From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 14 Before Sorting

"Tell me she's not telling the truth, Ivy!" Ron looked worried, and Hermione's attitude convinced him to some extent, "I haven't even looked at the textbook!"

Hearing him say that, Harry immediately felt relieved. Because on the day he came back from Diagon Alley, Harry roughly flipped through the textbook. Although he didn't remember much, he should be better than Ron, right?

"Don't worry. I've hardly seen them either," Harry said soothingly. "But Hermione's right, maybe we should change into our robes."

"So..." Malfoy seemed hesitant. "Bunny Teeth... Is what Granger said true? Ivy? The part about the sorting by exams?"

"Well..." Ivy shrugged, "I must say, it won't hurt to read more books."

"Damn it..." Malfoy frowned, "I should have studied harder at home... I don't know if it's too late, but we should go back, Crabbe, Goyle. Anyway, thank you, Ivy." Obviously, Malfoy took Ivy's words as a disguised advice.

After the Malfoy trio left, Ron and Harry began to busy themselves with packing their luggage, and then took out their textbooks and school uniforms.

After hurriedly changing into their school uniforms, the only sounds in the cubicle were the two people reading silently. Ron was reading "A History of Magic" and Harry was reading "Magic Potions and Liquids".

But the whispered chanting didn't last for a while before the voice began to become low and hoarse - Ron fell asleep.

----

"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train and we will take you to school."

A broadcast that came from somewhere began to echo in the carriage, waking Ron and Harry from their sleep.

"Oh - I fell asleep!" Ron muttered in annoyance. "This is the end!"

"Me too..." Harry felt his stomach churning when he thought of the upcoming exams, but he still managed to comfort Ron, "That's good, it looks like we can only be assigned to the same college."

Although this sounds a bit pessimistic, sharing can always halve the pain, and Ron's pale face began to show some color.

They picked up the textbooks from the ground, stuffed them into the suitcase, and looked outside the compartment.

The aisle was now full of people, even though the train had not stopped yet. It seemed that everyone, whether first-year or old, could not wait to return to Hogwarts.

The vehicle slowly pulled into the platform and the crowd pushed and shoved their way out of the car. The chill in the night made the two sleepy little wizards more awake.

Ivy took a deep breath in the night, and the familiar air rushed into his lungs: "Hello again, Hogwarts."

Then an oil lamp swung over their heads, illuminating Hagrid's thick beard with its dim light. "First years! First years over here! Harry, come over here, are you all right?"

The little wizards on the platform moved their feet and surrounded Hagrid's tall body.

After confirming the number of people, Hagrid led them through a narrow path.

Soon, a black, open lake appeared before them - it was the Black Lake, and this was the same route the four founders took when they first came to Hogwarts.

On the hillside on the other side of the lake stands a towering castle with spires everywhere. The firelight shining through the windows is like dots, forming another starry sky reflected on the Black Lake.

"No more than four people on each boat!" Hagrid pointed out the tools for them to cross the Black Lake, and everyone started to board the boat together. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville sat together, while Ivy was invited to board the boat by the Malfoy trio.

Hagrid stood alone on a boat. After watching all the little wizards get on board, he immediately commanded the fleet to start moving.

Ivy ran his fingertips across the dark lake surface, and an inexplicable sense of leisure and relaxation filled his body and mind.

"I've never walked this road before. The last time I went to school, I took a flying carriage and was attacked by a dragon halfway."

Malfoy looked at him twice. Although he was very interested in the topic of dragons, it was more important for him to try not to let the knowledge in his head leak out.

"Lower your head!" Hagrid's shout spread across the lake, and everyone lowered their heads, except Ivy.

Because he knew very well that only Hagrid, a half-giant, needed to bow his head. How could an underage wizard grow to be two meters and five?

The small wooden boat carried them through the curtain of vines and arrived at a place similar to a dock.

Ivy knew that this damp, mossy hut was the dock of Hogwarts. Not many people usually came here because they had to walk up the steep and slippery stairs.

But because of this, this place has also become a dating place for some young couples.

When everyone got off the boat, Hagrid found Neville's toad in the wooden boat. Neville shouted "Thank Merlin" and raised Lefo, which was also the first time it appeared in front of everyone.

Everyone climbed up the stone steps and came to a rectangular corridor. At the end of the corridor was the auditorium where Hogwarts held the sorting ceremony and opening banquet every year.

The entrance to the hall was a huge and thick oak door. Hagrid raised his unusually large fist and knocked on the door, but to Ivy it was more like smashing it.

The oak door opened immediately, and a serious-looking witch walked out. Ivy recognized her, the famous cat professor - Minerva McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall led the freshmen to the entrance hall and gave a brief introduction to the four major colleges and the scoring hourglass used to determine the winners of the college cup.

"In a few minutes, the sorting ceremony will be held in front of all the teachers and students of the school. I suggest that you tidy up and be energetic while waiting."

Professor McGonagall's eyes moved over Neville's cloak tied under his ears and Ron's nose, and finally stopped on Ivy's robe that shone with a bright green light.

Ivy noticed Professor McGonagall's gaze, took out her wand and tapped her shoulder lightly. The gorgeous robes immediately disappeared, and were replaced by plain black school robes. She looked no different from everyone else.

There was a hint of surprise in Professor McGonagall's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"Very good," said Professor McGonagall, "I'll come pick you up when it's ready. But please keep quiet."

The crowd was silent and everyone looked nervous.

Hermione silently recited the knowledge that was destined to be useless in the Sorting, while Neville looked at her eagerly, trying to remember a sentence or two.

Ivy also noticed that Malfoy also quietly approached Hermione. Although his back was facing her, it could be seen from his erect ears that he was not calm.

(End of this chapter)