Maybe I went to check the school rules

Professor McGonagall picked up the list and read out the first name. "Bourbon Anthony!"

A brown-haired, curly-haired boy rushed forward in a panic, put on the Sorting Hat, which was so big it almost swallowed his head.

After a minute of stalemate, the Sorting Hat finally shouted, "Hufflepuff!"

The Hufflepuff badgers immediately cheered and applauded, showing great enthusiasm.

Tom watched this scene with a touch of envy.

When he was sorted into his house last year, he also fantasized about going to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw and making a group of good friends.

As a result, the tattered hat was blind and failed to see his simple and honest heart, throwing him into the snake pit.

Well, since we're here, we might as well turn these little snakes into our lackeys.

"Roman Plecaster!" "Norfolk Phelps!"

Professor McGonagall read out each name one by one, and the line of new students gradually shortened until it was finally Astoria's turn.

Daphne sat up straight instantly, clenching her fists nervously. Of course, she wanted her sister to go to Slytherin so she could take good care of her.

This time, the Sorting Hat didn't cause any trouble. Astoria had just put on the hat when, a few seconds later, the Sorting Hat shouted, "Slytherin!"

Tom clapped first, and the Slytherin students immediately followed suit, their applause so loud it almost lifted the roof off the Great Hall.

Everyone knows the relationship between Tom and the Greengrass Family now. If you're not enthusiastic about clapping, then you have a problem with your thinking!

Back when Tom was sorted into different schools last year, the applause was absolutely appalling, but now he's the one leading the applause, and Tom is secretly pleased with himself.

If I had the time, I could write a book myself, called "My Struggle in the Wizarding World," it would definitely be a bestseller!

Astoria blushed, took off her hat, bowed politely to Professor McGonagall, and then quickly walked to Daphne's side.

Daphne hugged her tightly, beaming from ear to ear. "That's wonderful, Astoria! Now we can be together every day again!"

"Sister!" Being hugged in front of so many people, Astoria blushed and felt extremely uncomfortable.

Tom smiled and shook his head, continuing to watch the Sorting Ceremony, finding it as interesting as opening a blind box.

Aside from a few fixed Pure-blood surnames, no one can predict which college a freshman will be assigned to.

The Great Hall door was quietly pushed open a crack, and Harry and Ron stumbled in.

The two of them peered cautiously through the crack in the door, observing what was happening inside.

Harry saw a gray-haired freshman wearing the Sorting Hat. His gaze swept across the High Table and he saw the expressionless Albus Dumbledore and the smiling Lockhart.

There was also the tall Hagrid, but Snape's spot was empty.

"Wait a minute..." Harry whispered to Ron, "Snape's seat is empty. Where did he go?"

"Maybe he's sick!" Ron said, his eyes lighting up with anticipation.

Harry joined in the speculation. "Maybe he left! He was so upset about not becoming the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts that he left Hogwarts!"

"Impossible. He would never give up such a good job, much less the opportunity to target you."

Ron first poured cold water on the idea, then added gleefully, "Maybe it was an explosion while brewing Potions?"

"Haven't you read the Daily Prophet? There was this Étienne Family in France; they got into trouble brewing Potions, and the whole family was poisoned to death!"

"Perhaps..." A sinister voice suddenly came from behind the two of them, tinged with mockery.

"Maybe he went to look up the school rules, trying to figure out how many times you'd get expelled for driving to school."

Harry and Ron's smiles froze instantly. Turning around, they saw Snape standing behind them with an infuriating grin on his face.

The two were utterly devastated, their hands and feet were ice-cold, and they almost had to support each other to stay upright.

"Come with me, let's take one last good look at this school." Snape's tone was calm, but his steps were light, and he was even humming an unknown tune.

Clearly, he was in a great mood after catching a big problem. The two of them, with long faces, followed him slowly towards the underground classroom.

Inside the Great Hall, Tom glanced at the entrance but didn't pay much attention. He knew without a doubt that Snape had Harry and Ron in his grasp.

He continued looking at the sorting list, and sure enough, Rolf Scamander Scamander was sorted into Hufflepuff.

The surname "Scamander" caused an immediate sensation upon its release.

The Hufflepuff badgers cheered and pounded on the table as if it were New Year's Day, even more excited than when they were sorted into their own houses.

The last freshman was Ginny Weasley.

Tom looked her over carefully; Ginny now looked much like any other little girl.

She may not be as beautiful as Daphne and Astoria from childhood, but she has good bone structure. If she grows up and loses weight, she will be a beauty in the making.

Tom thought to himself, "The casting in this movie is such a childhood disaster."

Thinking of this, he subconsciously looked at the Ravenclaw Table, where a dark-haired Asian girl was sitting.

With bright eyes and white teeth, she was chatting and laughing quietly with her classmate, exuding a gentle and refined air.

As if sensing his gaze, the girl looked up, met his eyes, and nodded generously.

Tom looked away without changing his expression, pretending it was just a chance glance.

"Enjoy your meal, children," Albus Dumbledore announced with a smile, raising his glass.

The next second, the empty plate was instantly filled with steaming hot food: roast chicken, steak, pudding, French fries, and everything in between.

Tom also felt a surge of appetite. Although he had eaten many delicacies, the House-elf skills were no longer top-notch.

But with so many delicious foods displayed together, the atmosphere was fantastic, and the taste improved as well.

He had just finished eating two small crispy fish when he saw Snape hurry in and whisper a few words in Albus Dumbledore's ear.

Albus Dumbledore's expression changed slightly. He whispered a few words to McGonagall and Sprout, and their expressions turned serious. They then hurriedly left with Snape.

"They're definitely going to deal with that Potter kid!" Malfoy, who had been watching the High Table, immediately shouted gleefully upon seeing this.

Unfortunately, everyone was busy eating, and his two gluttonous henchmen were too busy gnawing on roast chicken to say a word.

Just then,

A loud phoenix cry suddenly pierced the noise of the Great Hall. Tom sensed the urgency in the sound, and everyone subconsciously looked up.

A phoenix with fiery red feathers and an elegant posture swooped down from the dome of the Great Hall, its wings flapping and dropping a few golden feathers.

"It's a phoenix!"

After a brief moment of stunned silence, a young wizard pointed at the figure rushing out of the flames and screamed, instantly setting the entire Great Hall ablaze.

"Are you crazy? Is this the principal's phoenix?"

"It must be! There are only two phoenixes in the whole world. I've heard that Headmaster Dumbledore has one, and today I've finally seen one alive!"

"The feathers are so beautiful, Winky, I really want to pet them!"