CHAPTER 10 – Finally, Hogwarts!

I finally got inside the Hogwarts Express, different from much of the wizards and witches here, I didn't have to say goodbye to anyone outside the train, so I just went directly into the train, looking through the area for first years, in the look of some compartment that could be empty.

After a little bit of walking, I found an empty compartment, which was perfect. I went inside and put my luggage on the top cabinets, after that, I put Muninn's cage down.

"Well, buddy, we're starting this new adventure together. We'll have two complete years of calm before Harry comes here. So, we'll take that as a chance to improve and become strong enough to kick everyone's ass."-I said to my feathery friend.

{Now that I think about it… I won't be able to participate in the Triwizard's tournament… At least not unless I try to do something to trick that Dumbledore's age line… Ow man… I wanted to fight a Dragon…}-I thought to myself.

I stood up to took a book of enchantments for the first-years, better for me to read through the way.

"Can I come in?"-A guy entered opened the door and asked me. Funnily enough, it was the guy that was with Fleur Delacour in the movie, though I don't remember his name.

"Sure, you can come in."-I answered. "I'm Logan Taylor, by the way."

"I'm Roger Davies"-He said while going in and putting his stuff over at the luggage's rack of the compartment. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."-I answered, before going back to my book.

"It's that the first year's book of enchantments?"-He asks.

"Oh, yeah, The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk."-I answered. "Did you read it too?"

"Yeah, since I first got it. I've read it a few times. It's fascinating to read about spells for the first time."

"I know, right?"-I said. {Though, it's even better to practice them. And I'll have a lot of fun practicing every spell at my command during this year.}

"Yes. Have you read the rest of the books?"-He asked.

"Yes, each one of them. It was truly fascinating and mind-opening. They're just so many things to learn from them."

"I know! Until now, I could only talk about books with my older brother, thankfully, he lets me read all the books from higher grades, he came to Hogwarts before me, so I have a lot of info on it. Want to hear about it?"

{Mm… Could be nice to know a little bit more about what I know from the movies and fanfics.}-I thought to myself, before answering.

"Sure, man. I'm always opened to new knowledge."-I said to him.

He then started to talk about a few things from Hogwarts, like the Whomping Willow which I already knew, about the ghost inhabiting the castle, the houses we would be sorted into, and a few more things.

After a little while, the train started to march. It was exactly 11:00 AM.

"Guess we're already departing"-I said while looking outside and listening to the Hogwarts Express' whistle.

"Yes. I hope we get to the castle fast."-Said Roger.

"Yeah…"

It was at that moment that the door of the compartment opened.

"Excuse me. Can I come in? The other compartments are full…"-Said a blond-haired girl with blue eyes.

"Oh, sure! Come in, come in!"-Said Roger Davies with an excited voice.

"Sure, no problem."-I also said after him.

"Thanks…"-She said while putting her stuff over the luggage's rack. "There were a lot of people inside the train, and I kind of got here a little late…"-She said, finally sitting down.

"I know what you mean, I came early, and even then, I had to look for a bit to find an empty compartment. My name is Logan Taylor, by the way."-I said to her.

"Mine is Roger Davies."-Said the future Ravenclaw.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. My name's Lisandra, Lisandra Dupont."-She said.

"French?"-Roger asks her while lifting his eyebrow

"My last name? Yes, why?"

"Well… From what I know… wasn't there another school in France? Also… Your accent isn't exactly like someone that comes from French."-He continues.

"That's because I was born here, in Britain. My dad married an English witch, and stayed in London, where I was born. While I know how to speak French, I'm not that proficient on it."

"Oh, that explains it."-He said.

"Why? Is there a problem for me to study here and not in France?"

"No, no!"-He said while lifting both hands defensively. "I was just a little bit surprised, that's all."

"Okay, then."-She said, before looking at my raven's cage. "Hey… Did you bring a raven here? I thought we could only bring owls, rats, cats, or toads."

"Huh? Yes, I was permitted by the school. This little friend here is really attached to me."-I said while patting the cage.

"Isn't that like a preferential treatment?"-Roger asked.

"I mean… It's like an owl… It's a bird… What would be so different from owls?"

"Well… You're right in that… They're both birds after all… Not that different…"

"CAW!!!!"- Muninn cawed while hitting the cage, as if angry for being compared to the owls.

"Relax mate… No one's saying you're an owl… Just that you're both birds."

"CAW!!!!"- Muninn cawed once again in anger while frowning at me.

{Wow… I didn't think that ravens could frown like that.}-I thought.

"Fine, fine, you're unique. Everything about you is unique."

It just averted its head.

"It's like a person…"-Lisandra suddenly said.

"Yeah… He also has a temper…"-I answered to her.

After that, we talked for a little time, until the lady that sells sweets came. Lisandra and Roger both bought stuff, but I was trapped with money, so for the moments, I decided to don't buy anything.

They did offer me a little bit of their stuff, which I gladly accepted. After all, I wanted to test the famous sweets of Harry Potter.

The rest of the trip was either we talking about stuff from what would be our new school, or each one doing their own stuff, which for me, was reading.

When we were almost getting to Hogsmeade, we had to put on our robes, so I took it out and dressed, both Roger and Lisandra doing the same.

After finishing, I looked at myself in the window of the compartment, which actually reflected my image.

There I was, dressed in my wizard's robes, with my wand's holster on the right side of my waist. My dark-brown eyes reflecting my own image in the window, with my slightly wild black hair, a result of me putting on my robe. My face was, all in all, normal, not too thin or too fat, neither handsome nor ugly. As I exercise constantly, my body had some definition to it, enough for an eleven years old kid, which could still be seen through the wide robes, albeit a little.

After taking care of my disheveled hair. I once again sat down to read the book, while both Roger and Lisandra did the same.

It wasn't long until we finally got to Hogsmeade and we all had to get out of the train. While I was leaving my stuff where all first-year should leave their luggage, a sudden voice called for us.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years over here!"-Said a gigantic man.

I mean, in the movies he seemed big, but not even close to the big guy that I'm seeing right now… It could also be because of the fact that I'm a kid right now, but damn… Hagrid is insanely tall! And wide. It's like seeing a dwarf growing twice as big as a human male while keeping his stout appearance.

"Any mor' firs' years aroun' here?"-He once again shouted while those that, I assume we're all the first years, stood in front of the giant guy.

"Well, we better ge' goin' to the boats!"-shouted the stout giant standing over 11ft. tall.

We walked towards what was some kind of dock, with at least 10 boats waiting for us.

"No mor' than four studen' per boat!" Once again, Hagrid shouted while leading us towards the boats.

I got into one with Roger, Lisandra, and another kid called Kenneth Towler, who had dark brown hair with brown eyes.

The boats started sailing through what I assume is the black lake, and sometimes it was possible to see a few tentacles go out of the lake, probably being from the supposed Giant Squid that lives inside the black lake.

"What is that…?"-Asked Lisandra.

"That's the Giant Squid that lives in this lake, it's supposedly a friend of Hogwarts, and it helps those that fall on the lake."-Roger Davies answered her.

"So… If we fall, it will help us?"-Asked a nervous Kenneth Towler.

"I don't know. My brother didn't tell me, as no one actually fell from their boat during his first year."

"Hey… Want to try it?"-I ask them while looking at the surface of the black lake.

{I want to see that squid!}-I thought to myself the moment I prepared to start moving the boat.

"Don't you dare!"-Lisandra shouted at me while pointing me with her finger.

"Why!? IT'S A GIANT SQUID!!!! Don't you want to see one!?"-I asked her.

"No. I don't! So, you better stay quiet and don't do anything stupid!"-She says.

"Oh, come on! Please!! It'll be like jumping to a pool! But even better!"-I said to her, trying to convince her.

"No! Stop."

"Yeah, man… I don't w-want… to see that squid or whatever it is…"-Kenneth said with a little pale face.

"While I do want to see it… I don't want to get wet like a drenched rat…"-Roger said.

"Oh, come on… You guys are boring…"-I said while looking again towards the lake.

{I'll see that goddamn squid.}-I thought to myself, moments before standing up.

"Hey!!! What are you doing!!!"-Lissandra shouted.

I gave her a grin, before jumping down to the lake. Thankfully, I knew how to swim since my past life.

The black lake was, well, black... I couldn't see anywhere with how dark it was.

{Utevo Lux}-So I thought, creating a really small and weak light that traveled down the lake. And that's when I saw it. A literal giant squid swimming in the depths of the black lake, it had a dark pale-blue, almost grey color to it, with long tentacles that seemed to go for meters under the water.

I would really swear that it said hi to me with one of its shorter tentacles, while one of the larger ones picked me up and got me back to the boat, gently. Of course, I didn't forget to cancel the spell.

"You're insane…"-Said Lisandra to me while looking at me getting to the boat in the grasp of a long tentacle.

"What? I didn't turn our boat…"-I said while shaking myself a little to let the water flow from my robe.

{Sadly, I don't know any spell to dry myself. Oh well, it was worth it.}-I thought to myself with a grin.

"… I agree with her, dude... You're insane..."-Said Kenneth, while Roger just nodded.

"Oh come on… It's not like It affected you or anything, right?"-I said while pointing towards the boat that was intact, maybe a little wet from my robes.

"Yer better stop playin' aroun' kids!"-Shouted Hagrid from behind with a little chuckle.

{Ho...ly... fuck...}- I thought, moments after an enormous castle made its apparition in front of us. It was fantastic.

At least seven floors in height, with even taller towers going up here and there around the place. It was such an incredible view, that I couldn't even tear my eyes away from it, with my mouth wide open. Probably, the other kids on the boat were the same.

{Now I know why they send the first years in boats… It's not just for making time… It's to awe them with this view…}-I thought to myself.

I was, for the first time. Getting to Hogwarts. One of the most incredible places I would ever be and see, since the time I was born in my previous life, and this one.