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Chapter 362: Secrets on the Fourth Floor of the Castle
Chapter 362: Secrets on the Fourth Floor of the Castle
As expected, Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor House and received a warm welcome.
Albert even suspected that if it weren't for the fact that they were still in the middle of the Sorting Ceremony, with the teachers at the high table watching, everyone would have probably rushed over to shake his hand and chat with him.
Not long after, Ron, Fred and George's younger brother, who was the second to last to be sorted, was also placed in Gryffindor and seated next to Potter, becoming the object of everyone's envy.
Once the Sorting Ceremony concluded and after a brief speech by Dumbledore, the feast officially began. Empty golden plates and goblets were suddenly filled with an abundance of delicious food and drinks.
Looking at the mountain of food before him, Albert felt his stomach rumble. He quickly filled his plate with some of his favorite dishes.
Just as he was about to take a bite of the roast beef, Fred's curious voice sounded from beside him, "What did Professor McGonagall want with you?"
"It was about my class schedule," Albert replied after swallowing his mouthful of food. "Some of the class times overlap, so I need to use a rather special method to attend all the classes."
"Split yourself in half?"
Lee Jordan, his mouth full of food, mumbled indistinctly.
"You've actually guessed it," Albert said in feigned surprise.
After quickly finishing the roast beef on his plate, he added a piece of fried pork chop and caught the doubtful expressions on their faces. With a smile, he said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Percy. He's been using a clone to attend all his classes."
"Damn clones," Lee Jordan muttered, not believing Albert's nonsense at all.
"It is indeed a clone, right, Percy?" Albert said to Percy.
"Well, in a sense, it is a clone," Percy, who had been discussing Transfiguration with Granger, looked up and noticed that many eyes were on him. With a helpless nod, he reluctantly agreed.
"Then when are you going to teach us? If we could have clones, it would be so much easier to do our homework," George said, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Albert expectantly.
"You guys can't learn this trick. Unless, of course, you plan to take all the classes," Albert cut off further questions from the others. Adding two roasted sausages to his plate, he grinned and said, "And don't even think about using clones to do your holiday homework. That's not gonna happen."
The group fell silent.
What was the point of having clones if they couldn't be used to do holiday homework?
The topic soon drifted to the upcoming trip to Hogsmeade Village at the end of October.
Noticing that Albert was focused on his food, Lee Jordan raised an eyebrow and asked, "You haven't forgotten to get your family's signature, have you?"
"Albert isn't like you!" Fred glanced at Lee Jordan, feeling exasperated.
"I just remembered something. I still haven't mastered that spell from last time," Albert said.
As he spoke, he pulled out his small notebook from his pocket and began flipping through the pages. He realized that there were still many things he hadn't completed and suddenly felt depressed.
"Which spell?" Lee Jordan asked, puzzled.
"That one!" Fred said with a mischievous smile.
"Oh, that one. I thought you had already mastered it," George said.
In truth, George had also forgotten what spell Albert was talking about, and he figured Fred had probably forgotten as well. But that didn't stop them from teasing Lee Jordan.
"Which one?"
After swallowing the fried potato in his mouth, Lee Jordan turned to look at Fred and George and said, "Don't think I don't know. You two have forgotten as well."
It was indeed challenging to use the Patronus Charm to send messages, especially when one had to figure it out on their own.
Albert had originally thought that he would be able to master it before the previous term's holiday. However, after practicing for half a year, while his skill experience in the Patronus Charm had increased significantly, he still couldn't figure out how to make his Patronus deliver messages.
He remembered paying Aberforth a galleon as a tuition fee, but in the end, he hadn't learned the skill, which felt like a huge loss! Thinking of this, Albert felt even more depressed, so he stuffed a large piece of fried potato into his mouth, intending to turn his depression into appetite.
As expected, it was a sumptuous feast, and everyone ate to their heart's content, the Great Hall echoing with laughter and the clatter of cutlery.
The banquet lasted for over an hour, and as the last of the chocolate cakes disappeared from the golden plates, Albert pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his mouth.
Just then, Dumbledore stood up again from the High Table, "Now that we are all well-fed, I have a few more things to say."
All eyes turned to Dumbledore, and the hall fell silent.
"There are a few things to keep in mind before the start of term," began Dumbledore.
The points that Dumbledore made were the usual: students were forbidden from entering the Forbidden Forest, magic was not to be used in the corridors, and those interested in joining the Quidditch teams should speak to Madam Hooch...
Albert felt that Dumbledore glanced in their direction when he mentioned the first rule.
Well, they did frequent the Forbidden Forest quite a bit.
However, Albert didn't feel like venturing into the forest this year. With Voldemort hunting unicorns in the forest, it didn't feel safe anymore.
Albert definitely didn't want to run into that guy and end up missing.
Fred and George, on the other hand, didn't seem too concerned about it. They had heard these rules every year.
"...and I must tell you that those who do not wish to suffer a painful death should not venture into the right-hand corridor on the fourth floor."
Dumbledore's words caused quite a few students to laugh, including Harry Potter.
Fred and George exchanged glances and began whispering to each other.
"The right-hand corridor on the fourth floor? I've been there before, and there wasn't anything particularly special about it."
It was no wonder Fred thought that way. They had been there before and even ambushed a Slytherin student there.
The sad tale of a Slytherin student with his head stuck in a toilet began in that corridor.
George nudged Albert with his elbow, curious about his thoughts.
"I guess Dumbledore must've put something dangerous there," Albert mumbled.
However, Albert felt that Dumbledore was essentially telling them that there was a secret in the right-hand corridor on the fourth floor and encouraging them to go on an adventure! After all, it was better to guide them than to restrict them completely.
That was how Albert saw it, and he believed that many others would also be intrigued and perhaps even attempt to venture there, only to be scared away by Hagrid's three-headed dog.
They would assume that the danger Dumbledore spoke of was the three-headed dog.
Even if they discovered the trapdoor guarded by the dog, they would likely give up, unable to get past the beast, as no one wanted to get bitten.
"I think what you said makes a lot of sense," said Lee Jordan excitedly. "When do you think we should go take a look?"
"We'll go when we have the time," Albert replied, yawning.
He joined the others in singing the school song, bringing the feast to an end.
Afterward, everyone dispersed. The first-years were led away by their prefects to their respective houses.
Albert, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan followed the other Gryffindors up the marble staircase. Having eaten their fill, no one felt like climbing more stairs, but they had to traverse more corridors and climb another flight of stairs to reach the Gryffindor common room entrance.
However, the four of them sneaked away through a secret passage and arrived early at the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"I hear Harry Potter has arrived at Hogwarts?" the Fat Lady asked.
"Yes, and he's been sorted into Gryffindor. You'll get to see him soon," Albert replied.
"Do you know the password?" Lee Jordan interrupted, yawning. He didn't want to stand there and listen to them chat all night.
Noticing the others looking at him, Albert shrugged helplessly, "Haven't you asked Percy?"
"I think you asked him."
"I think you know it too."
"Fine, it's 'dragon dung,'" Albert admitted, as he had indeed asked Percy earlier.
(End of Chapter)
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