The train resumed its journey toward the Scottish Highlands, but for the remainder of the trip, the carriages—usually lively and cheerful—were unusually quiet today.
Outside the windows, the rain poured without pause, as if the heavens themselves were full of grievances.
Eda also returned to her compartment and regrouped with the twins and the others. Although the twins' Patronuses had driven the Dementors away in time, those evil creatures still left everyone shaken.
At last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station. Everyone disembarked, and the scene was utter chaos.
The rain today was even heavier than the last time. Fortunately, Eda and the others were already in fifth year and didn't need to cross the lake by boat anymore. They had carriages—and covered ones at that.
They didn't need to worry about being soaked to the skin, nor about the lake's water level rising, much less about falling into the icy, bone-chilling water.
When the thestrals pulled the carriages past the two magnificent wrought-iron gates, Eda saw Dementors again. Hooded, sinister, and terrifying, the Dementors stood guard on either side of the gate.
That unpleasant, creeping chill surged up once more. It wasn't until they passed through the majestic oak doors and entered the castle that the cold, seeping from deep within, slowly dissipated.
Eda followed the crowd toward the Great Hall together with Fred and George. Perhaps to match the raging wind and rain outside, the enchanted ceiling was dark and heavy as well, filled with thick, rolling clouds.
Just as she entered the Great Hall, Eda saw Professor McGonagall waving at her. She hurried over.
"Are you all right?" Professor McGonagall asked with concern. She had already learned about what had happened on the train.
After confirming that Eda was all right, Professor McGonagall continued, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead with a letter. You did well—you fulfilled your duties as a prefect."
"Professor, I also saw Dementors at the gates. How long are they going to stay here?" Eda asked. She truly disliked those creatures. Dementors always made Eda think of a terrifying illness—depression.
Professor McGonagall frowned, clearly displeased with the Dementors being stationed around the school as well.
She said, "That is a decision made by the Ministry of Magic. Until Black is caught, the Dementors will not leave. However, they will not enter the school."
More and more students were entering the Great Hall, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were swept into the spacious hall along with the crowd.
"Potter! Granger! I need to see the two of you!" Professor McGonagall called out as she walked toward Harry.
Before leaving, Professor McGonagall reminded her once again, "Eda, remember—you are a prefect now, and above all, do not go looking for trouble with the Dementors."
The warm, cozy castle finally made the students feel safe again, and everyone regained their energy. Their faces glowed in the light of the thousands of candles floating above the tables.
Unlike last year, this year's Sorting Ceremony was presided over by Professor Flitwick. After Professor McGonagall left with Harry and Hermione, she did not return.
Neither the Sorting Hat's annual solo performance nor the sorting of the new students managed to capture the students' attention. Everyone was quietly discussing what had happened on the train, talking about Black and the Dementors.
As Romilda Vane, a little girl with black hair and black eyes, was sorted into Gryffindor, the Sorting Ceremony of 1993 officially came to an end. It was also at this moment that Professor McGonagall returned with Harry and Hermione.
Headmaster Dumbledore rose to his feet. Smiling warmly at the assembled students, he began his address for the new school year.
"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, the candlelight gleaming off his beard. "Welcome back to Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to all of you, one of which is very important, so I think it best to make it clear before you enjoy the delicious feast and your minds grow muddled…"
Dumbledore first explained why the Dementors had searched the train and why they were stationed around the school. Next, he made clear to everyone the evil and brutality of Dementors.
Dementors, by nature, have no understanding of forgiveness, nor can they distinguish between their quarry and others. Dumbledore reminded every student that he hoped they would not give Dementors any reason to harm them.
"…But happiness is everywhere, even in the darkest of times," Dumbledore said, "as long as we light the lamp in our hearts."
Dementors feed on human beings' happy memories, but happiness is also a weapon against such evil creatures. The prerequisite for casting the Patronus Charm is happiness—only by focusing one's mind on the happiest thing in one's heart will the Patronus answer the call.
"Let us change to a more pleasant topic," Dumbledore continued. "I am very pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this term."
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly agreed to fill the vacancy in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Sparse applause echoed through the Great Hall. The new professor was wearing a wizard's robe patched over patches, and his appearance was really nothing to write home about. Standing among the other professors only made him look all the more shabby.
"Why does he look so weak?" Fred asked.
He didn't trust this new professor very much—or rather, the people who took on this high-risk position had left him with a lasting impression, making him deeply distrustful of anyone who assumed the post.
It wasn't just Fred; the students in the Great Hall felt the same way. First Fowley, then Glover, then Quirrell, and then Lockhart—years like this made it hard for students to place their trust in the ragged Remus Lupin.
"He's really impressive. He drove away a Dementor with the Patronus Charm in one go, and he even gave Harry a huge piece of chocolate," Hermione said. As soon as the Sorting Ceremony had ended, she had returned to the Great Hall with Harry.
This year, Snape once again failed to get what he wanted—the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher remained forever out of reach for him. But this year, Snape's reaction was somewhat excessive. The expression on his face was not just disappointment and anger, but also hatred.
As for the second new professor—no, this one couldn't really be described as "new," after all, Hagrid had been at the school longer than every student present.
The applause at the Gryffindor table was especially enthusiastic. The little lions had a great deal of affection for Hagrid, who also came from Gryffindor.
"We should've known!" Ron banged the table and shouted. "Who else would make us prepare a book that bites?"
That was fine until it was mentioned—once it came up, Eda got angry. If she hadn't reacted quickly, The Monster Book of Monsters would've chewed up more than just two skirts and an extra pair of shoes.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this book completely overturned Eda's understanding of what a book could be.
"All right, that covers the important matters," Dumbledore said loudly. "Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and tall goblets on the tables suddenly filled with food and drink. Laughter and cheerful chatter echoed through the Great Hall, and the clinking of knives and forks blended into a delightful symphony.
No one was thinking about the terrifying Dementors anymore, nor about the escaped Black. With such a feast before them, thinking about anything else would have been a sin.
When the last few pumpkin pasties vanished from the large golden platters, Dumbledore stood up once more and announced that everyone could go to bed.
This time, Eda did not forget her role as a prefect. She straightened up and raised her hand high, just as Charlie had once done.
Eda called out loudly, "First-year Gryffindors, gather around me!"
Before long, the little first-years clustered around Eda, and Clark Gerald came over as well. After counting the numbers, Clark nodded to Eda, signaling that everyone was present and they could set off.
"Stay close to me and don't fall behind," Eda said. With that, she led the new students away from the long tables and toward the exit of the Great Hall.
Clark followed at the rear of the group, making sure no one lagged behind due to daydreaming or wandering off. After all, Hogwarts' moving staircases could be quite treacherous at times.
The entrance to the Great Hall, which had been somewhat noisy and crowded, immediately cleared as Eda approached. The students who had been blocking the way quickly stepped aside, making a path for Eda and the little first-years behind her to pass through.
After climbing the marble staircase, passing twice through doors hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries, and navigating many staircases that were "notoriously treacherous," the little first-years finally arrived at Gryffindor Tower.
At some point, no one knew when, the Fat Lady had developed a passion for bel canto. At this very moment, she was attempting to shatter the glass goblet in her hand with her so-called heavenly voice.
Although the Fat Lady's resonance was quite good, she truly had no talent for it—her singing was comparable to the scene of a car crash.
"Good fortune smiles, madam," Eda said, giving the password, but the portrait did not reveal the entrance.
The Fat Lady in the portrait waved her hand, signaling Eda not to disturb her. She gathered herself for a moment, and then an unbearable, piercing, ghost-wailing noise rang out across Gryffindor Tower.
The first-years had never witnessed anything like this and hurriedly covered their ears. Even Clark couldn't take it anymore—what Dementors, what Black? Wasn't the Fat Lady's singing far more lethal than either of them?
Eda folded her arms and watched the Fat Lady with amused interest. She wanted to see whether the dormitory matron could actually shatter the glass goblet with her voice.
The Fat Lady in the portrait was also secretly observing the students. Her small eyes kept darting back and forth over Eda, waiting to see when Eda might finally turn her head away.
But how could Eda, full of mischief, possibly give the Fat Lady what she wanted? She stared straight at her without blinking, curious to see how the Fat Lady would resolve the awkward situation in front of her.
Can't shout anymore—keep going and I'll be short of oxygen (do portraits even suffer from oxygen deprivation?). The Fat Lady thought to herself.
With a hardening of her resolve, the Fat Lady seized the moment when everyone except Eda wasn't paying attention and suddenly smashed the glass goblet in her hand.
The noise stopped. The first-years all turned to look at the Fat Lady's portrait, only to see her gazing at the shattered goblet and sighing, "Perfect—my singing really is that beautiful!"
Eda, who had witnessed the entire process, merely smiled without saying a word and did not expose the Fat Lady's little trick. She repeated the password: "Good fortune smiles, madam."
The portrait swayed forward, revealing a round opening in the wall. Passing through the opening, the first-years finally reached their destination—the Gryffindor common room.
Inside the circular common room, quite a few older students were chatting and laughing. They hadn't had to cross the lake by boat, so they weren't as exhausted as the first-years. Eda gathered the new students together; she still had a few words to say.
She said, "Sorry to take up a few more minutes of your time. First of all, congratulations on joining Gryffindor House. I'm not going to say 'Gryffindor is the best house,' even though that's the truth."
The first-years obligingly let out a round of laughter. On the train, Eda had already made an impression on them, and the little lions, still inexperienced in the ways of the world, felt a great deal of fondness for this older student.
Eda continued, "Gryffindor was born from barren marshes. We are brave and fearless; we rush forward without hesitation. Our courage, our spirit, and our generosity will make us stand out all the more. But I hope you can tell the difference between bravery and recklessness. I don't want to have to lead you back in disgrace from another prefect—that would be far too embarrassing!"
"Don't make your prefect feel embarrassed—trust me, the consequences will be very serious," Clark Gerald said in a joking tone. "That's my one and only piece of advice."
"Thank you for smearing my reputation, Clark," Eda continued with her address. "If you have any difficulties in your studies or daily life, you can come to either of us. Though I think you'd better go to Clark instead, because I'm someone who really hates trouble."
Eda took out a parchment map and went on, "Also, please allow me to insert a short advertisement. If you're not familiar with the castle, you can come to me to buy a navigation map. Of course, you can also buy a secondhand one from other upperclassmen."
The first-years laughed again, and some of the older students in the common room chimed in as well, praising the convenience of the map in Eda's hand.
"Finally, welcome—welcome to Gryffindor!"
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