Chapter 475: The Lowered Age Limit
The Sorting Hat worked with impressive efficiency, and within about half an hour, the Sorting was complete. Finally, with Kevin Whitby sorted into Hufflepuff, the ceremony came to an end.
Dumbledore stood up, his eyes twinkling as he surveyed the students. "Eat," he said simply.
Instantly, the empty plates before them were piled high with food.
Mikel served himself a generous helping of mashed potatoes, shaking his head in wonder. "I've seen it so many times, but it still amazes me every time the food just appears like that."
"Hogwarts tradition," Kyle said, grinning as he piled steak and ham onto his own plate.
As they dug into the delicious meal, they continued their conversation about enchanting the boats, even drafting a rough price list: one hundred Galleons per boat. It was a steep figure for students who hadn't even graduated, but they could always negotiate if it came to that.
When the main meal ended, Kyle helped himself to a Yorkshire pudding from the dessert options. Unlike the syrup-laden pies, it was just the right amount of sweetness—perfect for a final bite.
After the feast, the remaining food vanished, and the plates magically cleaned themselves, gleaming once more. Dumbledore rose to his feet, and the hall gradually quieted, all eyes on the Headmaster.
As usual, Dumbledore ran through a few standard rules, like reminding first-years that the Forbidden Forest was off-limits. His list of banned items was a little longer this year, including new additions from Zonko's Joke Shop, such as Nose-Biting Teacups, Ever-Bashing Boomerang, and Biting Quills—all products that had come out the previous year. The total count of forbidden items had now reached a staggering 437.