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Ding-a-ling—
The dismissal bell freed the students from History of Magic. Lynn closed his blank notebook and followed the crowd toward the Great Hall.
"What do you think Dumbledore wants, suddenly requiring all Houses to be present before dinner?"
William adjusted his glasses.
"The notice was issued by the Dean of each House. The tone was formal but not urgent, ruling out the possibility of a sudden safety incident. It might be a special arrangement, perhaps related to the international magical cooperation trends recently mentioned in The Daily Prophet?"
Lynn yawned and rubbed his cheek.
"Why bother guessing? Won't we know once we get there? I'm hungry anyway; I hope this doesn't delay dinner."
His stomach let out a timely, faint rumble, causing several passing Ravenclaw girls nearby to cover their mouths and giggle.
When they entered the Great Hall, the teachers were already seated at the Staff Table. Undoubtedly, everyone's focus was on Dumbledore.
Lynn and the three others found seats at the Hufflepuff long table and were immediately surrounded by the sound of fervent discussion.
"I bet they're announcing a new international Quidditch friendly match—the kind only students participate in."
"Could the Ministry of Magic be coming for an inspection?"
"Is Hogwarts finally going to offer Dark Arts classes? My dad says they should have started ages ago!"
Just then, someone shouted, "Quiet! Headmaster Dumbledore is about to speak!" The noise quickly subsided.
Dumbledore had just picked up the spoon beside him, intending to tap his goblet, but seeing that everyone below was already quiet, he somewhat awkwardly put the spoon down.
"Good evening." Dumbledore's voice was gentle.
"First, allow me to apologize for taking up your precious dinner time." He nodded slightly. "This is because I have a matter of considerable importance that needs to be announced to the entire faculty and student body."
"I am delighted to inform you all that, in the near future, Hogwarts will welcome a very special group of guests. They will be traveling from distant continents to spend a fortnight with us, engaging in in-depth magical exchange and study."
"Guests?" "Exchange and study?" Low murmurs of inquiry rose from the long tables.
"Yes, they come respectively from—Uagadou School of Magic on the vast lands of Africa, Ilvermorny School of Magic on the continent of North America, and Castelobruxo, deep within the South American rainforest."
"This will be an excellent opportunity to enhance intercontinental magical understanding and broaden our magical horizons.
At that time, the guests will reside at Hogwarts, attend classes with you, dine in the Great Hall, participate in various activities, and personally experience Hogwarts' unique learning atmosphere and lifestyle.
At the same time, I also hope..."
"Specific arrangements will be announced later by the Dean of each House. And now... I think we can temporarily direct our abundant curiosity toward a more pressing need. After all, at Hogwarts, nothing takes priority over enjoying a hearty dinner."
As his voice fell, the previously empty golden plates and silver goblets were instantly filled with a dazzling array of food and drink.
"Dig in," Dumbledore announced cheerfully, being the first to pick up a lemon sherbet.
Whoosh—!
Discussion, excited shouts, and questions instantly intertwined. Clearly, the news of the new arrivals captivated most students more than the food before them.
Well... except for Hufflepuff.
While the other Houses were immersed in heated discussion, the Hufflepuff long table quickly calmed down after their initial surprise. They cut what needed cutting, ate what needed eating, and poured what needed pouring.
Of course, discussion was still ongoing, but it didn't interfere with their meal in the slightest.
"Uagadou... I remember that school is especially famous for non-verbal magic and Transfiguration?" a fifth-year student said while pouring gravy onto his baked potato.
"Doesn't Ilvermorny have four Houses, each corresponding to a different magical creature?" the girl next to him asked, scooping some mashed peas.
"Isn't Castelobruxo located in the rainforest? Their Herbology must be incredibly advanced." The seventh-year student opposite Lynn chewed thoughtfully on his bread roll.
Edgar, his mouth full of sausage, mumbled indistinctly, "Doesn't matter where they're from—they're guests. Eat more so you have the strength to welcome them." He then speared a piece of steak.
William adjusted his glasses. "This really is a rare opportunity for academic exchange. I need to re-plan my immediate study priorities."
...Time, like the waters of the Black Lake, seemed calm but flowed slowly and unnoticed.
Preparations, both subtle and thoughtful, were made inside and outside the Castle to welcome the guests: the armor in the corridors was polished bright, some portraits that tended to swear were temporarily "advised" to be polite, and seasonal magical flowers were added to the common rooms.
Finally, the day of the guests' arrival came.
It was a clear afternoon. The faculty and students of Hogwarts gathered early on the spacious lawn in front of the Castle, standing in neat rows by House.
"Maintain silence and display the composure of Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall reminded the students behind her in a low voice, though her own back was straighter than anyone else's.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long.
The first group of guests arrived.
On the previously clear field, a milky white mist began to spread without warning.
The mist was neither damp nor cold; instead, it carried the warmth of sun-drenched grass and a hint of a strange fragrance.
The mist grew thicker, gradually enveloping a central area of the lawn, where points of silvery-white starlight twinkled.
Within the mist, light and shadow shifted, and outlines gradually became visible.
In just a moment, the mist gently parted to both sides, and a group of people emerged.
Leading the way was an old man, tall and straight. Even in his advanced age, one could still see the vigor he once possessed.
He wore a simple white robe, a necklace strung with various seeds, small bone fragments, and metal rings hung around his neck, and he held a smooth wooden staff in his hand.
Dumbledore's face broke into a smile of genuine joy, and he strode forward to greet him.
"Babatunde! It's been too long. How was the journey across the continent?"
The Principal of Uagadou, Babatunde Aokoye, also opened his arms and performed a cheek-kiss greeting with Dumbledore.
"Albus! My old friend, the journey was smooth. Hogwarts remains magnificent and awe-inspiring."
While the two Principals exchanged pleasantries, the Uagadou students behind them clearly came into view.
There were about twenty of them, of varying ages, wearing robes similar in style to their Principal's.
Most of them did not carry wands. Their expressions were full of curiosity as they observed Hogwarts Castle and its faculty and students.
Lynn's gaze swept over the Uagadou student group and suddenly paused. He spotted a familiar figure among them—Amina Okoro.
Across the crowd, their eyes briefly met. Amina offered a smile, then quickly returned to a dignified posture. Lynn nodded back at her.
Just then, the sky suddenly changed.
In the previously clear sky, dark clouds began to gather rapidly. The clouds hung low, churning and surging. Just as everyone wondered if the weather was suddenly changing—
CRACK—!
An exceptionally brilliant bolt of lightning tore through the clouds and struck straight down! Almost simultaneously, a torrential stream of water fell along with the lightning!
The target was not the crowd, but another empty area on the lawn.
The light and steam quickly dissipated, and at the point of impact, two groups of people suddenly materialized.
Hmm... that was a rather peculiar, lightning-struck entrance.
Leading the group on the left was a witch of dignified bearing.
She had meticulously groomed hair, wore a well-tailored dark green robe, and a shawl embroidered with the Ilvermorny crest over it.
This was the Principal of Ilvermorny School of Magic, Agatha Piquery.
In the middle, Lynn spotted another old acquaintance—Ryan Sanderson.
Leading the group on the right was a vibrant male wizard. He wore a practical leather jacket and had colorful feather ornaments around his neck.
He was the Principal of Castelobruxo, Fernando Lima.
Dumbledore calmly turned to the two newly arrived groups of guests. "Welcome! Welcome to all of you who have traveled so far, and welcome to Hogwarts!"
Agatha Piquery nodded. "Thank you for the invitation, Headmaster Dumbledore. Ilvermorny is honored to participate in this exchange with Hogwarts."
Fernando Lima stepped forward eagerly, shaking Dumbledore's hand with a bright smile.
"Thank you for the reception from you and this magnificent Castle."