The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

"Walk this way, watch your step."

Cedric Diggory's voice echoed through the stone corridor.

Rowe followed closely in the middle of the group, his right hand tucked into his robe pocket, gripping his wand somewhat nervously.

They had left the main marble staircase and descended a wide stone staircase deeper into the castle's interior. The chill in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by a faint, comforting warmth, and...

Luo Wei sniffed.

"Is that the smell of toast?" he murmured to himself. "And mushroom soup? Butter? Honey?"

"You have a good nose, Baggins," Justin Finley, who was walking ahead of him, turned and laughed. "The kitchen is right next to this corridor. I heard you can get in by just scratching a pear's belly."

"Don't do anything foolish," Rowe warned sternly. "Rushing into a dragon's treasure trove, even a food vault, usually comes at a price. Unless you have an invisibility cloak."

Justin rolled his eyes and decided to ignore this weirdo.

The group stopped in front of a pile of huge wooden barrels at the end of the corridor.

There are no doors, no portraits of guards, only oak barrels stacked in the shadows.

"This is the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room," Cedric explained, turning to the freshmen with a smile. "It's the only entrance on campus with security measures. If you knock on the wrong barrel, or the rhythm is off..."

He pointed to a large bucket above: "You'll get soaked in vinegar."

A restless commotion arose among the freshmen.

"Don't worry, it's simple." Cedric raised his wand and gently tapped the bottom of the second barrel in the middle of the second row.

*Thump, thump, thump-thump-thump.*

The rhythm is unique, with a cheerful cadence, like...

Lo Wei's pupils contracted sharply.

From his perspective, that pile of ordinary oak barrels was undergoing an amazing transformation.

[Specific sound frequency detected: Shire folk song]

[Scene reconstruction in progress...]

The rough wood grain became smooth and rounded, the originally dull bucket lid gleamed with an emerald green luster, and a brass-colored circular handle emerged in the center. The surrounding stone walls disappeared, replaced by red brick walls covered with ivy and blooming flowers.

That's no longer a bucket lid.

It was a round, green door. There was even a faint scratch on it, a mark left by Gandalf many years ago.

Location confirmed: Bag Bottom Hole

[Security Level: Absolutely Safe]

With a soft creak, the green round door swung open inward. A wide, carpeted circular tunnel appeared before everyone, and warm yellow light poured out from within, embracing each newborn like a hug.

"Welcome home." Cedric stepped aside.

The new students filed in, uttering gasps of amazement.

Luo Wei did not move at this moment.

He stood blankly at the doorway, staring at the tapestry hanging on the wall, the huge pumpkin in the corner, and the copper chandelier hanging down.

"Barkins?" Susan Burns gently nudged him from behind. "What's wrong? Aren't you going in?"

Luo Wei snapped out of his daze. He took a deep breath, but his voice still trembled slightly.

"No... I'll go in right now."

He stepped across the threshold.

At that moment, the system notification tone softened:

[Mission Completed: Find Shelter]

[Reward: Constitution +1 (Charles' Nourishment)]

[Current Status: The Hobbit Returning Home]

...

Hufflepuff's common room is circular with a low ceiling, but it doesn't feel oppressive; instead, it gives you a sense of security and being enveloped.

The room was filled with soft, dark yellow armchairs and sofas. The round windows were level with the lawn outside.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, and a copper kettle sat on top, bubbling and steaming.

But what attracted Loewe's attention most was the long table in the center of the room.

Despite having just eaten the opening dinner, the table was still piled high with food: freshly baked cookies, sliced ​​fruit, steaming hot cocoa, and a mountain of roasted potatoes.

"It's a Hufflepuff tradition," a senior prefect greeted warmly. "You always have to eat something before bed, right? After all, the night is long."

"That's it!" Rowe exclaimed, his eyes gleaming. "That's it! That's why I came to Hufflepuff!"

He rushed to the table, grabbed a roasted potato, and took a bite without even peeling it.

"A second dinner!" he mumbled in praise. "That's the mark of a civilized world! Eating only three meals a day is the barbaric behavior of orcs!"

The surrounding Hufflepuff students laughed. They thought this new student was really interesting; although his speech was a bit strange, his love for food was just typical of a Hufflepuff.

"Here you go." Susan walked over and handed him a cup of hot cocoa. "Eat slowly. I noticed you weren't full from eating in the Great Hall."

"That's different." Lowe took the cup, his face serious. "That's eating to survive, this is savoring to live. It's a solace for the soul."

He took a sip of hot cocoa. The rich sweetness melted on his tongue, dispelling all the chill and fear he had picked up on the Black Lake.

High calorie intake detected

[SAN value is recovering...]

Current SAN value: 85/100 (Safe)

Luo Wei let out a long breath and slumped into the soft armchair.

"Susan," he suddenly spoke, looking at the green plants hanging from the ceiling, "If only we could stay here forever. Lock the door and not see anyone."

"How can that be?" Susan sat down on the chair next to him, hugging a cushion. "We have class tomorrow. I heard we're going to learn Transfiguration, Charms..."

"Those are all illusions," Rowe shook his head. "Only the roasted potatoes and the fireplace are real. The outside world is too dangerous, full of Dark Lords, Death Eaters..."

"This is Hogwarts, there's no safer place!" Susan laughed. "We even have Headmaster Dumbledore!"

"Yes, yes!" Rowe shrank back. "Gandalf is still here; he wouldn't be afraid even if the Balrog came!"

Just then, a new golden pop-up appeared in Luo Wei's field of vision.

[Trigger hidden achievement: Glutton]

[You consumed more than twice the normal amount of food in a short period of time and exhibited an extremely high degree of food guarding.]

[Reward: Fragment of The Hobbit's Cookbook (Part 1)]

[Skill Unlocked: Beginner Cooking Lv1]

[Description: You can now handle ingredients flawlessly and instinctively know the optimal cooking time for each food. This might help you dissect... ahem, process potion ingredients more accurately.]

Luo Wei paused for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction.

This is the kind of reward a proper system should give. What "expels you" or "Avada Kedavra"? Nothing beats "how to roast the perfect crispy chicken."

...

late at night.

Boys' dormitory.

Hufflepuff's dormitories were also circular and located underground. Each room housed five people, and the beds were the old-fashioned four-poster type, with thick patchwork curtains hanging from them.

Lowell's bed was against the wall.

Justin and his two other roommates were already asleep in bed, snoring softly.

But Rowe didn't sleep.

By the dim light of the copper lamp, he was squatting by the doorway, carefully scattering some small bits of food on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

Ernie McMillan, who was in the upper bunk, poked his head out and asked sleepily.

"Flour," Lowe said in a low voice without turning his head, "and some crumbs of instant noodles."

"...Why?"

"Be on guard." Rowe dusted off his hands and stood up. "If anything sneaks in—whether it's an invisible assassin or a shrunken spider—they'll leave footprints or make noise."

Ernie opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just rolled over and muttered, "Weirdo..."

Lo Wei ignored him.

He climbed into his bed, pulled the heavy curtains tight, and wrapped himself in the blankets.

He tucked the wand under his pillow and hung the frying pan within easy reach of his bedside.

[Security check complete.]

[Current Environment: Hufflepuff Dormitory (Shire Cavern)]

[Defense Level: Medium (Physical warning system deployed).]

[Recommendation: Rest as soon as possible to restore your strength.]

Lo Wei closed his eyes.

Here, he could neither hear the sound of the Black Lake's waves nor feel the sinister aura emanating from the fourth-floor corridor. All he could hear was the fragrance of earth and the rising and falling snores of his roommates.

Although that unfortunate Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor and was on the front lines (in the tower) against the Dark Lord; although Saruman in white robes (Snape) lived in the Slytherin dungeons; although Ravenclaw's tower was full of disdainful elf scholars.

But at least for now, deep underground...

"I am safe."

Luo Wei turned over and fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, there was no Voldemort, no Sauron, only golden flowers blooming all over the mountains and fields, and an endless supply of roasted sausages.