Black Lake of Hogwarts

"Wow! How did they do it?" Vizet asked, his tone full of curiosity. He peered out the window as the scenery began to change. Rolling hills gave way to dense forests, and the golden glow of twilight reflected on the still water of what could only be the Black Lake. "It can't just be pure magic, can it? How do they even decide where we stay and move all the luggage?"

Cho Chang smiled, tilting her head as she pondered the question. "That's a bit complicated," she replied thoughtfully. "Maybe it's the house-elves who handle it. They're really skilled at things like that."

"House-elves?" Vizet repeated, the term unfamiliar but intriguing.

Cho stretched her arms as if shaking off the stiffness of the long train ride. "Yeah, they're magical creatures," she explained. "They're similar in size to goblins, but their personalities are much friendlier. They typically live in old wizarding homes or manors, where they do all the household chores. They're bonded to wizard families and are compelled to meet their masters' every demand."

"Compelled? By magic?" Vizet asked, leaning forward, his interest growing.

Cho nodded. "Exactly. They're bound by ancient magical contracts, but a good house-elf is so efficient that you'd barely notice them at work. I've never actually seen one, though. They're pretty elusive and our family doesn't have one."

Before Vizet could ask more, the Hogwarts Express began to slow down, the familiar sound of the brakes hissing loudly. The once-distant mountains and dense woods were now close, their dark shadows creeping toward the edge of the train tracks. As the sun dipped lower, the Black Lake came into view, its glassy surface reflecting the purple and orange hues of the sky.

Suddenly, the calm was interrupted by a loud commotion from the corridor.

"Did you hear that?" a boy whispered, his face lit with excitement.

"There's a fight at the back of the train!" someone exclaimed loudly, and several students began shuffling into the aisles.

"Who's fighting?"

"It's Harry Potter! The-Boy-Who-Lived!"

"Harry Potter?" Vizet echoed, turning to Cho in surprise.

"You're right! Someone said Malfoy started it!" a passing student shouted.

Cho sighed but smiled faintly. "Harry Potter's first day at Hogwarts, and he's already making headlines," she said as the train rolled to a stop.

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Vizet walked out of the aisle and found that the aisle was full of students, all pushing to the back. "It's crazy, just like chasing stars..."

As night fell, the Hogwarts Express finally stopped and stopped at a small platform with uneven road surface.

There were no lights or torches around the platform. The cold wind was blowing, and many students who got off the train sneezed.

"We'll say goodbye for now." Cho Chang waved to Vizet, "You freshmen need to follow tradition and enter Hogwarts from another place."

Vizet asked: "Follow tradition? Is it the Sorting Ceremony?"

"No" Cho Chang blew a breath into her palm and rubbed it hard, "It's to walk the road where the four founders found the castle. Anyway, that road is quite rugged."

"First-year students! First-year students come here!" A thunderous voice sounded, "Worry about your feet! Be careful! Come to me quickly!"

Vizet turned his head and saw a huge lantern in the distance, and the person holding the lantern was Hagrid.

"Hey! Vizet! I finally found you!" Hagrid also found him and waved his big hand to greet him, "Come here quickly! Come to my side!"

Hagrid relied on his height of more than three meters to pass several people and carry Vizet to his side.

He said cheerfully, "It's great to see you. Have you been harassed recently? The Daily Prophet is much more obedient, I think it shouldn't be?"

"After all, Harry is enrolled, and the focus of the reports is on him. He is very famous in the wizarding world! Let me introduce you to him... Harry, where are you?"

Hagrid's height is really an advantage. He is like the grip of a claw machine, and he easily grabbed Harry.

Harry has a pair of emerald green eyes, black hair that looks messy, and looks a little thin.

He was carried over, and another familiar face squeezed out of the crowd and came to Vizet.

Ron waved and said, "Hey it's you! We've met before! That time at my house. You remember me?"

Vizet nodded, "Of course I do. Good to see you."

Ron said to Harry again, "This is Vizet. I told you about it in the train!"

Harry looked enlightened, "It's you. When Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley, he often talked about you and said that you helped him a lot."

Vizet explained, "It was just a piece of cake. I was forced to do it at the time."

Hagrid interrupted, "That was not just a piece of cake. Not only did you help me, you actually helped Headmaster Dumbledore!"

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" Vizet looked puzzled.

"Oh... nothing!" Hagrid realized something and awkwardly changed the subject, "We should set off! There's still a long way to go!"

The road to Hogwarts is not easy to walk on. The ground is bumpy. If there is no lantern lighting, it is easy to step into the pit and trip.

Such accidents happen frequently, and Hagrid often has to stop and pick up the fallen children.

Due to Hagrid's amazing size, the children did not cry, but tears could be seen in the corners of their eyes.

Ron said with emotion: "Fortunately, I squeezed to the front, there are still many tests today!"

"What other tests are there?" Harry asked hurriedly.

Ron said seriously: "Anyway, Fred and the others said that the sorting ceremony is very scary, and we may have to fight giants!"

"Giant?" Harry looked up at Hagrid, "Are they taller than Hagrid?"

Ron shook his head, "I don't know exactly but they are definitely taller than Hagrid!"

Hermione's voice seemed a little abrupt, "Real giants are at least twenty feet tall, and half-giants are discriminated against."

"Oh..." Ron wailed and suddenly stopped talking.

Harry's reaction was similar to his, and they both shut their mouths.

Just when Hermione was about to say something else, Hagrid made another deafening sound.

"Hold on a little longer, turn this corner and you'll see Hogwarts!"

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As the first-years approached the shore, the vast expanse of the Black Lake stretched out before them. Its surface shimmered faintly under the moonlight, with ripples forming in response to the gentle night breeze. The lake seemed to exude a mysterious calm, though its depth and dark waters hinted at secrets hidden below.

On the opposite shore, perched atop a high, rocky hillside, stood Hogwarts Castle. Its towering spires and turrets pierced the night sky, the warm glow of countless windows twinkling like stars. The structure exuded an unmistakable Gothic charm, its grandeur enhanced by the surrounding darkness.

Vizet stood silently, taking in the breathtaking sight. Despite having seen images of grand architecture in his previous life, none of it could compare to this. The sheer scale and beauty of the castle left him awestruck.

But what caught his attention even more was the magical aura surrounding it. Under his magical senses, the castle seemed alive, radiating a silver-blue energy so vibrant it was almost blinding. It felt ancient, immense, and immeasurably powerful.

Vizet's heart raced as the aura pulled at him, beckoning him like a treasure sealed within an impenetrable vault. The sensation was overwhelming, and a flood of impressions poured into his mind, leaving him slightly dizzy.

Quickly, he closed his eyes and began practicing the Guardian Meditation Method he'd learned from his mysterious book. The method helped calm his mind, and the dizziness subsided, leaving behind a sense of clarity and purpose.

When he opened his eyes again, A Wizard's Practical Guide seemed to react. A map of Hogwarts appeared in his mental image, though it was partially obscured by swirling fog. Only the path from the station to the Black Lake was clearly visible.

The foggy sections of the map intrigued Vizet. It seemed the only way to unveil the rest of the map was to explore Hogwarts and its surroundings.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It looks like life won't be boring here," he thought to himself.

Hagrid's booming voice interrupted his thoughts. "Alright, first-years! Over here! Time to get into the boats! Four to a boat, no more!"

The boats lined up neatly along the shore. Small, simple, and wooden, they didn't appear to be magical at first glance — until Vizet saw they floated effortlessly, not tethered to the dock or moved by oars.

Vizet stepped onto one of the boats, followed by Hermione, Ron, and Harry. The boat wobbled slightly under their weight but quickly steadied itself, as if enchanted to ensure balance.

"Everyone settled? Good!" Hagrid called out, his lantern held high. He climbed into a boat of his own, which seemed to sink slightly lower into the water under his immense weight.

"FORWARD!" Hagrid bellowed, and, as if responding to his command, the boats began gliding across the surface of the Black Lake.

They moved swiftly yet smoothly, cutting through the water with no visible propulsion. The soft sound of ripples filled the night air, and the reflections of the castle's lights danced across the surface of the lake like a dream.