The boats glided smoothly across the black lake, carrying the first-years toward the towering castle. Harry's Ancient Magic perception showed him the defensive wards layered throughout Hogwarts—centuries of protective spells woven into the very stones, creating a fortress that hummed with power.
"Blimey," Neville breathed beside him. "It's enormous."
"And beautiful," Harry added, genuinely awed. Even knowing what to expect couldn't diminish the majesty of actually seeing Hogwarts for the first time.
The boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that concealed a wide opening in the cliff face, into a dark tunnel that led beneath the castle. They emerged at an underground harbor and climbed out onto rocks and pebbles.
"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid called, holding up Trevor.
"Trevor!" Neville scrambled forward gratefully.
They followed Hagrid up a flight of stone steps and crowded around a huge oak door. Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times.
The door swung open immediately. A tall witch with black hair in a tight bun and sharp eyes stood there in emerald-green robes.
[Minerva McGonagall][Level: 72][Title: Deputy Headmistress, Transfiguration Master, Head of Gryffindor][HP: 680/680][MP: 1,850/1,850][Relationship: Professional Interest (40/100) - Knew your parents, curious about you][Description: Strict but fair. Powerful witch. Fiercely protective of students. Values courage and determination. Will be impressed by competence and effort.][Threat Level: Minimal unless you break rules maliciously]
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take them from here." Her voice was crisp and authoritative. She pulled the door wide open, and the entrance hall beyond was magnificent—larger than the entire Dursley house, with flaming torches and a ceiling too high to see clearly.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts."
She explained the four houses—Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin—and the House Cup competition. Harry listened politely while using [Observe] on the other first-years.
Most were Level 6-9, with a few exceptions like Hermione (Level 10) and a girl with long black hair who showed as Level 11 (Susan Bones, he noted). The average magical power was decent, but Harry's own Level 16 status put him significantly ahead.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered on Ron Weasley's smudged nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
She left, and immediately the first-years began whispering nervously.
"How do they sort us?" Ron asked his brother.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking," the other twin replied.
Harry knew better, but he stayed quiet. He noticed Hermione muttering spells under her breath, practicing nervously.
Draco sidled up to Harry. "Nervous?"
"Not particularly. You?"
"Father says the Hat will put me in Slytherin immediately. The whole family has been." Draco paused. "What about you? With your bloodlines, you could go anywhere."
"We'll see," Harry said neutrally.
A sudden movement made several people scream—about twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Harry used [Observe] on them:
[Nearly Headless Nick - Ghost - Gryffindor House][The Bloody Baron - Ghost - Slytherin House][The Fat Friar - Ghost - Hufflepuff House][The Grey Lady - Ghost - Ravenclaw House]
The ghosts floated across the room debating about Peeves, then noticed the first-years.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose? Hope to see some of you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."
Professor McGonagall returned. "Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony is about to start. Form a line and follow me."
They filed out of the chamber, back across the entrance hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had read descriptions, but nothing prepared him for the reality. Thousands of candles floated in midair over four long tables where the rest of the students sat. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers sat.
But most spectacular was the ceiling—it looked like the night sky, dotted with stars. Harry's Ancient Magic perception showed him the enchantment woven into it, reflecting the weather outside.
[The Great Hall - Ancient Magic Hotspot Detected][Founders' Magic still active in these stones]
They walked up the center aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. Harry could feel hundreds of eyes on him, whispers following their progress.
"That's Harry Potter!" "The Boy Who Lived!" "Where? I can't see!"
Harry kept his expression neutral, his enhanced CHA helping him project calm confidence despite the attention.
Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of it was an extremely old, patched, and dirty pointed wizard's hat.
Harry used [Observe]:
[The Sorting Hat][Artifact Type: Legendary - Created by the Four Founders][Power Level: ???][Function: Reads minds, sorts students by personality and potential][Special: Contains fragments of the Founders' intelligence and magic][Note: This artifact is FAR more intelligent than most realize. It will see everything about you.]
The hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened like a mouth. It began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,But don't judge on what you see,I'll eat myself if you can findA smarter hat than me..."
The song continued, describing each house's qualities. When it finished, the hall erupted in applause.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall said. She unrolled a large scroll. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl stumbled forward, put on the hat (which fell right down over her eyes), and sat down.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to join them.
[Skill Gained: Performance Observation - Level 1][You can now better predict outcomes by watching patterns]
The sorting continued. Harry watched carefully:
"Bones, Susan!" - HUFFLEPUFF! "Boot, Terry!" - RAVENCLAW! "Brocklehurst, Mandy!" - RAVENCLAW! "Brown, Lavender!" - GRYFFINDOR! "Bulstrode, Millicent!" - SLYTHERIN!
When "Granger, Hermione!" was called, the hat took nearly four minutes before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" Hermione ran to the table, beaming.
[Note: Long deliberations mean the hat sees qualities for multiple houses]
"Greengrass, Daphne!"
Harry watched as Daphne walked calmly to the stool. The hat barely touched her head before declaring "SLYTHERIN!" She moved gracefully to her house table, where she was received with polite applause. She caught Harry's eye and nodded slightly.
More names passed:
"Longbottom, Neville!"
Neville nearly tripped on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time with him—nearly five minutes—before finally shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville ran off still wearing it and had to return to give it back, bringing laughter from everyone except Harry, who understood the hat had seen Neville's true courage.
"Malfoy, Draco!"
Draco swaggered to the stool. The hat had barely touched his head when it cried "SLYTHERIN!" He grinned and walked to the table where Daphne sat.
More sorting occurred. Harry noticed patterns—children from known families usually went to expected houses, but several surprised their peers.
"Potter, Harry!"
Whispers erupted immediately across the hall. Harry walked forward calmly, using his CHA stat to project confident ease despite hundreds of staring eyes. He sat on the stool, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
Instantly, a voice spoke in his mind—dry, amused, and ancient.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?"
Hello, Harry thought back.
"Polite! And calm, despite the circumstances. Gamer's Mind, I see. How very interesting. A System user in Hogwarts—that hasn't happened in... oh, nine centuries at least."
You know about the System?
"Boy, I was created by the four greatest wizards of the age. I know about many things. But let's focus on YOU, shall we? Harry James Potter, Lord Potter-Peverell, heir to Gryffindor himself. With Ancient Magic in your blood and ambition in your heart. Where to put you?"
What do you see?
"Everything. Your abused childhood, your determination to never be weak again, your compassion for those weaker than you, your intelligence, your cunning, your bravery, your loyalty to those who earn it. You could excel in ANY house, Harry Potter. You are what I rarely see—a truly balanced soul. So the question is: where do YOU want to go?"
Harry considered carefully. His enhanced WIS helped him think through the implications:
Gryffindor: Traditional choice. Where his parents were. Home of the brave. But also where Dumbledore would expect him, making it easier to manipulate him.
Slytherin: Where Daphne and Cassandra were. Where he could build political power and challenge the house's dark reputation from within. But it would brand him immediately in the public eye.
Ravenclaw: Where his intelligence would be valued. A more neutral position. But less connection to either his love interests or his main allies.
Hufflepuff: Where loyalty and hard work were prized. The most underestimated house. But perhaps not the best fit for his ambitious plans.
"Ah, you're thinking like a Slytherin already. Calculating advantages and disadvantages. But there's more to consider, isn't there?"
What do you mean?
"Your heart, boy! Your instincts! You've been thinking with your head for the past five minutes. What does your gut tell you?"
Harry paused. When he stopped calculating and just... felt... the answer was clear.
I want to be in Gryffindor. My parents were there. And despite the political complications, I want to prove that being brave and being smart aren't mutually exclusive. I want to show people that Gryffindors can be strategic, that we can be more than reckless heroes.
"Aha! There it is—the true Harry Potter! You want to CHANGE things, not just navigate them. You want to prove something. That's the Gryffindor fire I was looking for, tempered by Slytherin cunning and Ravenclaw wisdom. You'll do remarkable things, Harry Potter."
The hat paused, as if considering something.
"One more thing—your Ancient Magic. It's tied to Hogwarts itself, to the Founders' legacy. That connection will grow stronger over time. Use it wisely. The castle will guide you when you need it most."
Thank you, Harry thought sincerely.
"One last gift, then. For being the most interesting student I've sorted in centuries."
[The Sorting Hat has granted you a gift!][Skill Gained: Founder's Legacy - Level 1][Effect: +10% learning speed for all magic, +5% to all stats while within Hogwarts][Special: Hogwarts Castle itself will respond to you as Gryffindor's heir]
The hat spoke aloud, its voice booming across the hall:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table on the far left exploded with cheers. Harry stood, removed the hat, and walked toward the red-and-gold table. He could see Ron, Hermione, Neville, and others clapping enthusiastically.
As he sat down, the Weasley twins shouted "We got Potter! We got Potter!" and several older students shook his hand or clapped him on the back.
[Relationship: Gryffindor House - 60/100 - House Pride and Hero Worship][Achievement Unlocked: Sorted into Gryffindor][Title Gained: Gryffindor Lion]
Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. Daphne gave him a subtle nod—approval, not disappointment. Cassandra was watching him with an unreadable expression, but she lifted her goblet slightly in acknowledgment. Draco looked disappointed but accepting.
[Relationship: Daphne Greengrass 45/100 → 48/100 - Respects your choice][Relationship: Cassandra Vole 50/100 → 52/100 - Intrigued by your decision]
The sorting continued:
"Turpin, Lisa!" - RAVENCLAW! "Vole, Cassandra!"
Harry watched as Cassandra walked to the stool. The hat deliberated for nearly two minutes before announcing "SLYTHERIN!" She moved to sit near Daphne, and the two girls immediately began conversing.
"Weasley, Ronald!"
Ron stumbled to the stool, his ears bright red. After a moment, the hat cried "GRYFFINDOR!" Ron practically ran to sit next to Harry, relief evident on his face.
"Zabini, Blaise!" - SLYTHERIN!
Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry turned his attention to the staff table, using [Observe] on each professor:
[Albus Dumbledore - Headmaster][Level: 95][Title: Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock, Order of Merlin First Class][HP: 1,200/1,200][MP: 3,500/3,500][Relationship: Complicated (35/100) - Cares for you but has been manipulating your life][Description: Most powerful wizard alive. Genuinely fights for the greater good but willing to sacrifice individuals for it. Has been controlling your money and placement. Extremely dangerous if opposed.][Threat Level: Extreme]
Harry kept his expression neutral, but his enhanced WIS noted the relationship score. Dumbledore cared for him, but not enough to prevent manipulation. That was... concerning.
[Severus Snape - Potions Master][Level: 68][Title: Death Eater (Reformed?), Potions Master, Head of Slytherin, Spy][HP: 580/580][MP: 1,650/1,650][Relationship: Hostile (-40/100) - You remind him of James Potter][Description: Brilliant potioneer. Former Death Eater turned spy. Loved your mother, hated your father. Will be unfair to you due to prejudice. Loyal to Dumbledore but with his own agenda.][Threat Level: Moderate - will make your life difficult but won't actually harm you]
The greasy-haired professor caught Harry's eye and glared. Harry met his gaze calmly, refusing to look away first. After several seconds, Snape looked away with a sneer.
[Relationship: Severus Snape -40/100 → -35/100 - Slightly surprised by your backbone]
[Professor Quirrell - Defense Against the Dark Arts][Level: 45 (Reduced)][Title: Defense Professor][HP: 680/680][MP: 890/890][STATUS: POSSESSED - Host Body][Hidden Entity: ??? - Level ??? - EXTREMELY DANGEROUS][Relationship: Neutral/Hostile (??? - Cannot read possessed individual properly)][WARNING: EXTREME DANGER - This person hosts something LETHAL][Threat Level: CRITICAL]
Quirrell's turban-wrapped head was turned away, but Harry could feel malevolence radiating from him. His Ancient Magic perception showed something WRONG—a dark, twisted presence wrapped around Quirrell's soul like a parasite.
Voldemort, Harry realized with cold certainty. He's possessing Quirrell. The System detected him at the Leaky Cauldron, and now he's here, teaching Defense.
[Quest Alert: MAIN QUEST ACTIVATED][Quest Name: The Philosopher's Stone][Difficulty: A-Rank][Description: Voldemort is in Hogwarts, possessing Professor Quirrell. He seeks the Philosopher's Stone hidden in the school. You must prevent him from obtaining it.]
[Objectives:]
Investigate Quirrell discreetly (0/1) Discover the location of the Philosopher's Stone (0/1) Learn about the Stone's protections (0/1) Prevent Voldemort from stealing the Stone (0/1) Survive confrontation with the Dark Lord (0/1)
[Rewards: Massive XP, Legendary Item, ???][Failure: Death, or Voldemort returns to power][Time Limit: Before end of school year]
Harry forced himself to remain calm, Gamer's Mind suppressing the spike of fear. He had months to prepare. And unlike canon Harry, he had money, equipment, knowledge, and a System guiding him.
Dumbledore stood, his arms spread wide and a beaming smile on his face. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry noticed several staff members rolling their eyes fondly.
Then the food appeared—platters and bowls filled with roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb, sausages, bacon, steak, potatoes, peas, carrots, gravy, and more. Harry's Enhanced Perception noted detection charms on the food (checking for poison) and preservation spells keeping everything fresh.
"Blimey," Ron said, loading his plate. "I'm starving."
Harry ate carefully, his stats meaning he needed substantial nutrition to maintain peak condition. He listened to the conversation around him:
The ghost Nearly Headless Nick introduced himself. Percy Weasley, the prefect, pompously explained various Hogwarts facts. The twins joked and laughed. Hermione asked rapid-fire questions about classes.
Harry contributed occasionally but mostly observed, using his enhanced INT to catalog information about his housemates:
[Percy Weasley - Ambitious, Rule-Follower, Seeks Recognition][Fred & George Weasley - Creative, Pranksters, Loyal, Business-Minded][Ron Weasley - Loyal, Insecure about wealth/fame, Good chess player]
When the desserts appeared (every flavor of ice cream, apple pies, treacle tarts, and more), Harry allowed himself a slice of treacle tart. It was delicious.
Finally, the food disappeared and Dumbledore stood again.
"Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
His eyes twinkled at the Weasley twins.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."
He paused dramatically.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."
Several people laughed uncertainly, but Harry noticed Dumbledore wasn't smiling. He meant it.
The Philosopher's Stone is on the third floor, Harry realized. Hidden behind whatever protections the staff created. And Dumbledore just told the entire school about it—ensuring curious students will investigate.
His enhanced WIS connected the dots. Dumbledore WANTED someone to check on the Stone. He was testing the defenses. Or... testing Harry?
[WIS Check Passed: You've deduced Dumbledore's manipulation][+1 WIS]
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore announced cheerfully.
What followed was the most chaotic thing Harry had ever witnessed—everyone singing "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts" to different tunes. The Weasley twins finished last, to a slow funeral march.
Finally, they were dismissed. Percy led the first-years through the corridors to Gryffindor Tower. Harry's Founder's Legacy skill activated, and he felt the castle... acknowledging him. The stones seemed to hum with welcome.
[Skill Activated: Founder's Legacy][Hogwarts recognizes you as Gryffindor's heir][You now have enhanced navigation within the castle]
They stopped before a large portrait of a very fat lady in a pink dress.
"Password?" she asked.
"Caput Draconis," Percy said importantly.
The portrait swung forward, revealing a round hole in the wall. They climbed through into the Gryffindor common room—a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs, with a roaring fire crackling in the fireplace.
Percy directed the boys to their dormitory—a circular room with five four-poster beds hung with deep red curtains. Harry's trunk was already at the foot of one bed. His roommates were Ron, Neville, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan.
After everyone changed into pajamas and climbed into bed, Harry pulled his curtains shut and finally allowed himself to process everything.
He was at Hogwarts. Sorted into Gryffindor. Making allies. But Voldemort was here, possessing Quirrell, after the Philosopher's Stone.
The game had truly begun.
[Quest Update: First Day at Hogwarts][Board Hogwarts Express: COMPLETE ✓][Meet potential allies: COMPLETE ✓][Survive Sorting Ceremony: COMPLETE ✓][Establish your reputation: COMPLETE ✓][Identify threats (Quirrell): COMPLETE ✓][Bonus: Make impression on three witches: 2/3 (Still need Ginny interaction)]
[QUEST COMPLETE: FIRST DAY AT HOGWARTS]
[REWARDS:]
2,000 XP Founder's Legacy Skill +5 to all stats from successful navigation Reputation Established: The Balanced Lion (Known for both courage and cunning) Relationships established with key figures
[LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP!][You are now Level 18!]
Harry smiled in the darkness. Tomorrow, classes would begin. And his real education in magic would start.
He had a Dark Lord to prepare for.
[Chapter 6 END]