Hogwarts: I, Tom, am really not Voldemort!

"Tom, Tom Riddle, a new student at Hogwarts, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Tom extended a friendly hand to Harry.

"Harry, Harry Potter, it's also a pleasure to meet you."

Harry liked this boy who helped him and didn't stare at his lightning scar, so he quickly shook the other's hand.

"Well then, I'll go meet up with my friends now. See you at Hogwarts." Tom didn't want to travel with Harry, so he made an excuse to politely say goodbye and walked alone towards the back of the carriage.

Meanwhile, Tom found a carriage with empty seats. Only one girl was sitting inside, and she was someone Tom knew.

"Hi, Cassandra, long time no see. Can I sit here?" Tom greeted her warmly.

"If you insist on sitting here, I suppose it's not impossible," Cassandra agreed coyly.

Okay, you tsundere, Tom knew better than to expose her, and he closed the door with a smile.

But before long, the door was opened again. A proud little girl with thick, bushy brown hair stood at the door with a round-faced boy and asked:

"Excuse me, can we sit here? The other carriages are already full."

'Hermione and Neville?' Tom guessed who they were as soon as he saw their signature features, but he didn't take it upon himself to decide. Instead, he looked at Cassandra with a questioning gaze.

To Tom's surprise, Cassandra frowned, but eventually nodded slightly in agreement.

Seeing Cassandra agree, Tom helped out with a small spell: "Wingardium Leviosa."

The two's heavy luggage was placed on the luggage rack.

"Thank you, your Levitation Charm is excellent. My name is Hermione Granger, you can call me Hermione. This is Neville, Neville Longbottom."

"Tom Riddle."

"Cassandra Vawrey."

Tom and Cassandra greeted them respectively.

Before long, the train began to slowly pull out of the station. At this point, Hermione's chatterbox was also opened.

"Are you both first-year students?" Before Tom and Cassandra could react, she continued on her own, "I've memorized all the first-year textbooks. I even tried a few simple spells at home, and they worked... You know, no one in my family knows magic. I was so happy when I received my acceptance letter, but I was also worried sick. Compared to those from wizarding families, I might not be able to keep up with the course progress... Are you both from wizarding families?"

Cassandra nodded proudly, but in fact, when she heard Hermione say that she had memorized all the first-year textbooks, she was extremely shocked.

Tom shrugged and said calmly, "I'm from a Muggle orphanage."

"Oh... I'm sorry," Hermione quickly apologized, realizing that she had said the wrong thing.

"It's okay, I don't mind. But Hermione, you really are a Ravenclaw."

"Ravenclaw? Why? I actually wanted to go to Gryffindor. I heard that Dumbledore graduated from there. I just asked on the train and they all said Gryffindor is the best."

Tom was noncommittal to Hermione's words: "Then you must have asked Gryffindor students. Actually, there's no superior or inferior among the four houses of Hogwarts. There's only what's most suitable for you. Like me, I don't like going to Gryffindor."

"Why?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Gryffindor is too noisy. You can't even read a book quietly there. You know, Gryffindor is the most mischievous and reckless of the four houses. They are enthusiastic about adventure and don't pay much attention to studying. Like Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, they weren't good kids when they were students."

"As for you, Hermione, how could someone who memorized the first-year textbooks before school not be a Ravenclaw? Ravenclaws love to learn, admire wisdom, and have a quiet learning environment. It's a paradise for students who like to study. It is said that there is a huge library in the Ravenclaw common room, which contains books not included in the Hogwarts library."

"Don't believe me, ask Neville and see if what I said is right?" As he spoke, Tom nodded towards Neville.

"Yes... Yes, it's like Tom said. My... My parents graduated from Gryffindor. Grandma wants me to enter Gryffindor. But... But I'll probably go to Hufflepuff," Neville's answer seemed to exhaust all his strength, and his face turned red.

"Actually, there's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff," Tom began to comfort Neville, "Personally, I think the best and most favorite of the four houses is Hufflepuff. Just, honest, loyal, and unafraid of hardship, excellent Hufflepuffs can meet all people's expectations of Hogwarts students. Love, unity, and kindness run through the entire house. Maybe they are not the smartest or most capable, but they are definitely good people and will be the most reliable partners."

Having heard the evaluation of Hufflepuff as a good-for-nothing and a garbage dump, Tom's statement was the first time Neville had heard it, but the confusion and anxiety in his eyes dissipated a lot with Tom's words.

"So, which house do you want to go to?" Hermione asked Tom and Cassandra in return.

"Slytherin!" Cassandra replied without hesitation.

"It should be Slytherin," Tom replied casually.

Cassandra looked at Tom strangely: "Slytherin doesn't recruit Muggle-born wizards."

"Who knows?" Only Tom knew his own situation.

"But, does anyone know how the Sorting works?" Hermione asked, wanting to know more.

"I don't know, but it's based on the characteristics of the new students. Maybe it's some special magic."

"But don't worry, it seems that no new students have been killed or injured because of the Sorting."

Tom naturally knew about the Sorting Hat, but since everyone agreed not to tell the new students, Tom naturally had no interest in breaking the rules.

As for Cassandra, the proud young lady was unwilling to explain actively.