There are some group trials, while others are carried out individually.

What impressed them the most was that Harry managed to get them a Chimera Beast to collaborate in battle.

This creature is originally from Greece, a highly bloodthirsty and violent Magical Creature. It has the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a Fire Dragon, also known as Chimera.

The Ministry of Magic classified it as the highest level ✕✕✕✕✕—of course, categorizing it as a 5X level Magical Creature isn’t because its strength is 5X, but because the highest level is 5X.

Unlike Fire Dragons, there is only one recorded case of a Wizard successfully killing a Chimera Beast, but this Wizard later died from exhaustion after falling off his Pegasus.

The famous Cafelli Flying Crossbow Team Quidditch player "Dangerous" Day Luelin was killed by a Chimera Beast while on vacation in Greece.

They exerted all their strength, but only managed to fight the Chimera to a draw, until the Chimera lost interest and let them go.

"I never want to encounter a Chimera again in my life," Ron summarized angrily after the match.

"We don’t really have much chance of encountering a Chimera again," Hermione replied wearily.

Soon, it was time for the school year to begin.

They set off from White Island and arrived at King’s Cross Station.

Harry also didn’t forget to bring Annie, though now Cassandra and Pabi had graduated, and the friends from a hundred years ago were only left with Annie.

"A new year also means buying lots of new books, but I’ve bought them all for you," Little Sirius said with a smile, "Now, we need to go through the Nine and Three Quarters platform — as always, don’t attract the attention of Muggles."

"I really don’t understand, is departing from King’s Cross Station a mandatory ritual?" Harry asked puzzledly, "Why can’t we just take a carriage directly back to school?"

"Oh, it’s a tradition," Little Sirius scratched his head and said, "I don’t know why exactly, just consider it a magical ritual feeling of Hogwarts."

"Then how did everyone return to school before the train existed?" Ron asked a soul-searching question.

"Oh, you talk too much!" Mrs. Weasley pushed Ron into the wall of the platform, "Next, Ginny—"

They walked through the wall one by one, arriving at the familiar platform.

Ron remained seated on the ground; it seemed that being pushed by his own mother was something he hadn’t expected.

They didn’t say much on the platform; the whistle reminding everyone to board the train sounded.

Students on the platform began hurrying to board the train.

"Hurry, hurry," Mrs. Weasley said anxiously, hugging everyone a bit disorderly, "Quick, get on the train. Remember to write letters if you need anything—especially you, Ronald. I don’t want to go the whole term without a letter from you—until you complain about your Christmas gift!"

"I know, Mom!" Ron sighed.

They didn’t carry any luggage; it was all stored in Harry’s wallet.

Cedric and the older students returned to their respective circles, especially the Weasley Twins, who immediately began searching for Lee Jordan as soon as they boarded.

Such like-minded soulmate brothers are hard to find even with a lantern in hand.

"Let’s go," Ginny turned her head to say to Annie, "If we hurry, we can save seats for them."

"Oh, okay." Annie replied softly and followed Ginny into the carriage.

They pushed through for a while, finally finding a compartment spacious enough for them.

Just then, Ron also squeezed in from behind, pulling Hermione along.

"Hey, Ginny." He panted, "Oh, Annie... it’s full everywhere, I can’t find a seat!"

"What are you talking about?" Ginny turned around, glanced into the compartment behind her, and said, "There’s room in here, there’s only Mad Girl Lovegood inside—"

"Ah? Is that okay?" Ron was a bit scared; he thought Luna was a bit wacky, like Dumbledore—though not the same kind of wacky.

"Don’t be silly," Ginny laughed and said, "She’s harmless."

She opened the door and pulled Annie into the compartment.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry followed them in.

"Hello, Luna," Ginny said, "Can we sit here?"

The girl sitting by the window raised her head.

She had messy, dirty waist-length blonde hair and very pale eyebrows, her large eyes protruded slightly, giving her a perpetually surprised expression.

This girl clearly had an eccentric vibe, possibly because she, to be cautious, had stuck her Magic Wand behind her left ear, or because she wore a necklace made of Butter Beer corks, or because she was reading her magazine upside down.

Her gaze swept past Ginny and landed on Annie.

"Hmm." She nodded in response.

"Thank you." Ginny said with a slight smile to her.

They sat in the compartment, Luna looked at them over her upside-down magazine, whose name was "Singing Against the Tune".

She didn’t seem to blink like normal people, just kept staring at Annie.

Annie felt a bit uneasy under her gaze; she wasn’t sure if she should say something, considering it’s a bit awkward if someone is staring at you and you don’t say anything.

"You’re Ginny, I know that."

Luna spoke softly, in an ethereal voice, and then turned to look at Hermione, Ron, and Harry, calling out their names one by one.

"So, who are you?" Luna looked back at Annie again, "I don’t think I’ve seen you at Hogwarts before. Are you a student who is transferring into Hogwarts this year?"

"How did you know?" Annie asked curiously.

"You don’t look like a freshman because you are certainly over eleven years old now." Luna analyzed in her ethereal voice, "And almost every year there are students transferring into Hogwarts. I think... since you are already on the train, you must be a transfer student to Hogwarts, right?"

"You’re really smart." Annie said sincerely, "Are you a Ravenclaw?"

"Outstanding wisdom is the greatest wealth a person can have." Luna said in a sing-song voice, "You have many Nargles on you, Annie... many Nargles."

"Nargles?" Annie asked confused, looking around but seeing nothing.

"Just ignore her," Ginny whispered in Annie’s ear, "There’s no such thing as Nargles—"

Luna sighed lightly, raised the upside-down magazine high to cover her face, and fell silent.

"Exactly what are Nargles?" Annie asked curiously, looking at Hermione.

After spending so many days together, Annie had already learned that Hermione knows a bit about everything.

In her opinion, if Nargles were a thing, Hermione would surely know.

"Oh, they are things like mosquitoes or flies. They are invisible creatures that float into people’s ears and scramble their brains." Hermione raised her hand, tapped her temple with a bent index finger, "Luna believes this kind of thing exists, but who can say for sure? After all, no one has proven it doesn’t exist, don’t you think?"

"From that perspective, Nargles might indeed exist." Ron said, taking a Muggle drink from his pocket, unscrewed it, and took a sip. "But I think Muggle drinks have more kick—what is this thing? Oh... it’s Fanta, apple flavor, I like Fanta."