Chapter 19: A Spy Among Us
Chapter 19: A Spy Among Us
The new students didn't have to wait long before Professor McGonagall returned. She lined them up in a single file and led them into the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was spacious, with four long tables filled with students. Hundreds of candles floated above their heads, illuminating the entire hall.
The candle flames were also magical, and the sight of the wax dripping from the candles above was simply breathtaking.
As Albert's mind wandered with all sorts of strange thoughts, the group had arrived at a stool with a dirty and tattered hat on it.
This, supposedly, was the Gryffindor hat.
"I wish they would clean this Sorting Hat properly," Albert complained, feeling a bit disgusted by the hat's condition. It was either extremely old, having been used for a millennium, or simply never cleaned.
It was unbearable.
By the time Albert snapped out of his daze, the Sorting Hat had finished its customary introductory song amidst the students' applause.
Professor McGonagall held a scroll of parchment and began the Sorting Ceremony by calling out names.
Of course, Albert was the first one to be called, as his surname started with the letter 'A'.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Albert walked forward and sat on the stool, allowing Professor McGonagall to place the hat on his head.
"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin," Albert murmured to himself.
Even though he knew the chances of being sorted into Slytherin were slim, he still whispered those words to avoid any accidental mishaps.
"Hmm, a difficult case," the Sorting Hat whispered back. "You possess courage, a good heart, talent, and no lack of wisdom. Where would you like to go besides Slytherin?"
Albert was left speechless. Did the Sorting Hat just imply that he was suitable for any house except Slytherin?
"Oh, I think you've already made your choice, so..."
"Gryffindor!" Albert knew what the hat meant by 'choice' when it shouted out 'Gryffindor'.
If he had met students from the other two houses in the train carriage instead of the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, he might have ended up in a different house.
Ultimately, the Sorting Hat made the decision for him.
After all, Albert would be spending the next seven years at Hogwarts, and he didn't want to end up like the initial Hermione, with no friends at all—that would be too tragic.
Of course, there were also the nighttime strolls to consider, and the twins would undoubtedly be the best companions for those adventures.
After the Sorting Hat shouted 'Gryffindor', the farthest table on the left erupted in cheers.
However, both the twins and Lee Jordan, who were still in line, gaped in surprise, never having expected Albert to be sorted into Gryffindor.
What about Ravenclaw, as they had predicted?
After Professor McGonagall removed the hat, Albert headed towards the direction of the cheers. The front row of the long table had been left empty, clearly reserved for the new students.
As Albert approached, several people stood up to shake his hand; they wore badges and were probably prefects or student council members.
He shook hands with each of them and responded with a smile and a nod.
The Sorting Ceremony continued, and after the Sorting Hat shouted 'Slytherin', Albert turned his attention back to the hat. When Professor McGonagall called out 'Cedric Diggory', he curiously sized up this minor character from the novel.
The boy was quite handsome, which explained why he was referred to as a 'cream puff'. However, Albert wondered if he would still end up as a tragic figure. After all, with Albert's presence as a 'butterfly effect', things might turn out differently.
As expected, the Weasley twins were also sorted into Gryffindor, and a red-haired man—presumably Percy Weasley—looked pleased and waved at them.
By the way, the Weasley twins were the last two to be sorted into Gryffindor, and with that, the Sorting Ceremony came to an end. Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, took the Sorting Hat, and left, and the stool disappeared along with them.
"Wow! We thought you'd be in Ravenclaw for sure!" Both the twins and Lee Jordan stared at Albert with exaggerated expressions, as if they were looking at some rare creature.
The fact that he wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw made them wonder if the Sorting Hat was broken.
"Is it that strange?" Albert didn't think it was a big deal. "By the way, I just discovered a secret about the Sorting Hat."
"What secret?" Lee Jordan asked curiously.
"It wouldn't be a secret if I told you," Albert replied, not intending to share it with them. "That's also the reason why I was sorted into Gryffindor."
Albert's gaze swept across their faces, and he shook his head. "I explained it clearly, and yet no one guessed it. Should I say it's no wonder you're in Gryffindor?"
However, no one paid much attention to the so-called secret anymore. After the Sorting Ceremony ended, it was time for Dumbledore's speech, followed by a grand feast.
"Welcome..." Dumbledore beamed at the students, arms wide open. "Welcome to Hogwarts! A new term begins! Before we start the feast, I have a few words to say: 'Dunderheads, blubbering nitwits, and screwballs. Thank you!'"
That was indeed just a few words.
What a difference! Compared to those who droned on with meaningless speeches, Dumbledore truly understood the minds of the new students, knowing that they had little patience for lengthy talks.
"Do you know what those words mean?" Albert turned to the prefect standing next to him and asked.
The prefect's expression froze, clearly unsure how to respond to Albert's question.
At that moment, the prefect suddenly felt that the Weasley twins were right—this guy should've been in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor.
"It seems no one knows, so I'll have to ask him directly?" Albert mumbled to himself. Those words were one of the unsolved mysteries in the Harry Potter novel.
The people next to him twitched their lips, unsure how to react. Was he really planning to ask Dumbledore directly? Even the students of Ravenclaw weren't this eager for knowledge! This was definitely a hawk hiding among the lions.
Hey, someone get this guy over to the next table, quick! Ignoring the strange looks from the others, Albert sank into thought.
In his previous life, there were several interpretations of those words online:
Ravenclaws thought that anyone who didn't get into Ravenclaw was a dunderhead.
Gryffindors believed that others weren't as brave as they were.
Slytherins believed that Muggle-borns and half-bloods were useless scum.
Hufflepuffs hoped that students from other houses would adjust their behavior.
As for the truth, Albert didn't know either. Perhaps he would have a chance to find out the truth from Dumbledore himself.
Boom! Suddenly, lightning struck the castle's roof, causing the weather magic to fail.
The sudden lightning strike startled everyone.
Dumbledore drew out his wand and cast a spell towards the ceiling, causing the lightning and thunder to disappear, along with the pouring rain. Once again, the night sky above them was filled with stars.
"Well, let the feast begin." Dumbledore raised a spoon and gently tapped his cup, announcing the start of the feast. Instantly, the plates on the table were filled with food as if by magic.
(End of Chapter)
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