(12) Cassandra Vole

"Hagrid!"

Harry rushed up to Hagrid and gave him a big hug.

"Oh, Harry, long time no see." Hagrid patted Harry's back before letting go and turning to Ian.

"Ah.."

The moment his eyes landed on the familiar red hair and green eyes, and the face so reminiscent of someone he once knew, the oversized man's eyes reddened instantly.

"You're... you're Ian? You're really alive, Merlin bless! Ian! You look so much like your mother, Lily..." Hagrid said, his voice trembling, and then he actually started sobbing.

Ian, feeling a bit overwhelmed, watched the towering man cry. "Uh, hello, Hagrid."

"Oh, Ian! The last time I saw you, you were just the size of my palm!" Hagrid exclaimed. "We all thought you were in heaven with James and Lily... I couldn't protect you, Ian..."

By the end of his sentence, Hagrid was choking up, unable to speak.

Seeing Hagrid cry made Ian feel deeply uncomfortable. Even though he didn't have many memories of James and Lily, watching Hagrid grieve so deeply made him want to comfort him.

"Hagrid, don't cry. Look, I'm fine, aren't I?" Ian said, patting Hagrid's arm. "And I've found my brother now."

"Harry?" Hagrid, his tear-filled eyes turning to Harry, nodded. "Yes, Harry's your brother, your own brother... One of you looks like James, and the other looks like Lily."

Harry stepped forward as well, patting Hagrid on the other arm. "Hagrid, don't cry. We're going to be just fine."

Hagrid sniffled and wiped his face messily.

"Alright, alright, I'm done crying. Let's go, let's go. I've still got to take you first-year students across the lake."

Hermione and Ron had by now caught up to Ian. Hermione glanced at him with concern, and only after confirming he was fine did she relax.

"Let's go, we're taking the boats," Ian said, taking Hermione's hand as they followed Hagrid toward the lake.

The first-year students, dressed in their black school robes, followed behind Hagrid. From a distance, they looked like a long, flowing black ribbon moving toward the lakeshore.

When they reached the lake, the young witches and wizards saw the small wooden boats docked along the shore.

"Children! Just like the four founders did, we will cross the lake in boats to reach Hogwarts. It's a proud tradition..."

Before Hagrid could finish, Harry and Ian led the group in clapping enthusiastically. Soon, the applause became thunderous as the other first-years joined in, giving Hagrid his due.

Hagrid, clearly embarrassed by the attention, blushed, his rugged, dark face tinged with red.

"Alright, alright, everyone get into the boats, four per boat," Hagrid directed, gesturing to the students before climbing into the largest boat at the front.

Without needing to discuss it, Ian, Harry, Hermione, and Ron naturally chose the same boat and got in together.

Once everyone was settled, Hagrid began leading them across the lake toward Hogwarts.

The boats glided forward slowly, and the first-years were full of excitement, looking around in awe. A few mischievous students reached their hands into the lake to try and catch fish, only to be scolded by Hagrid.

Ian sat in the boat, watching the castle grow closer and closer, his heart brimming with excitement.

Hogwarts!

He was finally about to attend Hogwarts!

But which house would he be sorted into? Ian instinctively glanced at Harry beside him.

His father, mother, and brother had all been in Gryffindor. Would he end up in Gryffindor as well?

Then again, he might also be sorted into Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

After all, in his previous life, he had read on forums that many kids from China typically ended up in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff when sorted.

As Ian's thoughts wandered, the boats had already reached Hogwarts' dock.

"Alright, children, we've arrived," Hagrid said, standing up before turning to the young witches and wizards. "Welcome to Hogwarts!"

The first-years disembarked one by one and followed Hagrid toward the castle.

The castle's massive doors slowly creaked open, and a tall witch in an emerald green robe stepped out.

"Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said, straightening up immediately and addressing her with respect.

Seeing this, the first-years quickly followed suit, calling out, "Professor McGonagall," in unison.

"Hagrid, I'll take over from here," Professor McGonagall said with a nod before turning her attention to the students. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I hope you all have a pleasant and fulfilling term here."

"In just a moment, you'll pass through these doors and join your older peers in the Great Hall for a feast," Professor McGonagall said, addressing the group of young wizards and witches. "But before that, you'll need to go through the Sorting Ceremony."

She then gave a brief introduction to the four Hogwarts houses before heading into the Great Hall to report to Dumbledore.

After Professor McGonagall left, Hermione nervously clutched Ian's robe. "Do you know how the Sorting works? Is there going to be an exam?"

Ron, hearing this, seemed to recall something unpleasant. His face turned pale. "My brother said we'll have to duel a troll!"

"What?!" All the first-years, except Ian, gasped in shock.

Hearing the commotion, Draco Malfoy approached with his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, a smug expression on his face. "A mere troll scares you that much? Hah, my father says we might even have to duel a dragon."

Ian couldn't resist teasing him when he saw Malfoy's bravado thinly veiling his nerves. "You seem pretty experienced. How about you take the lead and fight the troll—or the dragon—for us?"

"Ian Potter! You—!" Draco started angrily, but before he could finish, the other first-years erupted in surprised cries.

"Ian Potter! That's Ian Potter! The one who's been missing for eleven years!"

"Then the one next to him must be Harry Potter!"

"Look! Harry Potter has the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead! The legend is true!"

Ian sighed and rubbed his temples as the crowd's exclamations grew louder around him.

Being too famous definitely had its downsides.

"So, it's true after all. The Potter brothers are really attending Hogwarts."

Hearing this familiar line, Ian instinctively turned toward the speaker.

Draco, too, felt an odd sense of satisfaction with that phrasing. He turned his head to see who had spoken so eloquently.

The moment he spotted the familiar blonde hair and the small black mole near the speaker's eye, Draco quickly hid behind Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco: Cassandra Vole! Why is it her?!

Ha! Ian Potter's in trouble now—Cassandra's not someone you want to mess with.

Cassandra, noticing Draco retreating to the back, paid him no mind. Instead, her gaze swept over Harry and Ian, finally settling on Ian.

"Hello, I'm Cassandra. Cassandra Vole," she said, stepping up to Ian and greeting him with a graceful posture.

Ian, looking at the proud blonde girl in front of him, was momentarily confused.

Cassandra Vole? Wait, isn't she a character from the game? Why is she here?

System! System! Give me an explanation!

Ian frantically shouted in his mind.

[Ding... @#$ System...%!$#...%¥@34%#]*

'Don't just start spouting gibberish out of nowhere!' Ian mentally cursed. 'What's the deal with this Cassandra? Why is she here?'

[Ding... Important heroine detected!]

[Cassandra Vole, pure-blooded witch, proud, elegant, and immensely powerful.]

[Host may pursue Cassandra... zzz...]

The system scrambled into gibberish again, but Ian didn't have the time to pay attention to it anymore.

Because he noticed something troubling—Cassandra's expression had shifted. Her brows were furrowed, and an unmistakable look of displeasure had appeared on her face.

It dawned on Ian, belatedly, that while he had been internally arguing with the system, he had completely ignored Cassandra.

Seeing her expression grow darker by the second, Ian felt his heart skip a beat.

Quickly, he plastered on a smile, trying to salvage the situation. "Miss Vole, hello, I'm Ian Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Cassandra's expression softened slightly at that. She nodded reservedly. "I know you, Ian Potter—the so-called other Boy-who-lived."

"Uh... if there isn't another Ian Potter, then that's probably me," Ian replied awkwardly, scratching his head.

"Good. I'll remember you," Cassandra said, giving Ian a long, deep look before turning and walking away.

Remember me? What does that even mean?

Ian stared at Cassandra's retreating figure, utterly confused.

Before he could make sense of it, Professor McGonagall reappeared and motioned for the first-years to follow her into the Great Hall.

Filled with thoughts about the Sorting Ceremony, Ian pushed thoughts of Cassandra aside and pulled Harry and the others along to join the group.