"B-Brook, look, ghosts! (●⁰ꈊ⁰●)" Hermione said excitedly in Brook's ear.
Brook followed her gaze.
More than twenty milky-white, translucent ghosts were gliding overhead.
He turned and glanced at Hermione again.
Shouldn't a little girl be scared the first time she saw ghosts?
Why was she so excited?
The commotion caused by the ghosts did not last long.
Because Professor McGonagall had returned.
All the new students quickly formed a line and entered the Great Hall.
The students of the four houses were already seated around four long tables.
Thousands of candles floated above the tables, illuminating the entire hall.
The ceiling seemed transparent, clearly revealing the twinkling stars in the night sky.
Hermione explained softly, "This place has been enchanted. It looks just like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
Brook nodded.
That was very Hermione.
Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool before the first-years.
Then she set a pointed wizard's hat on top of it.
The hat was covered in patches, badly worn, and rather filthy.
Brook frowned slightly.
Was this the legendary Sorting Hat?
He was not a germaphobe, but wasn't this thing a little too dirty?
A slit opened along the brim of the Sorting Hat, and it began to sing.
You may think I'm not very pretty,
But don't judge by appearances,
Come and put me on!
There's no need to fear!
Don't panic!
In my hands—though I do not have any—
You are perfectly safe, for I am a thinking hat!
When the Sorting Hat finished its song, enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the hall.
Brook applauded as well.
It really did sing well.
Far better than the Big Bowl, Small Bowl nonsense he had heard in his previous life.
Professor McGonagall announced while holding a roll of parchment.
"Whenever I call your name, put on the hat, sit on the stool, and await your sorting."
She cleared her throat. "Hannah Abbott!"
The protagonist of every running gag, the unchanging Hannah.
The Iron Hat King of countless worlds swayed her two golden braids as she sat upon the Iron Throne.
A moment later, the Sorting Hat shouted.
"Hufflepuff!"
The students at the table to the right immediately applauded and cheered.
Clearly, that was the Hufflepuff table.
Hermione's turn came soon after.
She jogged straight to the stool and quickly put the hat on.
She was still wearing a pink knitted cap beneath it, making her look adorably silly.
After about five minutes, the Sorting Hat finally made its decision.
"Gryffindor!"
Hermione looked apologetically at Brook.
Brook gave her a gentle smile instead.
Only then did Hermione walk toward the Gryffindor table.
Not long after came the famous Harry Potter.
The moment his name was called, it caused a stir.
Harry was sorted into Gryffindor without any surprise.
The students at the Gryffindor table broke into the most enthusiastic applause.
Brook shrugged.
It seemed that his little butterfly intrusion had not caused any changes.
When he watched the movies in his previous life, he had actually felt that Harry should have gone to Slytherin rather than Gryffindor.
With Harry's status as the Chosen One, those Slytherins would definitely have invested in both sides.
Once Harry defeated Voldemort, he would have been able to secure a high-ranking position in the Ministry of Magic with ease.
"Brook Lott," Professor McGonagall called his name.
Brook walked toward the stool and took gloves and a hat from his pocket.
Only after putting them on did he place the Sorting Hat on his head.
His actions sparked whispers throughout the hall.
Even an idiot could tell from those preparations that he was openly disgusted by it.
Headmaster Dumbledore turned to Snape with a smile.
"It seems I may need to consider giving the Sorting Hat a bath. It has actually been rejected."
Snape shot Dumbledore a sidelong glance. Though he agreed wholeheartedly,
he said disdainfully, "Attention-seeking."
"Boy, what do you mean by that?"
The moment Brook put it on, the Sorting Hat protested in dissatisfaction.
Brook replied calmly, "The dust on you has practically formed a patina. Isn't it normal for me to dislike that?"
"This is the accumulation of time, proof of history!" the Sorting Hat shouted.
The discussions in the hall grew louder.
The Sorting Hat normally communicated with new students through their minds.
No one else could hear it.
But this time, the Sorting Hat was speaking aloud.
Dumbledore's azure eyes became even deeper.
He knew the Sorting Hat would not do something like this for no reason.
Then...
This little fellow really knows how to bring him surprises.
"Whatever makes you happy," Brook said flatly.
"￥#@%..." The Sorting Hat was briefly speechless, but it still returned to the matter at hand.
"Boy, open your mind, or I can't sort you."
The Sorting Hat's words made every professor stare at Brook in surprise.
Snape especially had a sharp glint flash through his eyes.
"I want to choose for myself."
"That won't do. Sorting is my duty."
"Learning Occlumency was an accident. I don't know how to stop it," Brook replied casually.
"..."
The Sorting Hat fell silent.
This was the first time it had encountered such an oddity as Brook.
An eleven-year-old child had actually mastered Occlumency, and even it could not break through his defenses.
Calling such talent monstrous would not be an exaggeration.
It had heard of Brook's deeds in the headmaster's office.
"Boy, how about I sort you directly into Azkaban?"
"Oh? Hogwarts has a house like that?"
Brook placed a hand on the Sorting Hat.
A subtle magical ripple quietly spread outward.
"Ahem, just joking. I can only use another method to sort you."
"Let's hear it."
Brook was quite interested that a hat could think and even come up with a solution on its own.
"You mastered Occlumency at your age, which proves you are very intelligent. That meets Ravenclaw's standards."
"I do have a little cleverness, but I don't like studying. What I hate most is reading."
"Not liking books won't do. No young wizard has ever put on gloves and a hat because they thought I was dirty. You dared to be the first, which shows you have great courage. That meets Gryffindor's requirements."
"Courage? I don't have that. If someone slapped me, I'd offer them my other cheek too. As for earlier, that was purely because I'm a germaphobe."
"ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh~"
If the Sorting Hat had emotions, it would definitely have cursed Brook's entire family.
"Lott... There is no Lott surname among the Twenty-Eight Sacred Families. Though you may be a half-blood, half-bloods rarely meet Slytherin's standards. That only leaves Hufflepuff."
The corners of Brook's mouth rose slightly.
See?
The Sorting Hat was actually quite reasonable.
"Hufflepuff? I actually quite like eating."
The Sorting Hat did not answer. It fell silent, then suddenly announced loudly.
"Gryffindor!"
(Little Author has written Slytherin and Hufflepuff before, so this time, let's try something different. Even though he won't be going to either of those houses, Little Author won't let them off, ヾ(≧O≦)〃Awoo~)
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