HP/LOTM: Hogwart's Mind Dragon

Moonlight spilled down like quiet water, and the stars in the night sky seemed to shine all the brighter against its soft glow. A gentle evening breeze brushed across their cheeks, bringing a welcome hint of coolness. On this beautiful, tranquil night, the Hogwarts Express slowly pulled into Hogsmeade Station.

Arsesi, wearing an exquisite new wizarding robe, stepped down from the train. Her golden hair was as radiant as sunlight, falling smoothly to her shoulders and fluttering gently in the wind. Her honey-colored eyes sparkled with an intelligent warmth that made it impossible not to look at her twice.

"First-years! First-years over here!" Hagrid's booming voice called out, gathering the new students.

"Okay, Aiden, I'm going to go gather with them," Arsesi said. "I'll see you in the common room later!" Before Aiden could even say goodbye, she had run off to join the crowd.

Aiden followed the path to a clearing near the station where a line of horseless carriages waited for the returning students. Except, they weren't horseless. Aiden, having witnessed death, could see the creatures that pulled them: Thestrals. These fascinating beasts had the heads of dragons, their bones stark and majestic. Their skeletal bodies were like those of great horses, but taller and stronger, possessing a strange, solemn beauty. Aiden gently stroked one's neck, and the creature affectionately nudged his hand in return.

At that moment, Hermione and Neville walked over.

"What are you touching, Aiden?" Hermione asked, looking at the empty space with curiosity.

"I think they're Thestrals," Neville explained quietly. "My Gran told me only people who have witnessed death can see them."

The word "death" made Hermione frown, but she said nothing. From her and Neville's perspective, the carriage simply began to move on its own, rising smoothly into the air. The flight was steady, but for some reason, Aiden felt inexplicably uncomfortable riding in the strange carriage.

Before long, the carriage landed smoothly before the great oak doors of Hogwarts. Passing through the entrance hall, which was piled high with student luggage, Aiden let Lada out of her carrier. She had been cooped up on the train for far too long.

In the Great Hall, students gathered in excited groups, chattering about their summer holidays.

"Aiden," Ethan Diggory called out, waving him over. Aiden walked over and sat down next to his friends.

"Oliver, have you settled in?" he asked casually, not wanting to press too hard and bring up painful memories.

"Oh, yes," Oliver replied, his voice quiet. "Thank you for taking me in. Mr. Diggory has been very kind to me. You don't have to worry." After speaking, he fell silent again.

Ethan frantically winked at Aiden, trying to ask what had happened. Edmund, who already knew the story, shot Ethan a look that told him to be quiet. In this strange, somber atmosphere, the four of them waited for the start-of-term feast to begin.

As the doors of the Great Hall opened, Professor McGonagall led the nervous first-years in.

'I've become a veteran without even realizing it,' Aiden thought with a sigh, watching the new students.

"Attention," Professor McGonagall announced, holding up a long scroll. "When I call your name, please come forward to be sorted."

"April Anderson."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Arsesi Greengrass."

Arsesi walked up to the stool and put on the hat.

"Oh, another Greengrass," an old, raspy voice said from the hat. "Let's have a look... hmm, quite adventurous. How about we try Gryffindor?"

"No, absolutely not," Arsesi whispered frantically. "My father would kill me."

"Alright then," the hat grumbled. "There's only one place for you. SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table erupted in applause. Arsesi ran over to sit next to Daphne, making a playful face at Aiden as she went. Aiden smiled back, tucking a stray strand of white hair behind his ear. For a moment, his simple, elegant gesture seemed to dazzle Arsesi, and she shyly lowered her head.

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked, noticing her sister's strange behavior.

"Ah, nothing," Arsesi said quickly. "I'm just so excited to be in Slytherin."

"It's okay, take your time to adjust," Daphne said comfortingly. "You'll find this is the best house."

The sorting continued.

"Luna Lovegood."

"...RAVENCLAW!"

Enthusiastic applause came from the Ravenclaw table. Aiden looked over, curious to see the girl who was the subject of so many whispered conversations. The moment his gaze fell upon her, he was hit by a blinding flash of light—not physical light, but the light of pure, unfiltered emotion and thought. From his perspective, she was a shining disco ball of chaotic, brilliant energy.

"Hiss, such a high speed of thought transformation," he muttered.

Luna came to the long table, and as she passed Aiden, she paused and asked in a dreamy voice, "Senior, were you just looking at my Wrackspurts?"

"What spurts?" Aiden asked, playing dumb. He used his Visionary ability to perfectly project an image of genuine confusion.

"Oh, that's a shame," Luna said, and skipped away to her seat.

'This child has an incredibly high perception,' Aiden thought, amazed. 'She can sense my observation even from this far away.'

[Ding. It is speculated that this girl may be able to observe the sea of consciousness to a certain extent. And the host is also just a child. Do not pretend to be old.]

'Hey, System,' Aiden shot back. 'You're usually silent, but when you do speak, it's always to contradict me, isn't it?'

[Ding. Heh.]

With Colin Creevey being sorted into Gryffindor, the feast officially began. After the usual reading of the school rules, food appeared on the tables. Aiden, who had been hungry all day, didn't hesitate. The other Ravenclaws watched in awe as he put on a one-man show of draconic eating. Thanks to the improvements in his physical fitness, his body now showed some extraordinary tendencies. He chewed and swallowed chicken bones whole and devoured entire steaks in just two bites.

"Amazing." "Fierce." "He looks so cute, but he eats like a monster." Whispers broke out among the surrounding students.

"Aiden, how long has it been since you last ate?" Edmund complained.

"All day," Aiden replied, his mouth full. "Haven't eaten since this morning."

"Didn't they sell snacks on the train?" Ethan asked.

"No time," Aiden explained. "I stayed up late last night making props and overslept."

After the main course, desserts appeared. "Burp~ I'm full," Aiden announced with a satisfied burp, losing all interest in the puddings and tarts.

Finally, Dumbledore stood up. "And now," he boomed, "let us all sing the Hogwarts school song! Everyone may use their favorite tune!"

Aiden's face broke into a brilliant smile that, combined with his delicate features, dazzled many of the students around him. He reached into his robe and produced a single, elegant monocle, which he placed over his right eye. This was the result of his late-night work: a monocle engraved with the runes Algiz (ᛉ), Gebo (ᚷ), and Ansuz (ᚨ). It could serve as an amplifier for his abilities, expanding their range, while also providing functions for recording, communication, and, most importantly, sensory deprivation.

Just before the cacophony of mismatched tunes reached his ears, Aiden activated the monocle, successfully blocking his hearing.

'Awesome,' he thought with immense satisfaction. 'I finally escaped a disaster. I started planning this last year, and all my hard work has paid off.'

When he saw that everyone around him had stopped singing, he removed the block. The feast had ended, and everyone began to slowly disperse. Just as Aiden was preparing to head back to his dormitory, Dumbledore's voice called out his name.

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