Chapter 30: A Show of Power

Chapter 30: A Show of Power

"Draco, he handled that much better than you did last year."

At the Slytherin table, a short-haired witch sitting across from a blond boy teased him.

The boy's expression immediately soured.

"What does he matter? He's just a half-blood. Let me tell you, this year I'm going to be the Seeker for the team and help Slytherin win the House Cup!"

Last year, the Bloody Baron had sat next to him, scaring him half to death and leaving a lasting stain on his reputation.

"Draco, are you really joining the team?"

The mention of Draco joining the Quidditch team immediately drew the attention of the other students.

Quidditch was a sport that almost every wizard loved, and the annual Quidditch matches were some of the most anticipated events.

"Of course. My skills are far better than that idiot Potter's. He just got lucky."

Malfoy smirked proudly.

In reality, his father had sold some items in Knockturn Alley and used the money to buy the entire Slytherin Quidditch team the latest Nimbus 2001 brooms, securing his spot on the team.

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

Dumbledore shared some important reminders and concluded the opening feast with a collective singing of the school song.

"First-years, follow me."

At that moment, the fifth-year prefects from all four houses stood up.

The first-year students from each house followed their respective prefects to their dormitories.

Leaving the Great Hall and entering the main entrance hall, the four houses split up.

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

The Slytherin dormitories were located even deeper than Hufflepuff's.

"Let me tell you, out of all the house dormitories, Slytherin's is the best. You'll be able to see the underwater world of the Black Lake and the magical creatures that live there right from your rooms."

The fifth-year prefect, noticing the first-years' unease at the cold, dark dungeons, proudly explained.

Hearing that they could see magical creatures from the Black Lake in their dormitories, the students' faces lit up with excitement.

They were particularly impressed by the giant octopus that had saved a student during their boat ride across the lake.

"Pureblood!"

At the end of the dungeon corridor, the prefect shouted a password at a stone wall, which immediately split open to reveal a large room bathed in green light—the Slytherin common room.

"The common room password changes every two weeks. The new password will be posted on the noticeboard," the prefect explained as he led the students inside.

By now, the first-years were completely captivated by the common room's interior.

The luxurious decorations, intricately carved furniture, and the stunning view of the Black Lake through the transparent glass walls instantly dispelled the dungeon's gloom.

The most fascinating feature was a medieval tapestry hanging on one wall, depicting famous adventures undertaken by Slytherins of the past. It was like watching a movie, with the characters occasionally waving or speaking to the viewers.

"Look, a mermaid just swam by!"

"Alright, you'll see plenty of this later. No need to be too amazed now.

I suggest you head to your dormitories and get settled. Boys on the left, girls on the right. Your names will be on the doors."

The prefect waved his hand dismissively, gave a few final instructions, and left.

"It's like living in an aquarium."

George glanced around the common room but didn't linger to explore further. Instead, he headed straight for the boys' dormitories.

Soon, he found his name on a door, along with three others: Baran Balanta, Avi Thorn, and Cezar Burke.

"None of these are well-known families," he thought, glancing at the names before pushing the door open.

Like the common room, the dormitory had large windows offering a view of the lake's depths.

"Looks like you didn't go hungry."

On the desk by the bed nearest to the door, George saw Piggy happily feasting in his cage. Clearly, the house-elves responsible for transporting the luggage hadn't neglected the students' pets, providing them with a hearty meal.

"Whoo! Whoo!"

Noticing George, Piggy let out a cheerful hoot before diving back into his meal.

After unpacking his belongings and sitting on the soft bed, George picked up a magical textbook and began reading.

His dedication to studying magic wasn't just about gaining power for self-defense; he genuinely loved magic.

The idea that something he had only imagined in his previous life was now real, and that he could wield such incredible power, was utterly captivating.

Honestly, nothing in his past life had ever fascinated him this much.

If it weren't for the need for sleep to maintain his magical studies, he would have gladly sacrificed rest to spend every waking moment immersed in the study of magic.

Sometimes, he even thought that this life might be the one he had always wanted.

Not the monotonous routine of working like a robot, wearing a mask to deal with bosses, colleagues, and clients, only to grow old and be buried as ashes in a cemetery.

Looking back on his past life, there was nothing worth cherishing.

"That lowly mermaid dared to scare me through the glass. Once I learn powerful dark magic, I'll make her pay."

"Of course. We're the noblest wizards, pure-bloods. We're destined to become influential figures in the wizarding world."

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

When they saw George and the massive Piggy, they were startled. Even they rarely saw an owl as large as Piggy; their own owls were barely the size of their palms.

"Hey, kid, are you Zhi Qiao?"

"Call me George or Qiao."

George didn't even look up.

The three boys exchanged glances, and the burliest one puffed out his chest and said:

"I like your bed. Move your stuff to the one at the far end."

Their fathers all worked at the Ministry of Magic, and they had known each other since childhood. Upon discovering that the fourth roommate was the half-blood who had made a splash at the feast, they decided to teach him a lesson.

They didn't actually want George's bed; this was just a power move to establish their dominance in the dormitory—and perhaps the entire Slytherin first-year class.

(End of Chapter)