Harry Potter and the Candy Factory

"Draco, what's wrong?"

Although Draco's abnormality wasn't very obvious, it was still noticed by Goyle beside him.

He scratched his head, lowered his head, carefully moved closer to Draco, and asked

"My uncle is watching me..."

In Draco's eyes, the light seemed to appear to the naked eye. With a bit of a smile, he met Charlie's gaze on the high seat, and nodded slightly in greeting.

At this moment, Draco couldn't wait to jump onto the table and shout to everyone—especially that Harry Potter—

"Look! That's my uncle!!!"

But he couldn't… In order to continue to show a perfect image in front of his uncle, almost in an instant, Draco changed from the arrogance just now back into a young gentleman with noble etiquette.

Hearing Draco's words, Goyle's pupils couldn't help but shrink. Subconsciously, he followed Draco's gaze to investigate.

Soon, he also noticed Charlie Black, who, to some extent, could almost be regarded as an upgraded version of Draco, next to the professors and deans.

However, he didn't look at him as blatantly as Draco did… Thinking that he had been speaking ill of him behind his back these past few days, Goyle couldn't help but feel a little guilty, and subconsciously shrunk his neck, turning his head aside so that he wouldn't be noticed.

"Alright…new students."

Professor McGonagall's expression was as usual. She turned around again, lowered her head, and looked down at the little wizards whose eyes were filled with curiosity, and said so.

"Next, is the moment you will be sorted—Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin…"

Speaking of this, McGonagall's eyes consciously looked at Harry, who was timidly beside the red-haired Weasley…

Those eyes… were exactly like his mother's. McGonagall couldn't help but think, in her memory, the beautiful girl with a bright smile seemed to reappear before her eyes.

Her gaze shifted again, and she easily saw Draco Malfoy holding a huge notebook at the front.

She recalled what Charlie had said to her not long ago… A different Malfoy? She repeated this sentence silently, but her tone was still doubtful.

But this is not the point… Anyway, whether he is really as different as Charlie said, everything will be clear after a class.

However, what Professor McGonagall didn't expect was that, facing her gaze, Draco Malfoy didn't show any unnaturalness or dodge.

On the contrary… Draco raised his head, met Professor McGonagall's gaze, without dodging, and gave a decent smile.

Draco stepped forward, bowed slightly, and softly said

"Hello, Professor… My name is Draco Malfoy, and I am Mr. Charlie's nephew. I am very honored to be here, meeting you for the first time. Please forgive my recklessness at this moment, I am just too happy… When my uncle lived in my house, he mentioned your teachings many times. He taught me a lot of Transfiguration-related knowledge, but he always told me that only at Hogwarts can I truly see the master of Transfiguration and receive the best guidance."

Speaking of this, even Draco's expression showed undisguised excitement.

This was not an emotion that could be faked, but a real and undisguised excitement… He pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and continued

"So I have been looking forward to this day—until this moment, when I truly met you."

McGonagall didn't interrupt him, but narrowed her eyes slightly and listened quietly to everything he said.

Her gaze paused on Draco again for a while, as if re-examining the little boy.

"Let's wait and see."

She said in a low voice, and then, without giving others time to react, she turned around and walked slowly towards the area between the professor's seat and the four house tables.

Then her voice also rose, and she issued an order

"Come on, follow me."

Professor McGonagall walked slowly forward, but couldn't help but look at Charlie in the seat.

At this moment, Charlie smiled very happily, the smile as bright as a blooming flower.

Okay, McGonagall had to agree with Charlie's statement in her heart, this Malfoy is indeed a different Malfoy.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

When a group of little wizards closely followed McGonagall's steps and came to the center of everyone's sight, the old hat, which was so worn out and patched with dense patches, was already waiting for them on a chair.

Roughly skipping the song that the hat had spent a whole year preparing but wasn't very good.

"Come on…"

Professor McGonagall stepped aside and said

"Next, I will start calling names."

She glanced around at everyone and continued

"The person whose name I call will sit on the chair and put on the Sorting Hat. It will tell you which house you should go to."

Listening to Professor McGonagall's words, there was a small discussion in the crowd.

"Rely on that hat to divide the houses?"

Harry whispered to Ron in some surprise

"Probably…" Ron's words also revealed some lack of confidence.

"I heard George say that the hat has been cast with an evil curse that can turn people into idiots. Everyone who is not strong-willed will have their IQ sucked out of their brains…"

"Really?" Harry looked at Ron in disbelief.

"Anyway, I don't believe it." Fortunately, this time, Ron was not as sure as before. He shrugged, but his face still showed some nervousness.

"The first one—William Lane!"

Without giving the two too much time to discuss, Professor McGonagall began to call names.

The boy who was called out walked out of the crowd, carefully sat on the chair, and nervously put on the talking hat.

"Hmm…"

The Sorting Hat pondered for a moment

"Hufflepuff!!"

Immediately, there was a burst of applause from the Hufflepuff students, welcoming the still somewhat excited child to their house table with kindness.

"Next, Hermione Granger."

The crowd parted, and the girl with fluffy hair on the train came forward, took a deep breath, picked up the hat, and put it on her head.

"Gryffindor!!"

"Andy Thomas."

"Gryffindor!"

"Pansy Parkinson"

"Slytherin!"

… … …

Gradually, students began to disperse to the tables of each house amid bursts of applause.

"Draco Malfoy"

Without making Draco wait too long, soon, his name was called out from Professor McGonagall's mouth.

Draco smiled slightly, already knowing what to expect.

His expression was as usual. He handed his notebook to Goyle beside him, and then strode forward. After his eyes briefly crossed with Charlie's again, he picked up the Sorting Hat on the chair and slowly put it on his head.

"Slyth…"

The Sorting Hat almost didn't pause and was about to shout.

However… suddenly, its voice stopped.

On the anthropomorphic face in the folds, there was a visible look of confusion and embarrassment.

"Wait, this is too strange… Perhaps you are more suitable for… Ravenclaw?"