Still waters.

"There are no perfect people. There are only idealised ones, but in reality, they are simple and ordinary."

Alex.

Evelyn had always been weak, for as long as she could remember. Born in a remote village, she was able to write her own sentence. In a village on the edge of the country, there was no opportunity to build a good life. A life of prosperity was just a dream, especially when you were barely making ends meet in the village. From early childhood, the girl was taught how to run a household, how to make a home cosy, and so on. Even as a little girl, she did not like fairy tales about princesses, who, like many others, dreamed of a prince on a white horse. It seemed to her that princesses did not exist, and if they did, they had already snatched up all the princes with their beauty, intelligence, and other charms. Evelyn had beauty. She was a truly beautiful girl. She had a straight nose, slightly plump lips, and sharp features. Her long, slightly curly blond hair always fell beautifully over her shoulders, and her dark eyes expressed nothing. She herself seemed to be a princess. The girl wanted to be famous not only in a silly village in the middle of nowhere, but to be a famous singer or, for example, a musician. Many of her acquaintances who knew about her dream just laughed at her, realising that she would never be able to do anything about it. One day, Evelyn had the opportunity to visit London. She was about thirteen at the time. Her father had to go and take the harvest to the markets and factories, and since he had the biggest car, they decided that he was the best option. He had inherited the car from his father and had no desire to give it away. So the girl dressed up nicely, putting on her prettiest sundress. Jumping into the car, the brown-haired girl imagined how she would walk around the city, looking at the sights and imagining how she would live there, and maybe even run the place. However, they never made it there. Because of the long road, they had to drive for a day. It was difficult to drive at night, especially when you've been driving for several hours without stopping. The girl fell asleep early, so she didn't understand what had happened. She woke up with a sharp pain in her body. Opening her eyes, she realised that the car had overturned and was lying in a ditch. There was a lot of blood on the glass, the dashboard, the steering wheel, and on her. It was difficult and painful to move, especially her limbs. She heard a siren, probably someone had called the rescue services, which brought her some relief. However, Evelyn still did not know what had happened to her father. Turning her head slightly, the girl froze. A lump formed in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. It seemed as if she had stopped breathing and blinking, and her heart had stopped altogether, refusing to continue working. Her father was dead. She knew this for sure only because his head was lying unnaturally on his shoulder, turned to one side. From outside, she heard voices, screams and loud footsteps. The girl was saved, but she had multiple fractures. The doctors said there was a chance that Evelyn would not be able to use her arms and legs at all and that she might remain disabled. She got lucky. She could still use her limbs. But her career ended before it even began, robbing her of a bright future. All she had left now was to help her poor mother, now a widow, in the village. At nineteen, the girl had another opportunity to leave the village. She decided to forget everything connected with the village when her mother died a week before her daughter's nineteenth birthday. Now she was able to experience London, visit many places and even meet someone. She had to work hard for a long time. The girl's first job was as a cleaner at a music school. She didn't particularly mind, listening almost every day to different instruments being played: piano, flute, guitar, violin and many others. On Saturdays, there were choir classes, and on weekdays, there were vocal classes. Listening to other people's voices, Evelyn, to her own surprise, could hear when and where a child was singing out of tune. One Saturday, when she was cleaning up after choir practice, she was left alone with the teacher. A sudden impulse made her say to her: "The girl, Amelia, in the soprano group is singing out of tune on the second and seventh lines..." The woman looked up at her in surprise. The brown-haired girl could recognise the children by their voices when she cleaned the hall after each choir practice. Then they began to ask her from time to time, and surprisingly, she was right every time. The girl could easily determine who was singing out of tune, when and on which note. Then, from being an ordinary cleaner, she became an assistant to the vocal teacher. And then not only to her. Starting her career as a teacher, even without a teaching degree, she became a little better known, at least within the walls of the music school. Then her life began to take a turn for the better. While walking in the park one day, Evelyn met a young man two years older than her. Merritt was a pleasant man, and the young girl enjoyed talking to him. Soon they began to spend a lot of time together. The man invited the brown-haired girl to restaurants, parks, and other places. And Evelyn liked it. And then she began to like Merritt himself. As it turned out, the feeling was mutual. The two lovers began to date, spending more and more time together. After two years of this relationship, Merritt proposed to Evelyn. Her answer was "yes," and now she was called Evelyn Hill. After the wedding, the couple learned that the brunette was pregnant. Merritt was delighted. He had always wanted a child. And he knew he could provide for it, because he was a wealthy man. He had a big house, a lot of money, and a good job with a good salary. Evelyn's pregnancy went well, which pleased them both. And even though the girl also dreamed of having a child, she did not want to have one so soon. However, looking at her husband's happy face, she understood that if it made him happy, she would do anything. On the thirty-first of December, Carline Hill was born. The baby was terribly loud, which often annoyed Evelyn, causing her to frequently yell at the child. Merritt didn't see this. His work took up all his free time, starting at seven in the morning and ending at ten. Time passed, the child grew up healthy, and although he was loud at first, by the age of one and a half he had become quiet. One day, Evelyn remembered her childhood, and childhood dreams came to mind. It was then that she decided to create the best version of herself. Little Carline was already speaking English quite clearly at the age of three, while also learning many other languages. By the age of five, he could already speak French, Spanish, German and even Russian fluently. At the same time, the young man was taking lessons in Japanese and Chinese. She began violin lessons at the age of four, along with dancing, gymnastics and figure skating. Her whole week was filled with lessons, which took place almost every day. Gymnastics and dancing were daily, figure skating every other day, and violin every other day. For every mistake, the boy was reprimanded by his mother, who was determined to make him perfect. At that time, his father was working, happy that his son was so smart and hard-working. His mother was very different in her husband's presence. She was affectionate and kind. It might have seemed that she was always like that, if Carlein hadn't remembered every word the woman had said to him with anger and cold fury.

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"Another mistake! Again in the same place!" The woman hit his arm with an iron ruler again. His wrist turned red and blood began to pool there, threatening to spill out at any moment. Carlisle was ten. He had made the same mistake again. Because of the pain in his left hand, which was already shaking slightly, his writing was crooked and uneven, which made his mother hit his hands again and again. His father was at work again. He's probably sorting through papers right now, the boy thought as the iron strip hit his arm. At times like this, Carlisle tried to think of his father, who in his eyes was his protection from his evil witch of a mother, who seemed like a monster to the boy. His father loved his son and never raised his voice at him. The younger Hill had inherited most of his mother's appearance. A straight, even nose, long brown hair that reached his lower ribs, slightly plump lips and sharp features. His eyes were a separate issue altogether. The boy had central heterochromia. The outer edges of his eyes were brown, almost black, and closer to the pupil, they turned blue. The thin, long fingers of his right hand clenched, digging neat nails into his skin, leaving crescent-shaped marks on his pale skin that began to redden. Just endure it... Don't cry... It will hurt more... Just endure it... It won't be long now... Thoughts raced through her head, one after another, trying to drown out the pain outside. "Go to your room, quickly!" The barely audible words, as if passing through thick water, brought Carline back to reality. "Yes, Mother," said the brown-haired boy, bowing slightly. Straightening up, Hill Jr. headed for his room, leaving his violin in the hall. When the door closed behind him, he felt a salty, hot tear roll down his cheek. Swallowing hard, Carline wiped away the tear with his still-intact hand. I need to pull myself together, the brown-haired boy thought. Right. I need to pull myself together. Training is in an hour. Gymnastics. Standing up straight, the young man walked over to the mirror and looked into it. He looked in the mirror often, not because he wanted to show off, not at all. Carline wanted to look good. So that people wouldn't ask questions and his mother wouldn't start yelling again. As usual. Sighing, the boy went to the wardrobe. Taking out the clothes he needed, he went to the bathroom. Placing the clothes on the toilet seat, the boy took off his clothes and got into the shower, turning on the water. The icy water hit his head and ran down his body. The sudden change in temperature made him want to cry out, but he didn't make a sound. Soon the cold water ran out and was replaced by warm water, which made his hand sting. Sure enough, he hadn't checked to see what was wrong with it. Raising his left arm, Carline looked at his limb. Blood dripped from his arm in small drops, falling to the bottom of the shower and slightly staining the water pink. Thinking about how much time it would take to bandage his arm, the young man sighed. The warm water was getting hotter and hotter, and soon steam began to appear in the bathroom. After quickly taking a shower, the boy decided to get out. Drying himself with a towel and wrapping his hair in a second one, Carline got dressed and went out into the room. A cloud of steam followed him out, which evaporated almost instantly. Approaching the mirror, the brown-haired boy opened the shelf and took out a bandage. The bleeding had stopped, so there was no point in treating it. Sitting down on the bed, the boy put the bandage under his arm and began to wrap it tightly around his wrist. When he was done bandaging and had put the bandage back in the cabinet, the young man took hold of his hair. He needed to dry, comb and tie it up. Sighing, Carline set about doing everything according to his plan.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

"I hope you're ready," Evelyn appeared in the doorway. The woman looked at her child, then nodded and headed for the exit. Hill Jr., not wanting to fall behind and incur his mother's wrath again, followed her, closing the door behind him. Leaving the house, mother and son got into the car. The woman turned the key, started the car, and began to drive out of the yard. His heterochromatic eyes shifted to the window, not wanting to meet his mother's gaze. The car was already driving down the road. Cars, people, and houses flashed by the window. They slipped away from his gaze like sand through his fingers, not wanting to freeze and allow him to see them clearly. For some reason, when he was in the same car or room as his mother, the boy felt... in danger. Direct danger. Perhaps this feeling had been developed since childhood. It all started with her shouting and losing her temper, and now it had progressed to physical abuse. Although no, it had started three years ago. That's when the boy started school. There, Carline was the best. In all subjects. Every lesson ended with an excellent grade in his diary and praise from the teacher, and every year ended with a certificate as the most excellent student. However, there were downsides to this. Nerds were not popular in such schools. Nerd, bookworm and other synonyms for these words became the boy's stigma, seemingly until the end of his studies. Although Carline was the teachers' favourite, he did not betray his classmates, allowing them to cheat when the teacher was not looking, even if it was from a book, but at least it was something, right? He did not let them cheat purely out of a sense of... pride? Perhaps. After all, studying late into the night, or even into the morning, tutors and other things allowed the young man to study better than anyone else. "We're almost there," his mother's usual cold voice made him flinch slightly. Looking up at the mirror above the windscreen, the brown-haired boy met his mother's dark eyes. The car pulled up to the building. Getting out of the car, the boy headed for the entrance. He didn't even say goodbye. He knew he would be back in a couple of hours. Entering the building, Carline turned right as usual, heading for the changing room. Entering the room with lockers, each with its own key, the boy headed for the far bench. Quickly changing into his uniform, Hill hid his things in the locker, locked it, and left the room. As he stepped into the corridor, a voice behind him stopped him. "Hill? Did your mother bring you again?" Carline turned around at the mocking voice behind him. There stood Lilith, the most annoying girl for the young man. She had always picked on him, trying to get under his skin, starting from the moment he arrived. Childish teasing and jokes soon turned into outright bullying, ranging from taunts and hurtful phrases and words to glass in his shoes. Then the brown-haired boy's feet took a long time to heal. Quite a long time. "At least she can drive me, Lilith, but you seem to have to walk? Don't you even have enough money for the bus? I can lend you some if you want," replied the boy, glancing at the girl, who blushed and looked at Hill with a frown. Her blonde hair, tied back in a bun, glowed in the lamplight, and her green eyes stared at the boy with fury and hatred. Yes, he knew her family was poor, even though they made ends meet, but they tried to support their daughter and her dreams. "You... you rotten boy! You think that just because you have rich ancestors, you can treat us like this?" The girl hissed like a snake. The boy just looked at his acquaintance sceptically. "You started it," Carline replied, then turned and headed for the hall, promising herself never to look back at that voice again. Never. Lilith just stared after the boy. Hatred had appeared in the girl's soul a long time ago, and now it was growing with every word that came out of the boy's mouth. It was hatred for no reason. Because he existed. His very existence infuriated her, the fact that he had enough money, was smarter, knew many languages. He could afford to enjoy himself, unlike Lilith. Sighing, the girl headed for the women's changing room, temporarily putting the arrogant young man out of her mind.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

Training went on as usual. First, a warm-up, then a repetition of the movements already learned. After two hours of training, the boy's mother picked him up. Taking her son home, she warned him that his father was already there. It turned out that he had finished work much earlier than expected and now had some time off. Tomorrow would probably be a day off. Sighing, the brown-haired boy turned his head towards the window, trying again to see his house. The empty road allowed him to speed up. The car finally pulled into the driveway. Getting out of the car, the boy headed for the entrance. Opening the door and entering the building, Carline took off his shoes after noticing his father's shoes. Smiling, the young man walked on. His father was sitting in the living room watching TV. Hearing footsteps behind him, the man turned around and smiled when he saw his son, causing barely visible wrinkles to appear at the corners of his eyes. The boy smiled wider and ran up to his father, hugging him. He rarely allowed himself such freedom, and most often only when his mother was away. The man hugged his son, ruffled his hair, and stepped back. "How was training?" the man asked, looking into his heterochromatic eyes. "Not bad," the boy replied tersely, then asked, "Is there anything to eat?" "Yes, let's go." "Just a moment, I'll take the bag." Carline picked up the bag he had dropped earlier and went upstairs to his room. Arriving and throwing the bag into its usual place in the corner, the boy walked over to the wardrobe. After quickly changing his clothes, the young man went to the kitchen. Merritt was already serving his son's portion, and when he saw the dinner, he smiled, feeling his mouth water. Sitting down at the table, the boy began to eat. The warm food melted in his mouth, spreading warmth throughout his body. "I have tomorrow off..." said the man, looking at his son, who was delighted. "Wonderful!" said Carline, swallowing his food, then picking up a glass of water standing nearby and drinking it. Hill Sr. smiled, then got up and headed for the living room, where Merritt's wife was already waiting. Soon, the boy's dirty dishes were in the sink, and the young man was in his room. Summer spared no one, making it hot outside. It looks like tomorrow will be an interesting and peaceful day!

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

The day may have been peaceful, but it was anything but interesting. It was boring, and Carlein was ready to climb the walls from doing nothing. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Lifting his head from the sofa, the boy glanced at the door leading to the hallway. Getting up from the sofa, the boy headed for the door. Opening the door, Carline saw a stately woman in a pointed hat and a green cloak draped over her shoulders. The woman expected to see adults, but when she looked down, she saw only a boy looking at her with interest. "Excuse me, can I help you?" The boy straightened up and looked into the woman's green eyes. She smiled. "Hello, are your parents home?" The woman's voice was kind, with a slight hint of sternness. She was probably a very strict woman, the boy thought, nodding in response to the woman's question. "I'll let them know you're here, Mrs..." The boy didn't finish, not knowing the visitor's name. "Minerva McGonagall," the woman replied helpfully, and Carline hastened to correct himself. "Mrs McGonagall," replied the boy, then opened the door slightly. "Come in, there's no need to wait outside... Especially in this weather." The weather outside was indeed awful. It was pouring rain, but to Hill Jr.'s surprise, the woman was dry. "Thank you," the woman said as she entered the hallway. The woman was growing increasingly fond of her new potential student. "Please wait a moment, Mrs McGonagall," the boy asked, then disappeared into the depths of the house. The woman had a little time to look around the hallway. The dark door opened onto light-coloured walls. To the left of the door was a wardrobe with a mirror, and to the right was a cabinet, probably for shoes. Pictures hung on the walls, among them family photographs. "Hello," a man's voice distracted the woman from examining the interior. Mr Hill, the head of the family, appeared before her, looking at her questioningly. "Hello. I am Professor McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Head of Gryffindor House, and Transfiguration teacher," the woman introduced herself, stunning not only the father but also the mother, who appeared from behind her husband. The boy standing next to him looked at the woman with equal surprise and childlike admiration. "I'm sorry, but this isn't funny. Who are you?" Evelyn asked, now looking at the woman suspiciously. "Do you believe in magic?" the woman suddenly asked. Mrs Hill was beginning to get annoyed. Because it was unclear where the woman had come from, and she was starting to talk about magic. "What nonsense! Please leave our house," said the brown-haired woman, starting to approach her. The woman smiled, and a strange thin stick appeared in her hands. Without saying a word, she waved it, and almost all the objects in the hallway rose up. Evelyn screamed and jumped back, while Merritt stepped forward, shielding his family. "Who are you?" The father of the family realised that the woman was clearly not human and could also pose a danger to his wife and son. "I already introduced myself. But I didn't come here for no reason," the woman smiled, putting everything back in its place and putting the wand away. "Let's go to the living room and I'll explain everything to you."

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

The family followed their guest into the living room, where they sat down on the sofa. The woman sat down on a chair next to the sofa. Mrs Hill went to make tea, while the man stared at the woman, his body tense. Carline looked at the woman with interest, hoping she would perform more tricks. Evelyn came back quickly and placed the teacups on the table. The professor accepted the refreshments and smiled as the sweet liquid spread warmly through her throat. "So... as you say... You are a representative of the headmaster of the school of magic... How does it go... Ho..." Father began, but the woman interrupted him. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the woman said. "I came here to deliver a letter to Carlisle Hill and, possibly, to enrol him at Hogwarts in the future." "Excuse me...?" Merritt asked, puzzled, and looked at his son, who just shrugged. "Have you noticed anything strange about your son?" At the woman's words, the parents just shook their heads, then everyone looked at the boy, who flinched. "Well... there was, sort of..." the boy muttered. The woman just grunted affirmatively, as if to say, "What did I tell you?" She turned her gaze to the elder Hill, then took a letter from the inside pocket of her robe and handed it to the boy. The envelope was made of yellowish parchment, sealed with a purple wax seal decorated with a coat of arms depicting a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake, with a large letter "X" in the middle. The envelope was addressed to "Mr. K. Hill" and below that was the full address, right down to the room number. Opening the letter, the boy began to read it in his mind. HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDSHIP Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Knight of the Order of Merlin, First Class, Great Wizard, Supreme Wizard, President of the International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Mr Hill!

We are pleased to inform you that you have been granted a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please refer to the enclosed list of required books and items. Classes begin on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress!

Attached below was a list of items needed for the first year. After reading the parchment, the boy looked up at the woman, who was sipping her tea again. "This is..." The boy blinked, not understanding what it meant. "You're a wizard, Carline," the woman smiled, and the boy just opened his mouth, not daring to say a word. "Mr and Mrs Hill, are you ready to send your son to a school of witchcraft and wizardry?" The woman turned her head towards the parents, who were already reading the letter. "Caroline... Is this what you want?" his father asked, looking into his heterochromatic eyes. His son's opinion was important to him, even though he himself did not yet understand much. The boy froze, staring at the man with a unfocused gaze. If he left to study, he would probably live there. And most likely, he would not see his mother for the next nine months. And besides... It's... magic. Magic, damn it! The boy had never seen anything like it. No. He had seen it and taken part in it.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

Seven-year-old Carline was walking down the street. The sun was pleasantly warming his skin, and summer promised to soon give way to autumn. The boy did not like autumn because of school and the children who often teased him, saying that dancing was for girls and that he was a nerd, and many other hurtful words. Not far from his house was a forest, and the boy was walking along its edge. He remembered a river that flowed not far away. Thinking that he could go there, the boy headed deeper into the forest. The sun's rays passed through the branches of the mixed forest. The foliage of the oaks and the needles of the larch trees blocked the bright light, giving the grove a more secretive appearance. Soon, as he passed through the branches, the boy heard the murmur of water, which grew louder and louder with each step. Finally, he came upon a round clearing with a river flowing right through the centre, dividing the circle into two parts. Lilies and water lilies grew on the banks, a multitude of colourful flowers bloomed on the ground, and a tall, large willow tree cast a large shadow, providing shelter from the already scorching sun. Sounds could be heard all around. The flow of the river, the chirping of grasshoppers and the singing of birds gave this place a special charm, making it even more magical. The ankle-high grass tickled his skin pleasantly. Approaching the river, the boy sat down on the grass and looked into the water. Surprisingly, the river was not so shallow, but immediately went down to half a metre. Small fish swam at the bottom, following the cool water current. He wanted to dip his hands into the murmuring liquid and feel the coolness. Carline did as he wanted, and in the next moment his hands were elbow-deep in the water. The boy did not notice the strange behaviour of the fish at first, but only when several of them touched his fingers. Shuddering, the young man looked into the water, where he could see his reflection. Under the water, many fish of different colours were swimming around his hands. Moving his hands slightly to the side, Hill expected the underwater creatures to swim away, but they followed him, moving between his fingers as if playing. Carline smiled at the fish's behaviour. It seemed that his day had become much better then...

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

The first thing that came to mind was the fish and how Hill controlled them. Startled, the boy looked up at the man when he called out to him again. "Carline, do you want to go to Hogwarts?" The boy blinked and then spoke. "Yes. I want to go there..." said the boy and smiled weakly. Professor McGonagall smiled back. "Then I'll come to your house on the twentieth of August to take you to Diagon Alley," said the woman and got up from her chair. The family saw the woman out and wished her luck, closing the door when the professor disappeared. It seems that this year promises to be even more interesting...

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

It seemed like only yesterday that Professor McGonagall had visited, but a month had already passed. Today was the twentieth of August, which meant that the professor was due to arrive. Carline was excited. Even now, he still couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that magic existed. And even more so that he was a wizard. It was amazingly simple! There was a knock at the door. Hill Jr. came down from his room, went to the door, and opened it. A familiar guest was already standing on the threshold, and the boy smiled when he saw the woman. "Mr Carline, I hope you're ready?" The woman smiled at the boy. He nodded. "Of course, Professor McGonagall," the boy replied. His father had given him money so that his son could buy everything he needed. "Great, let's go then," the boy said as he went out into the street. Closing the door, he followed the woman. They travelled to London by bus, during which the young man asked his future professor about school and other things. The woman smiled as she answered, delighted by the boy's curiosity and hoping that it would not lead to mischief. Upon arriving in the city, Carline was surprised once again. Every trip to the capital was like the first time. Both magicians walked past people who turned around with interest to look at the woman. McGonagall did not react to the people; her task was to take the child to Diagon Alley. By the way, they soon reached it. Perhaps the boy had not imagined the entrance to the magical world to be like this. "Are you sure we're... there?" asked the boy, looking at the bar sign. "The Leaky Cauldron" was the name, which seemed to perfectly describe the deplorable state of the place. The bar was dirty, with cobwebs in the corners and large piles of dust. "Yes, don't worry," said the woman as she entered the establishment. Carline followed her. Inside were people — surprisingly — although they didn't look like people, more like homeless people who had decided to drink away their last money. Their clothes were worn, with patches in many places, and most of them wore hats like witches from fairy tales. The woman, moving like a cat between the tables, led the boy to the back of the bar. There was a rubbish bin there, next to which a rat or some other animal seemed to have left this mortal world. Or maybe it was a human... The woman pressed the bricks one by one, and the wall began to move away, forming an arch. "Wow..." the boy exclaimed quietly, to which the woman only smiled mysteriously, anticipating Hill's surprise. The woman walked on and stopped near a small group of children. "I hope nothing happened here?" the woman asked, looking at the children. They shook their heads, and then one of the older ones standing nearby spoke up. "No, they were behaving quietly," said the boy, who appeared to be one of the children's parents. "Good, let's go then," said the woman, and the group of children and adults followed the sorceress. "Hello, what's your name?" someone next to Carlein suddenly asked. Looking up, the boy saw a girl with long curly hair. She was looking at him with interest. "I'm... Carleyn Hill," the boy introduced himself, then held out his hand to the girl. "Hermione Granger," she smiled and shook his hand in response, slightly surprised. The boy's hands were quite soft and smooth and slightly cool. The latter was more surprising, especially in such hot weather. "Nice to meet you, Carline." "Likewise," the boy nodded, lowering his hand. The young man's gaze shifted to the alley. Ahead was a large white building, most likely made of marble. At the top was a dragon, like a guardian of gold, seemingly watching over the pitiful humans. "We're going to Gringotts Bank now, where we'll exchange our money for magical banknotes," the woman explained as they approached the building. Upon entering, the children felt slightly intimidated, and not only the children. Among them, Carline felt perhaps the most at ease. "Hello, we need to exchange our money for galleons," said the woman, glancing at the strange, small creature. "Who is that?" asked the boy, tugging slightly at the woman's arm. She lowered her gaze and explained, "They're goblins, bank employees," the woman explained briefly, to which the young man nodded and made a mental note to read about them. Returning to the other children, the boy looked around. The room was surprisingly tall and decorated in white tones. Goblin figures could be seen behind the high counters, each of them probably responsible for something. McGonagall did not allow him to examine the interior further when she called him to follow her. The group headed to a room where a goblin was already addressing the group. "Now we will exchange your money for ours," said the goblin and held out his hand. Hill volunteered first. Coming closer, he took out the banknotes and placed them in the bank employee's hands. The latter snorted, surprised at such a large sum. In total, the boy had more than a hundred galleons, seventy shekels, and two hundred knats. Thanking the goblin, the boy stepped back, letting the others pass. The exchange did not take long, so soon the woman said that they could split up and go to different shops. "Meet here in an hour," said the woman, pointing to the different shops where the parents and children should go first. The families scattered, and Carline was soon left alone in a fairly large crowd. His first thought was where he should go — to get a magic wand, namely to Ollivander's shop. Finding it with his eyes, the boy headed towards it. Passing through the crowd, Carline finally reached the door. Opening it and stepping inside, the boy was met by dust flying through the air, which made him sneeze. "Good day," came a voice from somewhere behind the shelves lined with rectangular boxes. A grey-haired old man's head appeared from behind the counter, followed shortly by its owner. "What is your name, young man?" "I'm Carline Hill, and you're Mr Ollivander, right?" asked the boy, looking into the old man's bright eyes. The old man nodded and smiled. "I need a magic wand..." "I understand, Mr Hill, may I?" Taking a measuring tape and approaching, the shop owner asked, "Which hand do you write with?" "Right, sir," said Carline, stretching out his hand to be measured. Surprisingly, the old man also measured the circumference of his head, leaving the young man somewhat stunned. "Hmm, now... let's see..." Ollivander muttered quietly to himself and disappeared behind a wall of magic wands. The old man came out literally a couple of minutes later and handed Carline a wand. Taking it in his hand and waving it, the young man shuddered when a glass standing nearby burst loudly, scattering into pieces. "Ooh, that's not the one... definitely not the one..." And there were many "wrong" ones... Too many, damn it. The boy had been waiting for forty minutes for the right wand to appear. He was already thinking that he was out of luck... However, something about one white wand caught the old man's attention... "Here, try this one," he said, handing him a white wand with a dark handle. Various patterns appeared on the soft, comfortable handle, while the shaft itself was as white as snow in January. His hand was already sore from waving, but the boy still forced himself to wave the wand. The things around him did not break, but on the contrary, began to return to their previous state, as if Reparo had been used on them. The warmth from the wand spread pleasantly through his body, like warm water in the cold weather. The boy smiled while the old man looked on in surprise. "This wand is truly unique," the grey-haired man began, and Carline looked up at him. "An aspen core... usually, those who have such a wand are skilled duelists, and a dragon's heartstring... Hmm, usually, the wizards who wield these wands become dark magicians or become involved in the dark arts... I hope, Mr Hill, that you will not disappoint us... right?

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The thirty-first of August. This was the day Carline Hill had been waiting for. He waited and wondered: when would he finally be able to take a break from his mother, who had been putting so much pressure on him lately that his desire to run away from home was growing too quickly? And the boy waited. Finally, now they were going to take the 9¾ train, and that was too amazing... although after Diagon Alley, it seemed that nothing could be strange anymore. The boy walked along the platform with his mother and father. Finally, they reached the wall with signs 9 and 10 hanging on it. "I think... this is it?" the man asked, looking at his son. The boy nodded, then turned to his father, "It's quarter to, you'd better hurry..." The boy steadfastly resisted his mother's insistence that he should not give up music and gymnastics with dancing. His father just wished him luck and asked him to send letters if the phones did not work there. Both parents kissed the boy on the cheeks and waved to him as he calmly walked into the wall and hid there. Deciding not to wait around, Carline calmly boarded the scarlet train and almost immediately found an empty compartment, where he immediately sat down. The boy was alone on the journey and, fortunately, no one came in except for an elderly female conductor who was walking around with sweets. The landscapes changed one after another, and finally the train arrived at the station. It was already dark outside, and a giant with long, tangled hair and a beard to match was calling to the children. Calling the children over, the half-giant led them to a grove that ended near a huge lake. There were more than a dozen boats there. Telling the children to get in — no more than four people in one boat — the guide sat down in one that already had three children in it and set off when the children had settled down. Soon after the ivy, which they had to duck under, the school itself appeared, looking like a castle. The magnificent building with towers revealed itself to the children, who stared at the castle in awe. The lights from the windows beckoned them inside, as if saying, "Come in, it's much warmer here than outside," and they wanted to go in. When the children landed, they were led ashore, and the giant took the new students to the school. McGonagall met them on the steps at the entrance, thanked the giant, whose name was Hagrid, and led the newcomers inside herself. Inside, the building looked just as impressive. High ceilings, knights' armour standing on either side of the walls, and even statues! The woman led the children to a large door, stopped, and turned to them. Carline wasn't listening; he only heard himself being told to be quiet, and he didn't really care about the faculties. On the walls hung portraits or paintings of people and animals that moved. Soon the woman returned and, passing through the large doors, led the children through the hall. Looking up at the ceiling, the boy was truly amazed. He was enchanted by the replica of the sky, where there were now many stars that seemed to be watching over the children. There were also candles flying around, replacing the usual lamps or lanterns. Students, probably from the upper grades, sat at tables on either side, while the teaching staff sat at a table at the front. After explaining what was going to happen, McGonagall began calling the children to assign them to their houses. "Caroline Hill!" He felt somewhat uneasy. A strange, clinging feeling of fear settled in his chest. Fortunately, Carline had learned to dispel this feeling. Straightening his shoulders, the brown-haired boy walked over to the stool. Sitting down, he felt a heaviness on his head. The hat suddenly spoke in the heterochromatic boy's head. "Hmm... You are a very... talented child... I know where to send you..." His breathing seemed to slow down, if not stop altogether. The hat's loud cry made him relax and get up to go to his desk. To his new classmates. To his new family.