Chapter 18: The Four Academies (I)
The last Friday of October is the day when the four colleges are scheduled to arrive. According to the plan, they will arrive at Hogwarts between 5 and 8 pm.
That morning, while all the students were having breakfast, they found that the auditorium had been renovated overnight. Huge silk banners hung on the walls, each representing one of Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor with a golden lion on a red background, Ravenclaw with a bronze eagle on a blue background, Hufflepuff with a black badger on a yellow background, and Slytherin with a silver python on a green background. Behind the teacher's desk, hung the largest banner with the coat of arms of Hogwarts: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake linked together with a large letter H around it.
All the students tried their best to suppress their anticipation and excitement, so much so that the day's lessons were almost fugue. Most of the professors didn't care, after all, most of their minds were not on the lecture. Even Snape, in the last class, simply asked the students to study some theoretical things in the textbook. And according to the school's requirements, the class ended half an hour early.
When the bell rang early, most of the students put on their cloaks – the weather had suddenly cooled down for the past two days. Everyone came out of the door. The dean of the college is ordering the students of the various branches to line up.
The old bat just asked the little snakes to line up about a line, and they poked on the side and didn't speak. The other three faculties are very lively. Like Gryffindor on the edge of Slytherin.
"Weasley, put your hat on," Professor McGonagall said sternly to Ron, then turned her head, "Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing off your hair." ”
Parvati frowned unhappily and removed a large butterfly headdress from her braid. She loved that tiara.
"Please come with me," said Professor McGonagall, "and the first-year students are in front...... Don't crowd ......"
They walked down the steps and stood in front of the castle in a line.
Although the weather was a little cold, the evening air was very fresh. Night was falling, and a white, translucent moon was already hanging over the Forbidden Forest. The students lined up in a line that was not very neat, and many of them were shivering slightly, but they were not frozen, but excited!
"Cousin, why do you say they came here?" Dafanie was Draco and Pansy before and after, and Draco asked curiously, looking at the sky.
"I'm curious, too." Since Gryffindor was on the side, Daphany and the others weren't far from Harry. When Ron heard this, he couldn't help but interject, "Could it be by train?" ”
"I don't think it's likely." Hermione said with a frown.
"Is it a broomstick?" Pansy couldn't help but ask.
"It's going to take a long time, right?" Harry said suspiciously, "Even if it's the nearest France, it's going to fly a long way." ”
"A portkey, perhaps?" Ron remembered the experience of using the portkey during the World Cup, thought for a moment and said, "Or the apparition." Maybe in their country, it doesn't take seventeen to use apparitions? ”
"It's true that you don't need to be seventeen years old to use apparition in the United States, but apparition can't go that far!" Daphany shook her head: "France's words are still barely possible, and the United States' words, even Dumbledore may not be able to." Unless there are multiple jumps in between. Even that is very difficult! ”
"And Hogwarts can't use Apparitions!" Hermione added.
Similar conversations are being discussed everywhere in the student body.
"It's going to be a bit of a showmanship." Daphine pouted, that's what humans look like. For example, Hogwarts is cleaning and strengthening the skills of its students, all of which want to show off their good side as much as possible, and other houses will definitely show off their operations as much as possible. She vaguely remembered that Beauxbatons was a horse-drawn carriage and Durmstrang was a big ship. It's uncertain what the other two will be.
"Hey, look over there!" A Hufflepuff student suddenly pointed in the direction of the station.
The station was not visible from this distance, but I could faintly see a dozen black dots flying at high speed from there.
"Winged people? Or an angel? A good-eyed student said with some surprise. Not only him, but some other students and teachers also faintly saw it, it was dozens of figures, each with a pair of white wings behind it.
"It's magic equipment! It's interesting! "Daphany blessed herself with Eagle Eye, and everything was clear.
Three adults and a dozen young men, each with a pair of white wings on their backs. The wings look like wings at first glance, like angels depicted in Christian mythology. But on closer inspection, the feathers weren't really feathers. It had a metallic sheen on it, and it was clearly metalwork.
Moments later, the crowd reached the open space in front of the castle and greeted the procession. The group circled in the air for a week and then landed deftly.
Most of them landed smoothly, but there were a few who were obviously not skilled enough to land unsteadily, and almost fell. But no one paid attention to it. All Hogwarts students have a tendency to evolve towards hippos, the boss with an open mouth. Even Daphany was surprised. Yes, this sassy operation!
After the visitor landed, the metal wings behind him clicked and quickly retracted, and finally formed a small black backpack behind the person's back.
The teachers and students of Hogwarts can only take care of people. Love books
The group was all wearing black cloaks, which were very thick, and they also wore thick masks on their faces, covering most of their faces. Apparently it was used to block the wind when flying in the air. On the chest of the cloak there is an intricate pattern depicting these four animals. If you look closely, one of the four animals is a bird, one is a cat, one is a snake, and the other looks like a goblin!
Some discerning students have already recognized it as the emblem of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United States. The identity of this group speaks for itself.
At the head were three adults, two men and one woman. At this time, he had already stepped forward and taken off his mask.
One of the two men seemed to be in his twenties, very young. The other is much older. He looks like he's fifty years away, but the magician's age can't be determined just by his appearance. It was the woman who caught the eye. It was a big beauty with long curly brown hair and gray eyes. She has a straight nose and slightly thick lips, but it adds a bit of sexiness. Her skin is not very white, but that healthy wheat color. Of the three adults, she stands in the middle and walks in front, and it is clear that she has the highest status in the group!
"Welcome, distinguished guests from the United States, from the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dumbledore walked up with a smile.
The woman came up with two adults, walked three steps in front of Dumbledore and bowed slightly, and said in a vibrant and beautiful voice, "It's an honor to meet you here, Lord Albus Dumbledore, the strongest white wizard in Europe today!" ”
"You're so gracious, Your Excellency Headmaster Stewart." Dumbledore replied in the gentlest of tones.
"That woman is the headmaster? Headmaster of Ilvermorny? So young? Hermione exclaimed in disbelief and exclaimed in a low voice. The same exclamation was seen in more than one place in the crowd.
"Please call me Hathaway!" The headmistress smiled slightly, "Please allow me to introduce!" As he spoke, he raised his hand sideways to the older man behind him and introduced to Dumbledore and the Hogwarts professors, "This is the professor of our Academy's Alchemy, the head of the Hodson Branch, His Excellency Julius Robert Hohenheim. ”
"Good day, everybody!" Professor Hohenheim smiled and gestured to the crowd. The others were fine, but Snape's eyes lit up. Also with a light in her eyes was Daphany in the crowd. Because this Professor Hohenheimer is a famous potions master and alchemist. Those who have the title of master in both the disciplines of potions and alchemy are the only ones in the world who can still breathe!
Dumbledore's professors also gestured slightly.
"As for this one," the Headmistress pulled the younger man, who was visibly shy and bowed slightly to the Hogwarts professors. The headmistress smiled and said, "The youngest dean in the history of our college, the dean of Sandbod, and our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Professor Gilbert Fontana. ”
"It's an honor to meet all of you." Professor Fontana bowed again.
Everyone introduced them, and Dumbledore had to introduce the four deems. To say that they belong to two continents, they are not familiar with each other. At least Snape knew about Professor Hohenheimer on the Hogwarts side, and the other professors didn't know anyone. But when it came to Dumbledore's introduction, the attitude of the other side was completely different.
"Professor McGonagall? It's a great honor to meet you! Your prowess in Transfiguration is truly awe-inspiring. Your Transfiguration Puzzle is the textbook for our Academy's Transfiguration Improvement Class! ”
Professor McGonagall couldn't suppress a smile.
"Professor Sprout? It's such a pleasure to meet you. Your "New Hundred Herbs Discourse" is nothing short of a feat! Whether it's potions or herbs, as long as it's a student who wants to improve, everyone in our academy has a copy! ”
Professor Sprout couldn't suppress a smile.
"Professor Flitwick? Please accept my respects. The results of five and three consecutive championships in the International Wizard Duel League are truly amazing! If it's convenient, be sure to point out our students! ”
Professor Flitwick's mouth was grinning to his ears.
"Professor Snape? Is it really you? What an honor! Did you wash your hair to greet us? Headmistress Hathaway Stewart looked amazed.
The audience was cold for a second, and then burst into laughter.
Professor McGonagall laughed and had to take off her glasses and wipe her tears with her handkerchief. Ron and Harry even fell to the ground laughing. The twins hugged each other and slapped each other on the back.
Even Dumbledore couldn't help but twitch his shoulders.
Snape's face was black and dripping ink.
"A little joke, you don't care." Headmaster Stewart bowed slightly to Snape, "It's an honor to meet you, Your Excellency the youngest Potions Master in history. Our Excellency Hohenheim is always keen to share his experience with you. ”
"I'm being compared!" Daphany sighed softly.
"Huh?" Draco, who had just barely managed to hold back his laughter, looked inexplicable.
"People obviously know us very well, but we don't know them at all. Isn't this being compared to others? The corners of Daphany's mouth hooked slightly. Your Excellency, the young and beautiful headmaster, is very powerful!