George and Fred's Reputation Takes a Hit

Professor McGonagall turned back to glance at Andy. Andy gave an awkward laugh and decisively shut his mouth.

Anyway, George and Fred had said it. As for Harry, Ron, and the others, he might as well drag down as many as he could.

What if one of them happened to be a cat lover?

Besides, quite a few Little Wizards had heard Andy speak. There were bound to be a few especially bold ones who wanted to pet Professor McGonagall's cat.

At Hogwarts, someone was always bound to be especially unlucky, so why couldn't it be someone else? Professor McGonagall led the First Year Little Wizards to a small empty room at the other end of the Great Hall. Everyone surged inside, packed shoulder to shoulder, and nervously stared at their surroundings.

"Welcome to Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall said, "The start-of-term feast is about to begin, but before you enter the Great Hall and take your seats, you must first determine which House you will join."

"Sorting is a very important ceremony, because during your time at school, your House will be like your home. You will attend classes, live, and spend your free time with the other students in your House."

All the Little Wizards fell completely silent, each of them watching Professor McGonagall nervously.

Professor McGonagall continued, "The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

"Each House has a proud history and has produced many outstanding Male Wizards and Witches. I hope you will perform well during your time at school, bring honor to your House, and win the final House Cup."

"And if you violate school rules, you will be punished. In serious cases, you may even be expelled from Hogwarts."

"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will be held before the entire school. While you wait, I suggest you tidy yourselves up and make yourselves look a little more presentable."

As she spoke, Professor McGonagall's gaze drifted over Harry, Ron, Malfoy, and the others.

Andy followed Professor McGonagall's gaze and looked at them as well.

"What happened to you two?" Andy asked.

He had not noticed it outside earlier, but now that he looked closely, Harry and Ron appeared as though they had just returned from a battlefield. Their clothes were disheveled, and Ron even had a bruise on his face.

"It was Malfoy!"

Ron said angrily, "He was on the same boat as us... but we gave him a good beating too."

Professor McGonagall swept her gaze over them, and Andy and the others immediately fell silent. "Keep quiet while you wait."

With that, Professor McGonagall left the room.

Harry and Ron visibly breathed sighs of relief. They hurriedly straightened their clothes so they would not look quite so bedraggled.

The Sorting was about to begin, and the Little Wizards were clearly all nervous.

Harry asked curiously, "How can they accurately decide which House to put us in?"

Ron said vaguely, "I think there has to be some kind of test! George and Fred said it would hurt us badly. But I think they were joking."

"They really were joking with you."

Andy chuckled. "I exchanged some information with George and Fred before—Ron, you should know about that. After they were Sorted back then, they only lay in bed for one night, and they were fine the next day."

"So I think the Sorting really won't hurt us much."

Gulp!

Ron swallowed. Harry's heart jolted, while Neville's legs trembled so violently that he stood there like a madman, utterly dazed.

Whether it was taking a test in front of the entire school or lying in bed for a night after being injured, both were things they least wanted to experience.

"Didn't you say you didn't know what the Sorting involved?" Hermione looked at Andy suspiciously.

"I really don't know." Andy shrugged. "But after George and Fred finished Sorting, they really did lie in bed for an entire night before recovering."

It was just that they had not been lying in sickbeds, but in the beds of the Gryffindor dormitory.

All the Little Wizards grew somewhat uneasy. Hermione began muttering under her breath, reciting the spells she had learned.

"Andy, are there any spells I can learn quickly?" Ron turned to Andy and asked nervously.

Andy patted Ron on the shoulder. The boy looked scared out of his wits too. "Even if there were, it's already too late."

"Ah!!!"

Just then, several people suddenly screamed loudly.

"That's—"

Hermione gripped Andy's arm tightly, so frightened she could barely breathe.

"Don't panic. Those are ghosts." Although Andy had lived in the Wizarding World all his life, this was his first time seeing ghosts.

Andy was extremely curious about the life form of ghosts.

If circumstances had allowed it, Andy truly wanted to slice a ghost apart and study it properly.

About twenty ghosts passed through the wall behind them. These translucent, pearly-white ghosts drifted across the room while whispering among themselves.

The Little Wizards were nearly scared out of their wits.

Fortunately, Professor McGonagall returned at that moment. The ghosts drifted away in a line, passing through the opposite wall and disappearing.

"Now, form a single line..."

Professor McGonagall looked around, and the Little Wizards immediately fell silent. "Follow me!"

After everyone jostled into a line, Professor McGonagall led the Little Wizards out of the room, through the entrance hall, and through a set of double doors into a magnificent Great Hall.

It was magnificent, but only by the standards of this era.

What kind of five-star hotel had Andy not stayed in during his previous life?

Having grown accustomed to the luxurious comforts of the twenty-first century, he found the Hogwarts Great Hall rather ordinary.

Even the twinkling starlight on the ceiling could be replicated with computer technology.

It was just that one was magic, while the other was technology.

It was difficult to say which was superior, technology or magic. Both were wondrous. The only difference was that technology borrowed external power, while magic drew its strength from within oneself.

That was the most fundamental difference between the two.

Andy swept his gaze around.

Thousands of candles floated in the air above the Great Hall, their flames flickering. Illuminated by candlelight, the vast hall carried a bizarre, dreamlike atmosphere.

The other Hogwarts students were already seated along the sides of four long tables, upon which gleaming golden plates and goblets had been set.

Another long table stood on the raised platform at the head of the Great Hall. That was the teachers' table.

Hogwarts had around a thousand Little Wizards, though Andy's year had slightly fewer new students.

(The official figure of one thousand students came from Rowling.) After all, the Wizarding World was a miniature society. You could not expect the same number of children to be born there every year.