Compared to the Muggle world, the wizarding world is much smaller.
Which means even the slightest incident between wizards doesn't stay secret for long—especially when it involves the renowned Malfoy family.
In terms of power, wealth, and status, the Malfoys are undeniably one of the most prominent families in the wizarding world.
So naturally, nearly every wizarding household—or any family with at least one wizard parent—knew that the platinum aristocracy had produced an heir blessed with remarkable talent.
That heir was Draco Malfoy...
...
When Draco first had his magical outburst, it was so intense that everyone heard about it. The sheer force of it made it immediately clear—this wasn't the talent of an ordinary wizard.
No one could say for sure what his future would hold, but with a family like the Malfoys behind him, there was no concern that he'd go astray.
If anything, some would say...
The future belonged to Draco.
Which is exactly why, the moment he stepped forward, nearly every wizard in the Great Hall—including those seated at the professors' table—turned their attention to him.
With both a powerful background and rare talent, everyone was curious to see what kind of legacy this genius heir of the platinum aristocracy would one day leave behind...
...
Of course,
Not every gaze cast his way was friendly.
While the Malfoy name gave Draco an impressive head start, it also brought with it scrutiny and judgment.
Specifically, because his father had once been a Death Eater, many assumed Draco must be aligned with them too—and "Death Eater" was not a name that evoked anything good.
It symbolized allegiance to the most loyal followers of the Dark Lord—the one who had nearly taken control of the entire British wizarding world...
Although Draco's father had, in the end, assessed the situation and abandoned the Dark Lord, distancing the Malfoy name from the chaos, most wizards still saw him as a Death Eater.
And so, even if it had nothing to do with Draco personally, he couldn't escape the stares and whispers.
He was the son of a Death Eater.
"Is this what the Sorting Ceremony is like?"
To the professors' surprise, Draco showed no reaction to the weight of those gazes—no hesitation in his step, no shift in his expression.
He didn't look like an eleven-year-old at all.
There wasn't even a hint of stage fright...
With his pale blond hair, porcelain skin, and that naturally refined aura—
If one had to describe him at that moment, "noble" and "elegant" would be the words.
Undeniably, Draco was the most dazzling presence in the hall.
But being used to this sort of attention, Draco's focus was solely on the Sorting Hat sitting before him.
"A talking hat?"
He tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
That simple, unconscious motion drew soft gasps from some of the witches, and the more excitable ones even swallowed nervously.
"Just by wearing it, it can sort you into a house? What a fascinating magical artifact."
Thanks to his dragon-blooded obsession with magical knowledge, Draco's curiosity bordered on compulsive.
So, rather than thinking about which house he'd be placed in—or what anyone else might be thinking—his first instinct was to study the hat.
But just as his hand was about to touch its tip, the Sorting Hat suddenly reacted.
"Slytherin! Slytherin!"
Before his fingers even made contact, the Sorting Hat was already shouting with wild urgency.
Draco's expression stiffened slightly.
After glancing at Professor McGonagall, who gave him a gentle shake of the head, he slowly withdrew his hand and let out a quiet sigh.
It was unclear whether he was sighing because he wouldn't get the chance to study the hat, or because the Sorting Hat's overreaction made him feel like he'd done something wrong...
...
"What a pity."
Draco withdrew his hand and cast a lingering glance at the Sorting Hat, which might've been trembling—though he wasn't sure. After murmuring to himself, he turned and began walking toward the Slytherin table.
To be honest, this result didn't surprise him in the slightest. If anything, being sorted into Slytherin had always been the expected outcome.
After all, he was a Slytherin.
But just as Draco turned to make his way over, a sudden flurry of noise filled the hall...
Rustle!
Thump, thump, thump!
Robes swished, chairs scraped across the floor.
Every single Slytherin student stood up almost simultaneously, as if it had all been choreographed in advance.
More accurately, a few Prefects and some upper-year students were the first to rise, prompting the rest of the house to instinctively follow.
Why they did it—Draco had no idea. Even he was caught off guard.
Still, whatever the reason, the effect was immediate.
Students from the other houses looked stunned.
Normally, when welcoming a new student, clapping was the most one could expect. If things got really enthusiastic, maybe a few would stand and cheer—that alone was considered generous.
But today, the famously proud Slytherins had done something no one expected. It was completely unlike them.
No wonder the hall had gone so quiet.
There was no denying it—Draco, though just a first-year, was being treated like no one else.
Anyone else in his position might've buckled under the pressure. Just the weight of all those eyes would've been too much for a typical eleven-year-old to handle.
But Draco didn't hesitate.
Only Draco could meet the expectations placed on him by the Slytherins.
Unlike most students, many of these pure-blood Slytherins had already met the Malfoy heir at various gatherings and galas hosted by the family.
Elegant.
Flawless.
Powerful.
The sight of Draco walking calmly toward the Slytherin table left a lasting impression on everyone watching. His poise alone was enough to make clear just how exceptional he was.
Perhaps Slytherin was about to welcome—
A true Slytherin.