Chapter 30: A First Impressions

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"Draco, he's performing much better than you did last year," a second-year Slytherin girl teased Draco Malfoy from across the table.

Draco's expression immediately soured.

"Who does he think he is, just a half-blood? I'm going to be the Seeker for the team this year and help Slytherin win the House Cup!" Draco declared.

Last year, the Bloody Baron had scared him half to death, marking a significant blemish on his life.

"Draco, you're really joining the team?"

The news of Draco joining the team quickly caught the attention of the younger students.

Quidditch was a sport that almost every wizard enjoyed, and the annual matches were one of the most eagerly anticipated events.

"Of course. My skills are far superior to that fool Potter's; he just got lucky," Draco boasted.

In reality, Draco's father had sold quite a few items in Knockturn Alley and used the money to equip the entire Slytherin Quidditch team with the latest Nimbus 2001 brooms, which is why Draco had this opportunity.

As the feast neared its end, Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall returned.

Dumbledore gave a few reminders and ended the opening feast with a collective singing of the school song.

"First-year students, follow me."

At this, the fifth-year prefects from each house stood up almost simultaneously.

The first-year students then rose and followed their respective prefects to their dormitories.

Leaving the hall and arriving in the main entrance hall, the four houses began to separate.

The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students climbed the marble staircase to the upper levels of the castle, while the Slytherin and Hufflepuff students headed towards the dungeons.

The Slytherin dormitories were even deeper underground than those of Hufflepuff.

"Let me tell you, among the four houses, Slytherin's dormitory is the best. From our common room, you can see the underwater world of the Black Lake and the magical creatures living there," the fifth-year prefect proudly announced as they walked.

Upon hearing that they could view the magical creatures beneath the Black Lake from their dormitory, the first-year Slytherins immediately showed excitement.

They remembered vividly the giant squid that had rescued them during their boat ride across the lake.

"Pure-blood!"

Arriving at the end of the dungeon corridor, the prefect shouted a password. The wall immediately split open, revealing a large room bathed in green light, the Slytherin common room.

"The password for the common room changes every two weeks. The new password will be posted on the notice board," the prefect explained as they entered the common room.

At this point, the first-years were completely captivated by the room's appearance.

The luxurious decor, intricately carved furniture, and the stunning view of the Black Lake through the transparent glass all quickly diminished the dungeon's gloom.

The most magical feature was a medieval tapestry hanging on one wall, depicting various famous adventures of the Slytherins of old. It felt like watching a grand film, with the characters occasionally interacting with you.

"Look, it's a mermaid—one just swam by!"

"Alright, you'll see these things often enough. Don't be too surprised.

For now, I suggest you go to your respective dormitories to settle in. Boys on the left, girls on the right. Your names are posted outside your dorm doors—check them and move in accordingly."

The prefect gave a satisfied wave of his hand, offered a few final instructions, and then left.

"It's like living in an aquarium," George remarked as he looked around the common room. Rather than continuing to explore with the other students, he turned and headed towards the boys' dormitory.

Soon, he found his name on a door, accompanied by three other names, indicating he would have three roommates.

"Barren Ballanta, Ivy Thorn, and Cecil Burke. Looks like none of them come from notable families," he noted as he glanced at the names before pushing open the door and stepping inside.

Like the common room, the dormitory also had numerous glass windows providing views of the lake's underwater landscape.

"You seem well-fed too," George observed, spotting a house-elf named Peppy enjoying a hearty meal in a cage near the door. The elf, responsible for transporting luggage, had also prepared a lavish dinner for the students' pets.

"Goo-goo~ goo~" Peppy responded happily upon seeing George, then returned to its meal.

After a brief unpacking, George settled onto his soft bed and began reading a magic book.

His dedication to studying magic wasn't just about self-preservation; he genuinely enjoyed it. The thought that something once confined to illusions in his previous life was now tangible and within his control fascinated him. How could he not be enthralled by such extraordinary power?

In truth, nothing in his past life had captivated him as much as magic. If it weren't for the need for sufficient sleep to better learn magic, he might even forsake sleep altogether to spend twenty-four hours a day studying this wondrous force.

Sometimes he thought that perhaps this new life was the one he truly desired—one far removed from the monotonous routine of working like a machine, donning a mask to interact with colleagues and clients, and eventually growing old and turning into a pile of ashes buried in a grave with nothing meaningful to look back on.

He reflected that nothing in his past life seemed worth reminiscing about.

"That lowly mermaid dared to scare me through the glass. Once I master powerful dark magic, I'll make sure she feels my wrath."

"Of course, we are the most esteemed wizards, pure-blooded at that. We are destined to become prominent figures in the wizarding world."

About half an hour later, three new students chattered as they entered the dormitory.

When they saw George and the large Peppy, they were taken aback. Even they had rarely seen an owl as large as Peppy; their own pet owls were only slightly larger than a palm.

"Hey, kid, you must be George, right?"

"Call me George, or just Joe," George replied without looking up.

The three exchanged glances. One of them, the largest of the group, spoke with a raised chin:

"I want your bed. Move your things to the bed at the far end."

Their fathers all worked at the Ministry of Magic, and they had known each other since childhood. Discovering that their last roommate was a half-blood who had attracted attention at the feast, they decided to teach him a lesson.

So, they weren't actually interested in George's bed; they simply wanted to assert their dominance and let him know who the real top dogs were in the dormitory and among the first-year Slytherins.

(End of Chapter)