bacchusnovels Chapter 294 The Long-Awaited Opening Ceremony
Chapter 294 The Long-Awaited Opening Ceremony
Chapter 294 The Long-Awaited Opening Ceremony
The auditorium entrance was already packed with students, all excitedly discussing the start of the new semester.
Plates laden with food were set on four long tables, and candles floated in the air, casting a warm glow. The entire auditorium was filled with a familiar yet comforting atmosphere.
Ron took a deep breath, trying to blend into the noisy environment.
He squeezed into the Gryffindor table and sat in his familiar spot.
His classmates greeted him, Seamus and Dean were excitedly discussing this year's Quidditch season, while Parvati and Lavender chatted quietly about their holiday adventures.
Despite being surrounded by friends, Ron still felt somewhat distracted.
His gaze involuntarily drifted toward the auditorium doors, as if anticipating something.
In contrast to Ron's somewhat lonely state, the teachers' table was bustling with activity.
Sean is having a lively conversation with Professor Sprout, whom he hasn't seen during the summer vacation.
Professor Sprout smiled as she recounted the rare herbs she had discovered during the summer, while Sean nodded occasionally, listening intently to her every word.
The two occasionally let out soft laughter, and the atmosphere was clearly very harmonious.
Hagrid, who had just become the professor of Conservation of Magical Creatures this year, was particularly excited. He sat at one end of the faculty table, almost unable to contain his excitement, and frequently shared with Professor Flitwick beside him some of the strange creatures he had discovered in the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid's loud voice echoed through the auditorium, and even students some distance away could faintly hear the story he was telling.
"You have to see those Firehoof Beasts, they're incredible!" Hagrid exclaimed, gesturing wildly in the air with his hands, his bearded face beaming with excitement, as if he couldn't wait to show these strange creatures to the students.
Despite his short stature, Professor Flitwick listened intently to Hagrid's words, occasionally letting out soft exclamations of admiration. Several faculty members around him were infected by his enthusiasm, except for... Snape.
Snape's eyes were fixed on Lupin, who was sitting on the other side.
He showed no interest in the commotion around him, his face still bearing the same serious expression as always.
Lupin remained calm and quiet as always, taking a small sip of his tea and completely ignoring Snape's gaze.
He lowered his head and exchanged a few gentle words with Professor Trelawney sitting next to him, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.
Seeing his calm and composed attitude, Snape finally couldn't hold back anymore.
He slowly rose, walked to Lupin's side, and congratulated him sarcastically, "Congratulations, Lupin, you've finally become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. You won't have to live that wandering life anymore."
Lupin looked up at Snape when he heard his words, his face still bearing that calm smile. Even in the face of Snape's stern and imposing tone, he showed no unease or anger.
He simply nodded slightly and said politely, "Thank you, Snape. Although this position is somewhat challenging, I am happy to contribute to the students."
Snape's sneer deepened, a hint of mockery and hostility flashing in his eyes. "Oh, really? I'd like to see how long you can hold out. We all know that this position—" he deliberately drew out, his lips twitching slightly, "always seems a bit, how should I put it, 'ominous'." He chuckled softly, as if hinting at something.
Lupin remained composed, unaffected by Snape's provocation. "Yes, the history of this position is indeed—unique, but I believe that Hogwarts students deserve our utmost dedication to teaching them."
Snape scoffed, a cold glint in his eyes. "Of course, of course, students," he drawled, "I just wonder if they realize that their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is—" He paused, a malicious sneer playing on his lips, "Wolf One."
Snape had only spoken halfway when Dumbledore arrived, and the Great Hall fell silent as all eyes turned to him.
Snape coldly shut his mouth. Although his expression remained icy, under Dumbledore's gaze, he did not continue speaking and silently returned to his seat.
In this slightly tense atmosphere, a sudden commotion at the entrance broke the brief silence in the auditorium.
"The students have arrived!" a voice announced loudly, and then the door was pushed open, and a group of freshmen walked in, led by Tonks.
Every new student's face was filled with nervousness and excitement. Their eyes scanned the magnificent auditorium, and they felt a strong sense of awe.
The young wizards stood in a row, with the ancient Sorting Hat placed in front of them.
The worn-out Sorting Hat sat quietly on a small stool, waiting for its moment, the crack in the hat seemingly ready to speak at any moment.
The older students in the auditorium began to whisper among themselves, waiting for this tradition to begin.
Tonks stood beside the Sorting Hat, holding a roll of parchment in his hand, a hint of panic flashing across his face.
After all, it is a solemn duty, especially under the watchful eyes of many students and professors.
Her fingers trembled slightly, showing her nervousness, but when her gaze inadvertently fell on Sean, who was sitting at the front of the table, she saw the encouraging look he gave her.
That gentle yet firm gaze eased much of Tonks' unease, and her expression gradually calmed down.
"Welcome, new students," Tonks' voice echoed through the Great Hall. "Today, you will find your own house at Hogwarts. The four founders—Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin—each created their own house, and each student will be placed in the house that best suits them, according to the Sorting Hat's decision."
As she finished speaking, the crack in the Sorting Hat suddenly opened wide and began to sing the old and familiar Sorting Song.
It tells the history of the four houses, the dreams and ideals of their founders, and the songs are melodious and full of magic.
Everyone, whether a returning student or a new student, held their breath and listened quietly.
After the song ended, Tonks picked up the parchment and began to read out the names of the new students.
"Emily Pevinsi!"
A small, nervous girl stepped forward and sat on a small stool. The Sorting Hat was gently placed on her head.
The hat paused for a moment, seemingly considering carefully, then announced loudly, "Ravenclaw!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted at the Ravenclaw table as Emily ran excitedly toward her new house, where her classmates warmly welcomed her.
"Theodore Nott!"
The next freshman stepped forward, a pale-faced boy. As soon as the Sorting Hat landed on his head, the hat almost without hesitation proclaimed, "Slytherin!"
Applause rang out at the Slytherin table. Snape's lips twitched slightly, but he maintained his stern expression, his gaze briefly sweeping over the new Slytherin member.
As each new student was assigned to their respective house, the atmosphere in the Great Hall grew increasingly enthusiastic, with students from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw cheering for their new additions.
Ron, sitting at the Gryffindor table, was also looking forward to seeing the new Gryffindor members.
"Astoria Greengrass!" Professor McGonagall read out a name.
An exceptionally beautiful girl walked slowly forward, a faint smile on her face, but her expression was unusually calm.
As soon as she sat down, the Sorting Hat pondered for a moment, then called out, "Slytherin!"
"What a strange girl, but she seems alright," Ron muttered, his gaze following Astoria toward the Slytherin table. "It's a shame she was assigned to Slytherin."
Neville nodded, but his attention quickly returned to the Sorting Ceremony.
"Finn Johnson!"
A tall boy sat down nervously. The Sorting Hat thought for a moment, then finally announced, "Gryffindor!"
A thunderous applause erupted from the long table in Gryffindor. Ron slapped the table excitedly, while Fred and George cheered for the new member.
Finn, beaming, walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ron, clearly very proud of his sorting.
The college assignment ceremony lasted a long time, and finally the last freshman was assigned to a college. The entire auditorium was once again filled with laughter and applause.
When Harry and Hermione returned from Professor McGonagall's office, they were just in time for Dumbledore's speech for the semester.