Chapter - 17 Lumos
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Everyone had a blast on the train ride, except for Fred and the upset Sniff.
To celebrate Gryffindor's win over Slytherin (as Lee Jordan cheerfully announced), George used some of their acquired cash to get snacks.
William joked that Mr. Weasley would foot the bill for the party tonight!
Though they were limited to six in the booth, with a rabbit and a Sniff, they all enjoyed a small snack fest together.
Boba,was excluded from the party for being a picky eater, it had specific tastes, mostly enjoying expensive cat food and canned treats provided by William.
Its eating habits were quite sophisticated, unlike most people's, which could lead to some psychological imbalances.
Cho jokingly proposed, "Let's starve it for a few days!"
However, upon seeing Boba's glare and extended claws directed at her rabbit, the suggestion quickly turned into a more cautious tone.
On the table lay a variety of treats like Bibi Beans, Bubble Super Bubble Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pies, Pot Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a few peculiar snacks William had never encountered before.
George, having made quite a spend spree bought a bit of everything.
As time passed, Cho and the rest of the gang grew closer, bringing joy to Cedric, who found simple pleasures in life, of getting liked by a girl.
Fred offered William a chocolate frog, but despite his hesitation, William refrained from eating it.
"Isn't relying on chocolate frogs for strength a bit of a dramatic way to meet your demise as a wizard?" he mused.
Not minding William's refusal, Fred unwrapped the chocolate frog himself and revealed the collectible card within.
The image depicted an elderly man donning a rounded hat, black-framed glasses, and a flowing silver mane of hair and beard. The name inscribed under the picture read: Nicolas Flamel
William turned over the photo and found fascinating information about Nicolas Flamel, the renowned alchemist known for creating the Philosopher's Stone,
transforming alchemy through ages, and remarkably extending his lifespan with his current age being 600 years!
"Finally completed the collection!" Fred exclaimed joyfully.
Fred had managed to gather an entire set of chocolate frog pictures, a pretty pricey feat. Seeing his collection, George, Cedric, and Lee Jordan jumped in to chomp down more chocolate frogs too.
Their frenzied frog-eating made time zoom by, and in no time, evening descended upon them, like a sneaky thief stealing away daylight.
William glanced out of the train window and noticed the darkness outside. Underneath the deep purple sky, mountains and woods stretched out as the train began to slow down.
"In five minutes, the train will reach Hogwarts. Please leave your luggage on the train; we will guide you to the school."
The announcement echoed through the train, prompting everyone to gather their belongings and join the flow of students crowding the aisle.
As the train gradually slowed down to a stop, the students eagerly pushed and shuffled their way to the door, ready to step onto the dark and compact platform..
"First-years! This way, this way! Over here!" roared Hagrid's unmistakable voice amid the chaos.
Above the students' heads, a lantern swung, and through the clamor, William recognized the familiar shout. It was Hagrid, standing tall at a towering five meters.
"Alright, come along now, first-years!" Hagrid beckoned with a warm grin. "Mind yer step, don't get lost! Follow me."
William and Cho made their way through the bustling crowd, following the guiding light of Hagrid's lantern.
As Hagrid led the first-years away from the bustling crowd, they descended down a steep and narrow path. The ground was slippery, covered in various vines, making each step a bit precarious.
In the encompassing darkness, the only guide was Hagrid's faint yellow oil lamp illuminating the way.
William couldn't help but sigh. "Hogwarts is really behind the times, it doesn't even has any street lights at all."
William raised his wand, murmuring quietly, "Lumos."
A gentle white light bloomed at the tip of his wand, suddenly bursting forth like fireworks, casting a radiant glow along the nearly fifty-meter path.
From a distance, Hagrid's hearty laugh echoed, "Cheers, William! Not my strong suit, all that magic business!"
Cho gazed at William, seemingly astonished by this unexpected skill.
"Wait, you can do magic?" Cho was surprised. She had assumed William was just pretending when he read the second-grade spell book, but his wand work now was proving otherwise.
William shrugged, "Isn't it pretty straightforward?"
Suddenly, as the words left his lips, William hesitated.
In his past experiences, when he'd asked complex math questions, the academic masters had responded with a similar gentle smile, saying in a comforting tone, "Isn't this quite simple?"
"Merlin's beard , it really is satisfying to say it to someone else." But soon after, William regretted his words. When he casted the light spell, the first-year wizards, started crowding around him.
William found himself amidst a frenzy, feeling as packed as a bus during rush hour. He exclaimed, "Stop crowding... hey! Whose hand was it, don't touch."
Hagrid cheered, "Round this corner, get ready to catch sight of Hogwarts for the first time!"
True to his words, as they rounded the bend, a gasp echoed. At the end of the narrow path, a vast black lake sprawled out.
Across the lake, atop a high hill, stood a magnificent castle with numerous towers and sparkling windows under the starry sky.
Hagrid yelled, "Four people per boat only!" as if the boats were about to sink if crowded more.
In the commotion, everyone scrambled to get into William's boat. Those little boats didn't look too sturdy for a ride across the lake, and the fear of tipping over worried everyone.
William's hint of magic know-how made people feel a bit safer, so they all wanted to join his boat, hoping for a wizard's touch to ensure a safe journey.
"Get in line!" Hagrid bellowed, creating a barricade against the crowd as he signaled for William and Cho to hop into the boat.
Two random wizards were flung in with them by Hagrid, and the commotion died.
"Is everyone in?" Hagrid called out from his own boat.
"Then let's set off!"
The small boats glided across the eerily calm lake, propelled forward without a breeze, reflecting a perfect mirror image of the night sky.
The students fell into a hush, awestruck by the towering castle that loomed above them.
Drawing nearer to the cliff upon which the castle perched, the structure seemed to ascend even higher.
"Lower your heads!" Hagrid's booming voice reverberated as they neared a tunnel.
Bowing their heads, the boats navigated through a curtain of ivy concealing the entrance, ferrying them into the castle's concealed opening.
The group walked through a dark tunnel below and went up a rocky path to a wet field near the castle.
They followed Hagrid's lantern and went up a stone tunnel. Soon, they were on a flat, damp patch close to the castle.
Climbing some steps made of rock, they all gathered in front of a massive oak door. Hagrid knocked on it three times.
bang bang bang!
The door was opened, and out came a wizard.