There's a Spy Among Us

Professor McGonagall returned before the new students had to wait long. She had them form a single line, then led everyone into the Great Hall.

The school's Great Hall was enormous, with four long tables packed with students. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of candles floated above them, their light illuminating the entire hall.

The candle flames had to be some kind of magical fire. Otherwise, the sight of all those candles dripping wax from overhead would have been truly spectacular.

While all sorts of strange thoughts flooded Albert's mind, the line had already reached a stool, upon which sat an old, filthy, tattered hat.

They said it had belonged to Gryffindor.

"I really hope they've washed the Sorting Hat properly." Albert was rather disgusted by the Sorting Hat. It was simply too dirty. Perhaps it was because it had been sitting around for a thousand years, or perhaps no one had ever washed it at all.

It was unbearable.

By the time Albert snapped back to attention, the Sorting Hat had already finished its customary opening song amid everyone's applause.

Professor McGonagall held a roll of parchment and began calling names for the sorting.

Naturally, Albert was called first. His surname began with A, after all.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Albert stepped forward, sat on the stool, and allowed Professor McGonagall to place the hat on his head.

"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin."

Though he knew the chances of being sent to Slytherin were slim, he still muttered it twice, just in case he accidentally fell into a trap.

"Hmm, difficult. I can see you have plenty of courage, and your heart isn't bad. You have talent, and you're not lacking in intelligence either." The Sorting Hat asked softly, "Other than Slytherin, where would you like to go?"

Albert was instantly speechless. Did the Sorting Hat mean that any House other than Slytherin would suit him?

"Oh, I think you've already made your choice, then..."

"GRYFFINDOR!" When the Sorting Hat shouted Gryffindor, Albert understood what it meant by his choice.

If he had met students from the other two Houses in the train compartment instead of the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, he probably would have gone to another House.

In the end, the Sorting Hat had made the choice for him.

After all, Albert would be staying at the school for seven years. He had no desire to become like the original Hermione, without a single friend. How tragic would that be?

Besides, there was sneaking out at night. The twins were undoubtedly the best possible partners for nighttime adventures.

After the Sorting Hat shouted Gryffindor, the far-left table erupted in cheers.

However, the twins and Lee Jordan in the line could not help staring with their mouths open. They had never expected Albert to be sorted into Gryffindor.

What happened to Ravenclaw?

After Professor McGonagall removed the hat, Albert headed toward the cheering. The front seats at the long table had been left empty, clearly reserved for the new students.

When Albert arrived, several people stood up to shake his hand. They wore badges on their chests, so they were probably prefects or the Head Boy.

He shook each of their hands in turn and responded with a smiling nod.

The sorting ceremony continued. After the Sorting Hat called out Slytherin, Albert turned his attention back to it. When Professor McGonagall called Cedric Diggory's name, he curiously examined this cannon-fodder extra from the Harry Potter novel story.

The other boy was rather handsome too. No wonder he was called a pretty boy. Albert just wondered whether he would still meet a tragic end. After all, this time there was a little butterfly like him flapping its wings