The Exchange Students Arrive
The first day of October.
Golden candlelight flickered gently on the ceiling, illuminating expectant faces. Around the long table, students whispered amongst themselves—tonight, Dumbledore would announce the arrival of the exchange students. Many were speculating: what kind of wizard would come? A nobleman from Europe, or a mysterious magician from the East?
At the Slytherin table, students chatted quietly in small groups about the exchange students who would be arriving that evening. Compared to the lively discussions in other houses, the atmosphere in Slytherin was much calmer, but quite a few were still quite interested in the matter.
Blaise Zabini wasn't present; he had gone to another school as an exchange student and naturally couldn't participate in the discussion. Draco, however, was lounging lazily against the long table next to his usual spot, casually fiddling with silverware while listening to the conversation around him.
"Which two schools do you think it will be?" Pansy asked, resting his chin on his hand with a hint of curiosity. "Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, or some other place we've never heard of?"
"Beauxbatons is unlikely," Nott shook his head. "They're unlikely to exchange students with Hogwarts unless the other side has a specific purpose."
Crabbe frowned, seemingly not understanding why they cared so much about this. "No matter who it is, they have to follow the rules of Hogwarts, don't they?"
Astoria chuckled softly, her gaze falling on Skylar sitting opposite her. "Skylar, what do you think?"
Daphne looked over as well. "Yes, you're always so well-informed about these things, haven't you heard anything?"
Skylar smiled slightly, his fingertips casually tracing the rim of his glass, and said lightly, "Exchange students, you'll know who they are once they arrive."
His attitude made Draco narrow his eyes and scrutinize him closely. Clearly, Skylar had already guessed the exchange student's identity.
Draco scoffed somewhat displeased, but didn't intend to press for answers. He wanted to see just who could make Skylar smile without saying a word.
As everyone was whispering, Dumbledore slowly stood up, raised his hands, and gestured for everyone to be quiet.
"Dear students, I am pleased to announce that we will soon be welcoming two outstanding exchange students from different countries." His blue eyes gleamed behind his Half-moon Spectacles. "Their arrival is not only an academic exchange, but also a symbol of the closer ties within the wizarding world. I believe they will find a sense of belonging at Hogwarts and achieve great things."
As soon as he finished speaking, the doors to the hall slowly opened.
Two figures walked in slowly.
The first thing that catches the eye is a tall, slender young man. He has deep, dark eyes that seem to see through all pretense and disguise. His messy black hair is casually draped over his shoulders, giving him a slightly unruly air, but what is most striking is a long, slanted scar at the corner of his left eye, adding a touch of danger to his handsome face. His steps are steady and powerful, like a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment.
Sazerus Vongola – from the Vongola Family of Italy, a vast mafia organization that rules the Wizarding World and is an ancient ally of the House of Malfoy. He is the direct heir of the Vongola Family, the second son of the current head of the family, and possesses pure Sicily blood. Interestingly, although he lives in Europe, he attended Koldovstoretz School in Russia, a school whose atmosphere is said to be more in line with the domineering lifestyle of the mafia.
Draco's mouth gaped slightly, almost doubting his own eyes. As the House of Malfoy's designated successor to the family headship, he was naturally familiar with the family's history— the Vongola Family had always been an important ally in the House of Malfoy's history, and their alliance could be traced back centuries.
He had thought that this wizarding family in Italy was far beyond his reach, and that he might not have any contact with them until he officially became the head of the family. However, he never expected to meet a direct descendant of the Vongola Family at Hogwarts.
In contrast, Skylar, standing to the side, remained calm as always, a hint of understanding even flashing in his eyes.
As early as last year, he had received intelligence from Italy that the Vongola Family intended to send their second young master to Britain for training, and at the same time, to further deepen their ties with the House of Malfoy. Skylar was already prepared for this person's appearance, and even had a very thorough understanding of this person's personality, preferences, strengths, and specialties.
Sazerus stood in the center of the Great Hall, looked around, and a slight, enigmatic smile appeared on his lips.
Accompanying him was a slender and elegant young woman. Her jet-black hair flowed smoothly down her back, adorned with a silver hair ornament carved with cherry blossoms that swayed gently with her steps. Her skin was fair, her features delicate, and her eyes were like lakes at night, serene yet concealing a sharp light.
Her uniform was clearly different from the style of Hogwarts —a golden wizard's robe embroidered with intricate silver thread, carrying an oriental mystical charm.
She walked gently to Sazerus' side, her expression calm and graceful.
Akabane Sakura – from the top-tier Mahoutokoro Mahoutokoro in Japan, she is a renowned high-achieving student, as evidenced by her uniform. In that school, only the most outstanding students are allowed to wear gold uniforms.
At the same time, she has another unknown identity— Skylar's pen pal. The two have been corresponding since Skylar was nine years old, exchanging magical insights, and even met once at last year's Quidditch World Cup.
At the time of their parting, Skylar invited her to visit Britain and promised to treat her well. Cherry Moon gave him a meaningful look and nodded in agreement.
Unexpectedly, the two met again after more than a year.
The Great Hall was silent until Dumbledore smiled and clapped, at which point the students snapped out of their reverie and joined in with enthusiastic applause. The female students, in particular, whispered amongst themselves about Sazerus's handsomeness and Akabane Sakura's cold and mysterious beauty.
Dumbledore stepped forward, his gaze kind. "Welcome to Hogwarts, both of you. I hope you enjoy your time here and benefit from it."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "You should have already learned about Hogwarts' Sorting System before you came, right? As is customary, you can choose your own house."
Upon hearing this, the students immediately became interested—exchange students were not a new phenomenon; Hogwarts had an exchange student program every year for many years, but it was suddenly discontinued for some unknown reason.
Some of them already knew—based on past precedents, most exchange students would choose Ravenclaw, which prioritizes academics; a few with an adventurous spirit would go to Gryffindor; very few would choose Hufflepuff; and Slytherin? That was almost impossible.
But to everyone's surprise, Sazerus spoke without hesitation—
Slytherin.
Immediately afterwards, Akabane Sakura smiled slightly and said calmly--
"Me too."
The Great Hall fell into a brief silence.
Even the Slytherin students looked at them with some surprise— Slytherin, which had never accepted any exchange students before, was welcoming two tonight!
But soon, applause rang out at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy was the first to stand up, a satisfied smile on his face, "Looks like we have a new member."
Sazerus smiled slightly and met his gaze, as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding. Akabane Sakura, on the other hand, sat down calmly, completely unconcerned about the gazes directed at her from those around her.
Before the students from the other houses could react, Skylar subtly curled the corners of his lips, looking at the two newcomers to Slytherin with a meaningful glint in his eyes.
The arrival of the two exchange students did not bring much change to life at Hogwarts.
Especially for the fifth-year Slytherin students, life remained dull and monotonous, and the heavy academic pressure and fast-paced learning meant they had no time to pay attention to the changes brought about by the exchange students.
In fact, the same was true for the two exchange students. Since they were both seventh-grade students, their coursework was much heavier than Skylar's, and they also needed to work hard to integrate into their new campus life. In the following days, Skylar did not find an opportunity to talk to them alone.
They occasionally bumped into each other in the common room, merely nodding to one another before passing by without engaging in any further conversation.
Of course, Hogwarts hasn't remained completely unchanged.
At least Skylar noticed that there had been some subtle changes in the atmosphere at Hogwarts.
Although the welcome banquet on the first day introduced everyone to these two wizards from a foreign land, their true identities, backgrounds, and abilities remained a hot topic of discussion among the students. Whispers could be heard everywhere—in the lobby, corridors, and common rooms—especially when the exchange students passed by in the hallways, where students couldn't help but steal a few glances, trying to glean more information from their words and actions.
During mealtimes, the young Slytherin wizards always paid close attention to the interactions between Skylar and the two exchange students. After all, everyone in Slytherin knew that Skylar was the true spiritual leader, and his attitude often determined how others viewed the newcomers.
However, to their surprise, Skylar had almost no communication with them.