Harry didn't care about Snape's reaction, after all, in his understanding, Slytherins were always contrary, like Omnius, who was the classic cold outside, warm inside—while Sebastian was warm outside, cold inside.
And Snape, as the Old Snake King of Slytherin House, was the most contrary of them all—makes sense, right?
He lowered his head and looked back at the feast in front of him.
He was already hungry, considering he'd only had snacks on the train at noon.
By the time he finished the steak on his plate, the food on the table transformed into an assortment of desserts.
British people cannot do without their afternoon tea and after-dinner dessert, just as the 3D area cannot do without Tifa.
If forced to choose between the two, afternoon tea is somewhat more important.
At last, the desserts on the table vanished too.
Professor Dumbledore stood up again, and the dining hall returned to silence.
"Oh, now that everyone's eaten their fill, I'd like to say a few more words. At the start of the term, there are a few points I'd like to bring to your attention."
"First-year students should note that the forest on the school grounds is strictly off-limits to students—and some of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's sparkling eyes glanced through his half-moon spectacles towards the Weasley twins.
The meaning was clear: when I say "older students," I'm talking about you two troublesome boys!
Gryffindor students and the headmaster alike were all watching the Weasley Twins.
After all, most of Gryffindor's point deductions were thanks to this twin duo.
"Also, Mr. Fitch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you all that between classes, magic is not to be used in the corridors."
Mr. Fitch, cradling a red-eyed cat, snorted "huh" upon hearing Dumbledore's voice.
"Furthermore, Quidditch team trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in trying out for their house team should contact Madam Hooqi, the flying class professor."
"Lastly, I must tell you that anyone who does not wish to encounter a horrible, painful death should not venture into the corridor on the right-hand side of the fourth floor."
Harry chuckled, unable to hold back his laughter.
Truth be told, there wasn't a place in Hogwarts that he hadn't been to, even Slytherin's study, which he'd been fortunate enough to visit with Villatia.
Though the experience wasn't necessarily pleasant.
"He's not serious, right?" Harry whispered to Percy.
"Couldn't be," Percy said, frowning at Dumbledore, "The odd thing is, he usually gives a reason for places we're not allowed to go, like the forest having many dangerous creatures, which everyone knows—he should at least explain it to our class prefects."
"Obviously, Principal Dumbledore has his own little secret," Harry whispered to Percy. "Maybe not something he wants others to know."
"Makes sense." Percy nodded knowingly.
"Now, before you all head to bed, let's sing the school song together!" Dumbledore said loudly, but Harry noticed the smiles on the other teachers' faces seemed to freeze.
Dumbledore gave his magic wand a gentle flick, and a long golden ribbon flew out, twisting and twirling like a snake high above the dining tables, forming lines of text.
"Sing it to any tune you like," Dumbledore said. "Ready—sing!"
And so, the entire student body and faculty burst into song:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts..."
Since the song had no fixed tune, everyone sang it to whatever melody they liked, with no regard for rhythm.
The whole hall became a place even more chaotic than Diagon Alley; Harry instantly understood why the professors present were making such faces.
He thought about what the Sorting Hat had said, that Dumbledore joined the year after he disappeared, which also meant he had suffered under Phineas Black.
Perhaps this was some kind of revenge on the annual choir practices, which used different tunes each year during his school days, Harry thought, though he swore he would prefer doing a single-tune choir practice with Phineas over this torment.
Finally, only the Weasley family twins continued to sing to the slow melody of the "Funeral March."
Dumbledore used his wand to conduct the last few bars for them, and when they finished, his applause was the loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes, "a magic beyond all we do here! It's time to sleep now, off you trot to your dormitories."
The class prefects stepped forward, and the new students of each house followed in turn behind Hufflepuff's class prefect Gabriel Truman, Ravenclaw's class prefect Penelope Kriwatt, Slytherin's class prefect Jemma Farrell, and Gryffindor's class prefect Percy Weasley, heading towards their respective common rooms.
When the Slytherin and Gryffindor groups crossed paths, Harry noticed Draco looking deflated.
It must have been because of the twenty points he was pre-emptively losing, as the Malfoy family couldn't be all-powerful in Slytherin House.
Not even with the surname Gaunt could he manage that.
Jemma Farrell was a stunning Slytherin beauty, but her face was stern now, apparently angry about Malfoy losing points at the hands of their house head.
To be penalized by a headmaster known to favor their own house, it could only mean he made a grave mistake.
"Harry, did you see that?" Ron nudged Harry's side: "Look at Malfoy's face, it's like he ate something foul!"
"He deserves it," Harry said, equally gleeful at Malfoy's misfortune.
They hadn't gone far when the people in front suddenly stopped.
In front of them, a bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair, Percy a mere step away from bumping into them.
The ones behind feared colliding with Percy, so they all halted abruptly.
The chain reaction, like dominoes, resulted in bumping one after another.
"It's Peeves," Percy whispered to the first-year students, "a ghost who loves mischief."
He raised his voice, saying, "Peeves—show yourself."
The reply came as a loud, piercing, balloon-like deflating sound.
"Do you want me to go get Bloodman Barrow?" Percy threatened.
With a pop, a comical little ghost appeared, dressed in brightly colored clothes with a tall hat, clearly not someone to be trusted based on looks alone.
Contrary to Percy's expectations, Peeves didn't cause trouble immediately but seemed to discover a New Continent as he observed the new students in the crowd.
"Peeves! They are just first-year students! If you keep up the tricks, I'll go and fetch Bloodman Barrow—"
Peeves wasn't deterred in the slightest by Percy's threats and hovered up to Harry.
"The great Peeves seems to have spotted a familiar face—"