Harry knew all along that Prankster was trouble.
That ghost loved playing tricks and opposed anyone who crossed his path.
"Known faces? There are no known faces here!" Percy said, irritated. "They're just first-years—"
"Are they?" Prankster floated right in front of Harry. "Potter, aren't you going to greet your old friend?"
"Prankster!" Percy shouted, warning him. "Harry is just a first-year; don't bother him!"
"A first-year?" Prankster laughed as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world, clutching his belly and bending over in laughter. "Ah, I'll never forget that face, Potter..."
"You should meet my father, James," said Harry, shrugging and drawing his wand.
"You don't expect to repel Prankster with a spell, do you?" Percy asked, surprised. "To be honest, everyone's been trying to hit him with magic, and as you've seen — nobody has succeeded yet."
However, something unexpected happened. The moment Prankster saw Harry draw his wand and point it at him, he grabbed his tie and bolted, screaming.
"Maybe it really works," Harry shrugged.
Percy opened his mouth, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Perhaps he has something else to do," was all he could explain. "Next time you encounter Prankster playing tricks, try not to provoke him. Honestly, he's not someone to be trifled with."
Percy led the group down the corridor. "I don't recommend using Harry's method. I suggest invoking the name of Barrow the Bloody to scare him. After all, Barrow is the only one capable of subduing him; he doesn't even listen to us monitors — we're just here to supervise."
At the end of the corridor, there was a portrait of a very wealthy woman dressed in pink.
"Password?" she asked softly.
"Dragon Scum," Percy replied.
The portrait swung forward, revealing a circular opening in the wall.
Everyone crawled through the hole, but Neville, rather clumsy, needed a helping hand.
Once through the narrow passage, the space opened up, revealing the Gryffindor common room.
It was a circular, cozy room, filled with soft armchairs, and the walls and surfaces were decorated with golden and red details — Gryffindor's traditional colors.
Percy began assigning dormitories to the new students: "Those whose names I call will live together for the rest of their school years — Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and Seamus Finnigan."
The four exchanged glances, but no one objected.
After Percy finished assigning both male and female dormitories, he continued: "The school rule is that boys may not enter the girls' dormitories."
"And if a girl enters a boy's dorm?" Seamus asked aloud. "Isn't there a rule about that?"
"Sorry, no," Percy admitted, helplessly.
Fred and George, coming from behind, said in unison: "Is that even a question? They'll face the consequences!"
Percy tapped his book lightly, and the two twins laughed, running off from the common room.
"Let's head back," said Neville first, still holding his toad.
"Aren't you afraid of hurting it?" Seamus asked. "I saw you holding it the whole time. Isn't it hot?"
"I was afraid it might escape," Neville replied honestly. "I searched for it all day on the train… oh my God."
Back in the dormitory, Neville put away the toad, and Seamus started talking.
"I'm half-blood," said Seamus, sitting on the edge of the bed, swinging his leg. "My father is Muggle, and my mother only told him she was a witch after they were married — he was terrified."
Everyone laughed. Harry rubbed his eyes and said, "It's normal for Muggles to have trouble believing in magic. For example, my uncle always resisted magic. Even when I cast spells in front of him, he refused to believe."
"Ah, I think he's mistaken," said Seamus, crossing his arms.
He turned and asked, "And you, Neville?"
"I was raised by my grandmother." Neville's expression was somewhat melancholy. "My grandmother was a witch and said my parents were also witches, but unfortunately they've been ill and hospitalized at St. Mungus Hospital for as long as I can remember."
"But on the other hand, for all these years, my family treated me like a Muggle. My uncle Algie always tried to force me to show magic when no one was looking — once he pushed me off the dock at the Black Lake, almost drowning me, but nothing happened."
"Until I was eight. One day, my uncle Algie came for tea and pushed me out of the upstairs window, water up to my ankles. At that moment, my aunt Annie offered him a piece of cake. He lost control, and I leaped — flying across the garden and landing in the street. Everyone was overjoyed; Aunt Annie even cried with happiness."
"If you could have seen their faces when I received my Hogwarts letter! They thought my magical abilities weren't good enough… My uncle Algie was so happy he even bought me a toad!"
Neville, as if a dam had broken, began recounting his story to his peers.
After hearing him, Harry suddenly realized why perhaps the wizarding world hadn't come to some children's rescue all these years.
Look at Neville — even his own uncle treated him like this, pushing him off docks and windows…
"What illness do your parents have?" Seamus asked, concerned.
"They're under the Cruciatus Curse and haven't woken up," Neville said sadly.
"I'm sorry, Neville." Seamus hadn't expected to hear such a painful story.
The Cruciatus Curse?
Harry knew it from Sebastian; he had used it in Villarreal more than once.
The feeling of having your heart ripped out was unbearable, not just for the victim, but also for the soul of the caster.
"Ah, I remembered!" Ron banged his fist on the table, but quickly realized mentioning Neville's parents would cause more pain, so he changed the subject mid-sentence: "Harry, I remembered you have some snacks in your bag…"
"Ah, I almost forgot." Harry pulled the trunk from under the bed and said, "I bought plenty of Muggle snacks, help yourselves—"
He also desperately needed to change the subject with Ron; the Cruciatus Curse had brought back some very unpleasant memories.
Neville had truly been treated as a Muggle, not just a neglected child.
"My grandmother raised me and she is a witch," Neville said, "but my family thought I was completely a Muggle for years."
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