Although it was a midsummer night with bright starlight, once the sun went down, the scimitar-like crescent moon and the starry sky couldn't provide much visibility for the young wizards stranded in the wilderness.
Arriving with the darkness was the cold wind that roamed the ravines and plains.
On the boundless marshland, hazy mist rose from the earth at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"How is your scar, Mr. Potter?"
Ares propped his hands on his knees, his body swaying unsteadily as he lifted himself off the now-cooled tracks. He looked at Harry Potter, who was standing unobtrusively among a group of older students.
"Uh—"
Harry hadn't expected to be the second person called out. He hesitated, rubbing the scar on his forehead. His gaze held a mix of respect and fear—it was hard not to feel fear after witnessing the insane way this man had stopped the runaway train.
"It doesn't hurt anymore—thank you, Professor."
Harry's tone was a bit stiff.
A glint flashed in Ares's dark eyes. After a brief silence, he nodded.
"Are you alright, Professor?"
The Ravenclaw female prefect, Penelope Clearwater, looked at Ares cautiously and asked softly, her tone carrying the same mix of awe and fear.
In the gloom, the tender faces looking at Ares showed apprehension and panic, as if they were terrified he would say he was not okay.
This was perfectly normal.
After all, they were just a group of underage children. And Ares, who had just saved them from the Grim Reaper's scythe, was the only person they could rely on.
"If there's a place where I can lie down for a while, I think I'll be much better," Ares shrugged. His light tone helped the anxious young wizards relax a little.
"What do you think we should do now, Professor?"
Percy Weasley, who had also gotten off the train, squeezed through from the back of the crowd. The eagerness in his eyes as he stared at Ares was no less than anyone else's.
Percy's question voiced everyone's concern.
Yes, they had survived for now.
But what next... Were they supposed to wait in the marshland on empty stomachs until someone from Hogwarts realized something was wrong and came looking for them?
Under the biting cold wind, Ares looked even more haggard. His thin frame swayed a few times, and Clearwater and another sixth-year Ravenclaw girl immediately stepped forward to support him.
"Oh, thanks," Ares nodded his thanks to them, then tapped his finger lightly in the air.
A creature shimmering with pure white light, somewhat resembling a feline, appeared. After making eye contact with Ares for a few seconds, the small creature nodded its head and darted into the void with a whoosh, vanishing from the young wizards' sight.
"Don't worry. I've sent a letter to Professor Dumbledore. He'll know what happened here very soon."
Ares looked calmly around at the students, every one of whom had suffered some degree of injury.
"The school will soon dispatch enough carriages to pick you up. Also, I reminded Professor Dumbledore to bring enough stretchers and Healers. For now, you just need to wait quietly."
The professor's promise further settled the hearts of most students, but some still harbored doubts.
"Carriages? Does the wizarding world still use such ancient things—will we even get to school before dawn?"
Harry heard a dark-skinned first-year mutter, voicing Harry's own confusion.
But the young professor didn't explain anything.
"Everyone, get back on the train. At least it's warmer inside, and you can eat some snacks. There's no need to stand out here in the cold wind," Ares said.
After experiencing such a terrifying event, not a single student was willing to get back on the train that had nearly killed them. But since it was the professor's order, they had to obey.
The prefects fulfilled their duties. Under their organization and supervision, within ten minutes, no one remained in the marshland.
Ares let the two Ravenclaw girls help him back to his compartment. But standing outside the door, his gaze fixed on the interior, Ares suddenly stopped, his eyes focusing sharply.
"Professor?"
Penelope Clearwater turned her face, blinking in confusion.
"Oh, nothing."
After a moment of silence, Ares moved his gaze away from the suitcase deliberately left behind by Larry Gaspard and stepped into the compartment.
"I'm fine now—I just need to sleep for a while. I don't need anyone to look after me. You go and rest too."
---
The annual Start-of-Term Feast and the Sorting Ceremony could probably be considered the grandest festival for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Beneath the clear, starry enchanted ceiling, thousands of candles illuminated the ancient hall in splendid gold.
Inside the Great Hall, spotlessly polished tables and chairs were arranged neatly. Silver cutlery was laid out with precision, and the Sorting Hat was ready and waiting.
Everything was prepared, waiting only for the arrival of the returning students and this year's protagonists.
A similar atmosphere of joy enveloped the High Table at the front of the hall.
The professors were dressed in their finest robes. Dumbledore had changed into a brand-new purple robe with gold embroidery, smiling as he listened to Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout on his right discuss a knitting pattern.
On his left, Professor Flitwick was chatting enthusiastically with Professor Kettleburn about a minor hex that could turn a troll's tusks into corks.
Every professor was happily engaged in their own topic. Even Professor Snape, who was never keen on bonding with colleagues, had to force himself to answer Madam Pomfrey's questions about how to alleviate the side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking caused by overdosing on Cheering Charms.
So, when Ares's Patronus suddenly plummeted from the ceiling above the Great Hall, no one reacted immediately.
Even Dumbledore, sitting on the large golden chair in the center of the table, wore a look of surprise.
"A severe loss-of-control incident has occurred on the Hogwarts Express. Multiple students have suffered injuries of varying degrees. I have forcibly stopped the train. Professor Dumbledore, please arrange for enough carriages to pick up the stranded students as soon as possible."
Ares's Patronus spoke in a calm, ripple-less tone.
"Also, please bring enough stretchers and Healers."
It was as if a Dementor had suddenly burst into the festive Great Hall, instantly sucking away all the joy and warmth!
Quietly, Professor McGonagall covered her mouth.
The train was forcibly stopped, but asking for enough stretchers and Healers...
"Severus—"
In the dead silence, the smile on the aged face was replaced by solemnity and decisive action. Dumbledore stood up abruptly, his voice booming like a bell.
"I need you to notify Hagrid immediately and have him mobilize all the school carriages to pick up the students."
A faint light flashed in Snape's empty black eyes. He said nothing, standing up briskly.
As Severus Snape practically sprinted out of the Great Hall, Dumbledore's silver phoenix had already taken flight, vanishing into the night.
"I have notified the Minister for Magic. I believe he will soon arrive with officials from the Department of Magical Transportation," Dumbledore said to Professor McGonagall beside him. Without waiting for her response, he waved his wand sharply again.
A portrait responded to the summons.
"Dilys?"
"What are your orders, Headmaster Dumbledore?"
The old witch with long silver ringlets in the frame opened her eyes immediately.
"There has been a serious traffic accident with the Hogwarts Express. The number of injured students may exceed our imagination. We don't have time to wait for Ministry officials to mobilize medical resources. Dilys, could you please go to St. Mungo's and alert them? Ask them to bring enough personnel, stretchers, and potions?"
"It is my duty!"
The silver-haired witch vanished from her frame.
"I can help too, Albus!" Madam Pomfrey said fiercely from beside Professor Sprout.
"Of course, Poppy, but I need you and Filius to stay here," Dumbledore said calmly, nodding to Professor Flitwick.
"I fear the Hospital Wing won't be able to accommodate so many injured. While the other professors and I leave Hogwarts to pick up the students, I want you two to temporarily convert the Great Hall into a makeshift hospital for emergency treatment."
Dumbledore spoke quickly and calmly, looking at the panic-stricken faces sweating cold sweat.
"Let's move!"