With his stomach full, Charlie finally had time to observe the teachers seated at the staff table.
Professor McGonagall was a familiar face. Then there was the round, hulking Hagrid; a tiny man who looked suspiciously like a goblin; someone wrapped in a turban, looking like he'd faint if you so much as looked at him; and a greasy-haired middle-aged man with an expression like he'd smelled something foul.
Oh, and of course, the crazy old coot in the center, Dumbledore himself.
Honestly, none of them looked all that normal. But this was the wizarding world, "abnormal" was basically the dress code.
As Charlie scanned the room, he noticed the greasy-haired man constantly staring at the Gryffindor table.
Isn't McGonagall the head of Gryffindor? What's this guy doing, eyeing their students so hard?
Jenny, sitting beside him, caught his look and leaned over to explain.
"That's Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin House and the Potions Master."
Charlie nodded in understanding and murmured in awe,
"So, he's the Slytherin Head but keeps staring at Gryffindor students? Must be one of those deeply caring professors."
Jenny nearly choked on her pumpkin juice.
Deeply caring? Snape?!
Those words should never be in the same sentence.
But never mind. Charlie would find out just how "caring" Professor Snape was soon enough.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands.
"Now that our bellies are full, I have a few reminders," he announced.
"If you wish to avoid sudden, painful death, do not go near the right-side corridor on the fourth floor."
Silence fell over the hall. A few chuckles broke the tension, but most students looked properly intimidated.
Charlie's eyes, however, lit up instantly.
What everyone else heard as a warning, he interpreted as:
"You should definitely check out the fourth floor!"
He could practically see the Tyrant Points waving at him from the shadows.
Charlie nudged Jenny's arm and asked innocently,
"Senior, what's on the fourth floor?"
Jenny furrowed her brow.
"I don't know. That rule wasn't there before. But since Professor Dumbledore said so, there's probably real danger involved."
"Don't go wandering off, alright? Be a good boy."
Charlie nodded obediently on the surface.
But deep inside, he was already planning his late-night exploration route.
The feast ended, and each House was led back to their dorms by their respective prefects.
"First-years, follow me!"
The Hufflepuff prefect waved them forward and led them away from the Great Hall.
The Hufflepuff dormitory was located underground, but unlike Slytherin's cold and damp chambers, it was warm and cozy.
It sat just below ground level, cool in the summer, warm in the winter. A perfect fit for the gentle nature of Hufflepuff House.
At a hallway corner lined with giant barrels, the prefect tapped out a specific rhythm on the second barrel in the middle of the second row.
Tap, tap, tap-tap, tap!
The lid popped open, revealing a passageway.
"Remember this rhythm: Helga Hufflepuff. If you get it wrong, the barrel will drench you in vinegar."
Charlie nodded seriously and followed the others into the passage.
The Hufflepuff common room radiated warmth and comfort.
The walls were bathed in soft yellow tones, lit with golden lamplight, and decorated with lush plants everywhere.
A portrait of Helga Hufflepuff hung above the hearth. The low ceiling added to the cozy, home-like feel.
Round doors led to the boys' and girls' dorms, each engraved with honey-golden badgers.
"We may not be as brave as Gryffindor, as ambitious as Slytherin, or as intellectually driven as Ravenclaw," said the prefect, standing before the first-years.
"But we value loyalty, hard work, and most of all, unity."
"Many legendary wizards have come from Hufflepuff too."
"In Hufflepuff, everyone is family."
Charlie listened, feeling a gentle warmth bloom in his chest.
In both this life and the last, he'd always been alone.
He'd never had a true family. This kind of welcome, it was hard not to be moved.
The prefect laid out a few more house rules before leading them to the dorms.
It was already quite late due to the feast.
Normally, students would hang out in the common room and chat, but tonight everyone just wanted to crash.
Charlie entered the boys' dorm, a circular room with three four-poster beds draped in yellow and black curtains.
Their trunks were neatly placed at the foot of each bed.
His bed was next to a boy named Justin Finch-Fletchley, who seemed overly excited and couldn't stop talking.
"I was originally going to Eton, you know, but once I got the Hogwarts letter? No contest. I mean, magic beats everything, right?"
The other roommate, Ernie Macmillan, was a pure-blood wizard, but he wasn't like Malfoy.
Instead of looking down on Muggle-borns, he was curious and kept asking Justin about Muggle life.
Charlie finished unpacking, changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed.
Soft. Warm. Way better than the lumpy bunk at the orphanage.
Ernie rolled over and suddenly looked toward Charlie.
"Hey, Charlie. On the train today, I saw Malfoy running out of your compartment like he'd wet himself. Was that you?"
His eyes gleamed with gossip.
Charlie nodded nonchalantly.
"Yup. That was me. What about it?"
"Oh my God." Justin sat up, eyes wide with excitement.
"You're amazing! Are you a pure-blood too?"
Charlie shook his head.
"I grew up in an orphanage. Don't know who my parents are. I've got no idea if I'm pure-blood or not."
Ernie's expression turned serious.
"You be careful, Charlie. The Malfoy family isn't exactly known for playing nice. They used to be followers of You-Know-Who."
"But don't worry too much, Dumbledore protects all students at Hogwarts."
Justin looked confused.
"You-Know-Who? That sounds cool. Who is it?"
Ernie's eyes bulged.
"Great gobbling Hufflepuff! You don't know You-Know-Who?!"
"He was the most evil wizard of our time! If it weren't for Harry Potter defeating him, we'd still be living under his shadow!"
Justin scratched his head.
"Then why do people call him You-Know-Who? How mysterious is he exactly?"
Ernie was stumped.
The cultural gap between Muggles and wizards made this hard to explain.
Charlie lazily chimed in.
"He's as mysterious as Victoria's Secret."
Justin's eyes lit up. He nodded in understanding.
Ernie, however, was lost.
"Victoria? What secret does she have?"
Justin and Charlie locked eyes, and both burst out laughing.
"Ernie," Justin said, patting his shoulder solemnly.
"This Christmas, I'm giving you a Victoria's Secret gift set. You'll understand then."
Their laughter settled as sleepiness crept in.
Before long, the room was filled with soft, steady breathing.
Except for Charlie, his eyes suddenly snapped open, glinting with anticipation.
Tyrant Points… here I come.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters