Chapter 490: Opening Feast
Chapter 490: Opening Feast
Sure enough, just as Neville had said, Luna and Hermione's argument soon came to an end. Liam thought that the two of them, one emotional and the other rational, were completely different in character and habits, and logically, they shouldn't get along at all.
However, strangely enough, after a few years in the Study Group, Hermione and Luna had developed a peculiar friendship. For example, Liam had seen Hermione seriously preparing Christmas gifts for Luna. He believed that their constant debates might be a special way of expressing their friendship.
"I really hope the food cart gets here soon; I'm starving", Ron muttered, rubbing his stomach. The sun was now at the center of the sky, and it was already noon. With most of the children having graduated and become independent, the Weasley family's financial pressure had eased considerably, and Ron and Ginny no longer had to eat cheap canned beef sandwiches.
At that moment, the compartment door opened, and a breathless third-year girl walked in.
"I'm here to give these to Neville and Harry Potter", she stammered, her face turning bright red as she met Harry's gaze. She handed over two scrolls tied with purple ribbons. Harry and Neville took the scrolls, which bore their names, and the girl stumbled out of the compartment.
The scrolls were invitations from Professor Slughorn, inviting Harry and Neville to a luncheon in Compartment C. Neville looked surprised by the invitation, as he was usually called to detention when professors singled him out.
Not long after the two left, the food cart finally arrived. The lunch on the Hogwarts Express had a distinctly British flavor, with pies, sandwiches, and Fish and Chips. After a quick meal, Liam and the others patrolled the train until the lights in the compartments came on, then they headed to the Prefect compartment to change into their school uniforms.
"Where's Harry?" Half an hour later, as they stood by the Gryffindor table watching the Sorting Ceremony, Ginny asked with a worried tone. Almost everyone was in the Great Hall, but Harry was nowhere to be seen.
"Didn't he go to find you?" Neville, who had just finished greeting Hannah at the Hufflepuff table, turned around and said, somewhat surprised. "When the lights came on, we dispersed to change into our uniforms, but Harry said he would wait a bit before coming to find you and then disappeared under his Invisibility Cloak. I've been with some Hufflepuffs since then and haven't seen Harry."
"What?" Ginny felt even more anxious now, but she was somewhat relieved that the professors hadn't taken any unusual actions. If something had really happened to Harry, Professor Dumbledore, at least, wouldn't be sitting calmly in the middle of the head table.
Dumbledore was wearing a purple robe with gold trim. When Professor Mcgonagall left with the stool and the Sorting Hat, he stood up and announced the start of the feast. From the way he extended his arms, Liam could see the result of his small butterfly effect: Dumbledore's arms were both intact, and the curse from Voldemort's Horcrux that had shortened his life to a year in the original story had not occurred.
Unlike stories that thrive on twists and turns, Liam, as someone truly living in this world, prioritized stability. As long as Dumbledore was alive, it meant that a sturdy protective umbrella still covered British wizards, and the entire British wizarding community was still under control.
The idea of a lone hero saving the day sounded appealing, but if you were not just a passive listener but an active participant in the story, the best outcome was to play a supporting role and ultimately win without taking center stage. Liam also remembered how many people died during Harry's seventh year in the original story. Compared to seeking the limelight and becoming a hero, he believed that keeping innocent people alive was far more important. This was why Liam had been ruthless with the Death Eaters, willing to stain his hands with the blood of those villains to save even one innocent life.
While pondering these questions, Liam felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He snapped out of his thoughts and realized the opening feast had already begun. Hermione had noticed he was daydreaming and gently pulled his sleeve to get his attention.
The meal was sumptuous, and Liam, who had only eaten a sandwich on the train, immediately dug in. After devouring a lamb chop and a few roasted potatoes, Nearly Headless Nick floated over to greet him. Since Liam started occasionally providing Ghostly Delicacies to the ghosts in the castle, many of them had become his friends. As a result, he had learned many secrets about the castle.
"By the way, this yew wood token contains local delicacies I acquired in China. Have a House-Elf take it to the kitchen later", Liam said, pulling out a wooden token carved with a fierce ghost face and placing it on the table.
"Thank you so much. I've only heard about Chinese cuisine but never had the chance to taste it", Nick said. "By the way, where is Harry? We spent the entire summer vacation in the castle discussing whether he is The Chosen One."
"He might have been delayed by something, but he should be back soon", Liam replied, vaguely remembering that Harry had been attacked on the train but had returned unharmed.
Sure enough, as everyone was finishing the main course, Harry walked in, drawing the attention of many. Under the gazes of the crowd, he quickly took the empty seat next to Ginny.
"Where have you been—good grief, what happened to your face?" Ginny exclaimed, her exclamation making Liam turn to look. He saw that Harry's face was covered in dried blood.
"How did you get all that blood on your face!" Ginny said, "Here—" She raised her wand and said, "Scouring Charm!" The dried blood crusts were instantly removed.
"Thanks", Harry said, checking his face with a spoon. "At least my nose is okay."
He then glanced around at the curious onlookers and whispered to Ginny, "I'll tell you what happened later. I'm about to starve to death right now." He felt that if his injuries were from a heroic battle against a group of Dementors or Death Eaters, it would be one thing, but being beaten up by Malfoy was something he didn't want to admit.
Just as Harry was about to grab a chicken leg, the main dishes disappeared, and desserts appeared on the table. Fortunately, Ginny had thoughtfully set aside two chicken legs and a handful of fries on an empty plate next to her and now handed them to Harry.
As Harry buried his head in the food, Ginny nudged him with her elbow, "Hagrid is waving at you, Harry."
Harry looked toward the staff table and saw Hagrid indeed waving at him. He smiled back at Hagrid. Hagrid and the stern Professor Mcgonagall, the Head of Gryffindor, always seemed mismatched; when they sat together, her head barely reached Hagrid's elbow and shoulder. At that moment, she saw Hagrid waving so enthusiastically and frowned, nudging Hagrid's ribs with her elbow to remind him to be more composed.
On Hagrid's other side sat Professor Trelawney, which was the first time Harry had seen her at the Opening Feast. She usually stayed in her Tower at this time.
Harry had always considered her a fraud, but after the battle at the Ministry of Magic last term, he learned from Dumbledore that she had made the Prophecy that led Voldemort to kill his parents and attempt to kill him as well. Knowing this, Harry was even more reluctant to be around her—fortunately, he was no longer taking Divination this term.
Finally, all the desserts vanished, and Dumbledore stood up behind the staff table. The laughter and chatter in the Great Hall almost immediately subsided.
"Good evening to all of you!" he said with a kind smile, spreading his arms as if to embrace the entire Great Hall.
(End of Chapter)
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