To better observe the whole scene, and to stay away from those arrogant brats, Soren Reed chose to hang at the end of the line, keeping a distance of two or three meters from the strange boy in front.
Leaving the Great Hall, the noise gradually faded behind them.
The Slytherin House first-year group passed through the door to the right of the marble staircase on the ground floor, entering the gloomy underground area.
As they went deeper, the path ahead turned into a maze-like dark corridor, with dim magic lamps hanging on the walls on both sides, illuminating moving portraits.
Whenever the first-years passed by, the people in the paintings would stare at them, and some would even whisper rustlingly after they had walked far away.
Even for the young wizards from wizarding families, most had never seen such an eerie scene, and everyone was tense, not daring to breathe loudly.
But this only made the corridor seem even more deathly silent, with nothing left but the hollow echoes of footsteps on the stone slabs.
The group walked for a very long time, feeling like it was definitely more than a few hundred meters, until the Prefect leading the group finally stopped.
Soren Reed, who was silently memorizing the route, looked curiously, expecting to have arrived at the common room, but instead saw a female ghost with a pearly-white, translucent body blocking the corner.
She was a woman who could be described as magnificent; even from a distance, one could still feel the classical aristocratic lady temperament emanating from within her.
Thanks to the quiet of the underground space, Soren Reedheard their conversation.
"The Grey Lady? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be over at Ravenclaw?"
The male Prefect spoke; his attitude was polite but distant.
The ghost known as The Grey Lady responded coldly: "That has nothing to do with you."
After speaking, she stepped aside, clearing the path.
The two Prefects exchanged puzzled glances, both confused by the situation.
Considering that there was no precedent for ghosts at Hogwarts harming students, they didn't dwell on it too much and continued leading the group forward.
An accidental encounter was thus brushed off, at least that was how it seemed at first.
It wasn't until Soren Reed was about to pass that the female ghost abruptly stepped forward a few paces, intercepting him alone at the back.
Unlike the other students, Soren Reed knew the true identity of "The Grey Lady" — her real name was Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, and she was a rather important plot character, concerning the Ravenclaw diadem.
Although she was addressed as a lady, she was only eighteen when she died, the most splendid age of youth. It was precisely because of this that becoming a ghost did not diminish her beauty in the slightest, but instead bestowed upon her an indescribable, otherworldly beauty.
After blocking his path, the female ghost approached without a word, forcing Soren Reed to take two steps back.
Soren Reed did not know why she was stopping him, and of course, he couldn't expose her identity directly, so he could only choose to play dumb: "Hello... Madam?"
The Grey Lady stared at him intently and suddenly asked, out of the blue: "What did it say to you?"
"...Who do you mean?"
"The Sorting Hat," she asked again. "What did it say to you?"
Soren Reed felt a pang of nervousness, but quickly realized that if she really knew the truth, she wouldn't need to come find him, so he prevaricated: "The Sorting Hat? It said I should come to Slytherin, that I could achieve something here."
"That's not it! I know that wasn't an ordinary sorting; it must have said something to you, tell me —"
The Grey Lady's voice became firmer, her tone tinged with urgency.
Just as Soren Reed was thinking about how to fool her, a crisp sound of footsteps approached rapidly, and immediately after, the blonde female Prefect returned, appearing behind the translucent body of The Grey Lady.
She looked at the female ghost, then at Soren Reed, and reminded him as if she noticed nothing: "First-year, keep up with the group, don't fall behind. This is the 'Slytherin' dungeon; those unfamiliar with it can easily lose their way."
The elegant queenly tone matched her slightly cold voice so well, and the intentionally emphasized house name felt like a reminder, or perhaps a warning.
The Grey Lady turned to look at her, and after a few seconds, silently stepped aside.
Even until he left that corner, Soren Reed could feel her gaze following his figure.
Damn that Sorting Hat... It seems the aftermath of the sorting is far from over; he needs to be more cautious.
While lost in thought, the two who had fallen behind passed a dim wall lamp.
A flash of brilliant green caught the corner of Soren Reed's eye, and his gaze instinctively followed it, only to realize it was the female Prefect's eyes.
Yes, she had a pair of beautiful, vibrant green eyes like emeralds, filled with pride. — She was observing him.
Even noticing Soren Reed's gaze, the female Prefect did not avoid or back down at all, just stared at him forcefully, not knowing if she had heard his conversation with The Grey Lady earlier.
Just as Soren Reed was about to speak and exchange pleasantries, the shadows of other first-years appeared ahead.
When he refocused his attention, the female Prefect had already withdrawn her gaze, as if nothing had happened just now.
Soren Reed felt a bit uneasy, but could only suppress his thoughts and wait for an opportunity to probe further.
After catching up with the main group and walking for nearly ten more minutes, a damp, slightly abrupt stone wall appeared in front of everyone.
The male Prefect stepped forward, reminding them to note the location of the stone wall, and told them that only by saying the correct password could they enter the house common room behind the stone wall.
"The current password is — Collective Honor; I hope you can keep this concept in mind."
After saying the correct password, a stone door hidden in the stone wall slowly opened.
The male Prefect led the way inside, then turned and signaled for the first-years to follow.
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 44 Cassandra: Welcome to Slytherin, the best house at Hogwarts!
Soon, all the first-years entered the common room, curiously examining the environment here.
Soren Reed was one of those doing the same; he recalled the contents of the original work and compared it with this real space before him, finding that the description of a "long, low basement" was not entirely accurate.
He hadn't seen what the common rooms of other houses looked like, but this common room before him could truly be described as spacious and vast, enough to accommodate hundreds of people.
At a glance, the walls and ceiling were made of rough stone, and every so often, there were sets of magic lamps emitting green light, tethered by chains, hanging down from the ceiling.
The corners and edges of the common room were filled with sofas and low tables, separated in the middle by ornate antique screens, forming individual lounge areas.
Before he could look any closer, the two Prefects brought the first-years to the warm fireplace, signaling them to be quiet with their eyes, clearly having something to say.
After the first-years stood neatly, the male Prefect made a "please" gesture, yielding the floor to the lady.
Only then did the first-years have a chance to clearly see the female Prefect's appearance.
Without a doubt, she was an exquisite, elegant, and astonishingly charming senior.
Her features were like a meticulously carved work of art, an air of arrogance flowing between her brows and eyes, and her pair of emerald lake-like eyes were the finishing touch, clear and deep.
Her waist-length golden curly hair, like satin woven from sunlight, spread wantonly over her shoulders.
Even the standard student robes, when worn by her, looked like meticulously tailored evening gowns, exuding a graceful aristocratic air.
Not to mention the boys who were distracted, even the girls couldn't take their eyes off her.
Image: "Cassandra Vole", Location: "Images / 1773806501-100471970 - 114591007. jpg"
Facing the gaze of the first-years, the female Prefectshowed no stage fright, as if she were long accustomed to such treatment.
She walked gracefully in front of the first-years, examining them one by one with a gaze like a military review, her eyes lingering longest on Soren Reed's face.
After the first-years were all made to feel uneasy, she elegantly tossed her head and said in a proud tone: "Before the formal welcome speech, I think we should introduce ourselves. I am the Slytherin female Prefect — CassandraVole. Beside me is the male Prefect — Ezra Selwyn."
"We are both fifth-year students, and for the next three years, we will continue to serve as Prefects."
"If you encounter any difficulties in your studies and life, have conflicts with classmates, or encounter other issues, you can ask us for help."
"It needs to be emphasized that in the event of problems, come to us first; if we cannot solve it, then you go to Snape, do not bother him with trifles."
She spoke a long paragraph, but it was clear and logical, and her voice was elegant and charming, not making anyone feel it was long-winded.
Coupled with her beautiful face and figure, a male first-year who thought highly of himself immediately responded enthusiastically: "Prefect Cassandra, I am —"
Cassandra silently raised her wand, interrupting his speech with a threatening posture.
"My memory is very good; you don't need to tell me who you are. Additionally, when a Prefect is speaking, ordinary students should listen quietly; this is the most basic etiquette. I do not wish to see this happen again!"
The boy wilted on the spot.
The other first-years who hadn't had a chance to speak felt secretly relieved, but also felt that this female Prefect had a bit of a temper, being so overbearing that it made people uncomfortable.
After giving the first-years a reprimand, Cassandraofficially began: "First, I want to congratulate you on joining the best house at Hogwarts. As of this year, we have won the House Cup for six consecutive years."
"If you don't understand what this concept means, I can put it in a way that's easier to understand — Slytherin Househas won first place in the school for six consecutive years, giving the other three houses no chance at all!"
"!"
Hearing this good news, although the first-years dared not speak casually, the sense of pride was revealed in their heavier breathing and joyful expressions.
Cassandra nodded reservedly and continued: "There is a rumor in the Wizarding World — seven is the most magical number. We hope, no, we must ensure, that Slytherin House achieves a seven-game winning streak and maintains this honor."
"To achieve this, we hope you first-years will also perform well and not lose to that 'famous savior'. And always remember — a sense of collective honor!"
"I don't care what conflicts or competitions you have among yourselves, resolve them in private; if anyone dares to smear the house, their days ahead will definitely not be pleasant!"
When saying this, she gave Soren Reed and Malfoy a meaningful look, the implication self-evident.
"Also, regarding those false rumors about Slytherin House, saying we are all reserve dark wizards or something, ignore them entirely — after graduating from Slytherin House, there are many seniors who have joined the Ministry of Magic or engaged in other services for the new generation of wizards. If anyone actually believes this, I can only suggest they go to the Hospital Wing to check their brain."
"Finally, the common knowledge, rules to follow, class schedules, and simple campus maps you need to know are all recorded by magic on the wall of the first-year lounge area; check them yourself if needed."
Before she had finished speaking, she raised her wand and cast a variant of the Lumos spell.
A shiny point of light flew around like a firefly, leading the first-years' gaze to the position on the right side of the common room entrance.
"See that? That is the lounge area reserved for first-years; don't run around to the inside, that's the upper-year lounge area, and the upper-year students, who are currently troubled by Ordinary Wizarding Levels and N.E.W.T.s, do not have very good tempers."
"That's all you need to know for the first day of school, now... oh, it seems I said 'last' too early, well then, the very last thing — first-years need to be assigned dormitories."
"Unlike other houses, our Slytherin students have more choices in accommodation, the reason is... alas, the number of people is too small, the fewest among the four houses..."
Speaking of this topic, the male Prefect finally had a chance to shine, teasing the first-years: "Isn't that the truth, not only the fewest, but fewer and fewer. Look at this year, there are only... six girls, nine boys, when you need to shoulder the burden for Quidditch matches, I don't know if you'll even be able to field a team."
Soren Reed saw Malfoy, not far away, get excited, clearly very interested in this.
"But the good news is, after the previous graduates left, we have many more rooms, and the accommodation conditions are more favorable."
Cassandra took over the floor again, "The specific arrangement is, girls will live in double rooms, boys will live in triple rooms, I trust the gentlemen won't mind this small favoritism?"
How could the first-years dare to challenge her, answering with silence.
"Very well!" Cassandra turned elegantly, waving a hand at the girls, "Girls, come with me, your dormitories are on the other side, with a separate entrance. Here, I want to specifically warn the boys — boys are not allowed to enter the girls' dormitories, this is strictly forbidden by school rules."
After speaking, she walked away with the girls.
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 45 Slytherin's Fine Tradition — First-Year Competition
The cool and beautiful female Prefect walked away, that strong posture deeply imprinted in the hearts of the first-years.
Nine boys stood on the spot, looking longingly at the male Prefect.
Ezra shrugged at them: "Cassandra is just like this, get used to it. Don't offend her in the future, or I won't be able to save you. Alright, let me tell you some good news; there are nine boys in your year, but we still have four triple rooms, which means —"
He looked at the boys, his tone laced with a hint of instigation, "One lucky person can live in a single room, this is a privilege only Prefects and some seventh-year students have. Does anyone want to sign up?"
Slytherin encourages competition, generally accepting the philosophy that the strong are respected.
In order to let the first-years transform into qualified "Slytherins" as quickly as possible, the seniors don't mind handing out a little sweetness, secretly pushing the first-years to duel, in order to discover capable new-generation leaders.
However, the situation this year is a bit special — DracoMalfoy has enrolled.
He is the only son of the Malfoy family, and the sole heir. According to the tacit understanding of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, this year's class should rightfully take him as the absolute core.
This was decided long before he enrolled.
Many families qualified to know this news had even instructed their children in advance to follow Malfoy, such as Crabbe and Goyle.
The connections and status of the Malfoy family in the Wizarding World can be seen from this.
Therefore, when the male Prefect asked this question, most of the first-years looked at Malfoy, their eyes full of fawning and congratulatory expressions, not even thinking about signing up to compete with him.
Chapter 30
Malfoy himself was, of course, aware of this, and a reserved smile appeared on his face.
In fact, he didn't intend to stay in that single room.
The reason was simple: while living alone was certainly nice, he already lived like that at home, so the novelty had long since worn off.
On the contrary, a triple room was more to his liking—
Just imagine, whether it was eating, daily life, or going to class, having two obedient little sidekicks by his side who could also highlight his own handsomeness and intelligence—wasn't that much cooler than living alone!
A single room?
No interest. Better to leave it to the older students; it was a chance to show off his own grace.
Thinking of this, Draco maintained his most proper smile and began to organize his words—
"If I can sign up, count me in."
A clear male voice suddenly rang out, polite yet carrying a calmness that was different from the other little brats.
Malfoy's smile froze on his face, looking just like a clown playing a prank in a magical picture. His neck stiffly turned to the right, and he looked at the speaker along with everyone else.
That person, who else could it be but Soren Reed?
Even the male Prefect's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise; he hadn't expected this first-year, who was at best of half-blood origin, to really dare to butt heads with young master Malfoy.
They had already made quite a scene at the opening feast, which everyone had seen, so he hadn't expected it to escalate now.
This was truly...
Great!
Competition was the best whetstone for a leader. If there hadn't been a challenger, the older students were planning to goad Malfoy into competing with the Boy Who Lived.
Now, it was even better; they had gained an extra trial for free.
With the top-tier upbringing of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Malfoy had no possibility of losing, which would just help boost his confidence.
This was a good thing!
The male Prefect hurriedly agreed, fearing Soren might change his mind: "Hmm—! Courageous, worthy of praise! A true Slytherin must be brave enough to fight. Is there anyone else signing up?"
He said "anyone else," but his eyes were fixed directly on Malfoy, practically calling him out by name.
The other first-years also realized what was happening and looked at the stiff-faced Malfoy.
Things had reached this point, what more could Malfoy say—he could refuse himself, but he couldn't let others think he was avoiding a challenge, and he certainly couldn't accept Soren, the peer he hated most, achieving victory!
"Then I'm signing up too!"
Malfoy accepted the challenge, "Is there anyone else?"
Under his sharp gaze, the other boys avoided eye contact, using silence to show their submission.
The male Prefect didn't force it either; he clapped his hands twice, drawing everyone's attention.
"Very well, this single-room dormitory battle now has two competitors. To avoid damaging the internal unity of the house, we will adopt a competition format that is absolutely fair and has positive significance—
In the first four weeks of the new semester, whoever earns more points for the house and wins more honor for the house will be the winner!
The methods for earning points are written on the wall in the first-year common area. For first-years like you, performing well in class and actively answering questions is the simplest and most feasible way to earn points.
How about it, do you both agree?"
After hearing this, the smile returned to Malfoy's face: "I agree!"
Long before enrollment, he had already learned the basic curriculum at home, and since Soren was just a Muggle-born wizard, how could he possibly lose!
"I agree as well."
Soren glanced at Malfoy indifferently, not taking him seriously at all.
If it were Hermione, who got full marks in every subject, it might be slightly challenging, but Malfoy? Forget it, what kind of weakling is he.
Both sides agreed, and this competition between first-years was officially established.
The male Prefect stated that until a winner was decided, the "competition prize" would remain vacant until the true winner moved in.
This meant that for now, the nine boys still had to group up and move into three triple rooms.
Malfoy went without saying; Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him like two bodyguards.
The remaining five boys were in a bind; no one wanted to live with Soren and offend young master Malfoy for no reason.
After a brief chaos, Zabini and two other pure-blood first-years with better family backgrounds won out, and the three of them occupied one room.
The remaining two "losers" were forced to live with Soren.
During this time, the male Prefect watched coldly, letting them fight it out internally. Only when the outcome was decided did he lead the first-years to the dormitory.
Passing through the archway on the left of the common room, they arrived at the dormitory area.
In a relatively secluded area, they found the first-year dormitory.
The luggage belonging to the nine first-years was quietly lined up, waiting for them to collect it.
Reaching this point, the male Prefect stopped interfering, gave a few casual pointers, and turned to leave.
Soren couldn't be bothered to communicate with the boys who were deliberately avoiding him, so he silently moved his luggage into the room and put it away.
The note stuck to his trunk said—his owl pet had already been sent to the Owlery and was being taken care of by the school's House-elfs, so there was no need to worry.
His last bit of worry vanished, and he walked quickly toward his own bunk: a four-poster bed with green and silver striped curtains, the bedspread embroidered with silver lace. Once he drew the heavy curtains, the silver light spilling from the ceiling and the sound of the lake lapping against the windows would fade away together.
If Soren were to evaluate it—he could only say, this was a super comfortable bed, and he was very satisfied!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 46 Dumbledore: "Sorting Hat, Sorting Hat, tell me..."
After tidying the bed, he put his textbooks into the bedside bookcase.
Soren headed to the public washroom for a quick wash. Once done, he put on his pajamas and climbed comfortably into bed.
Once the light-blocking curtains were drawn, the space within the four-poster bed became his own little world.
The only small regret was that he didn't know the silencing charm yet, otherwise, he could further block out his roommates' whispers.
Fortunately, this wasn't an unsolvable problem.
Soren took out the toolkit he had prepared in advance and retrieved a nifty gadget from the Muggle World—soundproof earplugs!
A very common and effective little tool, especially suitable for schools and offices.
Just in case, he tied and knotted the curtain straps so that even if someone tried to pull his curtains, they wouldn't open easily.
Considering the other boys' attitude toward him, Soren felt this probability was actually low—the strategy they were currently adopting was cold violence, trying their best not to communicate with him so they wouldn't offend Malfoy.
Soren accepted this well and hoped they would really treat him as invisible, so he wouldn't have to waste time dealing with ineffective interpersonal relationships and could focus on studying.
Speaking of studying...
It was currently 11:30 PM, still very early.
Although the first day of school was a bit of a hassle, he still felt energetic and could push himself a bit more.
Quickly recalling the information the male Prefect provided and combining it with the calendar, he confirmed that tomorrow was Monday, with only one class all day—
14:00 – 15:30 in the afternoon, History of Magic with the Ravenclaw first-years.
There was plenty of time.
In the morning, he could walk around the school to learn the way, and while at it, he should go find Hermione; he didn't want to lose his wife just because of a sorting ceremony.
As for now—of course, it was to review "History of Magic" and strive to hit Malfoy hard tomorrow!
Considering he had already memorized this book, he increased the intensity for himself, using Lumos instead of a desk lamp to read and practice magic at the same time.
'Lumos—'
That's right, silent casting, of course; otherwise, it would be too easy.
Silently, the tip of his wand lit up with a soft white light, constant at a brightness comfortable for the eyes.
Gently turning to the first page of the textbook, after a few breaths, Soren entered a state of extreme focus, immersed in the history of the Wizarding World recorded in the books.
Outside, the two first-years forced to live with Soren sighed and complained about their unfavorable start to school life.
But soon, exhaustion and sleepiness found them.
After a day of nervous anticipation and running around, children of this age couldn't hold on any longer; soon their eyelids drooped, and they fell into a deep sleep.
The dormitory returned to silence once again.
*
Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office.
The foremost person in the contemporary Wizarding World with a beard like a waterfall—Dumbledore, was staring eye-to-eye with a dirty, old, and faded wizard's hat, the scene resembling a staring contest.
After staring for a long time, the flesh-and-blood old wizard lost the staring contest.
—After all, why would a hat need to blink!
"Really can't you tell me?" he said, "Sorting Hat, I am the current Headmaster of Hogwarts school, I have the right to know the specific details of the sorting."
The Sorting Hat let out an anthropomorphic sigh and opened its mouth to speak: "Yes, yes, of course you do, and I have already told you. That child's nature is indeed more suitable for Slytherin, that's it, what else do you want to ask?"
"That was not an ordinary sorting; I can tell, you haven't done that before."
"That depends on how long ago you mean by 'before.' I am a magic hat that has existed for a thousand years."
Before he could speak again, the Sorting Hat answered for the last time, "I have already told you everything that needs to be said, believe it or not. Now, please have pity on my old bones—
To compose that sorting song, I racked my brains for half a year. To make the singing sound good, I practiced for another half year. I need to rest to prepare for next year's sorting ceremony. So, let's leave it at that, good night, Dumbledore—"
After speaking, the Sorting Hat fell silent, as if it had truly fallen asleep.
Dumbledore pondered for a long time and ultimately did not disturb it. But he knew himself that this matter would not be turned over so easily.
From an Orphanage, black hair and black eyes, handsome appearance, outstanding talent, likable—sorted into Slytherin.
The last student who fit these descriptions left a very deep impression on him...
The negative kind...
*
Time slowly passed, and before he knew it, it was midnight.
When Soren felt a hint of sleepiness, it was already 3:00 AM.
He closed the book, opened the Wizarding Worldachievement page to take a look, and let out a silent sigh.
Green Achievement · Skilled Caster (Basic Spells).
[Skilled Caster (Basic Spells) (Unlocked: No)]
[Unlock Condition: Successfully cast basic spells 100,000 times, silent and wandless casting counts as three times, silent casting counts as twice, normal casting counts as once.]
[Unlock Progress: 41,200 / 100,000]
[Description: Casting is to a wizard as breathing is to a human. Before achieving "what the heart desires, it shall manifest," you still need day-after-day of hard practice.]
[Buff: Skilled Casting (Basic Spells).]
[Effect: Your casting technique is far superior to others; whether it is power, speed, success rate, or combos, it is all as smooth as flowing water.]
[Buff: Spell Fine-tuning (Basic Spells).]
[Effect: You understand these spells so well that you can try some different tricks to give your magic some novelty.]
[System Evaluation: The greatest miracles often stem from the smallest accumulations; before creating a miracle that belongs only to you, you should follow in the footsteps of giants.]
Only added 0.02 today...
Soren started mental arithmetic—
To ensure the quality of practice, he cast a silent Lumosevery three minutes, three and a half hours meant seventy times, multiplied by the double weight, the final result was one hundred and forty, not even two hundred...
Although there were factors to avoid disturbing his reading state, the efficiency was still so low.
Before school started, he could grind over a thousand times a day, taking thirty-three days to brush up the current data and complete the prerequisite [White Achievement · Novice Caster (Basic Spells)].
But once school started, he had to set aside time for class and go to the Library to read, and the time for practicing magic was significantly shortened.
Oh right, he also needed to find a place to practice without being disturbed by others.
"Ah... headache..."
Chapter 31
Soren Reed reviewed the options he had listed once more, painfully excluding the Room of Requirement from his choices for the time being.
He had been a bit too conspicuous at the sorting ceremony today, and he didn't know how many people were silently watching him.
It was best to keep a low profile for a while; if someone discovered him heading to the Room of Requirement, he wouldn't even be able to explain how he knew about this obscure secret.
After all, even Lord Voldemort regarded the Room of Requirement as his secret trump card, planning to infiltrate the school from there and hiding the Ravenclaw diadem within it.
Until he found a plausible explanation, Soren Reed did not intend to go there easily.
There weren't many options left, and the simplest one—the Abandoned Bathroom where Myrtle resided—was, he remembered, on the second floor of Hogwarts Castle.
It was easy to find a reason to go there; he could just say he heard rumors from other students...
Besides, it was the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, so it would be good to go and investigate early.
Considering that he was now the legitimate heir chosen by the Sorting Hat, he absolutely could not let the Chamber of Secrets be discovered by Dumbledore as it was in the original story.
Whatever was in there belonged to him!
No, the place itself belonged to him, making it the perfect secret base!
Filled with infinite longing for the future, Soren Reedclosed his eyes and instantly entered a deep sleep.
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 47 "The Famous" Soren Reed
Monday, September 2nd.
At seven in the morning, Soren Reed's eyes snapped open right on time, more precise than a wound-up alarm clock.
Staring at the silver and green intertwined curtains above, his consciousness was initially a bit hazy, but as his memory module finished loading, he remembered where he was now—
The magical Hogwarts Castle!
Endless ambition burned brightly, instantly dispelling all laziness and weariness.
A new day—
Academic Overachiever mode, ON!
Extraordinary energy surged from within his body, and his back instantly formed a ninety-degree angle with the bed.
In less than a minute, Soren Reed had changed into his school robes with dazzling speed, then rushed out of the dormitory like a gust of wind, heading straight for the communal bathroom.
Cool water splashed onto his face, granting him a "Clear Thinking" and "Positive Emotion +5" buff.
The unscrupulous scrutinizing gazes from the older students halved his buffs.
Yes, he was being gawked at.
Just like the famous Harry Potter, the famous Soren Reedwas enjoying the same treatment in Slytherin.
The older students were all very interested in this first-year who "could make the Sorting Hat howl at the sky," pointing and whispering blatantly.
What could the newcomer Soren Reed do...
Whoever smiled at him, he would respond with a smile; whoever gave him a cold face, he would respond with a cold face.
It was all about equivalent exchange!
After finishing his personal hygiene, he hurried back to the dormitory and was surprised to see that his two roommates were actually up.
You have to understand, there were no classes this morning; no one would say anything if the first-years slept until lunchtime.
But this group of first-years in Slytherin House seemed quite self-disciplined.
Considering that everyone would be living under the same roof for at least four weeks, Soren Reed nodded at them in a friendly manner.
He had expected them not to respond, but the situation was slightly better than he had imagined.
Of the two, the sturdier boy with a square face hesitated for a moment before speaking to him: "Honestly, I admire your courage, but I don't want to get into trouble."
After saying this, the square-faced boy continued tidying his bed, not even introducing himself.
The other tall, thin boy with a somewhat effeminate temperament also whispered "Good luck," then busied himself adjusting his silver and green house tie.
Soren Reed took a quick glance at their name tags, and comparing them to the characters in the original story, he realized they were either hidden characters or just background noise.
After thinking about it, he spoke to them anyway: "My name is Soren Reed, nice to meet you."
The two paused, not replying, but not showing any negative attitude either.
In a silent understanding, they could be considered acquainted.
After checking in with his two roommates, Soren Reed took his belongings and went to the Slytherin Common Room.
They had arrived here late last night, and in the dim light, he hadn't been able to see it clearly.
Today, taking advantage of the morning light illuminating the bottom of the lake, he could finally see the beautiful scenery of the rippling water outside the common room through the ubiquitous viewing windows and curtain walls.
That was the wonders of the bottom of the Black Lake, far beyond what any man-made aquarium could compare to.
If he could, he would really like to bring Ella and Hermionehere for a date; they would probably like it.
It was a pity that Slytherin House had an unwritten rule—never bring students from other houses to the common room, and never tell them our password.
It was said that no one outside the house had entered here for over seven centuries.
What a disappointing rule, not at all united or friendly...
Sooner or later, he would change it!
Soren Reed stood by the window admiring the scenery for a while, then went to the first-year lounge area to take a rough look at the notices before preparing to head to the Great Hall for breakfast.
As he approached the exit, he saw Cassandra already standing by the door.
Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, her face seemed to be gently caressed by the morning sun, and she looked so beautiful that she seemed to be glowing, truly the most eye-catching scenery in the common room.
It was evident that the female Prefect had a high reputation in the house; even students in years above her were very polite to her.
Out of basic courtesy, Soren Reed took the initiative to greet her as he passed by.
Unexpectedly, the female Prefect responded good-naturedly: "Good morning to you too, diligent little hummingbird. You are the earliest one to start among the first-years. That's very good; opportunity always favors those who are proactive."
Soren Reed smiled politely and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and asked: "PrefectCassandra, do you happen to know the course schedule for the Gryffindor first-years? Do they have classes this morning?"
"Gryffindor first-years?"
Cassandra narrowed her eyes slightly and pondered for a moment, "Probably not. They have Herbology Class in the afternoon and History of Magic in the evening. If you want to win honor for the house by defeating them, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until Friday's Potion Class."
Soren Reed's heart stirred: "Has our competition last night already spread?"
"Of course, it's a recurring event. The older students are waiting to be entertained." Cassandra revealed a mischievous smile, evidently one of the people who enjoyed the spectacle.
"Alright then, I'll try my best."
"Not try your best, but do your best. If you want to change your awkward situation, you must demonstrate your strength so that everyone will forget your shortcomings and follow the rule that the strong are respected."
"Thank you for your advice, Prefect Cassandra, I'll be off then."
Soren Reed politely said goodbye and walked toward the dark tunnel outside the stone door.
Cassandra's charming green eyes kept staring at his back, the look of contemplation in her eyes growing deeper.
Last night, while escorting the first-years, she had inadvertently heard some very valuable information—
The Grey Lady, whose specific origins no one could quite explain, but who was known to have existed in Ravenclawfor at least several centuries, had claimed that it was a special sorting, and that the Sorting Hat must have said something to this first-year.
This really made her curious; she wanted to know the secret behind it.
Plus, when all the factors regarding Soren Reed were stacked together, he really seemed a bit like that person from fifty years ago—
"Cassandra!"
A call filled with enthusiasm and a hint of sycophancy interrupted her thoughts.
Cassandra's smile faded, and she turned to look forward.
The person arriving was a seventh-year boy, said to have good grades, with hopes of finding a job at the Ministry of Magic after graduation.
But so what?
A mediocre person who couldn't even get a few "O"s on the N.E.W.T.s.
She elegantly raised her wand and tapped the Prefectbadge on her robe with the tip of her wand.
"What did you call me? Can't you see my badge? Or is it that I haven't polished it bright enough?"
The boy's enthusiasm was instantly plunged into ice water: "Ah... I-I'm sorry, Prefect Cassandra..."
"Pay attention next time." Cassandra looked at him coldly, "What do you want with me?"
"Nothing... I just wanted to..."
"Don't think. If there's nothing, go away, don't waste my time."
"...Okay."
The boy left in a sorry state, like a stray dog.
In the distance, several girls who saw this scene burst into laughter.
The long-haired girl excitedly initiated the discussion: "Hahaha! I'm dying of laughter~ To actually dare to provoke Cassandra, haven't there been enough boys hit by her over the years? Truly courting death~"
"Exactly, though this is the first time I've seen her be so pleasant to a lower-year student. Do you think—"
The curvy girl couldn't help but gossip, "Could she like that type, you know, the small ones? Don't you think they're cute?"
The other girls looked at her with eyes that suggested she was a pervert.
"I think it's you who likes that type, staring without blinking."
"Tch~~ You guys really have no taste. Just wait, I'll find a chance to tease the little handsome guy, haha~!"
The older girls made a fuss, and in the gradually lively common room, they were like a drop of water merging into the ocean.
The students of Slytherin House were full of energy from the very beginning of the school year!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 48 The First Day of School, Opening the Eyes of the Older Students!
After half a day, walking through the dark Slytherindungeons again, Soren Reed's state of mind was completely different.
His self-awareness as the heir of Slytherin House made him observe the dungeon from an appreciative perspective.
The older students walking along the same path also dispelled the lonely atmosphere of the dungeon.
Everyone was heading in the same direction, with the exact same goal—which was to eat!
From Monday to Friday, the buffet breakfast at Hogwartswould last from 7:30 to 8:30.
If you missed the time, you would have to go hungry until noon, or hope that other students could help bring some food.
Walking in the sparse crowd, Soren Reed noticed that at every intersection, some older students would branch off and leave, obviously meaning there was more than one path to the surface.
But he was still very unfamiliar with the castle's terrain, so he honestly chose the conventional route.
After walking along the underground passage for a long time, he figured he was almost at the marble staircase leading up.
What he found strange was that the flow of people in front suddenly became dense, with a large number of older students stopping at the entrance of the stairs, as if someone or something was blocking the road ahead.
Could it be the legendary moving staircases?
But he remembered that this main road shouldn't have such a playful setup.
After approaching the crowd, he heard voices coming from the front row.
"Gryffindor? What are you doing here? Leave quickly, you—"
"Don't scare her; she's clearly a first-year, probably lost." A female voice interrupted the previously harsh-toned male voice, "Go back quickly, little one. This is Slytherin Houseterritory down here; we don't welcome people in red and gold."
"But... I'm here to look for someone..."
By comparison, the respondent's voice sounded very small; it was a girl's voice.
Although he couldn't hear it very clearly, Soren Reedinstantly identified her identity. While his expression changed slightly, his previously slowed-down pace accelerated again.
Relying on the advantage of his small stature, he kept saying "Sorry, excuse me" as he quickly passed through the human wall formed by the older students.
After squeezing to the front, he indeed saw Miss Hermionestanding timidly in the middle of the staircase, blocking a group of Slytherin senior students single-handedly.
Compared to the tall older students, she looked so small, helpless, and pitiful, yet she still stood there, stubborn and tenacious.
Chapter 32
Truth be told, with this kind of courage, the Sorting Hatreally didn't make a mistake.
"Hermione!"
Soren Reed called out to her, quickly walked over to stand with her, and turned to apologize to the seniors, explaining that she had come to find him.
A group of Slytherin students looked at this pair of first-years with surprised expressions.
A Gryffindor girl and a Slytherin boy...
This, is this right?
It had been years since they had seen such a combination. Usually, even if that were the case, young couples would avoid people, after all, the two houses didn't get along well.
Originally, this wasn't a big deal; the first-years had apologized, so naturally, the older students chose to forgive them.
If there was anyone to blame, it was that Soren Reed was too famous—
Soon, some older students recognized this "truly legendary" first-year.
Thus, what could have been a minor matter easily overlooked turned into teasing and mockery of the first-years.
Soren Reed himself could handle it, but seeing Hermione's bright red face—which looked like she had a forty-degree fever—he quickly pulled her away and fled in a panic.
The two ran all the way up, taking the stairs two steps at a time, and soon left the onlookers far behind.
Arriving at the ground floor, they found a hidden corner to hide in. Hermione finally managed to shake off her embarrassment and was breathing heavily.
Soren Reed, seeing the books she was holding in her arms, guessed why she had appeared there.
Sure enough, after Hermione caught her breath, her first words were: "Didn't I say I wanted to lend you some extracurricular books? I thought I'd look for you in the morning when everyone doesn't have classes..."
Soren Reed was moved, but still asked curiously: "If we want to meet, can't we just bump into each other when we go to the Great Hall for meals?"
"It's different. At the girls' talk last night, the senior girls told us about many precautions, including those regarding Slytherin House..."
She glanced at Soren Reed, her expression somewhat conflicted, but she still told the truth, "Most of it wasn't nice things. They said the two houses are mortal enemies and told us to be especially careful of you all."
So that was what it was about...
After listening to her, Soren Reed quickly brought up the philosophy he had used to retort to Malfoy, telling her that the sorting couldn't represent everything, and it shouldn't affect their friendship.
It was clear that Hermione supported this philosophy, and she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
Soren Reed then told her about the internal rules of Slytherin House, planning to go for breakfast together first, and then take a walk around the campus while they had no classes in the morning.
Hermione tilted her head, thought for a moment, and nodded gently.
A bright smile bloomed on Soren Reed's face. He took the books and hugged them to his chest, feeling a joy akin to receiving a birthday gift.
Hermione, walking beside him, stole a glance at him, and soon she too was infected by the magic called a smile.
The small barrier brought about by being sorted into different houses instantly dissipated, and the two became good friends again.
When they arrived at the Great Hall, the rich aroma of cheese and cream permeated the air.
Soren Reed's stomach immediately protested, but his feet hesitated, and his gaze swept across the Great Hall.
Under normal circumstances, students should return to their respective house tables to eat; this was a way to strengthen the sense of belonging to the house. But strictly speaking, school rules did not forbid eating at other houses' tables.
His current situation in his grade was very awkward, and he really didn't want to crowd in with that group of unruly children.
Furthermore, he had to do something to distinguish himself from Lord Voldemort, lest Dumbledore and Snape keep an eye on him whenever they had nothing to do.
Why not...
After hesitating for a moment, he decisively demonstrated his superb execution—he walked straight over to sit next to Hermione, picked up a knife and fork, and began selecting food for his plate.
Not just Hermione, but the other Gryffindors nearby were stunned, staring at him with dropped jaws.
That dark green robe lining and tie were so distinct; mixed in with a group of students in red and gold, it was like a little snake that had broken into a pride of lions.
Soren Reed seemed completely unaware, eating on his own and even sharing his tasting notes with Hermione.
Driven by him, Hermione, who didn't yet have a deep understanding of the house rivalry, had her attention diverted by the delicious food and quickly joined the battle.
The other older students were clearly not as calm as the two of them.
Especially the older Slytherin students who had come in shortly after Soren Reed; they had just been boldly blocked by that Gryffindor first-year, and now, upon entering the Great Hall, they saw a first-year from their own house sitting openly at the Gryffindor table, feasting away.
For a moment, they couldn't tell if Soren Reed was a "traitor" or a bold and fearless "warrior" who was using this method to strike back at Gryffindor and bring glory to Slytherin.
Just like that, the older students who walked into the Great Hall after this, regardless of which house they were from, would be briefly confused for a moment upon seeing Soren Reed and Hermione sitting together, deeply feeling that the younger generation was to be feared.
This year's first-years had really opened the older students' eyes on the very first day of school!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 49 Mysterious Reinforcements from Gryffindor
At the corner of the Gryffindor table.
Soren Reed ate as if no one else was around, treating the strange looks as nothing, appearing quite heroic.
Come to think of it, there were actually Gryffindor students who deeply admired him and even jokingly raised their glasses to salute him.
But not everyone had such magnanimity—
"Ahem—"
Just as Soren Reed was busy in a fierce battle with a grilled sausage, a deliberate cough came from his side.
He calmly washed down the food in his mouth with orange juice, wiped his mouth, and turned his head to look.
At first glance, he saw a gold and red badge with the letter "P" on it.
At second glance, he saw the male Prefect's meticulously groomed red hair.
With such distinct personal features, it was naturally Ron's older brother.
"Good morning, Prefect Percy." Soren Reed greeted him politely.
Percy was taken aback, not expecting him to know him. After seeing the nervous Hermione watching, he thought he understood the reason: "Hm, good morning to you too, first-year. I see you're wearing Slytherin House robes, so I feel I should remind you that it's best to sit at your own house's table during meals."
"I know." Soren Reed nodded obediently, "But other than important occasions like the opening feast, the school rules don't state that you can't eat at other houses' tables during normal times. I see other houses doing this too."
Percy looked in the direction he was facing and sure enough, saw a Ravenclaw running over to the Hufflepuffside, and a Gryffindor at the Ravenclaw table.
Just as he had said, the school rules did not explicitly forbid this behavior of sitting at different tables.
However—
The situation between Gryffindor and Slytherin is quite special; they are mortal enemies!
"I think your situation might be a bit different from others. You should—ugh—ah—"
Before he could finish his sentence, two arms reached out from both sides of his neck, giving him a cross-lock from behind.
Immediately after, unexpected reinforcements made a dazzling entrance—
"Annoying Percy is being annoying again."
"Can't read the room, emotional intelligence is truly pitiful."
"No wonder no one loves him, single for years."
"Never even held hands, being a Prefect is in vain."
The red-headed Weasley Twins cooperated with tacit understanding, each saying a line of the doggerel, casting Percy into hell.
Percy's face turned red with anger. He struggled to break free from their arms and glared at his younger brothers: "Show some respect, I am a Prefect!"
One of the Weasley Twins exclaimed in an exaggerated tone: "You are actually a noble Prefect, why didn't you tell us sooner?"
The other said bluntly: "Then deduct points from us, from your brother, from Gryffindor, deduct—points!"
Percy's face turned from red to purple, and in a state of extreme anger... he got angry for a moment.
Just kidding, this year their house finally had a big celebrity like Harry Potter, and the older students were all eager to compete for the House Cup.
Deducting points from their own house at this time would just mean waiting to become the public enemy of the house.
"You... you..." He struggled to find his lines, "Don't cause trouble. I am trying to persuade the Slytherin student to go back. If he doesn't go back, they will definitely be dissatisfied with him over there!"
Soren Reed felt this was very correct and agreed: "I completely agree with your judgment, but there's no need to go back. Hermione and I are good friends, and I am willing to stay here."
"But..." Percy still wanted to struggle.
"I am Muggle-born and don't get along well with those students who believe in blood purity." Soren Reed exposed his own shortcomings, advancing by retreating.
"..."
Percy was speechless.
The Weasley Twins took the opportunity to take over—
"Oh—poor little guy."
"Went to the place that likes to judge heroes by their background the most."
"You must have had a hard time over there."
"It's a pity, a warrior like you should have been sorted into Gryffindor."
"The Sorting Hat—"
"The senile Sorting Hat—"
The duet began again.
Soren Reed couldn't tell which one was which either, so he could only smile at both of them equally.
By the way, the ones who had raised their glasses to him earlier were also these two.
With the Weasley Twins lending a hand, Percy was completely helpless against Soren Reed. After a moment of stalemate, the Weasley Twins simply grabbed one of his arms each and forcibly carried him away.
"Ugly single dog, can't stand the flower of love blooming."
"The warrior's follower will surely send him to exile in the distance."
Leaving behind the last two lines of doggerel, the three of them went away, entangled with each other.
Soren Reed genuinely felt these two brothers were worth associating with; they were much more interesting than Ron, and their brains worked well, always having some whimsical ideas.
Oh... right, they still had the marauders map in their hands.
Good stuff—want it!
Soren Reed stared at their backs for a while, and when he turned his head back, he saw Hermione suddenly lower her head, pretending to eat.
But the tips of her reddened ears exposed her true feelings.
Soren Reed would really like to establish a romantic relationship with her just like that, but he also knew that the foundation of their relationship was still very weak, and being too aggressive would easily scare her away.
Better to play it safe first, and create wonderful memories with warm companionship.
"Don't listen to their nonsense. Boys are just like that, making a fuss over small things and taking pleasure in teasing friends."
"...Hm." Hermione responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito's, "I know..."
She said so with her mouth, but what she thought in her heart, only she herself knew.
"Let's eat quickly, we still have to go and familiarize ourselves with the school environment later. Hmm, do you want another glass of hot milk?"
Soren Reed did not tease her any further, enthusiastically supplementing her nutrition, wishing for her to grow up quickly.
After finishing breakfast, the two quickly fled the Great Hall.
After getting away from the crowd, Hermione finally returned to normal, talking to him about the seminar from last night as they walked.
Only then did Soren Reed know that each house had a different way of welcoming new students.
Slytherin House did it very formally, just like a meeting for the older students to establish rules and assert authority over the new students.
Gryffindor House was much more casual. The boys' side might not have been managed at all, while the girls' side was a dormitory seminar organized by the senior girls, where everyone ate snacks and chatted, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.
Through Hermione, Soren Reed gained some more school intelligence.
Including—
"There's a haunted girls' bathroom on the second floor?" Soren Reed cast a sidelong glance.
Hermione shook her head cutely, her hair swaying gently in the wind: "It's not haunted; there's a ghost named Myrtlewho stays inside. She has a bad temper and is always crying and making a scene, so over time, no one goes there."
This was the intelligence Soren Reed needed, and he muttered as if unintentionally: "An abandoned bathroom... it should be pretty good to use as a secret practice ground; it's quiet enough."
"A practice ground? To practice spells? I remember every house has shared grounds."
"You said it yourself, it's shared, so it must be occupied by the older students for long periods..."
Chapter 33
"That's true."
The two chatted for a few moments, moving on to the next topic.
Soren Reed's goal was achieved; if Dumbledore or anyone else asked him why he went to the second-floor lavatory in the future, he could use what he had heard from Hermioneas his alibi.
This way, he could soon take a stroll by the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and check out the situation.
He remembered that in the original work, Lord Voldemortspent a full five years figuring out the situation with the Chamber of Secrets and finding the entrance; as the true heir, it was only natural for him to be a bit more efficient.
Hmm... It's better to play it safe.
Then—bide his time for five days, and wait until the weekend to go take a look!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 50: Fantastic Beasts Are Here—The Giant Squid of Hogwarts!
The two walked and talked, sharing the joy and excitement of arriving at magic school, and due to their similar academic-high-achiever traits, they both felt an indescribable sense of rapport and compatibility.
Before they knew it, they arrived in front of the castle's main entrance.
It was a super massive oak door, far grander than the side entrance the first-years had used yesterday.
Never mind a Troll, it felt like even a dragon could crawl through this door.
Since it was daytime, the door was wide open, allowing students to move about in the areas surrounding the main castle.
Of course, the Forbidden Forest located to the northeast of the castle was off-limits; if such a serious violation were discovered, the massive deduction of house points would be enough to make older students in the same house want to kill them.
Image: "Hogwarts Castle Map", Location: "Images/1774063130-100471970-114603298.jpg"
Soren Reed and Hermione naturally wouldn't go that way; they walked down the gentle slope on the east side and arrived at the large lawn on the shore of the Black Lake.
This was Soren Reed's suggestion; he felt that after eating, one should find a place with pleasant scenery to sit for a while.
The closer they got to the lake, the cooler the breeze blowing against their faces became, carrying a hint of cool moisture that refreshed the spirit.
Arriving at the lakeside together, Soren Reed pointed to the distant lake surface and said to Hermione: "The Slytherin common room is built beneath the Black Lake, though I can't pinpoint it accurately yet; I only know it's in a relatively shallow area."
"Eh—" Hermione let out a small exclamation, "That sounds so interesting. Our Gryffindor common room is in the Gryffindor Tower on the eighth floor of the castle; the view there is very open, but it doesn't have the unique character of your house's common room. It's like—"
She tapped her lips with her finger, thinking for a moment, "Like—an aquarium! Living on the seabed... er, the lakebed, it must be very interesting!"
Soren Reed agreed with her in principle, but couldn't help teasing: "Interesting is one thing, but I always feel the humidity is a bit high; living there for a long time makes one prone to rheumatism and arthritis in their later years~"
"Hu... humidity?"
Hermione repeated the word he had said, her little face looking somewhat bewildered: "What is that? My parents are both dentists, but I've never heard them mention this medical term."
Soren Reed froze for a moment, then quickly reacted. The concept of "humidity" came from traditional Chinese medicine; foreign countries really didn't have this term.
This was really it; he had accidentally let the cat out of the bag. He would have to be more careful in the future.
"It just means water vapor. I forgot who I heard it from, but living in a damp place makes you prone to joint diseases."
"Oh, I see, that seems to be the case."
Hermione didn't think too much about it and easily believed his explanation.
Soren Reed smiled slightly, and just as he was about to say something else, he saw ripples spreading across the calm surface of the lake, causing the water to churn violently.
Straining his eyes to look, a huge dark shadow beneath the water was rapidly surfacing, coming from the deep-water area!
In the pitch-black undercurrent, the shape of the shadow was blurry, and he could only see two points of eerie green light rapidly approaching.
Oh no... a wild monster spawned!
He was startled and hurriedly pulled Hermione back.
The two retreated seven or eight meters before they saw the true form of the attacking creature.
It was a massive black squid, roughly seven or eight meters long at a glance; it could play a minor boss role in a horror movie.
After surfacing, this giant beast of the Black Lake opened its round black eyes to look at the two first-years, and with a gentle stroke of the tentacles beneath its body, it swam in their direction.
When it approached the shore, it rested part of its body on the shallows, two giant tentacles several meters long hanging just a short distance in front of the two, and then it closed its eyes—and began to take a nap!
Oh, wait, that comfortable expression should mean it was sunbathing.
"It's the Giant Squid of Hogwarts!"
After seeing its appearance clearly, Hermione was no longer afraid and let out a joyful shout.
"I've read about it in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' and 'Hogwarts: A History'. It's an ancient resident of the Hogwarts Black Lake, has a gentle temperament, and never attacks humans. It's said that it even rescues students who fall into the water or welcomes new students at the beginning of the school year—ah!"
Hermione, who had been reciting the text, suddenly realized that they were the new students, and today was the first day of school.
"This giant squid is here to welcome us!"
An unexpected little surprise... well, considering its size, it was an unexpectedly huge surprise, making young Hermione extremely happy.
She hopped over, crouched down, and tentatively poked the giant squid's tentacle. Seeing that it didn't object, she quickly "shook hands" with it, just like the book said.
—This magical creature, possessing remarkable intelligence, allowed students to line up and touch its tentacles.
Some students firmly believed this was a blessing that would bring them success in love and academics.
"Soren Reed, come on! We're the first two people to shake hands with it this new school year; this must be a symbol of good luck!"
At her call, Soren Reed also walked over and squeezed its tentacle with his free right hand.
The wonderful texture was fed back through his fingertips.
Supple, plump, bouncy—if this were made into teppanyaki octopus... teppanyaki squid tentacles, it would absolutely taste heavenly!
Tears of emotion were rapidly secreting in Soren Reed's mouth.
The squid, which had been sunbathing with its eyes closed, seemed to sense something; it suddenly opened its eyes and looked at the male human cub with a puzzled gaze.
Although it couldn't use Legilimency, the magical intuition of a magical creature still allowed it to perceive the little brat's rude thoughts.
Immediately after, it pulled its tentacle away from Soren Reed's hand, gently patted the back of his hand, and withdrew the blessing of good luck.
After Hermione also let go, it pushed hard against the ground, its massive body sliding back into the water, and drifted away like a black carpet.
Watching the giant squid drift away, Soren Reed was devastated.
Even sages judge by actions rather than intentions; he only fantasized about it in his mind and didn't actually do anything. What a stingy squid.
Hermione, on the other hand, had a great time. After washing the slime off her hands with lake water, she found a clean patch of grass and sat down.
Soren Reed followed suit and sat beside her.
The warm, gentle autumn sunlight fell upon the two of them, creating an indescribable sense of warmth and romance.
Although they weren't leaning on each other like a real couple, just sitting here chatting, Soren Reed could almost see the [Affection + 1] notifications popping up above Hermione's head.
A lakeside date was indeed the most correct decision.
The two sat on the soft lawn for quite a while, until those students who had seen the giant squid from the high towers ran over to seek blessings, and only then did they leave, still wanting more.
During the brief moment of passing by the crowd, Soren Reed's attention was entirely on Hermione, automatically ignoring those gazes observing him, even if there were important plot characters among them.
"What's wrong, Cho Chang?" Her accompanying friend's voice carried a hint of urging, "If we don't hurry, the line to shake hands with the giant squid will be long again!"
Cho Chang was dazed for a moment, withdrawing her gaze from that first-year: "Oh... um... it's nothing. I just felt his appearance... er, never mind, perhaps I'm overthinking it."
From that glance just now, she always felt that the boy's features carried a familiar mixed-race quality, and it was the kind from the same land as her.
But it was just a hurried glance; perhaps she had seen it wrong. She would look more closely next time...
The leisurely time after breakfast ended here.
At Soren Reed's suggestion, they decided to walk through the various classroom locations to familiarize themselves with the routes, avoiding the situation of not being able to find the place when it was time for class.
Another important reason was that only the students who arrived at the classroom earliest could choose the best seat in the center of the first row, closest to the professor and the podium!
Both the female academic high-achiever and the male academic high-achiever cared very much about this, and without a word, they began to scout the path.
Following the order from near to far, they first went to check out the Herbology Class greenhouse, then took a turn around the Flying Class location, before returning to the main castle.
Upon entering the castle, Soren Reed's eyes flickered, and he suggested going to see the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class classroom first; he had a conjecture that he couldn't share with others that urgently needed verification.
It was about a certain invincible transfer student who existed in his memory but left absolutely no trace in History of Magic.
That was a—ruthless character that even Lord Voldemortwould want to hold his head and scream if he saw them...
A dozen minutes later, the two arrived in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class classroom.
It was already past nine in the morning, the classroom door was tightly shut, and the sound of stuttering lecturing came from inside.
Even so, a pungent smell of garlic leaked out from the door crack, permeating the entire corridor.
Soren Reed didn't want to stay here long, so using the excuse of familiarizing themselves with the environment, he led Hermione to search in the corner he remembered.
Turning a few corners, they arrived at a corridor.
The portrait in the painting next to them whispered a reminder that it was a dead end ahead and there was no need to keep going.
But Soren Reed feigned intense curiosity and insisted on walking to the end of the corridor.
In his memory, the entrance to that [Corridor Secret Chamber] was right here, existing in the form of a grandfather clock.
But at the end of the corridor before him, there was only a lonely window, without even enough space to place a grandfather clock.
"It seems this is indeed a dead end."
Hermione didn't realize at all what he was doing and was still writing and drawing in her little notebook, sketching a simple route map.
"Hmm... there's nothing else to see here, let's go to the next location."
A certain thought in Soren Reed's mind was becoming clearer, but he didn't dare to jump to conclusions yet; he planned to wait until he had finished reading other history books and then ask Professor Binns, who taught History of Magic, to be safe.
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 51: Snape: Dead memories suddenly attack me...
In the following two-plus hours, they scurried up and down Hogwarts Castle, looking for the optimal routes to class.
During this time, they encountered magical doors that would only open if politely asked, portrait paintings that deliberately pointed them in the wrong direction, naughty staircases that vanished halfway through and trapped them in the middle of spiral staircases, and the caretaker Filch and his grey cat named Mrs. Norris.
This combination of man and cat was shockingly similar, both having bulging eyes like lightbulbs.
Soren Reed and Hermione insisted repeatedly that neither of their houses had classes this morning, and only then did the other party leave unhappily, as if he were dying to catch them violating school rules so he could deduct points and give them detention.
When they walked away, Hermione kept staring at the cat, and then told Soren Reed that she felt cats were cuter when they were a bit fatter; that grey cat was too thin.
Soren Reed nodded, but what he was thinking in his heart was—he didn't know if the cats in the Wizarding Worldliked the "little gifts" he brought from the Muggle World.
He would have to find a chance to try out the things he had privately prepared before school started.
After the small interlude, the two obtained a simple map hand-drawn by Hermione, which depicted the optimal and alternative routes from the Great Hall to various classrooms.
They were certain that this route map still had a lot of room for improvement, but for now, it was sufficient.
Soren Reed took out his portable paper and pen to copy a version, and then wrote down the Slytherin first-year class schedule from memory and handed it to Hermione.
"This is our house's class schedule. I plan to go to the Library to study in my spare time, and I was thinking... perhaps you'd like to come along?"
Go to the Library to study...
"!"
This suggestion hit Hermione's sweet spot perfectly.
As soon as studying was mentioned, the way Hermionelooked at Soren Reed changed, because after her investigation, she was absolutely certain that Soren Reedwas very likely her biggest competitor in the field of study, and only by defeating him could she win the honor of being first in the grade!
"Sure!" Hermione's desire to win was at an unprecedented high, "Count me in for studying at the Library! But don't forget, you have to find time to teach me the technique for Non-verbal spells!"
"No problem. After taking a week or two of classes and adapting to the teaching intensity, we'll find a place with few people to practice advanced casting techniques."
"Mm... Mm!"
When she heard "a place with few people," Hermionehesitated for a moment, but in the end, she agreed.
As long as there was a competition, she wanted to win, even if the opponent was Soren Reed!
No... precisely because it was him, she wanted to win even more!
After making the decision, Hermione also wrote out the Gryffindor class schedule.
Soren Reed took the two houses' class schedules and compared them, discovering that the first-year curriculum was actually quite full. Except for having free time on Monday morning, at other times, there were often classes in the morning and afternoon, and sometimes even classes in the evening.
Looking at it this way, the time to go to the Library would most likely be after the afternoon classes, combining homework and self-study, continuing until closing time or evening classes.
Is it too much? Not really...
Soren Reed only felt that time was too scarce, not enough for him to grind the "Read Ten Thousand Books" achievement.