The train slowly stopped at the platform, rain pouring down, raindrops splattering on the ground, creating circles of splashes.
Everyone else had returned to their compartments to pack up and change clothes. Theo stood up to get off the train, but Michael held him back.
"Wait a bit longer," Michael said, "Right now the doorway must be jam-packed."
Through the glass, you could hear the sounds of students hurrying and shouting in the corridor.
Theo sat back down, then, like there was a hedgehog hidden under his seat, he stood up occasionally to look outside. After some time, seeing the crowd in the corridor had finally thinned, he quickly said:
"Almost everyone has gotten off, let's go quickly as well."
Leian laughed and got up, followed by Vid.
Michael sighed and said to Vid, "Actually, I'd prefer to wait until everyone's gone before getting off. After all, the school wouldn't leave us on the train."
"Alright, get up," Leian reached out and hefted him off the seat.
Vid pulled out his raincoat from his pocket, shook it to return it to its original size, and asked Michael, "Need a raincoat?"
On the way up, only Michael was drenched, clearly having forgotten an umbrella when he went out.
Michael chuckled, "I've been practicing Transfiguration recently; let me show you."
He drew a piece of Chocolate Frog wrapper off the table, pointed his wand at it, and chanted the Transfiguration Spell.
A moment later, the wrapper gradually enlarged, turning into a blue cloak adorned with golden patterns.
Leian, waiting by the door, gave a thumbs up, "Nice!"
Michael raised an eyebrow, donned the cloak, and said, "I hope you're complimenting my Transfiguration and not just the cloak's patterns."
He walked ahead, followed by Vid, who couldn't help but laugh—the back of the cloak still had a silly frog printed on it.
At the compartment's door, indeed there was still a small cluster of people; Vid waited a bit longer before finally stepping out of the train.
Standing on the dark platform, he realized why the students were taking so long—many senior students were holding leaf umbrellas or flower umbrellas, deliberately strolling leisurely by the platform to showcase their Transfiguration skills!
"Vid, they've stolen your idea!" Michael said indignantly.
"Hurry up," Leian urged, "I'm about to freeze."
Walking from the platform to the Thestral carriages, Vid noticed some people's Transfiguration wasn't up to par—the leaves of the newly unfurled umbrellas became droopy, and as the rainwater accumulated in the center of the leaves, it suddenly tilted, and the cold rainwater drenched the student beneath from head to toe.
Michael couldn't help but laugh and nervously wrapped his cloak, made of wrapper, tighter.
It wasn't just pouring rain, there was a strong wind too, which blew the rain toward everyone from every direction, rendering umbrellas useless.
Fortunately, the Chocolate Frog manufacturer was thoughtful enough to coat the wrapper with wax, making it waterproof. When the carriages wobbled their way into Hogwarts, Michael's cloak hadn't fallen apart in the rain.
Not one of them lingered at the doors; Vid got off the carriage and quickly climbed the steps into the castle, entering the warm Great Hall with a sigh of relief.
He exchanged a greeting with Theo, took off his cloak, and walked toward the Ravenclaw Long Table, simultaneously shrinking and storing his cloak away.
As soon as he found an empty seat and sat down, he heard a commotion at the door. Soon after, Harry and the others rushed into the Great Hall, soaked through, with several fifth-year girls shrieking and running after them.
"Hey, you guys, what happened over by the entrance hall?"
As they walked through the aisle down the middle of the long tables, Fred curiously asked loudly.
"Peeves is throwing water bombs," Ron said angrily, "Just our luck..."
They sat at the Gryffindor Long Table, their backs facing Vid's side. Probably because their socks were soaked, their footsteps made squeaky noises as they walked.
Harry was taking off his shoes to dump out the water inside when a boy immediately leaned in beside him, excitedly saying, "Harry, guess what? My brother's started school too! My brother's name is Dennis!"
Vid's fingertips stiffened slightly, and he turned his head to look at the boy.
Colin Creevey, both he and his brother were Harry Potter's admirers, if memory served, both died in the final battle.
Even when they were sacrificed, the brothers hadn't yet come of age.
"Hey, Colin," Michael turned around, grinning, "Didn't you bring your camera? Aren't you going to take a 'soaked Harry Potter' photo?"
"Hey, Michael!" Harry shouted.
"Great idea!" Colin's eyes lit up looking eagerly at Harry, raising his camera and asking, "Can I take a shot? Just one?"
"Thanks, but no, Colin," Harry decisively refused as he put his cold, wet sneakers back on.
While they were talking, the doors of the Great Hall suddenly opened. Professor McGonagall led a group of first-years inside, and the students quickly quieted down, looking over.
Those children seemed like they had just been fished out of the water, shivering from the cold. One freshman even had Hagrid's moleskin coat draped over them, gesturing excitedly to Colin.
"I fell into the lake!" he mouthed happily.
When Professor McGonagall led the first-years to the front and took out the Sorting Hat, Harry stretched out his arm and tugged on Vid's sleeve.
Vid turned around to see Harry whispering, "Help us out, Vid, we've all become drowned rats."
On the train, Michael had enthusiastically shared Vid's self-invented Warm Wind Spell with them. If there was a way to dry off, who would want to endure the feeling of damp, icy clothes sticking to their body?
"Oh, Harry," Nearly Headless Nick approached him, warmly saying, "I could fetch you some candles if you'd like."
Harry's mouth twitched, but Hermione interrupted, "Thanks, Nick, but I think we need a quicker fix."
She wrung the hem of her robe anxiously, with water still dripping from her hair, as wet as if she'd just been pulled out of the seaweed.
Vid smiled, drew out his wand, and with a flick of his wrist said, "Warm breeze sweep through."
A surge of hot air whirled out from the tip of the wand, sweeping past Harry, across Hermione, and in an instant, washed over the entire Great Hall like ocean waves.
Amidst the "whoosh" of air, the Sorting Hat, just about to sing, opened its mouth only to have its body blown up by the hot gust; several girls shrieked as their hair, plastered to their faces, instantly fluffed and softened; Professor McGonagall's pointed hat suddenly flew off but was promptly caught by her outstretched hand.
Over at the Slytherin Long Table, Malfoy's neat hair became as fluffy as a dandelion, while Pansy looked more like a poodle.
At the Teachers' Table, Professor Snape's robe suddenly billowed open, only to be immediately pressed down by him, after which he gave Vid a fierce glare.
But Professor Dumbledore reacted swiftly, pressing down his beard in time to prevent it from getting disheveled, and then contentedly squinted his eyes.
Above the Great Hall, the candle flames flickered, yet didn't go out. Only a few bats seemed startled, suddenly swooping across the ceiling.
Shortly after, the whirlwind subsided, leaving the Great Hall in complete silence. The first-year students were dumbfounded, touching their dry clothes, while several young wizards from the Muggle World looked on with eyes full of amazement.