#119 - Branch

“You flatter me.” Snape couldn't help but reveal a hint of smugness upon hearing Professor Flitwick's constant praise of his house's students, which slightly increased Anduin's goodwill towards Snape. Perhaps this little rascal who attacked him wasn't entirely useless after all.

While Snape was lost in thought, Headmaster Dumbledore also appeared in the Great Hall, still with his usual amiable expression. After greeting everyone, he took a seat in the center of the hall.

Accompanying Dumbledore was an unfamiliar adult wizard, who looked to be in his late twenties, with a worried expression as he sat down at the staff table.

Is that this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Why does he look like he's constipated? Anduin thought to himself.

Before Anduin could observe for long, the doors of the Great Hall were opened, and the students from second to seventh year gradually entered the hall, immediately filling the entire hall with noise and chatter.

“Anduin.” Vivian saw Anduin sitting at the long table and quickly rushed over.

“Long time no see, Vivian. How was your summer vacation?” Anduin smiled at Vivian.

“It was alright. Did you finish your summer homework? Let me copy it later. I spent the whole summer playing mahjong at home, and only remembered about the homework on the train back.”

Vivian sat down and began chattering anxiously to Anduin.

Anduin couldn't help but rub his forehead in exasperation. How did he become friends with such an unreliable girl?

Just as he was taking out his homework, the pure-blood students walked into the hall. As they entered, everyone intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Anduin, their malice impossible to hide.

Vivian, sitting next to him, couldn't help but shrink back when she saw them enter, and whispered to Anduin, “You don't know how arrogant these guys have been this year. Last year, they only bullied those who didn't want to take sides, but this year, they acted like they owned the place as soon as they got on the train. They even went to every compartment with Slytherin students and warned them that they had to obey Yaxley's orders this year, and that no one was allowed to talk to you or have any contact with you, saying that being around you would be contaminating.”

Anduin frowned slightly upon hearing this, and whispered, “Isn't Voldemort gone? How dare they act so rampantly?”

“Hmph, Yaxley became Head Boy this year, and Wilkes was also elected prefect. They act as if the Dark Lord never disappeared, even more arrogant than before. Last year, Higgs, who was kicked off the Quidditch team for arguing back, was slapped twice by Wilkes, right on the train! It's simply outrageous!”

Vivian excitedly described the scenes she had witnessed on the way here.

Yaxley and the others walked to the front of the long table, patted the shoulders of a few students who were already seated, squeezed them aside, or drove them to the back of the table, and then sat down together, chatting animatedly.

“To destroy them, one must first make them mad. It seems they haven't recognized the situation yet. Don't worry, soon you won't have to worry about those guys anymore.” Anduin muttered, his eyes gleaming as he watched the pure-bloods' arrogant expressions.

Vivian frowned in confusion upon hearing this, and was about to ask something when Anduin said, “Since they told you that, how dare you still talk to me?”

“Hmph!” Vivian wore a proud expression. “I'm not afraid of them. Let them try to provoke me if they dare! Our mahjong club isn't just for show.”

Seeing Vivian so confident, Anduin smiled and nodded, then stopped paying attention to those guys.

Soon, Professor McGonagall led a group of first-year students in their new wizard robes into the hall. Most of the students had nervous and uneasy expressions on their faces, clearly frightened by the so-called Sorting Ceremony.

From afar, Anduin saw Bill in the crowd. His fiery red hair made it hard not to notice him. After a year, Bill hadn't changed much except for growing taller.

Bill, who had been looking around, also noticed Anduin at the Slytherin table. Looking at the changed and familiar figure, Bill wasn't even sure if it was the same Anduin he had met last year, until Anduin nodded to Bill, and Bill gave him a cheerful smile.

Just as the two made eye contact, Professor McGonagall began calling out the names on the sorting list from the podium.

“Ibu Gamper.”

A bewildered young wizard walked out of the crowd and, guided by Professor McGonagall, sat down on the stool beside her.

“SLYTHERIN!” The Sorting Hat had barely been placed on the boy's head before it quickly shouted out the house name.

“Bill Weasley.”

After a while, Bill's name was called. Bill adjusted his clothes slightly nervously and sat down on the stool.

“GRYFFINDOR!” Similarly, without much hesitation, the Sorting Hat quickly shouted out the house name.

“As expected.” Anduin smiled and muttered.

The Sorting Ceremony continued, with students from each house welcoming the new students with applause and cheers.

The first boy to be sorted sat down opposite Anduin. This was not surprising, as everyone was afraid to get too close to Anduin due to the threats from Yaxley and the others, so there were empty seats all around him except for Vivian.

“Y-you, hello, I'm Ibu Gamper.”

The shy boy, who had just sat down, mustered his courage to greet the handsome boy in front of him.

“Hello, I'm Anduin Wilson, you can call me Anduin.” Anduin replied with a smile.

“Hey, Ibu, can I call you that? I'm Vivian Bulstrode.” Vivian also greeted the shy boy with a smile.

“Y-yes, you can call me Ibu or Gamper. I know the Bulstrode name, my grandmother's maiden name was Bulstrode.” Ibu seemed to have found a relative, and spoke much more fluently.

“Haha, then we're relatives! But then again, it's not hard to find a relative in Slytherin.” Vivian joked, half complaining.

“Hehe, my father also said that holding a banquet in Slytherin is like a family dinner, everyone can claim a relationship.” Ibu also laughed.

“Speaking of which, the name Gamper sounds familiar, let me think.” Vivian scratched her head and thought for a moment. “Ah, I remember, didn't your family produce a Minister for Magic? I remember, it was Ottaline Gamper, he served as Minister in the last century, and had a pretty good reputation.”