章 12: What does the wolf say?

The new student followed the professor McGonagall. They walked out of the chamber back in the hall then moved through a pair of great doors and arrived in the Great Hall.

When he arrived in the Hall, Dudley was bewildered by what he saw. It was a high hall illuminated by flying candles with four long tables where wizard students of all ages were seated. On the tables one could see gold and silver covers shining by candlelight. At the back of the room, another table set crosswise to the others stood in front of the newcomers where several people, probably the teachers, were seated. The group of firsts moved forward until they found themselves facing the professors' table. In front of the professors standed a simple stool.

When all the freshmen arrived, McGonagall left them a moment before quickly returned with an old hat which seemed as ancient as the school itself. She put it down on the stool and just a few seconds later, the hat shook and a tear forming a mouth appeared on the edge of the cap - allowing the hat to sing.

"Oh,you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your tops hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all…."

'Uuuugh…. What a lame song' thought Dudley.

As the whole hall began to applaud the singing hat, which was bowing to them, Dudley's eyes twitched while the young man was feeling very awkward. For what he understood, the new students would have to wear the hat to be dispatched into their respective houses. Even though it was convenient for certains, Dudley didn't like the idea that someone - or something in this case - chose in his stead. Dudley glanced at both Terry and Jenna next to him to watch their reaction. Without surprise, Jenna didn't seem to give a damn and spent more time looking at the empty dishes on the tables, probably anticipating the future banquet. As for Terry, the young girl seemed more concerned and was glancing at a certain table while biting her lip. Dudley noted that Lady had left her shoulder but the young man couldn't find her anywhere in the hall. When the clapping stopped McGonagall walked towards the new students and raised before her eyes a scroll she had just unrolled.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted". she said to all to listen.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause…

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

One of the tables right to Dudley cheered and clapped Hannah who went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. One of the ghosts, an overweight pale monk, was weaving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!" continued McGonagall.

The Sorting ceremony proceeded that way. McGonagall would call a new student and the Sorting Hat would shoot the house name for the freshmen who wear it. Susan Bones went to Hufflepuff, Terry Boot - whom Dudley almost confounded with his Terry - went to Ravenclaw. Then…

"Bradach, Gwennaelle" cited McGonagall.

Her call was heard in the whole Hall but after sometimes nobody went to wear the hat.

"Bradach, Gwennaelle" repeated McGonagall frowning.

Dudley looked at Jenna next to him who didn't move out. To his surprise, the young girl was still drooling in waiting for the next meal to arrive and seemed to be completely unaware that she was called.

"Oh Jenna, it's your turn…" whispered Dudley.

"My turn? Which turn?" asked Jenna woken up.

"Your turn to put the hat on," continued Dudley.

"What hat?"

"What do you mean 'what hat'? The hat on the stool!" he said exasperated.

"Why should I wear it?" she asked, confused.

"... You haven't listened to anything that's been said since we walked down the hall, have you?" questioned Dudley, his eyes half-closed.

"Not really" she answered.

"BRADACH, GWENNAELLE!" shooted McGonagall displeased.

"Move your ass and put that hat" growled Dudley to Jenna.

"Okay" she said innocently.

Jenna finally moved to the stool to put the hat. As Terry glanced at her then she gave Dudley an interrogating glance, which he answered with a simple shrugging. Seeing Jenna for the first time, many students began to whisper where a student so tall could come from. McGonagall casted an incensed look at Jenna while the girl was merrily humming with the hat on her head until…

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Once again, the Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped at the new member. Jenna glanced at them then at Dudley blinking softly, without moving at all of the stool. Dudley simply pointed her to sit at the designated table with a firm pointing finger and a fierce look. It takes some seconds for Jenna to understand to go off the stool and take a seat at the Hufflepuff table.

McGonagall casted one last infuriated sight at Jenna, before the deputy headmistress continuing the sorting, calling the next student.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy"

"RAVENCLAW!" shooted the hat.

Once again, an ovation from the designated house was claiming and the young girl went to sit among them. An then…

"Brooks, Theresa," said McGonagall.

"Theresa?" replied discreetly Dudley, gazing at Terry next to him.

Terry didn't respond but simply casted a look at Dudley before sighing and walking to the stool. Once again, after Terry was seated, the professor put the hat on her. A certain time passed during which Terry seemed really uncomfortable. After some seconds…

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Terry exhaled a long breath and, after McGonagall retrieved the hat, the young girl went to sit at the Hufflepuff table sitting next to Jenna who hugged her immediately after. Dudley watched the two girls and smiled. He was happy that Terry and Jenny got sorted together. Unconsciously, the young man began to worry being alone in a house where he knew no one. Although he was a natural loner, this was the first time Dudley had ever got on so well with others of his own age, and to have to say goodbye to them after they just meet made him a little somber. It was new for the young man to feel so attached to people other than his family. Although ruminating his thoughts, Dudley didn't have to wait long for his answer. The ceremony continued to place the students and soon, it was his turn...

"Dursley, Dudley" shooted McGonagall.

Out of his reverie, Dudley looked towards the hat and then towards the stool where to sit. Frowning a little, the young boy walked towards the teacher who was holding the dilapidated hat. His height, like Jenna's, made some of the students murmur, wondering where someone so tall could have come from. Draco Malfoy, still surrounded by Crab and Goyle, made a discret and quick nod to Dudley while Harry, with his own redhead, looked at his cousin with a pensive and worried look on his face. Stepping out of the first years' rows, Dudley sat down on the stool and McGonagall, just like all the other students before him, put the Sorting Hat on his head.

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Harry looked at his cousin for a moment, his own problems in mind. A part of him was worried to be in the same house as Dudley while another wanted to. It was a complicated feeling.

After leaving King Cross, he didn't speak with Dudley since they went out of the train. It was like they mutually acknowledged not to interfere with each other when coming into Hogwarts. Harry wanted to live his new wizard life fully without having his past living with the Dursleys following him. He didn't like his uncle and aunt. They were the source of many of his problems and being far for them was a blessing for him. For Dudley, Harry didn't know what to think really. Dudley, unlike Vernon and Petunia, never really made him feel miserable to be 'Harry'. Of course there was a time when Dudley was a real bully with him, but his cousin was never cruel like could have been his uncle or aunt. There was time, even though he tried to hide it, Dudley was nice to him like the time he got his bedroom or when he was bullied by a gang of kids. In fact, after the accidents, nobody except Dudley came to persecute him. He didn't know why but in some way, Harry was thinking that Dudley was actually protecting him. Sometimes when thinking of Dudley, Harry was wondering if having a brother was like this. But each time he thought that way, he remembered his Uncle and Aunt standing next to Dudley, their eyes full of hatred for him.

Harry exhaled deeply and sighed. His relation with his cousin was complicated. Maybe their time in this school, and far from Privet Drive, will reapproach them.

"Eh? Harry! What's happening with your cousin" asked Ron next to him.

Harry, who was lost in thought, looked first at Ron and then at Dudley, sitting on the stool with the Sorting Hat on his head. What he saw was surprising to say the least.... Some students who had put the hat on before could sit longer than others. That was about the only difference between them. But the show he was getting was quite different.

The Sorting Hat on Dudley's head kept twisting and convulsing as Dudley wrinkled and glanced at the hat with murderous gazes. Recognising the look in his cousin's eyes, it seemed as if Dudley was having a fight with the hat. The scene must have been particularly unusual because many people in the hall began to whisper, not knowing what was going on. Even the teachers watched the duel of the hat and the young boy with puzzled eyes. The only one who remained calm was an old professor with silver hair and long beard sitting opposite, who only raised an eyebrow as a sole response.

The scene continued for a moment before Dudley, exasperated, shooted at the hat.

"YOU WILL PUT ME IN A DAMN HOUSE ALREADY YOU STUPID HAT!"

"FINE! HUFFLEPUFF THEN!" exclaimed the Sorting Hat.

Dudley rose from the stool with a furious leap and threw the hat violently to the floor, before heading towards Hufflepuff's table. There was no time for the house to come out of its stupor, and so did the rest of the people in the Great Hall that Dudley sat at the table next to Jenna and Terry before only one of them could applaud him for joining their ranks. Harry looked at his cousin with curious eyes, unaware of what had just happened. He was not alone in looking at Dudley in surprise, Malfoy looked half-surpised, half-horrified at Dudley, his mouth wide open after hearing the announcement of the hat. Many in the room began to speculate about what had just happened, and some were already debating among themselves to find an answer. McGonagall, who had just retrieved the hat on the floor, took one last look at Dudley before calling for silence in the hall with a loud cough.

"Good! Let's continue the ceremony...Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" resumed McGonagall.

The boy who was just called walked cautiously towards the deputy headmistress and looked at the hat a bit worried after the event that just happened. Many in the hall were still wondering what just happened for the hat and the boy to fight in the middle of the sorting ceremony. While looking at his cousin, all he could see was him being frustrated and very possibly angry. Terry and Jenna who were sitting next to Dudley, tried to ask him what just happened but the tall blonde boy didn't seem very responsive. Harry, from the corner of his eyes, could also see Malfoy glancing at Dudley with a frowning look, visibly perturbed.

"Hey Harry! Do you know what just went on with your cousin?" asked Ron, looking at Dudley like half the students of the Great Hall.

"Honestly Ron… I have no idea…" replied Harry as the ceremony continued.