Kapitel 18: Chapter 18
[T/N: OK...you guys did not add the book to your library, but it seems you at least checked it out, I will give you guys this chapter.]
When they left the train, the group of friends headed for the horseless carts, which had been in charge of transporting the school's students for many years. However, it was necessary for the group to divide into two since it was too large and there was no way they could all go in the same car. The journey was full of friendly jokes and questions, many of them about the classification that was yet to come and where the new students would end up. Fred and George were worried about their little sister and hoped that she would get into Gryffindor, where they could take care of her while at the same time maintaining that Brian would be sorted into Slytherin, much to Draco's indignation.
The sight of Hogwarts, as safe as ever, was just as welcome. Although that summer had not been as tragic as others, it did not take away the idea that there was a strong fear in magical Britain. Voldemort had been around for many years, killing anyone who stood in his way, and this was something that would surely continue for several years yet. But, despite the fears and insecurities, there was a premise that perhaps would never change. Hogwarts would always be a safe place.
[T/N: RED FLAG!!]
"It's something I'll never get tired of seeing," one of the twins murmured. "I'm sure Ginny will enjoy her view of the lake."
"I always thought it reminded me of a fairy tale castle..." Harry murmured.
The entrance to the school grounds was filled with excited comments and smiles, as well as some comments from the boys about how hungry they were and how they would have to leave sorting until after dinner, to the amused laughter and smiles of the girls. By the time the carts stopped in front of the castle and they were able to leave and gather again, they gave each other knowing glances before going to sit in their chairs at their tables at home. They were hungry and the sooner they were ready, the sooner the selection would begin, and the sooner they could have dinner.
They were all sitting at their respective tables when the doors to the Great Hall opened again and McGonagall entered followed by the first-year students, who, with a few exceptions, were incredibly scared and who looked at everything around them in fear. It was obvious that the entire classification ceremony was designed to intimidate the poor rookies… a wish quite achieved. As soon as they arrived in front of the Sorting Hat, they stopped to see what was happening. It was funny to see the shock and fear that more than one person felt when the hat began to sing a song in which it explained the qualities of each house.
"When I name you, you will come here to be sorted." McGonagall said, unrolling a parchment with the list of the students' names. "Asthon, Annabel."
Everyone watched as a little girl with long black hair ran to where the hat was and rather nervously placed it on her head. Maybe it was because she was the first on the list, or maybe just pure and simple curiosity, but they couldn't hear the slightest murmur as they waited for the hatter to give his verdict. It took a few minutes, but he finally shouted Ravenclaw to the entire Great Hall, which was soon followed by the applause of said house. She was followed by a little boy, Evan Andrey, who was sorted into Hufflepuff.
The classification continued as it divided the first-year students into the four houses. The vast majority of times, the children seemed terrified, but other times just extremely excited. Harry looked at the classification carefully, applauding just as enthusiastically as the rest, when someone was sent home. Despite everything, the ranking he was looking forward to was his brother's, so when McGonagall said his name, he felt a knot form in his stomach.
Brian approached the stool with a sure step and a rather bored expression, almost as if it were a waste of time having to be selected, assuming that he was going to go to a specific house. For Harry, it wasn't very difficult to know where his brother wanted to go, Gryffindor, and seeing how the headmaster leaned forward showing his interest, it wasn't very difficult for him to guess that he also wanted him to go to that house. Despite what could have been expected, the classification of the youngest Potter lasted relatively short, although longer than what could have been imagined... obviously, the hat was not very clear where to send it, but finally, after two or three minutes, he shouted for everyone to hear, Gryffindor, although if one was to be guided by the horrified expression of the twins, Neville and Hermione, they were not amused by that decision.
In itself it was quite funny to see how Brian gave the hat an angry look, obviously, he did not agree with the idea he had had about being able to send him to another house. Then with an arrogant step, he walked to the Gryffindor table, sitting next to a blonde-haired first-year… Creevey, if he had heard correctly. Meanwhile, the sorting continued, and a girl named Quentin Rachel was sorted into Slytherin.
If looks could kill, the one Snape was sending Brian would have killed him instantly, and then the ones he was receiving from the rest of his house would have finished him off. Not only was he not paying attention to those who remained to be classified, but he was also not leaving the others, something that was already making him quite a few enemies. By the time they finally arrived at Weasley Ginevra, the twins, their brothers Ron and Percy, and many first years, were on the verge of committing murder. Luckily, thanks to a quick kick from another first year who was right in front of Brian, the indignant man was silenced and the young Weasleys were able to hear their little sister being sorted and welcomed into Gryffindor.
Finally, once the selection was finished, the Headmaster stood up to welcome the students to a new year and allowed them to comment on the food that appeared on the different tables. It was funny to see how they repeated the conversations that had taken place the previous year, in order to get to know each other. It seemed so far away to everyone when they themselves started attending Hogwarts, it seemed strange to them.
"Look Harry, they are ignoring your brother," Athenea murmured.
"It seems that it hasn't gone down very well." Susan Bones added.
"I'm not surprised, with his attitude." Harry commented. "But will anyone say anything to him... I sure won't, I don't feel like getting into a fight with my father."
The others (except his friends) looked at him in surprise while giving curious glances, not being able to imagine that it could be so bad. Considering that most Hufflepuffs were quite good by nature, it was very difficult for them that someone could be cruel for simple pleasure... they tended to need to see it for themselves, something that in itself was never pleasant.
Deciding not to pay attention, they each returned to their dinner, deciding to ignore what was happening to Brian at the Gryffindor table. By the time they finished, they were so full that they could barely stay awake from all the food they had eaten, so practically no one paid attention when the old Headmaster made his usual welcome speech, giving instructions for the school year. The vast majority were not paying attention, after all, they already knew that the Forbidden Forest was as its name indicated, forbidden and all that stuff, so they remained half awake until Dumbledore allowed them to go to sleep.
The next day, classes began to the joy of some and the horror of others who would have preferred that the vacation not end. Breakfast was mostly full of rather grumpy people, not used to getting up early after a whole summer of sleeping in. The few people who were awake enough and in a good mood could be counted on the fingers of their hands... Although everyone remained half asleep, when the different heads of the house distributed their schedules, everyone was encouraged to run to see what classes they would have that same morning. Harry was no exception.
"What class do you have now, Harry?" Athenea asked.
"Double charms with Slytherin," Harry answered absently, "then double transfiguration and this afternoon ancient runes. And you? What do you have?"
"Herbology... We'll see what Professor Sprout has prepared for us for her class." Jonathan laughed.
"Well, see you at lunch then."
After joining his fourth-year classmates, he headed to Charms, where the Slytherin students were already waiting, eager to start their different classes. Starting the course with charm, it was almost as if the vacation were continuing, since classes with Professor Flitwick had always been enjoyable and fun. The teacher showed his joy when he saw them and explained to them what the objectives of the course were going to be, all very similar to what used to happen during the first days of the school year.
While everyone found the content extremely difficult, for Harry it represented something quite simple. For many of the different charms, all that was needed was a deep understanding of the concepts behind the magic needed to perform them, it was quite simple to know how to perform a new spell. If everything went as he had anticipated, and had planned, he would be able to study for his classes, continue researching, and still have enough free time to use on other things.
The boy liked the fact that they already started with the new material, the previous course he had been very disappointed with. Because it was the first day, they were not taught anything useful. On this occasion, Flitwick had decided to teach the first charms of personal grooming, very useful things, especially when Harry considered that they should be taught during some lower year, perhaps not during the first year, but by the end of the second they already had the capacity to learn. By the time they finished class, only Harry and one of the Slytherins had managed to learn how to perform the cleansing spell, although Harry long before the other boy.
One would think that the rest of the students would feel quite humiliated that a twelve-year-old was able to learn the material in their course and with much more ease than them, but in truth, they all seemed to have accepted that this kid had a better understanding of the main concepts of magic that they didn't, so no, they didn't have any kind of problem.
All the teachers were able to verify that, just like the previous year, Harry showed incredible learning ability and that it would be very beneficial to continue advancing his courses, so they began the process of scheduling their special classes for the preteen. Although everything indicated that the Headmaster seemed somewhat disappointed, he once again permitted his teachers to do whatever they saw fit while he informed his parents about the recent events.
Harry was informed about the teachers' decision during breakfast just a week after the start of the course... or rather, the week was not yet over, there were two days left. During that breakfast, a school owl went to where Harry was having breakfast with his Hufflepuff friends, giving him a letter in which he could clearly see that his name was written in the handwriting of his head of house. He was going to open the envelope, when a quick hand snatched it from his hands. It wasn't very difficult to know who it had been, if it wasn't because he knew who would have such behavior, it was because of the expression of displeasure that had appeared on the faces of his friends.
"Brian, I would appreciate it if you returned my letter." He said in a completely calm voice.
"Who is going to want to write to a completely useless person like you?" Said the youngest of the Potters with a voice full of displeasure. "Remember, from now on I am here too and I will make sure that everyone knows how useless you are. You're... you're nothing more than waste, you should know that by now, don't you think? In a very short time, everyone will realize it and you will be as alone as you have always been."
Surely the little speech would have lasted longer, but despite the fact that Brian had enough arsenal and that all the Hufflepuffs were about to show that they too could be fierce when they bothered one of their own in that way, the young Gryffindor was stopped by the Weasley twins, Hermione, Neville and incredibly, Ginny Weasley. They had snatched the letter from his hands and were giving him the thirty-sixth look patented by Professor Snape.
[T/N: The F*cking what look?]
"Do us a favor, Potter, and get out of here," said the youngest Weasley. "You're not only getting in trouble with the Hufflepuffs but also with the entire school, you idiot. Do us all a favor, why don't you get lost for a while and leave us alone? This way we can have some rest from you, which we really need."
"How dare you…!?"
"I dare because there is no one who can stand you... let's see if you realize once and for all... I don't know who the hell you think you are, but here you are just another student."
If looks could kill, Brian would have committed murder, because he threw something at her that would have frozen hell itself, but it was clear that the girl was not only used to bad looks, but she also knew how to give her own, and perhaps much better than Potter himself. So, trying to muster all the pride he could, he left the Great Hall with as much dignity as possible, ignoring the various applauses that were given at various tables, including his own.
"Please! What a nightmare!" Hermione muttered as she sat calmly next to Harry, and the rest followed her lead.
"Harry... you are a saint." Neville said very seriously, surprising everyone present. "You must be to have put up with it for so long."
"How is he behaving?" Harry asked without really wanting to know, after all, he thought he knew what the answer was going to be.
"Would it surprise you if we told you that no one in our house can stand him?" Fred said heavily. "It's not just us, who already knew what an ass he is, but everyone else... yesterday Ron almost cursed him, and like him many others."
"Yes, that wouldn't surprise me at all."
"The teachers are to blame for all this." Jonathan assured. "Even though he should have already earned several detentions, they turn a blind eye to his behavior. The only teacher I have seen putting him in his place has been Snape and he has already earned your brother's unconditional hatred. They don't even react when he approaches you in the middle of the hallways!"
"He always has that superior attitude of his." Ginny Weasley said. "And you should see him in class... it's not that he's bad... it's just that he's abysmal. He is always the last to learn things and of course, the last to understand how they should be done."
"In other words," Hermione laughed, "he's nothing like you."
That earned a few laughs, especially because for once that type of mockery was completely justified. George then gave Harry the letter that his brother had previously taken from him. No words or gestures were needed, Harry opened it quickly and nervously at what Professor Sprout might try to tell him; therefore he read it quickly.
As he read, a bigger and bigger smile formed on his face. There was no need to worry, it was obviously good news, or at least good news for him, surely anyone else would have thought that this had to be a big nightmare. By the time he finished reading, all his friends who were present at that table were waiting, holding their breath.
"Well?" Athenea finally said after a few minutes in silence.
"Well, what?"
-Harry! You know what we mean…! the letter!"
"Ahh... well... It's from Professor Sprout... apparently, the teachers consider that I still don't have enough encouragement and they want us to continue the same as last year."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, Harry, congratulations!" Athenea exclaimed at the same time that most of those present acted in the same way, giving him big hugs, to what was obviously good news for her friend, Hermoine couldn't help but wonder what one was going to be Brian Potter's reaction, when he found out that his brother was going to be advanced again one or perhaps multiple grades.
[T/N: F*ck You potter! That's what you get! That Felt amazing! If you are excited for Harry's future then leave a comment to express your joy, if you're not then just babble in the comments about how you are rooting for Brian or something, doesn't matter which you are, drop some stones seeing as you've been reading for quite a while. If you can't wait to read the next chapter then check out the fully translated novel on the p@treon or my Ko-fi. If you enjoyed this book, maybe you'll like my other book, check out A Gamer in Game of Thrones.]
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