Chapter 184
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The carriage passed through the great gates of Hogwarts, flanked on both sides by statues of winged boars, and rolled along the wide driveway toward the castle.
Because of the strong wind and heavy rain, the carriage swayed violently.
Behind the curtain of rain, the castle's lit windows glowed dimly.
Soon the carriage stopped in front of the stone steps leading to the two enormous oak doors.
"What horrible weather," Ron complained as he jumped down from the carriage.
His shoes landed in the mud, splashing dirty water everywhere.
"I'm worried about how the first-years are going to cross the lake," Hermione said.
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By that time, Malfoy had already entered the vast entrance hall.
Torches burned along the walls, and the marble staircase gleamed impressively in the flickering light.
Suddenly—
A large balloon filled with water dropped from the ceiling, heading straight for Malfoy's head.
But the person responsible for the prank looked more frightened than amused.
"Mr. Malfoy! Watch out!"
It was Peeves the Poltergeist, shouting nervously.
He hovered twenty feet above the floor.
Peeves was small and wore a hat with bells and a bright orange bow tie. The muscles on his mischievous face were tense.
Despite his chaotic personality, Peeves was actually quite clever.
He knew very well who he could annoy and who he absolutely shouldn't provoke.
Unfortunately, his warning came too late.
Malfoy had already noticed the attack.
He calmly raised his wand and cast a spell.
The balloon struck an invisible force, bounced against a nearby wall, and exploded.
Water splashed everywhere.
The students nearby were not hurt, but they were startled and began murmuring anxiously.
Then a second water balloon dropped from the ceiling.
It became clear that Peeves had set up some kind of automatic mechanism.
Normally he loved tricks like this because he could watch the chaos without even lifting a finger.
But there was a problem.
Once activated, the trap was no longer under his control.
More water balloons began falling one after another from the ceiling.
If they exploded in the middle of the crowded hall, the results would be disastrous.
However—
Just before they hit the ground, the balloons suddenly stopped.
An invisible barrier blocked them.
Then they shot upward again like arrows released from a drawn bow, flying straight back toward the ceiling.
"Mr. Malfoy, forgive me!"
Peeves cried in terror.
The very water bombs he had created were now chasing him.
Although he was a poltergeist, he still possessed a semi-physical form that could be affected by magic.
Students nearby burst into laughter.
For once, someone had successfully turned Peeves's prank against him.
"This is only a small lesson," Malfoy said calmly as he watched Peeves flee.
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"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for solving this little problem."
Professor McGonagall finally pushed through the crowd.
Earlier she had slipped on the water and nearly fallen.
"It was nothing, Professor," Malfoy replied politely.
McGonagall looked up and shouted angrily:
"I warn you, Peeves—!"
"I've already been punished!" Peeves shouted while fleeing down the corridor.
"Alright, everyone move along!" McGonagall ordered sternly.
Her expression had become completely serious again.
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Malfoy followed the students through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall.
It was as magnificent as ever.
The hall had been decorated for the Start-of-Term Feast.
Hundreds of candles floated above the four long tables, illuminating the golden plates and goblets below.
Students were already seated at the tables, though many were still arriving.
At the far end stood the staff table, where the teachers sat facing the students.
The center seat belonged to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
His long silver hair and beard shimmered in the candlelight.
He wore luxurious dark green robes embroidered with stars and moons.
Dumbledore rested his chin lightly on his fingertips and gazed upward through his half-moon glasses at the enchanted ceiling, which mirrored the stormy sky outside.
Meanwhile, Alastor Moody sat awkwardly at the edge of the staff table.
"Alastor! Come, come, sit here," Dumbledore said warmly.
He waved his hand, and a chair appeared beside him.
"You know I don't like crowded places," Moody muttered.
Nevertheless, he dragged his wooden leg over and sat down.
"You will soon have to face many students," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Oh?" Moody replied gruffly.
"If anyone causes trouble in my class, I won't go easy on them."
"Hogwarts strictly prohibits corporal punishment," Dumbledore said pleasantly.
"We usually prefer detention or… gentler methods."
"Oh? Then I suppose I'll have to change my habits," Moody replied.
"The last time I was here I had a different role."
"This time I'm a teacher, right?"
"A model for the students?"
His magical eye rotated wildly as he spoke.
"It would be best if you could adapt quickly," Dumbledore said kindly.
"I will."
Moody nodded.
Then he glanced across the Great Hall, the candles blazing brightly.
For a moment he seemed lost in thought.
Perhaps remembering his own days as a student.
Or perhaps remembering his time imprisoned in Azkaban.
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Soon the students began pouring into the hall.
Some were still wearing raincoats, stamping their feet to shake off the rainwater.
At last everyone had arrived.
The Sorting Ceremony was about to begin.
Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool in front of the new students.
On top of it she placed an old, battered, patched wizard's hat.
The first-years stared at it nervously.
The rest of the hall fell silent.
Then—
A tear near the brim opened like a mouth.
The Sorting Hat began to sing.
To the surprise of the older students, the song had changed this year.
When it finished, the Great Hall erupted in applause.
One by one, the nervous first-years stepped forward.
In a sense, the hat's decision would determine the direction of their lives.
Or perhaps it simply revealed the nature that already existed within them.
The Sorting Hat merely helped them discover their true selves.