HOGWARTS - HARRY

ShareDylan was speechless.

In his estimation, since Gryffindor had the Sword of Gryffindor and the so-called college inheritance, the other three houses must also have inheritances left by their founders. If he had entered Ravenclaw, he might have had the opportunity to explore its legacy.

Although the Sword of Gryffindor was a powerful artifact, it wasn't suitable for him—he wasn't a swordsman.

"Great! Dylan has been sorted into a house!"

Amid applause, Dylan walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Neville. He wasn't surprised that the chubby boy had also been sorted into Gryffindor.

However, Professor McGonagall was a little surprised to see him there.

Based on her brief interactions with Dylan, she had assumed he would be placed in Ravenclaw. Yet, to her surprise—and delight—he had joined Gryffindor.

At least, he was now one of her students.

Dumbledore's Observations

Meanwhile, at the front of the hall, Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled as he watched Dylan take his seat.

"Ollivander is too cautious," he mused.

Two weeks ago, Ollivander had sent him a letter detailing Dylan's unusual experience while selecting a wand. The wandmaker had even warned him to keep a close watch on Dylan, fearing he might follow Tom Riddle's path.

Yet, Dylan had not been sorted into Slytherin or even Ravenclaw, but rather into Gryffindor—the house known for its chivalry and bravery.

Dumbledore felt Ollivander's concerns were overblown.

After all, a wand was merely a conduit for magic. As long as the young wizard was guided properly, Tom's tragedy need not be repeated.

Dylan's Thoughts

"The Sorting Hat probably couldn't detect that I've learned the Unforgivable Curses."

As Dylan sat down, he felt relieved that Dumbledore didn't seem to be suspicious of him.

Studying Occlumency had been difficult, and he had worried that forcing it too much would attract attention. If no one was already suspicious, wouldn't shielding his mind make him seem more so?

"But to be honest, these so-called Unforgivable Curses aren't all that impressive."

After an entire summer of research, his understanding of the three Unforgivable Curses had deepened.

People called them cruel, but compared to the brutal magic used during the era of the Founders—when witches were persecuted and magical battles were frequent—these spells seemed relatively tame.

To Dylan, the Killing Curse and the Imperius Curse hardly seemed deserving of the title "Unforgivable."

True dark magic—the kind that had likely been lost over the centuries—was far more terrifying.

Otherwise, how could spells like Avada Kedavra have come to be seen as the pinnacle of dark magic?

The Sorting Ceremony and Feast

As the Sorting continued, Harry and the other first-years were placed into their respective houses.

The ceremony didn't take long, and once it was finished, Dumbledore waved his hand.

Instantly, the tables filled with delicious food.

Neville, who had been starving, eagerly picked up his knife and fork and began cutting into the roast meat in front of him.

Dylan, on the other hand, cut into his steak slowly, eating at a leisurely pace.

"If I had been sorted into Hufflepuff, I could have enjoyed delicious food every day, right?" he mused.

If he had to make an analogy, Hufflepuff's kitchen was like a snack street right outside the dormitory. Whenever hunger struck, food would always be available.

In fact, if one lived in the Hufflepuff dormitory, they wouldn't even need to go downstairs—the kitchen was right next door.

The Arrival of Ghosts

"Whoosh~"

Suddenly, Nearly Headless Nick floated over.

The house ghosts were also taking their places at the feast.

Dylan wasn't particularly fazed, but many younger students—even some second and third years—instinctively flinched.

Nick floated past Dylan and headed straight for Harry, who was seated a few spots away.

Meanwhile, Neville, feeling more comfortable around Dylan now, started chatting.

No longer as timid or shy, he occasionally spoke between bites of food.

"You wouldn't believe what my uncle did just to see if I had any magical talent!"

Dylan listened quietly, only responding when Neville got particularly excited.

Occasionally, his gaze drifted toward Harry, who sat a few seats away.

At this moment, Harry was still shy, sticking close to Ron. The students around him, however, were clearly fascinated by him.

Not even the presence of ghosts could dampen their excitement.

An Unexpected Question

"Dylan, you know so much magic. You must be from a very pure wizarding family, right? I never expected you to end up in Gryffindor."

Neville's voice wasn't quiet.

Several students nearby turned their heads to look at Dylan—including Harry and Ron.

Hermione also raised an eyebrow and glanced at him.

"Pure-blood wizard? No, I come from a Muggle family," Dylan admitted without hesitation.

"What?! A Muggle family? You're joking, right?" Neville was stunned, his toad croaking in agreement.

"This isn't something I'd joke about," Dylan replied with a relaxed smile.

"But… the magic you used along the way didn't seem like something a normal first-year would know!" Neville exclaimed.

"Oh, I just read a lot of books and textbooks over the holidays. I taught myself most of these spells," Dylan said casually.

His words left the nearby Gryffindors shocked.

What kind of first-year wizard spent their holiday studying magic?

Weren't vacations meant for fun?

Hermione's Reaction

But amidst the stunned expressions, one student's eyes were shining with admiration—Hermione.

She swallowed a bite of fried cabbage and looked at Dylan as if she had just found a kindred spirit.

Unconsciously, she started comparing herself to him.

She had spent the entire summer reviewing her first-year textbooks and had finished about half of them.

She felt proud of that achievement—until Dylan's next words caught her completely off guard.

"Practicing beginner-level magic isn't too difficult. The content in the textbooks isn't hard to understand, so I'll just pay attention to the professors' explanations in class.

During the break, I focused on reading Advanced Transfiguration Guide. Some of the concepts are quite complex, though. When it comes to performing stable and safe living transfigurations, I'll need to ask Professor McGonagall for guidance once school starts."

Clam?!

Hermione froze.

Did he just say Advanced Transfiguration Guide?!

And that he only needed the professor's guidance?!

(End of Chapter)