Course Selection

"Welcome our new students." Dumbledore rose to his feet.

He spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture, a brilliant smile blooming across his face.

"Welcome our old friends! Now, let the feasting begin!"

Delicious food descended from above, magically piling onto the empty plates on the long tables.

They indulged in the tasty fare. Before long, the remaining food on the golden platters vanished, only to be replaced in an instant by desserts like fruit pies, chocolate cake, and orange pudding.

"Severus, I didn't see Avery." Aber said, mouth full of food, his words muffled. "Why didn't he come to the opening feast?"

On the other side of the long table, Mulciber, Regulus, and Crouch Jr. sat together, whispering among themselves.

Snape had a rough idea why Avery was absent, and the reason was his own doing.

He could only respond vaguely to Aber: "I don't know either, but it is a bit strange."

Finally, the desserts were cleared away as well, and the plates and goblets became clean and sparkling anew.

At that moment, Dumbledore stood up once more.

The clamor in the Great Hall gradually died down.

"Please quiet down for a moment." Dumbledore looked at everyone with a smile. "I must trouble you to listen to an old man's ramblings.

"I must remind you that students are not permitted to enter the Forbidden Forest on the edge of the grounds. Additionally, only students in their third year and above may visit Hogsmeade on weekends.

"More importantly, I am very pleased to welcome Professor Wilhelmina Gradelan to our staff this term. She will be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."

Professor Gradelan?

Snape couldn't help but look up toward the staff table—

An elderly witch sitting next to Dumbledore stood up. Her chin was very prominent, and her gray-white hair was trimmed immaculately.

Snape remembered that in the original story, Professor Gradelan had taken over as the substitute teacher for Care of Magical Creatures after Hagrid.

He never expected she would be teaching them Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Could she be Dumbledore's firefighter?

"Furthermore, I believe most people in this hall are aware that a war is raging outside Hogwarts.

"Voldemort and his followers continue to stir up trouble and harm the innocent."

A wave of fearful breaths rippled through the hall.

Dumbledore waited a few seconds, then continued:

"The current situation is very dangerous. I urge everyone to pay special attention to your own safety and remain vigilant at all times.

"If you notice anything unusual or suspicious, report it immediately to a member of the school staff.

"Alright, it's getting late. Everyone, return to your dormitories. Get a good rest and prepare for tomorrow's classes."

The sound of chairs scraping and tables bumping filled the air around them.

Everyone rose and left the hall, heading toward their dormitories.

In the familiar dormitory beneath the lake, Snape still didn't see Avery.

Only his bed had no suitcase placed beside it.

In his open wardrobe, aside from a few old textbooks left over from the end of last term, there was nothing else.

Before going to sleep, Snape wondered: had Avery dropped out because of this?

Would he join the Death Eaters early? He had no idea if that would affect the future.

The next morning at breakfast, the ceiling of the Great Hall was a clear, bright blue, with a few wisps of white clouds drifting across it.

Today was the day for course selection.

After they finished breakfast, they remained in their seats waiting.

"Let me see the courses you've chosen." Aber took Snape's application form.

"I need to make sure my choices are basically the same as yours. Otherwise, being the only Slytherin freak in the entire class wouldn't be a pleasant experience."

He made a few adjustments to his own application form, a smile spreading across his face. "Good thing I have you this year."

"Pah!" Snape couldn't help but spit at him.

The process of confirming the sixth-year course schedule was more complicated than before.

Each Head of House first had to ensure every student's O.W.L. scores met the requirements before allowing them to continue with the corresponding N.E.W.T. advanced courses.

Before long, Professor Horace Slughorn, his large belly leading the way, walked over from the staff table toward them.

"Hmm, Outstanding in Potions O.W.L.," Slughorn said, looking down to cross-check Snape's application with his O.W.L. results. "You may continue with my advanced course.

"As for the rest, let me see... Outstanding in Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Exceeds Expectations in Care of Magical Creatures.

"Very good, Snape. Perhaps you're thinking of becoming an Auror or a Healer?"

"I haven't decided yet, sir. But I believe these subjects—especially Potions—are a precise science and a wonderful art worthy of our fascination and continued study."

Slughorn gave Snape a somewhat surprised look. He reached up to stroke his walrus-like silver-white beard, as if pondering something.

"Alright, next—" He handed the timetable back to Snape.

A few minutes later, Aber's schedule was also arranged. Besides the six courses Snape had to take, he had also chosen Muggle Studies.

"We don't have class now," Aber said, looking at the timetable to Snape. "The first lesson isn't until ten. I'm planning to head back to the common room for a bit. What about you?"

"You go on back. I want to wander around on my own. See you in the classroom."

Over the summer, Snape had been thinking about something very important, and he couldn't wait to go check it out.

He climbed the stairs to the castle's Eighth Floor, walked down the corridor, and came to a large tapestry.

The tapestry depicted Barnaby the Barmy trying to teach a troll to dance ballet.

Noticing Snape's arrival, the troll stopped beating up the ballet instructor and turned its head to stare at him.

Snape quickly ran to both ends of the corridor to check if anyone else was nearby.

After confirming he wouldn't be seen, he walked to the window at one end of the blank wall opposite the tapestry, then headed toward a man-sized vase at the other end.

"I need a place to hide something... I need a place to hide something..."

He repeated this three times, and a smooth door appeared on the blank wall.

Snape looked left and right, made one final check, then carefully grasped the copper handle and pulled open the door.

He swiftly slipped sideways into the Room of Requirement and closed the door behind him.

The chirping of birds from the castle immediately fell silent, and all around was stillness.

This place was like a deep cathedral, with walls built from items hidden away by generations of Hogwarts inhabitants.

Besides broken furniture piled up to the ceiling, nearly magic-depleted enchanted objects, and some dusty, filthy bottles containing long-solidified potions, there were also tattered hats, cloaks, thousands upon thousands of books, and rusted swords, all haphazardly stacked here.