Waking up, Chen Yu once again felt refreshed.
Chen Yu woke up a bit early. He glanced at the dim scenery outside the window and checked the time on the system panel. It was only six o'clock in the morning.
Seeing Harry, Ron, Seamus, Neville, and others still asleep, Chen Yu didn't wake them. He got dressed and left the dormitory alone.
They were all 11-year-old Little Wizards. They had walked such a long distance yesterday and were basically exhausted, so he wouldn't wake them up. He would let them sleep a bit longer, as long as they could make it to the first class at 9 o'clock.
Hogwarts' first-year curriculum was incredibly relaxed, so relaxed that Chen Yu even wondered if he was attending a fake wizarding school.
On Monday, there were only two classes: Transfiguration Class and Herbology. Transfiguration Class was from 9:00-9:45, and Herbology was from 15:00-15:45.
Good heavens, only two classes a day, totaling just an hour and a half.
Even kindergarten curricula were more tightly scheduled than this.
Chen Yu was looking at the timetable while descending the stairs, and even opened his game panel to check for new quests, completely oblivious to the stairs changing beneath his feet.
Main Quest: Hogwarts First-Year Journey
Quest Content: As a student, the most important thing is naturally the final exam. Please pass the first-year final exam and achieve at least six A's. (The better the player's grades, the better the reward)
Quest Reward: 1-5 Random Skill Cards
Chen Yu's courses for this year were: Transfiguration Class, Herbology, Charms Class, History of Magic, Charms Class, Astronomy, Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, Flying Class, Potion Class.
Grades from highest to lowest were:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
-Failing-
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D) (May require retaking the course)
Troll (T)
The main quest given by the system was not difficult to complete, but the time span was a bit long. Chen Yu had just entered Hogwarts and hadn't even started classes yet, and the system was already asking him to participate in the end-of-year assessment.
Main Quest: The Most Dazzling Kid in Hogwarts' First Year
Quest Content: As a player, even a first-year elementary student must become the most dazzling kid in first year! Complete an event that shocks all teachers and students. The higher the degree of shock, the better the reward.
Quest Reward: 1-5 Random Item Cards
Daily Quest: Diligent Practice
Quest Content: Practice magic twenty times a day.
Quest Reward: Mysterious Shard +10
Daily Quest: Night Patrol
Quest Content: Night patrol for half an hour.
Quest Reward: Mysterious Shard +10
(Every 100 Mysterious Shards can be exchanged for one Random Skill Card)
(Every 100 Mysterious Shards can be exchanged for one Random Item Card)
These were the two main quests and two daily quests that popped up after Chen Yu completed the main quest 【Hogwarts First-Year Student】 yesterday, when he put on the Sorting Hat and was sorted into Gryffindor.
From the quest difficulty, it was clear that the system's requirements for players were far too relaxed; none of the quests were particularly difficult.
Especially the second main quest, which only required shocking all teachers and students to complete. If he suddenly pulled out his wand during class and cast Avada Kedavra on Harry, that would certainly be shocking.
But Chen Yu wouldn't do that. Firstly, he had no grudge against Harry, and secondly, there were many other shocking things he could do.
Whether it was dealing with the Troll or publicly exposing Lord Voldemort's possession of Professor Quirrell, these would all be events that would shock all teachers and students.
Even if he didn't participate in these major events, just demonstrating some of the skills he would learn later would be a shocking thing.
Chen Yu estimated that this system was encouraging players to cause trouble.
Otherwise, why would it issue such quests?
It was time to let Hogwarts experience a shock from the East.
I like it, hehehe... As he laughed, the smile on Chen Yu's face froze.
Where is this?
What's wrong with the corridor in front of him?
Shouldn't I have arrived at the Great Hall?
He clearly followed the route from memory, so he should have reached the dining hall. How could he be lost?
Chen Yu suddenly began to doubt his life.
The place was covered in cobwebs and looked long abandoned.
Chen Yu now had two choices: one was to return the way he came, and the other was to explore this unknown area.
As a player, naturally, it was—to return the way he came!
This kind of long-abandoned corridor was perfect for hiding bosses and small monsters. He was just a newbie now; it wouldn't be too late to explore unknown areas after he learned more spells.
Chen Yu decisively retreated.
"Holy crap! Where are the stairs? Why are they gone?"
Walking back, Chen Yu found that the stairs he had used to come up had disappeared, which was utterly spooky.
He suddenly remembered that the stairs at Hogwarts moved on their own in the original story.
Although the movement pattern was fixed, for a newly enrolled student, this was too much of a pain.
It seemed he could only explore this unknown area.
Chen Yu took out his wand and Serpent Spell from his backpack. He held the wand in one hand and the Serpent Spell in the other, ready to turn invisible and save himself if anything went wrong.
Besides, he wasn't without the ability to resist. He was familiar with the three Unforgivable Curses.
Chen Yu stepped softly on the floor, slowly pacing forward.
In the silent corridor, it seemed only Chen Yu's shoes made a "creaking" sound as they stepped on the dust.
"No, something's not right!"
Chen Yu felt that besides his own footsteps, there seemed to be another set of footsteps, getting closer and closer to him.
The sound was very faint. If Chen Yu hadn't adjusted his hearing to the maximum, he wouldn't have heard this subtle sound at all.
The sound was right in front of him, and it was getting closer.
It seemed to have discovered his presence.
"Meow!!!"
A scrawny, dark gray cat sat on a broken stone carving, its large eyes staring intently at Chen Yu, letting out an eerie cry.
The sound was incredibly mournful, like the wailing of an abandoned infant.
Soon, a dark figure, carrying a dim oil lamp, ran over, panting.
It was a person.
Seeing that it was a person, Chen Yu was no longer afraid and stood still, waiting for the person to arrive.
The person had grayish-white hair, a hunched back, and a fierce, unapproachable look.
The person ran up to Chen Yu, huffing and puffing, and thrust the dim oil lamp into Chen Yu's face.
"Good job, Madam Norris!" The person, like his cat, looked fierce, staring intently at Chen Yu with wide eyes, letting out a perverted, cackling laugh. "Look what I've found? Aha, a Little Wizards out past curfew! And from Gryffindor? Not sleeping properly, wandering around at night and caught by me! Lucky little fellow, if this were in the old days, disobedient students who broke school rules like you would be locked in the dungeon and hung up by chains by Mr. Apollyon!
"Although the current Headmaster doesn't allow corporal punishment of students, he still permits punishing those who break school rules, giving you detention, making you clean, mend desks and chairs, polish trophies, clean the lavatory, making you pay for your actions! ..."
"Hello, Caretaker Filch! You're wrong about one thing, I haven't broken any school rules."
Chen Yu smiled, interrupting Filch's words.
Chen Yu had seen Filch yesterday, standing behind all the professors during the sorting ceremony.
Filch was the caretaker of Hogwarts.
Most people didn't have a good impression of him.
Who made him stand against the students, always looking for trouble and confiscating their "contraband"?
Filch was a Squib.
A Squib meant a person born into a wizarding family but without any magical ability, just an ordinary person.
They were even less well-regarded than Muggle-born wizards.
The only thing better than Muggles was that they didn't need the Ministry of Magic to erase their memories after encountering magical events.
They were both fortunate and unfortunate.
Fortunate in that, compared to Muggles, they knew of the existence of the magical world.
Unfortunate in that they knew of magic but could never use it in their lifetime.
It was precisely because of this that he would fly into a rage when he saw Hogwarts students not cherishing their opportunity to study.
Just like dormitory supervisors in high school, seeing students not studying hard, drinking, playing cards, climbing walls to go online, or staying out all night, sometimes they worried more than the students' parents.
Because they knew that once these three years of study were missed, unless there was some extraordinary encounter or help from parents, these students would basically find it very difficult to turn their lives around.
Filch was the same. He seemed unapproachable, always wanting to "corporally punish" students, yet he always adhered to the rules set by Dumbledore and diligently performed his duties.
For students, Hogwarts was just a place for them to study magic for seven years.
But for Filch, Hogwarts was his only home in the magical world, the only place in the magical world that accepted him.
He envied students for being able to learn magic and was jealous that students could cast spells.
He longed for magic and secretly enrolled in a magic correspondence course from the Quick-spell Company.
However, it was useless, as a Squib could not use magic after all.
Imagine, as the only person in Hogwarts who couldn't use magic, yet having to manage a group of wizard students, it was like an ugly duckling trying to manage a flock of white swans.
He would certainly be ostracized and looked down upon by the wizards.
Moreover, Filch was not handsome, had a bad temper, and was constantly at odds with the students, so his life was bound to be difficult.
Day after day, year after year, although he endured year after year at Hogwarts, no one, except his cat Madam Norris, probably took him seriously.
Deep within his heart, he harbored a deep sense of inferiority.
Envying students, being jealous of students, longing for magic, having an inferiority complex, adhering to principles—this was Mr. Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts.
For such a sensitive person, sometimes just showing some respect can yield unexpected results.
Hearing Chen Yu's address, Filch's laughter abruptly stopped. He grabbed Chen Yu's shoulder and said fiercely, "What did you just call me?"
"Caretaker Filch, what's wrong?"
Chen Yu looked at Filch, whose expression was changing rapidly, with some confusion.
He watched as Filch's mouth curled slightly upwards before immediately pulling back down.
"Ahem... nothing, your address is correct! You should all call me Mr. Filch."
Filch released his hand from Chen Yu's shoulder and carefully scrutinized Chen Yu, trying to imprint his appearance in his mind.
"Seeing your good attitude, I'll give you a chance for leniency. Tell me, why aren't you sleeping properly and wandering around at night? If you don't give a good reason, you'll still be sent to detention!"
Chen Yu shook his head: "Mr. Filch, I said I haven't broken any school rules. I haven't been out past curfew. I'm sure you've noticed, I'm a new student who just arrived at Hogwarts yesterday. How could I dare to come out alone and break school rules by wandering around at night so soon after arriving?"
"It's like this, Mr. Filch, I just arrived at Hogwarts and I'm not familiar with the place. I usually wake up quite early, and I intended to go to the Great Hall for breakfast. While walking down the stairs, I somehow ended up here. Thinking of going back the way I came, the stairs I used to come up had disappeared. As a result, after several twists and turns, I got lost and was forced to come here. Then I was discovered by your cat. Is this your cat? She looks very beautiful."
"Norris, you can call her Madam Norris." Filch eyed Chen Yu suspiciously, seemingly doubting the accuracy of Chen Yu's words.
Hearing Chen Yu praise his cat, Filch's mouth curved into a smile, but he still said with a fierce expression, "Is that really so? You can't fool me! ...Since there's a reason, then come with me!"
After speaking, Filch, carrying the lantern, turned and walked away. After walking a dozen steps, he looked back at Chen Yu and said, "You're going to the Great Hall, right? The way is over here! I was also about to go to the Great Hall, so come with me."
"The stairs in the corridors change once a week. Every year, new Little Wizards can't find the correct path."
Filch walked ahead, muttering in a low voice, his voice very soft, as if afraid Chen Yu would hear him.
After passing through a dimly lit corridor, making several turns, and going up and down several sets of stairs, Chen Yu saw familiar roads.
"Alright, just go straight ahead and you'll reach the Great Hall." Filch stopped, then turned back, "I suddenly remembered something I haven't done yet. You go to the dining hall by yourself! You're wearing a Gryffindor uniform, so you're a Gryffindor student? I'll give you a piece of advice: stay away from anyone named Weasley, especially the Weasley Brothers, they will make you turn out badly!"
"Okay, thank you, Mr. Filch!"
Chen Yu followed the path forward and indeed saw the familiar long tables.
However, there weren't even utensils on the tables, so it seemed he had arrived early.
Only a few house-elves were cleaning, and they looked surprised when they saw Chen Yu approaching.
As soon as Filch saw Chen Yu walk into the Great Hall, he immediately ducked into a corner where Chen Yu couldn't see him and burst out laughing: "Ha? Mr. Filch?"
"Caretaker Filch."
"Mr. Filch!"
"How pleasant to hear... Hahahahaha!"
"Meow!"
