🎩 The Sorting Ceremony

The scarlet steam engine disappeared into the distance, leaving behind nothing but a thin trail of smoke drifting beneath the night sky. Beyond the enormous iron gates stood Hogwarts, its ancient towers rising high above the surrounding grounds, countless windows glowing warmly against the darkness. House banners fluttered from the castle walls as students hurried through the entrance hall, their voices filling the corridors with excitement.

And then there was you.

A new student standing at the entrance of one of the most famous magical schools in the world.

A professor led the first-years through the castle, their footsteps echoing against the stone floors. Moving portraits watched them pass, some whispering amongst themselves while suits of armor stood motionless along the walls. The further they walked, the louder the voices ahead became.

Then the enormous doors opened.

The Great Hall stretched before you.

Four enormous tables filled the chamber, each decorated in the colors of its respective house. Thousands of candles floated beneath an enchanted ceiling that displayed a perfect, star-filled night sky. Hundreds of students turned toward the newcomers as they entered, their conversations gradually dying down as everyone looked toward the first-years.

At the staff table, the professors watched.

Chris Prince was impossible to miss among the Gryffindor professors. His tall, muscular frame was practically overflowing with confidence, blonde hair swept casually to the side and light-blue eyes moving across the first-years with open curiosity.

Lavinho sat beside him, his glasses catching the candlelight as he leaned back comfortably in his chair. A faint, amused smile played across his face as though he were already enjoying the evening.

Across the table, Ego Jinpachi looked considerably less impressed. His exhausted eyes moved from student to student, silently evaluating them as though this were some kind of test.

Noel Noa sat nearby, perfectly composed. His expression remained calm and unreadable, while Marc Snuffy offered the nervous first-years a reassuring smile whenever their eyes happened to meet his.

The students were just as interested.

At the Gryffindor table, Isagi leaned forward slightly, his deep-blue eyes following the newcomers with genuine curiosity. Bachira was practically glowing with excitement, his yellow eyes darting from one student to another as though he were trying to guess where everyone would end up.

Kunigami sat upright, watching attentively, while Chigiri rested his cheek against one hand. His long reddish-pink hair fell over his shoulder as he observed the ceremony with a relaxed expression.

Zantetsu adjusted his glasses, looking unusually serious.

"Do you think they will be sorted into the house that is most... suitable for their destiny?" he asked.

Chigiri glanced sideways at him. "That's not really how the Sorting works."

Zantetsu frowned. "I knew that."

"You literally just asked."

"I was testing you."

Chigiri gave him a skeptical look before turning back toward the ceremony.

At the Slytherin table, the atmosphere was considerably different.

Kaiser sat comfortably in his seat, his light-blue eyes moving lazily across the first-years. His expression suggested that he had already decided most of them weren't particularly interesting.

Alexis Ness sat nearby, occasionally glancing toward Kaiser to see what had caught his attention.

Barou sat with his arms crossed, looking completely convinced that the entire ceremony should naturally revolve around him. Shidou, meanwhile, looked far more interested in whether something entertaining would happen.

Karasu quietly observed everyone entering the hall, his sharp eyes constantly moving.

Otoya leaned back casually, seemingly entertained by the entire situation.

Raichi looked like he was already getting annoyed by how long everything was taking.

Aryu, meanwhile, was far more interested in appearances.

"That one's hair is completely unfash," he muttered, studying one of the first-years.

Sendo rolled his eyes. "Can you shut up for five minutes?"

"Never."

Kiyora barely reacted to anything, simply resting his chin against his hand.

Ravenclaw was considerably quieter.

Rin sat with his arms folded, teal eyes cold and unreadable as he watched the ceremony. Nagi looked like he could fall asleep at any moment, his head tilted lazily to one side.

Reo, unlike him, was paying close attention.

"You should at least look awake," Reo whispered.

Nagi's eyes barely opened. "It's too much effort."

"You're unbelievable."

Hiori quietly smiled at their exchange before looking back toward the first-years. Niko watched from beneath his dark hair, carefully observing everyone's reactions.

Yukimiya adjusted his glasses while studying the newcomers.

Sae Itoshi had appeared completely uninterested in the ceremony until that moment. Now, however, his eyes briefly moved toward the entrance.

At Hufflepuff, the atmosphere was noticeably warmer.

Gagamaru sat in a position that probably wasn't intended for sitting, staring curiously at the floating candles above him.

Tokimitsu looked increasingly nervous with every name that was called.

"What if I get sorted somewhere I'm not supposed to be?" he whispered anxiously. "What if I don't fit in? What if I embarrass myself? What if—"

Nanase gently interrupted him. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

Kurona quietly nodded beside them. "Fine. Fine."

Igarashi looked far less reassured.

"I just hope they don't put me somewhere dangerous," he muttered. "Actually, are any of these houses dangerous?"

Gagamaru looked at him.

"Probably."

Igarashi's face fell.

Nearby, Bunny and Teddy watched the newcomers with friendly expressions, occasionally offering reassuring smiles whenever someone looked particularly nervous.

Then the conversations finally faded.

At the center of the Great Hall stood an old wooden stool.

Resting upon it was the Sorting Hat.

The headmaster stepped forward, and the hall gradually fell completely silent.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he announced. "Tonight, you will be placed into the house where you will spend the coming years of your magical education. Your house will become your family within these walls. You will study together, compete together, and stand together."

The Sorting Hat suddenly twitched.

Several first-years jumped.

Bachira's grin widened.

Then the hat began to sing.

Its ancient voice echoed throughout the Great Hall, describing the four houses and the qualities they valued: Gryffindor's courage, Slytherin's ambition, Ravenclaw's wisdom, and Hufflepuff's loyalty.

When the song finally ended, the Great Hall erupted into applause.

The Sorting Ceremony began.

One by one, students were called forward.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers.

Chris immediately raised his glass with an approving grin. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Lavinho laughed beside him, applauding enthusiastically.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table answered with equally loud cheers.

Kaiser gave a faint, satisfied smile while Barou simply nodded, as though the result had been obvious from the beginning.

More names followed.

"Gryffindor!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Slytherin!"

The ceremony continued until eventually, the professor holding the list stopped.

Their eyes moved toward you.

The next name echoed through the Great Hall.

"{{user}}."

The atmosphere changed almost immediately.

Hundreds of eyes turned toward you.

Isagi straightened slightly. Bachira's grin widened with curiosity. Reo looked genuinely interested. Rin's eyes narrowed. Kaiser tilted his head, suddenly paying closer attention.

Even Sae looked up.

You could feel the weight of everyone's attention as you stepped forward.

Each step toward the stool seemed louder than the last.

When you finally reached it, you sat down.

The Sorting Hat was carefully placed over your head.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then a quiet voice spoke directly inside your mind.

"Hmm..."

The Sorting Hat seemed to consider you carefully.

"Interesting."

Its voice became thoughtful.

"Ambition... courage... intelligence... loyalty..."

The hat paused.

"You could belong to more than one."

Outside the hat, the entire Great Hall waited.

Chris leaned forward slightly, clearly interested now. Ego's expression remained unreadable, though his eyes had become more focused.

Noa simply watched.

Snuffy offered you an encouraging smile.

Among the students, Bachira looked like he was desperately trying to guess what the hat would decide.

Kaiser rested his chin against one hand, amusement slowly appearing in his expression.

Rin remained completely still.

Sae watched with quiet interest.

The Sorting Hat spoke again.

"You have qualities that could lead you in several directions."

A pause.

"You could seek knowledge. You could seek glory. You could seek power. Or you could seek something much simpler... a place where you belong."

The hat seemed to delve even deeper into your thoughts.

"But ultimately, the choice is not entirely mine."

Its voice became almost playful.

"After all... what you value matters just as much as what you possess."

The Great Hall remained silent.

The hat finally seemed to reach its decision.

"So..."

A final pause.

*"Where do you belong?"

🌙 The First Night at Hogwarts

The Sorting Ceremony had finally come to an end. The Great Hall slowly emptied as students gathered their belongings and followed their prefects toward their respective common rooms. The enchanted candles continued floating overhead while the last conversations faded into the surrounding corridors.

You followed your newly assigned house through the enormous castle, still trying to process everything that had happened. Hogwarts was already overwhelming enough without the realization that this was now your home. Moving portraits watched you pass, suits of armor stood silently along the walls, and somewhere in the distance, you could hear a staircase shifting into place.

When you finally reached the common room, the atmosphere immediately became more relaxed. Students settled into comfortable chairs around the fireplace, talking about the Sorting Ceremony and introducing themselves to one another.

Isagi noticed you standing near the entrance and gave you a friendly smile. "Hey. You survived the Sorting Ceremony. That's something, at least."

Before you could respond, Bachira leaned over from beside him with an amused grin. "I thought the Sorting Hat was never going to decide! You had it thinking forever."

Isagi laughed. "You were trying to guess which house they'd get the entire time."

"Of course I was," Bachira replied cheerfully. "I wanted to see if I was right."

From one of the chairs near the fireplace, Chigiri glanced over at them. His long reddish-pink hair fell over his shoulder as he sighed. "You two have been here for five minutes and you're already being annoying."

Bachira immediately looked offended. "We're not annoying. We're entertaining."

"There's a difference?" Chigiri asked dryly.

Kunigami, who had been organizing his belongings nearby, shook his head with a small smile. "Just ignore them. You'll get used to it."

For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, the tension in your shoulders began to fade. Maybe this place wouldn't be as intimidating as you'd expected.

Then a loud crash echoed somewhere above you.

The conversation immediately stopped.

Everyone looked toward the ceiling.

A second crash followed, louder than the first. Something heavy seemed to scrape across the stone floor upstairs.

Kunigami straightened. "That definitely didn't sound normal."

Bachira's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Maybe we should go see what it is."

"We should absolutely not go see what it is," Kunigami replied.

Before anyone could argue, the common-room door suddenly swung open.

A younger student stumbled inside, breathing heavily. His face had gone pale, and he immediately shut the door behind him.

"There was something in the corridor," he said nervously.

Several students began asking questions at once, but the boy quickly shook his head.

"It wasn't a ghost. I know what the ghosts look like. This thing was... different."

Chigiri stood from his chair. "Different how?"

The student hesitated. "I don't know. It was moving strangely. I only saw it for a second before I ran."

Another deep crash shook the corridor.

This time, everyone heard it.

Kunigami immediately stepped in front of the younger students. "Nobody leaves this room until we know what we're dealing with."

Bachira, however, was already reaching for his wand. "That makes me want to leave even more."

"Of course it does," Chigiri muttered.

The fireplace suddenly flickered.

One candle went out.

Then another.

Within seconds, every candle in the common room extinguished at once.

The room fell into darkness.

Nobody spoke.

A cold breeze slipped beneath the door.

Then came the sound of something slowly dragging itself across the stone floor outside.

Scrrrrtttch.

Kunigami tightened his grip around his wand. "Everyone stay calm."

Another scraping sound followed, closer this time.

Chigiri quietly moved toward the door. "It's right outside."

Bachira whispered excitedly, "I think it knows we're here."

Then came three slow knocks.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Nobody moved.

A voice suddenly came from the other side of the door.

It was quiet.

Almost a whisper.

But it was unmistakably calling your name.

"{{user}}..."

The room went completely silent.

Isagi slowly turned toward you, his expression suddenly serious. "How does it know your name?"

No one had an answer.

🚂 The Hogwarts Express — First Journey

The Hogwarts Express waited beneath a cloud of white steam, its scarlet exterior gleaming beneath the enchanted lanterns of King's Cross. Students crowded the platform from every direction, dragging trunks behind them, carrying cages containing owls and other magical creatures, and calling goodbye to their families before disappearing through the train doors.

For you, however, this was all completely new.

Your trunk felt heavier than it should have as you made your way along the platform, trying to figure out where exactly you were supposed to go. The train stretched farther than you could see, its windows glowing warmly against the grey afternoon.

Somewhere behind you, an owl screeched.

A group of older students laughed loudly.

Then someone nearly crashed into you.

"Whoa—sorry!"

You turned to see Bachira, who had somehow managed to carry three bags while still looking completely carefree. His yellow eyes immediately lit up when he realized you were new.

"You're a first-year too, right?"

Before you could answer, Isagi appeared behind him, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Bachira, you can't just run into people and interrogate them."

"I'm not interrogating them. I'm making friends."

Isagi gave you an apologetic smile. "I'm Isagi. Ignore him. He gets excited easily."

"Hey!" Bachira protested, although he was clearly not offended.

A few steps away, Kunigami was helping another student lift their trunk into the train. Chigiri stood nearby, long reddish-pink hair falling over his shoulder as he checked something inside his luggage.

"You're blocking the entrance," Chigiri remarked calmly.

Kunigami glanced over. "We're trying to help."

"I know. I'm just saying you're blocking it."

Bachira laughed.

The platform was already becoming chaotic.

From farther down the train, a loud argument caught everyone's attention.

"Move your luggage."

The voice belonged to Barou.

He stood beside an absurdly organized stack of luggage, looking genuinely offended by the fact that other students were walking anywhere near it. His Slytherin robes were perfectly arranged, and not a single item seemed out of place.

Shidou was leaning against the train beside him, grinning.

"What's wrong, King? Afraid somebody's gonna mess up your little pile?"

"Touch it and lose your hand."

"See? That's exactly why I like you."

Nearby, Karasu sighed. "You two haven't even gotten on the train yet and you're already annoying everyone."

Otoya, sitting on the edge of one of the train steps, smirked. "Give them five minutes. It'll get worse."

Not far away, Kaiser had attracted attention without even trying. He stood with one hand in his pocket, his blond hair catching the light, while Ness followed beside him carrying several things that Kaiser apparently couldn't be bothered to carry himself.

Kaiser glanced toward the first-years.

"Is this year's class always this noisy?"

Ness smiled. "Probably."

Kaiser looked unimpressed. "How unfortunate."

A sudden shout came from behind them.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING NOISY?!"

Raichi had apparently heard him.

Kaiser slowly turned his head.

"I don't remember speaking to you."

Raichi's expression darkened immediately.

"Say that again."

"Raichi," Neru called from nearby, laughing. "We're not even inside the castle yet."

"Then he should learn to shut his mouth before we get there!"

Aryu sighed dramatically while fixing his hair in the reflection of the train window.

"This entire platform is becoming seriously unfash."

You couldn't help staring.

You had been at Hogwarts for approximately ten minutes and already felt like you'd walked into the middle of a war.

Thankfully, not everyone seemed interested in fighting.

At the Hufflepuff section of the platform, Nanase was helping a nervous student with their luggage while Tokimitsu repeatedly checked that he still had his wand.

"Do you think we're supposed to bring extra robes?" Tokimitsu asked anxiously. "What if we need them? What if something happens? What if I forgot something important?"

Nanase smiled patiently.

"I'm sure it'll be okay."

"What if it isn't?"

"It'll still be okay."

Beside them, Kurona nodded.

"Okay. It'll be okay."

Tokimitsu looked slightly more reassured.

Further down, Gagamaru was staring at an owl perched on top of a luggage cart.

The owl stared back.

Gagamaru tilted his head.

The owl tilted its head.

Neither moved.

Bunny eventually walked over and gently pulled Gagamaru away.

"Come on. We should get on the train."

Gagamaru glanced back at the owl.

"It looked friendly."

Teddy laughed. "You can visit it later."

Meanwhile, the professors were beginning to organize the students.

Chris Prince stood near the train doors, looking far too enthusiastic for someone supervising children.

"Remember!" Chris called loudly. "Your first year is the beginning of your transformation. You should all be thinking about what kind of wizard you want to become!"

Lavinho, standing beside him, laughed.

"Don't listen to everything he says. First, enjoy yourselves. Hogwarts isn't a prison."

Chris placed a hand over his chest.

"I'm simply encouraging them to become their ideal selves."

"You encourage people to admire your muscles."

"Because they should."

Lavinho burst out laughing.

A little farther away, Professor Snuffy was quietly helping a student who was struggling with their trunk. He noticed you standing alone and gave you a warm smile.

"If you haven't found a compartment yet, don't worry. There should still be plenty of room."

Then there was Professor Noa.

He stood near the entrance with his usual calm expression, watching the students board.

"Do not be late," Noa said simply.

That was apparently the entirety of his speech.

Beside him, Professor Ego looked at the crowd with an exhausted expression.

"Try not to embarrass yourselves before the first week has even started."

A student immediately looked terrified.

Ego continued walking as though nothing had happened.

You eventually stepped aboard the train.

Inside, the atmosphere was completely different.

The corridors were narrow and crowded, filled with students searching for compartments. The smell of chocolate frogs, pumpkin pastries, and freshly brewed tea drifted through the train.

You walked past several compartments before hearing a familiar voice.

"There's room here!"

It was Isagi.

He was sitting beside the window with Bachira across from him. Kunigami was taking up one side of the compartment, while Chigiri sat beside the window, calmly reading through the Hogwarts schedule.

Isagi moved his bag aside.

"You can sit here if you want."

You stepped inside.

Bachira immediately leaned toward you.

"So, what's your favorite magical creature?"

You blinked.

"You haven't even asked their name yet," Chigiri said.

"Oh."

Bachira paused.

"What's your name?"

The compartment immediately felt more relaxed.

For the first time since arriving, you didn't feel like the only person who didn't know what was going on.

As the train began moving, Hogwarts slowly disappeared behind the misty countryside.

The conversation shifted naturally from introductions to magic.

Bachira became fascinated by the idea of enchanted paintings. Kunigami was more interested in learning about defensive magic. Chigiri had already memorized half the timetable. Isagi listened to everyone while occasionally asking questions that made it obvious he was already trying to understand how Hogwarts worked.

Eventually, snacks appeared.

Bachira bought far too many Chocolate Frogs.

Kunigami warned him that eating all of them at once was probably a bad idea.

Bachira ate another one.

Across the corridor, the Slytherins were having their own problems.

Barou had somehow claimed an entire compartment.

"Nobody touches my seat."

Shidou immediately sat down in it.

Barou's eye twitched.

Karasu looked through the doorway and laughed.

"You really thought that would work?"

"I gave him a warning."

"And he ignored it."

"I noticed."

Meanwhile, Kaiser had settled into another compartment with Ness. Otoya eventually wandered in, followed by Aryu, who complained about the lighting.

"Your hair looks fine," Otoya said.

"Fine isn't the objective."

On the other side of the train, Ravenclaw was considerably quieter.

Rin sat by the window with his arms crossed, seemingly uninterested in everyone else. Nagi had already fallen asleep, his head tilted against the glass.

Reo sighed.

"We haven't even reached Hogwarts."

Nagi barely opened one eye.

"Wake me when we get there."

Hiori smiled quietly from across the compartment.

"Nagi, that's going to be hours."

"Exactly."

Niko, meanwhile, was watching the countryside pass by.

"The train should reach the castle around sunset."

Yukimiya adjusted his glasses.

"You're counting the distance?"

"Yes."

Reo looked amused.

"You really are incapable of relaxing."

Niko shrugged.

"Someone has to know where we are."

And farther down the train, Sae sat alone, staring through the window with the same detached expression he'd worn on the platform.

For a while, everything was normal.

The train rocked gently along the tracks.

Students laughed in the corridors.

Someone further down had started singing.

Bachira was trying to convince Isagi that Chocolate Frogs were somehow alive.

Then—

The train stopped.

Not slowed.

Stopped.

The sudden silence was so complete that you could hear the metal of the train creaking.

Bachira's smile disappeared.

Kunigami immediately looked toward the window.

"What happened?"

The lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then every lantern in the corridor went dark.

A few students screamed.

Somewhere farther down the train, glass shattered.

"Everyone stay inside!" Professor Noa's voice suddenly echoed through the corridor.

The professors moved quickly.

Chris was already standing in the aisle, wand drawn.

Lavinho's expression had lost its usual amusement.

Snuffy immediately began checking on the younger students.

Ego stepped into the corridor, eyes narrowed.

"Nobody leaves the train."

"What happened?" Isagi asked.

No one answered.

Outside the windows, there was nothing but darkness.

No countryside.

No moonlight.

Not even stars.

Just an unnatural blackness surrounding the train.

Rin stood in his compartment, staring through the glass.

"This isn't normal."

Niko's eyes narrowed.

"The train is still on the tracks."

Reo looked toward him.

"Then why did we stop?"

"I don't know."

A loud metallic clang echoed from somewhere beneath the train.

Everyone froze.

Another one.

CLANG.

Then something scraped against the underside of the carriage.

Bachira slowly leaned toward the window.

"Uh..."

Isagi turned toward him.

"What?"

Bachira's smile returned—but this time, it was nervous.

"I think there's something outside."

A third sound followed.

CLANG.

Then came a low, distorted whisper.

Not from the corridor.

Not from another compartment.

It came from directly beneath the train.

And whatever had caused the Hogwarts Express to stop...

was moving.

🪄 First Day of Classes

The first morning at Hogwarts arrived far too quickly.

After the strange incident on the Hogwarts Express, you'd expected the castle to feel different somehow. More dangerous, perhaps. Instead, when you woke up in your dormitory, everything seemed almost perfectly normal.

Sunlight poured through the tall windows. Students were already rushing through the corridors, complaining about schedules and trying to figure out which staircases they needed to take.

Your timetable was waiting beside your breakfast plate.

FIRST-YEAR CLASSES

Monday

Charms — Professor Noa Defence Against the Dark Arts — Professor Ego Transfiguration — Professor Chris Prince Care of Magical Creatures — Professor Snuffy Flying — Professor Lavinho

It seemed simple enough.

You would quickly learn that nothing at Hogwarts was ever quite that simple.

Your first stop was Charms.

The Ravenclaw classroom was already filling when you arrived. Isagi was sitting near the middle of the room with Hiori and Niko, quietly comparing their notes. Reo had somehow already organized his entire schedule, while Nagi had his head resting on the desk.

"You know we're supposed to be learning," Reo reminded him.

Nagi barely lifted his head.

"I am learning."

"You've been asleep."

"I'm learning how long I can sleep before class starts."

Hiori covered a small laugh with his hand.

Across the room, Rin sat alone, already prepared. Yukimiya was adjusting his glasses while reading the textbook, and Sae had taken a seat near the window with an expression that suggested he would rather be anywhere else.

On the other side of the classroom, a few Hufflepuffs had gathered together. Nanase was helping Tokimitsu find the correct page, while Kurona quietly looked over his own notes.

"Is this the right chapter?" Tokimitsu asked nervously.

Nanase checked.

"Yeah."

"You're sure?"

"Pretty sure."

"What if it's the wrong one?"

Nanase smiled patiently. "Then we'll figure it out."

The classroom door opened.

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Professor Noel Noa entered without making any attempt to draw attention to himself. He simply walked to the front, placed his books on the desk, and looked across the room.

The chatter disappeared.

Noa's yellow eyes moved from student to student.

"Good morning."

Everyone answered in varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Noa glanced at the clock.

"You have four minutes and thirty seconds before we begin."

Nagi slowly lifted his head.

"That's oddly specific."

Noa looked directly at him.

"Four minutes and twenty seconds."

Nagi immediately sat up.

A few students laughed.

Noa didn't.

"Magic is not improved through enthusiasm," he said calmly. "It is improved through precision. Your wand movements, pronunciation, timing, and concentration can all be measured. If you cannot reproduce a result consistently, you do not understand the spell."

He demonstrated the first charm.

The spell looked effortless.

No wasted movement. No hesitation.

The object on his desk floated perfectly into the air.

"Your turn."

The classroom erupted into activity.

Wands appeared everywhere.

Some spells worked.

Some didn't.

One student's feather shot sideways and nearly hit the ceiling.

Bachira laughed.

"That was awesome!"

"It wasn't supposed to do that," Isagi pointed out.

"I know. That's why it was awesome."

Noa walked between the desks, silently observing.

When he reached you, he paused.

"Again."

You tried the spell.

The feather moved.

Barely.

Noa watched it hover for a second before falling.

"Your wand movement is too wide."

You looked down at your wand.

"Like this?"

You repeated the motion.

This time, the feather rose smoothly.

Noa gave a small nod.

"Better."

Then he moved on.

It wasn't praise exactly.

But coming from Noa, it was close.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was an entirely different experience.

The classroom door opened.

Ego Jinpachi entered.

He looked exhausted.

He also looked like he had already decided that every person in the room was going to disappoint him.

He placed a stack of books on the desk.

"Sit down."

Everyone did.

Ego looked around the classroom.

"Let me make something clear. I have no interest in whether you're talented."

Silence.

"I have no interest in whether you were praised by your previous teachers. I have no interest in whether your parents believe you're special."

His eyes moved across the students.

"What matters is whether you can survive when something actually tries to kill you."

Tokimitsu visibly paled.

Igarashi slowly raised his hand.

"Professor?"

"No."

"I didn't even ask anything."

"I know."

A few students snickered.

Ego turned toward the board.

Written across it was a single word.

FEAR.

"Every dark creature exploits something," Ego explained. "Fear. Doubt. Hesitation. Ignorance. If you don't understand your own weaknesses, something else will eventually use them against you."

Rin's eyes narrowed slightly.

Kaiser leaned back in his chair, looking amused.

Shidou looked almost delighted.

"Finally," Shidou muttered. "A class that sounds fun."

Ego heard him.

"Shidou."

"What?"

"If you destroy anything, you will be spending your evening repairing it."

Shidou grinned.

"No promises."

At the back of the room, Barou scoffed.

"This is supposed to be Defence Against the Dark Arts?"

Ego looked toward him.

"You have something to add?"

Barou crossed his arms.

"I expected something more challenging."

Ego's expression didn't change.

"Excellent."

He flicked his wand.

The classroom doors slammed shut.

The lights went out.

Something moved behind the students.

Several people immediately reached for their wands.

A low growl echoed through the room.

Igarashi nearly screamed.

"What is that?!"

Ego's voice came calmly from somewhere in the darkness.

"Your first lesson."

The creature emerged.

It wasn't particularly large.

But it moved fast.

Students scrambled.

Rin reacted immediately, raising his wand.

"Protego!"

A shield appeared just before the creature lunged.

The impact sent him sliding backward.

Isagi immediately understood what Ego was doing.

"It's testing our reactions!"

Kaiser laughed.

"Finally, something interesting."

He raised his wand and fired a spell toward the creature.

It dodged.

Shidou chased after it, laughing as though this were some kind of game.

"Come here!"

"Shidou, don't chase it!" Isagi shouted.

Too late.

The creature disappeared into the darkness.

Then the lights returned.

Everyone froze.

The classroom was empty.

Ego stood at the front.

"Lesson concluded."

Barou stared at him.

"That's it?"

Ego adjusted his glasses.

"You survived."

His eyes moved across the room.

"That is the minimum expectation."

By the time Transfiguration arrived, everyone was exhausted.

Professor Chris Prince entered the classroom with considerably more energy than anyone thought should be legal before lunch.

"Good morning, future legends!"

A few students groaned.

Chris smiled.

"I'll take that as excitement."

Lavinho, who happened to be passing the open doorway, leaned inside.

"Don't lie to them, Chris. Half of these kids look dead."

Chris pointed toward him.

"Stay out of my classroom."

Lavinho laughed and continued down the corridor.

Chris turned back to the students.

"Today we're going to learn transformation."

He waved his wand.

A small wooden object on his desk transformed instantly into an ornate golden trophy.

Several students stared.

Chris grinned proudly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Barou looked unimpressed.

"Show-off."

Chris's smile widened.

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

Chris immediately pointed his wand toward Barou.

"Then let's make this interesting."

Barou's eyes sharpened.

"What?"

"First person to successfully transform their object wins."

Barou smirked.

"You're on."

Within seconds, the classroom had turned into a competition.

Gryffindors challenged Slytherins.

Ravenclaws immediately started analyzing the spellwork.

Hufflepuffs tried to focus despite everyone else turning the exercise into a tournament.

Reo quickly figured out the correct wand movement.

Niko observed the spell several times before attempting it.

Hiori quietly helped Nanase when his transformation kept collapsing.

Bachira somehow managed to transform his object into something completely different from what he intended.

He stared at it.

"...I like mine better."

Chris laughed.

"That's creativity."

Noa, who had appeared outside the classroom, glanced through the doorway.

"That's incorrect."

Chris looked offended.

"Don't ruin the moment."

Care of Magical Creatures was considerably calmer.

Professor Snuffy greeted everyone with a warm smile and immediately noticed how tired some of the students looked.

"You've had a busy morning."

Tokimitsu nodded nervously.

"I think I almost died twice."

Snuffy paused.

"Twice?"

"Ego's class."

Snuffy sighed.

"I'll have a conversation with him."

Nobody looked particularly convinced that this would help.

Snuffy introduced the class to several magical creatures and explained that understanding them was more important than simply controlling them.

"Every creature responds differently," he explained. "If you force them into behaving the way you expect, you'll usually create more problems."

Gagamaru immediately crouched beside one of the creatures.

"It likes me."

Snuffy smiled.

"It does."

"Can I keep it?"

"No."

Gagamaru looked disappointed.

"Okay."

Meanwhile, Bunny and Teddy helped another student who was nervous around one of the creatures.

"Take your time," Bunny said gently. "There's no need to rush."

Teddy nodded. "It can tell when you're nervous."

The creature slowly approached.

The student's expression softened.

"See?" Teddy said. "You're doing fine."

For the first time that day, Hogwarts actually felt peaceful.

The final class was Flying.

And that was where everything went wrong.

Professor Lavinho stood in the middle of the field, sunglasses on despite the cloudy sky.

"Brooms aren't just tools," he announced. "They're an extension of yourself."

Chris watched from the side.

"You say something like that every year."

"Because it's true every year."

Lavinho turned toward the students.

"Don't try to copy somebody else. Find your own style."

The students mounted their brooms.

Then Lavinho raised his hand.

"Race."

Every student looked up.

Chris laughed.

"You really can't teach anything normally."

"Why would I?"

The whistle blew.

The field exploded into motion.

Chigiri shot forward almost immediately.

Otoya followed.

Bachira swerved wildly through the air, laughing.

Isagi tried to predict everyone's movements.

Kaiser accelerated after them with a smug grin.

Barou refused to let anyone pass him.

Rin flew with precise, controlled movements.

Reo shouted something toward Nagi, who looked completely uninterested until someone passed him.

Then Nagi suddenly accelerated.

"Wait," Reo said.

Nagi's expression changed.

"That looks fun."

The race became absolute chaos.

Lavinho watched with an enormous grin.

"Now that's flying."

Chris folded his arms.

"You're encouraging them."

"Of course."

Below them, Snuffy sighed.

"They're going to get themselves hurt."

Ego watched silently from the edge of the field.

Noa stood beside him.

"They are learning."

Ego glanced toward the students.

"They are competing."

Noa nodded.

"Both."

And somewhere above the field, as you flew alongside the others, you couldn't help but smile.

Your first day at Hogwarts had barely begun.

Already, rivalries were forming.

Friendships were developing.

And after the strange incident on the train, one thing was becoming increasingly clear.

Whatever was waiting inside Hogwarts...

you were going to discover it with them.

🏆 THE HOUSE QUIDDITCH TOURNAMENT

The first weeks at Hogwarts had passed in a blur of moving staircases, late-night conversations, difficult lessons, enchanted corridors, and the ever-present feeling that something about the castle was waiting to reveal itself.

But nothing had prepared anyone for the announcement that appeared throughout the castle one Monday morning.

Every enchanted noticeboard suddenly flashed with golden letters.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

⚡ THE ANNUAL HOGWARTS HOUSE QUIDDITCH TOURNAMENT ⚡

GRYFFINDOR • SLYTHERIN • RAVENCLAW • HUFFLEPUFF

The tournament will begin this Saturday.

May the strongest house prevail.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

For approximately five seconds, the castle was silent.

Then it erupted.

By breakfast, the Great Hall had become a battlefield.

Students were already arguing across the four tables about which house had the strongest team, which players would be chosen, and—most importantly—which house was going to humiliate the others.

Gryffindor had immediately become the loudest.

Bachira was practically standing on his seat, his yellow eyes shining with excitement as he animatedly explained some ridiculous strategy involving flying around the opposing team before they could even react. Chigiri listened with an amused expression, occasionally pointing out the flaws in Bachira's plan, while Kunigami insisted that they should at least take the tournament seriously.

"We ARE taking it seriously!" Bachira protested, grinning. "I'm just saying we should make it fun!"

"You say that about everything," Chigiri replied.

"Because everything is more fun that way."

Nearby, Zantetsu was studying a pamphlet about Quidditch with an intense expression.

"So the objective is to capture the golden chicken."

Neru nearly choked on his drink.

"The what?"

"The golden chicken."

"It's a Snitch."

"That's what I said."

"No, it isn't."

Zantetsu frowned and adjusted his glasses.

"Snitch. Chicken. Similar concept."

"They are absolutely not similar concepts."

Even Professor Lavinho, who had been walking past the Gryffindor table, stopped long enough to hear that.

He burst into laughter.

"Ahhh, I like this one."

Zantetsu looked pleased.

"See?"

Lavinho clapped him on the shoulder.

"Never change, amigo."

Professor Chris Prince stood farther behind him, arms folded across his enormous chest as he surveyed the students.

"If we're doing this," Chris announced loudly, "then we're doing it properly. I expect every Gryffindor competing to make the rest of Hogwarts remember their names."

His confidence was so excessive that several students from other houses immediately groaned.

From the Slytherin table, Barou slowly looked up from his breakfast.

"Pathetic."

His voice was quiet.

But somehow the entire nearby section heard him.

Barou rose from his seat, his long black hair tied back neatly, his red eyes fixed on the Gryffindor side.

"There is only one house worth remembering."

Karasu smirked.

"Here we go."

Barou ignored him.

"Slytherin will win."

Shidou immediately laughed.

"You're already giving speeches? We haven't even picked the teams!"

Barou's expression darkened.

"And yet I already know the result."

Kaiser leaned comfortably against his chair, looking far less interested in the announcement than everyone else.

That changed when he noticed the reaction around the room.

His pale blue eyes slowly moved across the other houses.

Then toward {{user}}.

A small smile appeared.

"Looks like this might actually be entertaining."

Ness, sitting beside him, immediately nodded.

"Of course it will be. With you on the field, Kaiser, there isn't really any question about who will be the star."

Otoya laughed.

"Man, you really can't go five minutes without saying that, can you?"

Ness smiled pleasantly.

"No."

Karasu glanced toward {{user}}, studying their reaction.

"Wonder which house they're putting you in."

That question suddenly drew several eyes toward {{user}}.

Reo turned around in his seat.

"Actually..."

His expression became thoughtful.

"That's a good question."

Nagi, who had been half asleep against the table, opened one eye.

"If {{user}} is good at flying, I guess it matters."

"You're volunteering to play, right?" Reo asked.

"No."

"Nagi."

"Flying sounds like effort."

Across the Ravenclaw table, Rin looked completely unimpressed by the chaos.

"I don't care which house wins."

Hiori glanced at him.

"You absolutely care."

"I don't."

"You've been staring at the announcement for five minutes."

Rin's eyes narrowed.

"I'm evaluating the competition."

Niko quietly pushed his glasses up.

"Which is another way of saying you care."

Rin gave him a cold look.

Niko simply smiled faintly.

Yukimiya, meanwhile, had already begun examining the tournament rules.

"If the matches are house-based, then team composition will matter more than individual ability."

Sae, seated nearby, glanced at the parchment.

"Obviously."

Yukimiya raised an eyebrow.

"You're not interested?"

"I said it was obvious."

"That's not what I asked."

Sae's expression remained flat.

"I'm interested in seeing whether anyone here is actually competent."

That earned an immediate reaction from several students.

Especially from Gryffindor.

Especially from Slytherin.

And especially from Shidou.

"Oh, I like him."

Sae looked over.

"I don't."

Shidou grinned.

"Even better."

Meanwhile, the Hufflepuff table was considerably less chaotic.

Snuffy had somehow turned the announcement into a calm tactical discussion.

He stood at the end of the table, explaining that Quidditch required more than raw athletic ability.

"Communication. Awareness. Trust. Positioning."

Tokimitsu nodded rapidly.

"R-Right. Communication. Trust. Positioning. What if I fall off the broom?"

Gagamaru looked up.

"Then catch yourself."

Tokimitsu stared at him.

"HOW?"

Gagamaru shrugged.

"Instinct."

Tokimitsu looked horrified.

Nanase tried to reassure him.

"I'm sure you'll be fine."

Kurona nodded beside him.

"Fine, fine."

Igarashi, meanwhile, had quietly moved his chair farther away from the windows.

"I'm just saying, statistically speaking, people are much more likely to survive if they stay on the ground."

Bunny looked at him.

"Then why did you sign up?"

Igarashi froze.

"I... haven't."

Teddy laughed.

"You're going to."

"No, I'm not."

Snuffy glanced at him.

"You are."

Igarashi looked betrayed.

"Professor!"

Snuffy smiled.

"You're not getting out of it."

At the other end of the table, Gagamaru was staring toward the Quidditch pitch through the enormous windows.

"The field looks fun."

"That's your only concern?" Nanase asked.

"Yeah."

The announcement had reached the professors too.

By midday, the four houses had been called to the Quidditch stadium.

The enormous pitch stretched across the grounds beneath a clear blue sky. Four tall goal hoops stood at either end, their enchanted metal frames gleaming in the sunlight. The spectator stands were already filling with students, banners appearing above them in the colors of each house.

The atmosphere was completely different from an ordinary school event.

This was war.

At least according to the students.

Professor Noa stood at the center of the pitch, holding the official tournament roster.

Beside him stood Ego, Snuffy, Chris, and Lavinho.

Professor Noa looked over the crowd.

"This tournament will be decided through performance."

His voice was calm enough that everyone immediately quieted.

"Talent without results is irrelevant."

Ego adjusted his glasses.

"And don't mistake this for some friendly school activity."

His eyes swept across the students.

"Each house wants to win. Each player wants recognition. Your teammates will compete for the same spotlight you are."

Chris smiled.

"Now THAT'S the spirit."

Lavinho laughed.

"Let them cook."

Snuffy sighed.

"Please don't encourage them."

The teams were announced one by one.

Gryffindor.

Slytherin.

Ravenclaw.

Hufflepuff.

And suddenly, everything became real.

Students began moving toward their respective preparation areas.

The rivalry that had previously existed only in jokes and arguments now had something tangible behind it.

House colors flew above the stadium.

Students shouted from the stands.

Banners waved.

The enchanted sky darkened slightly as the stadium's magical barriers activated around the pitch.

Then the first brooms were distributed.

{{user}} stood among the players, broom in hand, surrounded by students from their house.

Across the pitch, Kaiser slowly mounted his broom, his blue eyes fixed on the opposing side.

Barou tightened his gloves.

Rin adjusted his grip.

Chigiri swept his long hair behind his shoulder.

Bachira grinned like he had just been handed the world's greatest toy.

Shidou looked absolutely thrilled.

Nagi looked like he wanted to go back to bed.

Reo was already studying everyone's positions.

Karasu was watching everyone.

And Snuffy was quietly observing {{user}}.

There was something different in his expression.

Not concern.

Assessment.

He knew something the others didn't.

The tournament wasn't simply about winning.

It was about seeing what happened when these personalities were forced into the same arena.

The referee raised the whistle.

The crowd roared.

Three enormous magical balls floated into position at the center of the pitch.

The Quaffle.

The Bludgers.

And somewhere high above them—

The Golden Snitch.

The whistle screamed.

The Quaffle shot into the air.

Every player launched forward.

Brooms rocketed across the pitch.

The tournament had begun.

For the first few minutes, everything was chaos.

Bachira flew through the air with an almost ridiculous amount of freedom, twisting his broom around another player before laughing loudly.

"THIS IS SO COOL!"

Chigiri accelerated past him.

"Stop playing around!"

"Make me!"

On the opposite side, Kaiser intercepted a pass with effortless precision.

His smile widened.

"Too slow."

Barou immediately pursued him.

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

A collision of magic and momentum erupted between them.

The crowd screamed.

Meanwhile, {{user}} found themselves caught directly between the competing houses, forced to make decisions that could determine the outcome of the match.

A pass came toward them.

A Slytherin player was closing in.

A Gryffindor player was open.

And above the entire stadium, the Golden Snitch suddenly changed direction.

For one brief moment, everything seemed to slow down.

Then—

A Bludger came flying directly toward {{user}}.

Someone shouted their name.

A broom swerved.

A spell-like impact shook the air.

And one of the players suddenly dropped from their broom.

The entire stadium went silent.

The person hit the ground hard.

The magical barriers caught some of the impact, but not all of it.

The whistle blew repeatedly.

Players immediately stopped.

The rivalry vanished.

The cheering stopped.

Even Barou and Kaiser turned toward the fallen player.

Snuffy was the first professor onto the field.

"Everyone stay back."

His voice was calm, but there was unmistakable urgency beneath it.

Chris and Noa followed.

Ego's expression had completely changed.

Shidou, who had been grinning only moments earlier, stood frozen on his broom.

Bachira's smile disappeared.

Chigiri stared at the scene.

Tokimitsu looked horrified.

{{user}} could hear the crowd whispering.

The tournament no longer mattered.

Not anymore.

Snuffy knelt beside the injured player while the other professors formed a barrier around them.

"Don't move."

The injured student tried to respond.

Snuffy placed a hand against their shoulder.

"Stay still."

For the first time since the tournament began, nobody argued.

Nobody bragged.

Nobody cared about winning.

The stadium was completely silent.

Then Ego looked up.

His eyes moved toward the Bludger.

It was still floating several meters away.

But something about it was wrong.

Noa noticed it too.

"The enchantment..."

Ego's expression hardened.

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

Chris looked toward the professors.

"What are you saying?"

Noa's gaze remained fixed on the Bludger.

"Someone altered the magic."

A chill seemed to pass through the stadium.

Because if that was true...

Then the injury hadn't been an accident.

Someone had interfered with the tournament.

And {{user}} had been standing directly in the path of the Bludger.

🌲 Detention in the forbidden forest

The Quidditch tournament had ended, but the incident with the enchanted Bludger had left Hogwarts in an uneasy mood.

For the first time since the school year began, the students weren't talking about rivalries, house points, or who had the strongest team.

They were talking about what had happened.

Someone had tampered with the tournament magic.

The professors had refused to explain how.

And although the injured student had survived, the entire event had been abruptly suspended.

By the following evening, the castle felt different.

Quieter.

The usual noise in the corridors had faded after dinner, leaving only the occasional footsteps of students returning to their common rooms. Rain tapped softly against the tall windows, and the enchanted torches along the walls flickered whenever a cold draft passed through.

{{user}} had just turned a corner when a familiar voice stopped them.

"You're late."

Professor Ego stood at the end of the corridor.

His expression was as exhausted and severe as ever, but there was something particularly unpleasant about the look in his eyes tonight.

Beside him stood Professor Snuffy, arms folded calmly across his chest.

{{user}} immediately knew this wasn't going to be a normal conversation.

Ego held up a piece of parchment.

"Detention."

The word seemed to echo through the corridor.

Snuffy glanced toward Ego.

"Perhaps you could explain why before frightening them."

"I'm not frightening anyone."

"You are."

Ego ignored him.

"You were found outside your designated area after curfew."

There was a pause.

"And you were not alone."

A second set of footsteps approached.

Then another.

And another.

By the time {{user}} looked down the corridor, several familiar faces had gathered.

Igarashi looked absolutely horrified.

Tokimitsu looked like he was already preparing for his own funeral.

Bachira, on the other hand, looked delighted.

"This is detention?"

Ego looked at him.

"No."

Bachira's smile faded slightly.

"Oh."

"You're coming because you were also involved."

"Ah."

Bachira immediately smiled again.

"Cool."

Chigiri arrived next, arms folded.

"You've got to be kidding."

Kunigami followed behind him, looking considerably more annoyed than surprised.

"This is because of what happened after the match, isn't it?"

Ego didn't answer immediately.

That was answer enough.

Then another group appeared from the opposite staircase.

Karasu walked at the front, hands in his pockets, looking far too amused by the situation.

Otoya followed casually behind him.

Kiyora came next, expression completely unreadable.

And trailing behind them was Rin, who looked as though he had been dragged here against his will.

Karasu glanced around at everyone.

"Well, this is a lovely little gathering."

Otoya gave a lazy grin.

"Didn't know detention came with this many people."

Rin clicked his tongue.

"I don't care."

"You say that a lot," Karasu remarked.

"I don't care what you think."

"See?"

Before the argument could continue, Ego turned toward the enormous doors leading outside.

"Enough."

The doors opened.

Cold air immediately swept through the corridor.

Beyond them, the Hogwarts grounds were dark beneath the cloudy night sky.

And beyond the grounds—

The Forbidden Forest.

Tall trees stretched toward the sky, their branches twisting together like enormous black fingers. A thick mist hung between the trunks.

Nobody spoke for a moment.

Even Bachira stopped smiling.

Ego stepped forward.

"Your detention will take place inside the Forbidden Forest."

Tokimitsu's face went pale.

"The Forbidden Forest?"

Snuffy nodded.

"You'll be accompanied by professors."

Igarashi raised his hand.

"Can I have a different detention?"

"No."

"Can I do extra homework instead?"

"No."

"Can I clean the toilets?"

"No."

"What about—"

"No."

Igarashi lowered his hand.

"...Worth trying."

Professor Snuffy handed each student a small enchanted lantern.

"The task is simple."

He pointed toward the forest.

"There have been reports of unusual magical activity near the northern edge. Strange lights. Broken branches. Footprints that don't match any known creature currently living in the forest."

Karasu's expression immediately became more serious.

"Footprints?"

Snuffy nodded.

"Yes."

Niko, who had apparently been included in the detention group as well, studied the lantern in his hands.

"What kind?"

Snuffy hesitated.

"That's the problem."

Niko looked up.

"You don't know."

"We don't know what made them."

That caught Rin's attention.

Hiori glanced toward the forest.

"So we're supposed to investigate something the professors can't identify?"

Snuffy gave him a small smile.

"You're supposed to retrieve a sample from the area and return."

Karasu chuckled.

"Sounds reassuring."

Ego's eyes narrowed.

"You're not being asked to investigate anything beyond your instructions."

He looked directly at the students.

"Go to the marked location. Retrieve the object. Return immediately."

Bachira raised his lantern.

"What happens if we find something interesting?"

"Ignore it."

"What if it finds us?"

Ego paused.

"Then run."

Bachira's eyes widened.

"Okay, that's actually a little scary."

Chigiri glanced toward him.

"You were excited five minutes ago."

"I changed my mind."

Kunigami sighed.

"Let's just get this over with."

The group finally stepped outside.

The massive doors shut behind them.

For several minutes, the only sound was the crunch of wet grass beneath their shoes.

The castle gradually disappeared behind them.

The Forbidden Forest grew larger with every step.

Once they crossed beneath the first line of trees, the atmosphere changed completely.

The moonlight barely reached the forest floor.

Branches scraped against one another high above them.

Somewhere in the distance, something made a low clicking sound.

Tokimitsu stopped.

"Did you hear that?"

Gagamaru, walking nearby, tilted his head.

"Yeah."

"What was it?"

"Don't know."

Tokimitsu swallowed.

"That is not reassuring."

Nanase moved slightly closer to him.

"It's probably just an animal."

"Probably?"

"Hopefully."

"That's worse!"

Kurona quietly glanced around.

"Too quiet."

Everyone stopped.

The forest had gone completely silent.

No insects.

No birds.

No rustling leaves.

Nothing.

Niko crouched beside the ground.

"There."

The others gathered around.

Several deep marks had been carved into the mud.

They weren't footprints.

They were long grooves.

Three parallel lines dragged through the earth before disappearing between the trees.

Karasu crouched beside him.

"Those aren't claws."

"No."

"Something was dragged."

Niko nodded.

"Or something was dragging itself."

Rin looked deeper into the forest.

"Keep moving."

They followed the markings.

The farther they went, the colder it became.

Eventually, they reached a clearing.

At the center stood an enormous dead tree.

Its trunk was covered in strange silver markings.

The symbols weren't carved into the bark.

They appeared to be growing from it.

Hiori slowly approached.

"Those weren't mentioned in the reports."

Karasu reached toward one of the symbols.

"Don't touch it."

Rin's voice was immediate.

Karasu stopped.

"Relax."

"I'm not interested in watching you get cursed."

"Aw. You care."

Rin glared at him.

"No."

Otoya quietly laughed.

Then—

A sound came from behind them.

A whisper.

Not loud.

Barely audible.

But unmistakably human.

{{user}} turned around.

Nothing.

The trees stood motionless.

Bachira's smile had disappeared.

"Did someone say something?"

"No," Chigiri replied.

"I heard a voice."

Everyone looked at each other.

Then it happened again.

This time, the voice was clearer.

A whisper from somewhere beneath the forest floor.

"Come closer..."

Tokimitsu immediately stepped backward.

"Nope."

Igarashi nodded.

"Agreed."

Bachira stared at the ground.

"That's definitely not normal."

Ego had told them to retrieve an object.

But there was no object in the clearing.

Only the tree.

And beneath it—

A faint blue glow.

Niko knelt down.

"There's something under the roots."

Rin immediately crouched beside him.

"I see it."

A small section of earth was glowing beneath the tree.

Hiori's expression changed.

"That magic..."

He recognized it.

Or at least, part of it.

"It's the same color as the flames from the tournament."

Everyone went silent.

The enchanted Bludger.

The strange blue flames.

The symbols.

The Forbidden Forest.

They weren't separate incidents.

They were connected.

Before anyone could say anything else, the ground trembled.

The tree groaned.

Several branches suddenly snapped above them.

Something moved behind the trunk.

Fast.

Too fast to see clearly.

Chigiri immediately grabbed {{user}}'s arm and pulled them backward.

"Move!"

The creature—or whatever it was—lunged out of the darkness.

A flash of silver crossed the clearing.

Someone shouted.

A body was thrown against the tree.

The lantern hit the ground and shattered.

Darkness swallowed the clearing.

Then a scream tore through the forest.

And somewhere far beyond the trees, two distant figures stood watching from the shadows.

One of them finally spoke.

"They found it."

The other answered quietly.

"Then the professors will have to act."

Back in the clearing, the students struggled to see through the darkness.

Ego had said the Forbidden Forest contained nothing they needed to worry about.

Snuffy had said the task was simple.

But neither professor was here now.

And whatever had attacked them clearly hadn't been waiting for the professors.

It had been waiting for them.

🕯️ THE CHAMBER — A SECRET BENEATH HOGWARTS

The Forbidden Forest incident should have been enough to make everyone at Hogwarts nervous.

Instead, it made the castle feel watched.

By the next morning, rumors had spread through every corridor.

Someone had seen strange silver markings beneath the forest.

Someone else claimed they had heard a voice speaking from underneath the ground.

And then there was the student who had been attacked.

The professors refused to give details.

That only made things worse.

At breakfast, the Great Hall was louder than usual, but the atmosphere wasn't cheerful. Conversations were happening in low voices, students repeatedly glancing toward the teachers' table as though expecting someone to finally explain what was going on.

They didn't.

Professor Noa sat perfectly composed, reading through a stack of reports.

Professor Snuffy was speaking quietly with several other professors.

Ego looked exhausted.

Chris looked irritated.

Lavinho looked unusually serious.

And Professor Sae sat farther down the table, his arms crossed as he listened without participating.

The students noticed.

Especially the ones who were good at noticing things.

Niko had already started connecting the incidents.

"The Bludger."

Hiori looked toward him.

"The forest."

Niko nodded.

"And now the symbols."

Reo placed his cup down.

"You think they're connected?"

"I don't think."

Niko's gaze shifted toward the professors.

"I know something is being hidden."

Across the table, Kaiser gave a quiet laugh.

"You people are finally catching up."

Rin looked over.

"What do you know?"

Kaiser smiled.

"Enough."

Sae's eyes briefly moved toward him.

"Then stop talking and explain."

Kaiser leaned back in his chair.

"I don't know who is responsible."

He paused.

"But I know the magic used in the forest wasn't ordinary Hogwarts magic."

That immediately caught everyone's attention.

Even Barou stopped eating.

Lorenzo leaned across the table, gold teeth catching the light.

"Ohooo. Secret magic?"

Aiku looked amused.

"Of course you'd be interested."

"I'm always interested when something might be valuable."

"That's exactly what worries me."

Shidou suddenly leaned over the table.

"Forget valuable. If something in that forest can throw people around like that, I wanna fight it."

Barou looked disgusted.

"You're an idiot."

Shidou grinned.

"And you're boring."

"Say that again."

"You're boring."

"Enough."

Sae's single word cut through the argument.

Shidou actually stopped.

For a moment.

Then he smiled.

"You're fun."

Sae looked away.

"You're annoying."

Meanwhile, {{user}} had been listening quietly.

Something about the conversation felt wrong.

The symbols in the forest.

The blue glow.

The voice.

The attack.

And now Kaiser claiming he knew the magic wasn't normal.

There was clearly something happening underneath Hogwarts.

Something the professors weren't telling them.

And apparently, the adults weren't the only ones who had noticed.

---

That evening, {{user}} found a folded piece of parchment beneath their bedroom door.

There was no name.

No seal.

No explanation.

Only four words written across the front.

YOU HEARD IT TOO.

The moment {{user}} opened it, the writing changed.

New words appeared.

MIDNIGHT. THIRD FLOOR.

Then, beneath that:

COME ALONE.

The letters burned away.

By midnight, the corridors were almost completely dark.

{{user}} moved quietly through the castle, careful to avoid the enchanted staircases that occasionally changed direction without warning.

The third floor was colder than usual.

The portraits were asleep.

The torches burned low.

And at the end of the corridor stood a group of people who clearly hadn't come alone.

Kaiser was leaning against the wall.

Rin stood several feet away with his arms crossed.

Niko was examining the stonework.

Reo had a small enchanted map spread across the floor.

Hiori was beside him.

And Karasu stood near one of the windows, staring into the darkness.

{{user}} stopped.

Kaiser smiled.

"Surprised?"

"A little."

Karasu glanced over.

"You're late."

Rin immediately looked at him.

"They weren't given a time."

Karasu shrugged.

"Still."

Reo folded the map.

"Good. Everyone's here."

Niko looked at {{user}}.

"We found something."

He pointed toward the wall.

At first, it looked completely ordinary.

Then Hiori raised his wand.

A faint blue light appeared.

The stone shifted.

Not physically.

Magically.

A hidden symbol appeared beneath the surface.

The exact same symbol from the Forbidden Forest.

{{user}} felt a chill.

Kaiser pushed away from the wall.

"Now you understand why I wanted everyone here."

Rin stepped closer.

"How did you find it?"

Kaiser smiled.

"Because I pay attention."

Karasu scoffed.

"That's a generous description of your ego."

Kaiser ignored him.

Reo crouched beside the wall.

"There are multiple enchantments layered over this."

Niko nodded.

"At least three."

Hiori's eyes narrowed.

"There's something underneath them."

He touched the stone.

A low vibration traveled through the wall.

Everyone froze.

Then—

A voice whispered from somewhere below them.

"Help me..."

Nobody moved.

The voice came again.

This time, louder.

"Please..."

Rin immediately raised his wand.

"That's not a normal magical echo."

No one disagreed.

The floor beneath them suddenly shifted.

Reo grabbed the edge of the wall.

"What the—"

Stone cracked.

A section of the floor collapsed.

{{user}} stumbled backward as dust filled the corridor.

When it cleared, a staircase was visible beneath the broken floor.

It descended into darkness.

Ancient stone steps.

Covered in the same silver markings.

Karasu stared down.

"Well."

He smiled faintly.

"That's definitely not on the school map."

Lorenzo suddenly appeared at the top of the corridor.

Everyone turned.

He looked down at the hidden staircase.

Then grinned.

"Secret dungeon?"

Aiku appeared behind him.

"Why are you two here?"

Lorenzo shrugged.

"I followed him."

Aiku sighed.

"You followed me."

"Same thing."

Sae arrived moments later.

His expression hardened the moment he saw the staircase.

"No."

Everyone looked at him.

Sae stepped closer.

"Nobody goes down there."

Shidou's voice came from behind him.

"Which obviously means we're going down there."

Sae closed his eyes.

"Of course."

The group stared into the darkness.

Then something moved below.

A scraping sound.

Slow.

Heavy.

Coming closer.

Everyone instinctively raised their wands.

Kaiser smiled.

"Finally."

Rin looked at him.

"You're enjoying this?"

"Of course."

Then the torches along the staircase suddenly ignited one by one.

Blue flames.

The same color as the magic in the forest.

At the very bottom of the staircase was an enormous door.

And carved into it was a symbol none of them had seen before.

A crown.

A serpent.

And four crossed lines representing the four Hogwarts houses.

Reo stared at it.

"Why would the four houses be involved?"

Niko's expression became tense.

"Maybe they're not."

He pointed toward the center.

There was another symbol underneath them.

A fifth mark.

One that didn't belong to any house.

Hiori whispered:

"Then what is that?"

Nobody answered.

The door suddenly opened.

A wave of freezing air swept through the corridor.

For a second, everyone could see what lay beyond.

An enormous underground chamber.

Ancient bookshelves.

Broken statues.

Old Hogwarts banners.

And dozens of magical portraits covered with black cloth.

Then one of the covered portraits moved.

The cloth fell away.

A face appeared behind the frame.

An old wizard.

His eyes opened.

He looked directly at {{user}}.

And whispered:

"You shouldn't have come back."

Silence.

Rin's expression changed.

"Back?"

The portrait's eyes widened.

"You don't remember."

The chamber shook violently.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

Somewhere deep beneath the castle, something enormous roared.

The portrait screamed.

"RUN!"

The doors slammed shut behind the students.

And suddenly, they were trapped underground.

Far above them, in the professors' tower, Professor Noa opened his eyes.

He had felt it.

The ancient magic beneath Hogwarts had awakened.

Ego stood beside the window, staring toward the castle.

His expression was colder than usual.

"Impossible."

Snuffy looked toward him.

"You knew this could happen."

Ego didn't answer.

Chris stepped forward.

"Jinpachi."

Ego finally spoke.

"The chamber was supposed to remain sealed."

Lavinho's usual smile was gone.

"And now?"

Ego looked toward the floor.

"Now the students have opened it."

Noa's voice remained calm.

"Then we retrieve them."

Ego shook his head.

"No."

Everyone looked at him.

"If we go down there..."

His eyes narrowed.

"...whatever is inside will know we're coming."

Back beneath Hogwarts, the students stood in complete darkness.

Then a blue flame flickered to life.

One by one, the covered portraits began revealing themselves.

And every single portrait was staring at {{user}}.

🕯️THE HALLOWEEN FEAST

Halloween had transformed Hogwarts into something almost unrecognizable.

The Great Hall was glowing beneath hundreds of floating candles, their flames flickering lazily above the enormous tables. Enchanted pumpkins floated between the chandeliers, some grinning mischievously while others occasionally burst into harmless clouds of purple smoke. Ghosts drifted through the ceiling and walls, joining the students in the celebration as magical decorations moved on their own around the room.

The four house tables were packed.

Gryffindor was, predictably, the loudest.

Bachira had somehow convinced Chigiri to try a pumpkin-shaped dessert while Kunigami was attempting to stop Zantetsu from explaining an extremely complicated magical card game that he clearly didn't understand himself. Neru was laughing at the entire situation while Hayate quietly watched the room, occasionally pointing out strange details that everyone else had missed.

At the Slytherin table, Barou was visibly irritated because Lorenzo had somehow placed several decorative pumpkins directly beside his perfectly arranged plate.

"Move them."

Lorenzo looked at the pumpkins.

"No."

"Move. Them."

"They're cute."

Barou's eye twitched.

Nearby, Otoya was watching the argument with an amused smile while Karasu casually picked at his food.

Kaiser, meanwhile, looked completely unbothered by the chaos. Ness sat beside him, enthusiastically talking about the enchanted decorations while Kaiser occasionally glanced toward the other tables.

Shidou was attempting to balance a spoon on his nose.

Aiku watched him for several seconds.

"Why?"

Shidou grinned.

"Why not?"

"Fair enough."

Ravenclaw was considerably more subdued.

Nagi had practically collapsed against Reo's shoulder, looking half-asleep despite the enormous feast in front of him.

"Wake me up when dessert comes."

"You've already eaten dessert."

"...Then wake me up when there's more."

Hiori quietly laughed.

Niko, however, wasn't paying attention to the food.

His gaze kept moving around the Great Hall.

Something felt strange.

Rin noticed.

"What?"

Niko hesitated.

"The decorations."

Rin glanced upward.

"What about them?"

"They've been moving."

Rin's eyes narrowed.

"So?"

"Not randomly."

A few seats away, Sae had also noticed.

Noa stood at the staff table with his usual composed expression, speaking quietly with several professors.

Ego, on the other hand, seemed completely uninterested in the celebration.

He was watching the students.

Studying them.

And when his eyes briefly met {{user}}'s, his expression became impossible to read.

At the Hufflepuff table, the atmosphere remained much warmer.

Nanase was laughing with Bunny and Teddy while Tokimitsu nervously checked whether everyone had enough food.

"You don't have to keep checking," Bunny assured him.

"I know, but what if someone doesn't have enough?"

Gagamaru calmly reached across the table and took an enormous piece of bread.

"I have enough."

Tokimitsu stared.

"That's... actually reassuring."

Igarashi was trying to sneak extra desserts into his robes.

Kurona noticed.

"Stealing?"

"I'm not stealing! I'm preserving resources!"

Snuffy sighed from the staff table.

"Igarashi."

The boy froze.

"...Yes, Professor?"

"Put the cake back."

"Yes, Professor."

For a brief moment, everything felt normal.

Almost peaceful.

Then—

BOOM.

The enormous doors of the Great Hall suddenly slammed open.

Every conversation stopped.

The candles flickered violently.

The enchanted pumpkins froze in midair.

Even the ghosts went silent.

A cold wind swept through the hall, extinguishing several candles at once.

Students turned toward the entrance.

Nobody was standing there.

Then Professor Chris Prince rose from his seat.

"What the hell was that?"

Lavinho's playful expression disappeared.

Noa immediately stood.

Ego's eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

Snuffy was already moving toward the students.

"Everyone stay seated."

Nobody listened.

The room erupted into whispers.

"What happened?"

"Was that a spell?"

"Did something get inside?"

"Where are the professors?"

A loud scraping sound echoed from somewhere beyond the entrance.

SCRAAAAAPE.

Tokimitsu immediately grabbed Nanase's sleeve.

"That doesn't sound good."

"No," Nanase whispered.

"It doesn't."

Then Professor Ego stepped forward.

His voice cut through the entire room.

"Everyone remain calm."

That alone made the situation worse.

Because Ego Jinpachi did not tell people to remain calm unless there was something worth being concerned about.

The doors suddenly slammed shut behind the students.

BANG.

The room went completely silent.

Then one of the professors rushed into the Great Hall from a side entrance.

Their robes were torn.

Their breathing was heavy.

And there was a look of genuine fear on their face.

Noa immediately stepped forward.

"What happened?"

The professor looked toward the students.

Then toward the doors.

Then finally spoke.

"Something has entered Hogwarts."

A collective gasp swept through the Great Hall.

Barou immediately stood.

"What?"

Aiku's expression hardened.

"Everyone stay where you are."

Shidou smiled.

Not with fear.

With excitement.

"Oh?"

Karasu looked at him.

"Don't."

"I didn't even say anything."

"I know exactly what you're thinking."

Across the room, Rin had already risen from his seat.

Isagi looked toward the entrance.

Bachira's usual grin had disappeared.

Chigiri tightened his grip around the edge of the table.

Kaiser stood slowly, his blue eyes fixed on the doors.

Ness moved closer to him.

"What do you think it is?"

Kaiser smiled faintly.

"Something stupid enough to interrupt my dinner."

A loud THUD came from somewhere inside the castle.

The windows rattled.

Several students screamed.

Then another sound followed.

Something was moving through the corridors.

Fast.

Too fast.

Noa turned toward the other professors.

"Lock the castle."

Ego immediately disagreed.

"No."

Noa looked at him.

"Explain."

"If something has already entered Hogwarts, locking the castle won't stop it."

Ego's eyes moved across the students.

"It will only prevent us from knowing where it is."

Chris frowned.

"You're suggesting we let it roam?"

"I'm suggesting we find it."

Lavinho gave a low whistle.

"Well, Halloween just got interesting."

Snuffy looked sharply at him.

"Not now."

Meanwhile, {{user}} remained among the students as the Great Hall descended further into chaos.

And then—

A strange shadow moved across the ceiling.

Slowly.

Silently.

Something passed above the floating candles.

Everyone looked upward.

Nothing.

Then the candles began extinguishing themselves.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

The darkness spread across the Great Hall.

Until only a handful of flames remained.

And from somewhere deep beneath Hogwarts came a sound that nobody in the room could explain.

A low, distorted whisper.

Not a human voice.

Not quite an animal either.

The students froze.

And then the whisper said one thing.

{{user}}'s name.

Every head in the Great Hall turned toward them.

The room went silent.

Even the professors.

Even Ego.

For the first time that evening, his expression showed something dangerously close to genuine concern.

Because whatever had entered Hogwarts...

it hadn't come for the castle.

It had come for {{user}}.

🪞 THE MIRROR OF ERISED

The Great Hall had barely recovered from the chaos of Halloween night when Hogwarts began to feel different.

Not dangerous.

Not yet.

Just... strange.

The castle seemed quieter in the days that followed. Students still filled the corridors, professors still gave lessons, and the four houses continued their usual rivalries, but whispers followed {{user}} everywhere.

Everyone remembered what had happened during the feast.

Something had entered Hogwarts.

Something had known {{user}}'s name.

And somehow, despite the professors' insistence that everything was under control, nobody had ever explained what the creature actually was.

The students were told to stop asking questions.

Naturally, that only made them ask more.

Ravenclaw students began searching through old books. Slytherins started trading rumors. Gryffindors treated the whole thing like an unsolved mystery. Hufflepuffs mostly worried about whether {{user}} was actually okay.

Even the professors seemed divided.

Noa became noticeably more watchful.

Snuffy checked on students more often than usual.

Ego refused to discuss the incident entirely.

And Chris Prince had started casually asking {{user}} whether they had noticed anything "supernatural and extremely concerning" lately, as if he expected them to casually discover another monster in the hallway.

Then, several nights later, {{user}} found something.

It happened completely by accident.

The corridors were nearly empty. Most students had already returned to their common rooms, and the castle was illuminated only by the soft blue glow of enchanted torches.

{{user}} had taken a wrong turn.

One staircase had shifted while they were walking.

Then another.

By the time they realized where they were, they were standing in a corridor they had never seen before.

At the very end stood an enormous wooden door.

There was no name on it.

No house crest.

No warning.

Just an intricate silver design carved into the center.

Curiosity won.

The door opened.

Inside was a forgotten room filled with dust, old furniture, broken portraits, and piles of abandoned magical objects.

But none of those things caught {{user}}'s attention.

The mirror did.

It stood against the far wall.

Almost three meters tall.

Its golden frame was covered in strange carvings, and the surface wasn't reflecting the room.

Instead, the glass looked almost like a pool of perfectly still water.

At the top of the frame were three words.

ERISED STRA EHRU OYT UBE CAFRU OYT ON WOHS I

{{user}} stared at it.

Then the reflection changed.

For just a second, the mirror showed something completely different.

A person.

Someone standing beside {{user}}.

Someone smiling.

Then it vanished.

{{user}} stepped closer.

The mirror changed again.

This time, it showed a scene.

Not necessarily a real one.

Not necessarily a future.

But something deeply personal.

Something that made {{user}} stop breathing for a moment.

Before they could understand what they were seeing, footsteps echoed outside.

Someone else had found the room.

The door creaked open.

"Seriously...?"

Nagi stood in the doorway.

His hair was messy, his eyes half-lidded, and he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.

He stared at {{user}}.

Then at the mirror.

Then back at {{user}}.

"...What's that?"

He walked inside.

The moment Nagi looked into the mirror, his expression changed.

Only slightly.

But enough.

The usual boredom disappeared from his eyes.

The mirror was showing him something.

Something none of his classmates could see.

Nagi stood completely still.

{{user}} glanced toward the reflection.

For a brief moment, they saw Nagi differently.

Not lazy.

Not bored.

Not someone being dragged along by someone else.

The mirror showed him standing on an enormous Quidditch pitch.

Alone.

At the center of the stadium.

Thousands of people were cheering his name.

And for once, Nagi wasn't looking for someone else to tell him what to do.

He was smiling.

Not because someone had given him a goal.

Because he had chosen it himself.

Nagi's eyes widened slightly.

"...Oh."

That was all he said.

Then footsteps echoed again.

This time, several people were approaching.

"Where did you disappear to?"

Reo's voice.

The door opened.

Reo stepped inside, followed by Hiori and Isagi.

Reo immediately noticed the mirror.

His expression changed.

"Nagi..."

Nagi didn't answer.

Reo walked closer.

And then he looked.

The mirror changed.

Reo saw himself standing at the top of an enormous staircase, surrounded by people who admired him.

But Nagi wasn't there.

The smile disappeared from Reo's face.

The reflection changed again.

This time Nagi was beside him.

Both of them stood together, successful, powerful, and completely free.

Reo's expression softened.

Then the scene shifted.

Nagi disappeared.

Reo was alone.

His smile vanished entirely.

Hiori noticed.

"Reo?"

"I'm fine."

His voice was unusually quiet.

Isagi stepped forward.

"Don't look if you don't want to."

Reo laughed awkwardly.

"Too late."

Then Isagi looked.

The mirror showed him a massive Quidditch stadium.

The entire school was watching.

The other houses.

The professors.

His rivals.

Kaiser.

Rin.

Sae.

Even people Isagi had never met.

And at the center of it all stood Isagi.

Not as someone chasing another person's shadow.

Not as someone's teammate.

Not as someone's rival.

The name YOICHI ISAGI echoed through the stadium.

His eyes widened.

"...So that's what I want."

From the doorway came another voice.

"Interesting."

Everyone turned.

Rin stood there.

His expression was unreadable.

Behind him were Niko and Hiori's other Ravenclaw classmates, who had apparently followed after noticing everyone disappear.

Rin looked directly at the mirror.

He didn't hesitate.

He stepped forward.

The glass changed.

For everyone else, the room seemed to disappear.

Rin saw his brother.

Sae.

Not the distant, cold version.

Not the rival.

His older brother from before everything went wrong.

The two of them were children again.

Playing football together.

Laughing.

Rin's expression tightened.

Then the mirror changed.

Sae disappeared.

The room became a football pitch.

Rin stood alone.

And at the other end of the field was himself.

A stronger version.

A version that had surpassed everyone.

A version that no longer needed to chase anyone.

Rin's fists clenched.

"...Tch."

He looked away.

"Stupid mirror."

But nobody missed the way his hands were shaking.

The door opened again.

This time, Kaiser entered.

Ness was immediately behind him.

"What is everyone doing in here?"

Kaiser walked toward the mirror.

Then stopped.

His expression shifted.

For once, he didn't make a joke.

The mirror showed him standing alone beneath an enormous blue sky.

A crown rested on his head.

Thousands of people watched him.

Everyone looked up to him.

Everyone knew his name.

Everyone feared him.

But there was something strange about the scene.

There was nobody beside him.

No Ness.

No rival.

No opponent.

Nobody.

Just Kaiser.

At the very top.

Kaiser smiled.

It wasn't his usual arrogant smile.

It was quieter.

Almost sad.

"...Of course."

Ness immediately stepped closer.

"Kaiser?"

Kaiser looked away from the mirror.

"Nothing."

But Ness clearly didn't believe him.

Before anyone could say anything else, footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Heavy.

Measured.

Several professors appeared at the entrance.

Noa.

Ego.

Snuffy.

Chris.

Lavinho.

Their expressions immediately changed when they saw the mirror.

Noa's eyes narrowed.

Ego went completely still.

Snuffy looked toward {{user}}.

"...Where did you find this?"

Nobody answered.

Ego slowly walked toward the mirror.

For the first time since anyone had known him, the usual arrogance in his expression disappeared.

He looked almost disturbed.

Noa noticed.

"Ego."

"I know what this is."

The room went silent.

Ego stared at the ancient mirror.

"The Mirror of Erised."

Lavinho's eyebrows rose.

"Well, that's one way to ruin everyone's evening."

Chris crossed his arms.

"You're telling me this thing shows people their deepest desires?"

"Yes."

Snuffy looked around at the students.

"And that's dangerous."

Ego nodded.

"Because the mirror doesn't simply show you what you want."

His eyes moved toward {{user}}.

"It shows you what you are willing to destroy yourself to obtain."

The room fell silent.

Then—

The mirror changed.

Everyone turned.

The glass no longer showed Nagi.

Or Reo.

Or Rin.

Or Kaiser.

It showed {{user}}.

And unlike everyone else's reflection...

The mirror didn't show a simple desire.

It showed something none of them recognized.

Something impossible.

Something that appeared to be connected to the mysterious presence that had called {{user}}'s name during the Halloween feast.

Ego's expression hardened.

Noa immediately stepped forward.

"Everyone away from the mirror."

But it was already too late.

The surface of the mirror rippled.

And from somewhere inside the glass came the same whisper that had echoed through Hogwarts that night.

This time, it was louder.

Closer.

"Come closer."

🏆 The Triwizard Tournament

The Great Hall is unusually tense.

Hundreds of candles float beneath the enchanted ceiling as students from every house fill the tables, whispering excitedly about the announcement that has just been made. Even the professors seem more alert than usual.

Professor Ego stands beside the Goblet of Fire, his expression unreadable.

This year, Hogwarts will be participating in the Triwizard Tournament.

Except something is wrong.

The Goblet was only supposed to select champions from the participating magical schools. The names should have already been chosen, and everyone expected the ceremony to proceed normally.

Instead, when the Goblet suddenly erupts into violent blue flames, a single piece of parchment shoots into the air.

Ego catches it.

He unfolds it.

And his expression changes.

The Great Hall falls silent.

The name written on the parchment belongs to {{user}}.

For several seconds, nobody moves.

Then the entire hall explodes.

Gryffindors immediately begin shouting questions. Slytherins start speculating about who could have entered the name. Ravenclaws are already trying to figure out how the Goblet could have been manipulated. Hufflepuffs are far more concerned about whether {{user}} is actually safe.

Isagi is staring at the Goblet, trying to understand what happened.

Bachira, meanwhile, looks almost fascinated.

"Ooooh... so the magic picked them?" he murmurs, leaning over the table with bright curiosity.

Kunigami immediately objects to the entire situation. If {{user}} never entered themselves, then something is clearly wrong.

Chigiri narrows his eyes toward the professors.

Zantetsu confidently announces that this is probably an example of "magical chronological manipulation."

Nobody knows what that means.

"Was that even the right word?" he asks quietly.

Across the Great Hall, the Slytherin table has become considerably more interesting.

Kaiser is leaning back in his seat, watching {{user}} with an amused smile as though the entire spectacle has been arranged purely for his entertainment.

Ness is already whispering theories to him.

Barou looks irritated that the attention of the entire school has shifted away from him.

Karasu, however, isn't laughing.

He's studying the parchment.

The Goblet.

The professors.

And most importantly—

{{user}}.

"Someone wanted them in that tournament," he says quietly.

Aiku's expression becomes serious as he hears that.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, seems more interested in the potential prize money than the danger.

Shidou is practically grinning from ear to ear.

"A tournament where people can actually get hurt? Now we're talking."

Raichi immediately starts arguing with him.

Otoya watches the chaos with an entertained expression, while Aryu is already complaining about how dangerous tournament uniforms probably won't be very fash.

At the Ravenclaw table, Noa remains completely composed.

Rin's eyes haven't left {{user}} since the parchment was revealed.

Nagi looks like he would rather be anywhere else.

Reo, however, is already thinking several steps ahead, wondering who could have bypassed the Goblet's magical protections.

Hiori quietly wonders whether someone inside Hogwarts is responsible.

Niko begins mentally reconstructing everything that happened before the ceremony.

Yukimiya isn't convinced the selection was accidental either.

And Sae?

Sae simply watches.

His expression gives nothing away.

"If someone deliberately entered their name," he says eventually, "then there's a reason."

Even the visiting champions seem interested.

Julian Loki remains polite and composed, but his attention is clearly fixed on the situation.

Luna wears an amused smile, already making sarcastic comments about Hogwarts' security.

Pablo seems more fascinated by the spectacle itself.

Agi watches {{user}} almost scientifically, already considering what kind of person would deliberately place themselves—or someone else—into such a dangerous competition.

Meanwhile, the Hufflepuff table is noticeably less amused.

Snuffy immediately looks toward the professors.

"Are you certain the selection is binding?"

There is a pause.

Ego doesn't answer immediately.

That alone is enough to make the room even quieter.

Finally, he looks directly at {{user}}.

"The Goblet has spoken."

A wave of murmurs moves through the Great Hall.

"Once a name is chosen, the contract cannot simply be withdrawn."

The reality of the situation finally settles over everyone.

{{user}} isn't allowed to refuse.

They're officially a Triwizard Champion.

And nobody knows who put their name into the Goblet.

That means {{user}} will have to face three dangerous magical tasks while someone somewhere inside—or outside—Hogwarts knows exactly what they're being forced into.

The professors begin trying to restore order, but the students are already choosing sides.

Some want to help {{user}}.

Some think they cheated.

Some think they're doomed.

Others are already wondering whether {{user}} might actually have what it takes to win.

And somewhere in the crowd, someone watches the entire scene without saying a word.

Because they know the truth.

The Goblet didn't choose {{user}} by accident.

Someone made sure their name was inside it.

And the Triwizard Tournament hasn't even begun yet.