They got into the carriage and went to the stone steps leading to the castle's oak gate. Harry was surprised to see some strange creatures that looked like thin winged horses in front of the empty carriage. Luna told him that they were called Yeki. They entered in twos and threes. The hall was illuminated red by the torches, and the sound of students' footsteps echoed.

Harry looked to the other side. The freshmen had already arrived, and the one leading them was Professor Grappling.

Harry stared at her blankly for a few seconds before remembering that Haig had been assigned a secret mission by Dumbledore during the summer vacation. She probably hadn't returned yet.

The auditorium was filled with four long academy tables. Above them was a pitch-black ceiling without any stars. The four tables were already filled with people.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione parted ways with Luna and sat at Gryffindor's long table. After sitting down, Harry couldn't help but look at the teachers' table.

His gaze first fell on Snape, but he immediately looked away. What's so good about that greasy old bat? He cursed himself in his heart.

In order to divert his attention, he looked at Dumbledore and found that there was another person next to him.

It was a short, fat woman with a very ugly pink bow on her head. She turned her face slightly, and Harry saw a broad, somewhat familiar face, like a woman's.

"Hermione, that woman —"

"Who?" Hermione said.

"The woman who talked to Dumbledore. I saw her during the interrogation. She's from the Ministry of Magic!"

"She's from the Ministry of Magic!"

Hermione looked carefully at the teachers' table. She narrowed her eyes and repeated, "Then what is she doing here?"

They soon knew the answer. Dumbledore announced that he would be hiring Professor Umrich — the woman from the Ministry of Magic — as the teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts this semester.

"Oh, I hope she's not a vicious person!"

Ron nodded at Harry and said seriously, "Be careful, brother. The Ministry of Magic sent someone over at this time to teach a cursed class outside the rules. Who knows, she might torture you to make sure you don't talk nonsense!"

Harry wanted to laugh, but when he turned his face, he saw that Hermione also had a serious expression.

"Harry, we have to be careful this semester. We can't let this woman have something on us."

"Hermione, do you agree with Ron?" Harry looked at her in surprise.

Hermione whispered uneasily, "Harry, this is a school. The Ministry of Magic hasn't interfered with Dumbledore's teaching policy before, but this year's situation is different.

Of course, even without the restrictions of the Hogwarts' rules, the teacher sent by the Ministry of Magic won't take any of our lives. But I'm sure that this woman doesn't come with good intentions. She won't allow — "

Hermione's words were interrupted by the creaking sound of the door opening.

Harry looked up and saw the door to the hall open. A long line of first-year students, who still looked shaken, were led into the auditorium by Professor Mcgonagall.

Professor Mcgonagall held a high stool in his hand. On top of it was an ancient wizard hat that looked tattered.

Harry and the others couldn't help but stop talking and sit up straight.

The first-year students lined up in a row, facing the students from the four academies.

Professor Mcgonagall carefully placed the stool in front of them, then stepped back and stood to the side.

All the teachers and students in the school held their breaths and waited. The older students looked solemn, while the freshmen looked confused.

Then, a crack appeared on the edge of the hat, and the sorting hat sang loudly:

"A long time ago, I was a new hat,

Hogwarts hadn't been built,

The four founders of the noble school,

Thought that they would never part ways.

…

But they never dreamed that,

One day, they would split from each other.

What friends are there left in this world,

Better than Slytherin and Gryffindor?

…

The four academies are like four pillars,

Once, our school firmly held on,

But now, they have turned against each other and are in constant disputes,

Everyone wants to monopolize the power.

…

Enemies outside the school are eyeing covetously,

We must be united internally,

Otherwise, everything will fall apart from the inside,

I've told you frankly,

I've sounded the alarm for you …

Now, let us begin the sorting. "

After the sorting hat finished singing, it bowed to the surroundings, and the teachers and students gave a symbolic clap.

Harry clapped his hands and recalled the lyrics of the hat. Ron couldn't help but sneer. "We are united internally?

Slytherin and Gryffindor are good friends? "

He nodded at Slytherin's table with his chin. Malfoy's platinum hair was shining. "I don't think this hat's wish will come true in my lifetime."

Harry looked at the teachers' table and nodded in agreement. He suddenly felt a wave of panic and remembered the "Magic Potions tutorial" tomorrow night.

The next day, Harry spent most of his time worrying about the evening, but he didn't know what exactly he was worried about.

The Defense Against Black Magic class in the morning was the worst class Harry had ever attended. He couldn't control his temper in the first class and threw Hermione's advice to the back of his mind. He successfully made a feud with Umrich and earned himself three days of confinement.

And the Magic Potions class in the afternoon was still painful. Snape seemed determined to give him an unforgettable show of strength before the evening class.

When they began to concoct the soothing potion according to the formula on the blackboard, Snape, as usual, walked close to Harry. This made Harry nervous, and he accidentally dripped more yellow carrot juice.

He watched in despair as the potion in the crucible slowly turned a disgusting pink, and not the crystal-clear pale yellow as described in the book.

There were still a few steps left to complete. Harry moved his body to block his crucible, hoping to save his potion before Snape saw it.

But Snape had obviously noticed his movements. He quickly walked over, his black eyes flashing with malice.

"Oh, the great savior doesn't seem to understand that the potion we're going to concoct in this class is a soothing potion that relaxes the mind, and not …" He lazily reached out and scooped a spoonful of the liquid back into the crucible so that the whole class could see the pink luster. "A love potion."

Malfoy let out a loud snort.

Harry tried to continue with his steps, but Snape didn't let him go.

"Potter, I think I said that the root of the Aloe Bean needs to be cut into flat strips." He picked at the uneven potion materials on the table. "Did you bite it with your teeth?

Or, "he glanced behind Harry at Neville's slightly exposed front teeth," Did Mr. Longbottom help too? "

The Slytherin burst into laughter. Malfoy's laughter was the loudest.

Snape looked in his direction, and there seemed to be a hint of a smile in his cold black eyes.

Harry saw all of this and tried to suppress the inexplicable urge to punch Malfoy.

"So," When Harry's potion began to turn into a dark green color, he swore that he saw a gloating expression on Snape's face. "The famous Mr. Potter …"

"Get out of my way!" Snape's face suddenly changed, and he reached out to push him.

Harry didn't know what happened. After a loud bang, he found himself sitting on the ground. Snape's back was facing him, and his black robe blocked most of his vision.

Harry only saw that the students around him were all lying under the table. From their expressions, he knew that Neville must have blown up the crucible again.

It was just a coincidence.

Harry thought with a complicated expression. Snape just happened to be standing in front of him. Snape's protection was on Dumbledore's order to ensure that his life was not in danger. Did he think that Snape would not let him get hurt?

It was ridiculous. It was a joke comparable to Blood Man Barrow and Pippi dancing the tango together.

But … when he turned his head and saw Malfoy crawling out from under the table with a pale face, he suddenly felt better.

Crabbe and Gower had fled to the corner the moment the crucible exploded, and no one came to protect Malfoy.

"If there's even a little bit of wisdom in your little brain, you should know that after dripping the mandrake juice, you should immediately add the stevia powder, and not stretch out your muscular upper body to stir it." Snape hissed and sprayed venom at the shivering Neville. He waved his wand and cleaned it. "I mourn for your crucible, Longbottom."

"Let me think," Snape said in a low voice. "Gryffindor deducted twenty points, and Mr. Longbottom almost killed all of us.

Now, everyone, take your finished products to the podium, and class is over. "

Everyone began to busy pouring the potions into the crystal bottles. Harry returned to his seat and found that his crucible was empty. When Snape emptied Neville's crucible, she seemed to have emptied his as well.

Needless to say, his homework today —

"T, Mr. Potter." Snape smiled elegantly at him. "You should be grateful that I didn't deduct extra points for your poor performance.

By the way, the password is Medusa. Please remember tonight's … date. "