Chapter 13: Hello, Hogwarts

The expressions on Hermione and Neville's faces could be summed up in four words: stunned.

Hermione had quietly gripped her wand, ready to defend herself, even though her limited knowledge of spells made her feel vulnerable. She didn't want to become a spectacle, revealing her underwear to a bunch of boys. However, Tom had resolved the situation in a highly unusual manner.

Tom wasn't the type to gloat or waste time after gaining an advantage. He immediately picked up his wand and pointed it at the three boys lying on the floor.

Crabbe and Goyle, though still recovering from the blows, had lost all their will to resist. They scrambled to their feet, grabbed Draco, and fled the compartment. Tom kept his wand trained on them until they disappeared from view.

"Sometimes, this thing is more useful than a wand," he said to Hermione and Neville, raising his fists in emphasis.

"Oh, uh..." Neville was at a loss for words, not sure how to react. Hermione, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh. With this unexpected experience, Hermione and Tom became more familiar with Neville. While on the train, they passed the time chatting about various topics.

"What house do you want to be sorted into?" Hermione seemed particularly interested in this topic. She was like a student about to fill out her university preferences after agreeing with her best friend to attend the same college, eager to know the choices of others.

"Gryffindor," Neville said with a hint of disappointment. "Most of my family members are in Gryffindor, but I'm not sure if they'll accept me. I might end up in Hufflepuff. But don't worry; my grandmother said that as long as I receive an acceptance letter, I'll definitely get to attend. It doesn't really matter which house I end up in..."

"Here, have a Chocolate Frog." Tom tried to steer the conversation away from house assignments. "Have you collected the picture cards inside?"

"Oh, definitely!"

Neville's mood brightened as they delved into the topic. He started excitedly describing the wizards featured on the Chocolate Frog cards, mentioning that he had collected a full set and even shared a few cards with Tom and Hermione.

Outside, the sky had darkened, and the Scottish Highlands' chill made Tom shiver. His body felt cold, but his heart was warm.

He glanced at Hermione, who appeared smaller than usual in the cold wind. "Are you cold?"

"I'm okay," Hermione said, pulling her woolen jumper from her robe. "This is made of wool; it's quite warm. But what about you? Aren't you cold?"

"I have righteousness in my heart; how can I be cold?"

At that moment, a lantern above the students' heads swayed as a tall figure carried it. It wasn't a supernatural event but rather a very tall man holding a lantern. He called out loudly, "First-year students! First-year students, over here! Harry, how are you?"

It was the same giant man Tom had seen in Diagon Alley.

In the crowded train station, the man's large frame made him stand out. Tom knew his name was Hagrid. Hagrid ruffled Harry's hair with his massive hands and continued to shout, "Any more first-years? Watch your step, all first-years over here!"

Hermione, Tom, and Neville squeezed their way through the crowd and joined the group.

The first-years and the older students followed different paths. The first-years, led by Hagrid, descended a steep, narrow path. It had rained recently, and the single source of light was Hagrid's lantern, making the path difficult to navigate. Everyone stumbled and slipped, but Tom couldn't help but think of a particular British TV show every time he descended a hill.

"Hermione, what's your favorite TV show?"

"Oh, there are so many..."

"Every time I walk down a steep path, I'm reminded of a British TV show."

"When a country is going downhill, it needs..."

"It needs someone to step on the gas pedal?" Hermione finished the quote with a smile.

The two exchanged smiles, and then Hermione accidentally stepped into a small hole, nearly tripping. Fortunately, Tom had quick reflexes and caught her.

He drew his wand. "Lumos!"

A faint light emitted from his wand, just enough to make the path visible in the darkness.

"It's a good thing it didn't rain today. I can't imagine how difficult this path would be to navigate in the rain," Ron complained from not too far away.

After making a turn, the narrow path suddenly opened up to reveal a large black lake. On the shore, a group of small boats awaited them. On the other side of the lake stood a towering castle, its turrets and towers illuminated by starlight.

"This is Hogwarts," Hagrid announced to the first-years.

As they gazed at the magnificent castle, its windows twinkling with light against the night sky, Tom felt a surge of emotions, and a simple phrase came to his mind:

Hello, Hogwarts.

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(End of this chapter)