TL Notes: since we reached 35k views and over 100 collections ill publish 5 more chapters so you can catch up some more to the story. the update to this story is really slow and that is why im only uploading 1 chapter a day.
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The ear-splitting school song segment finally concluded with the Weasley twins' rendition of 'Funeral March'.
Dumbledore even conducted the last few measures himself with great enthusiasm.
"Music," he said, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, his voice carrying the lingering resonance of an aria, "is a magic beyond all we do here! Now, it is time for bed. Off to your dormitories!"
The Gryffindor first-years followed Prefect Percy, struggling through the noisy, crowded hall, squeezing out of the Great Hall, and stepping onto the marble staircase.
The corridor was not peaceful.
Figures in the portraits on the walls whispered and pointed as they passed.
Worse still, they ran into Peeves blocking their way.
The mischievous poltergeist hovered in mid-air, about to cause trouble, but Percy quickly invoked the name of The Bloody Baron, successfully scaring him away.
"Remember," Percy said, his face stern, warning the new students seriously.
"You must always be on your guard against Peeves. He doesn't listen to anyone except The Bloody Baron and Headmaster Dumbledore."
"We're here!"
Led by Percy, everyone passed through a hidden door behind a swaying panel and thick tapestry, then climbed an unknown number of leg-numbing stairs, finally stopping in front of a large portrait at the end of the corridor.
The painting depicted a plump lady in a magnificent pink satin gown.
"Password?" the lady in the portrait asked demurely.
"Dragon Slag," Percy replied.
The portrait slowly swung open, revealing a circular opening behind the wall.
The new students climbed through the opening, and their eyes widened.
Gryffindor's warm and comfortable common room appeared before them.
It was a spacious circular room, with a thick red carpet covering most of the floor, golden tassels faintly visible at the edges.
The walls were not cold stone but covered with warm-toned wooden panels and tapestries, embroidered with majestic golden lions, whose manes seemed to gently sway in the flickering light of the fireplace.
The heart of the room was undoubtedly the enormous fireplace, where a roaring fire crackled soothingly.
The dancing flames cast a warm golden-red glow on the nearest plush armchairs, their deep red velvet upholstery worn shiny in places, clearly much loved by the young Wizards.
On the rug in front of the fire, several thick cushions and pillows were scattered casually.
Several large round and square tables were arranged throughout the room, piled with open textbooks, still-wet parchment scrolls, quills, and a few Wizard chess games locked in stalemate.
Brass lamps hung from the ceiling, casting a soft glow that merged with the fireplace's light, dispelling the chill of the high tower.
Several tall arched windows were set into the stone walls, their heavy scarlet velvet curtains tied back with golden cords.
Percy first guided the girls to their dormitory passage, then returned to lead the boys to another door, climbing another spiraling stone staircase.
Following the winding stone staircase upwards, and pushing open a creaking wooden door, the dormitory appeared.
It was a circular room high in the tower, much quieter and more private than the common room.
Five four-poster beds with red and gold hangings were arranged along the curved wall.
A thick carpet, also predominantly scarlet and gold, covered the center of the room, sinking slightly underfoot.
Tall, narrow arched windows were the main light source for the room, letting in large amounts of sunlight during the day, illuminating tiny dust motes dancing in the air.
It was night now, and the dark blue velvet curtains were drawn, leaving only a slit through which one could vaguely glimpse the dark outline of the Forbidden Forest in the distance and a cold moon hanging in the sky.
Fine condensation on the windowpanes indicated the chill of the high tower.
Their trunks and pets had already been placed at the foot of their beds, and each bedside had a large wooden wardrobe and a desk for their homework.
However, when the exhausted students saw the number of beds, they were all stunned.
There were six of them, but only five beds.
"Uh..." Percy also noticed the problem. He quickly scanned the list.
"Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, the five of you will stay in this room."
He looked at Nios: "Sorry, Nios, you'll have to come with me to the dormitory next door."
Although Harry, Ron, and Neville were a little reluctant for Nios to go to the next room alone, they could only obey the arrangement.
After settling the five, Percy led Nios to the next room.
Pushing open the door, the scene before him was completely different from the adjacent room.
Although similarly cozy, this room was almost as large as the five-person dormitory next door, yet a single four-poster bed of the same size stood isolated in the center.
In contrast, the room appeared unusually empty and desolate.
Percy looked at the overly spacious single dormitory, and with a slightly apologetic tone, suggested: "Um... you could try adding some things to it to make it look more... full?"
Nios looked around, a faint smile playing on his lips: "No need to trouble yourself. What I brought should be enough."
Percy did not delve into the meaning behind his words, and after a few more admonitions about things to remember, he bid farewell and left.
As soon as the door closed, Nios's gaze fell on the three boxes he had brought.
"Looks like a big project."
He muttered to himself, rolled up his sleeves, and began his "dormitory renovation plan."
He first hung his school robes in the wardrobe, then pulled out a summoning circle from his embrace and spread it neatly in the center of the floor.
Next, he took out a small pink from his pocket and placed it steadily in the core of the summoning circle.
Opening the thick demon book, a low and obscure incantation echoed in the empty room.
A pink light suddenly flared and then extinguished, and Azazel appeared.
He was still wearing that comical striped nightcap, resting his head on a small pillow, and tightly wrapped in that mini blanket, sound asleep, even letting out a slight snore.
Nios walked forward expressionlessly, and with a merciless kick!
"Bang!"
Azazel flew out like a human cannonball, slammed hard into the wall, and then fell onto the floor with a "splat."
"Bastard! What the hell time is it?!"
Azazel, covered in blood, instantly sobered up, roaring furiously, his voice shaking dust down.
Fortunately, Hogwarts dormitories were enchanted with powerful soundproofing spells, otherwise, that yell would have been enough to wake up all five young Wizards next door who had just fallen asleep.
"What?" Nios's voice was as cold as ice. "Not enough 'sleep' on the train?"
"That was a damn blackout! Not sleep!" Azazel clutched his bleeding nose, accusing bitterly.
"Stop howling," Nios ignored his complaints, his tone undeniable. "Get to work, quickly."
"Where's the sacrifice?!" Azazel roared irritably, his nose still dripping blood.
"There... little pink..." Nios nodded his chin towards the center of the summoning circle.
Azazel's gaze fell on that small piece of "little pink," his eyes instantly shifting from anticipation to furious despair.
He rushed over in indignation, grabbed little pink, and slammed it onto the ground!
"Splat!"
"When are you going to stop fooling me with this useless thing?! At least give me a piece of meat!" He scratched his dog's head frantically.
Nios turned a deaf ear to his complaints, walked directly to the box, opened the latch with a "click," and began pulling things out.
Azazel glared at Nios's back, then looked at the unbreakable "little pink" on the ground, finally sighing resignedly, bending down to pick it up, and stuffing it into his mouth with a look of disgust. Then, he dejectedly shuffled to the side of the box and began helping Nios.
Hogwarts Principal's Office
Fawkes was pretending to doze on his gilded perch, radiating a soft red glow.
"Albus, is what we are doing really... alright?" Professor McGonagall's voice broke the silence of the Principal's office.
She had lost the sternness she displayed during the Sorting Ceremony, and her brows were furrowed with worry.
Dumbledore's azure eyes, seen through his half-moon spectacles, looked at her gently: "Minerva, I trust you all—I trust every excellent Professor at Hogwarts—can teach him well. And please, trust yourself and your colleagues, alright?" His tone was as calm as ever, carrying a soothing power.
However, this gentleness did not completely dispel the gloom in Professor McGonagall's heart.
Dumbledore gently comforted her and escorted her to the office door.
As the heavy wooden door softly closed, a figure silently materialized from behind a bookshelf deep within the office.
The person was wearing a pitch-black Wizard's robe, with greasy hair, a hooked nose, and the pale complexion of someone who rarely saw sunlight—he was Potions Professor, Severus Snape.
"Dumbledore." Snape's voice was low and cold, carrying undisguised anger.
"Have you finally grown so old that you've completely lost your judgment?" He strode to the desk, his black robe billowing behind him like a bat's wings.
"You actually let Harry Potter come into contact with such a dangerous person! And Quirrell!" He almost spat out the name, "Don't tell me your decrepit nose can't smell that disgusting stench of a Death Eater on him!"
Dumbledore calmly met Snape's burning black eyes.
His tone, though still gentle, carried an undeniable authority: "Please do not worry excessively, Severus. Harry will eventually need to grow. Rather than letting him face unknown risks alone out of our sight, it is better to let him learn to discern and respond at Hogwarts, under the watchful eyes of all of us. Is this not the safer choice?"
"Hmph!" Snape let out a sharp sneer, the muscles in his face contorted with anger.
"It seems our great Principal already has everything under control! Then I hope your plan is foolproof, and don't forget our agreement!" He spun around abruptly, his black robe cutting a sharp arc, and swept out of the Principal's office like a black whirlwind.
The heavy wooden door closed with a "bang," shutting out Snape's rage.
Silence returned to the office, broken only by the crackling of burning wood in the fireplace.
Fawkes gently moved his wings.
Dumbledore slowly settled back into his high-backed chair, his gaze behind his half-moon spectacles directed towards the deep night sky outside the window, letting out an almost inaudible sigh.
"Ah... Nios," he murmured to himself, his fingers gently tapping the desk, "is this pebble you've suddenly thrown into the heart of the lake a new path to light... or does it lead to a deeper vortex?"