"Hogwarts," Dudley murmured softly.
Perched on the cliff's edge, the majestic castle sparked a surge of anticipation in Dudley for this mysterious school.
"Everyone, follow me! Get on the boats—no more than four per boat!" Hagrid bellowed to the crowd.
Along the lake's shore, small wooden boats bobbed, each lit by a faint, flickering candle.
Dudley, Harry, and Ron chose a boat and settled in. Hermione hesitated, noticing the other boats were nearly full, then approached.
"If you don't mind, join us," Dudley offered.
"Thank you," Hermione said with a smile, climbing aboard.
Ron's first impression of Hermione hadn't been great, but her bold testimony against Malfoy earlier had shifted his view entirely.
"Thanks for speaking up for us back there," Dudley said to her.
"You're welcome. I was just telling the truth. Besides, I'm from a Muggle family too, and what Malfoy said about 'mudblood'…" Hermione trailed off, her voice tight. "He wasn't just insulting one person—he was attacking a whole group. You were right to put him in his place."
"Shame I didn't get a swing at Malfoy. Dudley was too quick," Ron said, a touch of regret in his voice.
"Same here. By the time I processed it, they were already on the floor. Missed my chance," Harry added with a grin.
Hermione gave a shy smile and fell silent.
Soon, under Hagrid's guidance, the boats glided toward the castle.
He explained that this was a Hogwarts tradition—first-years always arrived by boat.
The dark water lapped gently at the boats' sides, creating soft, dull splashes. Braver students peered into the lake, while the timid ones curled up, avoiding the inky depths.
"My brother says there are water monsters in the Black Lake," Ron whispered, his voice quivering—whether from cold or fear, he wasn't sure.
"They won't leap out and eat us, will they?" Hermione asked, her tone anxious.
"Probably not. Hogwarts would send a professor to protect us if they were dangerous," Ron reassured her.
Dudley, who had been resting with his eyes closed, perked up at the mention of water monsters.
Curious, he leaned slightly, activated his Spirit Vision, and peered into the lake.
The castle's faint lights barely illuminated the water's surface. This lake was unlike any ordinary one—its hue was unnaturally deep, nearly opaque even under the dim glow. Dudley suspected it would look just as dark in daylight.
Focusing, he channeled his spiritual power into his eyes, gradually revealing hints of color in the pitch-black water.
Swish.
A faint light darted beneath the surface—swift, like a fish, yet humanoid in shape.
"What was that?" Dudley's eyes narrowed.
There was indeed something unusual in this lake.
His Spirit Vision revealed extraordinary creatures, some vaguely human in form.
"Merpeople?" Dudley wondered.
Legends of merpeople abounded, and in the strange world he'd once inhabited, they were real, sometimes aiding in extraordinary advancements. He wasn't sure what role merpeople played in this magical world.
Beyond the humanoid figures, Dudley glimpsed other odd creatures, none resembling anything from the mundane world.
Suddenly, a light figure at the lake's bottom paused. It seemed to sense Dudley's gaze and turned toward him.
Faintly, a beautiful, melodic song drifted into his ears…
"Duck!" Hagrid's shout jolted Dudley.
He quickly pulled back and ducked as the boats approached a cliff. They passed through a curtain of ivy, entering a dark tunnel beneath the castle.
That was definitely a merperson, Dudley thought.
The song had likely come from it.
Compared to the merpeople of that other world, these seemed gentler. He'd felt no threat, or he would've sensed danger the moment the song began.
"This castle's surroundings are more intriguing than I expected," Dudley mused.
Soon, the boats reached their destination. After docking, the first-years disembarked and followed a cobblestone path to a massive door.
Along the way, Neville, the round-faced boy, joyfully reunited with his lost toad.
Hagrid knocked three times on the door.
Boom.
The door swung open, revealing Professor McGonagall in an emerald-green robe, her hair neatly pinned in a bun—a stark contrast to her appearance on the train.
"No wonder we didn't see her when we got off. She came back to change," Ron whispered to Harry and Dudley.
McGonagall's sharp glance silenced him instantly, and Ron shrank back, not daring to speak again.
"Thank you, Hagrid," she said briskly.
"First-years, follow me."
Without further ado, she led them into the castle.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Before entering the Great Hall, you'll be sorted into your Houses," McGonagall announced as they walked. "Hogwarts has four Houses, each with its own criteria for selecting students."
She gave a concise overview of the school, echoing Ron's earlier summary but with more detail. Dudley distilled it: Gryffindor prized courage, Hufflepuff welcomed all, Ravenclaw favored intelligence, and Slytherin sought ambition.
McGonagall didn't explain the sorting process, only mentioning "tests," which sent a ripple of unease through the first-years unfamiliar with the ritual.
Hermione began muttering spells she'd memorized, while Harry's face paled, his nerves evident.
"It'll be a simple test," Dudley said calmly.
"I hope I pass," Harry replied, nodding.
Though Dudley offered no specifics, his reassurance seemed to ease Harry's tension.
"Alright, let's go in," McGonagall said, pushing open the Great Hall's doors.
A magnificent hall unfolded before the first-years, its grandeur taking their breath away.