While Daphne and Gemma discussed merging their factions — or rather, while Daphne explained the rules Gemma was now expected to pass down to her followers — Victor produced a Nintendo Game Boy from out of nowhere and was thoroughly absorbed in playing Super Mario.
Many Slytherins at the table kept casting curious glances at the strange little box in Victor's hands, which was emitting lively electronic beeps and tunes.
— Victor, they're coming... — George said softly, stepping up from behind and eyeing the novelty with keen interest.
— Here, take it, — Victor said, handing the console to George as he rose from his seat. — Daphne, let's go.
Daphne nodded and followed obediently.
George blinked in confusion, staring down blankly at the rectangular plastic device in his hands.
— Hand it over! — Astoria snatched the Game Boy from his fingers in a flash. She had been watching Victor from the start and had already more or less figured out what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, Victor and Daphne walked down the stone stairs into the entrance hall, where Professor McGonagall was just wrapping up her welcome speech to the first-years.
— Mr. Moss, why aren't you in the Great Hall? — she asked sternly upon noticing their arrival.
— I simply wished to greet our new students ahead of time, Professor, — he replied with a radiant smile.
McGonagall frowned suspiciously, but recalling that Victor had been surprisingly well-behaved last year and had brought no small amount of benefit, she softened and relaxed.
— You have fifteen minutes while I prepare the Sorting Hat, — she said dryly, turning and departing into the Great Hall.
Victor gave McGonagall an appreciative nod and quietly began scanning the cluster of huddling first-years.
Daphne took a step forward, taking the initiative:
— Anyone who expects to be sorted into Slytherin — step forward!
The first-years hesitated briefly, but soon a few of them began stepping out of the line with uncertain movements.
— Daphne, that really isn't necessary. That's not what I came here for, — Victor said softly.
— Not for that? — she asked in genuine surprise. — Then what for?
Victor opened his mouth to reply, but was abruptly distracted:
— Astrid, why did you step forward?
Astrid smirked and tossed her chin up playfully:
— I want to be in Slytherin! With you and Daphne!
Victor shook his head with a warm smile:
— Both of your parents were in Ravenclaw, so you'll most likely end up there too. But don't worry, Adele and Luna are already waiting for you.
Astrid narrowed her eyes thoughtfully for a second and gave a pleased nod:
— Hmm, that works great too! I became really good friends with them on the train, especially Luna. As long as I'm not in the same house as Hermione!
In truth, Astrid got along very well with Hermione. It was just that the book maniac Granger had taken her teacher role a bit too seriously over the last two weeks: Astrid had done nothing but read books endlessly under Hermione's strict supervision at her mother's office.
Victor nodded and went back to intently studying the faces of the first-years. Finally, his gaze locked onto what he was looking for:
— There you are...
He began taking slow strides forward. The frightened students instinctively parted before him, clearing a path. The girl he was staring at immediately dropped her head and began to tremble slightly. Victor stopped directly in front of her and offered a soft smile:
— Who are you? Why were you watching me when I got off the train? Why are you pretending to be scared? And why do I have the strangest feeling that I've seen you somewhere before?
Daphne frowned in displeasure. She examined the girl carefully, but saw nothing special whatsoever — to all appearances, just an ordinary little first-year trembling under Victor's piercing gaze.
The little girl shook even harder, casting pitiful looks around for help. Her entire demeanor practically screamed that she was thoroughly lost and had no idea what he was talking about.
— P-pardon me... I... I don't understand what you mean... — she whispered, stuttering.
Victor looked down at her, tilting his head slightly to the side, and then smiled again:
— You're a very fine actress, — he replied with a soft chuckle. — Oh well, if you don't want to talk, you don't have to. I'll find out myself.
The Sharingan activated smoothly in his eyes. The spinning scarlet tomoe caused all the newly arrived students to stare at him in silent astonishment. A couple of seconds later, however, his eyes returned to normal.
— Whoa... — Victor uttered, his gaze filling with even deeper curiosity.
He couldn't break into her mind so easily. Or rather, he chose not to force it. With the Sharingan, his Legilimency had grown ridiculously powerful; had he rammed through her defenses by brute force, he would have broken her mind completely.
Victor scratched his chin thoughtfully:
«So, what's your name?»
— I... My name is Lilith, — she whispered barely audibly.
In that exact split second, the girl's eyes widened in sheer panic. She snapped her head up and saw that Victor was still standing silently before her with that same smile, having spoken not a single word aloud.
Victor let out a quiet laugh:
— So that's what it is... A natural-born master of Legilimency!
— I... I really don't understand what you mean!
Victor smirked, unceremoniously took her by the chin, and forced her to look straight into his eyes.
«I don't care how you manage it, but you are going to get sorted into Slytherin. If you don't — today will be your first and last day at this school. And I don't mean expulsion,» his icy mental voice echoed inside her head.
Even though a pleasant smile still lingered on Victor's lips, such an appalling, murderous pressure radiated from him that all the children standing nearby began to tremble in sheer terror.
The girl trembled too — but this time, she wasn't acting. She was truly scared to death.
Victor released her chin, turned around, and took Daphne's hand. The pair calmly ascended the stone steps back toward the Great Hall doors.
The moment his back was turned, the first-year girl instantly composed herself, wiping the expression of fear from her face, and threw an icy gaze full of unadulterated hatred at his back.
— What did you discover? — Daphne asked with unexcused curiosity, walking hand in hand with him.
— Hmm, something very interesting... But I'm not entirely sure just yet, — he answered with a cryptic smile.
Returning to the Great Hall, Victor and Daphne reclaimed their rightful seats. The moment Astoria caught sight of them, she lightning-fast slid the Game Boy under the table — she clearly had no intention of returning the console to its owner.
A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall closed the heavy doors and solemnly led the first-years into the hall. The Sorting began.
Astrid, just as Victor predicted, went to Ravenclaw. To thunderous applause from her new house, she sat down on the bench right beside Luna with a delighted smile, receiving Luna's warmest congratulations right away.
When it was Lilith's turn, the girl grew visibly nervous. She simply had no choice — she was obligated to end up in Slytherin. Lilith understood all too well that this Moss guy's threats were far from empty words.
Struggling her way to the stool, she sat down, and McGonagall lowered the ancient Sorting Hat onto her head. Lilith, much like Harry Potter in his first year, began desperately pleading with the Hat in her mind... Except unlike Potter, she was begging with all her might specifically for Slytherin.
— Hmmm... Another one has appeared. How very interesting... What, Slytherin? Oho, I see... You really shouldn't have crossed that boy, my dear. But don't fret: even without his pressure, with your cleverness, ambition, and pride... Slytherin is your rightful place! SLYTHERIN!
She finally let out a heavy sigh of relief and headed toward the Slytherin table. Spotting Victor indicating a free seat beside him with a small nod, Lilith scowled almost imperceptibly, but complied and sat down.
The instant she settled onto the bench, every trace of that pathetic, trembling girl vanished into thin air. She had completely dropped her mask: seated beside Victor now was a girl with a cold, faintly frowning face.