George and Fred swaggered towards the Gryffindor table, where Charlie had reserved seats for them. As soon as they sat down, a swarm of little lions gathered around them, asking if they were haters or not.
It didn't take long for the twins to make an impression, and they began whispering excitedly to the new students about organizing their first group night tour.
A black student was the first to respond, followed by many of the other little lions who were instantly drawn to the idea. After a lively discussion, Charlie chimed in with his own experience of the night tour.
Meanwhile, Percy shook his head in exasperation. "I can never keep up with you guys. I can't break the school rules. Merlin's beard, who can come and discuss alchemy with me? Can't you see Nicole Lemay sitting there?"
"Alchemy? What's that? Can you turn lead into gold after you learn it?" Fred asked George, his curiosity piqued.
"I don't think so," George responded.
"Then why should we bother studying it?"
"Do you study anything?" Fred teased.
"Not really!" George grinned back.
"Then what about you? Man!" George turned to Lee Jordan, their new friend.
Lee Jordan, a cool black student with curly hair, had a different opinion. "If alchemy helps me pull off a better prank, I'm all in!"
"Genius!" The twins high-fived Lee in approval.
Unlike the bustling Gryffindor table, the Slytherin side of the hall was quiet and solemn.
"This is probably because of what Moriarty said," Leon thought to himself as he cast a respectful glance at Moriarty, who was sitting at the head table conversing quietly with Jericho. Leon had initially thought that as Moriarty's reputation grew, the overall mood of Slytherin would shift to something livelier. After all, Lilith and Gemma, both lively personalities, were on good terms with Moriarty.
But the truth was different. Moriarty's influence had made the little snakes aware of the vastness of the magical world. Faced with such magnitude, they couldn't help but feel awe.
Ding ding ding~ Dumbledore stood up, a silver spoon in hand. The loud chatter of the students immediately halted as the headmaster tapped the edge of his glass, producing a sharp, clear sound.
"It's a new year," Dumbledore announced with his usual warmth. "Yes, yes, I'm sure you all have marvelous stories from your holidays, but I'm afraid I must interrupt. I'm absolutely starving! So I'll get to the point quickly—old people can't go on like you youngsters. Besides, Hogwarts this year... well, we have two rather elderly additions."
"Ohhhhhh~"
The students immediately understood who Dumbledore was referring to, and applause and cheers filled the hall as they showed their respect for Professors Nicole Lemay and Perenel.
"Alright, seems you've already figured it out!" Dumbledore's smile radiated like a little sun. "It is with great pleasure and honor that I introduce to you our new professors, Professor Nicole Lemay and Professor Perenel!"
The loudest applause, shouts, and cheers echoed through the hall, followed by three minutes of enthusiastic clapping.
This was the third time the students had shown their respect for Nicole Lemay. Even after over six hundred years, the French alchemist rose from her seat alongside her wife and gave a respectful nod to the students.
The applause grew even louder, and Dumbledore added with a grin, "Well, I thought I was the most popular old man in Hogwarts, but these two Frenchwomen have taken my throne!"
Laughter erupted, and Dumbledore continued, "Save your praise until after exams—or maybe until Monday! Yes, that's right! This year, Hogwarts has added a new class: Alchemy!"
The students immediately quieted, eager to learn more.
"It's a required class," Dumbledore continued. "The class will take place in the Slytherin Chamber, which is spacious enough to accommodate an entire house's worth of students! As for the schedule, Slytherin and Hufflepuff will have class Monday mornings, while Gryffindor and Ravenclaw will have it on Friday afternoons. Professor Lemay and I have agreed to open and close your week with alchemy."
The students quickly began murmuring about the timetable. After all, a few lessons in and the schedule would be familiar.
"This means the alchemy class will be a huge class," Lilith exclaimed with excitement to Moriarty. "On Monday mornings, all students from first to seventh grade from both Slytherin and Hufflepuff will be together!"
"I'm more concerned with the content of the class," Gemma interjected thoughtfully. "There's a vast gap between first-year students and seventh-years in terms of magical knowledge. How will Professor Lemay balance that and ensure everyone gets what they need without sacrificing quality?"
"That's true!" the little snakes agreed.
Jericho, however, was more concerned about other matters. "Do you all realize this is a class for seventh-year students from two houses? Do you know what that means? Tons of girls are going to be in the class, especially senior girls! I'm definitely going to raise my hand on Monday... and catch the attention of all the witches!"
"Your current senior can tell you," Gemma snorted, unimpressed. "Don't waste your time."
The little snakes laughed, enjoying Jericho's embarrassment.
Leon, however, shot a glare at Jericho, already sensing that his behavior could disrupt the atmosphere in Slytherin.
Moriarty, however, remained calm. "You're overthinking it. Alchemy is a unique subject—age and year don't matter. Most of us are still apprentices in the face of it."
The little snakes nodded, contemplating Moriarty's words. At that moment, Leon noticed Dumbledore standing once more, holding a parchment. He knew the final schedule was about to be revealed.
"Quiet down, everyone!" Dumbledore's voice rang out. The room fell silent, and he smiled at Leon before saying, "Thank you, Mr. Minchum. By the way, due to the arrival of our new professor during the holidays, I've been dealing with some administrative tasks and didn't appoint our student council presidents sooner. But now, I'm happy to announce..."
Dumbledore paused for dramatic effect. "...Mr. Leon Minchum will be the President of our Boys' Student Council!"
A round of applause erupted from the Slytherin table as Leon stood, his face struggling to suppress a grin. He bowed to the staff and students, then quietly thanked Moriarty.
Moriarty clapped him on the shoulder, whispering, "Do well, Fudge will promote you when you join the Ministry of Magic next year. You'll have plenty of opportunities to show your potential."
Leon quickly expressed his loyalty, mindful of his family's standing. He had witnessed Moriarty's influence as the young man began uniting pure-blood families and pushing Fudge to the side.
Once the student council presidents were announced, Dumbledore shook the parchment in his hands. "Now, let's move on to the rest of the schedule. Professor Randy from Defense Against the Dark Arts has resigned for personal reasons, and I'd like to introduce our new professor, Ms. Diana Shawa!"
The students watched as Diana stood, her tall figure commanding attention. At 1.75 meters and wearing heels, she appeared even taller than Brittany. Diana was tall, attractive, and exuded an air of confidence.
The boys were immediately smitten by the new professor, but the girls looked at her with a mix of admiration and envy.
"Following discussions with Headmaster Dumbledore," Diana continued, her voice soft and soothing, "the schedule for Defense Against the Dark Arts has been updated. First-year classes will remain unchanged. Second-year students will have classes on Monday afternoons, and third-year students on Tuesday mornings."
Her voice, gentle and melodious, reminded the students of their mothers or older sisters, and the hostility some of the girls had felt toward her began to dissipate.
With the new schedule in hand, Dumbledore sent it to the two student council presidents, and Leon passed it along to the prefects. They were tasked with distributing it to the common rooms of their respective houses.
Once the duties were completed, Dumbledore, rubbing his stomach, declared, "I'm absolutely famished! Let's eat! Everyone, dig in!"
The students eagerly reached for their food, ready to enjoy their first dinner of the new term.
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