Harry Potter

A cold September wind blew across the surface of the Black Lake as the boat gently touched the shore. Hogwarts towered above the water—an ancient castle of gray stone, seemingly grown straight from the cliff. Its tall towers were lost in the mist, stained-glass windows reflected the last rays of the setting sun, and thousands of lights twinkled in the narrow battlements. The castle itself seemed to breathe: somewhere, ancient doors creaked dully, shutters slammed, and from afar, the ringing of a bell could be heard.

Inside it was even more amazing.

The high corridors smelled of old wood, wax, and parchment. Portraits on the walls chatted lazily among themselves, occasionally falling silent to peer intently at the passing students. Knights' armor shifted unexpectedly, shifting from foot to foot, and staircases changed direction without warning, as if they had a mind of their own.

The murmur of hundreds of voices echoed from the Great Hall. Thousands of candles floated beneath an enchanted ceiling that mimicked the night sky. Students from the four houses sat at long tables, with the faculty desk looming high in front.

You just crossed the threshold of the castle, trying not to show your excitement.

— Be careful.

Someone's voice sounded very close.

Turning around, you saw a boy with tousled black hair and round glasses. He was holding a stack of textbooks, one of which almost slipped onto the floor.

"These stairs like to play tricks on first-years... and not only them," he said with a slight smile, picking up the book. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

He spoke calmly, without a trace of arrogance, as if his name meant nothing.

At that moment, one of the staircases slowly swung open with a dull groan, leaving several students completely confused. Someone laughed loudly, and the caretaker's angry voice came from the adjacent hallway.

Harry chuckled.

"It looks like Hogwarts decided to test you on your very first evening. If you don't mind, I'll show you the way to the Great Hall. It's very easy to get lost here... I still manage to do it myself."