn't practiced the Lumos spell for long, he could still see the path clearly with the faint light.

"I was careless. I should have brought a flashlight," he whispered. His muttering and the glowing light on his wand caught the attention of a few nearby new students, but everyone was too captivated by the dark lake in front of them, and only a few noticed him.

"There is Hogwarts!" Hagrid, who looked like a small mountain, pointed across the lake.

On the tall slope over there stood a majestic castle, with numerous spires and windows shining mysteriously under the starry sky.

"No more than four people in each boat!"

Jon boarded one of the last boats, which already had two unfamiliar boys on it.

"Is everyone on the boat?" Hagrid shouted. He took a boat by himself.

"Very well... Let's move forward!" A fleet of small boats immediately glided across the calm lake's mirror-like surface, and everyone remained silent. Jon looked up, gazing at the Hogwarts castle. It wasn't much different from what he had seen in the movies. The wizarding paradise that had appeared countless times in his dreams was now standing before him, giving him a surreal feeling of unreality.

Though he couldn't say he felt homesick, there was a sense of sentimentality here, to some extent. He took a deep breath, inhaling the moist air mingled with the scent of the lake and a hint of oldness, as if decaying wood had suddenly come alive under the spring rain. This was the taste of knowledge!

...

The boats quickly reached the shore, and the group of new students climbed up a tunnel embedded in the rocks, guided by Hagrid's lantern light. Finally, they arrived at a flat, damp grassy area under the shadow of the castle, gathered in front of a gigantic oak door.

Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked on the castle door three times.

The door quickly swung open.

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

"First-year students, Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take over from here," McGonagall replied. Just as Jon remembered, she had the same seriousness about her. But Jon knew that this deputy headmistress was actually a kind-hearted witch, at least much better than Severus Snape's cold demeanor.

After all, wizards were also human beings, and as humans, they couldn't help but judge by appearances. Oh, Dumbledore was an exception, since he turned Voldemort into what he was. If there was a chance to meet Snape privately after that, perhaps Jon could give him some "immature advice" to become more popular. What's wrong with having a friendlier face? Being cold only wasted his own good looks.

Unbeknownst to Jon, his inner monologue went unnoticed by others. He didn't even realize that the image he had just criticized was the character he had planned for himself before the start of the school year.

The new students were led by Professor McGonagall into the waiting area of the Sorting Hat. The space inside was slightly smaller than Jon remembered, and everyone was crowded together.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall began her annual speech. "The opening feast is about to begin, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you all need to determine which house you will be sorted into..."

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own glorious history and has produced outstanding wizards and witches..."

Professor McGonagall spoke slowly and clearly, but Jon knew that these words didn't really matter to him. Firstly, he had already made up his mind to join Hufflepuff, and secondly, he wouldn't voluntarily break the rules or excel too much, and Hufflepuff was immune to House Cup calculations anyway.

So, while Professor McGonagall spoke, he opened a Chocolate Frog and quickly stuffed it into his mouth. It had a refreshing mint flavor, awakening his mind.

Professor McGonagall didn't notice the small action happening at the back. After explaining various regulations, she cast a cleaning charm to remove stains from the new students' robes.

"Well then, I believe you can now proceed to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony."