Hogwarts.
A well-known and famous magical school.
If you ask about its popularity among Muggles, I believe that at least eleven out of ten people would be confident in saying it's the best magical school.
It must be said that it is the perfect ivory tower that many people dream of.
Although compared to the Muggle educational system, it's at most a vocational school for magic or a magic trade school, one cannot deny its contribution to the magical world, especially to the British magical world.
It has practically supplied the entire staff for that bloated and sluggish institution—the Ministry of Magic (which, let's face it, is the only institution that truly fits those descriptors, right?).
Because of this, you won't see the British Ministry of Magic using its alma mater to divide factions, as is the case in British politics, where Cambridge and Oxford mutually despise each other, only to collectively ostracize King's College.
At least, in the British Ministry of Magic, all the civil servants are alumni of the same school.
But, as they say, "There are no factions in the party, only a bizarre variety of characters."
Birds of a feather flock together, and people segregate themselves into groups. If a group of people doesn't form factions to distinguish themselves, that would be more magical than the magic itself!
After all, these wizards who wave little sticks and mutter incessantly are still humans. At least there is no reproductive isolation between them and Muggles. So, no matter how much some deny it, they fall within the scope of the term "human."
So, for civil servants in the Ministry of Magic, where they can't rely on school affiliation to distinguish their factions, how exactly are they divided?
Bloodline and heritage.
A rather primitive division.
Pure-bloods, half-bloods, and Muggle-borns.
But their trivial and complicated entanglements are hardly worth a single word of description!
So let's put aside the political squabbles and return to Hogwarts.
It's the summer of 1991, and like all schools, Hogwarts is currently on vacation. This lively and energetic school is quietly dozing in the hot July sun, with two months left before the new students arrive. The ancient castle, like its professors, needs rest.
Especially the elderly wizard, whose hair and beard have turned gray.
"Mm—" Albus Dumbledore smacked his lips contentedly. The new product released by Honeydukes to celebrate the eleventh anniversary of the fall of the Dark Lord was perfectly suited to his taste. After dealing with that annoying letter from the Ministry of Magic, he had a little treat as a reward for himself.
"Hmm—" Dumbledore sighed in satisfaction, fully enjoying the sweet sensation of the candy flowing between his teeth. "A perfect day should start with candy, don't you think, Fawkes?"
The phoenix, Fawkes, stood on his perch and responded with a soft chirp before stretching his magnificent tail feathers. It was currently at the peak of its power, but soon, it would begin its cycle of aging. But for a phoenix, death wasn't a big deal, right?
After admiring the golden glow of Fawkes' tail, Dumbledore popped another moving candy into his mouth, savoring the crunchy insect-like candy as it collided with his teeth, taking a while to squeeze out the sweet juice inside.
"Maybe sharing candy with my colleagues would be a good strategy… perhaps Minerva might appreciate its charm?" Dumbledore murmured to himself uncertainly after swallowing the sugary remnants.
But just as he stood up to look for his colleague, the oak door to his office was knocked on.
From the sound, the person knocking was in a hurry.
"Come in!" Dumbledore sat back in his cushioned chair, his wise eyes peering over his half-moon glasses at the unexpected visitor.
A dark shadow pushed the door open—it was Severus Snape, the Head of Slytherin, Potions Professor, member of the Order of the Phoenix, and also a notorious Death Eater.
"Dumbledore," Snape moved his lips, speaking urgently and in a low tone, "We need to talk."
Dumbledore stared into his eyes for a while, disappointed to find that Snape didn't even notice the candy on his desk. So, he gave up on sharing it, composed himself, and said calmly, "It's a rare vacation, and we both have plenty of time..."
He waved his hand, and a chair, also cushioned, moved to the opposite side of the desk.
"Please, sit."
Snape glanced down at the intricately carved wooden chair, stepped aside to make room for it, and then firmly said, "Not here."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise. "If you wish to take a walk, I happen to know a good place..."
But before he could finish his suggestion, Snape impatiently interrupted him, "Underground in the castle, there's something you need to see."
They had made their way down a winding tunnel to the lowest depths of the castle.
"I've been in this castle for almost a century, but I've never heard of such a place." Dumbledore surveyed the vast room in front of them. At the end of the marble staircase, there was a grand, empty circular hall. Four doors similar to vestibules lined the walls, but other than the reflective surfaces of the walls, there was nothing noteworthy.
The room seemed to be embedded within the mountain, its origin unknown. Some skilled artisan must have carved it into the mountain's belly. The stone pillars, adorned with gold thread, connected the ceiling and the floor, seamlessly integrated as one. At the center of the colorful tile floor was a circular area, its spotless surface like a mirror, reflecting the two robed figures in black.
"That's Hogwarts! I've never seen it from this angle!" Dumbledore's voice was filled with astonishment as he looked down at the aerial view of Hogwarts.
"How did you find this place, Severus?"
"That's not important," Snape replied, gritting his teeth. He drew his wand and tapped it in the air. The ripples on the floor spread out, and the aerial view of Hogwarts faded away.
"Focus," Snape instructed, trying to ignore the disappointed tone in Dumbledore's voice. He didn't understand what was so fascinating about this idiotic and foolish place.
As the ripples on the floor settled, a new image appeared.
It was a child sealed within a crystal.
With messy black hair, his skin pale, though he appeared young, one could foresee his mischievous future.