Capítulo 22: Hogwarts, Please Graduate Soon, Ch 22
Actually, during the summer break, shortly after receiving his acceptance letter from Hogwarts, Wayne felt a bit apprehensive about the Sorting Hat. He had too many secrets: the cheats he used, his identity as a time traveler, and memories of the plot. Each of these was a monumental secret. If anyone found out, they would probably want to dissect him for research.
However, as he learned more about magic and gained a better understanding, Wayne realized that the Sorting Hat wasn't as frightening as he had initially thought. This hat embodied the wisdom of the four founders and had the ability to sort young wizards into the most suitable houses for them. But that didn't mean the Sorting Hat could see through a person's memories. It could only perceive the most superficial thoughts and, like the "Pensieve," could sense the highlights of a young wizard's character to help assign them to a house.
Thus, after a few simple mind-shifting exercises, Wayne no longer worried about the hat. Instead, it was old Dumbledore that needed to be more careful. What if one day he locked eyes with the old Bee while thinking about something plot-related or system-related in his mind? That could spell trouble.
"You don't seem nervous at all?" The Sorting Hat asked as it engaged in a mental conversation with Wayne.
In nearly a thousand years, the Sorting Hat had encountered all kinds of young wizards, but very few had been as relaxed as Wayne.
"Why should I be nervous?" Wayne replied. "It's just these four houses. Are you going to expel me?"
"Of course not, kid," the Sorting Hat cheerfully responded. "But I could yell 'Azkaban,' and I think that would have quite an effect."
"I've heard Dumbledore complain that Azkaban has become a sort of training academy for Hogwarts. With your talent, it wouldn't be too much of a problem for you to go straight in."
Wayne remained unfazed. "But that's the Ministry's domain. You don't have that kind of power."
Please, if he had SS-level dark magic talent, he might be nervous for a few seconds. But right now? A+ in dark magic wasn't bad, but it had to be compared to the SS-level talents around him. In terms of dark magic, Wayne practically considered himself foolish.
"Hmph." Seeing that he hadn't managed to intimidate Wayne, the Sorting Hat huffed and began its duties, chattering away in Wayne's mind.
"Gifted, this delightful feeling reminds me of Dumbledore in his youth. How about Gryffindor?"
"Hmm? You don't like Gryffindor?"
"Hey, kid, be nice to the house my master founded. I may not like those little lions much either; they always want to give me a bath."
"Then how about Slytherin? There's no doubt you could rise to greatness there, but your ambition… Merlin's beard, what kind of ambition is that?"
"If I sorted you into Slytherin, I'd be hated by all the Slytherins," Wayne replied, his cheeks turning red for a rare moment. His ambition… well, better not to mention it. Strengthening the Lawrence family is our unshakable duty!
"Then how about Ravenclaw? A smart little head like yours is quite popular there, and it could also allow you to fulfill your ambitions. There are plenty of girls in Ravenclaw…"
Wayne couldn't hold back any longer. "Old Hat, why don't you mention Hufflepuff?"
The Sorting Hat fell silent. Perhaps it was Wayne's unusual phrasing, but more likely because it was astonished by Wayne's lack of self-awareness.
"Not… what do you mean?" The Sorting Hat asked, somewhat flustered. "What qualities do you think you possess that Hufflepuff values?"
"What do you mean by that?" Wayne frowned. "Which of my qualities don't fit?"
"Loyalty?"
"All my little brothers are very loyal to me. Nobody dared to betray me back in elementary school."
The Sorting Hat was stunned into silence.
"Kindness?"
"I can't even be bothered to step on the ants on the sidewalk."
"Perseverance?"
"I've always been SP." Wayne's certainty on that last point was unwavering.
The Sorting Hat was at a loss for words.
"Do you really want to be in Hufflepuff?" The Sorting Hat mused, feeling dizzy. It thought Wayne made a valid point, but there was still a huge contradiction.
Fortunately, the wishes of the young wizard carried significant weight in the sorting process, so it asked again, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, hurry up! I'll get you a set of Muggle hat care tools when I have the chance."
"It's a deal," the Sorting Hat said with newfound interest.
A dirty little deal was struck, and the Sorting Hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
With the dust settled, thundering applause erupted in the Great Hall, genuine blessings ringing out for Wayne.
Except for Hermione, who looked a bit disappointed. She had hoped Wayne would be sorted into Ravenclaw so she would have a companion in class.
Wow, that was long! It took a full fifteen minutes for Hogwarts to produce another "Hat Stuck" (referring to students who take more than five minutes to be sorted). The name Wayne Lawrence was now etched in the minds of all the faculty and students.
Looking back through history, apart from Wayne, there had only been two other cases of a "Hat Stuck" in this century. One was Pettigrew, the late recipient of the first-class Merlin Medal. The other was Professor McGonagall, who stood next to Wayne.
As she watched Wayne take off the hat, nod in acknowledgment, and head to the Hufflepuff table, she imagined various outcomes. He might join Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin. But she had never considered that he would finally end up in Hufflepuff.
Calling out the next student's name, she discreetly glanced at the Sorting Hat. Surely it couldn't have lost its wits after working for so long?
"This way!" Cedric cheerfully waved, allowing Wayne to take a seat by his side. Once Wayne settled down, Cedric lowered his voice:
"You were amazing! Fifteen minutes—I almost couldn't stand it!"
Wayne looked horrified as he saw Cedric patting his stomach.
"I'm starving! You guys wasted so much time this year."
Oh, so that was what he meant. It startled him.
"How long did it take you?"
"Me? Just three seconds and I was done. Pretty quick, right?"
"That's way too fast." Wayne gave a thumbs-up, and Cedric beamed with pride.
The sorting for the following students went much smoother until Harry Potter arrived, causing another commotion in the hall. When he was sorted into Gryffindor, the twins and a few classmates next to him almost toppled the table in excitement.
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