Chapter 442: The First Day of School

Harry and the others were quite interested in it, but it wouldn't do to ask Bai Lang in front of everyone to open it so they could have a look. "It's fine, I plan to take it to school. That way I won't need so many trunks—I just don't know if Hogwarts will allow me to bring this kind of satchel." Hermione Granger also thought back carefully, saying, "I don't think the school rules prohibit that."

Bai Lang shrugged. "They probably never imagined a young wizard would bring something so valuable to Hogwarts, but it's fine—since there's no prohibition, all good." Bai Lang was taken by Harry and the others to the joke shop; he wasn't particularly interested in the toys, but he had a question: "You lot say Peeves gets hold of all those stink pellets—where does he get them?" Neither Ron nor Harry had any idea; maybe Peeves really has money and can order by owl? They tossed out all sorts of speculation.

On this topic, the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, who were in the shop, joined in, offering various ideas: "Come to think of it, we never wondered where Peeves gets all his prank supplies either." Ron eyed his twin brothers suspiciously, thinking it quite likely they were the ones supplying Peeves.

Meanwhile, in the secondhand shop was Percy Weasley, who was the coolest toward Bai Lang—and even a bit hostile—of the Weasley family; Bai Lang didn't notice what he was up to, since everyone was heading to the bookshop to buy textbooks. Outside the bookshop there was a crowd, almost all witches, because the new professor for this term, Gilderoy Lockhart, was holding a book-signing.

While the witches were in a frenzy, Bai Lang had already slipped away—he planned to get an ice cream first, then come back for books when the crowd died down. He knew Lockhart was a fraud, but his books... maybe they'd actually be entertaining? As for the Harry Potter trio, they were of course caught up in the crowd around Lockhart's signing.

By the time Bai Lang got his books, it was about two hours later; Harry and the others had already left Diagon Alley using Floo powder. Even with all those books stuffed inside, the courier bag still looked flat, and Bai Lang was very pleased as he walked off with it. He rode his bicycle back home, where he needed to make some preparations for the start of term.

This time, heading to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Bai Lang still let Buckbeak fly there on his own, while he just strolled along with his bag slung over his shoulder. He hadn't seen Diero all summer and wondered how big the creature had gotten—Hagrid hadn't sent a photo, so Bai Lang had no idea. But afterward he could keep it in his satchel during the holidays...

Bai Lang arrived early at the platform as usual; there weren't many students or parents around, so he boarded the train, found a roughly middle compartment, set down his satchel, and sat. He pulled a thick copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them from his bag and flipped through it—indeed, he'd bought the book just to have something to read.

After peeking around, they finally spotted Bai Lang and eagerly piled into the compartment—Zabini and his mates, of course, and later Neville and Seamus showed up too; the compartment was about to overflow, but Bai Lang cheerfully bought a pile of snacks, and a bunch of young wizards chatted about their holiday fun while munching away.

Harry Potter wasn't on the train, nor, of course, was Ron—Hermione Granger had looked for them, but Bai Lang said he hadn't seen either. From Bai Lang's memory, those two hotheads were bound to stir up trouble—"Why don't they just go back to the Burrow and wait for Mrs. Weasley, or send an owl? No, they had to come in a flying car."

As expected, they only showed up after the Sorting ceremony, looking like they'd cheated death—still shaken but oddly exhilarated. At least they hadn't set a first‑day record for losing Gryffindor a hundred points; they merely had to serve detention.

Everyone knew they'd arrived in a flying car and even smashed into the Whomping Willow; nearly every Gryffindor student's eyes lit up, as if they wanted to try it too—no points lost, just a measly detention, and Gryffindor lads aren't scared of a hammer.

Bai Lang didn't chat with them; he slipped away silently, flung off his outer clothes to reveal a black suit underneath, drew his cloak, and moved stealthily into the darkness. As he stepped onto the edge of the Forbidden Forest and just caught sight of Hagrid's hut, his steps halted.

He half‑turned toward the forest, shifted his feet slightly, bent a little, and braced himself like a steel rod under compression. From the dark woods emerged a splendid beast, about the size of a lion...... a "lion"……

This sandy‑furred beast moved almost soundlessly, and the moment it appeared it lunged at Bai Lang like a phantom. Bai Lang didn't dodge; he met it head‑on with a tiger‑like poke, swiping aside the creature's foreclaws with his left hand and driving his right hand forward to seize the lion's scalp.

"Ah, Diero, you've given me quite a surprise—grown this fast!" The lion soon calmed and stood still, and Bai Lang stroked its head. Though called a lion, it had no mane yet, but the horns on its forehead were already about half an arm long, its spread bat‑wings were larger and stronger than before, and the whipping of its segmented tail, tipped with a spiked hammer, struck the ground with a resonant thud.

"Hagrid seems to have raised you well," Bai Lang said. Hagrid appeared then, nodded at Bai Lang but kept his eyes on Diero—his expression was pure delight, showing this man's taste for ferocious beasts was beyond saving. "He's a real sweetheart, appetite to match." Hagrid added, and as for his own coat, which looked like Diero had torn it, the creature couldn't care less.

After playing with Diero for a while, Bai Lang returned to his dorm—apparently bringing a satchel with an Undetectable Extension Charm didn't break school rules, and his bag still hung nicely from his bedpost.

The next morning at breakfast, Bai Lang saw the dreadful fate of Harry and company—a howler from Mrs. Weasley, poor Ron being yelled at until his ears rang, the voice loud enough to be heard outside the castle walls. The first two classes were Herbology, and to Bai Lang's surprise, Lockhart showed up alongside Professor Sprout; naturally he let Harry speak, while Bai Lang and the others went with Professor Sprout to the third greenhouse.

"All mandrakes..." Bai Lang muttered. While repotting, he pulled out a mandrake wearing ear defenders; the dirty little humanoid screamed and cursed, flailing with tiny fists and feet and jabbing with its sharp little teeth, but Bai Lang flicked it— the mandrake froze instantly, suspicious fluid seeming to seep from its mouth. Before Professor Sprout noticed, he swiftly shoved the inert mandrake into a pot and packed soil around it.

"I might have killed it, maybe?" he wondered, worrying that the professor would come after him demanding compensation for the damaged equipment.