HP: Hogwart's Journey

Robert picked up the photo and glanced at it casually. The rotund monk didn't appear in the picture. Instead, the small badgers' faces were frozen in terror, with some unnatural distortion in one corner. 

When these little badgers, who had enrolled alongside him, graduated, got married, and had children, he could always make a copy of this photo, slip it into a gift box, and send it to them. How wonderful that would be! 

With that happy thought, Robert tucked the photo away, deciding that such a precious memento must be preserved in multiple copies. 

That night, a little badger wandered through the hall, darting between the tables of the different houses. With an uncanny perspective, he managed to capture the terrified expressions of more than 80% of the new students, later creating a personal meme collection that became an unforgettable part of many a wizard's black history.

By the time Robert returned to his seat, satisfied with his work, the ghosts had already left. The students they had greeted appeared quite happy, and the little wizards could finally stop trembling and continue their meal. 

At this point, the desserts arrived. It seemed that the British chefs had misplaced their culinary skills, as these desserts were far tastier than the main course—puddings, pies, jams, cakes, scones, donuts, and, most importantly, ice cream! 

Well, considering the freezing weather, Robert hoped the hospital wing wouldn't be packed by the end of the day. If it was, Madam Pomfrey would surely be overwhelmed by this year's batch of students.

The delicious desserts filled the little wizards' stomachs and soothed their nerves. They quickly calmed down and began introducing themselves to their new companions in hushed tones. 

When the last spoonful of pudding disappeared from the plates, it marked the end of the dinner. Headmaster Dumbledore stood once more. 

The hall quickly quieted down. 

"Now that everyone is well-fed and well-watered," Dumbledore began, "I'd like to offer a few reminders as we begin this term."

"First-year students, listen up! The forest area on the school grounds is off-limits to all students."

"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind everyone not to perform magic in the hallways during breaks."

"Quidditch tryouts will take place in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in joining their house team should contact Madam Hooch."

"And now, before you all head to bed, let's sing the school song together!" Dumbledore declared, his voice booming, causing the smiles on the other teachers' faces to freeze.

The headmaster flicked his wand lightly, and a long, golden ribbon flew from it, twisting and spiraling through the air above the tables, forming lines of text.

"Pick your favorite tune," Dumbledore instructed. "Ready, sing!"

Robert could see some of the older students singing along with grim determination, following the others' lead, as the school song began:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, 

Teach us some magic, 

Whether we're old with balding heads, or young with scraped knees, 

Our minds can still take in some fun things. 

For now, our minds are empty, full of air, dead flies, and trivialities, 

Teach us some useful knowledge, 

Return to us what we've forgotten, 

All you need to do is your best, 

We'll handle the rest, 

We'll study hard, until we turn to dust."

Everyone sang the song in a haphazard manner, but nearly all finished at the same time. Robert didn't hear the famous version of the school song—the "Funeral March" rendition by the Weasley twins. But, thinking it over, it made sense. After all, it was the first day of school. The twins had likely been a bit spooked. Once they'd recovered, they'd definitely start causing trouble!

"Music," Dumbledore wiped his eyes, "is more enchanting than anything we do here! Now, it's time for bed. Off to your dormitories, everyone."

The male prefect of Hufflepuff was rather plump, and he ushered the little badgers along, making sure none of them wandered off. The female prefect seemed a bit anxious, carefully checking the headcount while instinctively avoiding other students.

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan followed behind Charlie, standing up and leaving the hall.

The Slytherin snakes were the first to file out, led by their prefects, followed by the Gryffindor lions, and then the Ravenclaws. Once everyone else had left, the two Hufflepuff prefects breathed a sigh of relief and led the little badgers out of the Great Hall.

It seemed that Hufflepuff hadn't been faring too well in recent years, Robert mused.

Following behind the prefects, they descended a set of stairs beside the hall and entered the basement. After passing through a long corridor, a stone trough appeared on their right, stacked with wooden barrels. The male prefect walked up, tapping the second barrel in the second row rhythmically with his fingers. 

"If you knock in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff," the prefect said with a smile, "the barrel will open…" 

With a twist of the barrel lid, the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room revealed itself before the little badgers. 

"Remember, if you get the rhythm wrong, your punishment will be getting drenched in vinegar!" The prefect demonstrated again, and the little badgers nodded, wide-eyed, taking mental notes.

"Follow along, we're heading to the common room now," the prefect said, climbing into the barrel first.

Behind it, a narrow dirt path led upwards, a bit cramped, which naturally reminded Robert of a badger's den.

Exiting from the barrel, they passed a large screen and, rounding it, the true appearance of Hogwarts' most mysterious common room came into view.

It was a simple, circular room, all the decorations were wooden. The ceiling was low, and there were plush yellow and black sofas and chairs scattered throughout. The walls were adorned with many round windows, beneath which were windowsills filled with various plants. Ferns and vines cascaded from the ceiling, breathing life into the entire common room.

On the opposite side of the room was a large honey-colored wooden fireplace, perfectly blending into the wall. Carved onto it were dancing badgers, and above it hung a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff, who smiled warmly and held up a golden cup with dual handles, as if toasting each badger who entered.

Flanking the fireplace were bookshelves filled with books.

"On the left is the boys' dormitory, and on the right is the girls' dormitory," the prefect explained, pointing down a set of stairs. Robert looked in the direction he indicated and realized the dormitories were downstairs.

(End of chapter)