At the front of the Great Hall.
The professors sat upright at the High Table.
Dumbledore sat in the middle, dressed in purple robes. His silver-white hair and beard were carefully groomed, and his kind eyes behind his Half-moon Spectacles watched the students.
Their eyes met.
Ian saw Dumbledore wink at him.
"This is my favorite time of year."
Filius Flitwick, who was about the size of a dwarf, was the current head of Ravenclaw House. His short stature did nothing to diminish his magical prowess, which surpassed that of most people.
"Such lively children! I wonder how many will join our House."
Pomona Sprout, head of Hufflepuff House, looked like a housewife. She watched the new students entering the Great Hall with an expectant, beaming smile.
"The Sorting Hat will choose for them."
As for Minerva McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, she was the most stern-faced of all the professors. Her lips were always pressed together, giving her the air of a strict headmistress.
Of course.
Only those who knew her understood that behind her sternness lay a tender, gentle heart. The students held her in far higher regard than the head of Slytherin House, who was leading them at the moment.
Severus Snape.
"Go stand in the middle and line up."
He pointed to the open space in the middle. The forceful command seemed to have been squeezed from his mouth, and he had already made an overbearing impression on many of the students.
Everyone did as he said and walked over.
"Professor Snape, thank you for taking care of that."
Professor McGonagall waited for Snape to return to the High Table and sit down, then stood and went to the grimy Sorting Hat. Nearly every student was watching her nervously.
"Do we have to fight a Troll?"
"I heard we have to catch an Occamy."
"Nonsense. My father told me the school's test is to keep us in a room with a Veela."
Without Snape to keep them in line,
the young witches and wizards began whispering among themselves.
In the magnificent hall,
the four long tables, each representing a different House, were packed with older students. Beneath the ceiling above them, the flames of the candles suspended in midair blazed brightly.
Aurora kept looking up at the ceiling.
She seemed to have stopped feeling nervous as soon as she saw the Sorting Hat.
"What are you looking at?"
Ian was feeling rather excited himself.
"Why isn't any wax dripping down?"
The German Girl asked in a soft voice, sounding a little disappointed.
"Maybe they forgot to add some realistic effects when they enchanted them." Ian, too, was surprised that the candles above seemed never to change.
"That makes sense."
Aurora nodded.
"Don't worry. Once I learn Alchemy, I'll help them fix this little flaw." Ian spoke eagerly. He still had Mara's latest assignment in his suitcase.
"Have you always been this awful?"
Aurora sounded a little surprised.
"That's a good question."
Ian actually seemed to start thinking it over, making Aurora's eyes widen as she looked at him in disbelief.
"Quiet!"
Just then,
Professor McGonagall's Sonorus voice rang out.
The Sorting Hat, resting on a four-legged stool, twisted at just the right moment. A line for a mouth and a pair of eyes appeared, and amid the young witches' and wizards' gasps, it began to show off its soulful singing voice—one that probably came from Gryffindor.
In Hogwarts' ancient hall,
I'll sing a new song for one and all.
Wisdom and courage will meet here today.
Every heart will find its way.
Oh, young hearts, brimming with dreams untold,
Will Gryffindor's flames burn with courage and hope?
Or will Slytherin's depths conceal cunning and light?
Or will Hufflepuff's loyalty shine warm and bright?
Beneath Ravenclaw's eagle wings, will wisdom take flight?
Hear me, feel my quiver—I'm the Sorting Hat that's never wrong!
If you're just and won't be cowed by hardship or strife,
Gryffindor's flames will blaze in your life;
If your mind is keen and you seek truth's light,
Ravenclaw's stars await your flight.
If you cherish love and hold friendship dear,
Hufflepuff's fields will welcome you here.
If you keep your secrets and seek the ambition you hide,
Slytherin's lake will reflect your pride.
Wherever you're bound, young hearts, don't hesitate or stray—
Let me lead you toward your destined way!
The singing was loud.
Well.
That was about all it had going for it.
Ian believed that the Sorting Hat's singing voice reflected Gryffindor's artistic sensibilities in some way. Who knew how Dumbledore could listen to it with such a blissful expression?
"Clap, clap, clap, clap!"
Quite a few students applauded.
And when the applause began to die down,
Professor McGonagall took out a roll of Parchment and stood beside the Sorting Hat, ready to call the names.
"Grace Allison!"
The first name came from Professor McGonagall's lips.
Ian looked over.
He saw
a girl with a few freckles on her face, looking completely bewildered. Only after another young witch or wizard gave her a gentle nudge did she hurry toward Professor McGonagall in a fluster.
"What do I do?"
The girl looked lost.
"Just sit on the stool."
Professor McGonagall explained gently.
"Hufflepuff!"
When the Sorting Hat was placed on the girl's head, it took only a moment before it shouted the answer. Everyone understood how the Sorting Ceremony worked.
Many of the young witches and wizards breathed a sigh of relief.
A few others didn't look very happy.
Among them,
the young wizard who had earlier claimed they'd be kept in a room with a Veela looked the most disappointed.
"Meen Agvers!"
Another young wizard hurried up.
A moment later,
the boy was sorted into Gryffindor House. One young witch or wizard after another was called forward, then sent to their House by the Sorting Hat's loud pronouncement.
"Aurora... Grindelwald!"
When Professor McGonagall called that name,
the Great Hall, which had been noisy with cheers and celebration, fell silent in an instant. Some looked horrified; others wore expressions of disbelief.
The bewildered young witches and wizards whispered questions to those beside them. A moment later, their faces had turned deathly pale with fear.
"What!?"
Daphne, who had been chatting with an acquaintance, was surely the palest of the young witches and wizards. She watched in terror as the German Girl beside Ian calmly walked up.
At that moment,
Daphne could no longer hear any of the other sounds around her. All she could feel was her mind buzzing, while the once-clear scene around her seemed to blur.
I'm done for!
Remembering the mocking remarks she'd made on the boat, Daphne felt dizzy, yet found that her thoughts had somehow become clearer.
My whole family is done for!
Yes.
Her thoughts were perfectly clear.