Harry Potter: The Gryffindor Warrior - HP / Hogwarts

[Chapter Size: 1800 Words.]

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It was only just before getting off the bus that Harry discovered Ron's pet was actually a rat.

The British might have a habit of keeping unusual pets, but a rat? Were they rare? Of course not. But why would anyone consider having one as a pet?

Harry couldn't understand it.

If he had been feeling a little nervous when stepping off the bus, his anxiety immediately eased when he spotted Hagrid. Towering over the crowd, he stood out with a massive lantern in hand, smiling warmly at them.

"First years! First years, over here!" Hagrid called out in a booming voice. He didn't need magic to amplify it, his sheer size alone gave him an unusually loud voice.

"Wow, is that Hagrid?" Ron, walking alongside Harry, couldn't help but exclaim.

Among their peers, Ron was certainly one of the tallest. He was nearly as tall as his twin brothers, who were two years older. Yet, standing next to Hagrid, he barely reached his waist.

Hermione and Neville looked equally astonished.

"Hagrid, it's great to see you!" Harry said cheerfully as they reached him.

"Ah, Harry! Great to see you too," Hagrid replied with a broad grin. His smile was described as "great" not only because it was wide but also because his face was simply enormous.

"Hang on a moment, I need to count. I remember there should be forty of you... Hmm..." Hagrid seemed to struggle with numbers. He extended his thick fingers and began patting the students on their heads, counting them one by one.

After going over them three times, Harry noticed Hagrid counting again, just to be sure. Finally, satisfied that all forty first-years were gathered, Hagrid nodded and called toward the train, "Professor Quirrell, sorry to trouble you! Thanks for your help!"

A faint response came from the train, but the voice was so soft that Harry couldn't make out the words.

By then, Hagrid had already led the first-years to the edge of a vast body of water.

It was an enormous lake, its surface dark and slightly eerie in the nighttime. They now stood at a small dock where over a dozen tiny boats were moored.

Hagrid took a moment to double-check the number of students before organizing them into the boats. "No more than four in each boat! Less is fine, but not more! Everyone, pay attention!"

The students responded half-heartedly, but Hagrid didn't seem to mind.

Once he was certain everything was in order, he helped the students board. When all the first-years were seated, he climbed into an especially large boat with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville, who had been waiting near him.

Ron and Hermione were no longer focused on Hagrid's towering height or massive frame. Like Harry, they were completely captivated by the breathtaking sight before them, the majestic castle looming on the hillside across the lake.

The castle was adorned with numerous spires. Through its grand windows and doors, warm lights twinkled beneath the starry sky, giving it a dreamlike appearance.

"Is that Hogwarts?" Harry whispered in awe. He had imagined the school countless times, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.

Even the grandest buildings at Oxford University would pale in comparison.

The boats began moving slowly at first, then gradually picked up speed.

Harry once again marveled at the wonders of magic. He and Dudley had gone rowing once in a park, and he knew how difficult it was to propel a boat forward.

Given the physical strength of the first-years in the other boats, he highly doubted they could row so smoothly and at such an even pace. The only explanation? Magic!

"This is amazing!" Harry exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the towering castle in the distance.

"Hagrid, why do we have to take boats?" Ron asked. Now that he had realized Hagrid, despite his size, was approachable, he felt comfortable striking up a conversation. With nothing else to do during the boat ride, curiosity got the better of him.

Out in the middle of the vast lake, the dark waters that had merely seemed eerie before now felt truly terrifying. If it weren't for the presence of so many boats, and, of course, Hagrid, whose mere presence felt reassuring, Ron suspected he might have been genuinely frightened.

"I know why," Hermione spoke up before Hagrid could answer.

"It's because the four founders of the school first arrived at Hogwarts by boat. So, to honor that tradition, first-years always cross the lake this way on their first night. I read it in Hogwarts: A History."

"Brilliant!" Hagrid exclaimed. "It's rare to see a first-year who knows so much already."

Hermione tried to act as though the compliment didn't affect her, but the slight upward curve of her lips gave her away.

The closer the boat came to the castle, the larger and more imposing it seemed. As they neared the steep hillside where the castle stood, it looked as though it was rising straight into the sky!

Harry was about to say something when he suddenly felt a strange sensation wash over him, a brief, invisible pressure passing through his body. He could sense something, just for a moment, but as far as his eyes could see, there was nothing unusual.

"What was that?" Harry was taken aback.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Ron asked, noticing the shift in his expression.

"Nothing, just a bit of a chill!" Harry made up an excuse.

"It's a little cold on the water, but you'll be fine once we get to the castle!" Hagrid said with a reassuring smile.

Harry nodded in response and adjusted his glasses, though he wasn't entirely aware he was doing it. At that moment, a jolt ran through his mind. His body had felt, however faintly, as if it had passed through something.

It was like static electricity!

However, after five years of using meditation to enhance his magical and mental abilities, Harry was certain, his mental power had fluctuated just then.

A magical barrier.

The term sprang to his mind. In Aegean, where Neil had lived in his past life, magical barriers were an essential defense in nearly every city. And in his memories, there was a similar sensation when crossing the edge of such a barrier.

Furthermore, after passing through it, Harry felt as though the air had become noticeably more humid, wrapping around him in a way that was both comforting and soothing.

The boat had advanced only three to five meters, surely that wasn't enough to account for such a drastic change in air quality. Yet it wasn't just his body that felt different. The space between his eyebrows, where his mental power was concentrated, his sea of consciousness, felt particularly relaxed.

It was the same feeling of relief and satisfaction that comes after enduring thirst for too long and then suddenly drinking a large, refreshing glass of water.

It could only mean one thing, the concentration of magical energy in the air had increased significantly.

After crossing the barrier, the magic in the surrounding environment had become far more abundant. Though it was still nowhere near the level of Aegean in Neil's memories, it was considerably stronger than before.

How fascinating.

So, even though Earth was considered a low-magic plane, were there still places where magical energy gathered? Or had someone found a way to concentrate magic in certain areas?

Harry wasn't sure which possibility was more likely, but before he could think further, the boat glided past a curtain of ivy and entered an open passage. A dark tunnel lay ahead, leading them to what appeared to be a dock.

At the end of the dock was a cobblestone path disappearing into another tunnel.

"Thank Merlin…" Neville murmured in relief as he stepped onto solid ground for the first time. He had been trembling with fear the entire boat ride, worried the vessel might capsize.

Thankfully, it hadn't.

"As a wizard, I should be thanking Merlin," Ron joked.

Led by Hagrid, the group of young wizards made their way through the dim tunnel. Suddenly, the space ahead opened up into a vast clearing, and before them stood the towering Hogwarts Castle.

They climbed the stone steps, following Hagrid, until they reached an enormous oak door.

Hagrid was already an impressively tall man, yet compared to the massive doors before them, he seemed almost small and graceful. Harry couldn't help but wonder "Were these doors built for giants?"

If wizards existed, then it wouldn't be unreasonable for giants to exist as well.

Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times.

The door swung open immediately.

Despite its size, the enormous wooden door opened with astonishing ease, gliding soundlessly yet swiftly.

Standing within the doorway was a tall woman.

She wore emerald-green robes embroidered with delicate golden thread at the cuffs and hem. Silver threads traced faint patterns of stars and moons across the fabric. A pointed black hat sat atop her head.

Her attire was undeniably magical.

She was clearly an older woman, but her face made it difficult to determine her exact age. Though she was thin, her skin remained remarkably smooth and firm. The only true indicator of her years was her eyes.

Harry had never seen eyes like hers, deep and calm, like a vast, unfathomable lake. Even behind her glasses, their piercing gaze remained undiminished. Paired with her composed and serious expression, she radiated an aura of wisdom and authority.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid greeted her politely. "I've brought all the first-years."

"Thank you for your hard work, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall replied with a small smile.

It seemed she wasn't someone who smiled often, and even now, the expression looked slightly unfamiliar on her face. Still, though her voice remained cool and composed, the softening of her eyes betrayed the warmth behind her words.

"I'll take it from here," she said simply.

As she lifted a hand, the enormous door opened even wider. Harry was fairly certain it was now large enough for a battleship to pass through.

His curiosity got the better of him as he glanced around. The entrance hall was illuminated by flaming torches, their light flickering against the stone walls. The ceiling was so high he could barely make it out. At the far end of the hall, a grand marble staircase led up to the next floor.

"Welcome, everyone," the woman spoke again. "My name is Minerva McGonagall, though you may call me Professor McGonagall. You should have already seen my name in your acceptance letters."

Her gaze swept over the gathered first-years, and she offered another faint smile. This time, she spoke more slowly, her tone softer.

"I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the school."

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