A Long and Cold Night

What kind of lucky person...

Could have a friend like Vinson Wright!

Everyone in the Great Hall followed Vinson's gaze to the Hufflepuff table and saw Cedric with red-rimmed eyes.

"Great friendship."

The Sorting Hat had no idea what Vinson was thinking.

After the Sorting Hat sighed, its voice suddenly deepened: "If you choose Hufflepuff, you must give up the Gryffindor Sword, which symbolizes courage. Do you have the resolve to give up your future for friendship? Gryffindor is the most suitable for you..."

"..."

No one in the Great Hall dared to breathe.

Because the Sorting Hat's question seemed to pierce everyone's hearts.

For Vinson Wright, such a choice required no further deliberation, as he had already received the greatest reward from Gryffindor!

Vinson Wright looked down at the Gryffindor Sword in his hand, calmly released his grip, which clearly showed his stance.

"Fine, as you wish."

The Sorting Hat let out a long, mournful sigh and began to tell the story of its master: "Broken friendships were the lifelong regret of Godric Gryffindor. If Godric Gryffindor were still alive, he would surely be pleased with your courage and loyalty..."

After saying these words, the Sorting Hat's voice suddenly became loud!

"Vinson Wright! Hufflepuff!"

"..."

The Great Hall fell into silence.

However, this silence lasted only a second before the entire Hufflepuff house erupted in a thunderous cheer!

Even Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff, couldn't help but stand up and applaud, celebrating the addition of an extraordinary little badger to her house!

A student loyal to friendship!

This was the best start to the new academic year for all of Hufflepuff!

"Hey, Vinson Wright!"

"Welcome our new little badger!"

"Welcome Vinson Wright to Hufflepuff!"

Every Hufflepuff student enthusiastically greeted Vinson Wright, eagerly standing up to shake his hand.

Amidst the cheers of the Hufflepuff students, Cedric rushed over, grabbed Vinson Wright's hand, and was sweating profusely with nervousness!

"You scared me to death!"

Cedric clutched Vinson's arm, his face filled with emotion, worry, and guilt: "Vinson, you should have gone to Gryffindor..."

"I told you."

Vinson Wright shook his head firmly.

Putting aside everything else, his reputation in Hufflepuff was now definitely maxed out. All wizards from Hufflepuff in the wizarding world would hold him in high esteem!

"Qui~et!"

Dumbledore's gaze slowly shifted, landing on Vinson Wright, and he said loudly, "First, congratulations to Mr. Vinson Wright on entering Hufflepuff House. May you continue to maintain your loyalty as always."

After speaking, Dumbledore's tone changed, and he continued, "Similarly, as punishment for disrupting the Sorting Ceremony, Mr. Wright will patrol the Forbidden Forest with our Gamekeeper Hagrid tonight..."

"Yes."

Vinson agreed calmly.

Many students' gazes turned to Rubeus Hagrid, who was sitting at the staff table. The half-giant's face showed unconcealable joy.

The rest of the Sorting Ceremony proceeded without any further incidents.

Even when it was the lively Weasley twins' turn, they dared not cause any more trouble and anger Professor McGonagall after seeing her icy glare.

Everyone knew...

Professor McGonagall's mood was definitely not good.

For the Weasley twins, there was a difference between liking to court death and actually seeking it.

Vinson no longer had the patience to pay attention to the remaining Sorting Ceremony. His attention was entirely focused on the main quest rewards for joining Hufflepuff House.

[Main Quest Stage Two: Join a House at Hogwarts (1/1), Choose Hufflepuff House. Reward: +200 Max HP, Magic Skill: Void Feast.]

[Void Feast: As long as you begin consuming any substance in the world, you can instantly start restoring your HP and MP.]

"..."

What kind of devil skill is this!

Vinson had always thought [Void Feast] would be a passive skill that increased his life force, but it turned out to be just a skill for recovery...

It's over.

He regretted it.

Is there still time?

Of course not.

Vinson could only comfort himself, this skill was also terrifying.

As long as no one could instantly kill Vinson Wright with magic, Vinson could keep fighting even if he was chewing dirt and sand.

Just then, Professor Minerva McGonagall put away the Sorting Hat and announced the end of the Sorting Ceremony for the new Hogwarts students.

Because no students were causing trouble anymore.

The new students' Sorting Ceremony ended quickly.

When Dumbledore stood up again and announced the start of the feast, the tables in the Great Hall were instantly filled with abundant food.

This was prepared in advance by the Hogwarts house-elves, who would magically send it to the tables during feasts or meal times.

As for the Hogwarts feast...

Some other creatures residing in the castle would naturally not be absent.

Ghosts, wandering all over Hogwarts, flew in from various parts of the Great Hall, laughing. Some ghosts even appeared directly at the dining tables, laughing heartily at the first-years startled by their spectral forms.

If one wanted to study at Hogwarts, one had to get used to these ghosts who inhabited Hogwarts Castle; they would always be present in their school life.

Hufflepuff was a little better.

This was because the ghost active in Hufflepuff was a kind, fat friar.

Gryffindor was livelier.

The Gryffindor ghost loved chatting with students and even exchanged stories about their holidays. These brave Gryffindor students were not afraid.

Ravenclaw was quieter.

Many Ravenclaw boys' faces were slightly flushed because the one active in the Ravenclaw dining area was a quiet and elegant female ghost. She sat in an empty seat at the table, quietly watching the students dine.

Slytherin was gloomier.

Perhaps it was because the people in Slytherin House had their own agendas, and the friendships between many students were not very deep. Perhaps it was also because they wanted to secretly carry out some treacherous and cunning harmful plans.

For example, Morris Flint, who had been dealt with by Vinson Wright on the train earlier, was now whispering with an older student, casting resentful glances at Vinson Wright's back from time to time.

That was his brother, Marcus Flint, a third-year Slytherin student who also served as a Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team.

The feast ended.

Students from each Hogwarts house followed their Prefects to their respective common rooms. First-years, in particular, had to find the stairs leading to their dormitories.

This was because the stairs in Hogwarts were constantly changing, and if one took the wrong staircase, one might get lost and end up in an unknown place...

Hufflepuff's dormitory was next to the passage leading to the basement. They could enter the dormitory through a still-life painting. Their neighbors were the house-elves living in the kitchens on the basement level.

No wonder Hufflepuff was always called foodies...

After all, they could go straight to the kitchen for food just by opening their dormitory door.

And...

The Hufflepuff students actually did just that.

Vinson Wright saw a high-year student with pink hair calling out to the house-elves in the passage, asking them to prepare late-night snacks for them tonight...

The feast had only just ended!

These people in this house were too much of eaters!

Coincidentally, Vinson Wright also recognized the girl with pink hair. She was Nymphadora Tonks from the fifth year. Although not a Prefect, she was a respected big sister figure in Hufflepuff.

If Vinson remembered correctly...

Big Sister Tonks had eaten quite a lot at the feast just now!

Just as Vinson Wright was quietly feeling that something was off about Tonks, she suddenly walked towards him and patted his shoulder kindly.

"Hey, Vinson."

Nymphadora Tonks's face was adorned with a sweet smile, her lips full of smugness: "I've already asked the house-elves to prepare something for you. Remember to go to the common room for a late-night snack after you return from your Forbidden Forest patrol tonight."

"...Thank you..."

Vinson Wright nodded nervously.

Vinson had originally thought Tonks's appetite was problematic, but he hadn't expected she was preparing a late-night snack for him. What a kind senior...

"Are you worried about tonight's Forbidden Forest patrol?"

Tonks bent down to look Vinson Wright in the eyes, smiling to comfort him: "Don't worry, Hagrid is a kind-hearted fellow, and the Forbidden Forest isn't as dangerous as Headmaster Dumbledore makes it out to be..."

"...Yes."

Vinson was still a bit reserved.

"If you're really scared..."

Tonks lowered her head and thought for a moment, her pink hair slowly falling to her ears, as if she were genuinely pondering the problem.

The next moment.

Tonks suddenly raised her head again, winked at Vinson, and a mischievous smile flashed across her face. "I can sneak along with you to the Forbidden Forest. I'm quite familiar with it, and I'm old friends with Hagrid..."

Clearly.

This senior student must have broken school rules quite a few times.

And she was determined to continue breaking them.

A girl who liked to stir up trouble like this should have been sorted into Gryffindor!

"Uh..."

Vinson Wright stiffened for a moment and quickly shook his head at her. "No, I'll go by myself. The Forbidden Forest probably isn't that scary..."

He definitely couldn't let Tonks go with him.

Because Vinson Wright had important matters to attend to tonight.

If nothing unexpected happened, Vinson Wright probably knew why Dumbledore had punished him by sending him to the Forbidden Forest.

That old man never did anything meaningless.

Clearly.

Dumbledore must have already told Hagrid that a freshman might bring an Ice Bird that had never appeared before to the Forbidden Forest and need Hagrid's help to look after it.

Before that.

They wouldn't know.

When the Ice Crystal Phoenix Anivia appeared at Hogwarts, it would bring the Polyjuice Potion ingredients that the elder Barty Crouch had prepared for Vinson in advance.

Tonight...

Was destined to be a long and cold night.