The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 18 Hello, Hogwarts

The small boat drifted quietly on the Black Lake.

When Ino saw Hermione suddenly fall silent, he was happy to have some peace and quiet.

Compared to Malfoy, he really didn't want to get too involved with Hermione, who was at the center of the story.

But things didn't go as planned. After only a few minutes of quiet, the brown-haired dumpling next to him started talking to itself again.

"I had completely forgotten about that incident. Besides, the fact that we met here speaks volumes."

Although it was a disguised form of submission, Ino still didn't really want to talk to her, after all, this girl was a bit too fierce later on.

However, Hermione had no intention of stopping there. Her eyes fixed on the lake, she suddenly shouted:

"Yes! Your divination was very accurate, and the one pound fee is no problem at all; you deserve it, Mr. Swinburne!"

Ino was startled by the sudden high-pitched sound.

At the same time, he could also hear a clear hint of grievance and a sob in Hermione's voice.

"Alright! I just used the fire-starting spell," Ino replied.

If he continues to remain silent in this situation, it would seem like he's really bullying the young girl.

"I knew it! The Illumination Charm produces white light, and the only orange light is the Fire Charm, but how did you manage to keep it on your wand? I tried that charm during summer vacation, but it was like... well, a not-so-good lighter."

Hermione, no longer listless, launched into a rapid-fire explanation of her insights on magic.

"Yes, the original purpose of the fire-starting charm was to give the wizard a fire that he could use at any time. Your description of it as a lighter is actually quite apt."

Ino deliberately slowed down his speech.

He noticed that Hermione always unconsciously gripped her robes tightly with both hands when she spoke, which, psychologically speaking, is a manifestation of inner tension.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. It's understandable that an 11-year-old girl would feel nervous in an unfamiliar environment.

Thinking of this, Ino couldn't help but feel apologetic for her previous indifference. After all, she was just a girl who had left her parents.

"Miss Granger! You must have read 'Elementary Standard Spells', right...?"

When it comes to mastery of language, no one can compare to the bard.

Although Ino was only an apprentice, he controlled the pace of the conversation quite well, and in just a few words, he gradually made Hermione relax.

"Call me Hermione. As for 'Elementary Standard Spells,' I finished reading it over the summer..."

……

Time slipped away unnoticed as we chatted.

The small boat carried everyone through the ivy curtain covering the front of the cliff and arrived at a platform that resembled a dock.

Under Hagrid's arrangement, the group walked along a cobblestone path for a few minutes before finally arriving at the castle.

Before a massive oak door, Hagrid raised his enormous fist and began pounding on the castle gate.

Bang bang bang!

The door was opened from the inside, and a tall, thin witch walked out.

……

Some people bring laughter with their very presence, while others bring a sound system with them.

But the wizard in front of them, dressed in a green robe and wearing a pointed hat, didn't say a word, but his stern face alone made all the young wizards feel an overwhelming sense of oppression.

The scene, which had been somewhat lively just moments before, instantly fell into complete silence.

"Thank you, Hagrid. Leave the rest to me."

As the Head of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall knew these young wizards all too well.

If we don't give them a strong start and firmly establish our authority, who knows how mischievous they'll become? It won't be so easy to discipline them then.

"First of all! Welcome to Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall spoke with a serious expression, waving her wand and causing the towering oak door behind her to open completely, like a lion with its jaws wide open, ready to roar at any moment.

This scene silenced the young wizards below, and Ino even saw a chubby boy next to her looking like he was about to cry.

This made it hard for him not to give Professor McGonagall a thumbs up.

The methods they used were truly in complete control of these freshmen.

"Now, keep quiet and follow me!"

With that, Professor McGonagall turned and walked toward the castle.

Behind her, all the young wizards also consciously lined up in a column, following closely behind without saying a word, and not one of them dared to look left or right.

We arrived at a side hall of the auditorium.

"The opening banquet is about to begin, but before that, you must first determine your respective houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. There is no superior or inferior house; they all have their own glorious history and have produced many outstanding wizards."

Professor McGonagall glanced at the young wizards below, paused for a few seconds, and then continued:

"The Sorting House is a Hogwarts tradition and one of the most important things in your lives, as it represents your life and studies for the next seven years."

Professor McGonagall spoke in a serious tone.

"Now, wait here quietly for a while. I need to go prepare for the Sorting Ceremony. Remember! Wait quietly."

As Professor McGonagall left, the young wizards all breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way around it; the oppressive feeling emanating from such a powerful wizard was truly unbearable for most.

However, the nature of youth is always unruly.

A few minutes after Professor McGonagall left the side room, it returned to its former liveliness, with everyone discussing things in hushed tones.

At first, they spoke tentatively, but once they realized no one was paying attention, their volume gradually increased, creating a lively chattering scene.

"Eno, which house do you want to be sorted into? I want to go to Gryffindor, where the greatest white wizard of this century, Headmaster Dumbledore, is. Ravenclaw is also good; the books say that only truly intelligent people are sorted into Ravenclaw."

Upon hearing the familiar voice beside him, Ino couldn't help but rub her temples.

He just couldn't understand why Hermione was such a chatterbox. She'd been talking the whole way on the boat, and she still hadn't said enough? In the original story, she was clearly a cool and intelligent girl.

"I don't know. I don't care how they divide students into departments, as long as they don't skip grades!"

However, this casual reply made Hermione feel as if she had discovered a huge secret, and her eyes lit up instantly.

"Further studies? Isn't Hogwarts a seven-year program? They have further studies?"

"That's for the future; you should focus on the present."

He was already starting to regret talking to Hermione, especially now that he knew her true nature.

"But the future is also the present, so what exactly is this 'advancing beyond one's level' thing? Hogwarts' history has never recorded anything about it," Hermione said, still unwilling to give up.

Faced with Hermione's relentless pursuit, just as Ino was about to make up an excuse, Professor McGonagall returned to the side room once again.

Without a word, at just one glance, the freshmen all fell silent as if by magic, and the entire side hall became extremely quiet.

"Now, everyone line up in a single file and follow me!"

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(End of this chapter)