Goyle and Crabbe were completely dumbfounded at the Slytherin table, their chins propped up on their hands, looking utterly hopeless.
I only regret that the Sorting Hat accidentally sorted them into Slytherin. Now they don't even have the right to come over and listen to their older brother brag... or speak the truth.
They could only watch from afar as Gryffindor was in a lively frenzy, filled with deep regret.
Back in Gryffindor, Draco's tone carried a hint of danger:
"Disclaimer: This is a conspiracy theory, purely a figment of my imagination. Don't blame me for any contradictions that may arise."
These words only excited the crowd more, their eyes shining as they wondered wildly: What earth-shattering idea could possibly cause such a stir?
"Brother, can you hurry up? Stop keeping us in suspense!" Ron stamped his feet in frustration.
Draco chuckled and said, "Actually, these four words also represent each house's prejudice against other houses."
He continued from the second interpretation, saying, "Take us Gryffindor, for example. In our eyes, anyone who lacks courage or timidity is a cowardly crybaby."
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized—this perfectly matched the second explanation!
Ron immediately clapped his hands. "Oh! I get it! Ravenclaw must think we're all idiots!"
Hermione gave him a cold look. "You're an idiot."
Ron glared back, annoyed. "I was just explaining! I wasn't talking about myself!"
Hermione crossed her arms. "Anyway, I'm not stupid."
Ron relented. "Okay, okay, you're not, then I am, alright?"
Even Neville cautiously raised his hand and whispered his reply:
"Then... Slytherin see everyone else as... trash..."
He stopped abruptly after saying the last two words, afraid of touching a sensitive spot and sparking a war between the two academies.
Draco quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "The above three arguments are purely fictitious; I don't want to start a fight."
"Clearly, this just represents a bias between academic institutions. Personally, I lean towards the second interpretation."
"A school principal, and the greatest wizard of this century at that, wouldn't deliberately use his words to stir up trouble; that would be far too undignified."
The crowd quieted down and nodded in agreement.
Harry suddenly frowned and asked the question everyone had overlooked, "Then... what exactly does 'twist' in Hufflepuff mean?"
Hermione thought for a moment and explained softly:
"I think, in their eyes, everyone else is too stubborn and too extreme, and they all need to be corrected and adjusted."
"If we just say it's stubbornness, it doesn't align with the qualities of the academy. This explanation makes more sense."
Seeing that the topic was heading towards a debate, Draco clapped his hands and said, "Alright, alright, we can discuss the rest later. Let's eat first! We still need to get our luggage back to the dorm to unpack after we eat."
When Draco spoke, everyone finally picked up their knives and forks and started eating, but some people still muttered under their breath while munching on their bread, clearly their curiosity hadn't subsided.
Hermione looked around at the bustling scene and said softly:
"That's normal. Where there are people, there is competition. Where there is competition, there will be pride and prejudice. If even this basic self-confidence is lost, the academy will decline."
Draco made no attempt to hide his praise, "As expected of Hermione, you always have such a profound understanding of things."
"If no one praises my wife, then I'll praise her myself."
The next sentence made Hermione's face turn completely red.
As soon as he finished speaking, the people around him all stopped abruptly.
"Here we go again—it's only the first day of school! And your lovey-dovey journey has already officially begun, hasn't it!" Ron complained.
The others joined in the commotion.
Being publicly praised in front of so many people instantly made her the center of attention.
Feeling like she was the target of everyone's criticism, she could only secretly pinch Draco hard under the table.
Draco watched from the side, a mischievous yet indulgent smile playing on his lips. He didn't say anything, but silently placed a small cookie on her plate.
Hearing the jeers continue, Hermione simply lowered her head and ate the toast on her plate, pretending not to see anyone.
The lively and sweet atmosphere here had already drifted to the freshmen's table.
Many first-year students secretly glanced this way, their eyes filled with envy.
So this is what second year at Hogwarts is like – full of friends, jokes, endless topics to discuss, even arguments are lighthearted, and even showing affection is so open.
In fact, it was Draco who started it.
Ginny sat among the new students, her eyes fixed on the Gryffindor table.
She was incredibly envious and wanted to join in, eager to hear Draco tell stories about Dumbledore.
I want to mess around with my brother, I want to squeeze in and talk with Hermione and Lavender, and I want to fit into your lively little group.
But she's still a freshman in a newly assigned department, so she can only sit properly in her own seat.
The noise in the Great Hall was gradually swallowed up by the night; the plates emptied and filled again, filled and emptied again.
On the way back to the dormitory, Percy, with a stern face as Prefect, meticulously led a group of curious and nervous freshmen at the front, with upperclassmen following behind in twos and threes.
There was a clattering sound as I walked up the Marble Staircase.
Peeves suddenly leaped out of his armor, baring his teeth and claws, letting out a strange cry, intending to give everyone a good scare.
The freshmen screamed in fright, several shrank back, and some nearly tripped.
Ginny's face paled, and she shrank to the side, gripping her backpack strap tightly. Her eyes widened in shock, clearly startled by the sudden prank.
Percy's face instantly turned ashen, and he shouted angrily:
" Peeves! Stop fooling around in the hallway! You're scaring the new students!"
Peeves ignored him completely and was about to continue his mischief when he caught a glimpse of Draco behind the crowd out of the corner of his eye, and his movements suddenly froze.
George and Fred, who were standing nearby, immediately seized the opportunity to bully others, patting their chests and shouting loudly:
"Hey! Can't you see Young Master Malfoy here? You've got some nerve!"
Peeves instantly cowered, immediately abandoning his fierce demeanor and rubbing his hands together with a forced smile.
"It's a misunderstanding! I just... wanted to give everyone a bedtime surprise! Really! A surprise!"
A freshman, still shaken, muttered in a low voice:
"A surprise? I almost had a heart attack..."
Peeves dared not tease anymore and obediently floated to the side.
Then, he gave Draco a crooked bow, and said in a nonchalant yet ingratiating tone, "Goodnight, Eldest Young Master Malfoy!"
After saying that, he vanished without a trace in a flash.
Hermione, watching from the side, couldn't help but chuckle. The remaining freshmen were all shocked and whispered among themselves.
" Peeves just said... Young Master Malfoy?"
"Who is it? Who can make Peeves so obedient?"
"Good heavens, even Peeves is afraid of him?"
Percy stood in front, his face flushed with anger. Every time school started, his dignity was trampled on by that scoundrel, Peeves.
But he couldn't do anything about Peeves, and he couldn't lash out in front of the freshmen.
He could only cough loudly and urge them with a stern face:
"Stop talking! Hurry up! We'll be at the common room soon!"