"Hogwarts Guide?"
"When did you arrange this? Huh? Why haven't I seen you before?"
A lady in fine clothes and sparkling jewelry stood at the entrance, eyeing Cedric with a critical gaze.
Cedric, with his sharp memory and understanding of pure-blood families, instantly recognized her—she had a distinct freckle on her left forehead.
"Hello, Mrs. Avery."
"I'm Cedric Diggory, and I'm here to guide new students who might be unfamiliar with the admissions process."
"Oh~ the Diggory children are such a pleasure to see!" Mrs. Avery remarked, her tone warm and polite as she addressed him. She was clearly aware of Cedric's pure-blood status.
She smiled at him before turning to leave with her children.
It was easy to tell who belonged to wizarding families. They entered the station with determination, their eyes focused on platform nine and three-quarters. Muggle-born families, on the other hand, were a bit more uncertain. They hesitated, searching for a sign between platforms 9 and 10, before noticing Cedric and sighing in relief.
"Please don't worry, the Hogwarts Express will depart at 11 o'clock, so you still have plenty of time!"
[Correctly guiding new students to board the train in an orderly manner earns you 100 experience points.]
"The journey takes about six hours, and there are carts selling lunch and snacks on board!"
"Don't worry after you get off the train either," Cedric continued, addressing the anxious newcomers.
"Hagrid, the Gamekeeper, and Mr. Filch, the Dean of Students, will be there to guide everyone."
[Informing new students about the admissions process correctly rewards you with 100 experience points.]
"Once you arrive at Hogwarts, you'll be assigned a bed in the dormitories. There's a lot of food, too, and if you're hungry at any point, you can always go to the kitchen for a snack, or find me!"
"I'm Cedric, by the way!"
[Answering new students' questions correctly earns you 100 experience points.]
Things weren't as tiring as Cedric had expected. The majority of students from 1989 were born around 1978, during Voldemort's peak. In such a turbulent time, many wizard families had been reluctant to have children. It wasn't until Voldemort's defeat in 1981 that the birth rate among wizarding families had started to rise.
By the time Harry Potter reached his fifth year, the student population at Hogwarts had grown to nearly a thousand. Right now, though, the school had just over 300 students, with only thirty-two new first-years, a handful of whom came from Muggle families—11 in total.
Cedric stayed on alert for two hours, accumulating 1100 experience points. Combined with the remaining 200 points, he had 1300 experience points to use.
He decided to spend them on increasing his magical power.
[Consumed 800 experience points.]
[Your initial magic power increases from 42 to 50, triggering a medal: Born to be Extraordinary.]
[Born to be Extraordinary: Your upper limit of magic power increases by 10, from 100 to 110.]
"Wait, the medal gives me extra bonuses too?" Cedric thought, feeling a surge of happiness.
This could open up new ways to improve. As his magical attributes grew, other bonuses would likely activate as well.
He glanced at the clock—it was almost time. Cedric rushed towards platform nine and three-quarters, holding the sign high.
The crimson Hogwarts Express stood waiting on the platform.
Woo~woo!
The steam engine let out a long, mournful whistle, the puff of black smoke rising into the air as the train prepared to depart.
Cedric was swift. He darted through the bustling crowd, swiftly climbing the steps and boarding the train.
The first few carriages were packed with students. Having spoken with so many newcomers, Cedric was already feeling a little drained. He walked to the back of the train, found an empty carriage, locked the door behind him, and collapsed onto one of the seats to rest.
When he woke up, it was already noon.
Cedric opened the door to the carriage, expecting to see the dining car pass by so he could grab something to eat.
Instead, a pair of twin brothers with flaming red hair passed by first.
"Hey, look! Who's that?"
"Wait, let me think... Oh, by the way, isn't that our great 'good guy,' Cedric?"
"Right, 'good guy Cedric!' He's so good at pretending!"
The Weasley twins, Fred and George, seemed to find amusement in teasing him. The reason for their harsh words was simple: when Mrs. Weasley saw Cedric at the station, she praised him to no end, comparing him favorably to her own children. That, of course, had irked Fred and George.
Cedric was aware of their typical antics. However, his charm as a man wasn't just about strength—it was about showing humility as well. As a guide, he had been displaying that humble side. Now, with the twins mocking him, it was time to show a little force.
"Transfiguration!"
In an instant, Cedric transformed, taking on the form of a kung fu panda. His mouth opened, and he let out a loud, dramatic roar.
"Roar!!!"
The sound filled the air, accompanied by spittle flying in all directions. The sheer intensity of the roar sent a murderous vibe through the air.
"Aaaaaahhh!"
The Weasley twins, startled by the sudden assault, were completely caught off guard. They ran off, their faces covered in saliva.
"Mom, there's a bear…"
"There's a big bear!!!"
"It's black and white…"
The twins collided with each other as they bolted down the corridor, falling to the floor in their haste. They scrambled away on all fours, embarrassed and flustered.
Cedric chuckled to himself. "Finally, some peace!"
Soon after, the dining car passed by, and Cedric finally managed to get himself a meal. He sat, looking out the window at the rapidly passing scenery, his thoughts drifting.
As the sky darkened, the Hogwarts platform finally came into view.
"Freshmen! Freshmen, come here!"
Cedric didn't rush to disembark like the others. Instead, he stayed in the carriage, waiting until the last minute. As he stepped off the train, he saw Hagrid's towering figure in the distance, holding an oil lamp. Beside him stood Filch, the school's caretaker.
Cedric followed behind the other first-years as they disembarked, and soon, Filch caught sight of him.
He approached Cedric, a sheepish expression on his face.
"Cedric, do you think it's still too late for me?"
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