Hufflepuff

Is that girl also from the Celestial Dynasty? Is "Hinata" even a Celestial Dynasty surname? The name sounds vaguely familiar...

Li Mu stared blankly at Hinata's petite figure as she slowly walked off the stage. Then...

"Li Mu!" Professor McGonagall's roar was like that of an angry lion. She glared fiercely at this last of the new students, her brow deeply furrowed.

This name was even more tongue-twisting than that "Hinata" from earlier.

But that wasn't the main reason for Professor McGonagall's frown—"I've called you three times, didn't you hear?"

The Great Hall erupted in another burst of laughter, with many people focusing their attention on Li Mu.

Li Mu finally snapped out of it, dejectedly walked forward, sat on the chair, and put on the Sorting Hat.

Darkness immediately enveloped him. Li Mu keenly felt a sense of unease, as if in the dim and distant darkness, someone was wantonly spying on his entirety. He guessed that this was precisely the powerful Legilimency spell. The Celestial Dynasty also had this kind of mind-reading and consciousness-seizing technique, but almost all of them were classified as forbidden techniques, not to be used except in critical moments.

A grating voice began to whisper in his ear: "Hmm... oh... a lad from the Celestial Dynasty, not bad... Hufflepuff!"

"Eh?!—"

Li Mu had originally been thinking that he had to go to Gryffindor. The friends he knew, the companions in the same carriage on the train, had all been assigned to Gryffindor according to "history." Moreover, from a utilitarian point of view, only by going there could he stick close to the protagonist Harry Potter, follow the story's development closely, and obtain the greatest benefits...

However, he didn't even have time to finish the thought. The Sorting Hat only made a few muffled grunts of unclear meaning, like straining to defecate, before immediately shouting to the entire hall, loudly announcing the result. The sudden, loud noise shocked his whole being into a daze, and he couldn't recover for a long time.

Hufflepuff?!

Hufflepuff House represents integrity, loyalty, honesty, and perseverance... well, that's just the high-sounding public evaluation of it. But in reality, in the eyes of many, Hufflepuff represents mediocrity, incompetence, and being easily bullied. Some even say—"Look, that's the house that only accepts the mediocre students that the other three houses don't want!"

Legend has it that the kind Helga Hufflepuff didn't value bloodlines, didn't value talent, and didn't even value anything at all, but treated all students equally. The number of students in Hufflepuff House is indeed the largest of the four houses at Hogwarts, and most of them are indeed unknown and look very mediocre.

Li Mu even thought he had misheard. He sat stiffly on the stool, not moving for a long while. He might not be smart enough, and he might not be ambitious, but he had worked hard and traveled thousands of miles from the Celestial Dynasty to study here. Wasn't that great courage...?

However, cruel reality does not change because of intention. The Sorting Hat's shout was clear and unmistakable, and he had already heard a burst of warm applause. He tried to call out to the Sorting Hat twice, but the hat was already silent.

That's right, Hogwarts: A History wrote that the Sorting Hat has always been notorious for refusing to admit that it "made a mistake in selecting students." It seemed unrealistic to expect this stubborn hat to "reverse its judgment"... Li Mu sighed helplessly and took off the hat from his head.

Having lived two lives, he wouldn't blindly discriminate against Hufflepuff House, but... he was determined to hang out with the Harry trio! Even if he didn't hang out with these protagonists, he could go to Slytherin and hang out with the more frequently appearing antagonists...

Smiling wryly, he walked off the stage. The applause from the Hufflepuff table was still warm. Most of the children in this house were kind and enthusiastic. Seeing Li Mu stunned for so long, they thought he was too nervous. They tried to encourage him with applause.

To the surprise of the Hufflepuffs, at the same time, loud applause also rang out from the Gryffindor table on their left. Although the applause was scattered, the sound was very loud.

Li Mu's gaze was also attracted by the sound. He turned his head and saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville... these four friends who had squeezed into the same compartment on the train were applauding for him. Obviously, despite the short time they had spent together, they already regarded him as a friend.

A warmth welled up in his heart. Halfway there, Li Mu nodded to them, hearing Hermione Granger's somewhat disappointed complaint mixed in with the applause: "Oh, what a pity, if Li Mu had come too, we would all be in Gryffindor."

Li Mu could only smile helplessly and still walked to the Hufflepuff table to find an empty seat. According to Hogwarts rules, the house affiliation determined by the Sorting Ceremony cannot be changed.

"Hello, my name is Ernie Macmillan, it's a pleasure to meet you." Before he could fully sit down, a small boy next to him had already extended his right hand in a friendly manner. He was also a freshman this year, with a head of ash-blonde short hair combed very smoothly.

Looking at this boy, Li Mu inexplicably thought of a character called "Hanawa-kun." He also extended his hand: "Hello, I'm Li Mu from the Celestial Dynasty."

The two hands shook in mid-air, and Li Mu finally sat down. Then a mass of milky white person... oh, no, it was a ghost floating over from above the table and said to him: "Hey, young man, I remember you. Not bad, not bad... Hufflepuff welcomes you."

It was the Fat Friar who had spoken to Li Mu in the small room just now. He was the ghost of Hufflepuff House.

The applause finally gradually subsided at this time, and the hall quieted down a bit, leaving only the students' whispered conversations. Li Mu was the last freshman today, and everyone was waiting for Dumbledore to give the opening speech.

Since he was here, he might as well settle down. Li Mu said a few words to the Fat Friar and Macmillan, exchanged greetings with other students from the same house sitting nearby, and then looked around to observe.

Most of the faces around were unfamiliar. Even though he remembered that Hufflepuff had a well-known figure named Cedric Diggory, he couldn't match anyone up now... So his gaze continued to wander, only to meet another gaze head-on.

That gaze came from the right side of the Hufflepuff table, from across the aisle at the Ravenclaw table. It was the girl named Hinata. Her gaze was fervent, but the look in her eyes always made Li Mu feel a little strange.

But when Li Mu looked more closely, Hinata had already turned her head away, and her cheeks seemed to be a little flushed.

Li Mu wondered if he was seeing things. Before he could think more about it, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood up, spreading his arms wide. He didn't even need to speak; the few remaining whispers vanished instantly.

The hall became completely silent.

(End of chapter)