I Will Watch You!

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers as another student joined their house. The Sorting Hat, looking quite proud, seized the opportunity to sing not one but two of its exclusive songs. Unfortunately, its "performance" was met with awkward silence, the students clearly not appreciating its artistic flair. Despite the lukewarm response, the Sorting Hat continued this tactic with the next few students.

Finally, it was Harry Potter's turn to be sorted. As Professor McGonagall called his name, the entire hall fell silent. Every eye turned to Harry as he approached the stool. The professors, students, and particularly the first-years were on edge. Harry Potter—the Boy Who Lived—was a name everyone knew. The anticipation was palpable; every house secretly hoped to claim him.

When Harry placed the Sorting Hat on his head, it hesitated for a moment before shouting, "Slytherin!"

Gasps echoed through the hall, and Harry visibly flinched. The Slytherin table exchanged uncertain glances. They hesitated to applaud, remembering that the Sorting Hat had played tricks earlier. Could this be another prank, or was Harry Potter truly destined for Slytherin?

Before anyone could act, the Sorting Hat continued, calling out two more house names, eventually landing on its final choice: "Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table exploded in cheers, their excitement shaking the hall. Hermione, who had been sorted into Gryffindor earlier, clapped enthusiastically from her seat beside David. She had mentioned that the hat had considered Ravenclaw for her, but she had preferred Gryffindor.

The loudest of all were the Weasley twins, George and Fred, who leapt to their feet. They rushed to Harry, lifting him like a champion as the rest of the house celebrated his arrival.

---

Once the excitement settled, Hermione turned to David. "I've read all about Harry in A History of Modern Magic and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. He defeated You-Know-Who and saved the wizarding world, right?"

David nodded. "That's correct—well, sort of. You-Know-Who was defeated when he tried to kill Harry."

Hermione frowned, her curiosity piqued. "But how? He was just a baby!"

David shrugged, feigning ignorance. "No one really knows. The books and stories all say the same thing—You-Know-Who's curse backfired, and he was defeated. The rest is a mystery."

Of course, David knew the truth: Harry's mother's sacrificial love had protected him. But how could he explain that without revealing his deeper knowledge of the wizarding world?

---

The Sorting Ceremony continued until there were only a few students left. One of them, a nervous girl named Kelly Lopez, stumbled as she approached the stool. Her clumsy movements drew a few chuckles from the audience, making her even more flustered. She flushed as she fumbled with the Sorting Hat before placing it on her head.

After a long pause, the hat finally declared, "Hufflepuff!" Kelly hurried to her new house table, where the older students greeted her warmly, offering words of encouragement to ease her nerves.

---

With the Sorting Ceremony complete, Dumbledore stood and addressed the hall. "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

In an instant, the golden plates on the tables filled with a feast. David, who had been starving, wasted no time grabbing a pie and taking a big bite.

Hermione, however, didn't touch her food. Instead, she repeated Dumbledore's words softly, frowning. "What does that even mean?"

David, caught mid-bite, nearly choked as she poked him in the side. After recovering with a gulp of pumpkin juice, he groaned. "Hermione, next time don't poke me while I'm eating. You nearly sent me to join the school ghosts!"

Hermione looked sheepish. "Sorry," she said softly.

David waved it off. "Dumbledore's always saying strange things. Maybe it's just his way of being whimsical, or maybe it's a secret code for the house-elves. Either way, don't worry about it. Eat before it gets cold."

Hermione hesitated but eventually started on her meal. Meanwhile, David discovered that the sausages were particularly good, their savory flavor making them his favorite dish so far.

---

After the meal, Dumbledore stood again, reminding the students of the school rules. "First-years, in particular, must remember: the forest near the school is strictly off-limits!"

David continued eating, paying little attention. After all, he had no intention of breaking the rules—well, not immediately.

Hermione nudged him again, whispering, "David, Professor Dumbledore was looking at you just now. Did you hear what he said? You're not planning on sneaking into the forest, are you?"

David looked up, startled to find Dumbledore indeed glancing his way with a knowing smile. Quickly, he wiped his hands and smiled back, trying to appear innocent.

"Of course not!" David said emphatically. "I wouldn't dream of breaking the rules."

Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Good, because I'll be watching you! If you even think about it, I'll report you. And don't forget, breaking the rules will cost Gryffindor points!"

David forced a grin, hiding his true thoughts. "Don't worry, Hermione. I'll behave."

But in his mind, he knew: if there was ever a good reason to visit the forbidden forest, Hermione would never know—unless, of course, she broke the rules herself.