The Start-of-Term Feast

Just as Wentworth and Cedric were whispering to each other, the Sorting Ceremony finally came to an end. Professor McGonagall, who had been standing beside the Sorting Hat the whole time, could not help letting out a long sigh of relief.

Thank goodness there was only one Wentworth.

Then Dumbledore, Hogwarts's headmaster and the greatest white wizard of the age, stood up and gently tapped the glass in front of him with the spoon in his hand.

The entire Hogwarts Great Hall fell silent in an instant. Everyone's eyes turned to Dumbledore, and Wentworth could not help sighing inwardly. This is Dumbledore's prestige!

Not because he was the headmaster, but simply because he was Dumbledore.

Dumbledore wore a kindly smile as he addressed the students below.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Before the new term begins, as usual, I have a few words to say. Namely: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! All right, thank you, everyone! Tuck in!"

The older students seemed used to it, while new students like Wentworth were left utterly dumbfounded. He had not expected Dumbledore's "few words" to be such a literal number!

As for the "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" Dumbledore had said, Wentworth had read plenty of online analyses about it in his previous life, but none had ever provided a fully convincing answer as to what it really meant.

Hmm, it looks like I'll have to find a chance to ask Dumbledore myself, Wentworth thought.

As the feast began, an abundance of food suddenly appeared on the four House tables, truly appearing out of thin air. Wentworth even heard startled cries from the new students.

"The kitchens are beneath the Great Hall. After the house-elves prepare the food, they place it below and wait for the signal to begin the feast. Then magic sends it up here."

Cedric explained it to Wentworth from beside him.

Though Wentworth had already known all this, he still said to Cedric:

"Wow, what an amazing school. I love it here! That means choosing Hufflepuff was such a wise decision! And Cedric, you know so much. You'll have to look after me from now on!"

My future homework is counting on you, Wentworth swallowed back the words he most wanted to say.

"No problem, Wentworth. We're friends, aren't we?!"

The two smiled at each other before turning their attention back to the table.

And in that short time, Wentworth discovered that half the food on the table in front of them had already disappeared!

While the two had been talking, the other Hufflepuffs had not stopped eating either. Looking up, he saw that nearly everyone had their heads down, working hard. Before the food in their hands had even reached their mouths, their eyes were already fixed on the next plate.

It had to be said that Hufflepuff really was a House with simple, honest customs! Even the older Hufflepuff students wearing prefect badges were busily focused on their own business with their heads down.

Wentworth had heard that over at the nearby Slytherin table, the prefects had already begun leading introductions, and they had quite the flavor of Ancient Greece about them.

Just like Achilles had once introduced himself: I, Achilles, son of the hero Peleus!

The introductions at the Slytherin table carried the same sort of flavor.

Wentworth heard Cassandra say, "My name is Cassandra. My father is the head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic!"

A round of applause then rose from the Slytherin table.

Just as Wentworth was lamenting that Hufflepuff had truly failed to live up to the honey badger its founder had chosen as the House's representative animal, a head suddenly popped up from the table.

Then the cries of new students rose and fell throughout the Great Hall.

"Hello, Mr. Ghost!"

Wentworth politely greeted the head that had suddenly appeared.

"Oh, few Hufflepuff first-years aren't frightened by us. Usually, only Gryffindor first-years instinctively throw the chicken claws in their hands at us, while Hufflepuff first-years only know how to scream!"

The head slowly emerged from the table. It belonged to a short, plump ghost dressed like a monk.

"This is our House ghost, the Fat Friar. And this is our Hufflepuff first-year, Wentworth."

Cedric introduced Wentworth and the Fat Friar to each other.

"What a handsome young man. Just as handsome as you, Cedric. You must take good care of him. We Hufflepuffs are the most united House."

The Fat Friar looked Wentworth over and spoke with a smile.

After receiving Cedric's affirmative reply, the Fat Friar went off to greet the other Hufflepuff students.

Seeing the Fat Friar leave, Wentworth thought, Finally, I can eat something in peace.

But when Wentworth turned his gaze back to the table, all he saw was a complete mess!

There was still some food left. For instance, several chicken drumsticks remained in front of him. But seeing the inexplicable sauce someone had poured over them, Wentworth lost his appetite.

"What, it doesn't suit your taste? My steak hasn't been touched yet. I ate too much along the way today, so I really can't eat another bite. If you don't mind..."

Before Cedric could finish, Wentworth threw his arms around him.

"Boohoo, Cedric, you're so kind! Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

As Wentworth ate the steak, he wondered how he could repay Cedric for this meal. Suddenly, a dish that every person from the Celestial Empire in his previous life knew how to make and loved to eat appeared in his mind, and Wentworth could not help smiling.

Just then, Dumbledore at the front stood up again.

"Everyone, please allow me to introduce a new professor!"

As he spoke, Dumbledore extended a hand toward Ilona beside him.

"Professor Ilona will be Hogwarts's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the coming term!"

Ilona also rose to her feet and addressed the students.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Ilona, and I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the new term. I am very happy to have come to Hogwarts. On my way here, I already felt the warmth of Hogwarts's students. I am looking forward to seeing all of you in my classes this term!"

After Ilona sat down, welcoming applause rose among the students, accompanied by much whispering.

"I hope Professor Ilona doesn't come to any harm."

Wentworth heard Cedric mutter beside him.

After Ilona sat down, Dumbledore swept his gaze around the Great Hall and said with a smile:

"I think everyone has eaten about enough, so now, for the next part!"

With a snap of Dumbledore's fingers, the mess on the tables vanished, replaced by countless desserts of every kind.

"This is actually the moment I look forward to most at the Start-of-Term Feast!"

Dumbledore stood there, smiling warmly.