Keep the Music Playing, Keep Dancing

Facing the threat to its life at such close range, the Sorting Hat cast a pitiful, pleading look at Professor McGonagall.

In all the centuries of Sorting Ceremonies, this was the first time it had encountered such a situation.

Professor McGonagall silently broke eye contact with the Sorting Hat and turned to Dumbledore instead. The Headmaster had not said anything yet, so there was nothing she could do about it either.

Albus "I'm So Tired" Dumbledore shook his head helplessly.

Forget it. As long as Kyle did not go to Slytherin and corrupt people's hearts, he could do as he pleased.

Dumbledore silently opened his mouth, and his voice reached the Sorting Hat's ears through magic.

Having received Dumbledore's instructions, the Sorting Hat breathed a sigh of relief and announced loudly, "Hufflepuff!"

Thunderous cheers and applause erupted from the Hufflepuff table. Little Hannah clapped especially hard, reddening her palms.

Kyle did his best not to look at Dumbledore's old face, which seemed to be constantly radiating dark energy. With light steps, he ran to the Hufflepuff table and sat down beside Hannah.

After Kyle, the Sorting Ceremony continued in an orderly fashion, with no more unexpected incidents.

Still, Kyle's actions had been far too shocking. As a result, the legendary Savior, the famous Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, received far less attention during his sorting than Kyle had.

When the last remaining student, Blaise Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin, Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, picked up the Sorting Hat, and left.

Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet. He beamed at the students, though that smile vanished the instant his gaze swept past the Hufflepuff table.

Dumbledore spread his arms toward the students. "Welcome to Hogwarts for the start of a new school year! Before the feast begins, I would like to say a few words. And here they are—Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you all! Tuck in!"

Dumbledore sat back down. Although nobody understood what he was talking about, that did not stop them from applauding and cheering.

The plates before everyone instantly piled high with all manner of delicious food.

Kyle leisurely cut up the steak on his plate, then looked up and grinned at the person across the table. "Cedric, didn't see that coming, did you?"

Across from him, Cedric nodded with a smile. "You're the first person in Hogwarts history to dare threaten the Sorting Hat like that."

Cedric lowered his voice and secretly leaned closer to Kyle. "Shouldn't we celebrate properly tonight?"

Kyle's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice as well. "You have alcohol?"

Dumbledore had confiscated all his alcohol before. Later, under Grindelwald's supervision, he had at most been allowed a little Butterbeer.

As for guzzling vodka like he used to, that was out of the question.

"I bought some at the Leaky Cauldron before school started." Cedric smiled smugly.

Beside them, the blonde little girl, who had heard every word exchanged between the two Four Troublemakers, furrowed her brows. "Didn't you say you were buying it for Mr. Diggory?"

Cedric's expression froze. It was over—he had been exposed. He had completely forgotten that the future owner of the Leaky Cauldron was right here.

When Cedric had bought the alcohol from Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, little Hannah, who was related to Tom, had also been there.

Kyle reached out and rubbed Hannah's little head. "Children shouldn't meddle in adult business."

Hannah irritably slapped Kyle's hand away. "I'm not a child! Aren't you only eleven too?"

"I just remembered that I only celebrated my eleventh birthday last month." Kyle shrugged. "So I'm twelve now."

Hannah huffed and turned away, determined to ignore these two drunks from now on.

"Come to think of it, where did you disappear to these past two months?" Cedric asked curiously.

"My old man dragged me to France. I spent two months living in a castle in the Alps. It was pretty nice, except the castle was so big that it felt lonely."

The air gradually became filled with ostentatious wealth.

Hannah stared at Kyle in disbelief. Only now did she realize just how rich the classmate she had befriended was.

"You filthy rich bastard!" Cedric, feeling thoroughly flexed on, said viciously. "From now on, Young Master Dumbledore will be footing the bill for everything in Hogsmeade!"

"I refuse." Kyle took a small sip of pumpkin juice. "I may be filthy rich, but I'm not a sucker."

Over at the Gryffindor table, the original Golden Trio had also met up.

With Neville added to the group.

He was describing to Harry and Ron how Kyle had taken down Malfoy and his two companions in just a few moves.

"Kyle went in with a left front kick, then a right roundhouse, followed by a left jab, and Malfoy's trio went down!"

The chubby little Neville gestured animatedly as he boasted to Ron.

Ron's eyes gleamed. "I wish I had moves like that!"

Harry also cast a curious look toward Hufflepuff.

If he could take on three people by himself too, Dudley would not have bullied him so badly before, right?

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out among the first-year students who were wolfing down their food in the Great Hall.

Kyle looked toward the Gryffindor table and saw that Sir Nicholas was once again demonstrating to the Gryffindor first-years how he had nearly lost his head.

Quickly, Kyle reached out and covered Hannah's eyes. "Don't look, unless you want to feel sick."

As food continuously disappeared into mouths like bottomless pits, Kyle's stomach gradually began to feel full.

After he swept every last bit of food from his plate, the empty golden plate was filled with desserts in the blink of an eye.

Before long, the delicious desserts were also devoured by the students.

Professor Dumbledore rose again. The Great Hall fell silent once more.

"Oh, now that we are all fed and watered, I must say a few more words to you all. At the start of term, I would like to give you a few notices."

"The Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to all students, not just first-years. Some of our older students should remember that especially well."

Dumbledore's bright eyes swept toward the Weasley Twins.

"Also, Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind everyone that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes."

"Quidditch team trials will be held during the second week of this term. Any students wishing to play for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch."

"Finally, I must tell you all..."

Dumbledore's gaze locked onto a certain person at the Hufflepuff table who had absolutely no self-awareness.

"Anyone who does not wish to suffer an accident and die a painful death should avoid the corridor on the right-hand side of the fourth floor."

"Now, before we all go to bed, let us sing the school song together!" Dumbledore announced loudly.

Every professor's smile froze.

Kyle and Cedric exchanged a grin, each pulling out a strange cone-shaped instrument.

Over at Gryffindor, the Weasley Twins each took out a stringed instrument as well.

In all of Hogwarts, perhaps only Cho Chang, who had come from China, recognized the instruments in their hands.

That was right. They were the famous suona and erhu.

They had rehearsed for this moment for a long time during the previous school year.

Penelope covered her ears in despair. This was not the first time she had heard these two rogue instruments playing together.

A tune that could break one's heart! Where under heaven could one find a kindred spirit!

With a light flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent a long golden ribbon flying from its tip. It twisted and coiled like a snake high above the tables, forming lines of words.

"Everyone choose your favorite tune," Dumbledore said. "Ready, sing!"

Kyle and Cedric suddenly blew into their suonas.

Standing before the teachers' table like a conductor, Dumbledore's hand holding the wand gave a violent jerk the moment he heard the suonas.

Driven by the four rogue instruments, the melody of the school song inevitably and gradually began synchronizing with the coffin-dancing anthem, "Astronomia."

For some reason, though it was clearly a very cheerful tune, paired with the distinctive sounds of the suona and erhu, Dumbledore felt as if he would be sent to Gokuraku Jodo the next second.

Was it just an illusion?

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The postgraduate entrance exam is on the 25th. I study during the day and still have to write until one or two in the morning at night. It's so hard!

(ω`) Don't worry about updates stopping. I have plenty of chapters saved up.

If I stop writing today, my saved chapters will be more than enough to last until the postgraduate entrance exam is over.

After the exam, I'll come back and continue writing. For now, the saved chapters will keep things going.