Chapter 7: The Sorting Ceremony
Chapter 7: The Sorting Ceremony
Victor walked briskly over, put on the Sorting Hat, and muttered to himself, "Hufflepuff! Hufflepuff! I want to go to Hufflepuff!"
"Hufflepuff?" a faint voice said, "Oh, perhaps you didn't hear the song I just sang. It's fine, I can sing a verse just for you—those in this house are honest and loyal—"
Victor: "..."
He faintly sensed something.
The Sorting Hat continued singing, "The students of Hufflepuff are resilient and honest—"
Victor: "..."
Alright, I understand. No need to sing further!
Sorting Hat: "Unafraid of hard work—"
Victor: "..."
That's a bit much! Your voice is a bit too loud!
The Sorting Hat rustled, "Although Hufflepuff never refuses any student who longs for Hogwarts, there is a more suitable place for you... Well, people always find it hard to recognize themselves, don't they?"
Victor hurriedly thought to himself, "I don't want to go to Slytherin!"
"Of course," the Sorting Hat shouted, "Ravenclaw!"
The second row of tables on the left began to clap, their applause restrained. Victor sighed, took off the hat, and walked towards the table decorated in blue and bronze.
—Stiff and unyielding Sorting Hat! So what if I'm not honest, loyal, and hardworking? I like making friends with honest, loyal, and hardworking people. Is that wrong?
Several Ravenclaw students stood up to shake his hand, led by a boy who introduced himself as "Weston Moor, male prefect of Ravenclaw."
Another boy walked over and said, "Are you Victor Grey? Then you're a perfect fit for our house!"
"What do you mean?" Victor asked.
"Oh, Benson, don't tell that joke of yours," Weston said helplessly, having realized something.
Benson said with exaggerated expressions, "Because our house ghost is also called Grey—Madame Grey."
Victor looked at him and after a few seconds, said slowly, "......So?"
Benson: "......"
Weston pushed the boy's head back, "I've told you before, don't try to be like the Weasley twins. You don't have their comedic talent."
Benson seemed deeply struck by this and slumped on the table, his whole demeanor turning gloomy. Victor found his current expression rather amusing.
He sat down and looked around.
Without any introduction, in his eyes, everyone around him had a name (or two) floating above their heads. However, Victor barely recognized any of the Ravenclaws, probably because they were never mentioned in the story. The only exception was a very cute black-haired girl sitting not far across from him—[Autumn Zhang]. She was observing the newly sorted students and didn't notice Victor's gaze.
He then looked at the teachers' table and matched their appearances with his memories—Albus Dumbledore with his long silver beard, Severus Snape with his sallow face and greasy hair, Filius Flitwick who looked like a three-year-old child, the eccentric Sibyl Trelawney, the plump Professor Sprout, and Quirinus Quirrell with his two faces, one at the back of his head.
Of course, sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Victor felt invisible as the professors didn't pay any attention to him.
The Sorting Ceremony continued.
"Michael Corner!"
"Ravenclaw!"
Before Victor, a blond-haired boy named Anthony was sorted into Ravenclaw and was excitedly greeting everyone. Soon after, a boy with long, black, curly hair named Michael Corner was sorted and sat next to Victor. They were followed by Padma Patil, one of a pair of Indian twin sisters, while her sister, Parvati Patil, was sorted into Gryffindor.
There weren't many new students in Ravenclaw. Only about ten students trickled in, and the newcomers observed their surroundings with a mix of restraint and excitement until a particular name suddenly rang out—
"Harry Potter!"
The entire hall fell silent, followed by a loud buzz of whispers.
"Potter? Harry Potter?"
"Is it that Harry Potter?"
At the Ravenclaw table, even the aloof students who usually didn't pay much attention to newcomers turned their heads and craned their necks to get a better look at the black-haired boy who had just walked up to the Sorting Hat.
As he placed the hat on his head, many held their breath in anticipation. From Gryffindor to Slytherin, and from Headmaster Dumbledore to Filch, the castle caretaker standing by the door, everyone's eyes were fixed on the old, frayed hat and the little boy whose face was partially obscured by it.
The whispers gradually died down.
Finally—
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Great Hall erupted in enthusiastic cheers and applause, with Gryffindor leading the way, but almost everyone from Ravenclaw was clapping as well—a reception that none of the other newly sorted students had received.
"I knew he'd be in Gryffindor!" Benson exclaimed to Weston. "Where else could Harry Potter possibly belong?"
"Shut up, Benson," Weston rolled his eyes. "Just two months ago, you were saying that Harry Potter was a fictional character and didn't actually exist!"
As the last new student was sorted into Slytherin, Professor McGonagall returned the Sorting Hat to its place and left the hall, while Dumbledore stood up with his arms wide open.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts for a new school year! Before we begin our feast, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. Trolls—the forest trolls are getting smarter. Keep away from the Forbidden Forest this year. 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."
At this familiar opening speech, Victor applauded vigorously.
"What's that about?" asked Michael, sitting next to him.
"Don't know," said Victor.
"Then why are you clapping?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A speech that short isn't worth clapping for?" Victor countered.
Michael thought about it and nodded in agreement. "You're right!"
As the enthusiastic applause and cheers died down, the empty tables were suddenly laden with food—roast beef, lamb chops, fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, and more. While there was a shortage of vegetables, the aroma was rich and enticing.
The students, who had been hungry for a long time, tucked in eagerly. Once everyone had had their fill, the main course disappeared, making way for an assortment of desserts. With their stomachs now full, the students slowed down to savor the treats and engage in conversations with their peers.
Naturally, the newcomers' discussions revolved around their family backgrounds and blood status.
A boy named Stephen said, "I'm from a pure-blood family. My mother was in Ravenclaw, and my father was in Gryffindor. I've already read all the textbooks we'll be using at home."
"What about you, Victor?" someone asked.
Victor frankly replied, "My parents are both Muggles."
"Then magic must be a completely foreign concept to you," Stephen said sympathetically. "Your studies here will be challenging."
"Yeah, I'll do my best," Victor said with a smile.
"Even though I'm half-blood," Michael said to Victor, "I think it doesn't really matter whether you're pure-blood or Muggle-born. Take my family, for example. My father is a wizard, but he's not as smart as my Muggle mother. She's the one who makes all the decisions at home."
Victor Gray's surname started with a "G," Hermione Granger's with a "Gr," and Harry Potter's with a "P" rather than a "B," so Victor was sorted after Hermione and before Harry.
(End of Chapter)
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