What kind of luck did a person have to possess...
To have a friend like Vinson Wright!
Everyone in the Great Hall followed Vinson's gaze toward the Hufflepuff table and saw Cedric with reddened eyes.
"What a great friendship."
The Sorting Hat had no idea what Vinson was thinking.
After letting out a sigh, the Sorting Hat's voice suddenly became low. "If you choose Hufflepuff, you'll have to give up the Gryffindor Sword, which symbolizes courage. Are you prepared to give up your future for friendship? Gryffindor is the house best suited to you..."
"..."
Not a single person in the Great Hall dared to make a sound.
Because the Sorting Hat's question seemed to strike at everyone's heart.
For Vinson Wright, there was no need to deliberate over this choice. He had already received Gryffindor's greatest reward!
Vinson Wright lowered his head and glanced at the Gryffindor Sword in his hand. His expression calm, he released his grip, making his attitude clear.
"Very well. As you wish."
The Sorting Hat let out a long, mournful sigh and began telling the story of its master. "The friendship that broke apart with his friend was Godric Gryffindor's lifelong regret. If Godric Gryffindor were still alive, he would certainly be gratified by your courage and loyalty..."
Having said this, the Sorting Hat's voice suddenly rose!
"Vinson Wright! Hufflepuff!"
"..."
The entire Great Hall fell silent.
Yet this silence lasted for no more than a second before Hufflepuff erupted in thunderous cheers!
Even Professor Sprout, Hufflepuff's head, rose involuntarily to applaud, celebrating the addition of an extraordinary new badger to her house!
A student devoted to friendship!
This was the best possible start to Hufflepuff's new school year!
"Hey, Vinson Wright!"
"Welcome, our new badger!"
"Welcome to Hufflepuff, Vinson Wright!"
Every Hufflepuff student greeted Vinson Wright enthusiastically, scrambling to stand and shake his hand.
Amid the cheers of the Hufflepuff students, Cedric rushed over and grabbed Vinson Wright's hand, his forehead drenched in nervous sweat!
"You nearly 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 everything else aside, his reputation in Hufflepuff had certainly reached its peak. Every wizard from Hufflepuff would hold him in high regard!
"Silence~!"
Headmaster Dumbledore's gaze slowly moved to Vinson Wright, and he called out, "First, congratulations to Mr. Vinson Wright on entering Hufflepuff. May you continue to uphold your loyalty as you always have."
After saying this, Dumbledore changed tack and continued, "Likewise, as punishment for disrupting the Sorting Ceremony, Mr. Wright, please go to the Forbidden Forest tonight and patrol with our gamekeeper, Hagrid..."
"Yes."
Vinson calmly agreed.
Many students turned their gazes toward Rubeus Hagrid, who was seated at the staff table. The half-blood Giant's face was filled with barely restrained delight.
The rest of the Sorting Ceremony proceeded without incident.
Even when it was the lively Weasley twins' turn, the brothers caught sight of Professor Minerva McGonagall's icy expression and did not dare cause any more trouble or anger her.
Everyone knew...
Professor Minerva McGonagall was certainly in a bad mood.
For the Weasley brothers, there was a difference between enjoying tempting fate and actively seeking death.
Vinson no longer had the attention to spare for the remaining Sorting Ceremony. All his focus was on the reward for the main quest of joining Hufflepuff.
[Main Quest, Part Two: Join one of Hogwarts' houses (1/1), choose Hufflepuff, reward: increase Health Value by 200 points, gain the magic skill Void Feast.] [Void Feast: The moment you begin consuming any substance in the world, you can instantly begin restoring your Health Value and Magic Power Value.]
"..."
What kind of demonic skill was this!
Vinson had always thought Void Feast would be a passive skill that increased his vitality. In the end, it was merely a skill used for recovery...
It was over.
He regretted it.
Was there still time to change his mind?
Of course not.
Vinson could only comfort himself with the thought that this skill was terrifying in its own way.
As long as nobody could instantly kill Vinson Wright with magic, he could keep fighting even while chewing on mud and sand.
Just then, Professor Minerva McGonagall put away the Sorting Hat and announced that the Sorting Ceremony for this year's Hogwarts first-years had ended.
Because none of the students had caused any more trouble.
The first-years' Sorting Ceremony ended quickly.
When Headmaster Dumbledore stood once more and announced that the feast was beginning, the tables throughout the Great Hall were instantly covered with sumptuous food.
The House-elves of Hogwarts had prepared it in advance and would use magic to send it directly to the tables whenever it was time for a feast or a meal.
At a Hogwarts feast...
The other creatures residing in the castle naturally would not be absent.
Ghosts wandering throughout Hogwarts flew in from every part of the Great Hall, laughing and joking. Some even suddenly appeared directly on the tables, roaring with laughter at the first-years startled by their illusory bodies.
Anyone who wanted to study at Hogwarts had to grow accustomed to these ghosts haunting Hogwarts Castle. They would continue appearing throughout their school lives.
Hufflepuff was somewhat better off.
The ghost active among Hufflepuff was a kind Fat Friar.
Gryffindor was livelier.
The Gryffindor ghost loved chatting with the students and even exchanged stories about their holiday lives with them. These bold Gryffindor students were not frightened at all.
Ravenclaw was quieter.
Many Ravenclaw boys had slightly flushed faces, because the ghost active around the Ravenclaw table was a quiet and graceful female ghost. She simply sat in an empty seat at the table, calmly watching the students eat.
Slytherin was more sinister.
Perhaps it was because the people of Slytherin each had their own thoughts, and many students were not particularly close to one another. Or perhaps it was because they were secretly plotting cunning schemes to harm others.
For example, Maurice Flint, whom Vinson Wright had dealt with on the train, was whispering with an older student at that very moment, occasionally glaring hatefully at Vinson Wright's back.
That was his older brother, Marcus Flint, a third-year Slytherin student who also currently served as a Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch Team.
The feast ended.
The students from each Hogwarts house followed their Prefects to their respective dormitories. The first-years in particular had to find the stairways leading to the dormitories.
The stairways throughout Hogwarts were constantly changing. If they accidentally took the wrong staircase, they might end up lost in some unknown place...
The Hufflepuff dormitories were beside the passage leading to the lower level. They could be entered through a still-life painting, and their neighbors were the House-elves living in the kitchens on the lower level.
No wonder Hufflepuff was always called a house of food lovers...
After all, they could go straight to the kitchen for something to eat simply by opening the dormitory door.
And...
That was exactly what the Hufflepuff students did.
Vinson Wright saw an older girl with pink hair calling out to the House-elves in the passageway, asking them to prepare a late-night snack for her that evening...
The feast had only just ended!
People from this house could eat far too much!
As it happened, Vinson Wright knew the pink-haired girl. She was Nymphadora Tonks, a fifth-year student. Although she was not a Prefect, she was still a highly respected big sister in Hufflepuff.
If Vinson remembered correctly...
Big Sister Tonks had eaten quite a lot at the feast just now!
Just as Vinson Wright was silently wondering whether there was something wrong with Tonks, she suddenly walked over and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Hey, Vinson."
Nymphadora Tonks wore a sweet smile, and her lips were brimming with smugness. "I've already asked the House-elves to prepare something for you. Remember to go to the common room and have a late-night snack after you return from patrolling the Forbidden Forest."
"...Thank you..."
Vinson Wright nodded awkwardly.
He had originally thought there was something wrong with Tonks's appetite, but it turned out she had been preparing a late-night snack for him. What a kind senior...
"Are you worried about patrolling the Forbidden Forest tonight?"
Tonks bent down to look into Vinson Wright's eyes and smiled as she comforted him. "Don't worry. That big fellow Hagrid is warmhearted, and the Forbidden Forest isn't as dangerous as Headmaster Dumbledore made it sound..."
"...Yes."
Vinson was still somewhat restrained.
"If you're really scared..."
Tonks lowered her head and thought for a while. Her pink hair slowly fell beside her ears, as though she was genuinely considering the matter.
The next moment.
Tonks suddenly raised her head again and winked at Vinson, a mischievous smile flashing across her face. "I can secretly accompany you to the Forbidden Forest. I know the place fairly well, and Hagrid is an old friend of mine..."
Obviously.
This senior must have violated the school rules plenty of times.
And she was determined to continue violating them.
A troublesome girl like her should have been sorted into Gryffindor!
"Er..."
Vinson Wright's body stiffened for an instant before he quickly shook his head at her. "No, I'll go by myself. There probably isn't anything scary in the Forbidden Forest..."
He definitely could not let Tonks come along.
Vinson Wright had something important to do tonight.
If nothing unexpected happened, Vinson Wright more or less knew why Dumbledore had punished him by sending him to the Forbidden Forest.
That old man never did anything meaningless.
Obviously.
Dumbledore must already have told Hagrid that a first-year might soon place an Ice Bird that had never appeared before in the Forbidden Forest, and that Hagrid would need to help look after it.
Before that.
They would not know.
When the Ice Crystal Phoenix Anivia appeared at Hogwarts, it would be carrying the Polyjuice Potion ingredients that Old Barty Crouch had prepared for Vinson in advance.
Tonight...
Was destined to be a long and freezing night.
Before you continue