An Unexpected Discovery

Now only five people remain to be assigned: Ryan Smith, Lisa Turpin, Dean Thomas, Ron Weasley, and Blaise Zabini.

Ryan couldn't help but feel a little disappointed; it seemed that the annoying Zacharias Smith wasn't in the same grade as Harry Potter.

There are many people with the surname Smith in the Wizarding World. Zacharias and Ryan are not related. For example, Hufflepuff Smith is a descendant of Hufflepuff. Voldemort obtained the Golden Cup and Slytherin's Locket from her.

Zacharias Smith is a Hufflepuff House student and a member of the Dumbledore's Army. He is arrogant and gossipy, to the point that the Weasley Twins have to threaten him with products from Zonko's Joke Shop.

His main reason for joining the DA was simply because he wanted to learn more about the rumors that Voldemort had returned.

Moreover, he wasn't initially invited to the gathering at the Hog's Head Pub; he only "happened" to overhear Hermione inviting Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott, and eventually had to tell him the details of the meeting.

He even kept pestering Ginny, trying to find out the details of Harry and his friends' intrusion into the Ministry of Magic, until Ginny finally lost her temper and cast a curse on him.

What an jerk, or do you even deserve the surname Smith?

As Ryan pondered this, he slowly and deliberately stepped forward, and in this moment, Ryan was abruptly exposed to everyone.

"So handsome!"

"Vulgar! Look at the lighting and the composition!"

"I've seen this brother before!"

"Mom, I'm in love again! Why do I say 'again'?!"

"Smith? Is he Pure-blood? Never mind, I don't care anymore!" This voice must have come from some crazed Slytherin.

A series of surprised and intense gazes seemed to want to strip Ryan naked.

Fortunately, the Sorting Hat lived up to its name; it blocked Ryan's vision, leaving Ryan in complete darkness so he could focus and communicate with Sorting Hat.

It is said that this is Gryffindor hat. Does that mean Gryffindor is the Asura class of swordsmen, blindfolded swordsmen who use their inner vision to slay all things?

Ryan didn't completely shut down his brain at this point, after all, it would seem a bit like protesting too much, and the Sorting Hat could only examine a young wizard's personality and shallow thinking, which had little to do with memory.

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted.

Ryan was speechless. He had already shut his brain down and hadn't even communicated with anyone yet, and he was assigned to Ravenclaw!

What's the difference between this and leveling up to the maximum level just to fight monsters, only to find out upon exiting that it's a purely story-driven game where combat power is completely irrelevant?

Perhaps it was because the last few students were sorted into their respective houses, or perhaps it was because Ryan was too handsome, Ravenclaw table erupted in applause far exceeding that before.

The Prefect all sat near the front, Penelope included, and since Ryan was already near the back, Ryan had to sit next to Hermione, with Harry sitting opposite him.

Lisa Turpin became Ravenclaw newcomer, Dean became Gryffindor like before, and then it was Ron's turn.

The result was unexpectedly long, contrary to the original world's trajectory. Ron's time wearing the hat was almost as long as Neville's. So, what will the outcome be?

"Ravenclaw!"

Ron trotted over and sat down next to the beaming Harry, slumping into the chair.

The Weasley Twins smiled unexpectedly, and even Percy, puffing out his chest with his Prefect badge pinned on, walked over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Very good, Ron, excellent!" Percy Weasley said, stepping past Harry in an exaggerated tone.

Soon it was time to reach the last one.

"Blaise Zabini!" Professor McGonagall called out finally, putting away the parchment.

"Slytherin!" the hat called out.

At this moment, with the last student sorted into a new house, Professor McGonagall picked up her Sorting Hat and left.

The golden plate in front of them was still empty, while Ron and Harry, who had just been enjoying their meal, looked as if they hadn't eaten since boarding the train.

Albus Dumbledore stood up, looking at the students with a broad smile, and stretched out his arms to them, as if nothing could make him happier than seeing his students gathered together.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome everyone to Hogwarts for the start of the new school year! Before the feast begins, I'd like to say a few words. These are: 'Idiots! Crybabies! Trash! Twists!' Thank you all!"

He sat down again, and everyone applauded and cheered.

From Harry's perspective, his mysterious wizard friend Ryan Smith looked at Dumbledore with a sudden expression of shock.

Harry, however, seemed to empathize and comforted Ryan, saying, "Ryan, do you also feel... a little crazy?"

Ryan didn't reply, as if he was still lost in his own world.

Percy, Ron's brother who hadn't yet left the Ravenclaw table, the fiery red-haired youth standing nearby, replied enthusiastically in a low voice, "Crazy? He's a genius! The best wizard in the world! But you're right, he is a little crazy. Want some potatoes, Harry?"

Harry then realized that the plate in front of him was full of food.

Amazing, truly amazing!

In Ryan's eyes, Dumbledore, who had just uttered what Harry considered nonsense, was like a blazing sun, or more accurately, two suns.

Besides his own magical power filled with demonic love, Dumbledore was also secretly accompanied by a majestic and solemn magic. Ryan, who knew Dumbledore's private affairs, could easily guess that the magic came from Grindelwald.

Ryan began to "think," his mind began to work, and Ryan Detection skills, accompanied by magical threads, kept tracing back to that summer.

In Godric's Hollow, they made Blood Pact that they would not harm each other. A sudden accident destroyed everything, followed by a long separation. They gazed at each other from afar in America, using Newt Scamander as a pawn to indirectly touch each other and feel the long-awaited reunion.

In 1945, on the eve of the Great War, Grindelwald and Dumbledore met again in secret, using each other's bodies as prisons, locking a part of each other in place, bypassing the Blood Pact that was even closer than a marriage.

The victor can make a request, while the loser will henceforth only be able to observe the world through the eyes of the other, losing their freedom.

This Blood Pact has taken another step closer, entangled in magic and even destiny between them.

Therefore, the Blood Pact residing in that pendant was merely a broken shell.

In fact, it underwent a sublimation?

No wonder Grindelwald was willing to stay in Nurmengard. It wasn't just because he was defeated, but also because from then on they became a true one, able to observe the world through each other's eyes.

It's not impossible for Grindelwald to survive decades of prison life by relying on the wonderful memories of a summer vacation.

However, Dumbledore was trying to stop Grindelwald's atrocities, while Grindelwald hoped to win or win back his lost love.

That's really interesting.

In the British version of the novel, Dean Thomas is not mentioned in the Sorting Ceremony, but he is mentioned in the American version. He is Harry's roommate and one of Ginny's ex-boyfriends.