October 30th, a sunny Friday.

Just like today's weather, the smiles on the faces of the Hogwarts students have hardly been interrupted since the early hours of the morning. Even in the air, there seems to be a sense of joy called "anticipation".

In class, no one was paying attention anymore - even Hermione was a little absent-minded, everyone thinking that Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were coming tonight.

Probably because of the fact that class had to end half an hour early, even the most unbearable Potions class on weekdays didn't seem to be so difficult.

When the bell rang early, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried to the Gryffindor Tower, laid down their bags and textbooks as the teacher had instructed, put on their cloaks, and rushed down the stairs in two steps to the Great Hall.

In the hall, the deans of each college are directing the students of their respective houses to line up to welcome them.

Professor McGonagall still had the same stern and methodical expression; The diminutive Professor Flitwick jumped from time to time to smooth the folds in the clothes of one of the Ravenclaw students; Professor Snape, on the other hand, was as aloof as ever, and he seemed to have been in a worse temper lately.

It is worth mentioning that Professor Sprout of Hufflepuff House seems to be in a bit of a low mood, although she still does her best in every one of her duties.

"Maca is gone, Professor Sprout seems to be very sad......" Hermione looked at her from afar, and subconsciously bit her lip, "That bad guy, what an annoyance!" ”

"What are you talking about?" Ron, who was standing in the back, took two steps forward and asked a little strangely.

Hermione gave him a blank look and turned her head away.

"Nothing!" She huffed.

Ron looked at Harry inexplicably, wondering, "What did I do wrong...... Is it that I shouldn't ask? ”

Harry shrugged, indicating that he didn't know either.

Obviously, when Hermione couldn't find anyone to be angry for a while, Ron came up on his own, who could blame him?

"Please come with me," said Professor McGonagall, "and the first-year students are in front...... Don't crowd ......"

The little wizards lined up down the steps and stood neatly in front of the castle.

It was almost night, the sun was completely below the horizon, and the sky was being swallowed up by night. A hazy and white moon was already hanging over the Forbidden Forest.

It's been quite cold lately, and the temperature has dropped quickly, and everyone feels a little cold. But fortunately, the air here is still so fresh that people can't help but want to take two more breaths.

Harry stood between Ron and Hermione, just to the left of the fourth row; Luna, on the far right, was in the third row.

Everyone was excitedly scanning the darkening grounds, but there was no movement. Everything was as silent as a Hogwarts night.

"It's almost six o'clock," Ron said, looking at his watch and looking at the driveway leading to the front door, "how do you think they're coming?" By train? ”

"I don't think so." Hermione said.

"How? Broomsticks? Harry guessed as he looked up at the starry sky.

"I don't think so...... ...... from so far away."

"Doorkey?" Ron guessed, "Or maybe they can apparition—maybe in their place, people under the age of seventeen are allowed to apparition?" ”

"No apparitions are allowed in Hogwarts, how many times do you want me to say it?" Hermione said impatiently.

Harry rubbed his arms vigorously - he did feel a little cold.

"I just wish they were ...... soon," Harry shuddered and muttered softly.

He remembered what Mr. Weasley had said at camp before the Quidditch World Cup final: "It's always like this – whenever you get together, you can't help but show off......"

Perhaps, those foreign students are also preparing for a dramatic entrance ceremony!

At that moment, Dumbledore, who was standing in the back row with the other teachers, suddenly spoke.

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, Beauxbatons' rep has arrived."

"Where?"

Many students hurriedly looked in different directions.

"There!" A sixth-grader pointed to the sky above the Forbidden Forest and said loudly.

It was a behemoth, and it was speeding across the deep blue sky towards the castle. At first, it was hard to see, but as it got closer, it slowly got bigger and bigger.

"It's a dragon!" A first-year student screamed, apparently too excited to know what to do.

"Don't talk stupid...... That's a house flying! Another freshman argued.

When the black behemoth skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, illuminated by the lights of the castle window, they saw clearly - it was a great powder-blue carriage!

It was really the size of a house, and twelve winged horses flew through it, all silver-maned horses, each about the size of an elephant.

If Maca was there, he would have recognized it at a glance: it was a precious specialty of French magic, the Rune Horse.

When he was in Fort Blois, Willy's father once rode in a rune-drawn carriage on a visitor's trip. Although the carriage was also quite elaborately made, it did not seem to be a quarter as large as the Beauxbatons one.

The carriage flew even lower, and it was landing in the open space in front of everyone at an extremely fast speed, and the students standing in the first three rows hurriedly took several steps back.

Then, there was an earth-shattering bang that scared Neville backwards and stomped heavily on the feet of a fifth-year Slytherin student.

I saw the horses' hooves slamming to the ground, all the size of a Hogwarts dinner plate.

In the blink of an eye, the carriage landed—its massive body vibrating a few times on equally massive wheels. At the same time, the golden horses shook their huge heads, and their big fiery red eyes spun around.

On the door of the car was a coat of arms, which was made up of two golden wands with three bright stars emerging from the tip of each wand.

Soon, the door was opened from the inside.

A boy in a light blue robe jumped out of the carriage, bent over, and groped around the floor of the carriage. Immediately, a golden spiral staircase was opened.

He jumped back respectfully, and everyone saw a shiny black heel sticking out of the carriage - the shoe was the size of a child's sleigh!

The next moment, a super-large woman commensurate with the shoe got out of the carriage. If there was anyone who could compare to this woman, it would be Hagrid.

Dumbledore began to applaud, and his classmates clapped their hands. Many stood on tiptoe, trying to see the woman better.

Her face slackened and an elegant smile bloomed.

Then, she held out a glittering hand and walked towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore, though also tall, barely had to bend over when kissing the hand.

"Dear Lady Maxime," Dumbledore said, "welcome to Hogwarts. ”

"Dumbledore," Lady Maxim said in a deep voice, "I wish you well. ”

"Very good, thank you." Dumbledore said politely.

"My students." Madame Maxim said, waving a huge hand nonchalantly behind her.

It was only then that everyone who looked away from her noticed that about twelve or thirteen schoolboys and girls had disembarked from the carriage, and that they were now standing behind Madame Maxim.

Judging from their appearance, they are all about ten years old, and they are all trembling slightly.

It's not surprising to say that they get cold. For their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them wore cloaks. Several students wrapped their heads in scarves or bandanas.

"Is Karkaroff coming?" Madame Maxim asked.

"He'll be here at any time, you're ......" Dumbledore said, suddenly turning his head, "Oh, it looks like he's already here." ”

The young wizards, who were listening to the conversation between Lady Maxim and Dumbledore, immediately looked in the direction Dumbledore was looking.

Soon, they heard a loud and strange voice coming towards them from the darkness.

It seemed to be a pent-up rumbling and bubbling sound, like a giant vacuum cleaner moving along the riverbed......

"At the bottom of the lake!" One student pointed to the lake and said, "Look at the lake!" ”

Needless to say, everyone has seen it a long time ago.

Everyone stood on the slope of the lawn overlooking the site, and they could clearly see the calm black water.

At this time, the surface of the lake suddenly became no longer calm.

There was a commotion under the water in the middle of the lake, and huge waves swelled on the surface of the water, pushing the water wave after wave crashing on the shore.

Then, right in the middle of the lake, a large whirlpool appeared, as if some terrible water monster was greedily gulping the cold water of the lake.

Suddenly, something that looked like a long black pole suddenly rose from the whirlpool, and it seemed to be a thick mast of a sea ship.

As if to confirm everyone's conjecture, a big ship broke through the water and slowly revealed itself in everyone's sight.

It looked eerie, with the ship's keel protruding slightly, resembling the skeleton of a giant creature. The whole ship had a dilapidated and gloomy appearance, as if it were the remains of a wreck that had just been salvaged, and there was not even a glimmer of light in the porthole......

Just when everyone thought that the ship would be heading towards the shore in their direction, a small figure suddenly flew up from the deck of the ship and rushed straight at a speed that was not slow.

"That's—"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all startled, and not far from them, Luna smiled innocently.