High School Musical: Hogwarts Arc

When Horatio was sorted into Gryffindor, students from the other three houses erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Meanwhile, the Gryffindor students, except for the Weasley Twins and Harry, who had no idea what was happening, fell into a stunned silence.

Horatio walked over to Hermione, nudged Neville, who had been sitting there, to another spot, and then plopped down next to Hermione. He handed her a note that read, "Hermione, please use your incredibly large front teeth to help me figure this out."

Horatio raised his hands, revealing the handcuffs on his wrists.

Hermione ignored Horatio, knowing that the more she engaged with someone like him, the more persistent he would become.

Tch, boring, Horatio thought. He had 108 ways to remove such an alchemy-related item.

In a flash, he removed the handcuffs and, in passing, lifted his Silencing Charm.

He provocatively dangled the handcuffs in his hand to show Dumbledore. Dumbledore's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Just how far had Horatio's alchemy skills progressed? (Horatio: Do you even understand what god-tier talent is?)

Professor Snape glanced at Horatio, who was clowning around, and turned to Professor McGonagall, saying, "It looks like Slytherin will be taking the House Cup for the next few years."

Professor McGonagall also wore a troubled expression.

Then, Dumbledore stood up. He looked at the students with a beaming smile and spread his arms wide.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts for the start of another year! Before we begin our banquet, I have a few words to say. That is: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the tables were laden with what appeared to be a lavish feast. However, Horatio observed closely and noticed that everything was either roasted or fried. There were even 18 different ways to prepare potatoes. He supposed it made sense, given that British recipes were as short as American history.

Horatio ate his steak with mashed potatoes, turkey leg with roasted potatoes, and fish and chips, and could no longer stand it.

He stood up, took out the Bashu man's battle robe from his cloth bag, and then pulled out a pot, a stove, and various seasonings.

After igniting the stove with a roaring flame, he sliced the steak into strips and put it in the pot with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper. He then added shredded green and red peppers and shredded onions. The black pepper beef was ready. He then made spicy chicken, cumin lamb, and tomato and egg soup in the same way.

The aroma of the food spread through the air, soon filling the entire Great Hall. The students, accustomed to the British fare, were captivated by the scent of the mysterious Eastern cuisine. One by one, they dropped their cutlery, protesting what the school was serving them!

Dumbledore looked at the chaotic scene below and felt a headache coming on. Yet, he couldn't fault Horatio, as he was merely improving his own meal and hadn't done anything outrageous.

"Silence!!!" Dumbledore finally stood up and said, "I will discuss Horatio's culinary creations with him privately and try to get him to provide the recipes to the Hogwarts kitchens. For now, please enjoy your dinner."

Horatio looked at Dumbledore and silently held up three fingers. Dumbledore sighed and finally nodded.

After sitting down, he looked at Hermione, who was practically drooling beside him. "Want some?"

Hermione instinctively nodded, then suddenly realized and shook her head, turning her face away and ignoring him.

Horatio, feeling playful, continued to tease Hermione with the food. "Look at this black pepper beef, Hermione. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with the black pepper sauce coating every fiber of the beef."

Hermione remained unmoved.

"And this spicy chicken, with its crispy skin hiding tender, juicy meat. The chili and Sichuan peppercorns create an addictive aroma."

"And this cumin lamb..."

"Uh, Horatio, I'd like some..." Ron, sitting opposite him, swallowed and said hesitantly.

"Want some? Sure, that'll be two Galleons."

"Huh?? I don't have any money."

"If you don't have money, what are you going to eat?" With that, Horatio ignored Ron and continued to tease Hermione.

If you find this book enjoyable, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She snatched the plate from Horatio's hand and began to devour it.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you," Horatio said, serving a bowl of tomato and egg soup and placing it in front of Hermione.

"Alright, what do you need me to do?" Hermione asked leisurely after taking a sip of soup.

"Clever, just as I expected from Hermione. Then I'll be counting on you for this semester's homework."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Horatio but ultimately agreed. Horatio had told her that even if she refused, she couldn't stop him from copying her homework. At worst, he wouldn't do it, and the professors wouldn't expel him for not doing it.

After enjoying dinner, Dumbledore clapped his hands, and the food on the tables vanished, leaving the surfaces spotless.

Then, Professor Dumbledore stood up and said, "At the beginning of the term, I have a few points to bring to your attention.

First-year students, please note that the forest area on the school grounds is forbidden to all students.

Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has also asked me to remind you that you are not to perform spells in the corridors between classes.

The selection of Quidditch players will take place in the second week of this term. Any student wishing to try out for their House team should contact Madam Hooch.

Finally, anyone who does not wish to meet a painful, agonizing death should avoid the corridor on the right-hand side of the fourth floor.

Horatio scoffed, thinking it might deter snakes, badgers, and eagles, but unlikely to stop a lion.

"Now, before we go to bed, let us all sing the school song!" Dumbledore announced loudly. "Everyone choose your favorite tune. Ready, sing."

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, teach us, please, some knowledge, whether old and bald or short and tall, our brains absorb some useful things..."

Horatio dug in his ear and looked at his drowsy classmates. Not good, I need to give them something exciting.

Just as everyone finished singing the school song and Dumbledore was about to say something, Horatio seized the opportunity. He did a backflip onto the dining table and shouted, "All eyes on me."

Then, he took out a speaker and placed it on the table. A catchy tune began to play from the speaker – the theme song from Golden Wind, Canzoni Preferite.

Horatio started dancing to the familiar tune.

Fred and George exchanged glances and then jumped onto the table, joining Horatio's dance moves.

Harry Potter, who was feeling very sleepy, couldn't help but start swaying to Horatio's movements upon hearing the catchy music and seeing the captivating dance.

Snape had been watching Harry Potter, and seeing him start to dance along to the music, he let out a cold snort, "Foolish lion."

Turning his head, he saw the Slytherin students also start to dance along with Horatio. Malfoy even performed a Thomas spin on the spot.

Snape stood up, intending to stop his students, but his shoulder was accidentally patted. He turned his head and was stunned to find Professor Flitwick already dancing on a table.

Snape rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it. But when he opened them again, he found that even Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had started dancing along to the music.

What was going on? Snape lowered his head and looked at his own legs, finding they had started to tremble uncontrollably.

In the end, Snape couldn't resist the enchanting music and began to dance along with everyone else.

The only one still conscious at the scene was likely Voldemort, on the back of Quirrell's head.

"Hmph, a childish trick," Voldemort felt the charm coming from the music. "When I am resurrected, I will show you what a true King of Dance is."

Decades later, a piece of Hogwarts' history recorded, "A dance created by an unspeakable entity swept the wizarding world. Posterity named it the Wizard's Sway. As long as the music played, both Aurors and dark wizards would sway along. This era was known as the Great Sway."