The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 20 Pansy Parkinson's

Along the way, Ino ignored the strange looks from those around him, and then sat down at the Slytherin table.

"I knew it... I really knew you'd go to Slytherin on the train."

He had just sat down when he heard whispers beside him. Just by the tone of their voices, he knew without even guessing who it was.

"Please keep quiet and show some manners, Mr. Malfoy!"

Ino didn't want to say a word right now, and had no interest in chatting with the arrogant guy.

"Tch! Here we go again. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Besides, appearances are just for show." Malfoy said nonchalantly.

"Now you really need to keep quiet."

As Ino spoke, he also gestured to Malfoy with his eyes to look towards the main seating area.

By this time, the sorting ceremony had already ended.

As the headmaster, Dumbledore had already stood up. He first looked at all the students with a smile, then opened his arms, as if nothing could make him happier than seeing his students gathered together.

"Welcome! Welcome everyone to Hogwarts for the start of a new school year!"

"Before the banquet begins, please allow me to say a few words: Idiot! Crybaby! Trash! Squeeze! Thank you everyone."

After saying these words, Dumbledore sat down, and everyone applauded enthusiastically.

Of course, many people were also discussing the meaning of the words the headmaster uttered, and this wasn't limited to Ravenclaw; even Slytherin and Hufflepuff were whispering among themselves.

"I'm so bored..."

Ino had absolutely no interest in these discussions. Compared to solving riddles, wasn't the delicious food on the long table much better?

The food right in front of him included roast beef, pork chops, a whole roast chicken, bacon and ham, fried lamb chops, French fries, boiled potatoes, grilled potato chips, Yorkshire pudding, pea shoots, carrots, gravy, ketchup, all kinds of bread, and more...

But this is a long dining table, and countless delicacies are laid out in the distance.

……

"Gluttony and greed are not much different..."

Ino glanced at the next table, where a red-haired freshman was tearing at two chicken legs and eating them with gusto, looking as if he had never had a full meal at home.

After shaking his head speechlessly, he picked up the plate beside him, selected a few dishes nearby, and began to slowly enjoy his sumptuous dinner.

"Do you know that pure-blooded scoundrel?" a clear voice rang out.

"Are you talking to me?" Ino looked up helplessly.

He originally didn't want to pay attention to the other party, but as the other party asked questions, the surrounding snakes stopped eating at the same time.

"Parkinson's! Pansy Parkinson's."

The owner of the voice had short, jet-black hair that reached his ears, fair skin, and delicate features, but his thin cheeks always gave him a somewhat harsh look.

"Ino Svenburn!" Out of politeness, Ino put down his cutlery and looked at the girl opposite him.

His impression of Parkinson's was still mostly based on Draco Malfoy. After all, the girl in the original story loved the arrogant guy for 7 years, but in the end she married someone else, which made people feel a little sorry for her.

But in any case, now is not a good time to chat.

Since the start of the banquet, Ino had been constantly being watched by some subtle, imperceptible gazes.

Especially now, the feeling is even more obvious, but he has made up his mind that no matter how you look at him, he will not look up to respond, even if you can pinpoint the approximate location of your gaze.

"I only know a handful of people at Hogwarts, not including that person just now. May I have my dinner in peace, Miss Parkinson?"

Ino answered quickly, and without waiting for a reply, she picked up her plate and continued to eat the remaining half of her steak.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

But this was only on the surface. What Ino didn't see was that his cold words had made many Slytherin girls' eyes light up.

……

Time always slips away unnoticed.

The banquet gradually came to an end before we even realized it.

As the last young wizard put down his cutlery, the four long tables in the hall were restored to their pristine state by magic, as if the delicious meal had been nothing more than a fleeting, illusory spectacle.

Dumbledore stood up again, and all the young wizards in the audience remained silent, their eyes once again focused on the main seat.

"Now that everyone's full, while you still have some energy, I want to give you a few more reminders about things to keep in mind for the new school year..."

"Attention first-year students, the forbidden forest behind the castle is off-limits to students. I hope you will remember this well. Of course, this also applies to students in other grades."

Dumbledore's gaze swept across the Gryffindor table. George and Fred exchanged a glance, their expressions conveying a sense of obedience.

"Our castle keeper, Mr. Filch, asked me to remind everyone that the use of magic is prohibited in the hallways during breaks. Also, 127 new prohibited items have been added. Anyone interested can go to Mr. Filch's office to check them out."

"Quidditch auditions will be conducted in the second week of this semester. Students who wish to join the college team, please contact Ms. Hodge."

After finishing his speech in one breath, Dumbledore paused for a moment.

"Finally! I must tell everyone that anyone who does not wish to encounter accidents, suffering, or a tragic death should not approach the corridor on the right side of the fourth floor."

As soon as he finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the auditorium.

The first-year students were quiet because they were genuinely frightened, while the other upperclassmen were surprised by the principal's unusual behavior.

Second and third graders might not have noticed much, but sixth and seventh graders... were more curious about the principal's sudden change.

As for the fourth-floor corridor, they had no interest in it whatsoever. They had walked through it dozens of times over the years, if not hundreds.

"Is it really necessary to bully honest people like this..." Ino thought to herself, somewhat speechless.

Other law enforcement officers use entrapment to avoid being discovered, but Dumbledore just threw the hook right in his face.

It's fortunate that this was designed for Gryffindor. If you tried it on Ravenclaw, the hawks might be fooled at first, but once they came to their senses, none of them would fall for it.

……

"Now, before everyone goes to bed, let's sing the school song together!"

Dumbledore flicked his wand, and a long golden ribbon appeared in mid-air. The ribbon then transformed into lines of text, which were clearly the lyrics of the school song.

"Everyone chooses their own tune," Dumbledore said. "Ready, sing!"

"Hogwarts! Hogwarts! Hogwarts!..."

……

Ino followed behind the Slytherin group with a somewhat grim expression, surrounded by other freshmen from Slytherin this year.

Singing, or rather chanting, is arguably the bards' forte, and they also cannot tolerate off-key singing.

But now, all I hear around me are all sorts of accents, even the school song mixed with funeral marches.

In an instant, Ino had the urge to cover her ears and flee the scene.

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(End of this chapter)