Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

Ron leaned against the wall, panting heavily. Sweat streamed down his face, soaking his robe.

He complained between breaths, "I've figured it out! If we run into Filch at night, we absolutely can't run after Fred and George! That guy's got his eyes on you two!"

“I told you to run separately!” Fred spread his hands, looking completely innocent. “You’re the one who insisted on sticking to us.”

Ron glared at him, his voice full of grievance: "You guys were the ones who confidently assured us that we could spot our nighttime abilities, and what happened? We almost got scratched on the heels by Filch's cat!"

“But we definitely weren’t caught!” Fred raised an eyebrow and retorted, somewhat smugly. “Doesn’t that count as a skill?”

George stepped forward and patted Ron on the shoulder heavily, his tone full of encouragement: "But to be honest, I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to keep up all the way and not fall behind. You've made great progress!"

Ron was about to retort when he saw Luna raise her hand and scratch the lifelike pear in the oil painting.

The next second, the pear suddenly let out a funny "giggle" laugh, slowly swelled up, and finally turned into a round brass doorknob.

Seeing this, everyone quickly lowered their voices and took turns turning the doorknob and entering the kitchen.

They were stunned as soon as they entered the door.

The Hufflepuff students were already busy inside.

Some people were learning how to pack pumpkin pies from house-elves, others were filling baskets with chilled pumpkin juice, and still others were selecting golden-brown cookies, clearly having arrived a step ahead of them.

The students from the three colleges exchanged glances and instantly understood each other's purpose.

All of this was to prepare celebratory food for the warriors of their own academy.

However, Ravenclaw doesn't have any warriors, but fortunately, in their eyes, Dylan is no different from anyone else in their own academy.

He even retrieved the crown.

That's why they risked coming out this time to prepare a surprise for Dylan.

When it comes to finding food.

Hufflepuff's students are experts; they expertly guide everyone on which snacks are most popular, which drinks taste best, and even teach everyone how to pack food using magic food containers.

With their help, Luna, Fred, and their group quickly filled several baskets with their spoils, and even Neville carried a small bag of honey cakes.

On the way back, as soon as they turned the corner of the corridor, they saw Gregory Gore of Slytherin standing alone, staring blankly at the ground.

Luna stopped first, took out a bag of Chocolate Frogs from her basket and handed it over. Seeing this, the other students also took out their snacks and shared them with Gore.

Fred handed over a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Anthony gave him a toffee, and even Ron hesitated before offering a cookie.

When Draco returned to the Slytherin common room, he immediately saw a variety of food piled on the long table.

Chocolate frogs, pumpkin pies, and juice bottles were displayed in abundance.

He frowned and asked in confusion, "Where did these things come from?"

The Slytherin students of the same grade all turned their heads and their eyes fell on Goyle, who was secretly munching on a cookie.

“I… was given to me by Luna and the people from Gryffindor.”

With his mouth full of food, Gore mumbled, "Then the others gave me some too."

He paused, then added, "Oh, right, the Weasleys gave me some too, but I've already finished all the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans they gave me. I didn't experience any problems, which is quite strange..."

“Alright.” Draco shook his head helplessly, walked up to Goyle, and pressed, “Didn’t they say anything? Did they just give you something for no reason?”

“Luna said a few words.” Goyle tried to recall, his brow furrowing. “She said that everyone is a champion of Hogwarts, and of course we should share good things… that’s roughly what she meant. The Weasleys said the same thing.”

Draco raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the matter further. He simply looked at the food on the table, a slight smile unconsciously playing on his lips.

He understood, of course, that this was the other houses celebrating the special moment when Hogwarts produced four champions in their own way.

Dylan had just reached the door of the Gryffindor common room and hadn't even had a chance to go in when a deafening commotion erupted from behind the door.

The cheers, applause, and chatter mingled together, almost making him take a step back.

"What's going on?" Harry was taken aback.

Before he could react, the door was suddenly pulled open, and several Gryffindor Quidditch players immediately surrounded him, reaching out and firmly lifting him up without a word.

"Let's go! Our warriors are back!" The group lifted Dylan and Harry up and quickly walked towards the center of the common room.

Dylan instinctively grabbed the arm of the teammate next to him, only to realize when he looked down that his feet hadn't even touched the ground.

The common lounge, which should have been quiet and peaceful by now, is now bustling with activity.

Below the ceiling, a dozen transparent crystal balls floated in mid-air, slowly rotating. With each rotation, they refracted colorful light, illuminating the entire lounge exceptionally brightly.

Layers of colorful ribbons, red, blue and gold, were wrapped around it and swayed gently in the wind.

Dylan was only able to see his surroundings when he was placed on a cushion in the center of the common lounge.

Almost all the Gryffindor students were gathered here, some holding snacks they had just brought from the kitchen, others holding juice glasses, and everyone had a genuine smile on their face.

As soon as he and Harry stood firm, a chorus of congratulations erupted around them.

"Dylan! Harry! You guys are amazing! You didn't let us down!"

"I knew you guys would become warriors! I was so anxious in the auditorium just now!"

"We, Gryffindor, have gained two more warriors! Awesome!"

After the cheers subsided, someone couldn't help but raise a question that everyone was concerned about.

"But Hogwarts suddenly has an extra warrior, how does the referee panel plan to handle this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the others chimed in.

"Yes, just now in the auditorium, the principal of Durmstrang was almost black-faced. They certainly won't let this go so easily."

"Kakarov is still cursing and swearing; he might find a chance to make things difficult for you!"

Dylan gestured for everyone to quiet down, a gentle smile on his face: "We've already discussed this matter with the principals and reached a conclusion."

He paused for a moment, then said clearly, "Now I am the fourth contestant, and I will complete the event alone during the competition."

After all the events are completed, my score will be added together with Harry's, Cedric's, and Malfoy's scores, and only the average score will be calculated.

He looked at everyone and added, "I guess the official announcement will be posted on the notice board at the castle gate tomorrow morning, and then everyone will be able to see the detailed rules."

"I see!" Fred breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands with a smile. "Anyway, it's good that you became a warrior! Come on, try this pumpkin pie we got from the kitchen. The Hufflepuff classmates said it's their specialty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone handed him a beautifully packaged pumpkin pie, and cheers erupted again. The light refracted from the crystal ball danced on everyone's faces, creating a festive atmosphere.

Harry woke up earlier than usual. As soon as he opened his eyelids a crack, he saw a very pale pinkish-yellow light seeping in through the gap in the bed curtains, as soft as a thin veil.

It was clearly just dawn, and the castle was still quiet; even the birdsong outside the window sounded sleepy.

He propped himself up on his arms and slowly sat up, leaning his back against the cold stone bed frame. His fingers accidentally touched something slippery.

Looking down, I saw that the thing was pressed against the pillow, with the corner sticking out of the blanket.

Harry bent down to pick it up, and gently pulled it open with both hands. A Gryffindor banner embroidered with a golden lion was clearly visible, and the fabric felt thick and smooth to the touch.

He suddenly remembered the excitement of last night.

Amid cheers and fluttering ribbons in the common room, Li Jordan charged forward waving this flag.

Without saying a word, he tied it around his neck like a cloak, shouting, "Our warriors must have style!"

Well, they also wanted to get one for Dylan, but they were rejected.

In short, the excitement I felt back then is still lingering in my mind.

But as Harry held the flag, he suddenly felt his arm sink, the weight spreading from his fingers to his heart.

Li Jordan's voice from last night suddenly rang in my ears, so clear it seemed to be right in front of me: "Look at this flag! A genuine Gryffindor artifact! Harry, you are the hope of our house, we can't lose to those guys from other schools!"

These words were like a small stone, striking Harry's heart and creating ripples.

He instinctively straightened his back, but felt as if a heavy weight was pressing down on his shoulders, sinking down little by little with each breath.

A thought suddenly popped into my head.

I feel like I'm not prepared at all.

What was the first project?
What spells are needed?
Will we encounter dangers we cannot handle?

He couldn't answer any of these questions.

What if he performs poorly and drags down Cedric, Dylan, and the others, lowering the average score? Will those classmates who cheered for him last night and shoved pumpkin pie into his hands be disappointed?
It seems that yesterday everyone felt Dylan was the best.

Harry gripped the edge of the flag tightly.

He then thought of several other Hogwarts heroes.

Cedric is always calm and collected; he must have been prepared long ago, right?
What about Draco Malfoy? Is he also tossing and turning at night, worried about making a mistake, just like I am?
With a soft sigh, Harry turned to look at Ron and Dylan's four-poster brass bed across from him.

The bed curtains weren't fully drawn, and you could see Ron lying sprawled out, fast asleep.

But if you listen carefully, you can hear him mumbling incoherently in his sleep from time to time: "Spider... don't come any closer... go away..."

As he spoke, he would gently shake his head, his brows furrowed, as if he were desperately trying to avoid something in his dream.

Harry couldn't help but laugh and feel helpless. He quietly lifted the covers and got out of bed, afraid of waking Ron.

As for Dylan, he seems to have woken up early and has already left the house.

He took out his school uniform robe from the closet and put it on. When he got to the third button, he looked back at the flag, but in the end, he folded it neatly and placed it next to his pillow before quietly opening the door to the common room and walking out.

The castle was eerily quiet, with only his footsteps echoing in the corridors.

Wandering aimlessly, I unknowingly arrived at the lobby on the first floor.

Harry froze as soon as he turned the corner.

Draco Malfoy was leaning against the fireplace, holding a wand in his hand, his fingers stroking the shaft.

His face was unnaturally pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were so heavy it looked like he had been punched; he clearly hadn't slept well.

Harry instinctively tried to back away.

He and Draco have never gotten along, and even though Draco hasn't caused them any trouble recently, they're hardly close.

But the moment he stopped, he remembered what Dylan had said about adding up the fractions to get the average.

Once the project begins, they will eventually be considered part of the Hogwarts group; they can't keep going head-to-head forever.

Moreover, Draco has indeed changed a lot since he insulted Dylan like a madman last time this school year.

He no longer mocks people as easily as before. Occasionally, when I run into him at the library, I see him holding a thick book and reading it carefully. He only gives perfunctory replies when Pansy tries to talk to him.

Thinking of this, Harry took a deep breath and walked straight towards the foyer. He stopped a few steps away from Draco and asked, "Didn't sleep well?"

Draco abruptly looked up, a flicker of panic in his eyes, before regaining his usual arrogance. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Just an early riser. I get up at this time every day, unlike some people who need an alarm clock to wake up."

Harry glanced at the dark circles under his eyes, pursed his lips, and didn't call him out on his lie.

The light in the foyer gradually brightened, shining through the stained glass windows onto the two of them. For a moment, no one spoke, except for the occasional crackling of the embers in the fireplace.

Harry and Draco stood in the foyer for a long time, neither of them speaking again.

The charcoal in the fireplace gradually cooled.

Just then, footsteps came from the end of the corridor, and Dylan walked in.

Good morning, Harry.

Dylan greeted them first, his gaze sweeping over their faces, and he quickly noticed the heavy dark circles under their eyes and the lingering worry between their brows.

"What's wrong? You all look like you didn't get much rest last night?"

“I’m just used to waking up early.” Draco immediately repeated his previous statement, raising his chin slightly, his tone carrying his usual arrogance, and not forgetting to glance at Harry. “But Potter, he looks terrible, he definitely didn’t sleep well.”

“It’s clearly because you didn’t sleep well!” Harry retorted immediately, raising his voice several decibels. “When I joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Wood would drag us to the pitch for training before dawn every day, so I’ve long since developed the habit of waking up early!”

Fearing Draco wouldn't believe him, he quickly added, "Even though Wood has graduated, I haven't changed this habit. I didn't get up because I couldn't sleep!"

“I thought you were already asleep yesterday.” Dylan nodded and didn’t ask any further questions.

Dylan looked at Harry and Draco, his tone becoming more serious, "Actually, I didn't sleep much last night either, I thought a lot about the project."

—He deliberately stayed up ten minutes later.

Dylan paused, his gaze sweeping over the two faces.

"Although the details of the first project haven't been announced yet, it's not impossible that we have some clues at all. What do you think?"

"A clue?" Draco frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something. "You mean, those historical questions about the Triwizard Tournament during the selection trials?" (End of Chapter)