harry potter book of crimes

This school year’s welcome dinner can be said to be the same as always.

Not long after, under the leadership of Professor McGonagall, the freshmen of this period nervously walked to the staff table and lined up in a long row.

When Professor McGonagall placed the old Sorting Hat on the same old tall stool, the chatter in the auditorium quickly died down.

This is the case for every freshmen. They have various moods and are anxiously facing the mysterious sorting ceremony that is about to begin.

Under the illumination of many candlelights, the faces of the freshmen all looked a little too pale.

At this moment, all the teachers and students in the school were waiting quietly - waiting for the Sorting Hat to sing the opening song it had compiled all year long like a tongue twister, just like in previous years.

I have to say that it is a bunch of clichés. Rather than introducing the origin of the school to the new students, it is more like reciting the history of Hogwarts.

It pulled the thread and twisted the brim of the hat, conveying what it was supposed to convey in a nonchalant way, making the freshmen's ears a little confused.

Fortunately, the Sorting Hat's song ended quickly.

"...So, let's sort the schools now!"

After singing the last line, the Sorting Hat returned to its motionless state at the beginning, with only the last note of its strange singing voice remaining, which continued to echo and gradually died down in the quiet auditorium.

After that, the sorting ceremony started without any surprises and ended without any surprises.

"Welcome all the new students," Dumbledore stood up, opened his arms and said with a smile, "Of course, we also welcome all the old students! Although we do have to announce something, that is definitely not now - everyone starts happily

Eat it!”

The welcome dinner is always extremely sumptuous, with all kinds of delicacies presented in front of the little wizards in a "stacked" rather than "arranged" manner.

Oh! Okay! Let me correct you—not just in front of the little wizards, but also on the staff bench.

But even so, Harry and the others still felt that something was missing.

For example, the empty seat on the faculty bench is still unoccupied; for example, Hagrid still has not appeared in the auditorium.

It wasn't until everyone had finished enjoying the last dessert - those sweet syrup fruit pies, that Dumbledore stood up again, causing the little wizards to become quiet again.

As mentioned before, the Sorting Hat's ballad is just a cliché after all. The truly useful thing has to be explained by the greatest white wizard of our time.

"While everyone's stomachs are working hard for the rich delicious food, I would like to ask everyone to listen to me and talk about some things to pay attention to in the new semester as usual."

"First-year students need to know that the forbidden forest next to the hunting grounds is off-limits - I would like to reiterate this, and senior students should also try to keep it in mind."

"Then, the administrator, Mr. Filch, asked me to remind everyone that the school rules that need to be followed in study and life are posted beside the door of his office - the list is a bit long, but it is still necessary to take a look."

"Furthermore, what is special this year is that there are three changes in our teaching team——"

Having said this, Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued with a solemn tone:

"Now, we welcome Professor Grapeland back here, she will be teaching your 'Care of Magical Creatures' class -"

A burst of lively applause rang out from the long tables in each college. It seemed that Hagrid had indeed failed as a teacher. At least everyone would have a better impression of Professor Graplan, who had once taken over as a substitute teacher.

When the applause died down, Dumbledore continued to introduce:

"...We also welcome Professor Umbridge, who will be in charge of your 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' teaching."

The applause this time was obviously less, and I'm afraid it was more of a courtesy welcome. It seemed that everyone didn't like this "senior girl" dressed in "pink and tender" clothes.

"Finally, there seems to be a new professor who hasn't arrived yet, but I still--"

At this moment, he suddenly stopped talking and turned his head to look at Professor Umbridge with a hint of questioning.

Since she was almost the same when standing and sitting, no one really understood why Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking.

At this time, everyone only heard Umbridge clearing her throat, and everyone realized that she had stood up and seemed to be planning to say something!

Dumbledore didn't show much surprise. He just nodded slightly, then calmly sat back on the chair, waiting for her to speak.

However, compared with Dumbledore, most of the other teachers' faces were not very good-looking.

Professor Sprout's eyebrows were raised straight, with a look of considerable astonishment; Professor McGonagall pursed her lips tightly, with an "M" between her eyebrows.

Of course, Snape is indispensable at this time. At this moment, he clapped his tongue loudly, his displeasure evident in his words.

The little wizards in the auditorium all whispered, and some students even laughed secretly - this woman doesn't understand the rules too much, right?

"Ahem..."

Umbridge didn't care about all this, a false smile appeared on her face, and her voice only reminded people of a cup of coffee filled with sugar, which was disgusting.

"Thanks to the principal for the warm introduction, but I think a teacher who is absent even when meeting his students for the first time must be incompetent——"

"Crunch——"

Just as she brazenly interrupted Dumbledore's speech, the door of the auditorium was suddenly opened from the outside, which also ruthlessly interrupted her speech.

As the main door of the auditorium suddenly opened, the cold wind from outside suddenly rushed in, dissipating most of the warmth in the room.

When everyone in the auditorium looked toward the door, a not-so-tall figure walked calmly into the auditorium with regular and steady steps.

The visitor didn't make any unnecessary movements, but a few steps after he entered, the door seemed to be pulled by some invisible thread, and closed automatically with a "squeak".

"I heard that some people think that I am incompetent... I can't pretend that I didn't hear this! Don't you think so, Professor Umbridge?"

"Maka?"

The little wizards were extremely surprised. They never expected that when they thought they would never see Maka again, he would return to Hogwarts with an incredible identity!

"Maka is... the new professor?" Hermione said with her mouth half-opened, dumbfounded, "Wh-what's going on?"

"Maka? The new professor? What is he playing? Am I dreaming?" Ron was simply stunned.

"He... what is he going to teach us?" Harry said in disbelief, "There are new professors for Care of Magical Creatures and Defense Against the Dark Arts... Are there any other classes that need to change professors?"

Maka's unexpected appearance caused an incessant buzzing sound in the entire auditorium after a period of silence.

Umbridge frowned slightly, looked at him with a subtle expression, and let out a questioning chuckle from her nose.

"This is the last new teacher of this school year? Oh hum -" she broke the noise in the auditorium with a laugh like an aristocratic girl, "Principal, which college is this student? In fact, it's like this

I think I can forgive it for the nonsense... After all, children are always ignorant, aren't they?"

Maka is the same age as Harry this year, and his appearance and figure have never been considered tall and mature. Judging from his appearance alone, he is indeed just a fifth-grade student.

As for Umbridge, who has always been immersed in the workplace and climbed up by any means necessary, she will be extremely biased in ignoring any information that is useless for promotion.

In her opinion, Maka is just a child with an abnormal brain.

However, at this time Dumbledore stood up again and continued his interrupted introduction in a calm tone:

"Professor Umbridge, I would like to explain this -" Dumbledore said calmly, "This is the special professor of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mr. Macca McClane."

"To show the everlasting friendship between Hogwarts and Durmstrang, Principal Karkaroff specially sent this outstanding teacher to our school..."

"Starting from this school year, Mr. MacLean will replace Professor Bathcida Barbling as the teacher of the ancient magic text class in our school. Everyone is welcome!"

Needless to say, the little wizards were shocked, and everyone's familiarity with Maka made them even more excited.

For Maka, a "former classmate", everyone's initial indifference gradually turned into curiosity, then jealousy, envy, fear, admiration...

A series of changes in opinions made Maca become more and more "legendary" in everyone's minds, and finally settled on "numbness".

It was as if now, after a period of surprise, everyone clapped almost mechanically, and unabashedly showed a strange expression of "Oh! This guy started again!"

The fake smile on Umbridge's face stiffened, as if she couldn't understand Dumbledore's words, her sharp voice penetrated the applause of the young wizards.

"...Excellent teacher? Are you sure?" she said, "A child who is only fifteen or six years old at most?"

"Indeed," Dumbledore nodded seriously. "Mr. MacLean has won the Best Potential Newcomer Award twice in "Transfiguration Today", twice the Silver Award in "Practical Potions Master", and in "Ancient and Modern".

"Magic Text" has published four consecutive academic commentaries on ancient runes, and..."

"Not long ago, Mr. MacLean just completed the awarding ceremony of the Order of Merlin, Second Class."

"I have to say that it is an honor for the entire Hogwarts to have such an outstanding teacher serve in our school!"