nownovels Chapter 174, Section 173: The Real scapegoat, A Mysterious Change
Chapter 174, Section 173: The Real scapegoat, A Mysterious Change
Chapter 174, Section 173: The Real scapegoat, A Mysterious Change
The Sorting Hat's voice was as loud as ever.
Except for Albus Dumbledore, whose body tends to lean slightly forward.
Professor McGonagall and the other professors didn't show any change in expression. They just glanced at Harry Potter a few more times, but didn't complain about his being sorted into Slytherin.
Even Professor Lockhart only glanced at Harry Potter with interest before engaging in a "pleasant" verbal exchange with Professor Newt Scamander beside him.
Yes, this year not only did the great alchemist Nick Flamel continue as professor of alchemy, but Newt Scamander, the authority on magical creatures, also joined Hogwarts.
He will be the professor of the third-year elective course, Conservation of Magical Creatures, whose previous professor had been admitted to the intensive care unit at St. Mungo's Hospital for the most common reasons for taking the position.
According to rumors circulating among the public.
He started searching for a giant dragon in the Forbidden Forest out of curiosity during the rumors that circulated last semester, and that's basically the end of the story.
For some time during the last semester, the third-year students had no classes. Ian had only just learned this when he ran into Newt in the hallway.
"Professor Scamander, I have admired you for a long time... I have been hearing your legendary stories for many years." It can only be said that Professor Lockhart's compliment was a bit exaggerated.
He seemed to be flirting with the new professor, who had moderate social anxiety. This imposter writer was clearly more interested in the newly hired Newt than the famous savior.
I admire the writer.
But Ian always felt that it should perhaps be called longing.
"There may be other factors influencing my judgment, but there is no doubt that you possess the same qualities. Slytherin can help you succeed, child," the Sorting Hat said firmly to Harry Potter as he excitedly put down the hat.
"I wasn't expelled! I'm already very satisfied!" Since he hadn't heard Ron's criticism of Slytherin, the only threat from Slytherin was neutralized by the young wizard.
This savior of the day didn't seem to have much prejudice against Slytherin. He glanced at Ian sitting at the Slytherin table and even thought that joining the house wasn't so bad.
Perhaps he misheard... Ian isn't a Ravenclaw student? In any case, having a reliable friend in the same house is definitely a good thing for Harry.
"welcome!"
The Slytherin prefects gave Harry Potter a warm hug, but Harry Potter chose to sit next to Ian, probably never imagining that Ian was just a guest visiting.
"Potter! We have Potter!"
"Harry Potter belongs to Slytherin! I've known that all along!"
"Yes! Ever since my dad started using Potter brand shampoo and his hair started falling out even faster, our whole family has been convinced that Harry Potter is definitely ours, that we are Slytherins!"
……
Cheers erupted at the long table.
It was the Slytherin table, not Gryffindor, where Harry Potter should have been. Of course, although there were no boos, the Gryffindor students were quite dissatisfied.
"Cheating! Someone must have cheated! They stole Harry Potter using underhanded methods! Just like they tried to steal Ian Prince using underhanded methods!"
The twin brothers wanted to direct their anger at Snape, the headmaster of Slytherin.
however.
Snape paid no attention to these guys, his gaze remaining fixed on Ian and Harry, who looked embarrassed and even seemed somewhat humble sitting next to Ian.
His eyes held a complex expression.
Especially after glancing again at the Gryffindor table and noticing the little girl asking others about Ian, his expression became even more complicated.
"Go back to your own academy!"
He used some kind of telepathic magic on Ian.
"what?"
Ian sensed that his uncle's voice held less affection and more annoyance. He didn't know how he had offended him; perhaps it was because he hadn't written to his uncle much during the holidays?
"Time to get out of here."
Under Harry's eager gaze, Ian stood up and dusted off non-existent dust from the back of his robe.
There are quite a few new students in Slytherin this year.
However, apart from the Malfoy trio, he only recognized Pansy Parkinson. This little girl and the others dared not make eye contact with Ian for even a second.
It's clear that Miss Daphne worked really hard to spread the "gospel" of the "Demon King" during her vacation, to the point that she was probably "exhausted" and missed this year's Sorting Ceremony.
They're using the same old tricks.
The little witch, around ten years old, probably didn't know.
She might escape the first day of the month, but she'll most likely not escape the fifteenth.
"where you go?"
Harry seemed quite concerned about Ian, which probably stemmed from a child's anxiety about unfamiliar surroundings and a desire to be with someone they were familiar with.
"Of course I'll go back to my own house... I've been sitting here too long, and some petty people are getting upset." Ian glanced at Snape on the classroom seat.
"What!?"
Harry was stunned when he heard this.
He realized that he might not have misremembered the college Ian belonged to.
My heart began to sink.
"Don't worry, the atmosphere in Slytherin is great, my best friend can attest to that." Ian patted Aurora's shoulder hard, as she wasn't particularly interested in the sorting process.
"I'll look after you for Ian's sake," Aurora said succinctly, turning her gaze back to Ian, who was preparing to return to the Ravenclaw table.
"Just as I said, your [Corpse Plague Outbreak Curse] has significant flaws; it simply cannot have the ability to spread to an entire city as you anticipated."
Her words were spoken in a serious tone.
It made Harry Potter feel a chill.
Mr. Savior could hardly imagine what terrible topics the two little wizards had been discussing before he arrived.
Researching the corpse plague?
He felt that perhaps he didn't really need to be taken care of.
"As long as there are enough plague viruses, it's not a problem if they affect a country." Ian's attitude was also very confident. They had just been discussing the issue of nuclear deterrence.
Aurora, or rather the ideology of Saint Education, believes that the wizarding world also needs its own "nuclear deterrent," so Ian only offered some of his own insights.
A conversation between two people.
This made Harry Potter feel increasingly uneasy.
This seems somewhat different from what Mr. Savior imagined about learning magic.
"It's just academic exchange, like those pharmaceutical companies. They don't necessarily research viruses to poison others." Ian noticed Harry Potter's discomfort.
He came up with a reason that seemed reasonable at first glance—at least Harry Potter wouldn't have noticed anything wrong with it. He found it a bit strange, but couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.
"I've heard of a virus called Ebola... However, I think researching that kind of magic is too dangerous. Couldn't we research magic that could make people happy?"
"Of course, if it's really necessary to study these things... I remember Ron had a rat he didn't want... That's definitely much safer than using humans to conduct this kind of magical research."
After racking his brains, Harry cautiously spoke again, clearly trying hard to fit in, but his nature made it difficult for him to accept magic like the [Corpse Plague Outbreak Curse].
……
Another debate ensued.
This only prompted Snape to keep urging him on.
Ian could only return to the Ravenclaw table with some lingering reluctance.
"Ding ding ding~"
After everyone was seated, Albus Dumbledore, as was customary, rang his glass, and the noisy atmosphere in the Great Hall instantly became as quiet as in a classroom.
"I know you're all starving, but before we begin, I have a few things to announce." Dumbledore's voice, delivered with magic, reached every young wizard.
"First of all, I want to remind those naughty little wizards that your dark magic professor keeps some things in the underground classroom. It's best not to sneak near there unless absolutely necessary."
"Although he assured us and the Ministry of Magic that his pet wouldn't kill anyone, I don't really trust him," Dumbledore said, launching into a scathing critique of Grindelwald.
The new students haven't reacted yet.
The senior students all started wailing.
Everyone knows that.
Who will ultimately face the consequences of what the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors have raised?
"The second thing is that, due to some unforeseen circumstances, our original professor of the Conservation of Magical Creatures class may not be able to return to his post for a long time."
"Fortunately, I managed to convince the author of your textbook to substitute for him. I think Professor Newt Scamander will lead you through a whole new world of magical creatures."
Dumbledore's voice faded.
The auditorium was immediately filled with enthusiastic cheers and applause, a stark contrast to what had been heard before.
"Oh! He's the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!"
"He single-handedly established the Werewolf Registry at the Ministry of Magic! He's a legend!"
"Huh? How come I remember this professor being a lawbreaker since childhood? He even infiltrated the Ministry of Magic? My grandfather from America certainly wouldn't believe this."
"Yes, this proves that our British Ministry of Magic is the true embodiment of freedom and democracy!"
……
Although there were some dissenting voices among the discussions, most people were welcoming. Ian even heard Hermione complaining at the Gryffindor long table.
"Oh my god! It's him! It's him! Mr. Scamander! Why do we have to wait until our third year to take his class!" Miss Beaver was clearly very familiar with the Hogwarts curriculum.
Her voice was rather plaintive.
Amidst the enthusiastic welcome, Newt seemed somewhat uncomfortable in the atmosphere. He stood up, bowed slightly, and gave a rather shy smile.
A youthful spirit seemed to have never disappeared from this old man.
"Thank you, thank you everyone."
Newt was still a little flustered after sitting down, but fortunately, the thoughtful Professor Lockhart pulled over a plate and took the initiative to distract him and ease his nervousness.
"Try it, the elves' cooking is definitely much better than it was before you were fired."
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!
His words were very direct.
Newt didn't detect any malice in his voice.
The somewhat socially awkward elderly man immediately started eating with his fork in gratitude.
"What kind of meat is this?"
however.
His expression turned somewhat terrified after taking a bite.
"It's Niffler meat. Of course, considering your expertise and insistence, the Niffler meat I used for the Pokémon was from Nifflers that died naturally from falls and had not suffered the torment of slaughter."
Professor Lockhart's smile was quite radiant.
"!!!???"
Newt's expression was one of disbelief.
I haven't offended this bestselling author in front of me!
Why do you have to do this to yourself?
Workplace bullying?
An unbearable argument was clearly about to break out, but fortunately Dumbledore gave Professor Lockhart a sharp glare, which made Professor Lockhart purse his lips and admit that it was just a prank.
"It's just that the taste has been made to look very similar; it's just ordinary rat meat caught in the toilet." His words did little to improve Newt's mood.
"Ugh~"
Newt even started to feel nauseous. The young wizards watching from below the stage silently mourned for the kind, generous new professor for a full ten seconds.
"Newt, I heard you made a custom-made suitcase for Ian?" Dumbledore had no choice but to pull Newt's seat slightly closer to him.
He prevented his unfortunate successors from being further harmed by Grindelwald.
Simultaneously.
They also started trying to change the subject.
"Yes, it's clear he's very interested in raising... things that resemble living beings, so I offered him some help." Newt took a sip of water and looked at the young wizards below the stage.
"I imagine there aren't too many contraband items in the suitcase you made for him, are there?" Albus Dumbledore asked, as if he already knew the answer.
"Forehead……"
Newt's gaze darted away.
"No, no...not many."
His reply was barely audible.
Throughout the entire dinner, the most distressed person was perhaps not Harry Potter, who had infiltrated the dark wizard's lair, but rather the new professor of the Magical Creatures Protection class at Hogwarts.
The new semester has begun.
A joyful and vibrant dinner is underway.
Ian noticed that William and Michael seemed to have grown quite a bit taller during the holidays.
"Did you eat Fertilizer at home?"
Ian, who was initially quite satisfied with his height, looked at Michael, who was almost 1.7 meters tall, and William, who was only a head shorter than him.
He felt a sense of insecurity about his height.
"What is Jin Ke La? Is it delicious?"
Michael still prefers chicken legs.
Ririm, sitting opposite, even gave his chicken leg to the little black guy.
"You really did get assigned to Ravenclaw?"
Ian didn't have much of a memory of his time at the Ririm branch, perhaps because he was having a great time chatting with Aurora, sharing their holiday experiences and latest learning achievements.
"I've always been very lucky, so naturally my wishes come true," Ririm replied with a light laugh to the young wizard, his eating movements and speed quite elegant.
"So you're incredibly lucky, huh?"
Ian gave Ririm, who was sitting opposite him, a suspicious look. The rest of the time was spent eating, and after the dinner, the prefects led their students back to their dormitories.
"They live right across from us?"
His surprise deepened when he saw the blond boy's dorm room. Of course, because William and Michael were pulling him along, insisting that he go back to the dorm to see his precious baby, he only glanced back twice.
"Look! My mom modified this flying broom for me! It can even freeze drinks on the side!" This was Michael's moment to show off, but the broom he pulled out, which could be described as a magical "new energy" broom, was hard to describe.
With its leather armchair and side refrigerator, it's all that's missing is a large color TV to be perfect. It has to be said that Black Mom's understanding of transportation is quite forward-thinking.
"Are you going to play Quidditch or go on a long trip...?" Ian examined the modifications on it and could be said that there was no trace of the four-star sweep anymore.
"Look at my grandfather's work! It's an epic creation!" It can only be said that William's taste has not changed; he still loves underwear with other people's designs printed on it.
of course.
This time, the underwear William showed was not a heated version, but rather "spy" underwear equipped with a "seamless expansion charm" pocket from which various tools could be pulled out.
Perhaps it's because he spoils his grandson.
The patterns on the underwear can also be changed according to the user's ideas.
"..."
Ian is even harder to judge than before.
What else could he say?
The only thing he could do was to lavish praise on his two roommates, giving them emotional support. After his roommates were cheered up, Ian began writing letters to send back to the orphanage.
Arrived at school.
I need to let my family know I'm safe.
He didn't just write a letter; he also included the pound sterling he had previously received from Mr. Granger, since he didn't need to use pounds while studying at Hogwarts.
"As before, put it under Ms. Elena's pillow. She'll thank the Pillow Fairy." Ian handed the task of delivering the message over to my own Black Phoenix.
"Hehehe~"
Black Phoenix readily accepted.
but.
"Remember, you're not allowed to steal money to buy snacks. Only a stupid bird like you would do something like that—a hundred pounds for a roast chicken!" Ian still gave Black Phoenix a stern reminder.
obviously.
He had encountered precedents.
After seeing the Black Phoenix fly out the window and disappear into the night, Ian packed his luggage, washed up a bit, and lay down on the bed.
"I have a lot to do tomorrow."
Falling asleep is not difficult.
Ian fell into a deep sleep after only closing his eyes for a few moments. The young wizard thought he was going to have a sweet dream, but he never expected to encounter such an unexpected situation.
"Huh? This... why today?"
A familiar feeling arose.
The boundary between life and death is crossed silently.
Ian opened his somewhat bewildered eyes.
(End of this chapter)