HP: Hogwart's Journey

"Oh my goodness, I almost forgot—we're in the middle of something very serious. So, would you like to join Ravenclaw?" The Sorting Hat said. "Exceptional intelligence is one of humanity's greatest treasures. That line is simply beautiful, don't you think? I can share a little secret with you—Ravenclaw has an enormous collection of books, which could satisfy your little hobby." The Sorting Hat twisted and spoke words that no one else could hear.

Robert instinctively shook his head, rejecting the idea. After all, when you considered the layout of the castle, Ravenclaw's common room was on the eighth floor—eight floors! Do you have any idea how hard it is to climb up there?

If he had a choice, he'd definitely pick Hufflepuff. First, because Hufflepuff was very close to the kitchen, so he could wander there anytime and grab a bite. Second, it was the territory of Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor. It was said to be full of sunlight, decorated with plants, and had a fresh, peaceful atmosphere. Most importantly, Hufflepuff was the only house with an anti-intruder charm on its entrance, making it incredibly safe.

Sensing Robert's strong preference, the Sorting Hat could only helplessly agree. "Alright, alright, Hufflepuff it is!"

When Robert sat down, happily heading to the Hufflepuff table, he suddenly froze.

Although he no longer had to climb up to the eighth floor every week, the… Room of Requirement was also on the eighth floor! If he joined Hufflepuff, that would mean, every day in the future, he'd have to climb from the eighth floor to the basement. Thinking about it, it almost seemed worse than before.

So, did he just trap himself?

Sitting down in confusion, Robert began to think about how, in the future, he might have to sneak away from Mr. Filch's pursuit, running down the long stairs from the eighth floor's Room of Requirement back to the Hufflepuff common room…

Wait… did the Leap of Faith spell come with an underground version?

Suddenly deflated, Robert didn't even feel like greeting the Weasley twins behind him. With a sigh, he greeted his new classmates, trying to present his dilemma in a different way.

In their first year, there was a class called Astronomy, which, as they say, was held late at night at the top of the Astronomy Tower. After the class, the students of Ravenclaw could turn over and go to sleep, while the Gryffindors could roll over and do the same. But they had to climb down from the freezing cold tower, descend through 16 flights of stairs, go through the entrance hall, and head all the way to the basement just to reach their common room…

As Robert spoke, he noticed his classmates turning pale, then white, before rolling their eyes and fainting one by one.

The older students simply watched in amusement, showing no intention of explaining. As more first-years joined Hufflepuff, more and more badgers sat at the table, looking utterly hopeless.

This scene made students from other houses wonder if the Hufflepuffs were all suddenly ill.

"Lee Jordan!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Fred Weasley!"

"Gryffindor!"

"George Weasley!"

"Gryffindor!"

Three new students arrived in Gryffindor—twins Fred and George, and Lee Jordan, with their lively and humorous personalities, received an enthusiastic welcome.

As the last student was sorted into Ravenclaw, the solemn Sorting Ceremony was finally concluded. Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment she had been holding and picked up the Sorting Hat and the four-legged stool, walking away.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor McGonagall tapped her goblet, and the Great Hall fell silent. All eyes turned toward the high table.

Then, their headmaster, the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Order of Merlin, First Class Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, the world's foremost white wizard—Albus Dumbledore—stood up, beaming at the students with open arms.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" he announced. "I'm thrilled to see so many new faces this year. Over the coming time, you will learn magic here, face challenges, and experience growth. Before the feast begins, I'd like to say two words. That is: Eat up!"

The students erupted into enthusiastic applause, especially the first-years, who had walked such a long way and were absolutely starving!

Suddenly, a huge amount of food appeared on the plates in front of them.

First came the meats. Though eating so much meat before bed might not be the best for digestion, it was highly popular with the children! Roast beef, roast chicken, roast goose, pork chops, lamb chops, steaks—everything Robert could imagine was there. However, there didn't seem to be any fish, which made sense when you considered the notorious, potentially lethal, fish dishes. One could assume that the British weren't too skilled at cooking fish.

In the midst of the meat feast, a large platter appeared, piled high with something that looked like bread. This, Robert later learned, was to accompany the roasted meats. He grabbed some, along with a smaller piece of roast beef, and dove into his meal.

Vegetables appeared quietly around the meat—corn, pea shoots, carrots, lettuce leaves, and potatoes. Interestingly, the potatoes came in both boiled and roasted versions, with ketchup arranged into a small hollow mound, ready for the students to dip their food. At the far end of the table, a large bowl of mint hard candies sat, though house-elves likely knew that young witches and wizards weren't too fond of them.

Robert eventually devoured a large plate of vegetables, before feeling completely full and patting his stomach.

Satisfied, he began looking around at the surroundings. Compared to the glittering, luxurious Gringotts, Hogwarts Castle had a much more restrained charm. There were rumors that every painting or tapestry in the castle hid a secret, and this ancient building, which had existed for who knows how long, was certainly more complex than it appeared on the surface.

Just then, Robert thought he saw something white and translucent floating through the walls—several of them. They were the ghosts of Hogwarts.

"Oh, no! We missed the Sorting Ceremony! It's all Peeves' fault!" The first ghost to appear, wearing a gown with a ruffled collar, was Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, more commonly known as Nearly Headless Nick. He seemed rather upset, glaring as he emerged from beneath the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors were so frightened that they burst into tears, and a few even hid under the tables. This only made Nearly Headless Nick angrier, his sharp voice almost piercing the ceiling.

A chubby little monk, shaking his head in exasperation, walked toward the Hufflepuff students.

"Good evening, children." His voice was gentle, but it didn't erase the fear from the Hufflepuffs' faces. "I am the Hufflepuff ghost. You may call me Friar Tuck, though 'Fat Friar' might be a nickname you'd prefer," he said with a chuckle.

A heavy silence fell.

The little badgers looked horrified.

Robert clicked his tongue in disbelief, taking out a camera from his bag. It was a little clunky, and in this era before digital gadgets had taken off, this was the smallest camera he could find. "Click!" The shutter sounded, and a photograph slowly emerged from the bottom of the camera.

(End of Chapter)