Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard

Once everyone was seated, Kyle shut the carriage door. The carriage lurched forward, moving at a slow, plodding pace, soon trailing behind the other carriages.

Kyle noticed the Thestral pulling their carriage glance back curiously at the one following them, its dragon-like head tilting slightly as though full of unspoken questions. Kyle had been able to see magical creatures like Thestrals ever since Quirrell had turned to dust before him. The Thestral seemed to be studying the carriage carefully, and after confirming that nothing looked amiss, it snorted softly and continued trotting forward.

Inside, Kyle had already recounted the recent events to Kanna and the others, including what Professor Lupin had told him.

"So that's why…" Cedric mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Not only did Professor Lupin not stop you from selling those badges, he even helped keep the crowd organized. He must've known about the Dementors coming to Hogwarts. If those badges really do offer some kind of protection, then they could be helpful for most students."

"Wait, what did you just say?" George interrupted suddenly, his voice slightly shrill. "Dementors… at school?"

"Didn't Percy mention it?" Cedric asked with a nod. "He brought it up when we were in the Prefects' compartment. The professor asked us to reassure the students, especially the first years, and find ways to help them cope with their fears."

"You mean we'll be going to classes with Dementors around?" Ginny's face grew pale at the thought. She still vividly remembered the bone-chilling cold that had filled their compartment when the Dementors had boarded the train. If that happened in the classroom, how would they even hold their quills, let alone pay attention?

"Of course not," Cedric quickly assured them, waving his hands. "They're only stationed at the entrances to the school grounds. They won't be roaming inside the castle."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Cho glared at Cedric. "Next time, maybe get to the point a little faster."

Fred and George immediately joined in, listing Cedric's faults with mock indignation. They had almost been ready to turn around and leave if Hogwarts had Dementors wandering the halls. Spending a year in a castle with those creatures would be anything but fun.

Realizing he'd worried everyone unnecessarily, Cedric lowered his head, apologizing with a sheepish smile.

As if to confirm his words, as their carriage neared the school gates, they could see two hooded Dementors stationed there, one on either side of the entrance. As the carriage rolled between them, an icy shiver passed through the group. The bone-deep cold slowly ebbed as they continued forward, their carriage picking up speed as it moved up the slope leading to the castle.

A few minutes later, the carriage came to a halt. Kyle was the last to step out, carefully restoring the interior to its original size. He then pulled out a small bag of Murtlap-dried rat meat, offering it to the panting Thestral as a reward for its hard work. After all, pulling a full load of eight students was no small task.

They were the last to arrive; everyone else had already made their way into the castle. Just up the path, they could still make out the tall silhouette of Hagrid, heading toward the entrance hall.

"The first-years are here," Kyle said. "Let's head inside."

The group stepped onto the stone steps and hurried toward the castle entrance, where Professor Sprout waited, holding the door open. Once they entered, she closed the doors behind them.

"Next time, try not to cut it so close," she said casually. "Now, off to the Great Hall—the Start-of-Term Feast is about to begin."

To their right, the door to the Great Hall stood open, revealing the enchanted ceiling that displayed a dark, cloudy sky, giving the room a somber look. It seemed the weather was almost always gloomy at the Start-of-Term Feast, except for that rare sunny first year.

The group split at the entrance, heading toward their respective house tables.

Not long after, the new students arrived, following Professor Sprout into the Great Hall. As always, Professor Flitwick placed the Sorting Hat on its triangular stool, and it began to sing its annual song, this time in a catchy country tune that oddly suited its quirky lyrics. Yet, few students paid much attention—nearly everyone was preoccupied with talk about the Dementors and the events on the train.

"Kyle, is it true?" came a voice.

Before the Sorting Hat finished its song, Mikel leaned in, curiosity shining in his eyes. "They're saying you chased off a Dementor on the train and saved Harry Potter!"

"Chased off a Dementor? Who told you that?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Susan Bones," Mikel replied. "She said she saw you use your wand to drive the Dementor against the window, then go to Potter's compartment after he fainted, and he woke up afterward."

Kyle remembered Susan—a fellow Hufflepuff in Harry's year, always up-to-date on the latest gossip. If anyone had a question about school drama or who'd earned detention, she'd have the details and probably recount the story twice for good measure. She must have been nearby when he dealt with the Dementor.

"Not quite," Kyle said, shaking his head. "The Dementor left after its search, and Harry was actually helped by our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I didn't have much to do with it."

"Oh, I see…" Mikel looked a bit disappointed. "A shame, though. If you had fought it off and saved Potter, you might've been in line for another Order of Merlin."

"If only," Kyle laughed. "But an Order of Merlin isn't that easy to come by."

"Well, at least it'd be worth fifty points!" Mikel offered, his eyes gleaming.

Kyle shrugged, unconvinced. The Dementor search had been authorized by the Ministry of Magic. Chasing them off would hardly be rewarded—he'd be lucky not to get into trouble for it.

"Hufflepuff!" called the Sorting Hat, echoing throughout the hall.

The first new student was sorted into Hufflepuff, and Kyle joined in the applause, while Mikel stood up to give an enthusiastic welcome to the slightly shy newcomer.

The Sorting Hat seemed to sense the impatience in the room, perhaps eager to let the students enjoy the feast. This year, the Sorting moved along briskly, each student taking only about twenty seconds to be sorted. It was all over in less than half an hour.

Once the last student had been placed in Ravenclaw, Professor Flitwick removed the Sorting Hat and stool, taking them out of the hall. Then Dumbledore rose to speak.

"Welcome!" he said, beaming at the students as candlelight glinted off his long beard. "Welcome back to Hogwarts! I have a few matters to announce, one of which is quite important, so I'll share it while everyone's still awake…"

He cleared his throat and continued, "Our school has been visited by a few Dementors, sent here by the Ministry of Magic on official business. While they are with us, I must make it very clear that no one is allowed to leave the school grounds without permission, and no tricks, disguises, or spells will deceive them."

As Dumbledore's words hung in the air, a tense silence fell over the Great Hall. Students recalled the ominous hooded figures standing guard at the gates, and some grew visibly uneasy, remembering the encounter on the train. The Dementors would remain at Hogwarts until Sirius Black was captured.

"Now, let's move on to more pleasant news," Dumbledore said, his expression softening as he smiled. "First, please welcome Professor Lupin, who has graciously agreed to take on the role of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor…"

He paused as scattered applause met his announcement.

"And also, Rubeus Hagrid, who will be stepping in to teach Care of Magical Creatures, following the retirement of Professor Kettleburn last term."

But most students, preoccupied by the thought of Dementors, offered only polite, distracted applause for the new professors, particularly for Defense Against the Dark Arts. After all, it was a subject with such rapid turnover that students hardly expected much from the new teacher. Fortunately, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables were far more enthusiastic, giving a warm response that brightened the mood slightly.

"Hagrid's always wanted to be a professor," Cedric said with a pleased grin, clapping his hands. "And now he's made it!"

"Yes," Kyle replied with a smile, glancing toward the staff table, where Hagrid was dabbing at his eyes with a corner of the tablecloth.