Sorting Ceremony

In Harry Potter fanfiction, the protagonist could change, and the female lead could change.

The only constant was this king with an ironclad throne!

If I remember correctly, Hannah Abbott should be Neville's future wife.

If Neville gets sorted into Hufflepuff, I wonder if things between them will move a little faster.

While Argus pondered this, Professor McGonagall had already called Neville's name.

"Neville Longbottom!"

Neville walked unsteadily, thoroughly unused to being watched by so many people.

Unlike with the previous students, the Sorting Hat seemed to fall into thought, discussing something with him.

"Are you certain about your choice?"

"I... I'm certain!"

"Very well! Hufflepuff!"

Cheers rose from the Hufflepuff table again. Only Dumbledore's brows furrowed slightly.

He seemed puzzled.

"If I remember correctly, Mr. Longbottom's parents both graduated from Gryffindor, didn't they? I never expected him to come to Hufflepuff."

Professor Sprout was a plump, silver-haired woman with a kindly smile. Seeing one student after another sorted into her house, she could not help beaming.

"Next, Hermione Granger!"

Hearing her name, Hermione took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Hermione, don't be nervous! Believe in yourself!

As Hermione encouraged herself, she glanced back at Argus, then put on the Sorting Hat and sat on the stool.

"She's mental. Seems weird."

Ron clearly remembered this girl who had followed Argus earlier. While she was being sorted, he leaned close to Harry's ear and quietly badmouthed her.

He had expected Harry to agree, but instead, Harry looked at him with a hint of displeasure.

Argus cast him a cold glance.

Feeling the pressure of that gaze, Ron, already scarred by his earlier experience, did not even dare raise his head.

He huddled behind Harry, hiding like a turtle retreating into its shell.

"Mr. Weasley, speaking ill of others behind their backs is not a good habit."

Professor McGonagall stood not far from the two boys. Upright as she was, how could she tolerate such behavior?

She immediately issued a warning, drawing quite a few sideways glances.

Just then, the Sorting Hat spoke, a hint of resignation in its voice.

"Well, I don't know why, but this year's new students all seem to have minds of their own."

"In that case..."

"Ravenclaw!"

Hermione cheered with delight, shot Argus a triumphant look, and skipped toward the Ravenclaw table.

The moment she sat down, she struck up a lively conversation with the older girl beside her.

The girls kept stealing glances at Argus.

That makes two. I just want to know how Harry and Ron, who can't scrape together half a brain between them, are supposed to fight Voldemort without Hermione!

So far, Argus was reasonably satisfied with the results of his efforts on the train.

He had begun establishing his authority at Hogwarts and left the professors with a perfect impression.

He had separated Hermione and Neville from Harry, leaving himself more room to maneuver against Dumbledore in the future.

Now, the only thing left to see was whether he could talk Harry into Slytherin.

If he really managed to bring Harry in, Dumbledore would have quite a mess on his hands!

As Draco, Pansy, Ron, and the others were sorted one after another, the first contest between Argus and Dumbledore reached its climax!

"Harry Potter!"

Professor McGonagall looked down at Harry, and the entire hall instantly erupted into chatter.

Even Dumbledore stood up, staring straight at him.

"Not easy. A difficult choice indeed."

"I can see you have plenty of courage, and a good heart. Plenty of talent, too. Hmm, yes."

Harry sat on the stool, and the Sorting Hat's question sounded in his mind.

"Hey, Harry, talk to me. Is there a house you'd like to go to?"

"That boy again!"

The Sorting Hat sounded as though it had seen something astonishing.

"Again?" Harry keenly picked up on the information in the Sorting Hat's words.

"Yes, that blond-haired, blue-eyed boy."

"Before you, quite a few people took his advice into consideration. Still, he was right. There is no best house, only the one that suits you best."

"I'm rather curious where he'll be sorted."

"Have you decided? Which house do you want to go to?"

"Slytherin? Or Gryffindor?"

"Let me think..." Harry found himself torn.

Time ticked by, and the students outside gradually grew restless after their initial silence.

Before Harry, even the longest sorting had taken only two minutes.

But now, five whole minutes had passed!

Harry still had not been sorted!

They could not help wondering whether the Sorting Hat had gone so dirty that its brain had stopped working.

Perhaps it needed a Scouring Charm?

Dumbledore's brow was deeply furrowed.

As headmaster, he understood the Sorting Hat's rules very well.

There was only one reason the sorting had taken this long: Harry was hesitating!

He had deliberately sent Hagrid to fetch Harry, then timed Harry's arrival at the station so that he would run into the Weasley family.

Each and every one of these arrangements had subtly conveyed the same message to Harry-Gryffindor was the best house.

Even so, Harry was still hesitating...

He slowly turned his gaze toward Argus in the middle of the crowd.

Is it because of you, Argus?

Apart from Argus, who else could Dumbledore think of who could have influenced Harry so profoundly in such a short time?

"Still haven't decided, Harry?"

"Never mind. I'll help you!"

The Sorting Hat's final words sounded in Harry's mind before it announced to everyone.

"Harry Potter's house is..."

"Gryffindor!"

The next second, Gryffindor erupted!

"We've got Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter belongs to Gryffindor!"

"..."

Dumbledore's tense back finally relaxed, and he secretly let out a long breath.

Argus shook his head helplessly.

He had still been outplayed!

Fortunately, he noticed that Harry seemed to be acting a little strangely.

Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry wore a smile, but it was only a smile.

He was nowhere near as excited as he had been in the original story!

Dumbledore, so what if you forced Harry into Gryffindor?

He doesn't feel any sense of belonging to Gryffindor right now.

I lost this round, but you haven't exactly won either!

The Great Hall remained noisy for quite a while before quieting down.

Holding the parchment, Professor McGonagall prepared to call the next person forward, but when she saw the next name, a complicated look appeared in her eyes.

She turned to look at Dumbledore, her expression hesitant.

Just as everyone was wondering why Professor McGonagall was hesitating, she spoke.

Her eyes were fixed intently on Argus.

"Argus Grindelwald!"

The entire hall fell deathly silent!