The train whistle blared loudly as the scarlet steam engine began to slow.
Merlin was jolted awake by the sound, realising he had dozed off somewhere along the journey. The compartment was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the corridor lamps outside, giving everything a dull orange glow.
Fred and George were sitting across from him, playing some kind of card game. Lee sat beside them, still immersed in the Charms textbook, his face scrunched in frustration.
"I didn't find any charm that can stun a troll," Lee muttered anxiously.
Fred stifled a laugh. "Our offer still stands—thirty percent off on the dungbombs."
Lee's jaw tightened. He looked between the twins, then sighed through gritted teeth. "Alright, fine. I'll buy some. But make it fifty percent off."
The twins exchanged scandalised looks.
"No way," George said, feigning helplessness. "Thirty is our limit, even for good friends. More than that, and we'd be at a loss!"
"Then forget it," Lee said defeatedly. "I'll just surrender and go to Slytherin."
"Traitor!" Fred said, stunned.
"Absolute disgrace," George added with a betrayed expression.
Merlin cast a pitiful glance at Lee Jordan. Becoming the target of the twins' prank before even entering Hogwarts—one could only sigh at his bad luck.
Suddenly, a voice crackled through the train's intercom.
"In five minutes, the train will arrive at Hogwarts. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be delivered to your dorm room after the sorting."
George pressed his face against the window. "Finally! Look—lights ahead!"
Merlin leaned over to see for himself. Through the mist as thick as clouds, the only thing he could make out were faint golden dots in the distance, which he assumed were the lamps at Hogsmeade Station.
Each of them quickly changed into their school robes. Before long, the train whistle blew again, and the brakes screeched. Steam rolled past the windows, clouding everything outside.
"Let's go." Fred and George excitedly jumped to their feet, sliding the compartment door open.
The train became noisy all at once. The corridor was packed, elbows bumping and feet dragging as students tried to get off. Merlin managed to pull on his robe before being shoved toward the door by the crowd.
When he finally stepped outside, the first thing that hit him was the biting cold wind. It smelled like wet soil and pine. The platform lights were dim, and the mist made everything look hazy.
"First years! First years over here!" The voice came from the far end of the platform. Merlin turned to look and saw a giant at least three meters tall standing there. His thick black beard almost covered his entire face, and he held a lantern that he swore could pass for a streetlight.
'That's got to be Hagrid', Merlin muttered inwardly.
Lee gawked. "He's enormous!"
"I wonder if he's the troll from the Sorting Ceremony," George said gravely.
Lee didn't reply, but his pale face gave away how terrified he was.
"First years. Come this way!" Hagrid called again, waving the lantern.
They followed him down a path that led away from the station. The ground was muddy and slippery, and someone kept tripping behind them. The sound of water grew louder until the trees opened up to reveal a dark, still lake.
Dozens of small boats were waiting by the shore.
"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid shouted.
Merlin climbed into one with Lee, Fred, and George. The boat rocked a little, and Lee grabbed the side in panic.
"Careful," Fred said, laughing. "We don't want to swim there."
"Where are the oars?" Lee asked.
"There aren't any," Merlin said, watching the water. "They probably move by magic."
When every boat was filled, Hagrid yelled, "Forward!"
As if a switch had been flipped, the boats began to move on their own, gliding smoothly across the water.
Then, as they rounded a bend, Hogwarts came into view.
The castle stood high on a cliff, lights glowing from hundreds of windows. Towers rose into the sky, and the reflection of the castle shimmered across the lake's surface.
"Wow," Lee said, mesmerized.
Even Fred and George went quiet for once.
Merlin was equally awed. Hogwarts felt less like a school and more like a fortress.
They passed under a curtain of ivy and into a dark tunnel at the base of the cliff. After a few minutes, the boats finally stopped at an underground landing, and Hagrid told them to get off.
"Up these steps," the half-giant said, leading the way.
The tunnel opened into a wide stone corridor lined with torches. At the end stood a tall wooden door. Hagrid knocked three times, and after a moment, it swung open.
A tall witch with sharp eyes and a stern expression stood there.
"Thank you, Hagrid," she said. "I'll take them from here."
"Right then. Good luck, first years," Hagrid said, smiling before walking away.
The witch's gaze swept over the group, pausing on Merlin's figure for a moment before she spoke.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said crisply. "I am Professor McGonagall, and I will be teaching you Transfiguration during your time here."
She turned and began walking, expecting them to follow.
"Hogwarts has four Houses," she continued as they moved. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
"Every House has its own noble history and traditions. Each of you will be sorted into one of them. Your House will be like your family while you are at Hogwarts."
"Good behaviour will earn your House points. Breaking rules will cost House points."
"At the end of the year, the House with the highest number of points will be awarded the House Cup."
They walked into a large hall lit by floating torches. Their footsteps echoed faintly off the stone floor before Professor McGonagall stopped in front of two tall doors and turned to face them.
"The Sorting Ceremony will begin soon. I suggest you straighten your hats and cloaks while you wait."
Saying this, she went inside, leaving the first years standing together.
Merlin noticed Lee beside him shivering at the mention of the ceremony and let out a quiet sigh.
"Alright, there's no troll," he said. "Do you really think the professors at Hogwarts would make new students who don't even know a single spell fight a troll? That wouldn't be a test; it'd be suicide."
He couldn't help explaining. Lee just looked too anxious, and Merlin was afraid that his new friend might have a panic attack before the ceremony even began.
Lee blinked in surprise, but as he thought more, he did find some problems.
In fact, under normal circumstances, he would never believe such ridiculous speculations. But his mother worked at the Ministry, and some of her colleagues had told him the Sorting Ceremony could be "quite dangerous." So he believed the twins, who had explained things in more detail.
But now that Merlin pointed it out, it did sound a bit ridiculous. The professors surely wouldn't let something like that happen—at least not his idol Dumbledore, who was hailed as the most powerful wizard of all time.
Realising he had been tricked, Lee's face darkened. He turned toward the twins and glared at them. Under his stare, both of them quickly looked away, acting as if they didn't know him.
Just then, Professor McGonagall returned. "Form a line and follow me in."
The doors opened, and everyone followed her inside.
The Great Hall spread out before them, with four long tables, all filled to the brim with students. Hundreds of floating candles lit the room, and above them, the ceiling looked exactly like the night sky—dark, endless, and full of stars.
The young wizards in the line were all captivated by the sight and started chattering excitedly.
They immediately quieted down after a stern gaze from Professor McGonagall.
At the front stood a small stool with an old, patched hat resting on it.
It didn't look magical at all… until it moved!
The hat twitched, then a fold near its brim opened like a mouth. A moment later, it began to sing.
Its rough voice echoed through the hall, talking about courage, cleverness, loyalty, and ambition. The song rambled on like an old man who'd been around for too long but still enjoyed the attention.
When the hat finished, the students applauded warmly. The hat gave a small twitch, almost like a bow, then went still.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward again with a parchment in hand. "When I call your name, come up, sit on the stool, and place the hat on your head. The hat will announce your House."
She looked down at the list. "Alicia Spinnet!"
A small, nervous girl walked up and sat on the stool. The hat had barely touched her hair before it shouted, "Gryffindor!"
Cheers erupted from the table on the far left. The girl smiled brightly and ran toward them.
One by one, more names were called. Sometimes the hat decided in seconds. Sometimes, it took a while, as if thinking deeply before announcing its choice.