Chapter 7: Sorting

Wade Gray strode forward and placed the Sorting Hat on his head, silently repeating in his mind: Hufflepuff! Hufflepuff! I want to go to Hufflepuff!

"Hufflepuff?" a faint voice murmured. "Oh, perhaps you didn’t hear the song I just sang. No matter—I can sing a little extra just for you—there, the people are honest and true…"

Wade: "..."

He began to sense something was off.

The hat continued: "Hufflepuff’s students are hardworking and sincere..."

Wade: "..."

Alright, I get it. No need to keep going!

The hat droned on: "Not afraid of laborious toil..."

Wade: "..."

That’s a bit much! Your voice is kind of loud, isn’t it?

The hat rustled softly: "Though Hufflepuff never turns away any student who wishes to attend Hogwarts, there’s a better place for you… Hmm—people often struggle to see themselves clearly, don’t they?"

Wade quickly thought, I’m not going to Slytherin!

"Of course not—" the hat boomed, "—Ravenclaw!"

The second table on the left erupted into polite, measured applause.

Wade sighed inwardly, removed the hat, and walked toward the blue-and-silver table.

That rigid old hat! So what if I’m not the most stubborn or the most hardworking? I like being around honest, hardworking people—what’s wrong with that?

Several Ravenclaw students stood to greet him. The tallest, a serious-looking boy, extended his hand. "Welcome to Ravenclaw. I’m West Mor, the male prefect."

Another boy leaned in. "You’re Wade Gray? Then you’re perfect for our house!"

"Really?" Wade asked.

"Oh, Benson, don’t bring up that joke again," West said, suddenly remembering something.

Benson winked. "Well, our house ghost is also named Gray—Lady Gray."

Wade stared at him. After a few seconds, he slowly replied: "...Oh. So?"

Benson: "..."

West shoved the boy’s head back down. "I told you, don’t imitate the Weasley twins. You don’t have the comedic bloodline."

Benson collapsed onto the table, utterly dejected—though to Wade, the expression was strangely amusing.

He sat down and glanced around.

No introductions were needed. In his mind’s eye, every student wore a name—sometimes two. But aside from a few faces he recognized from the story, most of the Ravenclaws were strangers. The only exception was the girl across from him, a strikingly pretty black-haired girl—Qiu Zhang—who was watching the new arrivals with quiet interest, unaware of his gaze.

On the staff table, familiar faces matched his memories: the silver-haired, long-bearded Albus Dumbledore, the pale, greasy-haired Severus Snape, the tiny, nervous Filius Flitwick, the eccentric Sybill Trelawney, the round Professor Sprout, and the odd pair of Quirinus Quirrell and Tom Riddle, one face on the front, one on the back.

Of course, Wade—now a new Ravenclaw—was invisible to the professors. Their attention remained fixed on the ceremony.

The Sorting continued.

"Michael Corner!"

"Ravenclaw!"

Before Wade, a golden-haired boy named Anthony had been sorted into Ravenclaw and was already waving excitedly at his new housemates. Moments later, a boy with long, dark curls—Michael Corner—sat down beside him. Then came Padma Patil, the younger of two Indian twin sisters. Her older sister, Pavarti Patil, had just been sorted into Gryffindor.

Ravenclaw’s intake wasn’t large—only about ten new students. They were all nervous yet thrilled, taking in their surroundings, until a name rang out:

"Harry Potter!"

The Great Hall fell utterly silent—then erupted into a sea of whispers.

"Potter? Harry Potter?"

"The Harry Potter?"

On the Ravenclaw table, even the most aloof students turned, craning their necks to see the black-haired boy step forward and place the Sorting Hat on his head. Everyone held their breath—the entire school, from the Gryffindor table to Slytherin, from Headmaster Dumbledore to the caretaker, Mr. Filch, at the door, all watched the tattered hat and the small boy beneath it.

The murmurs faded.

Finally—

"Gryffindor!"

The hall exploded in cheers and applause. Gryffindor’s noise was the loudest, but Ravenclaw joined in nearly as enthusiastically—something that never happened when other houses were being sorted.

"I knew he’d go to Gryffindor," Benson said seriously to West. "Harry Potter has to be in Gryffindor. Where else would he go?"

"Shut up, Benson," West rolled his eyes. "You were saying just two months ago that Harry Potter was a fictional character from a book—completely made up."

The Sorting ended with the last student placed in Slytherin. Professor McGonagall took the hat away. Dumbledore stood, arms wide.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts for another year! Before the feast begins, I have a few words: Dunce! Sniveler! Scraps! Twiddle! Thank you!"

The classic opening line. Wade clapped enthusiastically.

"What did he mean by that?" Michael asked, sitting beside him.

"No idea," Wade said.

"Then why are you clapping?"

"Isn’t a short speech like that worth a round of applause?" Wade countered.

Michael thought for a moment, then nodded. "You’re right!"

The applause and cheers filled the hall. In an instant, the empty tables were piled high with food—roast beef, lamb chops, fries, mashed potatoes—the aroma rich and mouthwatering. Only the vegetables were sparse, but still, it looked delicious.

Hungry students dove in, devouring with joy. Once everyone was full, the main course vanished, replaced by a dazzling array of desserts. With stomachs now full, students slowed down to savor their treats, and finally had time to chat.

The new students naturally began talking about their families and bloodlines.

One boy named Stephen said, "I’m from a pure-blood family. My mother was a Ravenclaw, my father a Gryffindor. I’ve already read every textbook at home."

"What about you, Wade?" someone asked.

Wade answered honestly: "My parents don’t have magic."

"So magic must be completely new to you?" Stephen said with a tone of pity. "You’ll have to work harder at school."

"Yep, I’ll do my best," Wade smiled.

"Even though I’m half-blood, I don’t think blood status matters much," Michael added, leaning over. "Take my family—my father’s a wizard, but my mom’s smarter. She makes all the decisions at home."

Note: Wade Gray (G) comes after Hermione Granger (G) and before Harry Potter (P) in the alphabetical order of surnames. Hence, he was sorted after her and before Harry in the ceremony.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end