The sunlight of September 1st was unusually bright, as if even the heavens were celebrating the new students' enrollment at Hogwarts.
Over London, the sky was clear, with a few faint clouds hanging on the blue canvas of the sky. A refreshing breeze brushed against everyone's ears, like a gentle whisper that intoxicated the senses.
Maca had bought a new trunk in Diagon Alley. It was a second-hand item from a junk shop, and the Disillusionment Charm inside it was somewhat damaged, reducing the available space significantly. However, the Ministry of Magic permit sticker was still firmly affixed to the inside lid.
Maca had haggled over the price of this trunk, downplaying its value and bargaining several times before finally purchasing it despite the pain in his wallet. Now, he was strolling leisurely along the platform of King's Cross Station, enjoying the pleasant mood bought with Galleons. With only an owl and a lightweight suitcase, this journey was indeed wonderful.
After a short while, he arrived between Platforms 9 and 10, but hesitated before the stout support pillar.
"Oh?" Maca extended his hand and indeed passed through the brick wall, revealing a look of surprise.
The first time was always a bit unfamiliar. Although he didn't feel any pain, there was still some tension. With a small step forward, he found himself on the actual Hogwarts Express platform.
Steam from the locomotive wafted above the bustling crowd, and cats of various colors roamed among people's feet. Amid the buzzing conversations and the noisy sounds of dragging heavy luggage, owls screeched piercingly, responding to their owners' calls.
The owl perched on Maca's left shoulder appeared larger than the others and was notably quiet, unlike the incessantly chattering smaller ones. It blinked its bright eyes, gazing at the crowded aisle ahead, unfazed.
Yes, after spending some time together, Maca realized that his all-black owl seemed to dislike staying in its cage. Since he released it, it never went back inside.
"Mafa, let's go!" Maca had given it a rather dignified name—Mafario, of course, abbreviated to "Mafa."
"Hoot." Mafa let out a soft hoot in agreement.
Several compartments in the carriage were already occupied. Maca passed a few of them, not recognizing anyone, so he randomly chose a less crowded one and entered.
"Good morning! I'm Maca. Mind if I join you here?" Maca nodded towards the people inside from the doorway.
"Of course, come in!" a black-haired boy immediately responded.
This boy seemed somewhat reserved, not very skilled in socializing, and after his initial answer, he retreated into his seat without speaking further.
"Would you mind introducing yourself?" Maca sensed the chilly atmosphere inside the compartment, so he initiated a conversation. "I'm Maca, Maca McLean. And you?"
"...Anthony Goldstein," the black-haired boy muttered, looking even more nervous.
It appeared that he wasn't particularly adept at chatting. Maca nodded and didn't press on. He had plenty of things to do, after all. Like studying, studying, and more studying.
Taking out a copy of "A Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi," Maca began reading—this thing was quite thick, with a wide variety of plants, and he had only managed to memorize half of them so far.
After a short while, two more people entered the compartment. Apparently, the presence of more people made Anthony, the black-haired boy, even more awkward. He forced himself to look out the window as if admiring the scenery.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Ernie Macmillan, pleased to meet you." The blond boy who had just entered seemed very cheerful. He looked at Maca, who was sitting across from him, and greeted loudly.
Maca nodded towards him, smiled, introduced himself briefly, and then turned his attention to the last girl who had entered.
"Um, well..." The girl was vigorously patting her brown, curly hair, as if trying to make it more manageable. She seemed dissatisfied with her naturally wavy hair.
"Lissa, Lisa Dupin... Oh!" She was speaking when a sudden pain made her cry out. She had probably pulled a few strands of hair too hard in her attempt to make them more obedient.
"Hey, Maca! I was wondering, what book are you reading?" Ernie was short and plump, but his attire was flamboyant and bright. He seemed to come from a well-off family.
However, Maca didn't sense the usual arrogance that often accompanied privileged individuals. He seemed like a friend worth making.
"Oh, I'm reading a textbook!" Maca held up the book, showing Ernie the cover.
"Oh! I have that book at home too, but I've never thought of actually reading it. It's just too thick, and the title looks pretty boring." Ernie scratched his head, making his formerly neat blond hair messy.
Lisa, sitting next to Maca, frowned at Ernie's hair, but she didn't say anything. She simply turned her head to look at Maca.
Maca always believed that maintaining a tidy appearance was necessary. It could make others form a positive impression of you. After all, most people preferred neat clothing and a clean appearance, although Maca personally thought comfort was more important.
Lisa appraised Maca for a moment, then nodded in approval.
Clearly, this seemingly adorable girl had high standards not only for herself but also for others' appearances.
After that, except for Anthony, who remained mostly silent, the other three engaged in some initial conversations and agreed to stay in touch at school. Of course, it was evident that Lisa enjoyed talking to Maca more, though the somewhat insensitive Ernie failed to notice this.
As for the gains during this journey, besides memorizing dozens of herbs, the most significant might be the "quick nod of acknowledgement from Miss Hermione Granger."
However, her haughty attitude, rapid speech, and urgency in actions made it a bit overwhelming for Maca. After a few perfunctory sentences, Hermione hurriedly left.
Oh, she was helping Neville look for a toad—probably that's what it was. In reality, Maca hardly caught the details as his attention was mostly occupied with memorizing herb names.
The journey on the Hogwarts Express took an entire day, and as the train gradually slowed down, it was already dark outside.
The train's final stop was set across the lake from the rear entrance of Hogwarts. The first-year students had to take four-person boats to reach Hogwarts. This could be considered one of Hogwarts' traditions. Of course, if you find yourself prone to seasickness, you could go around the lake to the front entrance, even though that does sound a bit silly.
"Bend your heads!" As the first batch of boats approached the cliffs, Hagrid yelled, one person per boat.
Everyone lowered their heads as the boats carried them through the ivy-covered cliffs, arriving at a hidden wide entrance. Through a pitch-black tunnel, they seemed to descend beneath the castle, eventually reaching what resembled an underground dock. From there, they climbed up a path strewn with pebbles and cobblestones.
In Hagrid's lantern light, the first-years ascended a tunnel within the rocks, finally arriving on a flat, damp grassy area beneath the castle's shadow.
They climbed a set of stone steps and gathered in front of a massive oak door.
"Is everyone here?" Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open, revealing a tall witch with black hair, dressed in emerald green robes. She looked stern, clearly not someone easily fooled.
"First-year students, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid announced.
"Thank you, Hagrid. You may leave them to me from here."
It was Hogwarts Castle after all. Even the hall at the back entrance was huge. A row of roaring torches lined the stone walls, and the ceiling was so high that the top was almost out of sight. Ahead, a magnificent marble staircase extended all the way up.
From the door on the right, there came a faint murmur of voices. The older students at Hogwarts had probably arrived earlier. However, Professor McGonagall didn't lead them directly inside. Instead, she guided them to a room opposite the hall.
The room wasn't very spacious, and the first-years were closely packed together. Most of them nervously observed their surroundings.
Naturally, Maca was no exception. Carrying his suitcase, he was momentarily squeezed into a corner, with even Mafa, the owl, reluctantly perched on his head.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The Opening Feast is about to begin, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your respective houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony, for while you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family…"
Pushed to the back, Maca wasn't very interested in Professor McGonagall's speech. He just waited quietly for everything to begin.
"...when they are ready for you, I will come to fetch you." Professor McGonagall said, "While you wait, please remain quiet."
Just as Professor McGonagall's words faded, Maca suddenly heard a "hoot."
"Errol!" A boy's voice sounded from the front. Maca shook his head helplessly.
"Please maintain silence!"
With a stern tone, Professor McGonagall repeated, and then she left the room. Maca immediately heard laughter from the front.
"Oh—!" Suddenly, a few screams came from the front.
"What's going on again?" Maca complained under his breath, standing on tiptoe and looking ahead. "Huh, that's—"