Draco randomly chose a boat and, along with Zabini, Parkinson, and Nott, paddled across the mirror-like surface of the lake, approached the cliffs, and passed through the curtain of ivy covering the cliff face, arriving at the entrance on the other side of the lake.
The first-years continued rowing along a dark tunnel, complaining about the "too dim light." Finally, they reached a place resembling an underground dock and climbed onto ground covered with gravel and pebbles.
"Where are we?" After disembarking, Draco approached Harry's boat, wanting to hear whether Hagrid would find the toad as usual, but he heard Hermione ask anxiously first.
No one answered her. The students were all hurrying to disembark, all somewhat bewildered by the dark, damp, and cold surroundings.
"We have reached the Black Lake dock at Hogwarts," Draco whispered to her, "but we still have a bit further to go."
"Oh, it is so dark and damp here," Hermione said worriedly. "I hope it is not like this in the castle. I do not like damp and cold."
It appeared she probably would not wish to set foot in the Slytherin common room, Draco thought.
After waiting for some time, he still did not hear the sound of Hagrid finding the toad, so he had to follow the large group climbing up a tunnel in the rock, and finally arrived at a flat, wet meadow in the shadow of the castle.
"Trevor!" Longbottom's surprised voice came at this moment. He had found the toad on the grass.
Interesting, Draco thought.
It seemed that with his intervention, events could still undergo some subtle changes. Just as in his previous life, Longbottom had indeed found the toad, but the time and place had changed.
It appeared that the fate of this life was not fixed, and it could be slightly "shifted" due to human influence.
This was encouraging news. If fate, despite his interference, remained stubbornly unchanging, that would be the most terrifying thing.
That would mean that no matter how hard he tried, he would have to experience all the terrible things from his previous life again.
Now, everything seemed to be improving, Draco thought.
At this moment, a small light could not help but emerge in the deep and silent depths of his heart.
He could not become complacent. He had to continue trying and observe more.
The toad's case was too minor. There were far greater things to influence. He had to see how much he could change the world, how far he could shift fate.
The Hogwarts entrance hall was brightly lit. The first-years waited outside the Great Hall, listening to Professor McGonagall explain the school's history, the four houses, and the House Cup, before watching her leave.
Potter was standing not far in front of Draco. Beside him stood Weasley and Longbottom. "How do they Sort us into houses?" he heard Potter ask uncertainly.
"I think there is some sort of test. Fred said it hurt terribly, but I reckon he was joking." The Weasley boy was exaggerating again.
Nearly all the first-year students were frightened by Weasley's words.
No one dared to speak openly anymore.
Draco heard Hermione mumbling something beside him, as though reciting a spell she had learned in advance. Her earnest and worried face made him smile.
"Nothing to be alarmed about," Draco said to her with a dismissive look. "It is just a hat."
"A hat?" Hermione turned to look at him.
"A thinking, talking old hat. People call it the Sorting Hat." Draco said matter-of-factly.
Hermione was skeptical.
Could what he said be true? She thought to herself. Could he be misleading her?
How could an ordinary hat possess thoughts and Sort people into houses? Hermione wondered doubtfully.
She did not have time to question it for long. As the students, led by Professor McGonagall, walked through a pair of double doors and entered the magnificent Great Hall, reality quickly proved that what the boy said was accurate.
Hermione soon spotted the patched, worn, pointed wizard's hat, looking grimy and tattered, placed on a four-legged stool at the front of the Great Hall. Unexpectedly, it opened a wide slit near the brim and sang a song to the students. It even bowed to each of the four tables, which were cheering loudly.
"Susan Bones!" Professor McGonagall began reading names from a roll of parchment.
"You were right," Hermione said to the surprisingly calm boy, "but will it really place me in the right house?"
"Hufflepuff!" the hat announced. The table to the right was clapping and cheering.
"It is not simple. The four house Founders poured their wisdom into it, all in order to select the right students for their own houses." Draco tilted his head slightly and said to the girl beside him, "It divides students into houses based on their talents and qualities."
"Seamus Finnigan!" A sandy-haired boy sat on the stool for almost a full minute without the hat saying anything.
"Why is he taking so long?" she asked him, a hint of worry in her tone.
"Gryffindor!" At this moment, the hat made a decision.
Draco was about to answer when he heard Professor McGonagall call out, "Hermione Granger!"
"Go on," he said to her quickly. "When you put it on, think of the name of your preferred house. It will respect your choice."
Hermione practically ran to the stool and hurriedly placed the hat on her head.
"Gryffindor!" the hat announced. Draco watched silently as she ran to the table on the left, where she was greeted with enthusiastic applause and a warm welcome.
He was distracted for only a moment when he heard Professor McGonagall calling his name. Just as in his previous life, the patched, tattered old hat barely touched Draco's head before announcing "Slytherin."
Nothing unusual.
This made Draco smile with satisfaction, and he finally released his worry.
The hat, though shabby, possessed some ability, seemingly able to read human thoughts. He had already used Occlumency on himself, but it was not certain it would work. He thought it best to keep the memories in his head concealed.
Draco walked toward the Slytherin table with ease. He had walked this route countless times in his past life. He did not ignore the voice of the red-haired boy waiting in line for Sorting. He was indoctrinating Potter in the Weasley manner: "...Those Dark wizards are all from Slytherin."
Weasley, that fool. He had not provoked him this time, so why was he still so prejudiced?
Now look, who was discriminating against whom?
He did not hear what Potter said to Weasley. He only knew that when Professor McGonagall read out "Harry Potter," there was a tremendous commotion among the students at Hogwarts.
Potter went to Gryffindor, naturally, and sat across from Hermione.
As for Hermione, she seemed to be turning to look at him. Ever since the hat had said "Slytherin," she had been regarding him with a somewhat surprised expression.
What was she surprised about? Did she think he was going to Gryffindor? Draco glanced at her calmly. Hermione had her back to him now. She was chatting animatedly with a red-haired older Gryffindor boy.
Harry Potter sat in a position where he could see Draco at the opposite table. He smiled tentatively at Draco as a greeting.
Not bad. Potter had not been so influenced by Weasley that he glared at all Slytherins, Draco thought wryly.
Potter soon blended in with the Gryffindors around him. The first-year students devoured the delicious food on the table and excitedly conversed with the older students from the same house, attempting to familiarize themselves with their own house as quickly as possible.