"And finally," Dumbledore's tone grew serious, "there is an area under renovation on the fourth floor. No student is permitted to enter that section of the castle, as it may be... life-threatening."
Draco's attention sharpened. An area under renovation? Was the Philosopher's Stone arc still in play? He would need to investigate further.
As Dumbledore concluded his announcements, he cheerfully exclaimed, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" before taking his seat. With that, the feast began. Platters of food appeared on the tables, and the hall soon filled with the clattering of dishes and excited chatter.
Draco had barely taken his first bite when a few of the Slytherin first-years attempted to introduce themselves.
"Weird, isn't he?" one boy remarked.
"Maybe, but everyone says he's the strongest wizard in Britain—perhaps even in the whole world," another added.
"Yeah, my father warned me to avoid getting on his bad side," chimed a third.
"Even though I've seen his photo, seeing him in person is... not very appealing," a girl said, searching for the right word.
"What do you think, Malfoy?" asked the boy to Draco's left. He was stocky, with dark hair and sharp eyes that glinted with interest—Blaise Zabini.
Draco glanced at him briefly, noting how many others were watching closely. The Slytherin hierarchy was already forming. He gave a curt nod. "It doesn't matter what we think. Like he said, he's still one of the strongest wizards alive, right?"
Blaise smirked, but before he could respond, a smooth, commanding voice cut in. "I wouldn't underestimate Dumbledore if I were you," said a tall, older girl seated further down the table. Her dark brown hair framed sharp, calculating eyes. "A century of experience doesn't come without real power. His reputation isn't just for show. Eccentric or not, there's a reason he's feared."
It was Millicent Bulstrode, a fourth-year Slytherin known for her no-nonsense attitude. She looked directly at Draco, sizing him up. He remained composed, giving her a slight nod of acknowledgment. Millicent was someone to keep an eye on—an older student who had already claimed some measure of authority within the house.
"Exactly right, Millicent," another voice chimed in, a fourth-year boy with an easygoing laugh. "Dumbledore's odd, but he's got that raw power you don't mess with." He leaned back casually, crossing his arms. "Adrian Pucey, by the way," he added, flashing Draco a confident grin. "Don't let all the first-year gossip get to you, Malfoy. You'll figure things out soon enough."
Draco gave a polite nod but kept his response minimal. He knew how this worked—show too much, and people would start reading into it. Instead, he observed, noting how the older students interacted.
Soon after, a new conversation sparked among the first-years.
"Does anyone know about this renovation Dumbledore mentioned?" asked a girl named Daphne Greengrass, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.
Draco look at her with interest, he remember in the movie Draco married to her younger sister Astoria, whos3 hhair was black unlike her who has blond. He also remember that there seems pass curse in their family.
"Nothing specific," replied Theodore Nott, sounding thoughtful. "But there's always something hidden in these old castles—cursed areas, dangerous artifacts. It wouldn't surprise me at all. You know how Hogwarts is—full of secrets."
"Secrets or not, I'd like to stay away from anything that might get us in trouble," said Pansy Parkinson, her tone half-serious, half-teasing. "The last thing I want is to be stuck cleaning a dungeon or facing whatever's lurking behind those renovations."
"Wouldn't surprise me either," came a voice from across the table. Draco turned slightly to see Cassius Warrington, a third-year Slytherin with a reputation for being ambitious and competitive. He leaned in conspiratorially. "There are always rumors of something dangerous hidden in this castle. We'll probably never see it, though—unless someone's foolish enough to go looking."
Draco noted the challenge in his tone, directed more toward the first-years than anyone else. Cassius seemed the type to push buttons and watch for reactions. "Exactly," Theodore chimed in, crossing his arms and leaning back. "It's the ones who think they're invincible that end up as stories for the rest of us. Like the last group of first-years who thought they could explore the Forbidden Forest."
Cassius smirked, clearly enjoying the conversation. "You mean the ones who returned with tales of giant spiders and other creatures? That kind of reckless stupidity is what keeps us entertained. And let's be honest, it's what makes Hogwarts so infamous."
Daphne rolled her eyes but couldn't help a small smile. "And they probably deserved it for being so careless. Still, I can't imagine being that foolish. I prefer to gather knowledge from a safe distance."
Blaise caught on as well, leaning back in his seat with a casual smile. "What do you think, Malfoy? Going to try your hand at finding this mysterious danger?"
Draco's response was calculated. "Dumbledore's warnings should not be dismissed lightly. But you don't last long in Slytherin by walking into traps headfirst. There are more strategic ways to uncover secrets."
That seemed to catch the attention of the older students. Millicent raised an eyebrow, a small smirk forming on her lips. "Good answer. You'll need that sort of thinking if you want to survive here."
As the feast continued, more platters of food disappeared, replaced by a wide array of desserts. While eating, Draco kept his eye on the dynamics of the table. The older students were carefully observing the first-years, as if waiting to gauge who might rise to the top. He wasn't interested in playing their games—yet.
Nott, however, wasn't convinced. "Maybe. But things like this have a way of revealing themselves to those who pay attention."
One senior respond," Right, so just follow those who will definitely act , and you will get your answers without taking risk".
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Author's pov
Give ideas regarding the power system of the compilation world if anyone can.
Like jobs, class, subclasses .evolution, level, tier, also how magic works with comparison to class like warrior. With dungeons . Can someone get more jobs .
If possible write an example for human, Demi human and monster.
Also in last chapter I by mistake gave all above option in the plot choice and you choose too.
Choose another one, since all can't happen at same time. Others will be part of that one.
# Should he:
1. Respond to summoning
2. Just travel and found queen as slave
If 1 st one chosen in # then select:
1. Should he respond to Elisha Elfrieden summoning and then start protecting her kingdom while finding about about kingdom like of overlord and dungeons .
2. Should he respond to hero summoning and get as shield hero . Then Upsuring happened, he protected queen and her daughter . (Give some idea regarding plot of this one in details like what will they do)
If 2nd one is chosen in # :
1. He finds Elisha/her daughter/ or both as slaves or captive , saves them , take them as slaves , makes plan of reoccuping Elfrieden .
2. Similar to above but this time it's Mirellia Q Melromarc