“Ravenclaw!”
As soon as the Sorting Hat made its announcement, the Ravenclaw table erupted into loud applause.
Cho Chang raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She clearly hadn’t expected Mord to be sorted into her own house.
A moment later, however, a warm smile spread across her face, and she happily joined the others in applauding.
At the staff table, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore visibly relaxed.
Professor Flitwick, the Head of Ravenclaw House, looked especially delighted to welcome such a promising new student.
Only Professor Snape frowned.
He knew exactly who Mord was.
In the past, Snape had maintained a cordial relationship with Mord’s parents.
After their deaths, however, he had never seen the boy again.
Given the Black family’s history, Snape had assumed Mord would inevitably be sorted into Slytherin.
Still, he quickly dismissed the thought.
Since Mord wasn’t joining Slytherin, there was no reason for him to concern himself with the boy.
Removing the Sorting Hat, Mord glanced toward Dumbledore.
The Headmaster smiled approvingly.
Looks like he’s satisfied with the result.
Mord returned the smile before making his way toward the Ravenclaw table.
As he walked, he greeted Hermione, Harry, Pansy, and several others with a friendly wave.
Without the knowledge from his previous life, he never would have realized one important secret about the Sorting Hat.
The Hat respected a student’s personal choice—even when it disagreed.
Perhaps that was exactly what Dumbledore had always believed.
“It is our choices that show who we truly are.”
At the Gryffindor table, Harry watched Mord with admiration.
“I knew he’d end up in Ravenclaw,” he whispered to Ron.
“He already knows so much magic. He’s far smarter than I am.”
Ron shrugged.
“In my opinion, Ravenclaw is full of bookworms.”
“But…”
“They’re still better than Slytherin.”
Hermione looked thoughtfully toward the Ravenclaw table.
Unlike Ron, she admired intelligent students.
Mord was currently her only wizarding friend, and seeing him in Ravenclaw made her wonder whether she truly belonged in Gryffindor.
Both Houses suddenly seemed equally appealing.
The person most shocked, however, was Pansy Parkinson.
She stared blankly at Mord.
“How…?”
“He should’ve been sorted into Slytherin.”
Beside her, Daphne Greengrass simply shook her head.
She had long suspected that Pansy misunderstood Mord completely.
Yes, Mord knew Dark Magic.
Yes, he had effortlessly defeated Malfoy and his followers on the train.
But he also treated Hermione—a Muggle-born witch—with genuine kindness.
That alone proved he wasn’t the kind of person Pansy imagined him to be.
After all, nearly every old pure-blood family knew at least a few Dark spells.
That fact alone meant very little.
If anything, Daphne found herself becoming increasingly interested in Mord.
Meanwhile, Pansy continued staring at him.
Then suddenly—
Her eyes lit up.
She understood.
Of course!
Mord had deliberately avoided Slytherin.
If the next Dark Lord appeared in Slytherin, Dumbledore would immediately become suspicious.
By choosing Ravenclaw instead, Mord could quietly hide his true ambitions while avoiding unnecessary attention.
How foolish I was to doubt him…
The system chimed.
[Pansy Parkinson’s Faith: +1%]
Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Mord blinked in confusion.
He looked toward Pansy.
She smiled back with an expression that clearly said,
Mord scratched his head.
She figured something out again?
If he had known what was actually going through her mind, he probably would have called her the system’s greatest supporter.
The Sorting Ceremony continued.
Daphne Greengrass was sorted into Slytherin.
She accepted the result calmly.
If she had been given a choice, however, she would probably have preferred Ravenclaw.
Soon, Professor McGonagall called the next name.
“Hermione Granger.”
Hermione nervously placed the Sorting Hat on her head.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
The Great Hall gradually fell silent.
Several professors exchanged surprised looks.
The Sorting Hat had already taken unusually long with Mord.
No one expected another difficult decision so soon.
Finally, the Hat shouted,
“Gryffindor!”
Hermione smiled politely, though Mord noticed a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
She looked apologetically toward him.
The Sorting Hat believed Gryffindor suited her best.
She couldn’t exactly argue with it.
Mord smiled reassuringly.
Different Houses didn’t mean they couldn’t remain friends.
Besides…
Hermione entering Gryffindor kept history on its original course.
If she had joined Ravenclaw instead, too many future events might have changed.
Losing that advantage would make things much more difficult.
The remaining students were sorted one after another.
Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy entered Slytherin.
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley joined Gryffindor.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor Dumbledore rose.
“Before we begin tonight’s feast, I have a few announcements.”
“First-years should remember that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits.”
“Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has also asked me to remind everyone that magic is not to be used in the corridors.”
He paused briefly.
“Oh…”
“The corridor on the right side of the fourth floor is also forbidden.”
“If you do not wish to die a very painful death…”
“Please stay away.”
Mord nearly laughed.
To him, Dumbledore’s warning sounded more like an invitation.
“Come explore…”
“There are Darkness Points waiting for you.”
Finally, Dumbledore spread his arms.
“And now…”
“Nitwit!”
“Blubber!”
“Oddment!”
“Tweak!”
“Let the feast begin!”
The moment he sat down, the empty golden plates filled themselves with delicious food.
Roast lamb, grilled sausages, pumpkin pasties, mashed potatoes, fresh juice, and countless desserts covered every table.
Everyone had been hungry after the long journey.
The Great Hall immediately filled with cheerful conversation.
Beside Mord sat a first-year boy with short brown hair.
“My name’s Terry Boot.”
While biting into a chicken leg, he asked,
“What did the Headmaster mean by those four strange words?”
A beautiful older student sitting opposite simply shrugged.
“No one truly understands Professor Dumbledore.”
Mord smiled.
That was such a Ravenclaw answer.
If this had been Gryffindor, someone probably would have guessed the Headmaster had simply forgotten what he was saying.
After thinking for a moment, Mord offered his own theory.
“I think he was describing how each House sees everyone else.”
“For example…”
“We Ravenclaws probably think everyone else is a bunch of nitwits.”
“Gryffindors might believe everyone else cries too much.”
Several students nodded thoughtfully.
Surprisingly…
It actually sounded reasonable.
The system chimed once again.
[Ding!]
The future Demon King has displayed exceptional wisdom.
Reward: Darkness Points +1
The older student smiled approvingly.
“That’s an interesting interpretation.”
She extended her hand.
“I’m Penelope Clearwater.”
“I’m one of Ravenclaw’s prefects.”
“I think you’ll fit into Ravenclaw very well.”
After dinner, Penelope patiently explained school rules and offered advice to the new students.
When the feast ended, Dumbledore instructed the prefects to guide everyone back to their common rooms.
Penelope led the Ravenclaw students through the castle before arriving at Ravenclaw Tower.
The climb…
Was exhausting.
Up one spiral staircase.
Then another.
And another.
By the time everyone reached the top after climbing what felt like eight endless flights of stairs, nearly every first-year was breathing heavily.
Mord leaned against the wall.
“I think…”
“I already regret choosing Ravenclaw.”
Cho Chang laughed while trying to catch her breath.
“I haven’t climbed these stairs for two months.”
“I’m exhausted too.”
She smiled weakly.
“The only advantages are the incredible view…”
“And never being late for class.”
Mord silently decided that improving his physical fitness had suddenly become a top priority.
If climbing stairs every day left him this exhausted, life in Ravenclaw would become painful.
Perhaps…
The Darkness System might eventually unlock some potion or spell to strengthen his body.
Penelope finally stopped before a large wooden door.
“This is the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower.”
Mounted at its center was an elegant bronze eagle-shaped door knocker.
“The entrance to Ravenclaw works differently from every other House.”
“You don’t need a password.”
“Instead…”
“You must answer the eagle’s riddle correctly.”
Mord immediately became interested.
It was certainly a fitting entrance for Ravenclaw.
Though…
He couldn’t help thinking it wasn’t the most secure design.
After all, clever people existed in every House.
As everyone watched, the bronze eagle suddenly came to life.
Its beak opened slowly before asking in a clear voice,
“Tell me…”
“What begins black, turns gray in the middle, and ends white?”