The Sorting Ceremony

The thousands of faces gazing up from below were like pale little lanterns amidst the shimmering candlelight.

Ghosts scattered among the students made the otherwise dim silverware gleam. To avoid the stares from below, Harley looked up, catching sight of the beautiful, velvet-black ceiling adorned with stars.

She heard Hermione whisper in her ear, "Someone enchanted it to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

If only I could use this magic on my own ceiling, Harley thought. I wouldn't have to see those spiders crawling around anymore.

Professor McGonagall brought over a four-legged stool, and a clean, pointed hat was placed upon it.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the part of the hat that resembled a human face reluctantly opened its mouth: "I was going to sing a song, but I'm not in the mood."

"First years! Come here! Put me on! I will tell you which house you belong to!" it shrieked harshly.

Professor McGonagall stood to the side, holding a long roll of parchment, and said, "When I call your name, you will put on this hat and sit down to await your sorting."

She called out, "Hannah Abbott!"

A pink-faced, blonde-haired little girl stepped out from the line, sat down quietly, and pulled the hat over her eyes, which were far too large for her.

A moment later, the hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"

The Hufflepuff students sat at the far right. As Hannah walked down to join them, they cheered and applauded, and even a chubby ghost waved at her.

Professor McGonagall continued calling names, and students were sorted into houses, each greeted by applause from their respective tables. Ron grew increasingly nervous as fewer students remained, even after Hermione and Malfoy had gone up.

Hermione went to Gryffindor, while Malfoy seemed to have forgotten what happened on the train; he was sorted into Slytherin with an arrogant expression. He simply didn't look toward Harley, whether out of fear or unwillingness.

Harley was equally nervous, but Professor Snape, who had taken her away from Dudley's house, was watching her from behind. This helped alleviate some of her tension.

Moreover, Professor Snape had revealed a few things to her about the Sorting Ceremony. She simply waited silently for her name to be called by Professor McGonagall.

"--Harley Potter!"

The name silenced the Great Hall for a moment, followed by a burst of loud chatter, like a boiling pot. People were whispering.

"Is that the Potter I'm thinking of?"

"Is that Harley Potter?"

"My god! She's so pretty! And that outfit, I want to buy one too!"

"You probably can't afford it, mate. That looks custom-made!"

Harley thought she was prepared, but she really wasn't.

It was hard not to be nervous at a time like this. She stroked the little snake on her right wrist, walked up to the hat stiffly and expressionlessly, put it on, and sat down.

"You," the hat's voice echoed in her mind.

"Girl, you have talent. You also crave knowledge. You are even brave—and you wish to prove your worth? Oh, this is getting interesting. You could go to any of the four houses!"

Harley asked in her mind, "Then, where do you think I should go, Mr. Hat?"

The Sorting Hat was silent for a moment before saying, "You don't look panicked at all. Then—"

It shouted to the crowd, "--Slytherin!"

Snape pumped his fist hard, but he quickly coughed and returned to his upright, composed posture.

Harley walked toward the Slytherin table. The group of students in green robes looked ecstatic, but as Harley approached expressionlessly, they bowed their heads in succession.

Little did they know, her mind was in chaos: Why are they bowing to me?!

Draco Malfoy no longer looked arrogant; he seemed to want to shrink under the table. Harley noticed him and specifically came over to sit next to him.

Malfoy tried his best to act as if he weren't afraid of her at all, but he didn't even dare to glance at Harley, keeping his head down and staring at his plate as if it contained gold and silver treasures.

The Sorting Ceremony ended completely a few minutes later. Ron, Hermione, and Neville all went to Gryffindor. Harley was alone in Slytherin. She couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

A tall, elderly man with a white beard stood up from the teachers' table. He cleared his throat, and Harley noticed he was Dumbledore, the 'greatest white wizard of the age' printed on the collectible cards, and also the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

He said in a booming voice, "Welcome! Welcome to Hogwarts. This is a new school year, and a brand new beginning for Hogwarts! Because this year, we will adopt an unprecedented, brand-new teaching method! You will learn the true mysteries of magic!"

"Now, please allow me to take a moment. I would like to announce a few things."

He continued, "Due to the change in teaching methods, the first years will be under the charge of Professor He Shenyan, who is sitting next to me. I believe many of you have already seen him in the newspapers. As for all students from the second year and above, please pay attention to the notice boards in your common rooms; I must remind you that there have been some minor changes to the curriculum."

He sat down. The young man to his right stood up and nodded at the crowd.

Harley noticed that when he stood up, many female students let out low gasps, and she herself was somewhat surprised by the man's unimaginably handsome appearance. But more than that face, what made him attractive were his eyes.

Like a whirlpool, just looking into them made one want to lose themselves.

The man coughed lightly and then said, "I don't want to delay everyone's meal time; I'm afraid some of you are already famished."

His little joke made the students laugh softly, which also eased their nerves. At least this professor didn't have a very stern personality; they would have an easier time.

"Just as Professor Dumbledore said, first years, please arrive at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom on the fourth floor before 9:30 tomorrow morning to prepare for class. That is all." He finished briefly and sat down with a smile.

Harley heard some whispering at the Slytherin table.

Dumbledore sat in his seat, smiling and waving his arm downward, and countless delicious foods suddenly appeared on the empty plates. Everything was there, and everything was available.

Harley's eyes lit up the moment she saw the vanilla ice cream, but she also saw the roast chicken, steaks, and rows of sausages. Choosing was always very difficult, especially when choosing between these foods she had rarely eaten before.

After the dinner ended, Harley realized she might have overeaten—in fact, not might have.

She had eaten three scoops of vanilla ice cream, two steaks, a large mound of mashed potatoes, and even finished half a fish.

Malfoy, sitting beside her, barely ate a thing. He spent the entire time watching, trembling, as Harley expressionlessly demolished her food with the speed of someone fighting a war; the way she brandished her knife and fork likely felt to him as if she were brandishing them at his own body.

His behavior earned him an eye-roll from Harley when she found a spare moment.

Dumbledore stood up once more and said, "Now that everyone has had their fill, allow me to say a few more words. I hope you won't find this old man too tiresome."

"I trust you have all noticed that there are no dress code requirements this year. Therefore, it matters not whether you wear robes or jackets. However, a few rules remain in place; for instance, the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is strictly off-limits to students. Please keep that in mind."

"At the same time, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, wishes for me to remind you all not to cast spells in the corridors between classes, and that wandering the halls at night is strictly prohibited."

"The original curriculum and examinations for the upper-year students will no longer be held. As for why, you should understand tomorrow after you finish Professor He's class. I have finished my piece; thank you all for your patience in listening."

At the Gryffindor table, two red-headed boys let out a groan: "No! Headmaster! What about the school song segment this year!"

Dumbledore chuckled and said cheerfully, "If you wish, you may stay behind and sing it yourselves. I shall even start you off—choose any tune you like! But I am afraid I have some matters to attend to and must depart."

With that, he waved his hand, and a melody emerged. The two boys began to lead, and soon everyone else joined in. Amidst the chaotic chorus, Dumbledore exited the Great Hall.