Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 516 My butt itches, give it a smack

Soon, it was Cohen's turn for the inspection.

The camel skin pouch with the Unseen Stretching Charm on Cohen's person was found—

“Oh, a very nice Unseen Stretching Charm, but…” Professor Flitwick said in a low voice.

“My dad approved of it, Professor,” Cohen said.

“That’s good,” Professor Flitwick said. “Would it be convenient for you to open it, Mr. Norton?”

Fortunately, Micky has already been given to Herbert, and they should be traveling in Australia by now.

Otherwise, it would be really hard to explain that he had a Dementor in his pocket...

Cohen opened the bag and handed it to Professor Flitwick.

The remaining items inside shouldn't be illegal; they're mostly bottles and jars filled with emotions, a pile of woolen fabrics (a bed Mick made himself out of towels and sweaters), and the cage that used to keep Ari locked up a long time ago.

Cohen was led into the foyer, where Professor McGonagall was waiting with the list for the first-year students in line.

Their luggage should also have to go through an inspection before it can be let in—hopefully Dumbledore reminded the inspectors in advance.

Harry followed closely behind Cohen, and they sat down in the middle of the long table, so they weren't too close to the teachers' table and overhear their conversation, but also not too far away and miss the new arrangements for the semester.

"What do you think Malfoy is hiding?" Harry asked in a low voice after sitting down next to Korn, glancing toward the Slytherin table.

Malfoy was crouching in the corner of the Slytherin table, his face hidden under the table, so it was impossible to see what he was doing.

“At least he didn’t bring it in this time,” Cohen said. “Last time in Diagon Alley, he went to the Borgin-Bock store.”

"That shop that sells dark magic items?" Ron asked in surprise. "What did he buy?"

"How did you know where he went?" Harry asked in surprise. "Weren't you sleeping in the car?"

“Thanks to my amazing global perspective,” Cohen said. “He bought a package, and inside were magical gadgets—”

“But he definitely can’t bring it in.” Hermione frowned. “What is he trying to do?”

“Murder, Hermione,” Harry said in a cold tone. “His father works for Voldemort, so he must have joined in.”

“We have to tell the professors,” Hermione frowned. “If Cohen sees this—”

“I’d like him to murder me again,” Cohen said disappointedly. “Nobody’s ever murdered me before.”

“Cohen!” Hermione whispered.

However, what she said next was hard to hear, because a large group of first-year students poured in, led by Professor McGonagall.

Next came the annual Sorting Hat ceremony. This year, the Sorting Hat song was a bit more serious, urging students from all colleges to unite and not fall apart from within.

“I certainly won’t side with Malfoy, especially since he’s planning to murder one of us,” Harry said after the Sorting Hat finished singing.

“I’m going to tell Professor McGonagall after the dinner,” Hermione said.

“But how are you going to tell Professor McGonagall?” Ron said, puzzled. “She certainly won’t believe you saying things like, ‘I think Malfoy wants to kill a student.’”

“So what’s a better suggestion?” Hermione asked bluntly. “We just need to kill him before he tries to murder us,” Ron said. “We have—”

“Then you’ll be the real murderer.” Cohen sighed. “I’ll go see Dumbledore tonight and get the school’s boss to make the arrangements.”

After the last first-year student was sorted into their house, Dumbledore stood up and spoke.

"Good evening, everyone!" Dumbledore said with a kind smile. "Welcome to the new students, and welcome back to the school. A new year of magical education awaits you..."

"Students who want to join the Quidditch team, please submit your names to the Dean as usual. We are also looking for a new Quidditch commentator; those interested can also register with the Dean..."

"...and, seventh-grade students need to register for the NEWT exam subjects with the deans of their respective colleges within two weeks of the start of the semester."

"Hiss..." Several students gasped, and one Gryffindor girl even clutched her chest and let out a strange scream.

“That sounds even scarier than OWL,” Harry said.

“NEWT is the ultimate wizarding exam, and it’s definitely much more difficult than OWL,” Hermione said. Judging from her expression, she seemed to be preparing for the exam right now—even though they wouldn’t be taking it until the first half of the year after next.

"How terrible will it be?" Ron took a deep breath. He noticed that none of the seventh-grade students smiled when the topic turned to the NEWT exam.

“I know that. It’s like sending your brain on a trip to Hawaii and then forcing it to use its newly grown little tentacles to do the most difficult transfiguration problems,” Cohen said.

“First OWL, then NEWT!” Ron said in despair.

“There are still hundreds of years to go,” Harry reassured him. “We’re only in sixth grade.”

“It’s less than two years, not hundreds of years,” Ron said listlessly.

That sounds like something Hermione would say.

"Everything will be alright after the NEWT exam," Cohen said in a very formal tone. "I hope to see you at the Ministry of Magic then. Good luck."

"...and regarding the arrangements for changes in teaching positions, we are delighted to welcome a new teacher this year, Professor Slughorn," Dumbledore introduced to the students.

Slughorn stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight.

“He’s a former colleague of mine. He’s willing to return to his old job as a Potions teacher.” As soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, everyone in the Great Hall looked at each other in surprise.

Because the new teachers who came before all came to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Harry stared wide-eyed at Dumbledore in disbelief; his worst fears had come true.

"At the same time, Professor Snape will be the instructor of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Cohen felt that Harry might have been dead for a while—Harry was as stiff as a stone, glaring angrily at Snape in the teachers' table. It's very difficult for a living person to stare at someone with such a ferocious expression for a full five minutes.

“No matter how unwilling you are, you can’t change the outcome, Harry,” Hermione whispered to Harry.

But Harry just stared at Snape's smug face, panting heavily.

“Well, now you can’t get rid of him,” Cohen said. “But the good news is that your Auror dream is saved—Slughorn’s advanced class standards are certainly not as strict as Snape’s, especially when it comes to the ‘children who survived’.”

(End of this chapter)