Chapter 120: Chapter 120: "Sorting Ceremony"
The Great Hall was alive with noise and movement as Professor McGonagall took center stage, unrolling a lengthy parchment. Excitement and a bit of anxiety hung in the air, especially among the first-year students who were about to learn their Hogwarts house.
Professor McGonagall's voice rang out clearly in the bustling hall, "When I call your name, please come forward, put on the hat, and sit on the stool to be sorted."
Her first call was "Abbott, Hannah!"
Hannah walked up with hesitant steps, a mix of nervousness and anticipation evident in her movements. As she placed the Sorting Hat on her head, it comically slid down over her eyes, drawing a brief silence from the crowd.
Then, suddenly, the hat's voice boomed out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The tension broke like a wave, and the Hufflepuff table erupted in cheers and clapping, warmly welcoming their new housemate.
Next on the list was a name Harry was eagerly waiting for.
"Bones, Susan!" called McGonagall.
Harry watched intently as his sister walked up to the stool with a mix of nerves and excitement. Placing the hat on her head, it didn't take long before it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Susan's face lit up with a smile as she quickly moved to sit next to Hannah. Harry clapped heartily from his seat, feeling a surge of pride for his sister joining the friendly and loyal house of Hufflepuff.
The sorting ceremony continued smoothly, and Harry found himself recognizing many names that were familiar from the Harry Potter books and movies.
One after another, students like Terry Boot, Lavender Brown, Millicent Bulstrode, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Seamus Finnegan were called up. Each of them walked up to the stool, placed the Sorting Hat on their heads, and shortly after, their new house was announced, eliciting cheers and applause from their new housemates.
When Daphne Greengrass's name was called, she calmly walked up to the stool and was quickly sorted into Slytherin. Harry felt a little relieved knowing she would be alright; Arabella and Elvinia would surely look after her.
Then came Hermione Granger's turn, a moment Harry had been somewhat anxious about. He had given her some advice earlier, hoping it might influence her sorting in some way.
As Hermione sat under the hat, the hall fell silent for a moment. Unlike the quick decisions of many others, the hat seemed to take a little longer with Hermione. Harry could see from her expression that she was having quite a discussion with the hat.
Finally, after a tense minute, the hat loudly declared "Gryffindor!"
Harry felt a pang of disappointment. It seemed Hermione had not taken his advice. Somewhat unfortunate, since she could have had a better school life in Ravenclaw. This outcome meant Harry wouldn't be intervening in Hermione's life further; if his advice hadn't helped her now, he doubted it would in the future.
He silently wished that Hermione would find good friends in Charles and Ron, hoping she would become part of their group. If not, Hogwarts could prove to be a challenging place for her.
Neville Longbottom's turn was one of the lengthier ones. The Sorting Hat seemed to ponder deeply before finally shouting, "Gryffindor!" Harry, who had secretly hoped Neville might join his sister in Hufflepuff, felt a slight disappointment wash over him. He had tried to influence Neville's placement, thinking Hufflepuff would be more supportive for him, but it seemed fate had other plans. Regardless, Harry resolved to continue supporting Neville in any way he could.
As the ceremony moved forward, Draco Malfoy's name was called. The hall watched as he briskly walked up to the stool, placed the hat on his head, and almost instantly, "Slytherin!" was announced.
Harry watched the young Malfoy from across the room, contemplating the boy's future. In Harry's eyes, Draco was not truly the villain some made him out to be; he was just a boy shaped by his upbringing and his father's expectations. His actions, often seen as mischievous or misguided in the books, were those of a child trying to live up to a villainous image set by his family, yet often failing to truly be malicious.
Finally, after more students were sorted, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived.
"Potter, Charles!" Professor McGonagall announced.
As Charles sat on the stool, the entire hall watched with bated breath. Almost instantly, "GRYFFINDOR!" was announced. There was no hesitation in the Sorting Hat's decision, reflecting the upbringing and influences of Charles, who was raised by Gryffindor parents and mentored by a Gryffindor headmaster.
Charles sprinted towards the Gryffindor table, where he was met with loud cheers, especially from the Weasley twins who excitedly chanted, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
The ceremony seemed particularly long this year, possibly because Harry recognized many names from the books, making each sorting feel more significant. However, it could also be due to an unusually large number of first-year students.
The final students, Ron Weasley, and Blaise Zabini, were quickly sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin, respectively. With their sorting, the lengthy process finally came to an end.
Professor McGonagall carefully rolled up her scroll and took away the Sorting Hat, marking the conclusion of the sorting ceremony. The students' attention shifted as they prepared for the next part of the evening.
Professor Dumbledore stood up, his eyes twinkling as he addressed the hall. "Welcome," he began, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
He sat down amid applause and laughter, leaving some, like Harry, wondering about his eccentric nature. Harry wondered if Dumbledore was simply being his usual quirky self or if this was part of a deeper strategy to keep his adversaries off balance.
As the applause died down, the tables magically filled with an array of delicious foods. The students, who had been waiting eagerly, immediately started to fill their plates, diving into the feast. The hall was quickly filled with the sounds of a joyful dinner, with conversations buzzing and laughter echoing around the room.
After everyone had their fill, and the dessert plates had been cleared, Dumbledore stood once more.
The hall quieted down instantly, all eyes on him. "Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," he continued, his voice carrying across the quiet hall. "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His eyes twinkled as they briefly flicked towards the Weasley twins, who responded with sheepish grins.
Professor Dumbledore continued his announcements with a slight sternness in his tone, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, our caretaker, to remind everyone that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. Additionally, Quidditch trials will be held during the second week of the term. Those interested in joining their house teams should speak with Madam Hooch."
He paused for a moment before adding, "And finally, I must caution you all that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is strictly off-limits to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Upon hearing this, Harry couldn't help but be intrigued by the mention of the forbidden corridor. He wondered about the Philosopher's Stone which was stored in that corridor. Was it actually real, or merely a decoy to lure Voldemort? Harry was quite curious about the stone, pondering its potential uses if it were indeed real.
Roger, a bit alarmed, turned to Harry and whispered, "He's not serious, is he?"
Harry nodded slowly, "Must be serious. And remember, stay away from that corridor. That corridor might be the reason I felt this year was not going to be quiet like last year."
Reggy, half-joking, chimed in, "Okay, we'll steer clear of there. Harry, maybe you really do have a knack for seeing the future. Good luck in your Divination class."
As Dumbledore concluded his speech, the traditional Hogwarts song filled the hall, signaling the end of the feast. It was time for the students to head back to their dormitories.
Harry cast one last look at his brother Charles and then at Quirrel before he joined his Ravenclaw dorm mates to make their way to the Ravenclaw Tower.
Chapter 121: Chapter 121: "First Day Clashes"
The new school year at Hogwarts kicked off with its usual lively atmosphere, but for Harry, it was just the start of another busy day. He woke up early and made his way to the Forbidden Forest for his routine morning jog and a bit of sword training.
The forest greeted him with its customary silence, unchanged and as tranquil as he had left it before the holidays, providing a brief period of peace before his day fully began. He planned to return later in the evening to check on a few more things in the forest.
After wrapping up his morning exercises and enjoying a quick breakfast, Harry's day continued with his regular class schedule.
Unfortunately, he was slightly disappointed to find out that there was no Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) class with Professor Quirrel today. He was particularly looking forward to this class to delve further into Voldemort's memories, which he had started exploring the night before.
Harry was keen to tackle the challenging task of navigating through Voldemort's fragmented and chaotic mind, hoping to uncover some valuable knowledge and information hidden within. Sadly, he would have to wait another day to resume this intriguing but daunting exploration.
The day flew by, filled with the usual rhythm of classes, lectures, and note-taking. However, the day was far from dull, especially with the buzz surrounding the school's new celebrity, Charles Potter.
Throughout the day, there was constant chatter about Charles and his amusing first-day mishaps. Stories circulated about how he and his friend Ron Weasley overslept, causing them to be late for their first class. Their tardiness meant there was no one in the corridors to guide them, resulting in them getting lost.
Eventually, the Gryffindor ghost had to lead them to their classroom. When they finally made their appearance in Professor McGonagall's class, their entrance was marked by a mix of antics that quickly became the talk of the school.
Fans of Charles defended him, while others found humor in the situation, sharing laughs throughout the corridors.
Harry found himself slightly embarrassed as his friends teased him about his brother's blunders. However, he quickly reminded himself that he and Charles were not close; they were practically strangers.
This detachment allowed Harry to brush off most of the gossip, although he couldn't help but be amused by some of the stories. He was particularly looking forward to seeing how Charles would handle his first Potions class, anticipating it would be an entertaining spectacle and likely the highlight of his week.
As the day turned into evening, Harry prepared for another trip to the Forbidden Forest. He was keen on assessing the current state of the forest.
Harry wondered if the centaurs had managed to keep the angry acromantula colony in check during his absence. It was crucial for him to find out if the centaurs had controlled the spiders or if he would need to step in to stop them from spreading their territory too close to the school grounds.
This year, Harry was particularly cautious about disturbing the forest creatures too much. He knew that Voldemort would soon be prowling the forest in search of unicorn blood. Facing Voldemort and an unchecked acromantula colony at the same time was not something Harry wanted to deal with. While he wasn't scared of the weakened Voldemort, he was wary of potential surprise attacks during his patrols for acromantulas.
Therefore, Harry decided that this year he would focus less on the acromantulas and more on protecting the noble unicorns from Voldemort's deadly pursuits.
As Harry left the castle for his evening venture into the Forbidden Forest, he unexpectedly bumped into his younger brother Charles, and his friend, Ron Weasley. The boys looked confused and frustrated, clearly lost in the sprawling corridors of Hogwarts.
When Charles saw Harry, his face twisted into a scowl of anger.
"You! How dare you show your face after what you did?" Charles accused him angrily.
Harry was not in the mood to get into a pointless argument. He had once hoped that he could have a good relationship with Charles, that his brother might understand why Harry felt so strongly about their parents.
But now, seeing Charles' reaction, Harry realized he might have expected too much from the young boy, who was still just an 11-year-old, possibly too young to understand anything. He might also have been fed lies. But Harry did not care about correcting his views.
Trying to avoid a confrontation, Harry attempted to walk past them. But Charles blocked his path, standing firm.
However, Charles stepped in his way, insisting, "You cannot go. I need you to apologize to Mom."
Ron, puzzled by the confrontation, asked Charles, "Who is this, Charley? He looks a bit like you."
Charles responded with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "He's my older brother. He didn't grow up with us; he lived with our aunt. He's not a good person."
Harry exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the moment. "Look, I'm really busy. I don't have time for this."
Yet Charles was not ready to let it go. "You need to write a letter of apology to Mom. She's been really upset since you argued with her."
Ron chimed in, supporting his friend, "Yeah, apologize to Aunt Lily."
Harry replied firmly, "I don't owe an apology. She knows what she needs to do to make things right. I've told her how she can earn my forgiveness. Now, please, let me go."
But Charles stepped in front of him again, blocking his way. "You can't go until you apologize. Mom has been crying every day because of what you said."
Harry, maintaining his calm, explained, "It's not my problem if she can't handle the truth. Now, step aside, please."
Charles's face hardened as he issued a threat, "If you don't apologize, I'll tell Grandpa Dumbledore and the Minister. They'll punish you."
Harry dismissed the threat with a chuckle, "They can't do anything to me."
Charles really thought too much of himself. He was just a mascot in the wizarding world with no real power. The most influence he could wield was to cry to his young teenage fans who adored him. These fans might criticize Harry for reprimanding their beloved Charles, but that was the extent of his impact.
"Is it because you're the Potter heir? Dad said you stole it from me," Charles accused.
Harry corrected him firmly, "I didn't steal anything. Grandfather chose me as the heir. You really should get your facts straight."
Charles's frustration grew as he spat out more accusations, "You're lying. You hate me because you had to live with our aunt in the muggle world and you hated it there. Why are you so upset about that? I think you had an easy life. Do you have any idea how hard my life has been in the wizarding world? I couldn't even go outside without being swarmed by fans, making it hard for me to even enjoy a day out. I had to be on guard against dark wizard attacks. And the fan mail—I had to learn to write properly at a young age because Mum insisted I respond to every letter. On top of that, I had to train in magic every day with Grandpa Dumbledore, preparing for the day You-Know-Who returns, to protect everyone."
Ron chimed in, "Yeah, those letters were exhausting, and the training and books were tough. I could not train but I watched Charles struggle."
Harry couldn't help but laugh at Charles's complaints. "You think that's a tough life? You have no idea what hard really is. If we had switched places, you wouldn't be here today. You better learn the whole truth from your parents before you try to confront me again. I don't have time to waste here."
Harry found the situation somewhat amusing, considering what Charles thought of as difficult. He had to remind himself of the boy's young age, but it still struck him as funny. He also noticed how Charles referred to Voldemort as "You-know-who," which suggested fear, indicating that Dumbledore's training might not be adequate.
Harry noted the way Charles called Dumbledore "Grandpa Dumbledore," which seemed to hint that Dumbledore was grooming him to be his successor. It looked like the lack of a Horcrux in Charles's scar had brought about some changes. The Boy Who Lived wasn't being raised as a sacrificial pawn like in the canon.
As Harry turned to walk away, Charles issued a warning, "You're forcing me to attack you. I've been training for this."
Both Charles and Ron then pulled out their wands, trying to stop Harry. With a casual flick of his wand, Harry quickly disarmed them, sending their wands flying across the corridor.
The boys hurried to pick up their wands, but by the time they managed to grab them and look up, Harry was already gone.
Fuming, Ron turned to Charles, "How can he just ignore you like that, Charley? He used magic against us right here in the corridor. We should go tell Professor Dumbledore about this. He'll definitely be punished for what he did."
Charles nodded in agreement, "Absolutely, let's go straight to Grandpa Dumbledore's office."
But then, Charles looked unsure, "Umm, Ron… do you actually know how to get to Grandpa's office?"
Ron thought for a moment then suggested, "Let's just walk around the castle. We can ask someone on the way."
With that plan, the two boys started off, leaving Harry to continue his walk towards the Forbidden Forest. Harry's mind was already leaving behind the brief confrontation with his brother and friend, focusing instead on the more pressing concerns waiting for him in the shadows of the towering trees.
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