Hogwarts: I Obtained the Paternal System

She cleared her throat and placed a battered old hat on the stool.

The hat was worn and patched, looking filthy.

The hat wriggled a few times, then began to sing:

You may think I'm not very pretty

But never judge by appearances

If you can find a hat prettier than me

I'll eat myself

Come and wear me! Don't be afraid

In my hands

You'll be perfectly safe

Because I'm a hat that can think!

When the hat finished singing, thunderous applause broke out.

"So all we have to do is wear this hat? Who said we had to duel a troll?"

Ron shouted irritably.

Darren stood up "apologetically" and said guiltily, "Sorry, I said that. I heard... I heard someone else say it. Sorry..."

[Saint Points +50]

Madam Pomfrey, seated at the edge of the teachers' table, smiled gently.

This child...

He was simply adorable.

Darren accepted the Paternal Points. With his sharp hearing, he caught Ron snorting before lowering his head to badmouth him to Harry.

He said Darren and that old Slytherin female wizard, Becky, had to be in cahoots.

Evil, vicious people!

Darren secretly rolled his eyes.

Young man!

If you say I'm evil, I have nothing to say.

But calling such a beautiful lady evil—how can your conscience bear it?

Too young to appreciate an older girl, mistaking a loli for treasure!

Feeling a little annoyed, he was about to step forward and unleash his paternal radiance when a small hand pressed down on his shoulder.

It was Cassandra again.

Darren was a little anxious and pulled Cassandra's hand away.

He was busy earning Paternal Points right now. He had no interest in bickering with this girl—don't stop him!

"If you go over there, I'll tell Professor McGonagall and have her expel you along with that boy!"

Darren froze.

Was that really necessary?

He just wanted to be paternal, and they wanted to expel him for it?

"Given your character, you wouldn't want him to be expelled either, would you?"

Cassandra said with an expression that made it seem as though she had seen right through him.

Darren opened his mouth.

That was true.

Though he knew Dumbledore would never expel him, there was no way someone with his identity could know that.

So he pressed his lips together, sighed, and stood there dejectedly.

So upsetting.

If he went over and gave Ron a piece of his mind, he should have been able to earn Paternal Points!

[Ding, Saint Points +10]

Hmm?

Who gave him that?

Was he being handed alms like a beggar?

Could Darren really be bought off with just ten Paternal Points?

[Ding, Saint Points +50]

Huh?

Was that an additional reward, or had someone else seen through his façade of strength and been moved by him?

Darren scratched his hair.

Then he accepted the Paternal Points with satisfaction.

At the same time.

Snape swiftly withdrew his gaze from the stage.

He turned his attention to the tableware in front of him.

No one knew what he was thinking behind those hollow eyes.

Darren did not notice Snape.

His attention was fixed on the Sorting Hat now.

He wondered whether the hat would listen to him and place him in Slytherin.

He suspected Dumbledore could control the hat.

What if Dumbledore insisted on stuffing him into Gryffindor?

Thinking of that, Darren became slightly nervous.

Just then, Professor McGonagall stepped to the front with a sheet of parchment.

She called out, "Hannah Abbott."

Darren nodded.

Hannahs came and went, but the Abbotts remained.

"Hufflepuff!"

"Susan Bones!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Terry Boot!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"..."

Darren pricked up his ears, waiting for his name to be called.

Until—

"Harry Potter!"

The Great Hall suddenly fell silent.

Darren widened his eyes and lifted his head with an excited expression, standing on tiptoe as though trying to see what Harry looked like.

But the moment he saw Harry's face, his mouth fell open in shock.

"Brother..."

He seemed never to have expected that the boy he had helped earlier was his brother.

He happily wanted to greet him, but then remembered that this was the Great Hall and Harry's Sorting Ceremony was about to begin. He could not embarrass his brother, so he hurriedly stood there "obediently."

His emerald-green eyes sparkled brightly.

[Ding, Saint Points +100]

[Ding, Saint Points +50]

[Ding, Saint Points +80]

[Ding...]

As Darren performed, nearly five hundred Paternal Points suddenly came pouring in.