Harry's Frustration

While the Sorting Ceremony was in full swing at the faculty desk, from Harry's perspective, a battle suddenly broke out around Ryan.

Hermione appeared remarkably calm, but this reminded Harry of Mrs. Weasley. She looked exactly like this when she was angry—the calm before the storm.

The little witch named Luna didn't seem to sense Hermione's anger at all. She acted as if she knew nothing and continued talking to Ryan.

"My sister is also Ravenclaw!"

"She's Ginny! Weasley's child!"

"Our little sister! Ginny! Ravenclaw!" Just as Harry was wondering what they were talking about, the shouts of Ron, Percy, Fred and George startled Harry awake.

Ginny blushed and almost ran towards Ravenclaw's table.

Etc!

Something's not right!

Why is there an empty seat next to me?

When did I forget that!

No!

Ginny!

Don't come any closer!

Harry's mind was in turmoil.

He could only smile and talk to Ron's sister, who was sitting next to him, pretending not to know about Ginny's inappropriate thoughts about him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ryan suddenly smile at him.

This must be Ryan's doing!

This was to get revenge on him for watching a play earlier.

Harry thought sadly.

However, Ron, being so clueless, clearly didn't know Ginny's true intentions—to get closer to Harry.

Ron placed his right hand on the table, almost pushing Harry off his chair.

He seemed oblivious to Ginny's increasingly clenched fist hidden under the table, and kept telling her Ginny was, how worthy she was of being my sister.

Harry suddenly began to doubt whether Ron was really Mr. Weasley's child.

Even when Percy saw Ginny sitting next to Harry with a blush on her face, he didn't come over to make his presence known like he did when Ron was assigned to Ravenclaw.

He also understood that he should give his sister some private space now.

Fortunately, just as Harry was wondering if Ginny was about to pull out her wand and knock Ron Stupefy, Dumbledore stood up again.

Ron's hunger also overcame his affection for his sister.

This made him let Ginny go, his eyes practically gleaming with greed. He grabbed his knife and fork, staring longingly at the golden plate of food in front of him.

Harry noticed that the veins on Ginny's forehead had also relaxed.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore, sitting at the faculty desk, smiled at all the students, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture.

"I only have two words to say to you," he said, his deep voice echoing through the Great Hall, "Eat!"

Then the empty plate suddenly and magically filled with food.

A voice like a wild beast being released suddenly came from Harry's left—it was Ron!

His right hand shot out like an arrow, picking up a large steak with a speed invisible to the naked eye.

He didn't say a word, nor did he even use a knife; he simply started tearing at the food with his mouth.

Splattered meat juices covered Michael's face as he turned to look at Ginny.

Everyone around was stunned. Michael, who had been shot in the face by Ron, remained motionless, as if nothing had happened.

"Phew! Harry, I'm finally alive!" Ron chimed in, taking a big bite of mashed potatoes with lingering relish.

The people around them then seemed to wake up from their daze.

Ginny lowered her head and buried her face in her elbows.

Michael suddenly realized that there was juice on his face, and he was haphazardly wiping it away while walking past Ron and Harry to see if Ginny had noticed his disheveled state.

Seeing Ginny with her head down, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Neville and the others ate something to calm their nerves.

"Ginny, eat up!" Ron, holding a fried chicken leg, walked past Harry and offered it to Ginny was still huddled in her elbow.

The slight fullness in his stomach brought Ron back to his senses, and he thought of his sister.

"I'm not hungry," Ginny said in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"Ron, Ginny is probably just too excited!"

"You eat first," Harry suddenly said.

Ron then focused all his attention on eating.

Ginny raised her head slightly and gave Harry a grateful smile.

Michael, however, thought it was directed at him. He blinked and gave Ginny what he thought was a charming smile.

This is something he learned from Lockhart, perfectly showing eight teeth.

"Ugh!" Ginny felt a little nauseous.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" Harry quickly put down the half-eaten pie and asked with concern.

"Nothing—well, who's that dark-skinned guy?" Ginny frowned. "He smiles a bit like Lockhart —that idiot my mom always talks about."

"What's wrong? Him? His name is Michael Corner."

"My roommate and your brother's roommate."

"I think maybe he finds it fascinating?" Harry guessed.

It's certainly possible that Michael would do that. His personality is actually somewhat similar to Ron's; he always likes to say unconventional things or do unconventional things.

Like when Roger was recounting the history of Quidditch, he talked nonsense in an attempt to get other people's attention.

Ginny's fair skin flushed slightly—because Harry had been staring at her the whole time he was talking.

This made Ginny wonder if she had been too brave.

Clearly, he wasn't used to talking to Harry directly yet.

Time seemed to pass slowly in this awkward atmosphere, as if an eternity had gone by. The dishes on the golden plates on the table disappeared, and in the blink of an eye, they were filled with dessert, accompanied by Ron's satisfied burp.

Chocolate cake! My favorite!

"Ginny, want some?" Ron turned to look at his sister.

She was looking down, sipping Pumpkin Juice from her tall gin glass.

Upon hearing Ron's words, she seemed to choke slightly. "Ahem, no need. It's summer, I'd like some—this ice cream is nice."

"Okay, Ginny, drink slowly," Ron said in a kind tone he had never seen before, a tone of kindness that was unusually present on his face.

"Ron, what do you think our Defense Against the Dark Arts will teach?"

"Judging from the books that professor made us buy, it seems more like Muggle Studies."

"Could it be that we'll be taking this course early in our second year—at the cost of Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Harry thought Ron's expression was a little creepy, so he brought up a topic that Ron should be very interested in.

"Yes, needless to say, he's that kind of person!"

"I'd rather worry about Hagrid being afraid of Care of Magical Creatures than about his Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ron said, but he didn't take the bait. He stuffed a pudding into his mouth and mumbled something.

"You're absolutely right!"

"Those who think Professor Riddle got in through connections are just jealous of him!"

"And— Ron! Did I hear that right? You know Professor Riddle's story!" Lisa Turpin, sitting diagonally across from them, stared wide-eyed.

Harry didn't know whether he should be happy or not.

The creepy look on Ron's face had indeed disappeared.

But as Lisa Turpin spoke, almost all the little witches around them turned around curiously to look at them.