LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 5: Rules Are Made to Be Broken!
"Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat declared. The small boy trembled as he made his way to the long table, taking a seat opposite Glenn, next to Neville. Harry appeared so dazed that he barely registered the particularly enthusiastic cheers surrounding him.
Ron followed shortly after, also sorted into Gryffindor. He looked equally overwhelmed as he slumped into the seat beside Harry.
With the Sorting Ceremony concluded, Professor McGonagall departed, taking the parchment and the Sorting Hat with her.
Dumbledore rose to his feet, his face beaming as he gazed at the students. He spread his arms wide, as if nothing in the world could have pleased him more than seeing them all gathered there.
"Welcome!" he exclaimed. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
"Thank you!" He sat back down amidst applause and cheers as everyone began to enjoy the lavish feast.
At the Slytherin table, Glenn found himself completely ostracized. His housemates had deliberately moved their cutlery and food away, leaving him isolated in his original spot.
Yet he remained unperturbed - other people's actions were of no consequence to him.
From across the hall, Hermione's nose wrinkled in indignation as she glared at the Slytherins before turning her fury towards Snape.
"Aren't you going to do something about this?" her expression seemed to say.
Snape was indeed helpless. He couldn't do anything about these young Slytherin wizards who valued blood status above all else. Though he knew Glenn wouldn't be discouraged by such treatment - Snape was well aware that even if all the Slytherins were suddenly killed by a troll, Glenn wouldn't bat an eye.
Still, knowing this was one thing; daring to meet Hermione's accusatory glare was another. He could only endure this bitter pill, pretending to be absorbed in his dinner.
Hermione's fists clenched in frustration.
She cast a worried glance at Glenn, who noticed the young girl's concern and gave a slight wave, indicating she needn't worry and should enjoy her dinner.
At the staff table, Professor McGonagall also shot Snape a disapproving look, which he continued to ignore.
Well, he thought, this too was part of life's lessons.
Suddenly, a commotion arose at the Gryffindor table. As Harry Potter's gaze swept across the staff table, he suddenly clutched his forehead with a cry of pain.
All eyes turned to him as he rubbed his scar, quietly apologizing.
Glenn frowned, having detected a faint ripple of soul energy. Since learning alchemy, he had become particularly sensitive to soul energy, as creating life through alchemy required converting magical power into soul force. However, this method was incredibly wasteful, and Glenn had better alternatives, though that's a matter for another time.
He quickly recalled where Harry had been looking - at Quirinus Quirrell, their soon-to-be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Glenn made a mental note of this peculiar incident but kept his observations to himself.
When the desserts finally vanished from the tables, Dumbledore stood once again, gesturing for silence.
"Now that we are all fed and watered," Dumbledore said, "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
His twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."
"And finally," Dumbledore's tone grew serious, "I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
The students exchanged puzzled glances.
Glenn remained unconcerned about the forest warning - avoiding it was impossible given his training plans. However, the warning about the third-floor corridor was new. Could it be related to Dumbledore's plans? Glenn pondered silently.
Next, Dumbledore led the school in singing the school song. Glenn abstained from singing, instead watching the young girl in the distance who, despite her evident disapproval of this particular tradition, was singing earnestly.
Everyone sang to their preferred tune, with the Weasley twins particularly standing out as they performed to the melody of a funeral march.
When the singing finally ended, Dumbledore dismissed everyone to their dormitories.
Glenn separated from the Slytherin line and walked towards the Gryffindors. Away from prying eyes, he retrieved his luggage from his waist pack.
"Glenn, how are you holding up?" Hermione had quietly made her way to the back of the Gryffindor group, grabbing his arm with concern. She had been furious watching him being isolated.
Glenn shook his head, handing her the waist pack containing her luggage, and patted her head. "Don't worry about it."
Though still concerned, Hermione accepted his reassurance and took the pack. "Alright then. See you tomorrow. Good night!" Seeing no one around, she quickly hugged Glenn before immediately letting go, her face flushed as she hurried to catch up with the Gryffindors.
"Good night," Glenn said softly, then turned with his trunk toward the Slytherin group. Even from a distance, he could track their direction by the vibrations in the floor.
Glenn arrived at the Slytherin common room entrance just as the main group reached it. The leader spoke the password: "Pureblood," and the stone door opened. He followed the crowd inside.
It was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps hung on chains. Carved chairs were scattered about, and there were elaborately decorated skulls as ornaments. Part of the dungeon extended under the lake, giving the room a greenish tinge as the Slytherins could view the lake bottom from the windows.
After the girls followed their prefect to their dormitories, the male prefect Marcus Flint began assigning rooms.
As fate would have it, Glenn was assigned to share a room with Draco and his two cronies, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe.
Ignoring the hostility and malice from others, Glenn found his dormitory and set his trunk down by the bed nearest the door.
He had much to do.
"Hey! You there, Hawthorne, isn't it?" Draco's voice came from behind as he burst through the door with his two followers, clearly looking for trouble.
"From now on, you'll be responsible for keeping the room clean and taking care of our daily needs, understood, Mudblood? Otherwise, well... you know the consequences."
He paused, laughing with Goyle and Crabbe, pretending to wipe away tears before continuing, "Oh right, since your parents are probably both Muggles, you might not know our rules. I'll say this only once, so listen carefully!
In Slytherin, blood status is everything! Do you understand..."
Before he could finish, three purple beams and three blue-white flashes cut through the air.
"Stupefy x3, Obliviate x3"
The three had no time to react before they collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they fell peacefully unconscious.
Glenn put away his wand without further acknowledgment. He opened his trunk, arranged his toiletries, tidied the room slightly, then retrieved a fist-sized pouch from the deepest part of his trunk.
This was his personal arsenal, enhanced with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
He pulled out a complete set of tactical gear that he had spent the entire summer reinforcing with alchemy, quickly donned it, put on a cloak with a hood, and retrieved a dagger and a Glock 17 with a silencer.
After checking his supplies of antidotes, blood-clotting potions, and sedatives, he was ready to move.
With his cane in his left hand and his wand and dagger secured in the alchemically modified mechanism in his right sleeve, and the Glock 17 in its holster at his waist, he was fully equipped.
With a thought, his wand sprang into his hand, and he began casting spells on himself.
"Disillusionment Charm, Silencing Charm, Notice-Me-Not."
Glenn's body vanished from the dormitory. The door opened and closed silently.
Using his cane to make subtle taps, Glenn confirmed the common room was empty and quickly passed through the tunnel into the corridor, heading downstairs.
He had been planning this for a long time, and now that he was finally at Hogwarts, he could put his plan into action.
Having heard that the Forbidden Forest housed numerous dangerous magical creatures, Glenn had decided to conduct his combat training there.
He hadn't invited Hermione because the young girl needed proper rest for her growth, while he could use meditation for more efficient rest without worrying about height issues, allowing him to make better use of the nighttime hours.
Though if he were honest, not wanting to put her in danger was the real reason.
Glenn was convinced that only through dangerous combat situations could one truly master their knowledge.
As for Dumbledore's rules?
Rules were made to be broken!