HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Severus walked in silently, sat down by the window, and carefully placed the box beside him.

He glanced at the broom package on Kevin's luggage rack, said nothing, and then turned his gaze back to the rapidly receding London suburbs outside the window.

Not long after, accompanied by light footsteps and familiar laughter, Lily appeared at the door.

"Hey! You're all here! Great!" She walked in with a smile and sat down next to Ian, right across from Severus.

"Lily! How was your summer vacation?" Kevin immediately perked up.

"Great! Penny and I went to the Isle of Wight and collected lots of special seashells and pebbles. Look!" Lily took out several seashells wrapped in soft cloth from her small bag and showed them to everyone.

Some have spiral patterns, some have iridescent sheen, and some are shaped like small fans.

"I also tried to make a miniature landscape in a bottle using Muggle-style clear glue and sand, but unfortunately I didn't bring it with me, in case it broke."

"That sounds interesting." Aris carefully observed one of the seashells.

"Muggle handicrafts can sometimes be quite unique," Severus suddenly murmured, his gaze sweeping over the seashell in Lily's hand.

Lily looked at him with surprise: "Severus! You think so too? I thought you would say it has no magical value whatsoever."

Severus pursed his lips, said nothing more, but shook his head slightly to indicate that this was not the case.

Ian watched with a smile as he pulled out the snacks his mother had prepared from his backpack—various homemade cookies and cakes, as well as candies bought by Honey Duke—and piled them on the small table.

"The journey is still long. Replenish your energy, Kevin. Stop drooling over your broom and eat something."

"I wasn't drooling!" Kevin blushed, quickly grabbed a sugar cookie and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling, "By the way, did you guys hear? The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has changed again this year!"

"This position has never been stable in the past six years," Aris said. "This year will be no exception."

"I hope the new professor has some real skills," Ian said, taking a bite of his chocolate frog. "Last year's Professor Wilson was utterly useless, except for reciting from the textbook and showing off his 'glorious' experience working in the Ministry of Magic's archives. Severus even had to correct my disarming spell."

At this point, Severus glanced at Ian, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.

The conversation quickly shifted to other things that happened during the summer vacation, the courses for the new school year, the Quidditch selection, and new rumors about the various ghosts and monsters in the castle.

The private room was filled with relaxed and pleasant conversation, occasionally punctuated by bursts of laughter.

Severus mostly listened quietly, occasionally interjecting a brief sentence or two when the topic turned to potions, runes, or certain magical principles, his tone calm but to the point.

Lily often steered the conversation toward him, getting him involved, while Ian would occasionally give him a look that said, "See, this isn't a bad way to chat, is it?"

As the train travels north, the scenery outside the window gradually changes from city buildings to open fields and hills.

The sky grew high and clear, with clouds gathering, carrying the damp air characteristic of the Scottish Highlands.

When the witch pushing her cart arrived outside their booth, Kevin was the first to jump up and buy a super-sized serving of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Chocolate Frogs, insisting on sharing the "fun of adventure" with everyone.

As a result, he ate a stinky earwax-flavored bean, which made his face scrunch up, causing Lily and Ian to burst into laughter.

At Ian's urging, Severus also cautiously picked one, and luckily, it was the usual mint flavor.

Time slipped away quietly amidst snacks, laughter, and intermittent chatter.

When the Hogwarts Express finally sounded its whistle and slowly pulled into Hogsmeade Station, which was surrounded by mountains and forests, it was already dark, and a light drizzle enveloped the small platform.

"We're here!" Kevin exclaimed excitedly, clinging to the car window. "Look! It's Hagrid!"

The massive figure of Hagrid, the half-giant, was conspicuous under the stage lights. He carried a huge lantern and shouted in a booming voice, "First-year students! First-year students, this way!"

Ian, Severus, Kevin, Aris, and Lily got off the bus with the flow of people, and the damp, cool air hit them.

They walked toward the carriage that was waiting in the distance, pulled by Thestrals.

The raindrops shimmered in the glow of the lanterns.

Ian climbed onto a carriage and turned back to pull Severus along.

Kevin and Aris squeezed on as well, while Lily and another Gryffindor girl she knew got on the next car.

In the Great Hall, Ian, Severus, Kevin, and Aris found a seat in the middle of the Slytherin table.

Severus habitually moved to the side, and Ian naturally sat next to him, while Kevin and Aris sat next to Ian.

The long table seemed more relaxed now that Lucius Malfoy's dazzling pale blond hair and his invisible, scrutinizing presence were gone.

The new prefect, a tall, thin boy named Everett Travers, stood near the head of the long table, speaking quietly to several sixth-year students. His expression was serious, unlike Malfoy's ever-present, slightly arrogant smile.

"Look, the new students are here." Kevin mumbled, still chewing on the last bit of chocolate frog he'd brought off the train, and gestured toward the door.

The oak doors were pushed open, and Professor McGonagall led in a line of visibly nervous and uneasy first-year students.

Wearing new robes, their faces showing curiosity, timidity, or feigned composure, they walked through the center of the hall amidst thousands of stares and buzzing discussions.

The Sorting Hat was placed on a high stool, and after singing its song, which was slightly different every year but whose main theme was always "unity" and "quality," the sorting process began.

"Adrian Prewitt—Gryffindor!"

A cheer erupted from the long red and gold table, and the freckled boy ran over, his face flushed.

"Kaladok Dearborn - Hufflepuff!"

Friendly applause erupted from the Hufflepuff table.

Several new members joined Slytherin, mostly pale-faced and reserved children, including younger siblings with surnames like Avery, Moorselber, and Rozier, which elicited reserved nods or smiles from the corresponding small groups at the long table.

Ian leaned back lazily in his high-backed chair, his gaze sweeping over the new students, occasionally whispering to Kevin which student looked like they were about to faint.

Until Professor McGonagall clearly and forcefully proclaimed, "Regulus Black!"

The buzzing in the auditorium seemed to drop a notch instantly.

A boy stepped out from the new student line. He appeared more composed than those around him, his steps were steady, his black hair was neatly combed, and his face was fair and handsome.

He possessed the classic, slightly aloof features characteristic of the Black family, but his eyes lacked the almost overflowing, rebellious flamboyance of Sirius; instead, they exuded a calmness, even restraint.