The Sorting Ceremony didn't last long.
Once dinner was over and Headmaster Dumbledore had finished his speech, the Prefects from each House led the new students out of the Great Hall.
It's worth noting...
The school song was truly awful. Especially since none of the Houses were in sync yet—it sounded more like something you'd hear at a ghost party.
In any case, as the traditional opening feast concluded, the first-years lined up under the guidance of the fifth-year male and female Prefects, heading off to their respective dormitories...
Whatever others might have thought, Draco, once he understood what was going on, stopped worrying about suddenly becoming the center of attention.
In fact, it gave him a surprising amount of personal space.
At the moment, the only ones bold enough to approach him were the Prefects, each with their own motives...
And, of course, the two dim-witted boys—Goyle and Crabbe.
Completely unaware of the situation's gravity, they each held a pumpkin pie in both hands, munching loudly on their desserts from the dining hall while trailing closely behind Draco.
To anyone who didn't know better, the pair looked like Draco's bodyguards...
"Um... Draco, want one?"
"..."
Draco paused, the hand holding his book lowering slightly at the sight of their messy eating—and the pumpkin pie being shoved toward him.
His eye twitched. For a moment, he nearly smacked both of them with his book.
He sighed.
He'd tried correcting their habit of eating while walking several times, but it clearly hadn't worked.
It was as if gluttony had been maxed out as a trait in both Goyle and Crabbe.
Was this what they called... a dog can't change—cough!
Anyway.
In a decent mood, Draco stepped away a bit to avoid having pumpkin filling splatter onto his expensive velvet robe.
He closed his book and caught up with the Prefects ahead...
...
As the saying goes:
Admiration and fear are the furthest things from truly understanding someone.
So maybe what had happened earlier had scared the younger Slytherins a bit?
Or perhaps they simply didn't know how to behave around Draco now.
As a result...
On the way to the Slytherin common room, all the little snakes instinctively kept their distance from him.
Before anyone realized it, Draco—still casually reading his book—had taken the lead.
If it weren't for others occasionally giving directions, you'd almost think Draco was the one guiding the group...
In truth...
Besides the nervous reactions from the younger students, a closer look would show something else.
The fifth-year male and female Slytherin Prefects were deliberately walking half a step behind Draco.
It looked strange.
But after everything that had happened at the Sorting Ceremony, it almost seemed... appropriate.
….
Unlike the restless little lions of Gryffindor, who couldn't sit still for a moment without stirring up trouble, the young snakes of Slytherin were far more composed.
Just a short while ago, after leaving the Great Hall, faint sounds could still be heard drifting over from the Gryffindor side—bursts of laughter mixed with shouting. If you listened closely, you could even catch names like Peeves...
In contrast to Gryffindor's energy and exuberance, Slytherin exuded cold detachment.
Breathing.
Footsteps on stone floors.
The rustle of robes.
The occasional turning of a page.
These were the only sounds that filled the path.
Nothing else.
Still, while it was true that most Slytherins naturally carried this calm demeanor, no previous group of first-years had ever been this eerily quiet.
And it all stemmed from the figure walking ahead—Draco.
Everyone was afraid that even the slightest noise might disturb his reading.
Only Goyle and Crabbe, as usual, were bold—or oblivious—enough to break the silence with the crunching of food between their teeth.
Draco, however, seemed completely unaware of all this.
He was fully absorbed in his magical studies...
...
Each House had its own unique location, and as they continued forward, the Slytherin first-years could clearly feel that they were descending.
It became evident that Slytherin House was located underground.
Their growing curiosity and confusion were finally addressed when the group came to a stop in front of a solid wall.
Gary Rosier and the female Prefect finally broke the silence...
"The Slytherin common room lies beneath the lake, a place long revered as a sacred sanctuary."
"Crossing through this space is like embarking on a journey to seek divine truth."
"When you reach the heart of the chamber, you will be filled with awe!"
Their words carried the cadence of a solemn aria, spoken with grave expressions as they addressed the new students.
It felt like a rite—a sacred chant, almost like reciting an incantation.
This was a tradition every Slytherin newcomer was expected to undergo. These words were to be remembered and held close to heart.
It was said they had been passed down by the founder himself...
The legacy of Salazar Slytherin.
Even Draco closed his book to listen attentively.
Though pride ran deep in his soul, he never mistook it for arrogance.
"Now then, new students—welcome to..."
"Slytherin House!!"
Password: Glory!
...
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