Hogwarts: What wicked thoughts could a little wizard possibly have?

Chapter 13 Hogwarts

Teaching Malfoy a lesson was a trivial matter for Vaughn.

But for Hermione, it filled her with a strange feeling.

It's so unfamiliar, I've never had this before...

As Vaughn approached, she had prepared many words of gratitude, but for some reason, what came out was a stammering lecture: "You, you shouldn't have attacked them with magic. What if they tell the school about you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Hermione regretted it.

But Vaughn didn't seem to care, and just smiled: "At least for the next few hours, they won't dare to bother us again. I'm going back to my carriage to rest. See you later, Miss Granger!"

Merlin!

Hermione Granger, what's wrong with your brain?

Hermione wanted to punch herself in the head, but seeing Vaughn leave, she finally managed to salvage the situation by saying, "Thank you for earlier. You, you can call me Hermione!"

Vaughn nodded. "Okay, Hermione, you can call me Vaughn too."

As he spoke, he raised his wand again, just as he had done many days ago when they first met, and with a small magic trick, he brushed the girl's hair.

But this time they didn't float up; instead, they became soft and hung down on the girl's cheeks.

He smiled at her and said, "Don't listen to Malfoy's nonsense, you're actually very beautiful~"

"..."

Hermione felt as if the temperature of her head had soared by a hundred degrees in that instant, and her face was burning.

After teasing the young girl and having his fun interrupted by Draco Malfoy, Vaughn's mood brightened again, and he hummed a little tune as he returned to his cubicle.

Before even entering, they heard Ron boasting, "...I heard that Vaughn taught Malfoy a lesson. I bet he cursed them. Did you see that? Malfoy's teeth are like a warthog's. Maybe he'll never get better."

And then there was Harry's trembling, excited whisper: "What kind of evil curse is that powerful?"

"Who knows? Vaughn always does weird things, and he's got a terrible personality. I wouldn't be surprised if he cast the Unforgivable Curse on Malfoy!"

Vaughn rolled his eyes, pushed open the door, and, to the astonishment of the two, pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ron.

"ah--"

Ron screamed in fright, startling Harry as well. Before Harry could react, Ron had already shrunk behind him.

His movements were so practiced it was heartbreaking, but... why use him as a shield?

After scaring his younger brother, Vaughn ignored him and went back to his seat, finding a potions book and reading it with great interest.

Harry glanced at Ron, whose face was as pale as Malfoy's, and covered his mouth to chuckle.

Ron felt a little embarrassed, but dared not say anything, and could only glare angrily at Harry.

But soon, the two new friends huddled together and started chatting quietly about topics that interested them.

Nothing much happened after that, except for the twins who came to visit. The two of them knew how to please their sugar daddy.

After greeting Harry, they said they had borrowed a camera from an upperclassman and were going to take pictures of Draco Malfoy's miserable state and distribute them to all the students in the school for free.

To promote their "dear brother's great achievements".

As evening approached, the Hogwarts Express finally began to slow down, and came to a stop when it was completely dark. A voice echoed through the train: "Hogwarts has arrived. New students, please change into your robes as soon as possible and leave your luggage on the train. We will deliver it to your dormitories..."

More than ten minutes ago, Vaughn had helped Harry and Ron change their clothes.

The two stood nervously behind Vaughn. Harry kept rubbing his legs, and Ron's freckles turned white. In their little minds, all sorts of legends about the Sorting Ceremony conjured up terrifying scenes.

When the train finally stopped, Harry and Ron followed Vaughn almost instinctively, completely losing their ability to think.

It wasn't until everyone pushed and shoved each other down to a dark and small platform that the cold wind made them a little more awake.

Hagrid, the Hogwarts key keeper, waved a lantern over the heads of the new students: "First-year students, are there any more first-year students? Come here... Oh, Harry, are you alright?"

Hagrid's smile couldn't warm Harry's heart. He saw Ron clinging tightly to Vaughn's robes, so he grabbed them too.

Vaughn glanced back at them and whispered, "Don't pull so tight!"

The two shook their heads frantically.

The older students left quickly, and Hagrid called out a few more times to make sure all the new students had arrived. Then he held up his lantern and began to lead the way.

It was a steep and narrow path, pitch black, and no one dared to speak.

All they could see was a light flickering ahead, and they stumbled along, trying not to fall behind, until Vaughn raised his wand high:

"Fluorescent lights!"

The soft glow instantly dispelled the darkness, and the fluffy heads of the little wizards around Vaughn wriggled and huddled together, like chicks finding their mother hen.

After walking for a while in silence, I turned a corner and the narrow view finally opened up.

At the end of the path ahead, a vast expanse of black lake, as wide as an ocean, stretches all the way down to the distant mountains. On those mountains stands a majestic castle, with undulating stone walls, towering spires, and windows that glow with warm light in the darkness.

Looking at the distant view, Vaughn had to admit he was somewhat awestruck.

Hagrid led everyone to the lakeside and pointed to a row of small boats moored there: "Four people per boat, don't crowd, don't overcrowd!"

Vaughn led Harry and Ron onto the ship, and the chicks around them tried to squeeze in.

Unfortunately, Vaughn called out, "Hermione? Hermione! Come here!"

Thankfully it was night, and no one saw that Hermione's face was almost completely red. She tried to act nonchalant and jogged onto the ship.

Ron stared at her the whole time, while Harry was very happy because everyone on the ship was someone he knew.

Once all the young wizards were on board, at Hagrid's loud shouts, all the boats lined up and automatically began to glide on the calm lake.

As they moved forward, they got closer and closer to the mountain and the towering castle under the night sky, until they reached the cliff below the castle. Everything above them seemed to be suspended in the sky. The visual shock made everyone hold their breath, and no one spoke.

Hagrid led everyone off the ship, then through a cobblestone path and a stone staircase, to a large door, where he knocked on it a few times with his enormous fist.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a familiar figure to Vaughn.

"Professor McGonagall, a first-year student."

"Thank you, Hagrid. Leave it to me!"

Professor McGonagall maintained her stern expression, and under her strict gaze, all the freshmen unconsciously stopped fidgeting and obediently followed behind her.

Only Vaughn looked around, observing his surroundings. They first passed through a doorway, a simple stone wall with many torches stuck in it, and shrine-like reliefs and statues piled up along the wall towards a dome that seemed to reach the top.

It looks mysterious and solemn.

But after passing through here, what comes into view is a spacious and luxurious hall, brightly lit, with marble staircases spiraling upwards, connecting to the deep castle floors above.