Just as Sherlock had predicted, the hat placed on Harry’s head eventually shouted out, “Gryffindor!” The entire process took nearly five minutes, only slightly shorter than Sherlock’s.
At that moment, the nearby young lions stared at Sherlock in sheer astonishment.
Was he really that impressive?
Not only had he guessed the result, but even the process was spot on!
Shouldn’t this first-year have gone to Ravenclaw instead?
“You were right!” Hermione was amazed by Sherlock once again, but her voice was quickly drowned out by a thunderous wave of applause and cheers.
Without a doubt, Harry received the loudest ovation of the night.
The young lions’ welcome for Harry was far more enthusiastic than it had been for Sherlock.
It could be said that the moment the Sorting Hat declared Gryffindor, the entire house table erupted.
When Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, Percy Weasley, the prefect, stood up and shook Harry’s hand tightly, reluctant to let go—so long that had Harry been a girl, the gesture would have bordered on harassment.
The Weasley twins shouted at the top of their lungs: “We got Potter!
We got Potter!” At this moment, Harry was indisputably the main attraction.
However, his gaze drifted directly to Sherlock.
A distinct feeling of “from now on, I have someone covering my back” arose within him, and without a second thought, he sat down right beside Sherlock.
Compared to the sensation Harry’s turn caused, those sorted after him passed with hardly a ripple.
When only two people remained, Ron was indeed sorted into Gryffindor alongside his brothers—his Sorting time roughly on par with Malfoy’s.
The last student, named Zabini, was placed in Slytherin.
With that, the Sorting Ceremony officially came to an end.
Looking at the final outcome, it completely aligned with Sherlock’s previous deduction.
Roughly half of the new students were sorted into Hufflepuff, while the new arrivals of the remaining three houses combined merely equaled them.
Indeed, Hufflepuff truly formed the backbone of the magical world.
The other three houses all suffered from their own idiosyncrasies—though Sherlock had never considered himself a normal person either.
Once Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment bearing the new students’ names, picked up the Sorting Hat, and departed, Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, stood up.
He looked identical to the portrait card Harry had seen from his Chocolate Frog: an elderly man wearing half-moon spectacles.
His bright blue eyes sparkled with vitality, his long, crooked nose looked as though it had been broken at least twice, and his silver hair and beard betrayed his advanced age.
As for his constantly twinkling glasses, they gave the impression that he could see right through a person.
“Welcome!” He beamed at the students with a wide smile, spreading his arms as if to embrace everyone.
“Welcome to Hogwarts for a new school year!
Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.” At that moment, all the first-years involuntarily recalled the dread of being subjected to long, dreary principal speeches back in primary school.
However, the headmaster’s next action completely defied their expectations.
They heard him speak slowly: “And here they are: Nitwit!
Blubber!
Oddment!
Tweak!” “Thank you!” With that, he sat straight back down.
His opening speech at the Hogwarts Welcome Feast had taken less than five seconds—the absolute definition of short, sharp, and sweet.
Although no one knew what Dumbledore meant, it somehow felt immensely profound.
Everyone clapped and cheered heartily, not caring in the least what he actually meant.
As long as you do not deliver a long-winded lecture, we are great friends.
Most importantly, everyone was starving.
The moment Dumbledore finished his line, a breathtaking variety of dishes suddenly materialized on the previously bare plates before them.
Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, potatoes, fries, gravy, ketchup, peppermint humbugs…
Staple foods, savory dishes, and treats were present in abundance.
The older students were long accustomed to it, but the first-years were thoroughly dumbfounded by the sight.
It was a literal “me and my friends are shocked” moment.
Without needing any encouragement, everyone immediately began to dig in.
“Sherlock, do you think he’s…
a bit mad?” Harry asked Sherlock hesitantly.
“Mad?” Overhearing Harry, Percy could not help whispering, “He’s a genius!
The finest wizard in the world!
But you’re right, he is a bit mad.
Let’s eat first…
Would you like some potatoes, Harry?” Harry took the potatoes and looked back at Sherlock.
He saw that Sherlock had knitted his brows, seemingly deep in thought.
Sherlock was indeed analyzing the matter.
Regarding Dumbledore’s seemingly nonsensical words, he had deduced several plausible interpretations in an instant.
First, it expressed a set of stereotypes regarding the four houses: Hufflepuffs were nitwits, Ravenclaw nerds blubbered whenever trouble arose, Slytherins were oddments and garbage, and Gryffindors were obstinate tweaks.
Second, it might represent the inverted extreme of each house’s defining trait: Ravenclaw—Wisdom—Nitwit; Gryffindor—Courage—Blubber; Slytherin—Shrewd Ambition—Oddment; Hufflepuff—Steadfast Kindness—Tweak.
Finally, it could be how each house perceived the others: Ravenclaws thought everyone else was a nitwit; Gryffindors thought other students were crybaby blubberers; Slytherins were proud of their pure blood and viewed others as oddments; Hufflepuffs felt the other houses possessed personalities that were far too twisted and stubborn—tweaks.
Regardless, it hardly mattered.
Now that he was at Hogwarts, unraveling these details was merely a matter of time.
After a long, exhausting day, the first-years were famished.
Truth be told, the food and drink provided at the Hogwarts Welcome Feast were top-notch.
It could easily pass for fine dining—especially considering this was a land infamous for terrible cooking.
Sherlock was not particularly fussy about food, but when the quality was good, he ate a bit more.
Harry went without saying.
While the Dursleys had never starved him, they had certainly never allowed him to eat to his heart’s content either.
Thus, he sampled practically every dish on the table.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, the plates cleared themselves, turning sparkling clean without needing any manual washing.
This trick once again drew gasps of wonder from the new students.
Seeing that everyone was sated, Dumbledore stood up for a second time.
Compared to his previous brief remark, his tone this time was far more formal.
“The crisp autumn air brings a cool breeze as we enter another back-to-school season.
In this new year, I hope everyone will make persistent efforts to continuously elevate their academic awareness, diligently study magical theory, consistently strengthen practical exercises, and achieve outstanding results at the end of the term.
“Upperclassmen should hold themselves to strict standards, take the lead in abiding by school rules and discipline, and serve as exemplary role models for the incoming first-years.
“First-years should likewise follow closely in the footsteps of their seniors, striving ahead with courage and determination, working together to build Hogwarts into a top-tier magical institution in Europe and across the world.
“Finally, on behalf of the school, I would like to outline a few mandatory requirements for our new students: “First, conscientiously observe school rules and discipline.
Magic is strictly prohibited in the corridors between classes, and the Forbidden Forest as well as the third-floor corridor on the right side are strictly off-limits.
“Second, actively participate in campus activities, proactively apply for Quidditch tryouts, and bring honor to your house’s athletic endeavors.
“Third, endeavor to enhance your sense of collective pride.
Now, led by the headmaster himself, we shall all sing the school song together.” Setting aside the first two points, when Dumbledore mentioned singing the school song together, Sherlock noticed that the smiles on the rest of the faculty instantly froze.
Something was definitely amiss!