Capítulo 14: Sorting Ceremony
1st September 1991, Hogwarts
The sight of the Great Hall was magical. The hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the end of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. I somehow ended up standing next to the upcoming Golden Trio.
I looked up at the famous bewitched ceiling that pictured a velvet black night sky dotted with stars. It was really beautiful and I could hear sighs of admiration from the kids around. Hermione didn't miss the chance to show off her knowledge and whispered next to me. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History. "
Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. I really don't get it. The sorting hat is a historical magical artifact and part of hundreds of years old tradition, but no one ever bothered to clean it. And everything it would take is to cast a simple Cleaning Charm.
For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began 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 top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you have a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "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 moments pause --
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat and the Hufflepuff table to the right cheered loudly and clapped.
Then, after a few children, it was my turn. "Green, Suou!" The older with shouted my name and I stepped forward. I pulled out my wand and cast Scourgify the now formerly dirty hat under the surprised eyes of the Professors. I then seated myself on the uncomfortable-looking four-legged stool and put the hat on my head. The next second, I could admire the black inside of the hat. The hat can probably only fit someone like Hagrid how much worn out it is.
"Hmm, I feel like you thought something rude just now." The hat talked in an old voice quietly so only I could hear him. "Could you please lower your mind shields so I can sort you?"
"Nope."
"If you don't lower them, I will have no to go through them by force," He said solemnly.
"You can give it a try," I replied quietly. I want to know how it feels like to be attacked by Legilimens.
"Oh, confident one I see. Well, don't regret your choice later." He said and I could feel a poking sensation on my mind shield. This continued for about a minute. "I see why you were so confident." He huffed." You have one of the strongest mind shields I have ever seen. You must be one of these naturally born Occlumens and a very talented one. Well, now it's time to get serious." He said with newfound vigor and I could feel Hogwarts itself lending its magic to the hat. The hat continued with its now a way stronger attack on my mind shield. This time, he finally broke the shield with little effort, but what greeted him was not my mindscape but another barrier, but this one was twice as strong as the first one.
"Before you continue with your pointless endeavor, I must tell you that I have multiple mind shields and every other shield is twice as strong as the one before." I created my Occlumency barriers this way so that any possible attacker gradually weaken my possible attacker and slowly lose hope. And I can easily repair the weaker shields and trap them if they don't flee fast enough. But from the looks of it, even my weakest shield is really strong.
"How many mind shields do you have?" He asked in disbelief.
"More than a hundred," I replied with a smirk. I could feel the flinch on my head. "How about a compromise? I will let you in my mind if you make a magical vow to never tell anyone anything you may find in my mind. But you must swear on your magic and existence itself." Everything went along with my plan until now.
"Sigh, I don't have any other choice now do I? Fine, you little monster." He said. "Go to the snake pit then."
What?
"SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted.
What? I was sorted just like that? I feel somewhat dissatisfied. Where is the talk about my qualities and talents? I want a refund!
Oh well. Looks like I can't be a snake that hides in the raven nest. I took off the hat that was smirking at me and calmly went to the Slytherin table. My sorting into Slytherin was met with silence.
{I know that we would end up in this House. Even then, congratulations for becoming a Slytherin.}
'Thanks, Agony.'
I seated myself at the end of the table and I could feel the castle's magic wash over me. The castle keyed me to its wards, recognizing me as its student. Some parts of my uniform, like the necktie, lines on the jumper, and inner parts of the robes changed it's color into green or silver. And the Slytherin crest appeared on my uniform. Nice.
I looked at the teacher's table. Dumbledore was looking at me with twinkling eyes behind his half-moon glasses and unreadable expression. No trace of a heart attack because of another good-looking and talented orphan sorted into Slytherin. Pity.
I looked at his soul. It was the shiniest soul I have seen with a very light grey color. So Dumbledore is probably as I have thought him to be. A kind-hearted old man that tries to do what he thought was right. Even if he has to resort to some manipulation and scheming. He tries to help where he can, doing what he thinks is right. But he still makes mistakes sometimes. He is just a human after all.
My eyes then drifted to Professor Quirrel. Half of his dark grey soul was covered by a pitch-black smoky blob. That must be Voldemort's soul, or what was left from it, possessing Professor Quirrel.
I will let fate flow in its course and after Voldemort gains back all his strength and thinks that there is nothing to stop him, I will devour what was left of his tasty-looking pure black soul. At that time it should taste best. Like a matured wine. And I also don't want to mess with fate too much as this world is a crossover with MCU so who knows what could happen to me if I overdo it. And I would also give up my advantage of knowing the future.
The sorting ceremony continued and everyone went to their expected House. After me went Daphne Greengrass, a blond pretty girl with blue eyes and a frosty expression. She too ended in Slytherin and she sat down next to Tracey Davis, a cute brunette with light brown eyes.
After a while, it was the young savior's turn. When his name was called, the rowdy hall turned silent. He was under the hat for a few minutes before the hat bellowed out.
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted into the loudest cheers so far as Harry Potter joined them. A sharp contrast to my sorting.
The sorting soon ended with Blaise Zabini joining Slytherin. Professor McGonagall then rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat and the stool away.
Then, the Supreme Mugwump himself, Albus 'too many names' Dumbledore stood up with his arms raised wide. He was beaming at the students and looked as if nothing could please him more than to see them all here.
"Welcome," he said. "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. Everybody clapped and cheered. Though I could see that most of the snakes were sneering at him while they clapped. The hatred between lions and snakes is strong even across generations.
I looked at the golden dishes before me that were now filled with food. Time to eat. I elegantly devoured four portions of pork chops with roasted potatoes and a whole roasted chicken with some fries. The rest of the Slytherins and some Professors were giving me amazed or weird looks. It's been some time since I could eat until I was full. A moment later, the remains of the food faded away and deserts appeared. I continued my dinner with a few cups of chocolate pudding. Umu, pudding is the best.
I was eating my fifth pudding when I noticed Malfoy sitting a few seats away from me, looking deadly pale because of a certain scary ghost with a blank gaunt face and blood-stained robes sitting next to him. He at least has a seating buddy. I thought as I looked at the empty seats around me. Not that I care.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet once again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahem -- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. 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."
Dumbledore's 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, 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."
To me, it sounds the same as if he was challenging the students to go there. I could see the shining eyes of the Weasley twins at the far Gryffindor table. Then came the horrible school song during which I faked my singing along with the rest of the snakes.
My first dinner at Hogwarts came to its end and the Slytherin Prefects escorted all of us baby snakes to our dorms.
...
An hour later at Headmaster's office.
(Sorting hat POV)
Sigh, another sorting is done. Now I can nap for the rest of the year until I will be called again to sort another bunch of new students. But, after hundreds of years, this job is becoming rather boring. Except rarely when something interesting happens like today when I had to sort two unique students.
I was suddenly levitated from my position on a certain shelf straight onto the headmaster's table. "Can you tell me why you sorted Ms. Green into Slytherin?" The current Headmaster asked me while peering at me with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmm? You know that I can't tell you any of the children's secrets. My role is to carefully sort children in the House where they could shine the most. I am not some spying device. All I can tell you is that she has a great talent for magic." Not that I could tell him much about her as I couldn't even get through her mental shields. Such an embarrassment in my long career. Sigh.
But there was a reason why I put her into Slytherin. She tried to corner me into a deal that will guarantee that her secrets are safe, showing her cunning. And even though I couldn't read her thoughts or memories, I could still feel her immense amount of magic. And her magic didn't feel light at all. No. Her magic was dark, very dark.
But I am only thinking cap, so who I am to judge what is right and what is wrong? My job is only to sort children and keep a certain sword safe until there is a worthy wielder. Hmm, young Potter and Longbottom looked rather promising.
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