Several hours later, night fell. Outside the train windows was nothing but pitch-black darkness—so dark you couldn't even see your own hand. Even the usually lively Ron and Hermione gradually quieted down.
Chu Yang closed his book and began organizing his luggage, neatly putting the books he had taken out back where they belonged.
He was already used to taking trains to attend school in other cities—experienced enough that there was nothing to feel nervous about. Besides, this was a direct train. There was no chance of missing his stop.
Accompanied by the mournful whooo of the whistle, the train slowly pulled into a modest station. It wasn't large, and the facilities looked somewhat old, but everything was clean and well maintained.
Greenery along the tracks and warm lamplight gave the small station a cozy, welcoming feel, easing some of the freshmen's tension.
By the light of the lamps, Chu Yang saw the giant Hagrid approaching the train through the window.
The darkness made him look even more massive.
Nearly as tall as the train itself, Hagrid carried a lantern and called out loudly to the new students, "First-years! Over here, all of you! Hurry up now, don't be shy—tonight's feast is waitin' on you lot!"
At once, the freshmen began getting off the train. All luggage was left behind; it would be delivered to the school later.
Harry and Ron jumped down and immediately went over to greet Hagrid, then stuck close behind him. Chu Yang lagged a few steps behind, blending into the crowd.
Meeting Harry Potter had been a coincidence.
Chu Yang had no intention of carrying that coincidence any further.
He didn't want to get involved in the protagonist group's struggle against Voldemort. It was troublesome, time-consuming, and offered no benefits whatsoever.
Honestly—who in real life would rush headlong into something so thankless?
With that time, Chu Yang would much rather quietly study magic somewhere.
After all, in the end, Harry Potter was destined to defeat Voldemort anyway. Whether Chu Yang helped or not didn't really matter.
He needed to improve his own abilities as quickly as possible, so that the next time he entered the Soul Palace, he could help the other "selves."
After all, freeloading once was fine—but doing it repeatedly would be a bit rude.
Just as Chu Yang thought he would gradually drift away from them, a little tail suddenly followed him from behind.
"Chu Yang, can you tell me what year's material you've actually studied up to?" Hermione asked, like a curious little squirrel, her round eyes fixed on him.
With the crowd surging around them and worried about getting separated, Hermione grabbed onto Chu Yang's sleeve with one hand.
Chu Yang felt rather helpless.
Hermione's pride was extremely strong. Back at home, she was always the first to show off any new knowledge she'd learned.
But this time, in terms of academic knowledge, Chu Yang had completely overwhelmed her.
With her personality, there was no way she would just let it go.
So Chu Yang calmly told a small lie. "Actually, I haven't read as many books as you think. Aside from the first-year textbooks, the rest are just some books on Dark Arts defense."
"You already know my family situation. Even if I wanted to read more, I couldn't afford extra books. Even my tuition was paid for by Hogwarts."
As soon as family finances were mentioned, Hermione stopped pressing the issue. Instead, she comforted him, "Chu Yang, don't worry about books. Professor McGonagall told me that the Hogwarts library has an incredibly rich collection. You'll be able to borrow plenty of books there."
Chu Yang smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Miss Granger."
Hermione waved her hand and smiled back. "No need to be so formal. Just call me Hermione."
As soon as they finished speaking, the group had already reached the lakeshore. Hagrid stood by the water, waving his arms and directing the students to board the boats.
"Three to four people per boat! Use your judgment—bigger kids, pick boats with fewer people!"
The freshmen began boarding. The boats rocked left and right as waves slapped against them, and for a group of eleven-year-olds, getting on steadily took some effort.
Seeing the unsteady boat, Hermione hesitated—until Chu Yang placed a hand on the bow. Instantly, the boat became as stable as if it were nailed to the surface of the lake.
"Wow, you're really strong!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise. She cautiously placed a foot into the boat, braced herself with both hands, and carefully climbed in.
Nearby, a rather large boy stood awkwardly on the shore. It seemed no one wanted him, worried he'd take up too much space.
He smiled awkwardly at Chu Yang.
"Come on up. The three of us fit just right," Chu Yang said, tilting his head toward the boat. The boy looked immensely relieved and sat down.
After Chu Yang boarded last, the boat began moving on its own without anyone rowing—clearly enchanted in advance.
"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione introduced herself openly to the quiet boy.
"Y-you… hello, I'm… Neville Longbottom," the chubby boy replied, so nervous he began to stutter.
As the boat drifted farther from shore, the light grew dimmer and dimmer.
The pitch-black lake was eerily silent, its stillness sending ripples of fear through the air like invisible waves.
Relying solely on the lantern in Hagrid's hand was nowhere near enough to dispel the fear of a group of eleven-year-old children.
Frightened, Hermione pressed close to Chu Yang and clutched his robe tightly, refusing to let go.
Out of kindness, Chu Yang couldn't help but warn her, "If you grab me like this, and I fall into the lake, you'll get dragged in with me."
Hermione shook her head decisively. "You're so smart, the chances of you falling in are really low. Holding onto you is safer."
Chu Yang: "..."
From a nearby boat, voices of complaint drifted over. "I really don't get it. Why can't we ride carriages like the upperclassmen? Why do we have to cross the lake by boat? What if something goes wrong?"
Hagrid, at the front of the line, heard the complaints and turned back helplessly. "Don' worry, everyone. The boats are perfectly safe. In all the years Hogwarts has been around, not a single student's died while crossin' the lake."
His reassurance didn't calm the children. Instead, the complaints grew louder.
Hermione, who had been scared just moments ago, immediately perked up and explained loudly, "Crossing the lake by boat is a tradition for Hogwarts first-years. It's meant to recreate the scene of the four great founders arriving here for the first time."
"The meaning is to remind future generations not to forget their origins—to remember the hardships under which Hogwarts was built."
As Hermione finished explaining, the complaints abruptly stopped.
The chūnibyō blood within the freshmen ignited in unison.
(End of Chapter)