After finishing the start-of-term notices, Dumbledore seemed to revert to his usual self: a kindly, somewhat eccentric headmaster. With his wizard's hat perched crookedly on his head, he announced in a booming voice, "And now, before we all go to bed, let us sing the school song!"
As Dumbledore's words fell, Ivan clearly saw the expressions on the professors at the head table change. Several of the older students looked as if they were suddenly constipated.
Dumbledore, however, paid them no mind. He flicked his wand, and a long, golden ribbon shot out, twisting like a snake to form the words of the song. With his wand acting as a baton, the sound of the entire school singing the Hogwarts anthem filled the Great Hall.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff…"
Dozens of different versions and tunes clashed and mashed together. The Weasley twins, in particular, did their best to throw everyone off-key. Ivan joined in the chaotic chorus, mumbling a few lines himself. When it was over, he found, to his surprise, that the jumbled melody… was actually quite pleasant.
He began to question if there was something wrong with his musical taste.
Fortunately, Headmaster Dumbledore seemed to share his sentiment. The revered white wizard was so moved by the music that he looked on the verge of tears. It took him a long moment to pull himself from the melody. Wiping his eyes, he announced that the prefects could now lead their houses back to the dormitories.
Ivan followed the stream of Gryffindor first-years up a spiral staircase to the very top floor.
At the end of the corridor, Percy stopped in front of a portrait of a large woman in a pink dress. Before the first-years could ask any questions, the Fat Lady in the painting stirred, shifted her position, and asked solemnly, "Password?"
"Dragon Dregs," Percy replied.
The Fat Lady nodded and swung forward, revealing a round hole in the wall behind her. Ivan knew this was the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.
Upon entering, Ivan found it was much larger than he had imagined.
The scarlet and gold banners of Gryffindor, emblazoned with a lion, hung in the air. The spacious common room was furnished with several long tables and comfortable armchairs. A grand, dark brown fireplace was set into the left wall, its crackling flames not only lighting the room but also chasing away the evening chill.
The Gryffindor dormitories were five students to a room. In their spacious, circular room stood five four-poster beds, their luggage neatly piled beside them.
Because he lacked the proper memories, Ivan couldn't even recognize his own trunk and bed.
Just as he was about to wait for his new roommates to choose their beds first, a greyish-white owl suddenly swooped down from the rafters and landed on his shoulder, pecking him affectionately on the cheek a few times.
"Maka?" Ivan started, the name inexplicably popping into his head.
"Hoo, hoo," the owl hooted, as if in response.
"Whether that's your name or not, I'm calling you Maka from now on," Ivan said, gently scratching the owl under its beak. Maka cooed in pleasure and narrowed its eyes.
With Maka as his guide, Ivan quickly identified his bed, the one against the west wall. There were very few belongings around it: besides the duvet and pillow, there were just some clothes, personal items, and a few required textbooks.
It was then he noticed a small nameplate next to his bed, thoughtfully engraved with the name Ivan Hals. The other beds had similar nameplates; he just hadn't noticed them before.
Ivan hadn't been alone in the dormitory for long when the door creaked open, followed by a vaguely familiar voice.
"I can't believe the sorting was just putting on a hat. I thought we'd have to wrestle a troll or something. I knew I shouldn't have believed George's nonsense."
The boy who entered had fiery red hair and a spray of freckles across his nose, muttering to himself. Following behind him was a smaller boy with glasses, who looked rather thin.
Harry? Ron?
Ivan was somewhat surprised, but then it dawned on him. Hogwarts didn't have a large number of new students each year. Since he was in Gryffindor, of course he'd be sharing a dormitory with Harry.
"Hi, I'm Ivan Hals!" Ivan walked over and introduced himself.
"Hey, I'm Ron Weasley," Ron said, only just noticing Ivan was there.
"Hello, I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, extending his hand.
Ivan shook Harry's hand first, then turned to Ron with a smile. "Your brothers, George and Fred, mentioned you to me earlier at the feast."
"Oh, bloody hell. I doubt they had anything good to say about me," Ron grumbled, fuming at the memory of all the pranks his brothers usually played on him.
Harry, on the other hand, was pleased by Ivan's normal attitude. Ever since he had entered the wizarding world, every wizard he met either stared in shock or tried to get a look at the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. Harry thought the whole thing was utterly stupid.
The friendship between young wizards can sometimes be forged in a matter of moments. For Ivan, who knew the two of them through and through from the original books, it was even easier. After a bit of conversation, they quickly became friends.
Harry spoke about the unfair treatment he'd received before coming to the wizarding world, while Ron shared a few amusing stories about being pranked by the Weasley twins. Before long, Neville and the other roommate joined in, and they all talked late into the night before finally heading to bed.
The day's whirlwind of events had left Ivan utterly exhausted. The moment his head hit the pillow, his body went limp, and he was too tired to move. His plan to explore the system was completely forgotten.
Vaguely, he could hear Ron scolding his rat, Scabbers. Ivan glanced over, then pulled the covers over his head. His lips moved silently.
Hello, Hogwarts!
...
The next morning, Ivan awoke with a start, looking around in a daze. It took him a long moment to realize it was time for classes. The sudden shift from a hospital bed to a school classroom was something he still hadn't quite adjusted to.
Still, Ivan had no intention of being late for his first-ever class at Hogwarts. Even though it was early, considering the school's notoriously unruly staircases, he figured it was best to set off with time to spare. Of course, before leaving, he didn't forget to wake up Ron and Harry, who were still determined to stay in bed.
He wasn't sure if it was Harry's Chosen One halo attracting trouble or just his own bad luck, but they encountered two disappearing steps on the way down. Poor Ron even walked headfirst into a wall that was disguised as a door.
Fortunately, thanks to Ron's live demonstration, Ivan and Harry were spared the same fate.