As evening settled over the Scottish Highlands, the Hogwarts Express gradually slowed.
The rhythmic clatter of wheels softened.
The train was approaching its destination.
"Liam."
Cassandra nudged him lightly.
The boy had somehow fallen asleep with his head resting on the compartment table.
Liam opened his eyes immediately.
Years of living among Dark Wizards had made deep sleep almost impossible.
A few minutes later, the train came to a complete stop.
The compartment door slid open.
Cassandra stepped into the corridor first.
Liam followed.
The moment they appeared, something amusing happened.
The noisy corridor fell silent.
Students who had been crowding toward the exits immediately stepped back.
Several even retreated into nearby compartments.
Nobody wanted to be near them.
The reason was simple.
The unfortunate third-year whose trousers had been burned off earlier was still wandering around wrapped in spare clothing and wounded pride.
The lesson had apparently been very effective.
Thus, like a queen leading her favored knight, Cassandra walked through the train without encountering a single obstacle.
Outside, a towering figure holding a lantern waited beside the platform.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!"
The giant smiled warmly.
Then he frowned.
"Eh?"
"Only this many first-years?"
He looked genuinely confused.
Cassandra and Liam exchanged a glance.
Most students were still hiding inside the train.
"They're behind us," Cassandra said.
"Oh."
The giant scratched his beard.
Then he leaned toward the train and bellowed loud enough to shake the platform.
"FIRST-YEARS!"
"COME ON OUT!"
"DON'T BE SHY!"
His voice echoed through the darkness.
One by one, students began emerging from the train.
...
Several minutes later, the giant returned.
This time he wasn't smiling.
Behind him stood Panessa and the older student whose trousers Cassandra had burned.
Panessa was crying.
The older boy looked furious.
Both immediately pointed at Cassandra.
Clearly, they had decided to complain first.
Liam wasn't surprised.
People like that always preferred blaming others.
The giant looked down at Cassandra.
"You?"
His expression carried obvious doubt.
He had worked at Hogwarts for years.
Students like Cassandra were impossible to forget.
Which meant she had to be a new arrival.
A first-year burning a third-year's trousers and humiliating an older student seemed somewhat unbelievable.
"Yes."
Cassandra answered calmly.
"Would you like me to demonstrate again?"
The giant blinked.
Liam noticed his name wasn't mentioned.
Interesting.
Apparently neither Panessa nor her accomplice wanted to discuss what had happened after the sneak attack.
"You learned dueling magic before arriving at Hogwarts?"
The giant folded his arms.
"That's already bending the rules."
His voice became stern.
"Do you understand that?"
Cassandra laughed.
"Funny."
"What?"
"You didn't ask why I burned his trousers."
Her emerald eyes narrowed.
"After I defeated Panessa fairly, that idiot attacked me from behind with a Blasting Curse."
She pointed directly at the older student.
"Was I supposed to thank him?"
The giant frowned.
"You expect me to believe a first-year defended herself against a third-year's sneak attack?"
Before Cassandra could answer, another voice spoke up.
"I saw it."
Everyone turned.
A brown-haired girl stepped forward.
The same girl who had extinguished the flames earlier.
"My name is Hermione Granger."
She looked nervous.
But her voice remained steady.
"The duel happened exactly as Cassandra said."
The third-year's expression darkened instantly.
He had assumed Hermione would support him.
After all, she had helped him earlier.
Instead, she was testifying against him.
"Cassandra blocked the curse."
Hermione continued.
"Someone else helped her too."
The giant sighed heavily.
Clearly the situation wasn't as simple as it first appeared.
"Fine."
He rubbed his forehead.
"You five."
He pointed toward Cassandra, Liam, Panessa, the third-year, and Hermione.
"We'll discuss this with the Headmaster later."
"Right now we're already late."
He turned toward the lake.
"Everyone onto the boats."
As the students hurried away, Cassandra leaned closer to Liam.
"See?"
She nodded toward Hermione.
"That girl will definitely end up in Gryffindor."
Hermione overheard the comment.
To Liam's surprise, she smiled.
"Thank you."
Cassandra stared.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It sounded like one."
Hermione's smile widened.
For the first time all evening, Cassandra looked slightly annoyed.
"Hopeless."
She shook her head.
"Come on, Liam."
The two headed toward one of the small boats waiting at the shoreline.
...
Elsewhere in the crowd, Draco Malfoy carefully chose a boat as far away from them as possible.
His earlier encounter at Ollivanders remained fresh in his memory.
Watching Cassandra publicly humiliate older students only reinforced his caution.
For now, revenge could wait.
He would learn magic first.
Then perhaps he could reconsider.
Perhaps.
...
Once everyone boarded, the giant raised his lantern.
The fleet of boats began moving.
No oars.
No visible magic.
They simply glided across the black lake.
Ahead, Hogwarts Castle emerged from the darkness.
Towering spires rose above the cliffs.
Golden lights shone from hundreds of windows.
Reflected across the water, the castle looked almost unreal.
Many students fell silent.
Even Cassandra stopped talking for a moment.
The sight was breathtaking.
Excited whispers drifted across nearby boats.
"Did you hear?"
"Harry Potter is coming this year."
"No way."
"The Harry Potter?"
"He's real?"
The name spread rapidly through the fleet.
Liam turned toward Cassandra.
"Who's Harry Potter?"
Cassandra looked genuinely surprised.
"You don't know?"
"Should I?"
"You really know nothing about wizarding history."
She shook her head dramatically.
"Fine."
Then she explained.
"When you were born, Britain was in chaos."
"The Dark Lord and his followers were everywhere."
"People disappeared constantly."
"No one knew if they'd survive until morning."
Liam listened carefully.
He recognized the description.
Many Death Eaters had spoken about those years.
"Then one night," Cassandra continued, "the Dark Lord went after a baby named Harry Potter."
"And vanished."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"A baby defeated him?"
"Obviously not."
Cassandra rolled her eyes.
"That's ridiculous."
"Exactly."
Liam agreed immediately.
Having lived among Death Eaters, he had heard countless stories about Voldemort.
Some were exaggerated.
Many were nonsense.
But one thing remained clear.
A baby wasn't defeating that wizard.
Not without help.
"So don't worry about him."
Cassandra waved dismissively.
"He's probably overrated."
Liam nodded.
That sounded reasonable.
As for Voldemort himself, Liam doubted he was truly dead.
But that wasn't particularly concerning.
After all, Liam had spent most of his life studying the very magic Voldemort favored.
Fear wasn't useful.
Knowledge was.
...
The boats finally reached shore.
Students disembarked and followed the giant up a long stone staircase.
At the top stood enormous oak doors.
Waiting before them was a stern-looking witch wearing emerald robes.
Professor McGonagall.
Her sharp eyes swept across the gathered first-years.
The Sorting Ceremony was about to begin.
....
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