Even after all the students had sat down at the long tables in the Great Hall, everyone was still eagerly discussing the flying car.
At the Ravenclaw table, Scott sat with his roommates.
Eddie was still extremely excited and shouted, “Did you see it?
That car crashed into the Whomping Willow!
Oh!
Poor Potter and Weasley, I wonder whether that violent tree will pound them into meat patties and turn them into a filling together with that poor car—”
“Hey!” Penelope, sitting opposite him, could not help glaring fiercely at Eddie and interrupting him.
“Shut up, Eddie!
They’ll be fine!
If you were paying attention, Professor Snape has already gone to deal with it!”
Eddie shrugged.
“Is that so?
Then let us pray to Merlin for Potter and Weasley.
Hopefully, the furious Professor Snape won’t put them into a cauldron and boil them, or turn them into potion ingredients.
Perhaps the ingredients for our next Potions lesson will be Potter’s fingernails—”
At this moment, Professor McGonagall led this year’s new students into the Great Hall, and Scott coughed, telling Eddie to quickly shut his mouth and stop talking nonsense.
Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the staff table, picked up the Sorting Hat from the three-legged stool, and the Sorting Ceremony began.
Scott turned his head and happened to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley standing at the entrance to the Great Hall, looking completely dishevelled as they dragged their luggage and peered inside.
They had not noticed at all that Professor Snape, dressed in black robes and wearing a dark expression, was standing behind them.
They were therefore quickly led away by the sneering Professor Snape.
Eddie, who had always been extremely sensitive to such things, also saw this scene.
He covered his mouth as his whole body shook, afraid that he would laugh aloud.
The Sorting Ceremony continued, and Scott warmly applauded together with his classmates to welcome every young wizard sorted into Ravenclaw.
When the Sorting Ceremony ended, an abundant feast immediately appeared on the long tables, and everyone began eating and drinking heartily.
Scott once again noticed Professor Snape entering the Great Hall, after which Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall left together with him.
“Will they be all right?
Will they be expelled from the school?”
A faint and gloomy voice sounded beside Scott.
It was Milton Graves.
He had smooth, long, light-brown hair and was an artistic boy with an extremely delicate heart.
Scott sighed inwardly.
Three years had already passed, but he still had not managed to grow accustomed to this roommate’s way of speaking.
“They’ll be fine, Milton.
He is the ‘Chosen One,’ after all.
He will always have a few small privileges,” Roger, sitting on the other side, answered without concern.
“All right, I hope they will all be fine.” Milton looked sorrowfully at the night sky on the ceiling of the Great Hall.
“Whether it is Potter and Weasley or that poor Whomping Willow, what Eddie said just now was too frightening.”
Eddie’s expression now looked as though he were constipated.
“Oh, Milton, I thought you should know that what I said just now was only a joke.”
“Was it?”
Milton’s clear, mint-green eyes stared at Eddie.
“Yes, of course.
I like talking nonsense!”
Eddie surrendered immediately, then began resentfully gnawing on a chicken leg after Milton looked away.
Scott and Roger both curled their lips and laughed secretly.
Although neither of them was good at dealing with Milton, who would tear up at the slightest thing, seeing Eddie suffer still made them happy.
“By the way, I have some good news I want to tell all of you.” Milton gently put down the knife and fork in his hands.
He always ate very little.
Scott and the others stopped eating and turned to look at him.
“Of course, I plan to formally announce this news after we return to the dormitory.” Milton smiled somewhat bashfully.
“I think that will give it more of a sense of ceremony.”
“All right.”
Scott and the other two nodded without objection.
Although Eddie was extremely irritated by Milton deliberately keeping them in suspense like this, he did not press him for an answer.
Countless similar experiences in the past had taught him not to expect Milton to change his mind at a time like this.
Milton was a romantic, and a “sense of ceremony” was extremely important to him.
Scott had already guessed what good news Milton wanted to announce.
He noticed that at the Hufflepuff table nearby, seventh-year Gideon Crumb was looking at Milton encouragingly.
According to the news Eddie had spread before, Gideon Crumb had become the bagpiper of the famous wizarding musical group the Weird Sisters during the previous school year.
As expected, after all of them had eaten and drunk their fill and returned to the dormitory, Milton formally announced the “good news” at once.
He had successfully joined the Weird Sisters as a reserve cellist and was planning to officially take the stage one day in the future.
After hearing this news, Scott and Roger applauded enthusiastically and congratulated Milton, but Eddie asked with great curiosity, “Milton, don’t you like classical music?
I remember that you are a member of the Hogwarts Classical Music Club.
Why would you join a rock group?”
“Oh, perhaps you would not understand, Eddie.”
Milton gave a faint and gloomy sigh, and the lively atmosphere in the dormitory immediately became subtle.
Milton sat on his bed and reached out to gently stroke the blue flannel curtains hanging from his bedframe, while saying with some intoxication, “Music is a kind of feeling…
a form of expression…
Of course I know the difference between classical music and rock music, but Eddie, as long as it is beautiful music, I will fall in love with it…
Do you know…
I am trying to combine classical music with rock music…
I plan to—”
Eddie already regretted asking.
Milton spoke endlessly about his wild ideas concerning music, while Eddie frowned and understood none of it, repeatedly sending Scott and Roger pleading looks for help.
“Oh, sorry, I need to go to the bathroom.”
Scott picked up the basket containing his toiletries and change of clothes, quickly walked to the dormitory door, then pulled it open and turned to look at Milton encouragingly.
“Milton, I didn’t expect Eddie to become interested in music as well.
I think you should let him experience more of music’s charm.”
“Perhaps he will also fall in love with music like you one day.” Roger cleverly picked up his own basket and followed behind Scott.
“Yes, I will!”
Milton said with some excitement, his mint-green eyes shining brightly.
“Then, see you later.”
Scott and Roger left the dormitory under Eddie’s despairing gaze.
“Oh, poor Eddie!
I hope he achieves something under Milton’s instruction!”
On the way to the bathroom, Roger pressed a hand dramatically against his chest and sighed loudly.
Scott laughed together with him.
But they soon stopped laughing.
When they returned to the dormitory after bathing, Milton’s “music lesson” was still continuing.
Perhaps because he had received encouragement, Milton seemed extremely enthusiastic, as though he wanted to pour out all of his love for music at once.
At this moment, Eddie sat on the edge of his bed with an unfocused gaze and a vacant expression, mechanically counting his ten fingers over and over again.
Scott felt that he would not be able to fall asleep in this atmosphere tonight, so he suggested to Milton, “Milton, everything you have explained is too profound.
Perhaps you could give us a more direct experience?
I know you must have had many more wonderful inspirations!
Play them for us and let us appreciate them properly.”
As Scott spoke, he could feel Eddie’s resentful gaze directed at him.
But Roger and Eddie still welcomed this suggestion enthusiastically.
Although Milton hesitated somewhat, under everyone’s enthusiastic encouragement, he still took out his cello.
A miniature cello concert began.
(End of Chapter)
Power Stones?