"Harry, what are you talking about? There's nothing in front of this carriage."
Ron turned his head to look at Harry in surprise, not understanding what he meant by a horse, and a skeletal one at that?
"What? But it's clearly right there, can't you see it?"
Harry was dumbfounded, pointing his finger at the spot in front of the carriage where the Thestral was.
However, Hermione, Ron, Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, and Penelope all shook their heads in unison.
"We don't see anything; there's nothing there."
Harry opened his mouth wordlessly, wondering if he was going crazy.
"There is indeed a magical creature in front of the carriage, but it's not a horse."
Amanda's cold voice rang out, and she looked at the group with an expressionless face.
"The magical creature in front of the carriage is called a Thestral. It has an excellent sense of direction and wings on its back for flight. Only those who have witnessed death firsthand can see it; to those who haven't, it is invisible."
The six of them fell silent at the same time, looking at Harry and Amanda with a sense of helplessness.
Undoubtedly, the two of them could see the Thestrals. Harry could because his parents died before his eyes.
And Amanda... it was certainly because she had witnessed her own death.
In reality, what they didn't realize was that Amanda had seen more than just her own death.
During the dozen or so years she lived in her original world, Amanda had seen students try to resist the Enforcement Agents more than once.
Without exception, those students were shot dead on the spot by the Enforcement Agents, dying right before Amanda's eyes.
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this. Everyone, get on the carriage."
In the end, it was Harry who broke the deadlock, reaching out to push Ron onto the carriage.
Hermione pursed her lips, stepped forward to gently wrap her arm around Amanda's waist, and led her onto the carriage, with Cho Chang and the other two following closely behind.
They certainly knew about magical creatures like Thestrals, but in all their years at Hogwarts, they truly never knew that these carriages were pulled by them.
Arriving at the gates of Hogwarts Castle by carriage, Professor McGonagall opened the doors as usual.
While guiding the Young Wizards into the school one after another, she also waved to Amanda, who was being held by Hermione.
"Miss Amanda, please come here for a moment."
Hearing Professor McGonagall's call, Amanda turned her head. Seeing it was her, she changed direction without hesitation and walked over.
Hermione kept her arm around her waist and walked with her to Professor McGonagall.
"Good evening, Professor McGonagall," Amanda greeted politely, and Hermione followed suit.
"Good evening, Miss Amanda, Miss Granger."
Professor McGonagall's expression softened. After nodding, she couldn't hide the concern in her eyes as she looked at Amanda.
"Miss Amanda, I've heard about what happened on the train. How are you feeling now?"
Amanda blinked and nodded seriously. "I'm fine now. Professor Lupin gave me some chocolate; it's very good at relieving the negative effects of the Dementors."
"I'm glad our defense against the dark arts professor is finally reliable for once."
A voice approached rapidly. Madam Pomfrey spoke while drawing her wand, casting a flurry of diagnostic spells on Amanda.
"It's alright," Madam Pomfrey nodded with a smile. "There's really nothing serious. You just need a good night's rest tonight."
"That's good," Professor McGonagall sighed in relief.
"Filius was very worried about you," Professor McGonagall said, ruffling Amanda's hair. "But he's in charge of the first-year Sorting Ceremony this year, so he didn't wait here for you. You'll see him once you enter the Great Hall."
"Alright, thank you, Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey. I've caused you trouble."
"I'm very sorry."
Amanda lowered her head sincerely. Her respectful and humble demeanor made Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey feel a pang of discomfort.
What Professor or healer would want to see their student or patient act so... so "subservient" toward them?
Students were meant to be taught and cared for, not to be used to gain a sense of superiority.
Patients were meant to be treated and cared for, not to be used to seek a sense of advantage.
Mutual respect is the prerequisite for politeness, but excessively belittling oneself still makes the other party feel uneasy.
Professor McGonagall took off her Wizard's hat and gently patted Amanda's shoulder.
"There's no need to be so formal with us, Miss Amanda. Go on into the Great Hall; the new students will be arriving soon."
"Alright."
Amanda nodded expressionlessly. After thanking Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey again, she walked toward the Great Hall in Hermione's embrace.
Upon entering the Great Hall, Amanda felt Hermione release her waist and turned to look at her.
Hermione's face flushed slightly, and she cleared her throat. "Ahem, you go sit at the Ravenclaw Table first. I have something I need to talk to Professor McGonagall about."
"Alright."
Amanda agreed indifferently and walked toward the seat her housemates had tacitly left for her at the Ravenclaw Table.
Sitting between Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore, the two seniors immediately began asking about Amanda's condition and what Madam Pomfrey had said.
"My body is fine," Amanda's voice was flat. "Madam Pomfrey said I just need to rest well for one night."
"Phew... that's good." Cho Chang sighed in relief, reaching out to smooth Amanda's hair.
"Let's both learn the Patronus Charm this year too," Marietta Eckmore said, leaning across Amanda toward Cho Chang, completely oblivious to the fact that because she was so close, Cho Chang's face was slowly turning red.
"Sure," Cho Chang agreed with a nod, trying hard to control the heat in her face.
Sitting next to her, Penelope looked at her junior's flushed cheeks and a knowing smile played on her lips.
Oh my... it was indeed true; Cho Chang was reaching the age where she might want to fall in love.
"I can teach you."
Penelope, who could also successfully use the Patronus Charm, spoke with a beaming smile.
"But Senior Penelope, you have to take your O.W.L.s this year. If we learn from you, won't it interfere with your revision?"
Cho Chang turned back to look at Penelope, a bit uncertain if they should trouble her.
"It's fine," Penelope's smile widened. "With the notebook Amanda helped me organize over the summer, I've already memorized all the knowledge points and practiced all the question types."
"I'm fairly confident I'll get an 'Outstanding' in all the subjects I've chosen."
"Impressive." Cho Chang gave a thumbs up in admiration.
Penelope shook her head and gestured to Amanda sitting next to her. "It's Amanda who's impressive, not me."
To be honest, the revision notebook Amanda gave her was like having the O.W.L.s Exam papers and the examiners themselves right in front of her.
It was as clear as being able to ask the examiner how to solve each problem on the paper.
If she still couldn't feel confident about getting an 'Outstanding'... then it would truly be a matter of her not putting in the effort.
On the other side, Hermione walked back out of the Great Hall to Professor McGonagall's side. Seeing that the new students hadn't arrived yet, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Miss Granger? Is there something else you've come out for?"
The flush on Hermione's face deepened, and she lowered her head guiltily.
"Um... Professor McGonagall, last school year Headmaster Dumbledore mentioned preparing a bed for me in Amanda's Dormitory in Ravenclaw. Can I, can I sleep there tonight?"
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, looking down at Hermione while suppressing a laugh, teasing her intentionally.
"It seems our star Gryffindor student is about to be whisked away by Ravenclaw~"
Hermione caught the teasing tone in Professor McGonagall's voice and rubbed her nose. "How could that be, Professor McGonagall? I'll always be a Gryffindor student."
Unable to hold back a laugh, Professor McGonagall nodded elegantly. "Of course you can, Miss Granger. I can't think of any reason to refuse you the pursuit of your feelings."
"However... I trust you understand that you are both still quite young?"
Understanding Professor McGonagall's underlying meaning, Hermione nodded hurriedly.
"Of course, Professor McGonagall. I just, I just want to spend more time by Amanda's side to keep her company."
As Hermione spoke, the blush spread down to her neck, with signs of spreading even further.
Looking at her student who was about to be 'fully cooked,' Professor McGonagall shook her head with amusement and stopped teasing her.
"Go ahead and stay there, Miss Granger. And while you're at it, keep an eye on Miss Amanda; make sure she doesn't study all the time, and especially doesn't stay up late to study."
"Okay, I'll remember. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
Hermione agreed happily, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face.
Professor McGonagall nodded, signaling Hermione to return to the Great Hall, while she herself turned to open the currently closed doors of Hogwarts Castle.
After receiving the concern of her three seniors, Amanda followed a gaze she felt toward the Staff Table.
Professor Flitwick was holding the Sorting Hat, smiling at her with a face full of kindness.
Amanda returned a polite smile and nodded back to Professor Flitwick.
The Great Hall doors gave a soft creak as Hermione re-entered and sat down at the Gryffindor Table.
Because there was too little information, Amanda couldn't deduce why Hermione had specifically gone back out to find Professor McGonagall.
However, their gazes met in mid-air.
Amanda blinked indifferently, while Hermione gave her a bright, sunny smile.
Before long, this year's first-year Young Wizards lined up and walked into the Great Hall.
Amanda's eyes scanned the new students before she began mentally reciting this year's History of magic textbook.
Accompanied by the sound of Professor Flitwick calling out the names, one by one the new students walked up to the Staff Table, put on the Sorting Hat, and received their house assignments.
Whenever a student was sorted into Ravenclaw House, the Ravenclaw students would give a uniform and enthusiastic round of applause.
This made the new students feel an irrepressible sense of warmth.
Especially for those from the Muggle World, the anxiety of leaving home and their familiar world for this strange "world" faded significantly.
After all, The Ravenclaws, who all clapped so warmly for them, looked like they would be very kind to new students.
What put them even more at ease was that, through The Ravenclaws' deliberate arrangement, the ones sitting next to them were seventh-year Ravenclaw seniors.
The already mature Little Eagles skillfully soothed the new fledglings, as if comforting their own selves from seven years ago across time.
This not only removed the fledglings' anxiety and trepidation but also gave them a greater sense of recognition and belonging to Ravenclaw.
Once the fledglings were settled, the Ravenclaw upperclassmen began introducing them to Amanda, who was known as the darling of Ravenclaw.
Listening to the seniors' introductions, the fledglings all looked toward Amanda with curiosity.
She was looking down, her mouth moving as she recited the History of magic textbook.
The first-year fledglings were completely baffled. "Is this senior very powerful?"
"Very powerful. No, she's exceptionally powerful."
"That's right. With her help, Ravenclaw has won the House Cup for two consecutive years."
"And we led the second-place house by several hundred points."
The seventh-year students chimed in one after another, recounting the major events Amanda had been involved in over the past two years.
In her first year, she protected her classmates and killed a Troll; at the end of the year, she prevented the theft of the Philosopher's Stone. In her Second Year, she single-handedly destroyed Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, killed the Basilisk, and received the hogwarts special award for services.
The first-year fledglings gulped, their gazes shifting between fear and uncertainty as they looked at the senior with the expressionless face.
Merlin's ballet shoes... killing a Troll in first year? Wasn't that the same age as them?
Killing a Troll? That was truly shocking.
Seeing the expressions of these first-years, the seventh-year students smiled gently.
They then explained softly, like true older brothers and sisters, that Amanda simply didn't show expressions and couldn't express her emotions well.
In reality, she was a gentle and friendly person. No matter what question someone asked her, as long as she knew the answer, she would provide it.
The Second Year students sitting next to the seventh-years nodded in agreement.
"Last year, we were just like you, both admiring and fearing Senior Lin Yue."
"But later," the Second Years looked at each other with identical smiles, "we discovered Senior Lin Yue's true, soft interior."
Even when she was still mired in the mud herself, she was willing to offer her back to others to help them cross to the other shore.
"Senior Lin Yue is undoubtedly someone to be relied upon," they told the first-year fledglings, "but equally, she is undoubtedly someone to be protected and cherished by us. This is Ravenclaw's inheritance, our inheritance."
"You'll understand soon enough."
The first-year fledglings nodded half-comprehendingly, but as they looked at Amanda again, the fear in their eyes had vanished, replaced by deep curiosity and a hint of admiration.
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