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  The ba began and all the students dove into a frenzy of eating.

  At that moment, tless ghosts emerged from various ers of the castle, startling many of the newly enrolled young wizards. Ian looked at these ghosts with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

  One by ohey floated by, transparent ahereal, g the vivid colors of the living, quite different from the deceased iwilight Zone'.

  "Young wizards! Eat! Eat! Eat more!"

  "Ha ha ha ha! Another crybaby!"

  These ghosts added to the lively atmosphere of the ba.

  Nearly Headless Nick, the Bloody Baron, the Fat Friar... Ian couldn't spot Helena Ravencw among them; perhaps her ghost hadn’t attehe ba in years.

  He tio focus on his meal.

  "I'm Penelope Clearwater, the other Prefect of Ravencw. Wele to our house."

  The female Prefect of Ravencw greeted Ian from across the table shortly after she begaing. Like Dietrich, she was one of the clever ones.

  "Hello! Just call me Ian; that works for me..."

  Ian stuffed a rge pork chop into his mouth, his words slightly muffled.

  "Okay, Ian. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask me." Penelope smiled at the youudent, clearly looking forward to the excitement the new semester might bring.

  "Need any help?"

  Ian was taken aback.

  "Really?"

  He did have something that might require the assistance of a senior. The older students, having spent years at the school, could do many things that a newer like him couldn’t.

  "Of course." Penelope's smile remained warm.

  After a moment of thought, Ia down his food.

  "Actually, it might seem a bit rude t this up suddenly, but I’d like to ask a favor. Could you help me find out if there’s any student in the school who has lost a younger sister?"

  Ian hadn’t fotten his promise to a friend.

  "Huh?"

  Penelope looked surprised.

  "Due to some sensitive reasons, this is really important to me..." Ian watched as the st fried chi leg on his pte was snatched by the young wizard o him.

  "No problem, I’ll help you find out." Penelope didn’t pry further and readily agreed.

  "Any useful clues?"

  She resumed eating, likely worried about going hungry if she didn’t fill up tonight.

  "The person I’m looking fht be a twin, or maybe not, but that’s defiwo brothers."

  "They unfortunately lost a younger sister in the past. Her name should be... Ariana, but I’m irely sure." Ian wasn’t certain if Ariana’s brothers were still at the school.

  No one knew how long Ariana had been gone, nor how many years she spent iwilight Zone' after her death. Even her name might not be the one she had in life.

  Just like Pandero.

  He had fotten his inal name and given himself a new one iwilight Zone'. No one could say for sure if Ariana was in a simir situation.

  "Sihere’s a hat makes it easier. Leave this to me. As long as there’s someone who fits the description in the school, I’ll definitely find them."

  The female Prefect of Ravencw fidently assured Ian.

  "Thank you for your help. Having a Prefect like Miss Clearwater is a blessing for us younger wizards." Ian expressed his gratitude, adding a touch of fttery.

  "It’s not a big deal."

  Penelope, while enjoying her meal, made an OK gesture to Ian with her hand, her face beaming with pleasure at his pliment.

  "You call me Penelope. All my friends call me that."

  …

  The ba tinued.

  Cho g was clearly huhan Ian.

  From the start of the feast, she had been focused on her meal, even ign Ian and Penelope’s versation, fully engaged in battling the food oe.

  o Ian sat a young wizard who was much quicker at grabbing food, leaving Ian with little fried chi and fries.

  When everyone was full and satisfied, all the food vanished, and desserts were brought out. However, the watermelon jelly that Ian had hoped to enjoy was quickly snatched by the nimble young wizard.

  He had to settle for a cream chocote pudding instead.

  After everyone had savored their desserts, everything on the long tables, including the ptes, disappeared, and Dumbledore slowly stood up again.

  "Let me say a few more words."

  Dumbledore signaled for everyoo quiet down before tinuing, "First-year students, please hat the Forbidden Forest he castle is off-limits to all grades."

  "Many of our senior students also hope they will remember this." His voice was loud, possibly amplified by some magic.

  "Are there any other dangerous pear our school?"

  Cho g seemed tain her ability to speak after the meal, her tone ced with .

  "Whether it’s dangerous or not, I don’t know. I only know that if Dumbledore hadn’t mentio, we probably wouldn’t have realized there’s a new area to explore nearby."

  Ian found this perspective quite iing. He goward the Slytherin table, where his little friend Miss Grindelwald was also focused on her meal, both hands busy.

  "You’re braver than Gryffindor."

  Cho g was still mulling over Ian’s imaginative thought.

  At that moment, Dumbledore had already helped the school’s caretaker, Filch, warudents not to perform magi the corridors and definitely not to misbehave in front of Filch’s dormitory.

  A wave of ughter erupted from the young wizards.

  As the ughter subsided, Dumbledore, following tradition, led everyone in singing the Hogwarts school song.

  Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,Teach us something please,Whether we be old and bald,Or young with scabby knees,...

  The lyrics were simple and catchy.

  Everyone could choose different tunes, freely and without straint, with some jokers at the Gryffindor table even using the tune of a funeral march.

  Ian chose the melody of "Sedhand Rose," astonishing the Ravencws around him, who quickly moved to stand further away.

  The joyful time soon came to an end.

  Ian was still basking ierglow when Dumbledore annou was time for everyoo return to their dormitories to rest. Led by the Prefects of each House, the young wizards began to queue up and leave.

  Ian waved to Aurora in the Slytherin li far away; she hesitated for a moment before waving back.

  Everyone was leaving in an orderly fashion.

  The professors also began to depart.

  After all the young wizards had exited the Great Hall, Professonagall was about to return the S Hat to the headmaster’s office when a slender hand suddenly snatched the S Hat from her grasp.

  "What are you doing? I am the invioble property of Hogwarts!" The S Hat, held by Snape, let out a shriek sharper than a groundhog's.

  "Save me! Magall! Save me!"

  "Dumbledore! Dumbledore, look back!"

  (End of chapter)