Hogwarts School was studded with spires, and its many windows gleamed under the starry sky, standing out in the darkness.
Against the backdrop of the Black Lake, the castle appeared particularly massive.
All the Little Wizards, including Chen Yu, showed expressions of awe.
"No more than four people per boat!"
Hagrid pointed to the small boats with magical lanterns by the shore and shouted to the first-year new students, informing them that they needed to take these boats across the Black Lake to Hogwarts.
The Little Wizards listened to Hagrid, scrambling to form groups and get into the boats, with no more than four people per group, as if more than four would capsize the boat.
There were many small boats, enough for everyone to board, and many Little Wizards went in groups of two or three.
Chen Yu, Harry, and Ron chose one small boat.
Once all the Little Wizards were in the boats, Hagrid sat alone in one boat and shouted, "Depart!"
The boats, without sails, moved on their own, propelled by the Black Lake's waves, swiftly drifting towards Hogwarts.
"Your Lumos is really cool!" Ron excitedly looked at Chen Yu, "You really stole the show just now!"
Chen Yu pretended to put his wand back into his wizard's robe; with the magic lanterns illuminating the way, there was no longer a need for Lumos to continue.
"It's alright, honestly, I wasn't trying to show off, I just thought it was too dark without light to walk properly."
Chen Yu shrugged, gazing at the towering castle.
Watching a movie felt completely different from being there in person.
Only by witnessing Hogwarts Castle with one's own eyes could one truly appreciate its mystery and feel its grandeur.
As the first boats approached the cliff, Hagrid shouted loudly.
"Heads down!"
Everyone quickly ducked their heads, allowing the boats to carry them through a pitch-black tunnel.
Finally, the boats slowed down and docked at an underground pier.
After the Little Wizards disembarked, Hagrid found Neville's toad while checking the empty boats, handed it to a overjoyed Neville, and then led all the Little Wizards to a flat, damp grassy area.
Everyone climbed the stone steps and gathered in front of a giant oak door.
Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times on the door.
The door immediately opened.
A tall witch in emerald green robes stood sternly at the doorway.
This was Professor McGonagall, the guide Chen Yu was familiar with and the Head of Gryffindor.
Professor McGonagall said, "Welcome to Hogwarts."
Hagrid said, "First-year students, Professor McGonagall."
Professor McGonagall looked at the Little Wizards, a slight smile on her lips, then continued sternly, "Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here."
She opened the door wider and led everyone into the Entrance Hall.
Chen Yu saw a magnificent marble staircase directly ahead in the Entrance Hall, with roaring torches burning on the stone walls around, and a ceiling so high it was almost out of sight.
This was the Great Hall of Hogwarts, also its dining hall, where all grades of Little Wizards ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, in addition to the annual welcome feast and Christmas feast.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it Hogwarts' cafeteria.
Chen Yu guessed that the torches must have been enchanted with a constant spell, otherwise, the energy consumed by burning them every day would be a huge expense.
Everyone followed Professor McGonagall into a small room, where they stood shoulder to shoulder, nervously observing everything around them.
"The start-of-term feast is about to begin," Professor McGonagall said. "However, before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your respective Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be like your family at Hogwarts. You will have classes with other students in your House, sleep in your House dormitories, and spend your free time in your House common room..."
Professor McGonagall spoke eloquently, mentioning the four Houses, various Precautions, and the importance of House placement.
Her gaze was sharp as she spoke, pausing on Neville's cloak and Ron's nose, which scared Harry into quickly smoothing his hair.
"I will come back for you when they are ready. Please remain quiet until then."
She gave Chen Yu a final look, and Chen Yu smiled and greeted Professor McGonagall with his eyes before she left the room.
Only after Professor McGonagall left the room did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
Harry nudged Chen Yu with his arm and whispered, "Chen Yu, is this the Professor McGonagall you mentioned, your guide?"
For first-year Little Wizards, the oppressive feeling Professor McGonagall exuded was no less than that of elders at home.
"Yes, don't let Professor McGonagall's serious demeanor fool you; she's actually a diligent and responsible professor," Chen Yu explained with a smile.
"How do they accurately sort us into Houses?"
Harry turned to ask Ron.
He figured Ron's older brothers, who attended Hogwarts, should know some insider information.
Ron shivered, "I guess there has to be some kind of test. Fred said it's very painful, but I think he was joking."
Hearing this, Harry's heart also trembled.
Uncertain situations are always filled with suspicion and fear.
Chen Yu saw Harry's little face turn pale with fright, though he didn't know what Harry was imagining.
Noticing a rapid incantation from nearby, he turned to see that Miss Hermione Granger also seemed incredibly nervous, muttering to herself and rapidly reciting the spells she had learned.
Chen Yu looked around, most of the Little Wizards were very nervous.
Chen Yu also saw Draco Malfoy and his two cronies behind him; Draco didn't seem very nervous, likely because his family had told him about the Sorting.
He stared intently at Harry, seemingly thinking about how to introduce himself to Harry and make a good impression.
With Ron around, it would be good if these two didn't become enemies.
Indeed, Chen Yu saw Draco's gaze harden, then he led his two cronies towards Harry.
As if by fate, after they exchanged a few words, Ron successfully turned their potential friendship into animosity.
Chen Yu watched from the side as the two Little Wizards became a bickering pair at Hogwarts, unable to suppress a joyful smile.
Watching Harry and Draco's love-hate dynamic was one of the great pleasures of Hogwarts School.
Professor McGonagall walked in, interrupting Harry and Malfoy's confrontation.
"Everything's ready. Now, line up in a single file and follow me."
All the Little Wizards followed Professor McGonagall into a magnificent dining hall.
Chen Yu saw students from other years sitting at four long tables, with thousands of candles floating in the air above the tables.
Looking up, he saw a velvet-black ceiling dotted with twinkling stars.
Chen Yu heard Hermione quietly explain, "It's enchanted to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History'."
Chen Yu gazed at the distant starry sky; if Hermione hadn't explained, Chen Yu would have believed the dining hall's ceiling was open-air.
Chen Yu became interested in the spell on the ceiling.
Was this spell that transformed the ceiling into a starry sky a form of illusion? Spatial refraction? Or simply a Disillusionment Charm cast on the ceiling to make it invisible and transparent?
Professor McGonagall led the new students to the platform and said, "Everyone wait here. Before the ceremony begins, Professor Dumbledore has a few words for you."
Chen Yu saw a four-legged stool at the very front of the platform, with a patched, grubby Sorting Hat resting on it.
Behind the podium was a long table, which was the professors' seating.
At the professors' table, he saw Professor Snape with his greasy hair, Professor Quirrell with his turban, the short Professor Flitwick, the tall Hagrid sitting in the corner, and Professor Dumbledore sitting in the middle.
Besides these, Chen Yu also saw several other professors sitting at the professors' table, but based on their attire, he thought for a long time and couldn't recall their names.
McGonagall, holding a parchment roll of names, took a few steps forward and said, "When I call your name, you will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and await your Sorting."
"Hannah Abbott!"
Chen Yu saw a blonde little girl with two pigtails stumble out of the line, put on the hat, and after a moment's pause, the Sorting Hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
The people at the table on the right applauded and cheered for Hannah.
Then came the second... the third... the fourth Little Wizards, who, as Professor McGonagall called their names, went up to wear the Sorting Hat and await their Sorting.
Seeing this scene, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all breathed a sigh of relief, not realizing the Sorting process was so simple.
Chen Yu saw that the Sorting Hat sometimes immediately called out the House name, and sometimes took a while to make a decision.
Hermione, Harry, and Ron were all sorted into Gryffindor as in the original story.
Especially Harry; when the Sorting Hat shouted "Gryffindor," the deafening cheers almost lifted the roof.
This showed how deeply ingrained Harry Potter's title of "Savior" was in people's hearts.
The name-calling for the Sorting continued in an orderly fashion, and when it came to Chen Yu, he was the last one.
"Chen Yu!"
Hearing Professor McGonagall call his name, Chen Yu straightened his wizard's robe and walked calmly towards the podium with unhurried steps.
The closer he got to the Sorting Hat, the more he felt that the dust on the Sorting Hat needed a wash.
It felt like a simple shake would dislodge a pile of dust.
He picked up the Sorting Hat and placed it on his head.
Immediately, four options appeared before his eyes.
【Choose the House the player wants to go to】
【Gryffindor】
【Ravenclaw】
【Hufflepuff】
【Slytherin】
"Difficult, very difficult, let me think, I can tell you have great courage, and a good heart, talent, ambition, a desire for knowledge and power, a pure-blooded Eastern wizard, it seems any House would suit."
Chen Yu listened to the Sorting Hat's words, looking at the four options and the constantly ticking countdown, knowing it was time to make his choice.
"I suggest you go to Slytherin; you deeply desire magical power..."
"Ravenclaw isn't bad either; I can feel your thirst for magical knowledge..."
Listening to the Sorting Hat's suggestions, Chen Yu suddenly became anxious. If he was sorted into Slytherin, how could he watch the fun? He would become the fun.
It's not that Chen Yu disliked Slytherin, but... coming from an orphanage, exceptionally talented, fond of studying Dark Arts, he had practically maxed out all the 'buffs' on him.
The last student with all these buffs was Tom Riddle, the second Dark Lord.
Considered the most powerful and dangerous Dark Wizard of all time.
Even after his defeat, ordinary wizards still dared not speak his name.
Chen Yu had already thought about it; if he were sorted into Slytherin, it wouldn't be a possibility, but a certainty that Dumbledore would notice him and make him a key person of interest.
After the Sorting, let alone sneaking out at night, Dumbledore would probably secretly follow him as soon as he stepped out of the dormitory door.
Even going to the toilet, Dumbledore would probably suspect him of plotting some conspiracy, and none of his little secrets would remain hidden; they'd all be dug out.
The problem was, there were no conspiracies, but his little secrets really couldn't stand scrutiny.
Not to mention whether Dumbledore would discover the system's existence, just the fact that he knew the three Unforgivable Curses was enough to put him in hot water.
Orphan, pure-blood, three Unforgivable Curses—the perfect template for a third Dark Lord.
If he were to wander around in front of Dumbledore with this template, he could just declare 'game over'.
Perhaps when he entered Azkaban, he might even see a big 'Noob' sign appear on his panel.
Moreover, Dumbledore was a master of Legilimency; even if the system could defend against Legilimency, Chen Yu didn't want to casually wander in front of Dumbledore before he could edit false memories.
Going to Gryffindor was different; Gryffindor was a symbol of courage.
To put it nicely, it cultivated "heroes"; to put it less nicely, it cultivated "reckless individuals."
And Gryffindor had Harry Potter, the attention-grabber, so the "vitality" wouldn't be focused on him in the early stages at all.
Furthermore, Dumbledore himself came from Gryffindor, having a natural degree of goodwill towards students from Gryffindor.
As long as he survived the early development period, even if Dumbledore discovered something was off about him later, he wouldn't be able to do anything.
"It seems I need to learn Occlumency as soon as possible."
Occlumency could not only block specific thoughts, emotions, and memories but also create the "illusion" of false memories.
Once he learned it, Chen Yu wouldn't fear Dumbledore using Legilimency on him.
And as a player and a mischief-maker, he naturally hoped to observe the trio's development in Gryffindor up close.
Chen Yu chose Gryffindor in his mind.
At the same time, the Sorting Hat loudly shouted, "Sly... Gryffindor!"
Another round of applause erupted below, and although not many clapped, Chen Yu saw Harry and Ron clapping very hard.
Chen Yu placed the Sorting Hat back on the four-legged stool and quickly ran to the Gryffindor table.
He vaguely heard the Sorting Hat muttering in existential doubt: "Strange, strange, I thought he was very suitable for Slytherin, why did I suddenly want to sort him into Gryffindor? It's truly strange..."