George closed the magic book in his hand, looking at the three boys with an amused expression. "Well, I'm sorry, but I quite like this bed and don't feel like giving it up."
"You don't seem to understand the situation here."
The three young wizards stepped forward simultaneously, their faces showing a menacing smirk.
"You should know, while it's against the rules to use magic for attacks, nobody said we can't use our fists."
From their perspective, George appeared smaller and frailer compared to them. Besides, there were three of them and only one of him. If he didn't wise up, they wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson.
"As far as I know, the Slytherin tradition is that whoever is more capable becomes the leader. If, in the future, your academic performance surpasses mine, I'd be more than willing to give up my spot. How about that?"
George smiled as he proposed this.
If he could avoid physical conflict, he preferred not to resort to violence. After all, he now considered himself a proper wizard, and elegance was paramount. Rolling up his sleeves and throwing punches seemed beneath him, more suited to warriors than wizards.
"What's he saying? Is he implying that a half-blood like him will outperform us purebloods in academics? That's the funniest joke I've ever heard!"
The leader of the trio burst into laughter, and his two companions joined in.
"I'm ordering you now: pack your things and take that ridiculous pet of yours to the farthest bed, or you'll regret it."
"Well, since you're not interested in competing on the basis of grades, let me show you a little of what I know about martial arts."
Seeing his new roommates' utter lack of self-awareness, George placed his magic book on the bedside table and stood up, stretching his limbs.
Without using magic or special abilities, his current physical strength alone was enough to overwhelm not just the three before him but even the entire first-year group of wizards.
It wasn't that he possessed advanced combat techniques; his sheer strength and speed far outmatched those of the young wizards.
"Looks like you really need a lesson."
The trio, seeing George rise, stopped talking and charged at him, rolling up their robes.
Two minutes later, George, once again seated gracefully, picked up his magic book and casually said: "I'd advise against going to the prefects or professors to complain. After all, it's three against one, and you still ended up like this. If word gets out, you'll never hear the end of it over the next seven years."
"We get it… but don't get cocky! You're just stronger than us physically. Let's see you compete in academics and magic!"
The three boys, sprawled on the floor with bruised faces and tear-streaked cheeks, turned pale at George's remark. They had indeed considered reporting him to the professors to have him severely punished. But now, imagining the ridicule that would follow, they thought better of it.
They hurriedly used the idea of academic competition as a way to save face.
"I already suggested competing academically, but you insisted on a physical showdown. Sigh…What a drag!"
George shook his head. The trio looked even more embarrassed, clearly regretting their decision.
The Next Morning
While the three bruised young wizards were still sound asleep, George, who had slept a full seven hours, opened his eyes right on schedule.
After a quick wash, he made his way to the Slytherin common room.
The prefect had mentioned the previous evening that the weekly timetable would be posted in the common room starting at six in the morning.
It was now 7:20. With classes starting at nine, most students were still in bed.
Only a few upper-year students, likely fifth years preparing for their critical O.W.L. exams, were quietly reviewing their notes in the common room.
"Just one class today?"
Scanning the posted schedule, George saw that Slytherin first-years had only one class on the first day of term: History of Magic at 2 p.m., with the rest of the day free.
Looking further, he noticed that not every day was so relaxed.
- Tuesday: Two morning Transfiguration classes and one Defense Against the Dark Arts in the afternoon.
- Wednesday: Two morning Herbology classes, with the afternoon off.
- Thursday: Morning Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts, an afternoon Charms class, and an evening History of Magic.
- Friday: Two morning Potions classes, one afternoon Herbology, and an evening Astronomy.
- Flying lessons were scheduled to begin in the second week, on Thursday afternoons after Charms.
The timetable also noted which house they'd be paired with for each subject, as Hogwarts often combined classes due to limited teaching staff and small house sizes.
For instance:
- Potions and Flying were shared with Gryffindor.
- Charms and Transfiguration were with Hufflepuff.
- Herbology, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy were with Ravenclaw.
"Not enough Charms classes."
Memorizing the timetable, George frowned slightly.
To him, Charms was the most important subject, as it covered the principles and fundamental spells of magic. Yet the first-years only had one class per week, the same as the largely theoretical Astronomy.
Then again, it made sense. Many first-years from non-magical families would be entirely new to magic, so building a solid foundation was likely prioritized over learning too many spells at once.
"Looks like I'll have to rely on self-study."
The course load seemed far too light for George's ambitions. To learn more magic, he would need to dedicate extra time to self-directed study.
Fortunately, unlike Knockturn Alley, studying at Hogwarts was much more efficient. Here, he could consult professors or access the library's vast collection of magical texts whenever he needed.
"Since the first class isn't until the afternoon, I might as well explore."
George set aside his book and decided to wander around Hogwarts Castle.
After all, he would be spending the next seven years here. Familiarizing himself with every corner now would make life more convenient later. Plus, it was a good opportunity to locate all his future classrooms.
Starting with the Slytherin dungeons, George thoroughly explored the area beneath the castle.
The dungeons were extensive, with twisting corridors that took him nearly an hour to navigate.
He discovered various locations, such as the boathouse, storage rooms, the ghostly Deathday Party chamber, the Potions classroom, the Slytherin Head's office, the Fifth Dungeon Classroom, the Hogwarts kitchens, and the Hufflepuff dormitories.
While the kitchen doors were shut, he could hear the sounds of house-elves preparing breakfast inside.
As for the Hufflepuff dormitory entrance, it was marked by a stack of barrels that required a specific rhythm to open. With no way to enter, George made his way up to the Great Hall for breakfast.