Chapter 47: The Train to School
Clackety-clack... Clackety-clack... Clackety-clack...
Listening to the sound of the train moving, Lyra pressed her lips together as she leaned against the window.
This was her first time riding a train, magical or Muggle... When Durmstrang started, they always traveled by ship.
Every time, Lyra would vomit the entire way due to seasickness... Fortunately, she usually wasn't allowed in the cabins, so she could just lie on the deck and vomit easily into the sea.
Watching the scenery pass by, Lyra felt a subconscious flutter of nervousness.
She was about to arrive at Hogwarts. Although she wasn't a student, being a teacher was obviously much scarier.
Will Dumbledore introduce me specifically? Do I need to introduce myself?
Or do I need to give a speech? Like Mr. Lockhart?
Lyra glanced at today's newspaper. There was the smiling Mr. Lockhart and... Harry Potter. It seemed he had a successful book signing at Flourish and Blotts yesterday.
Hmm, come to think of it, the student I met yesterday was actually Harry Potter... It's hard to imagine such a child defeated Voldemort back then.
Voldemort, you really are useless, aren't you...
Lyra shook her head, pushing thoughts of the long-dead man and Hogwarts out of her mind.
Reciting facts about Magic Formations was a good choice when nervous.
"Linking a Memory Formation with a Transmit Formation allows one to share memories with others..."
"However, this requires pre-selecting the memory, otherwise it might randomly extract a memory from the brain... like some unspeakable things."
"The best material for drawing the formation is Dragon's Blood, but part-Veela blood can also be used, though whether its effectiveness diminishes over time is unknown..."
Clack!
!
The compartment door suddenly slid open, causing Lyra to jump.
"Hello, have you seen my friends?" A girl with bushy brown hair pushed the door open. Her hair was messy, but her uniform was exceptionally neat.
"Huh?" Lyra, who hadn't heard clearly, froze, looking nervously at the intruder.
"Have you seen my two friends?" The girl sighed and repeated helplessly, "One has red hair... the other wears glass... oh, the other is Harry Potter."
Harry Potter?
Lyra instinctively looked at the newspaper on her table.
"Not the newspaper, I mean the living, breathing Harry Potter," the girl sighed, seeming to realize she wouldn't get any useful information from Lyra.
She shook her head and turned to leave, but just as she turned away, she seemed to remember something and looked back.
"Um... we're almost at Hogwarts, you'd better change into your robes." She pointed to her own robes and added, "Also, you'd better take off that mask."
"Hagrid might not be able to find you."
"Ngh." Lyra pressed her lips together, watching the "helpful" girl leave.
Does she think I'm a student?
But I'm a teacher! And isn't Hogwarts still far away... the train just started moving, didn't it?
Lyra sighed... Maybe I should discuss with Dumbledore about getting a separate uniform for professors?
It wouldn't be good if other professors were mistaken for students... Ah, Professor Snape definitely wouldn't be mistaken for a student.
Thinking of that gloomy face, Lyra shivered.
Snape had replaced Dumbledore and Lady Vinda as the star of her nightmares. But unfortunately, Lyra wouldn't be able to avoid contact with him once she got to Hogwarts.
Besides the ingredients for Mr. Lupin's Wolfsbane Potion, she also needed to discuss potion-making with Professor Snape.
He seemed very skilled at potions... maybe he could offer her more help, seeing as she had already ruined one batch of Wolfsbane Potion.
Last night, Lyra attempted to brew her first batch... only to fail because she stirred two fewer times after adding the Aconite. The potency of the finished product would definitely be reduced.
I'm causing trouble for people again... even though I confidently promised Mr. Lupin.
Just as Lyra was dreading the future, two people walked past her compartment.
"Luna, there's only one person in here. Shall we sit here?" It was a girl with an Asian face, looking at the girl with dirty-blonde hair and wandering eyes behind her.
"Here?" Luna peeked inside. Upon seeing the occupant, she blinked.
"There seem to be traces of Nargles in here. Let's find another place," Luna tilted her head and smiled.
"Nargles?" the other girl asked, confused. "What are those?"
"Ah... they are a kind of invisible..."
Their voices faded away, disappearing down the corridor.
Soon, the sky darkened, and the train reached its destination.
Watching the students file past her compartment, Lyra let out a soft breath... My luck held out. No one sat with me.
I didn't have to endure an awkward conversation starting with "Ah, hello, I'm Lyra Hamilton, your professor."
Only after all the students had disembarked did Lyra slowly step off the train.
As soon as she got off, she saw Hagrid not far away.
"Miss Hamilton! Over here!" His booming voice instantly attracted everyone's attention. For a moment, every student on the platform turned to look at Lyra.
No... Facing those gazes, Lyra wished she could shrink into a corner. Fortunately, she could steady herself against a lamp post... otherwise, she might have become the first Hogwarts professor to faint in front of the students.
Well, Lyra didn't know that someone had already claimed that title last term.
"Miss Hamilton?" Seeing Lyra standing still, Hagrid assumed she hadn't heard and raised his voice even louder.
I... I heard you! Don't be so... Now absolutely everyone on the platform is looking!
Lyra bit her lip in embarrassment, forcing her stiff legs to move toward Hagrid. It felt less like walking toward Hogwarts and more like walking toward hell.
Seeing her masked, silent figure, the students instinctively parted to make way for her.
"I thought yeh'd fallen asleep on the train," Hagrid beamed, completely unaware that he had just put Miss Hamilton through a life-or-death crisis akin to a duel with Dumbledore.
Lyra instinctively wanted to greet Hagrid, but thinking of the students surrounding them... Forget it!
So she just nodded lightly and stood behind Hagrid, using the lamp post for support. She needed a few seconds to catch her breath.
Soon, the group of students began to move. Hagrid kept introducing Hogwarts to Lyra, seemingly unaware she had already been here once.
Lyra didn't say a word. With hundreds of eyes behind her, every word she spoke would be heard clearly.
So she just listened, occasionally nodding in response, praying internally that Hagrid would stop talking to her.
However, as they approached the lake, Hagrid, finally noticing Lyra's silence, seemed to realize something and whispered, "Sorry, Miss Hamilton."
Have you finally realized I'm a socially anxious wreck?
Lyra felt a sudden wave of gratitude.
"I shouldn't have shouted yer name like that," Hagrid scratched his head. "Introducin' new professors should be Professor Dumbledore's job."
That is not why I'm silent!