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Chapter 74: The Start of a New School Year
Chapter 74: The Start of a New School Year
Liam and his two friends bid farewell to Professor Mcgonagall and made their way up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. A few minutes later, they arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Oh, you're here quite early. That's not usual", the Fat Lady remarked, looking at the three of them.
"Syrupbird, Syrupbird", Liam muttered, still feeling a bit dizzy from the long ride on the Hogwarts Express and the bumpy carriage journey. Harry and Ron also seemed too tired to speak much.
The Fat Lady's portrait swung open, and the three of them climbed through the entrance, flopping down on the nearest sofa.
After a while, Liam finally caught his breath and noticed a plate on the coffee table in front of him. It was laden with Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes, and Peas, all drenched in a rich brown gravy. Next to the plate was a jug of Pumpkin Juice and three glasses.
It seemed that even a quick meal at Hogwarts was quite substantial, unless you were being punished. Liam and his friends eagerly poured the gravy over their puddings and started eating, as they had been hungry after the morning's ordeal.
Once they finished their lunch, the dishes vanished, just as they did in the Great Hall. The House-Elves of Hogwarts were indeed very efficient, serving the Wizards without ever being seen.
After sitting for a while, Liam asked Harry and Ron, "Why couldn't we get through that wall? Was it broken?"
"Maybe", Harry replied. "After all, the Hogwarts Express has been running for over a century. Think about how often the subway turnstiles break down. It's not surprising that an entrance might malfunction occasionally."
"That's not right. Things in the Wizarding World don't break that easily. Especially an important barrier like that, which is checked every year", Ron countered. He then turned to Liam and said, "Thanks for your help. I just realized that if I had really taken my dad's car, my mom would have killed me. Not to mention, we'd probably still be stuck in a cramped car, baking in the sun."
"Don't mention it. I just thought a bit more than others", Liam said. "I'm going to take a nap. I'm exhausted from all the morning's excitement."
With that, Liam climbed the stairs to his room for a nap. When he woke up around three, he freshened up, put on his robes, and went downstairs. He found Harry and Ron playing Exploding Snap. Harry's hand shook, and the cards exploded, singeing his eyebrows.
Seeing Liam come down, Harry suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh, Liam. Thanks for the letter and the postcard you sent me over the holidays."
Liam then joined their game. Thanks to his Assassin Legacy, his hands were steady, and he could build a high tower of Exploding Snap cards. However, he was no match for Ron in Wizard Chess, losing badly.
Finally, when all three of them felt a bit tired, it was time for dinner. They quickly tidied up and headed down to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony.
When they arrived at the Great Hall, no one else was there yet, so Liam and his friends waited in the entrance hall. Soon, a chatter of voices came from the corridor, and the students began to arrive.
Liam followed the crowd to the Gryffindor table and sat down. As last year, the ceiling was enchanted to show a starry sky, and the Great Hall was filled with a sea of pointed black hats. The only difference was that this year, Liam was no longer a new student standing at the entrance. Instead, he sat with the other students at his house table, waiting for the new first-years to be sorted.
Liam had just sat down when he heard hurried footsteps approaching from the front. A figure took the seat opposite him. It was Hermione, her face etched with a hint of worry.
"What on earth happened? I didn't see you or Harry on the train. I thought you had all gone missing."
"Early this morning, my father had a minor car accident on the way, so we were a bit late getting to the station. Then, for some reason, the barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters malfunctioned, trapping Harry and me outside. We went to the Leaky Cauldron to write for help, and Professor Mcgonagall used the Floo Network to get us to school."
Hermione patted her chest in relief. "I'm so glad you're all safe. You can't imagine how worried I was when I noticed you weren't on the train."
Liam was about to say more, but Dumbledore stood up to speak, so he closed his mouth.
The headmaster announced the start of the Sorting Ceremony, and the great doors of the Great Hall swung open. The first-years, like a flock of quails, trembled with fear. It was a longstanding Hogwarts tradition to keep the details of the Sorting Ceremony a mystery from the new students.
Watching these new faces, Liam thought about the seventh-year students who had just graduated. He realized that the true power of the British Wizarding World lay within Hogwarts.
For one thing, the vast majority of the British Ministry of Magic's employees were graduates of Hogwarts. Bureaucrats like Fudge might come and go, but since 1956, Dumbledore had been the headmaster of Hogwarts. One could say that almost every Ministry employee was a former student of Dumbledore's.
While Liam was reflecting on the ongoing tensions between the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts from the original story, the Sorting Hat's song brought him back to reality. It was as unpleasant as ever, even after a year of anticipation.
The Sorting Ceremony then began, and as expected, Ginny Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor. Additionally, there was the famous Harry Potter fan, Colin Creevey. Liam thought they should start a Harry Potter Fan Club together; they would have a lot in common.
After the headmaster's customary brief speech (just like last year), the sumptuous dinner began. The Great Hall echoed with laughter and the clinking of cutlery.
As the last dessert disappeared, Dumbledore reminded everyone to head back to their dormitories. Hermione finally had the chance to ask Liam in detail how they had made it to school. After hearing Liam's account, Hermione said:
"Thank goodness you didn't listen to Ron's silly ideas. Otherwise, you would have lost a lot of house points, and you might even have been expelled."
Back in the Common Room, the other students showed keen interest in Liam, Harry, and Ron's unusual arrival. Ron seemed to relish the attention, regaling anyone who would listen with the details of what had happened.
Liam watched this scene and shrugged. After wishing Hermione goodnight, he went upstairs to his dormitory. Taking advantage of the fact that his roommates hadn't returned yet, Liam practiced a few spells. Then, he went to the bathroom to wash up before going to bed. What an adventurous and thrilling first day of school it had been.
(End of Chapter)
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