Hermione and Neville had practically searched the entire train but still hadn't found the missing toad. Fortunately, Neville had mostly recovered from the grief of losing his pet—or perhaps not, since he still looked downcast. At least he'd stopped sniffling.
When Hermione entered the compartment and saw a pile of snacks on the table, she blinked in surprise. "What's all this?"
"A lady came by selling treats," said Veid, gesturing at the table. "Look, I bought loads—strawberry custard, chocolate balls, pumpkin tarts, cauldron cakes, and fizzy fruit drops. Let's share. Oh, Neville, do you want to try this peppermint toad?"
Neville took it, muttering "Trevor" under his breath, and bit into it. His eyes lit up. "This is delicious."
Hermione didn't hold back either. She sat down gracefully, grabbed a piece of cake, and said, "Thanks. I was just starting to feel hungry. By the way, you're not going to believe this, but Harry Potter is sitting in the compartment less than ten meters away—do you know who Harry Potter is?"
"Of course. He's mentioned in Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century," said Veid as he unwrapped some chocolate beans. "But I think we should leave him be—on the night he became a hero, he also lost his parents. If it were me, I'd rather not have that kind of fame."
Hermione froze. "You… you're right. I hadn't thought of that…"
Neville kept his head down, fingers tightening slightly around the peppermint toad.
The sacrifice and fame of the Potter family were known the world over, but few people knew that during the time Voldemort disappeared, the Death Eaters—frantic to find him—had captured Neville's parents and tortured them into madness.
The boy buried that darkness in his heart.
The three of them dug in and shared the feast.
Veid had assumed there'd be plenty of leftovers, but the train clattered on for hours, night fell, and they still hadn't arrived. By then, every crumb on the table had vanished. The trolley witch was nowhere to be seen, and their dinner still hadn't materialized.
"Isn't Hogwarts in Britain?" Hermione stood up, frustrated. "I'm going to the front to ask the driver when we're actually going to arrive."
"I'll go too."
This time, Veid stood up. He was curious about the train driver himself—someone who probably only worked four times a year.
Neville followed along too, still hoping to spot his lost pet.
The driver turned out to be a very average-looking brown-haired man with a pipe in his mouth and stubble on his face. Surprisingly good-natured, he chuckled at their questions and said, "No need to worry, we're almost there. You'll be having dinner at the castle."
Hermione returned to her seat looking completely satisfied.
Passing compartment after compartment, Veid looked around casually. Most of the faces were unfamiliar, but he did recognize the Weasley twins. Their compartment was a whirlwind of noise and laughter—you could hear their cheers and pranks from far down the corridor.
But before they reached their own compartment, a sudden shriek rang out. Three children came tumbling through the hallway, one of them—a blond boy—shoved Neville aside and barked, "Move it! Don't block the way!"
"Hey!" Hermione called after them, but they didn't stop. She stomped her foot in anger. "What a rude bunch!"
Veid reached out and caught Neville just in time to stop him from falling.
"Thanks," Neville said gratefully.
Veid shook his head, then turned to Hermione. "You go get changed into your robes. We'll wait out here."
Hermione nodded, swallowed her irritation, and stomped into the compartment. She locked the door and pulled the curtain shut before quickly changing. Then it was Neville's turn. Just as the three of them had packed their things back into their trunks, the driver's voice echoed through the train:
"Five minutes to Hogwarts! Please leave your luggage on the train—it will be delivered to the school."
The train slowed to a halt at the station.
A swarm of students poured out like bees from a hive, filling the dimly lit platform with a sea of bobbing heads. Hermione and Neville stuck close behind Veid, their faces pale and tense.
"First years! First years this way! Watch your step!" boomed a voice nearby. A giant of a man was holding up a lantern and calling out.
Veid and the others squeezed through the crowd. They noticed that the older students were heading in another direction, but no one dared question the enormous groundskeeper—Hagrid.
The group followed a narrow path through the woods until, at last, a towering castle came into view in the distance. Dozens of windows glowed with warm light, and the reflection on the black, mirror-still lake made the castle look even grander.
"Woooow—" the first years gasped in unison.
Under Hagrid's direction, they all got into little boats and floated across the Black Lake. Just before reaching the other side, Hagrid spotted Neville's toad in one of the boats. Neville was overjoyed, clutching his beloved pet to his chest, while Hagrid strode up the stone steps and knocked three times on the great castle door.
The doors swung open. Standing there with a stern expression was Professor McGonagall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said.
———
The Sorting Ceremony began.
There were four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. A talking hat would sort the students based on their talents and character. Veid already knew this from his past life.
It had been eleven years since he'd arrived in this world, and honestly, he'd forgotten a lot of the books and films. But when he realized he was in the world of Harry Potter, he'd done his best to recall key events and even recorded them in his own unique way.
Before the term started, Veid had already given serious thought to which house he should join. The Sorting Hat valued talent, yes—but it also took the student's wishes into account.
Slytherin was immediately off the list. Both his parents were Muggles, and in that house of pure-blood elitists, he'd likely face endless scorn. Veid wasn't afraid of a bunch of kids, but he wasn't interested in making life unnecessarily hard either.
Gryffindor?
After some deliberation, Veid ruled it out too.
With Harry Potter there, Gryffindor was a magnet for drama. Everyone's attention would be on them. And honestly, in the story, many Gryffindors came off as reckless. On more than one occasion, they were easily swayed by rumors and ended up isolating Harry even when he'd done nothing wrong. That left a sour taste in Veid's mouth.
Ravenclaw hadn't escaped his criticism either—they'd also shown signs of bullying, especially when it came to Luna Lovegood.
But Hufflepuff...
Hufflepuffs might not be top of the class, but they were genuine, kind, and trustworthy. And who cared if people thought they were slow? Veid knew his mind wouldn't be dulled just because of the house he was sorted into.
With his decision made, Veid stood calmer than most first-years, who still thought they might have to wrestle trolls.
After the Sorting Hat sang its traditional song, Professor McGonagall began calling names from a long list, placing students into their houses—some instantly, others after a bit of thought. Suddenly, Veid heard a familiar name—
"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall announced.
Hermione hurried forward and practically shoved the hat onto her head.
Moments later, the Sorting Hat shouted: "Gryffindor!"
Applause erupted from the Gryffindor table.
Next came—
"Veid Grey!"
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