bioinnovel Chapter 171 The Beginning of the School Year
Chapter 171 The Beginning of the School Year
Chapter 171 The Beginning of the School Year
Passing through the majestic oak gates, you enter a spacious and deep foyer, where the main hall doors on your right are wide open.
The enchanted ceiling was shrouded in dark, oppressive clouds, creating a somber and oppressive atmosphere that weighed heavily on the students' spirits.
Belvina was in the same boat. It was pouring rain outside, and it was the first day of the new school year. Coupled with the mess the Ministry of Magic had made, it would be a miracle if she were cheerful.
But when Belvina saw Snape in the Great Hall, her bad mood immediately improved, and she couldn't stop smiling wildly.
Snape's mood was worse than the weather that night; his sallow, thin face looked like he had swallowed a fly, and his hateful gaze was palpable.
As everyone knows, Snape had long coveted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, but he could never get it, and his unrequited love made him look like a simp.
Snape usually only gets to take over and enjoy himself when the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor runs into all sorts of problems in the middle or later part of the school year, making him a true backup option.
This year, the selection of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has become even more difficult.
Remus Lupin was an old acquaintance of Snape from his student days and one of the Potions Master's greatest enemies.
Not only that, Snape also had to brew wolfsbane potions for Lupin, which involved a complex process, and he even had to take over Lupin's classes while Lupin was "sick." He was like a link between Lupin and Prey, the Defense Against the Dark Arts specialist.
With old and new grudges piled up, how could Severus Snape not be angry? Not poisoning Lupin was already the greatest restraint the Slytherin headmaster could muster.
On the faculty bench, Belvina, in high spirits, looked at Snape with schadenfreude. The Potions Professor, with a sallow complexion, had a gloomy face, and his eyes contained not only hatred but also a hint of resentment.
If Snape's insight was like a knife, then Lupin would probably have been torn to pieces by now.
Despite the murderous glares from his colleagues, Lu Ping, dressed in shabby clothes, remained unfazed, a gentle smile always gracing his sickly face.
The more indifferent Remus Lupin appeared, the more distressed Snape felt, his expression grew increasingly grim, and his facial muscles began to twitch.
"Hey!" Bassheda suddenly patted Belvina on the shoulder and said, "I used to be really worried that you'd fight with Professor Snape, but now I'm not worried at all. He's found a new target."
“This isn’t a new target; they’ve known each other for a long time,” Belvina said. “Don’t you think I should learn from Remus? He didn’t say a word, and Severus was almost driven mad by him.”
Basilda thought for a moment and said, "Forget it, you can't learn it. Snape's eyes are like knives, but our new colleague didn't react at all. Can you do that?"
Belvina shook her head decisively. If Snape had continued to look at her like that, Belvina would have flipped the table long ago.
"See, that's the problem." Bassheda clapped her hands. "If you had the patience, you wouldn't have had a single story with Professor Snape."
Just as the two were whispering to each other, the annual house sorting ceremony began.
Unlike previous years, this year's Sorting Ceremony was presided over by Professor Frivi, not Vice President Professor McGonagall.
Philius Flitwick is the headmaster of Ravenclaw School and a professor of Charms. He is a small wizard with a full head of white hair.
Because Professor Flitwick's size is so "small," many people suspect that he may have fairy blood, and he must have been looked down upon by many people during his upbringing.
But regardless of Professor Flitwick's lineage, it did not prevent him from becoming an excellent and learned wizard, and he was also one of the students' favorite professors.
The Sorting Ceremony proceeded smoothly. Professor Flitwick held a tattered Sorting cap in one hand and a long list of new students in the other, with a three-legged stool beside him.
As Professor Flitwick called out the names of the new students one after another, one innocent face after another proudly put on the Sorting Hat, and enthusiastic applause rang out continuously.
"Astoria Greengrass".
Another pure-blooded girl, Greengrass, from one of the twenty-eight pure-blood families.
At that moment, Belvina felt someone staring at her. She turned her head to look at the end of the faculty section, while Hagrid, feeling guilty, turned his gaze away and lowered his head.
Ever since the giant spider colony in the Forbidden Forest disappeared, Hagrid has been acting awkwardly, constantly avoiding Belvina.
He doesn't seem to have figured out how to face the people who helped clear his name.
"Slytherin!"
After a long while, the Sorting Hat announced the results: the pure-blood Astoria was sent to the pure-blood bulwark of Slytherin.
However, the little girl from Greengrass did not seem satisfied with the result. She was still wearing the Sorting Hat, as if she was silently arguing with it.
It wasn't until Professor Flitwick whispered a reminder that the Greengrass girl blushed and ran away to sit at the Slytherin table.
After Astoria Greengrass's brief incident, the Sorting Ceremony continued, and the remaining freshmen were quickly assigned to their respective houses. The scene of arguing with the Sorting Hat did not reappear.
When Romida Vannie was sorted into Gryffindor, the Sorting Ceremony ended, and Professor Flitwick left the Great Hall carrying the Sorting Hat and a three-legged stool.
Although the most important sorting ceremony had ended, the hungry faculty and students still did not get to have a hearty dinner.
Dumbledore stood up, his silver beard gleaming in the flickering candlelight.
Although the principal is quite old, he always gives people the feeling of being full of energy, and his body looks even more robust than that of young people.
If we exclude unnatural deaths, Belvina doesn't think she might outlive Dumbledore; the Black family lacks longevity genes.
As Dumbledore rose, the sea of black pointed hats quieted down, and the students who had been terrified by the Dementors on the train calmed down as well.
This is the magic of the current Hogwarts Headmaster; people always find themselves instinctively trusting Albus Dumbledore. "Welcome," Dumbledore said. "Welcome back to Hogwarts! Before you enjoy your sumptuous dinner, this old man has a few words to say."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and then delivered some unfortunate news: the Dementors guarding Azkaban would be stationed near Hogwarts, sent by the Ministry of Magic on official business.
Although the principal didn't say it explicitly, everyone knew in their hearts what the so-called official business was—to capture Sirius Black, a serial escaped convict.
Without hesitation, some students in the auditorium turned their gaze to Belvina; her familial relationship with Sirius Black was no secret.
Belvina did not flinch at the scrutinizing or puzzled gazes of the students. She straightened her back and sat upright, letting their eyes sweep across her face.
Headmaster Dumbledore continued speaking, repeatedly emphasizing how dangerous the Dementors were, that they would not understand the students' explanations and pleas for mercy, and that the consequences would be unimaginable if the students fell into the hands of the Dementors.
That's why Dumbledore had to repeatedly remind everyone present not to give the Dementors any reason to harm them.
After recounting the Dementors guarding the various entrances and exits of the school, Dumbledore finally changed to a slightly more pleasant topic.
"Professor Lupin has readily agreed to fill the vacancy in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class."
Sparse applause filled the auditorium, with most people expressing skepticism about the new disposable teaching aids.
One reason is that the impression left by the predecessors is too deep, and the students have lost trust in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
On the other hand, it was because Lupin's appearance was poor; he was dressed in shabby clothes and looked sickly, which did not seem like the kind of person who could be competent in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Only the students in the same carriage as Lupin clapped enthusiastically; they had witnessed firsthand how Lupin banished the Dementors, and they knew the new professor was truly capable.
After the sparse applause subsided, Dumbledore spoke again, saying, "I regret to inform you that..."
Our conservation biology teacher, Professor Kettleburn, retired at the end of last semester.
Professor Sylvanus Kettleburn's life is an unparalleled legend. His long teaching career involved at least sixty-two periods of probation, one of which nearly resulted in the burning of the Great Hall, demonstrating his remarkable capacity for causing trouble.
Even more legendary is that when Professor Kettleburn chose to retire in 1993, he only had one arm and half a leg left, and his tenacious vitality was comparable to Deadpool.
In the faculty section, Bassheda whispered, "I hope Professor Kettleburn can get some rest and enjoy a quiet retirement with his remaining half-broken body."
"I doubt it," Belvina said softly. "As far as I know, Professor Kettleburn has already visited the Dragon Sanctuary with his magical prosthetic limb."
Bassheda sighed and said helplessly, "By Merlin, I sincerely hope that Professor Kettleburn can spend more time with his remaining limbs."
As they spoke, Belvina and Bassheda interlaced their fingers in unison, silently praying for the old professor who never stopped courting death.
At that moment, Dumbledore happened to introduce the candidate for the new teacher of the Protection of Magical Creatures class.
The principal said, "I am pleased to announce that the person who will be filling the position of Professor Kettleburn is none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching position in addition to his duties as a gamekeeper."
Applause rang out again in the Great Hall, with the applause at the Gryffindor table being particularly enthusiastic.
Many students looked on with sudden realization; besides Hagrid, who else would choose "The Book of Yokai"?
"Congratulations, Hagrid."
"That's great, Hagrid."
"Congratulations."
The three people, including Belvina, who were sitting near Hagrid, congratulated him. Some people may not like Hagrid, but no one is unaware of his love for magical creatures.
"Thank you, thank you all," Hagrid said emotionally, his face flushed, a joyful smile hidden behind his tangled black beard.
When the applause subsided, Dumbledore announced the start of the meal, and the sound of clinking knives and forks echoed throughout the hall.
Belvina's gaze remained fixed on Hagrid, who was secretly wiping away tears with a tablecloth.
There are actually more suitable candidates for the new professor of the Protection of Magical Creatures class. Wilmina Grapland is obviously much more reliable than Hagrid, who is good at causing trouble. Moreover, Grapland is the one who will fill in for Professor Kettleburn when he is unwell.
However, Dumbledore ultimately chose Hagrid, a man who had no grading certificates and a penchant for keeping dangerous creatures.
In Belvina's view, Dumbledore's hiring of Hagrid was an act of compensation, compensating Hagrid for the guilt of the Chamber of Secrets and murder, and compensating Hagrid for losing Aragog.
Belvina sighed softly. The fugitive Sirius Black, the werewolf Remus Lupin, the troublemaker Rubeus Hagrid, and the Dementors—this year's Hogwarts is sure to be very lively.