Chapter 376: Seeking Guidance
Chapter 376: Seeking Guidance
The students of Hogwarts were witnessing a peculiar Sorting Ceremony.
"I know this year is unusual. I mean... we canceled Quidditch and have a professor who casts jinxes on us, but... this is just too strange", Seamus murmured.
He watched the adult Ilvermorny students line up, one by one, to sit on the small stool and be sorted by the tattered Sorting Hat.
His friend Dean Thomas shrugged and said, "It's only going to get stranger. Three more schools haven't arrived yet!"
"True", Seamus nodded in agreement.
At the top of the Great Hall, Felix spoke gently, drawing curious glances from the students. "You just need to walk up, put on the hat, and wait quietly... but I suggest you announce your name so everyone can get to know you."
Byers, standing at the front of the line, looked at him and asked, "Mr. Heap, can I call you Professor?"
"Of course", Felix replied. "Feel free to take my class."
Byers walked to the small stool. When he saw the Sorting Hat, he was taken aback and glanced back at Felix, who nodded: Yes, exactly as you think.
Byers called out loudly, "Byers Bach, from Ilvermorny, Thunderbird House." He then closed his eyes, resigned, and perched on the stool, placing the Sorting Hat on his head.
"Look!" an Ilvermorny girl pointed at the Sorting Hat.
The dusty hat suddenly split open at the bottom, and a voice resonated in Byers' mind.
"Never seen a Sorting Ceremony like this, kid?"
Byers opened his eyes and whispered, "Are you a hat ghost?"
"…You can think of it that way. How do you sort students? Oh, I see… standing before four statues, waiting to be chosen… Hogwarts doesn't need that much trouble; I can handle it alone…"
"Can you see my memories?" Byers was shocked.
"Only your current thoughts, don't interrupt! You're a student from Thunderbird House? Kind-hearted, but also adventurous… Hufflepuff and Gryffindor would both suit you; you can choose…"
"Which house is Professor Heap from?" Byers asked, calculating.
"Slytherin… don't even think about it, you're not cut out for it… you're far too different from that cunning little fellow…"
"No, I want to try!" Byers said.
His reasoning was simple: once the Triwizard Tournament began, they might not have time for classes. For now, he wanted to choose a house based on his preferences.
But the Sorting Hat disagreed. It didn't want to violate its principles by placing students in unsuitable houses. After five minutes of Byers pleading and arguing, the Sorting Hat, growing impatient, shouted, "Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Byers took off the hat, a bit dazed, and heard Felix say, "Go on, find a seat. You'll make new friends."
Byers walked to the long table for Gryffindors and sat down, noticing a round face similar to his own.
"Uh, hi?" he greeted, "I'm Byers Bach."
"Hi, I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom", the round-faced boy replied.
"Are you taking Mr. Heap's class?" Byers asked.
"Oh, of course…" Neville's enthusiasm grew, and he began to introduce the Ancient Runes course, followed by the Runes Club and Duelling Class.
The sorting process then accelerated—
"Stewart Hampton, from Ilvermorny, Wampus House."
"Hufflepuff!"
"Victor Percival Graves, from Ilvermorny, Horned Serpent House."
"Slytherin!"
"Francis Hunt, from Ilvermorny, Pukwudgie House."
"Ravenclaw!"
Ten minutes later, the Sorting Hat concluded the brief ceremony.
Dumbledore stood from his seat and addressed the crowd, "Next, please let the prefects of each house lead the new students for a relaxing weekend. We'll reconvene here for dinner, enjoy a hearty meal, and then the Ilvermorny students will return to their temporary quarters with their professors. At that time, Professor Mcgonagall will provide you with your class schedules for the first week, during which you can freely choose your favorite courses."
"Any questions?"
He scanned the room and announced cheerfully, "Then let's get started! I'm sure you're eager!" He turned and bowed slightly to the Ilvermorny headmaster, saying, "Professor Fontana, I have this year's new tea in my office…"
"Of course." The Ilvermorny headmaster returned the bow with perfect precision.
Dumbledore led him away, leaving Professor Mcgonagall somewhat awkwardly behind.
Logically, Professors Wilkinson and Moody taught the same subject and should have a lot in common, but Mcgonagall was genuinely uneasy about leaving them alone together. She didn't want to see a headline in the Daily Prophet the next day about the Ilvermorny professor being attacked at Hogwarts.
She and Flitwick followed them. She planned to steer the conversation toward lighter topics, and if Professor Moody started to wax eloquent about the merits of jinxing students, she would be ready to intervene promptly.
Before leaving, Professor Mcgonagall gave Felix a meaningful look. She felt comfortable leaving because she noticed that the two other young Teaching Assistants were familiar with Felix, and she had complete trust in him.
Sure enough, Uriah and Bethany approached Felix.
Before he could say anything, Bethany ran over and gave him an enthusiastic hug, exclaiming, "Mr. Heap, this is a belated thank you... thank you for saving my life!"
When she finally let go, Felix smiled and said, "I just happened to have the ability. Anyone in my position would have done the same."
He didn't want to dwell on the matter, so he abruptly changed the subject. "Miss Bach, Mr. Edmund, would you like to try the Sorting Hat?"
It was an unusual topic, and the Sorting Hat in his hands looked rather listless.
However, Uriah and Bethany were genuinely interested. They had been watching the professors' seats for a while, and now that they had the chance to try it out, they weren't about to refuse. The Sorting Hat placed Uriah in Slytherin and Bethany in Ravenclaw.
...
"I never expected you two to become professors. But it seems you haven't left the Reformation Society?"
On the grounds outside the castle, Felix walked with the two of them along the Black Lake. The Hogwarts students had all gone to see the Ilvermorny students, so the area was mostly empty, with only a few people around. A gentle breeze blew, and the Giant Squid in the Black Lake lazily basked in the sun.
His gaze swept over the Sail and Wave Emblem on their chests, and he asked softly.
"It's even more than that! Big Brother Uriah is now a key member of the Reformation Society. Many people joined because of his name, and he even designed the organization's emblem."
Bethany sighed, "Actually, Headmaster Fontana protected us. Before the Magical Congress made its final decision, he hired Uriah, and I joined as a Teaching Assistant too."
Felix nodded, understanding the situation. Uriah Edmund had been a student leader during the Paris Incident, and even if the American Ministry of Magic didn't pursue the matter at the time, they might still cause trouble later. But becoming a Teaching Assistant at Ilvermorny solved many problems.
"But they still broke Uriah's wand", Bethany said with a hint of anger.
Whenever she mentioned it, she couldn't help but feel upset.
Uriah, however, shrugged it off. "They only restricted me in trivial matters."
Bethany protested, "How can you call it trivial? Not having a wand is very inconvenient!"
Uriah shook his head slightly and looked at Felix. "Mr. Heap, what do you think I teach?"
Felix thought for a moment. "The options are limited. Herbology... no", he saw Bethany about to interject and realized he was wrong. Thinking quickly, he considered what subject didn't require a wand and was related to Uriah. He said confidently, "Is it No-Maj Studies?"
Bethany looked at him in surprise.
"Correct, but we call it No-Maj Studies—No-Maj is a shortened term for non-magical individuals", Uriah explained. "After losing my wand, I went through a period of pain, but I soon realized that its impact on me was much less than I had expected... I can still perform simple magic without a wand."
"On the contrary, I had more time to think. In the Library, I came across Mr. Heap's works, which opened a new window for me... Headmaster Fontana protected me, but he didn't expect me to teach. I chose my research direction on my own."
He said earnestly, "So, when I learned that the school planned to participate in the competition, I immediately asked the Headmaster to add my name to the delegation... I hope to learn from you in person!"
...
After they parted ways, Felix watched Uriah's retreating figure with a sense of admiration. Although only a year and a bit had passed, Uriah had clearly grown a lot, becoming more organized and focused.
"Hmm, maybe I should suggest to Remus that we prioritize opening a branch there."
(End of Chapter)
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