The dazzling array of food before him left Cypher spoiled for choice.
Cypher would have bet this was more than just British cuisine.
What? You could even summon food?
Under Cypher's astonished gaze—
"Pumpkin Juice!"
Iris cleared her throat and lightly tapped the tabletop with her right index finger.
Before long, a glass of Pumpkin Juice appeared on the table.
So that was how it worked...
"Sweet Hot Milk!"
Cypher tapped the table, and a steaming cup of milk appeared before him.
Cypher took a sip. It was indeed sweet—almost cloyingly so.
"Hot Cocoa!"
He recalled the delicious milk cocoa tea from his previous life. Since his rebirth, his living conditions had been difficult.
Even milk had been a rare treat, and Cypher had usually given it to his frail little sister Annie.
Skillfully taking Iris's empty cup, he mixed three cups of milk tea.
One for each of them.
"Delicious!"
Iris and Luna, their cheeks slightly flushed, lavished praise on the drink Cypher had made.
Nearby were all sorts of appetizers and main courses. Across from them, the Gryffindor table was filled with flying Pumpkin Juice.
They had somehow turned drinking Pumpkin Juice into the atmosphere of a drinking party...
By now, the solemn atmosphere had long vanished.
At the height of the festivities, Cypher looked up at the teachers' table and was surprised to find only Professor Dumbledore and Slughorn remained.
At some point, the other professors had quietly slipped away.
Naturally. With so many professors present, the students could not truly relax.
Cypher chatted and laughed with the two girls, listened to older students discuss domestic and foreign affairs and various bits of gossip, or told them how he had improved his younger siblings' meals at the orphanage.
"What subject does your grandfather teach?"
Changing the subject, Cypher asked Iris.
"He teaches Charms class. He's also our Head of House."
Iris answered casually, holding a cup of milk cocoa.
Before she could bring it to her lips, Cypher snatched it away.
Staring at the vegetable salad in front of her, Iris looked like she was about to cry.
I didn't care how picky you were before, but from now on, you have to eat at least a small plate of vegetables every meal.
That was what Cypher had sternly told Luna and Iris when they had chosen food as usual...
As Cypher drank the milk tea he had taken and supervised the two girls eating vegetables—
A string of white figures suddenly emerged from the tables of every House.
Cypher stared in shock, then realized they were Hogwarts' ghosts.
But where was his own House's ghost?
Cypher looked around.
Ah, I forgot.
Their House had a female ghost, unlike those rough old men.
Within his field of vision, she was beautiful, perfectly proportioned, and elegant in manner. After greeting the Ravenclaw prefect, she floated from one end of the Ravenclaw table to the other, greeting everyone one by one.
After inspecting the little ones of her House, the female ghost flew upward and passed through the ceiling.
At that moment, the ceiling showed the torrential rain outside.
According to Luna, the Great Hall's ceiling was enchanted with projection magic.
"That's our House ghost, The Grey Lady. But her true identity is Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of House founder Rowena Ravenclaw. She doesn't like people calling her by her real name."
Seeing Cypher stare blankly at the ceiling, Iris puffed out her cheeks as she spoke, as though trying to make him abandon some idea. What idea could that be?
Finally, once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill—
Professor Dumbledore, who had been waiting at the teachers' table for quite some time, slowly stood up.
As he rose—
All the older students stopped fooling around as if by prior agreement and applauded him.
Dumbledore tapped his goblet. Enhanced by a Sonorus Charm, the crisp sound reached everyone's ears.
The hall fell silent.
"The Sorting Ceremony will soon be over. The prefects of each House will take their new students to their common rooms."
As soon as he finished speaking, the prefects of every House stood up so the new students could recognize them.
A blond, pure-blood pair, a red-haired male Gryffindor paired with a little lion who looked like quite the tomboy at first glance.
Two ordinary-looking little badgers.
Their own House was still the most impressive.
According to the older students around him, the female prefect was called Avenia Rupert.
She was a pretty young woman with thick, long hair.
But what about their other prefect?
Cypher straightened up like everyone else and only then noticed a small boy standing beside the girls.
This... Cypher's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. Then, a memory surfaced in his mind.
Filius Flitwick? Could it be him?
Cypher remembered that half-blood Goblin.
It was said that he was an exceptional dueling champion and an outstanding Ravenclaw graduate.
Dumbledore's continued speech interrupted Cypher's recollection.
"Of course, before we return to the common rooms, there is one very important thing we must do."
The students of all four Houses shouted, "Sing the school song! Sing the school song!..."
Gryffindor was the rowdiest of them all, with quite a few students standing on the tables with their arms around one another's shoulders.
"Who is that professor? Why is he so popular?"
Not far from Cypher, a new student asked in amazement.
"Professor Dumbledore is currently the greatest master of Transfiguration, and the greatest Transfiguration professor in history. He can effortlessly transform any object into hundreds of different animals. And the recently popular Animagus Act was also drafted with his help."
An older student beside the new student answered admiringly.
"Animagus?"
Cypher remembered that the Awakening Potion required that magic. It seemed he could ask Dumbledore for guidance.
At the staff table, Dumbledore waved his wand toward the especially enthusiastic Gryffindors.
All the Little Lions' cups turned into party poppers.
Laughing and joking, they pulled them all at once.
The ribbons and flames that burst forth in an instant ignited everyone's enthusiasm.
The flames did not disappear. Instead, they formed the lyrics of the school song in the sky.
"Use your favorite tune. Ready... sing!"
[Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
"Do not forget that even in the hardest times, magic and music are with us!"
Dumbledore's final words still echoed in Cypher's dazed ears.
That noisy singing was practically a sonic weapon, leaving Cypher with a splitting headache.
The older students were now free to move about, while the new students had to return to their common rooms under the prefects' guidance to be assigned dormitories.
After the prefects introduced themselves, the small prefect was indeed Filius Flitwick, while the elegant female prefect was indeed called Avenia Rupert.
Once all the new students had gathered, Prefect Flitwick and Prefect Rupert walked at the front to lead everyone.
A new life! Here I come!
Cypher secretly clenched his fist.
Before you continue