Once Dumbledore had taken his seat and Professor McGonagall led the first years in, the Sorting Ceremony officially began.
But compared with the new students standing in the center aisle, Draco's attention was far more focused on Penelope Clearwater, who, for some reason, was still at Hogwarts even though she should have graduated last year.
He had not thought much of it when he ran into her earlier, but looking back now, Draco finally realized just how unusual it was.
Not only that, he also spotted Cedric at the head of a group of young wizards dressed in robes that clearly marked them as Ministry of Magic personnel...
"You noticed it a while ago, did you not, Draco?"
"So you know something, Pansy?"
"Of course. Every Prefect was told about it during the earlier meeting. At this point, you are probably the only one who still does not know."
As she said that, a faint trace of grievance appeared in Pansy's eyes.
That was probably because Draco had taken so long to show up.
More importantly, the moment he and Hermione appeared together, Pansy had noticed the unusual flush on Hermione's face.
But Pansy had no real defense against Draco. Under the steady gaze of those gray eyes, she lasted less than a second before spilling everything.
"As for Cedric and the others, you would have found out with just a little asking around. Besides, they were never trying to hide it. Just look carefully at what they are wearing."
"It has something to do with the Ministry of Magic?"
"Exactly. It seems to have been that pink toad's idea, and the school apparently agreed after reaching some kind of condition with her."
Speaking of that pink toad, Dolores Umbridge, it was not hard to notice that the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's seat at the staff table was empty.
Clearly, the curse surrounding the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor had once again come true.
Draco did not believe for a second that Umbridge, a woman obsessed with power and so eager to oppose Dumbledore, would simply miss an opportunity like this.
Not at a moment when Dumbledore was injured...
...
Just as Draco turned his gaze toward that empty Defence Against the Dark Arts seat...
Wait.
Something was not quite as he had imagined.
No, more precisely, the empty seat was actually the Potions professor's seat, while Snape, who should have been occupying that place, was now sitting in the Defence Against the Dark Arts position.
Had he sat in the wrong seat?
No. That was impossible.
No one else seemed to have noticed this small detail. Otherwise, it would definitely have set off a wave of discussion.
Still...
Although Draco knew perfectly well that Snape had coveted that position for a long time, was he really not worried about the curse?
At that thought, Draco's expression turned a little strange.
While he was still wondering about it, Astoria, who had just entered her fourth year, started explaining why Penelope was still here.
"As for why Penelope is still at school, I heard she personally submitted a request to the Head of Ravenclaw, and Professor Flitwick agreed."
"She stayed because her N.E.W.T. results were poor?"
"No... that would be far from accurate. If anything, Penelope's grades were among the best of all the seventh years."
After tossing out that casual guess, Draco stopped dwelling on it.
At the end of the day, he had only been a little curious.
Generally speaking, any wizard graduating with the prestige of having been Hogwarts Head Girl or Head Boy would be highly sought after in the wizarding world, just like Percy Weasley had been.
The moment he graduated, the Ministry of Magic had taken notice of him and made him the Minister's special assistant.
It was not quite a single leap to the top, but it absolutely counted as youthful success.
So Penelope's decision could only be called highly unwise, which was why it had drawn Draco's attention, and the attention of others as well...
"More importantly, Draco, did you notice?"
"You mean him..."
"Yes. That look was impossible not to notice. It made me feel a little uncomfortable."
As she said that, Pansy rubbed her arm uneasily.
That clammy feeling was like being stared at by a venomous snake.
If that gaze had belonged to Snape, or to some Slytherin wizard, Pansy would not have looked nearly so unsettled.
After all, there really were some witches and wizards in Slytherin who were not exactly... sunny.
But if that same kind of look appeared on a Gryffindor student, then it became deeply strange...
Draco, who understood part of the reason, only shrugged. "He gained too little, lost too much, and the change came too suddenly. Clearly, Mr. Potter cannot accept any of it."
"..."
"..."
The two girls, who more or less understood what Draco meant, both rolled their eyes at him.
They did not particularly like Harry Potter, that much was true, but this maddening habit of speaking in riddles still deserved severe condemnation.
After shooting Draco a look, Pansy and the others could not help glancing toward Harry Potter's side.
Although Hogwarts enrollment this year did not seem to have been affected too badly, and even some students who should have graduated were still here, it was also obvious that several familiar faces were missing.
That included Harry Potter's best... good friend, Ron Weasley...
As for the reason.
Aside from Ron's own issues, there was also that extremely detailed article Rita Skeeter had written.
In it, along with Draco's shining performance, Ron Weasley's attack on Draco had of course been laid out in full in the Daily Prophet.
Not even a single line of their exchange had been omitted.
...
Ignoring Harry Potter's veiled, hate filled stare, Draco turned his attention to Dumbledore, who had risen again now that the Sorting Ceremony was over.
Or rather, it was his next words that captured everyone's attention.
"Before we begin the feast, I would like to introduce a wizard to all of you."
"Yes, I imagine you have also noticed that yet another professor has left us forever."
Dumbledore always enjoyed showing off his eccentric sense of humor, but this time, Draco had every reason to suspect that those words carried a bit of personal feeling.
And in the very next instant, the laughter rising from below, along with the smiles on the professors' faces, made it abundantly clear just how dreadful Umbridge's popularity had been during her time at Hogwarts.
Even Cedric, standing in the side aisle with his usual serious expression, had the corners of his mouth twitching as though he was holding something back...
Dumbledore raised a hand and gently pressed it downward. "Ahem. I am sure Dolores can understand a small joke from an old man."
"But that is not what I was going to say next... ah, there you are, Horace."
Following Dumbledore's gaze, everyone finally noticed that the previously empty seat was now occupied by a completely unfamiliar face.
A round bald head.
A walrus like mustache.
A proudly protruding belly.
And in his hand, a golden goblet swaying with red wine, filled to about a third.
This elderly wizard, who looked to be around the same age as Dumbledore, was the Horace Slughorn Dumbledore had just mentioned.
And he was this year's new Potions professor.