The Sound of Nature

The entire Great Hall was deathly silent.

Students from other years waited to watch the show, while the first-years stared nervously at the dirty, tattered hat, as if a troll might jump out of it at any second.

Then, the hat suddenly began to twist. Its tip swayed from side to side, and the brim rose and fell, as if it were dancing.

But the more Kyle watched, the more something felt off.

How to put it—he had no idea who had choreographed these movements, but they looked exactly like a certain type of flatfish that enjoyed eating its colleagues, only the motions were stiffer and lacked that creature's natural fluidity.

Besides, it was also a bit ugly.

Perhaps the Sorting Hat realized dancing wasn't its strong suit, for it soon tore open a slit like a mouth and began to hum.

"I am a hat.

But do not underestimate my appearance.

I was born a thousand years ago.

I have seen the world change.

I have crossed wild marshes.

And walked by forest rivers.

Come, put me on.

Find the most suitable house.

If you crave power, then go to Gryffindor, for they are brave and fearless, righteous and bold, and can unearth the courage buried deep in your heart.

Perhaps you will enter Slytherin; they are powerful and calm, elegant and self-possessed. Here, there is no need to hide your ambition or your desire for power, for everyone here is just like you.

Hufflepuff is upright and loyal, resilient and honest. Come, here you will find the most trustworthy companions.

And there is Ravenclaw. If you possess extraordinary wisdom and a sharp mind, then do not hesitate; there you will find peers just like yourself.

Come, put me on.

Do not worry or fear.

I shall tell you the desires of your heart."

As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted; it was clear that the young wizards of the magical world were very polite.

The Sorting Hat bowed to each of the four tables in turn, then became perfectly still.

Although the Sorting Hat's singing was truly hard to describe, the first-years had basically gathered that the so-called sorting simply involved wearing this hat.

This caused many to breathe a secret sigh of relief.

Compared to the rumors they had heard earlier, wearing a hat was incredibly easy.

So what if the hat was a bit dirty, old, and ugly? It didn't matter; it was only for a moment, and they didn't have to wear it forever.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward quickly, holding a piece of parchment in her hand.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and await your sorting."

Professor McGonagall glanced at the parchment.

"Thomas Albright."

A blond boy held his head high, walked over quickly, and put on the hat. A moment later...

"Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat shouted.

The boy looked quite satisfied. After taking off the Sorting Hat, he couldn't wait to walk toward the Ravenclaw table, which was currently the source of the loudest applause in the hall.

"Marietta Edgecombe!"

A little girl ran up happily, picked up the Sorting Hat, and put it on.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Oh... wonderful!"

The first two students were both Ravenclaws, which made the little eagles extremely excited; the enthusiastic cheering seemed as if it might blow the ceiling off.

"Katie Bell!"

This time it was also a little girl, who ran up in a panic and jammed the Sorting Hat onto her head.

Perhaps because she was too nervous, she used a bit too much force, causing her entire head to poke into the hat, leaving only her neck visible.

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of laughter erupted in the hall.

Seeing this, Professor McGonagall sighed and stepped forward quickly to help adjust it.

"Thank you, little McGonagall, I almost thought I was going to split open."

The Sorting Hat nodded at Professor McGonagall: "Without a doubt, Gryffindor!"

At the far left of the hall, a burst of enthusiastic cheering erupted from the Gryffindor table!

Fred and George were even standing on their stools, whistling with excitement; it was clear they were truly fond of this young girl.

Katie Bell ran down with a face flushed bright red.

The Sorting continued, but to prevent a repeat of what had just happened, Professor McGonagall decided it would be better to preside over it herself. Instead of stepping aside as before, she stood behind the four-legged stool, holding the Sorting Hat in one hand and a piece of parchment in the other.

"Cho Chang!"

An Asian girl walked slowly to the four-legged stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall stood behind her and gently placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Oh!!"

As the Sorting Hat shouted the same House name for the third time, the little eagles went completely wild. Some stood on their stools, performing clumsy dances in front of the entire school, while others grabbed decorative flowers from the dining tables and tossed them toward the ceiling in excitement.

They cast aside their usual pride in their composure and cheered wantonly.

"Three! The Sorting has only just begun, and we already have three new students!"

"Ravenclaw will surely rise this year!"

The professors on the dais did not intervene, watching with smiles on their faces until the students began throwing plates; only then did Professor McGonagall step forward with a stern expression.

The effect was immediate.

Upon seeing Professor McGonagall, the little eagles were like people doused with a bucket of cold water. They calmed down significantly, transforming from eagles into quails, and sat back down at their tables in an orderly fashion.

Professor McGonagall's expression improved, and she looked back at the parchment.

"Omid Flor!"

"Slytherin!"

The line of new students grew shorter and shorter.

Kyle stood in the crowd, patiently waiting for his name, but for some reason, he felt an itch on his back, as if someone were constantly poking him with a needle.

Kyle turned his head instinctively, only to be met by the sight of Kanna, whose face was flushed red and who was glaring at him fiercely.

But unlike before, this time she was furious.

The once shy and timid girl seemed like a different person; she was grinding her little white teeth with a creaking sound, as if she might pounce and bite him at any moment.

"Ahem... my, what lovely weather."

Kyle let out two dry laughs and, pretending he hadn't seen anything, turned his head back with feigned composure.

He then shifted his feet, subtly squeezing forward, trying to put as much distance between himself and Kanna as possible.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The space was limited, and with so few people, there was nowhere to hide; no matter where he went, Kanna could always see him.

That feeling of being watched like needles on his back never vanished.

Fortunately, at that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Kyle Chopper!"

For the first time, Kyle felt that Professor McGonagall's voice was incredibly beautiful, like a heavenly melody, or an angel offering salvation.

Honestly, if he could choose a new Headmaster, he would definitely vote for Professor McGonagall.