Hogwarts in the shadows

Heffie and Hermione arrived at Hogsmeade station almost on time.

They then saw a crimson Hogwarts Express train.

It was emitting thick smoke and slowly slowing down as it drove towards the platform.

"It looks like the timing is just right." Hephis said proudly.

Hermione looked at the train that slowly came to a stop and snorted in dissatisfaction.

"Humph, I almost missed it."

"Wouldn't it be better for us to Apparate directly to the castle? Look, it's still raining outside." Hephis raised his hand and pointed at the heavy rain outside the platform.

"Life should have a sense of ritual. How can we just Apparate to the castle?" Hermione retorted righteously.

Hephis shrugged and said nothing more.

Since Hermione wants to take a carriage to school, then just go with her.

At this moment, Draco and Harry were squeezed together and walked out of the narrow door.

Hermione saw this scene and couldn't help but shook her head, "They are so childish."

Hephis smiled slightly, "Children, it's better to be naive."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, "You make it sound like you're really big."

Hephis really wanted to say, I am big, I am very big.

But after thinking about it, I decided to forget it!

Draco saw them from a distance and waved excitedly.

However, the edge of the platform was covered with rainwater, and his feet slipped and he was about to fall.

Harry was quick to grab his arm.

When Hephis saw this scene, a cunning flashed in his eyes, and the finger he raised changed from pointing upwards to pointing downwards.

Harry's feet suddenly slipped and he and Draco fell to the ground together.

And he happened to be holding Draco's arm, so he fell directly towards Draco.

They fell to the ground hugging each other.

Both of them were stunned, their faces were almost touching, and they just stared at each other.

Hermione screamed when she saw this and wanted to go forward to help.

But she subconsciously glanced at Hephis and caught a glimpse of his playful eyes.

She immediately understood that it was the person next to her who was causing trouble.

Hermione shook her head helplessly, but still walked quickly towards the pair of "brothers in distress".

Ron was the closest and quickly stepped forward to help Harry up.

Hephaestus saw that there was no fun to watch.

He raised his hand, and Draco was lifted up by a magical force.

Then the magic power brushed over his and Harry's bodies, and they became dry instantly.

Draco stood on the ground, looked at himself becoming dry again, reacted, and quickly thanked Hephes.

Then he glanced at Harry sheepishly, and quickly looked away, his cheeks slightly red.

Then the five of them walked towards the carriage together and saw the familiar and huge figure.

The five of them looked at the figure in surprise.

Not only them, almost all the students were standing in the rain, looking at the figure who kept shouting, "Freshman, come here." with surprise.

Gone were Hagrid's trademark unkempt hair and scraggly beard.

Instead, it is replaced by carefully groomed short hair with clear layers.

His beard was also trimmed to perfection, leaving only short and neat stubble to outline his chin.

The loose and tattered brown robe he had always worn also disappeared.

He was now wearing a very fitting black leather suit, which fully showed off his strong muscular lines.

Although he is not that handsome.

But compared to Hagrid's original rough and unrefined style, it is indeed eye-catching.

"Hagrid!" Finally, Hefeth broke the silence and greeted Hagrid.

"Hefeth!" Hagrid responded in a rough voice, and waved his hand. "As long as we don't drown, we'll see you at the party."

Then he hurried to greet the new students.

The rain was so heavy that he had to carry a freshman who kept falling down.

Hermione turned her head with difficulty and looked at Heffie, "Hagrid..."

Hephis rubbed his chin, "I guess it was Fura's work!"

Hermione nodded when she heard that.

Fulla is indeed the person most likely to do such a thing, and Hagrid listens to Fulla the most now.

She looked at Hagrid again, "Hagrid does look much more handsome this way."

"Yeah, let's go, we'll find time to have a good chat with Hagrid later." Hephis suggested.

As the carriage team slowly started, the long team moved slowly along the winding path leading to Hogwarts Castle in the heavy rain.

The carriage shook violently under the raging wind, and the wheels rolled over the wet ground, splashing layers of water.

Draco and Harry were probably still a little embarrassed about falling together just now.

So this time, the two of them were very well behaved while sitting in the carriage.

A flash of lightning split the sky, and the carriage finally slowly stopped at the stone steps in front of the two oak doors.

They got off the car one after another and walked into the hall.

As they entered the hall, they saw a large red balloon filled with water falling from the ceiling.

It hit a senior student not far in front, and cold water spurted out from it.

Hephis moved his fingers slightly, and an invisible magic barrier blocked all the splashing water droplets.

The little wizards around screamed one after another.

They pushed each other, all wanting to escape from this place of trouble.

Peeves was floating triumphantly twenty feet in the air, playing with another red water balloon.

However, when he was about to put it down again, he saw Hephaestus.

He shuddered all over, screamed in fear, dropped the balloon and ran away.

Before the balloon fell, Hephis snapped his fingers and the balloon disappeared.

The auditorium is still as magnificent as before, and has been carefully decorated to welcome the new school year.

Hundreds of candles were suspended in midair, illuminating the glittering golden plates and goblets.

The four long tables represent the four major colleges, and are now filled with students who are chatting excitedly.

There is also a horizontal table at the top of the auditorium.

Those were the professors' seats. They sat in order and looked at the students below.

Hephis and Hermione also separated at this time and returned to the long tables of their respective colleges.

As the students took their seats, the sorting ceremony was about to begin.

The door of the auditorium slowly opened, and Professor McGonagall led a long line of first-year students into the auditorium.

Hephis looked at the freshmen who were trembling all over as if they were fished out of the water.

He couldn't help but curl his lips.

The freshmen took a boat across the Black Lake and entered Hogwarts Castle.

It is to emulate the process of the four founders coming to Hogwarts.

It has always been a Hogwarts tradition and there is nothing wrong with it.

But wouldn’t it be nice if a simple drying spell could allow the young wizards to be sorted neatly?

PS: After reading this chapter, can you guess what I am going to do next?