Harry Potter and the Obscurus

Chapter 6 Enrollment

Hagrid was overjoyed to see Harry again. As in previous years, he was in charge of leading the first-year students by boat from the Black Lake to the castle. Harry remembered reading in "A History of Hogwarts" that this arrangement was to mimic the scene of the four great wizards who first arrived at Hogwarts. Then, he immediately remembered that Hermione had taken his book and hadn't returned it yet.

Because the Weasley twins didn't spot Harry on the train, and without their gossip, most people were unaware that Harry Potter had already enrolled this year. It wasn't until Neville found Raffer and Professor McGonagall led the new students to the entrance of the main hall that a few sharp-eyed individuals spotted the "Savior" with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"In a few minutes, the college selection ceremony will be held in front of the entire school. I suggest that you tidy your appearance and keep quiet while you wait. I don't want to see you chattering and making a mess when I come back."

After saying that, Professor McGonagall left. She had barely turned around when Harry heard a slightly familiar voice behind him.

“I heard from my dad that Harry Potter is of school age this year. I was thinking on the train just now, how come I didn’t hear anything? It seems you’re quite low-key.”

Upon hearing this, almost all the young wizards began to whisper among themselves, and Harry himself heard his own name mentioned no less than ten times.

“My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. We met at Madam Malkin’s Robes Shop.”

The blond boy, accompanied by two henchmen nearly as fat as Dudley, leaped in front of the group and addressed Harry with a condescending expression:

"You'll soon find that some wizarding families are just superior, Potter. I don't think you want to befriend the wrong people, do you?"

……

Mo Ran, who was squatting inside Harry's body watching the live stream, didn't care how Harry would react. Malfoy was indeed too arrogant; most well-mannered and morally upright young wizards scoffed at his words. Therefore, it was perfectly normal for Harry to give Malfoy a sour look and refuse his "kindness," just like in the original movies.

But to everyone's surprise, Harry not only didn't say no to the temptation, but instead grasped the hand offered by the other person and said:

"Nice to meet you."

"Let me introduce you. This is my good friend Ron Weasley. We met on the train, and I hope we'll both be sorted into the same house."

Malfoy's expression was priceless; in just a few seconds, the corners of his mouth twitched four or five times. What surprised him even more was that Ron Weasley, standing next to Harry, also extended a hand towards him. This put him in a rather awkward position.

Isn't he afraid of me? Weasley? That red-haired pauper's kid? Even if that scoundrel is stupid, he should have heard of my family, right?

Just as Malfoy was somewhat bewildered, Professor McGonagall returned. She sternly patted Malfoy on the shoulder with a parchment scroll bearing the list of new students, then addressed the young wizards:

"Everyone line up in a single file and then follow me."

……

A palpable tension filled the group; Harry could only hear the constant footsteps and breathing around him. After passing through the foyer and a double door, the magnificent banquet hall came into view.

Perhaps because he had spent so much time in the Leaky Cauldron, Harry had always thought the wizarding world was predominantly dark and filthy; he had never imagined Hogwarts to be such a magnificent place. Thousands upon thousands of candles floating in the air illuminated the Great Hall with a golden glow. The upperclassmen from the four houses were already seated around four long tables, and countless eyes turned to Harry and his companions the moment the doors opened.

Most of the freshmen were hesitant to meet the gazes of their upperclassmen; they either kept their heads down or looked up at the ceiling. Harry seemed to hear Hermione's voice behind him:

"The ceiling here has been enchanted to make it look like the sky outside, as mentioned in a history book of Hogwarts."

Before he could remind himself again that he needed to go find Granger to get the book back, Harry's attention was drawn to the teachers' seats at the far end of the Great Hall.

In the center of a table laden with exquisite gold platters and goblets, Dumbledore sat upright, his blue eyes, seemingly brimming with boundless wisdom, gleaming even from a distance. To his left, a man wearing an extravagant purple turban—Professor Quirrell—was conversing with a man in black robes and with black hair.

"what!"

Harry called out softly, and Ron immediately asked with concern:

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"It's alright..."

"No trolls, no dragons. I should have known. Fred was lying to me. I was so stupid."

Harry comforted Ron while keeping a close eye on Quirrell, that familiar aura of danger returning.

“No, you’re not stupid, Ron. Look at the people around you. Everyone’s nervous. I bet Fred and George weren’t much better off when they enrolled than you are now.”

……

You might think I'm not pretty enough, but please don't judge a book by its cover!

The Sorting Hat's song interrupted their whispers. Until it finished the song, Harry still couldn't understand why meeting Quirrell would make his scar hurt. If Quirrell was related to Voldemort, why would Dumbledore let him teach at the school?

"When I call someone's name, that person should sit over here and put on the Sorting Hat."

Professor McGonagall opened the parchment scroll and began taking attendance.

"Hannah Abbott".

Hufflepuff!

……

"Terry Booth".

"Ravenclaw!"

Each time a new student was assigned to their house, the upperclassmen at a long table would applaud and cheer. Ron seemed to realize that the order of the new students was alphabetical by surname, and he tugged at Harry's sleeve, saying:

"Looks like we'll be at the very back of the line."

Harry nodded, his gaze still occasionally glancing in Professor Quirrell's direction. He didn't care how long the Sorting Hat took to assign Neville Longbottom to Gryffindor, nor did he think Draco Malfoy's instant transfer to Slytherin was anything remarkable. It wasn't until Professor McGonagall called out "Harry Potter" that Harry's attention returned to the Sorting Ceremony.

"Yes, it's very difficult, extremely difficult."

"You are meticulous and exceptionally intelligent; Ravenclaw will satisfy your thirst for knowledge."

"Excellent, excellent. You also have a tenacious character and an unwavering determination to achieve your goal. Slytherin will help you turn your talent into success. Go there, and your future will be bright."

"Moreover, you are not a bad person at heart. You know how to be flexible but also have your bottom line. More importantly, you have the courage to fight against evil at such a young age. Gryffindor seems like a good choice. Where should I assign you?"

Harry heard the names of three houses through the Sorting Hat, but Hufflepuff was not among them, which puzzled him. Why wasn't Hufflepuff suitable for me?

“Hufflepuff? Are you sure? Honesty, loyalty, and perseverance—you certainly have those qualities, but they're not quite as suitable as they are for other houses.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, glancing up at the brim of his hat. He seemed to have grasped the essence of the Sorting Ceremony, and then…

"Alright, since you've made up your mind, then go..."

"Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table shook, and almost everyone stood up, cheering and applauding. The Weasley twins even shouted:

"We have Potter! We have Potter!"

Harry had lost count of how many hands he had shaken, his arms swaying back and forth the whole time until he sat down next to Hermione Granger, who was also assigned to Gryffindor.

“I saw you shaking hands with that Malfoy outside the lobby and I thought you were going to Slytherin. I was so stupid. You are Harry Potter, who defeated the mysterious man. How could you possibly go to that house?”

"Even if I went to Slytherin, it wouldn't necessarily turn me bad. I believe that a house doesn't represent a person's entire life. By the way, do you still have my copy of 'A History of Hogwarts'?"

Hermione exclaimed "Ah!" Her shout was just drowned out by the cheers of the Gryffindor students welcoming Ron, but even so, the little witch's face turned bright red.

Harry didn't notice Hermione's expression; his attention was completely drawn to Ron. Mo Ran was certain that even if Harry had noticed the change in Hermione's expression, he would only be wondering, "Why are you blushing just to return a book?"

Fred and George gave Ron a welcome ceremony on par with Harry's. The two of them were always joking around, but they undoubtedly loved their family very much.

“I knew Ron would be sorted into Gryffindor.”

"The Sorting Hat hesitates for at most one second."

"Hesitate for two seconds."

"He didn't hesitate for a second!"

Ron was incredibly calm, but that didn't mean he wasn't feeling joy. After emerging from his two brothers' robes, he went straight to Harry and sat down.

"Harry, I feel like I'll need to ask you for some tranquilizers before exams in the future."

“That won’t work, Ron. You have to learn to control your emotions yourself. Besides, tranquilizers won’t turn you into a different person. They’re not compound potions. Everything you’re feeling right now is part of you.”

"Hmm...maybe you're right. Let me tell you, Harry, you didn't see how Dumbledore looked when he watched you go through the Sorting Ceremony. He sat up straight and his clapping was much more exaggerated than before. I'm sure he adores you."

……

The Sorting Ceremony went quite smoothly. After the last person, Blaise Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin, Professor McGonagall picked up the Sorting Hat and left.

Dumbledore tapped his wine glass with his knife and stood up.

"Welcome everyone to Hogwarts for the start of the new school year. Before the banquet begins, I have a few words to say to you. First-year students, please note that the school strictly prohibits any student from entering the Dark Forest without permission; it is a forbidden forest. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, asked me to remind you that the corridor on the right side of the fourth floor inside the castle is also forbidden. If you don't want to leave Hogwarts with a terrible death, please do not go there."

"Finally, you idiot! Crybaby! Trash! Twist!"

"The banquet begins."

As Dumbledore spread his hands, a variety of delicious foods suddenly appeared on the long table that had previously been just set with cutlery. They weren't strange or unusual wizarding foods; if one had to describe them, Harry felt they weren't just made to fill one's stomach, but to make one enjoy their meal.

Ron looked around with a hint of regret. Whether it was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, steak, or vegetables like roast potatoes, pea shoots, and carrots, there was practically nothing he didn't like. However, he and Harry had eaten too many snacks on the Hogwarts Express and had absolutely no desire for another hearty meal.

"I should have known better than to eat so much in the car. This is supposed to be the first day of school!"