Just as instructed, we left our belongings in the train carriage. The trunks, cages, and bags remained stacked neatly beneath the seats and along the racks above, all under the school's responsibility to collect and deliver to our dormitories later that night. It felt strange leaving everything behind so casually, but apparently Hogwarts had been doing this for centuries without issue.
Before stepping off the train, I opened my trunk slightly and glanced inside.
"Behave well, alright?" I whispered.
Curled comfortably inside the hidden compartment I had specially made for him, Anubis slept soundly, barely moving except for the faint rise and fall of his breathing. I closed the lid quietly, satisfied that he was safe for the time being.
The moment we stepped off the train, the air felt different—cooler, fresher, almost magical in a way that was difficult to explain. Hundreds of first-years gathered along the small platform, all of them looking around with the same mixture of nervousness and excitement.
Towering above most of them was the massive figure of Rubeus Hagrid, lantern in hand, his huge coat swaying as he moved.
"Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!" he called in his booming voice.
I was probably taller than most of the students gathered there, which made it easier to see over the crowd. Victor and Elara stayed close beside me, while Kathey walked slightly ahead, trying to peek around the other students.
We followed the long trail of first-years as Hagrid led us down a winding path through the dark forest edge. The only light came from his lantern and the faint glow of the moon above us.
Eventually, the trees parted, revealing the small docks beside a wide, black lake.
Hagrid turned around, raising his voice over the murmuring students.
"No more'n four o' yeh on a boat, mind!"
Small wooden boats rocked gently against the dock as we stepped forward. Kathey climbed in first, followed by me, Victor, and Elara. Our boat ended up directly behind the one Hagrid boarded.
Victor and Elara sat together at the front, already craning their necks to see ahead. Kathey and I sat slightly apart from them, giving them space to enjoy the view without interruption. The boats drifted away from the shore one by one.
For a while, there was only silence, the soft sound of water rippling against the sides of the boats and the quiet whispers of students all around us. Then we passed beneath a stone archway.
And suddenly Hogwarts appeared. The castle rose above the cliffs like something out of a legend, its countless towers and windows glowing warmly against the night sky. The reflection of the castle shimmered across the dark surface of the lake, making the entire scene look almost unreal.
"Oh. My. God."
Kathey grabbed the sleeve of my robe tightly.
Her fingers trembled as she stared at the castle, tears already forming in her eyes. "Tay… it's—beautiful," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "We're actually here… it feels like a dream."
My own eyes stung slightly as I looked at the towering structure.
Even knowing everything I knew… even having seen it countless times before in the canon… seeing it like this, in person, was something else entirely.
The boats eventually reached the stone steps beneath the castle. One by one, we climbed out and followed Hagrid up a long staircase carved into the rock until we reached the enormous oak doors. Standing there waiting for us was none other than Minerva McGonagall.
She looked exactly as she did in the movies tall, strict, composed, and radiating authority. Her emerald robes were perfectly neat, and her sharp gaze swept over the gathered first-years.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said calmly with a smile. She instructed us to wait in the entrance hall until she returned to escort us into the Great Hall for the Sorting.
As we stood there, Elara suddenly tugged on Kathey's robe. She pointed discreetly across the hall toward a boy and a girl standing near the back of the group.
"That's the boy I was talking about," she muttered. "The one who called me a Mudblood." Kathey turned toward me immediately."Is it who I think it is, Taylen?"
I nodded. "Yep. The Avery twins. Sofia and Solisto Avery."
Before we could say anything further, Professor McGonagall returned. The massive doors opened, revealing the Great Hall. The sight inside was breathtaking.
Thousands of floating candles illuminated the enchanted ceiling, which reflected the star-filled sky above. Long tables stretched across the hall, filled with students already watching the incoming first-years with curiosity.
The Sorting ceremony began soon after. A small wooden stool was placed at the front of the hall, and upon it rested the ancient, patched hat that every witch and wizard in Britain knew by name—the Sorting Hat.
Professor Minerva McGonagall stood beside it, holding a long scroll of parchment.
The hall fell silent.
Even the older students leaned forward slightly, curious to see the new first years.
One by one, names were called. Each student walked forward nervously, placed the hat on their head, and waited while the hall held its breath.
Then "PEVERELL, TAYLEN." For a moment, the sound of my own name echoed louder than everything else.Kathey gave me a small encouraging nod as I stood up.
The walk to the stool felt strangely long. Hundreds of eyes watched from every table in the hall. The floating candles flickered slightly above, casting warm light across the stone walls.
I sat down and placed the hat over my head.
Then I felt it. A gentle pressure against my mind.
The hat was searching. But it didn't go far.
My thoughts were calm, ordered, and still—like a locked library with every door closed.
The probing presence paused. Then, instead of pushing further, a quiet voice spoke inside my head. "Well now… that's unusual."
There was amusement in the voice. "Occlumency, at your age. Most impressive."
I remained silent and smiled .The hat chuckled softly. "Very well then, I won't pry. Makes my job simpler in some ways… harder in others."
A brief pause. Then the hat asked plainly:
"So tell me, young wizard… where would you like to go?"
The question was simple. I already knew the answer.
Gryffindor.
For a moment, the hat seemed to consider that. "Hm. An interesting choice." Another quiet pause followed.
"Well then… if that is your wish." Suddenly its voice rang loudly across the entire Great Hall.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The hall erupted into applause. I removed the hat and stood up as cheers came from the Gryffindor table. Several students clapped loudly while a few older ones nodded in approval.
I walked toward the red-and-gold table and sat down. Kathey looked visibly relieved.
Soon after, her name was called.
"LOVEGOOD, KATHERINE!"
She walked forward with a mix of excitement and nerves. The hat touched her head for a while before declaring:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
She grinned as she joined me at the table.
Victor's Sorting took a less time. The hat remained silent for nearly half a minute before finally announcing:
"RAVENCLAW!"
Which honestly suited him perfectly.
Elara followed shortly after and was sorted into Hufflepuff. I got why was it so and let it be.
As the last students were sorted, I leaned back slightly and looked around the Great Hall.
The floating candles flickered softly overhead. The enchanted ceiling shimmered with stars. For the first time since arriving, the reality truly settled in.
Hogwarts.
And this was only the beginning.
Platters of roasted meats, vegetables, breads, and desserts filled the tables. Even though I was used to luxury food back home, the Hogwarts feast had something different about it. Maybe it was the magic, maybe the atmosphere—but everything somehow tasted better.
After dinner, the prefects led each house toward their dormitories. As we walked through the moving staircases, twisting corridors, and towering hallways, I found myself remembering the patterns surprisingly well. The castle felt like a maze, yet at the same time strangely familiar.
Eventually, the Gryffindor prefect stopped before a portrait and revealed the entrance to our common room.
After a few final instructions, the dormitories were shown to us. Kathey and I exchanged a quick goodnight before heading to our separate staircases.
Inside my dorm room, I found my roommates already settling in. One was an Asian boy about my age, quietly organizing his belongings. The other was a tall older student I recognized immediately—Oliver Wood.
I unpacked my trunk, and set up my part of the room.
Once everything was set up, I took out a small journal and began writing down plans for the year ahead. After a while, I carefully lifted Anubis from my trunk and placed him beside me on the bed.
He curled up instantly.
Exhaustion finally caught up with me, and within minutes, I was asleep.
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