The Last Slytherin - Chapter 67

On September 1st, the day of the journey to Hogwarts arrived. As Neal stepped inside the Train and started looking for the empty compartments, everyone who met him started to congratulate him for becoming the youngest registered Animagus of the century and a few people avoided him in fear that he’ll bite them.

Many of them who were curious to see his transformation didn’t ask him about it as they lacked the courage since Neal’s status elevated quite a bit with being Avery family heir, one of the best chasers in the world, perfect academic scorer and now an animagus at age 14.

Now that he grew up to 5ft6in and with his handsome features, because of their envy and self-pride, they weren’t able to bring themselves to ask him about it. While Neal is searching for an empty compartment one by one, he saw Eve, his supposed childhood friend from the Orphanage. As soon as she saw him, a big smile appeared on her face, “hey Neal”. He too waved his hand and asked while showing his luggage beside him, “Hey Eve. Do you mind?”.

Eve replied, “of course not. Come in”. As Neal put off his luggage, he sat before Eve and there was an awkward silence between them for a while. While Neal is thinking about what should he talk, Eve broke off the silence, “I’m hearing about you a lot in the newspapers, Neal. You are quite a celebrity these days”.

Then she put a fake sad expression and said, “It would have been nice if I hear from my childhood friend directly. But it seems he doesn’t have enough time for me to even talk”. Neal stared at her in silence for a while and asked, “can I ask you a question?”.

Eve replied, “what is it?”. Neal asked her, “did someone from your family obliviate everyone’s memories? Last year, I asked someone to have a background check on you since I don’t have any memories of you”.

Eve asked him curiously, “oh, what did you find out?”. Neal was taken back by her reply as he expected her to react differently. She looked at him as if she wants to know her background. After calming down, Neal replied in his usual tone, “none of them remembered your existence. Forget about the memories, even the data is also erased. The interesting thing here is that you are a muggle-born but was under the custody of a pure-blood witch.

Eve said, “well, my granny takes care of me. Maybe one of my parents is a squib. Maybe my granny doesn’t want muggles living there to remember me. That’s why she might have erased everyone’s memories”. Neal shrugged his shoulders, “who knows”.

As there wasn’t much to talk to her, he just took out a book and started to read it. A while later, the door opened as he saw Hermoine with her luggage. She looked at Eve, “here you are, Eve. I’m looking for you everywhere. Help me out with the luggage please”.

Eve was surprised, “aren’t you sitting with Potter and Weasley?”. Hearing the name Weasley, Hermoine’s face flared up in anger, “don’t bring up that name in front of me”. As Eve’s helping with her luggage, she asked, “what happened? I thought you make up since you went to the finals with them”.

Hermoine sat furiously, “whatever. I won’t talk to them ever again”. Just then she saw a boy in front of her reading a book which is covering his face. She asked as she saw the name on the cover, “Bestiarium Magicum? Excuse me, what kind of book is that?”.

Neal then put down the book uncovering his face and looked at her. As soon as she saw him, she stood up in surprise, “Ah, Neal!”. As she was thinking, “should I go to another compartment? Why should I? It’s not like he owns the train. But…”

Neal nodded lightly as a greeting and said, “it’s a book of magical creatures and their habits from different parts of the world. Just a similar one like Fantastic beats and where to find them”. After that, he was once again absorbed in his book while the two geeks are in their own world discussing various things.

Meanwhile, in another compartment, Draco along with Crabbe and Goyle who were searching for Neal found Ron embarrassedly showing the maroon dress robe his mom packed for him to Harry and mocked him, “Weasley, you weren’t thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety”.

After arguing with Ron for a long time, Malfoy sneered, “You’ve got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don’t even know? Maybe your father’s too junior to know about it, Weasley. Yes, they probably don’t talk about important stuff in front of him”. Laughing loudly he returned to his compartment forgetting his objective of finding Neal and others.

After reaching Hogwarts, as everyone sat at their table in the Great Hall, Harry looked at Snape with a complicated gaze not sure whether to hate him or not. After all, he saved his life during the first year as well as in the last year from Sirius Black and dementors. He thought as Snape looked at him, “still, I can’t help but hate him to the core for some reason. Maybe it’s his face or his personality”.

This time for some reason, the Hat sent a lot of them to Slytherin. The teachers who were near the Sorting Hat saw many of them found requesting it and also threatening to burn it down. The Sorting hat then sends them to Slytherin House. Although it worked at first because the Hat is just a sentient magic item and not a human. Eventually, it became immune to their threats and requests and sent them to their right houses where it wants them to be.

After the Sorting is over, Dumbledore stood up and said his welcome speech. After that, he said, “it is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-house Quidditch winter and summer cups are canceled”. As the students got surprised, Dumbledore continued, “not only Quidditch cups, the Annual festival along with your Christmas vacation are also canceled”

It was probably the first time Neal lost his cool in Dumbledore’s presence. Neal stood up in a surprise along with a few others who were as shocked as him. As Neal was about to say something with a frown on his face, Tracey pulled him down while whispering, “Neal, please maintain your image. We’re Slytherin. Calm down”.

Neal swallowed the words and sat down silently while a courageous Gryffindors said, “you can’t, Professor. We won’t accept it”. A few others from here and there supported him, “Yes”. “Yes”.

As everyone started to murmur, Dumbledore shouted with a wand on his neck, “Silence”. Then he said, “Let me finish. This is due to an event starting in October and continuing throughout the year and it is inconvenient for others to either watch or participate in Quidditch and the Annual Festival”.

But I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it immensely. I have great pŀėȧsurė in announcing that this year at Hogwarts…”

As the stranger with an artificial eyeball in one of his eyes reached the High table, Dumbledore introduced him, “Our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Moody”. While Dumbledore and Hagrid are clapping lightly, Great hall went into a strange silence as none of either students or the staff are pleased with his presence”.

Tracey asked in a whisper, “Moody? as in Mad-eye Moody, the Auror?”. Neal nodded, “yeah”. Meanwhile, Moody was indifferent to everyone’s reactions and stood aside while drinking something which seemed like a pumpkin juice. Dumbledore then said, “ok, As I was saying, we have the honor to host an exciting event over the coming months, an event that hasn’t been held for a century.

It is my very great pŀėȧsurė to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts, this year.

The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money”.

For a while, as Dumbledore explained its history, everyone else was excited to participate despite hearing about the death toll in the last tournament. But then all of their excitement dropped when they heard, “I know everyone is excited to participate but the heads of the participating schools and the Minister of Magic decided that only those who came of age, that is to say, 17 years or older will be allowed to put forward their names into consideration”.